07-16-15 This place is a zoo

I waited until the middle of breakfast to tell the kids that we were going to the zoo today. Immediately C got a worried look and told me she didn't want to go if the peacocks were going to be loud and Big E kept asking if there were going to be ducks. Not the reaction I was going for. After assuring C that we probably wouldn't even see peacocks, and explaining to Big E that there were cooler animals than ducks at the zoo, I finally got the enthusiasm I was looking for! ;)

We packed up and picked up Ms. Rebecca and started the long car ride to the zoo. We parked in a garage that the website called "two blocks away." Yeah, so DC blocks are nothing like NYC blocks and I'm pretty sure we walked the equivalent of 8-10 blocks... Uphill...

When we finally got there, Big E was very excited to see the fancy trash cans and C was pointing out maintenance buildings. Oh boy!

Once we started seeing the animals it was a lot of fun. The kids got to see their very first cheetah, pandas, elephants, gorillas, bison, zebras, and more. By the end of the visit, I asked them what they liked the best. Big E said "The stinky zebra butt!" (Potty humor comes early with boys, I guess!) But in his defense, we mostly just saw the rear ends of the animals. And C liked the pandas and elephants. 

I was so thankful that Rebecca came with us. There is no way I could have navigated the zoo with all three kids, and I probably wouldn't have attempted it. (Though we did see a mom there with at least four kids under five years old all on her own. I wanted to stop her, shake her hand, and give her a medal!)

My camera battery died literally three pictures into our visit, so most of the pics were taken by Rebecca. 

Zebra butt.

07-15-15 Shhhh.... It's a surprise!

So I haven't told the kids, but I am taking off of work tomorrow and we are going to the National Zoo!! I am very excited about this! The last time we were at the zoo, Big E was more like a "little e" and C was about to turn two.

I'm trying to squeeze in a few more adventures before C heads off to school! This should be fun!!

07-14-15 They're back... And a toe update.

After a very long weekend of the big kids visiting their grandparents, they are finally back! It was such a joy to walk in my door this evening and see them there! C was excited to show off her new pair of shoes and her Frozen pjs. Big E couldn't wait to show me his Minion socks and new shoes. 

After dinner, we rode bikes and took a walk over the stinky bridge. It is so wonderful knowing that all my children will be sleeping under the same roof tonight... Our roof!

I know what you are thinking. "It's been such a long time since Joanna has mentioned anything about her toes. They must be all better!" Unfortunately, dear friend, they are not. After three rounds of antibiotics, they are still swelling up! In fact, a third toe is now in on the action. The doctor wants me to go on a certain antibiotic he is sure would knock it out, but he said I would have to not nurse the baby. (I told him 1-2 weeks of pump and dump was not an option, so we need to figure something else out. ) Here's the plan. I will be taking a combination of two breastfeeding safe antibiotics for the next two and a half weeks to get me through my upcoming vacation. If the infection goes away, great. If not, we will be pulling out the big guns. I will be taking the antibiotic he wants me to take, but I will be taking it intravenously. That means it won't be going through my digestive track, so I will still be able to nurse. However, I will have to hook myself up to an IV line two-three times a day (twenty minutes at a time) for two weeks. (At home, at work, wherever I am.) Hopefully it won't come to this, but I'm willing to do it if it means that I won't have to stop nursing. (Can you tell I'm a huge advocate for breastfeeding?!?) 

So for the next few weeks, these guys will be my buddies. Hard to imagine I'm going to be taking them all of them, but I'm not planning on missing a dose! Let's kick this infection! (Cheesy pun totally intended!!)

07-13-15 An Introvert

I have a confession... I am an introvert that absolutely hates being alone. I can't stand it. So when Tim is working late and the big kids are out of town, I don't know what to do with myself! 

I'm not sure why, but I have never liked being alone. I used to house sit a lot in my younger years, and I always begged friends to stay with me so that I didn't have to be in a strange home all by myself. I thought I'd grow out of it over the years, but I really haven't. 

At least I have Goobs here to keep me company. (Even if he is currently passed out in his rock and play!)

07-12-15 Quiet

With me being away on retreat, it seemed like a good chance for the big kids to visit my parents for a long weekend. I wanted them to have the chance before C starts school. So after getting home this afternoon, it was just Tim, Baby E and myself. We went out to dinner and then took a nice long stroll at the gazebo park. When we finally came in for the evening it was so very quiet in the house. I am thankful for the break, but I do miss them dearly!

07-11-15 Retreat Weekend

This is my second year on the steering team for our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group and it really is such a pleasure to be serving alongside an amazing group of women who have such a heart for this ministry! 

