02-09-15 This fellow

This fellow makes it awfully difficult to get out of the house in the morning... Not because he is a difficult baby, but because he is just so stinkin cute and I don't want to leave him!

I don't think he is nearly as amused by his bug outfit as I am! 

02-08-15 Old Fashioned

A friend of mine from back in the day wrote/directed/starred in a film that is getting released on Valentines weekend. In a few select markets, the film opened early and fortunately one of those markets was the DC area. So, today I went with a group of friends from my MOPS group to go and see it. It's called Old Fashioned. 

It was a great chance to see a wonderful movie with a group of women that I see at our MOPS meetings, but rarely get a chance to spend time with. I had a lot of fun. I highly recommend the movie if you get a chance to see it. It is unapologetically faith based and gave a very refreshing look on dating and courtship. 

Here's the synopsis from the film's website...

A romantic-drama, OLD FASHIONED centers on Clay Walsh, a former frat boy who gives up his reckless carousing and now runs an antique shop in a small Midwestern college town. There, he has become notorious for his lofty and outdated theories on love and romance as well as for his devout belief in God. When Amber Hewson, a free-spirited young woman with a restless soul, drifts into the area and rents the apartment above his shop, she finds herself surprisingly drawn to his strong faith and noble ideas, which are new and intriguing to her. And Clay, though he tries to fight and deny it, simply cannot resist being attracted to her spontaneous and passionate embrace of life. Ultimately, Clay must step out from behind his relational theories and Amber must overcome her own fears and deep wounds as the two of them, together, attempt the impossible: an "old-fashioned" and God-honoring courtship in contemporary America. - See more at: http://www.oldfashionedmovie.com/synopsis#sthash.F48Yxy4w.dpuf

02-07-15 Tiny Dancer

Today was parents' day at C's ballet school, so we were excited to get to watch her dance. 

She's one of the youngest in her class that ranges from four to six year olds. Each week I wait in the lobby as she is in class and this was the first time I actually got to see her dancing. She was so excited this morning as she got ready and when class started she was beaming. Throughout the class if she noticed that our attention was not completely on her she would wave her fingers in front of her eyes to signal to us that we needed to be focused on her. 

After class I asked her to pose for me so I could take a nice picture of her. This is what I got...

02-06-15 Three Months Old

I can't believe that baby E is three months old today! He spent this auspicious occasion by eating, sleeping, and filling diapers.

Beyond that, at three months he... 

...is quite versed at smiling, cooing, and flailing like a crazy person when he is happy to see you. 

...hates being alone and will fuss if you walk out of his line of vision. 

...pretends to suck on a paci when he doesn't actually have one in his mouth. 

...sleeps 5-7 hour stretches at night. 

...views his car seat as a medieval torture device and

...has impressively resilient cradle cap.

Happy Three Months little fellow! Mommy loves you!!

02-05-15 Eating with Savages

If ever I write a memoir, I am going to title it "Eating With Savages."

A co-worker of my husband went on a Disney cruise and brought back each of the kids a gift. After they were asleep last night, Tim snuck in and put them in their room. 

C woke up in the middle of the night screaming. She calmed down when she saw her new toy. When E saw his big Mickey Mouse he looked so confused. When we asked him if he wanted to hold him he excitedly said yes. He cuddled into bed with his new toy and fell asleep with a sweet smile on his face. 

02-04-15 Guilt

I spent the better part of today feeling guilty that we have decided to (at least temporarily) take our kids out of Wednesday night programs at church. 

Every Wednesday ended the same, with me trying to wrangle two wild children while carrying a baby. Inevitably I would have to physically restrain one or both children into their car seats and proceed to listen to full out screaming the entire way home. Once home, I would then have to get two cranky toddlers to bed while dealing with a screaming, hungry baby. In the end, everyone would get to bed late and I would tumble into bed totally defeated. 

So a few weeks ago we decided to stop doing it. But each Wednesday I feel a little guilty that they aren't there. I think about what they are missing out on. And today I was really beating myself up about it... That is, until I got home. 

My dear friend Rebecca, who watched the kids all day, had dinner made and my kitchen cleaned by the time I walked in the door so that I could spend a nice quiet evening at home with my family. And that is exactly what I did. We sat around the table and talked. We told jokes and answered questions. We were together. By the end of this evening, I didn't feel guilty at all. I felt blessed. Thank you, Rebecca! 

02-03-15 Sick Day

I've been back to work for four days and I was late yesterday because of Baby E's appointment and had to call in sick today. That must be a record. I spent the day in bed, and besides feeding the baby, all I did was sleep!

02-02-15 Aortopulmonary Collateral

Aortopulmonary Collateral.

That is the official diagnosis from the cardiologist. And the good news is that it is absolutely nothing to worry about!!

After an EKG and a cardioechogram, the doctor determined that his heart looks perfect. The murmur is being caused by something else. Apparently in utero, as the baby is developing, there are small blood vessels that connect the aorta with the vessel that leads to the lungs. As the baby grows , these blood vessels disappear. Apparently Baby E still has one left. A minuscule amount of blood is still passing through this blood vessel, creating the slight murmur. She was surprised that the pediatrician had even heard it. She said that it is perfectly safe. He may outgrow it, he may not, but it will have no effect on him. Praise God!

To top it off they said he was about 9.5 lbs, which means he has gained nearly 1.5 lbs since his two month appointment!

Waiting for the doctor. 

02-01-15 The Tale of the Grasshopper

I sat in the nursery this afternoon feeding baby E. The older kids were downstairs playing. I could hear them running back and forth. After a few minutes of relative quiet they came charging upstairs.

C- Mommy!! mommy!! You have got to hear about this! I have to tell you about the grasshopper!!!

Me- What grasshopper?

C- The one we saw when we went on our walk?

Me- What walk? 

C- When we just went outside for our walk!!!!

So, apparently my four year old and my two year old opened the front door and went for a walk... Alone... Without me!