Retreat weekend is an exciting time for the steering members to get together to plan the upcoming MOPS year. Many ideas get tossed about, but in the end we want to provide a place where mothers of small children can come together, find support, grow spiritually and connect to a thriving community of other moms. Our hope in providing this safe environment, is that we create long lasting relationships and opportunities to share the gospel with the women we meet. It really is a wonderful ministry! 

My first year of motherhood was incredibly intimidating, so having a place to go where I could interact with other moms, ask questions, get advice, connect, and learn was invaluable. It really was and is an answer to prayer!

I love this group of women! :)

Most everything that happens at MOPS throughout the year is planned at this table. 

07-10-15 Exciting weekend!!

07-09-15 Eight months

These are the moments I wish I could bottle and keep on a shelf. 

Baby E Is getting big and no amount of denial will keep him tiny forever. 

He turned eight months old the other day. 

He loves food, especially cereal (and the accidental servings of honey mustard!) 

He rolls over and scoots around on his belly to get where he wants to go. 

He sits on his own. 

He wakes up once or twice a night. 

He talks like a gremlin. 

His laugh sounds like a cry. 

He likes to touch your face and pull on your lips. 

He has six teeth. 

He says baba baba when he is hungry. 

He thinks C and Big E are hilarious. 

He loves Ms. Rebecca. 

He is a master at the walker. 

He is starting to give huge, slimy, wide mouth kisses. Perfection! 

Happy eight months, little guy. We love you!

07-08-15 You're going to die...

So this morning I got the kids dressed and sent them out to the van to strap themselves in. When I looked out to check on them, I noticed that C was in her seat, but E was not strapped in. I walked over to the van and that's when I remembered that I had left his car seat with the sitter and it never made it back to my van. I muttered, "Oh no, Elijah, we don't have your car seat!!" and walked away. 

I called Rebecca, who was watching them today, and asked her to come get the kids because I couldn't drive them over without the car seat. When I got off the phone I went back to the van to find Big E crying. I asked him what was wrong and he said, "C told me I was going to die!!!!!" 

So apparently when I walked away the first time, C must have turned to him and said something along the lines of "we don't have your car seat, so you are going to die!"

And the thing about Big E is that in his eyes, everything that C says is gospel truth. She can tell him not to do something and when I tell him he can he cries that he isn't allowed to because C said "no." 

Poor fellow took some convincing that he was not, in fact, going to die. Once we had that squared away, he cheered up. 

This evening we had dinner with my sister-in-law, her kids, and my in-laws! I love spending time with family!

07-07-15 The long awaited photo...

C's official ballet photo finally arrived. I've been stalking my mailbox for weeks, so I was pretty excited when I opened up the little door and found the long awaited envelope inside. I'll be honest, I wasn't really impressed with the quality of the photograph- she wasn't really centered and the colors were off. But thankfully I have a great friend who is a wiz at Photoshop, so I gave her the photo and voila, she worked her magic and redeemed it! 

Isn't she adorable?

07-06-15 A little bit of crafty

So I am way behind on holidays... I mean way behind. This past weekend I finally gave my mother her birthday present. Yes, her birthday was in February... Don't judge! 

I made her some coasters with pictures of the kids. I think they turned out pretty great! The hardest part was figuring out which pictures to use, but I figured my mom really didn't need 85 coasters, so I settled on four of my favorites. :)

07-05-15 Long Weekend

It's always sad when a long weekend comes to an end, but at least it was spent with dear family and friends!

07-04-15 Happy Independence Day

We got to visit my parents today, and the kids got to attend their very first parade. There were lots of fire trucks, farm vehicles, horses, and politicians. The kids' favorite part, was that many of the vehicles that passed threw candy out towards the children.

The fire trucks were a bit too loud for this little girl, though they paled in comparison to the canon that ended the parade. 

Goobs was in charge of watching the stuff. 

Big E loved all the tractors and fire trucks. 

This evening the kids watched the fireworks while standing in Noana's big bath tub so they could see them above the houses. As they started, C turned to me with a big smile and said, "You know what's better than fireworks?? Jesus!!!" 

A little while later the saw a firework shaped like a smiley face. I hear her exclaim, "Daddy, that one looks like you!!" 

Here are some photos from last night playing with sparklers with the cousins, 

07-03-15 Went swimming!

The kids and I went swimming today with some good friends! Well, most of us went swimming. However, if you were Baby E you just drifted around in the pool taking a 45 minute nap. That's right, my kid who screams through bath time, snoozes through a swim. Maybe I need to bathe him in cold water from now on! 

Nothing to see here, folks, just a baby taking a nap in a pool. 

Don't worry, there was always an adult with him and he was never in any danger. While he snoozed, the rest of us swam. C is getting much more comfortable in the water. Big E is doing better, but still spent a considerable amount of time sitting on the stairs and playing. It was really a lot of fun!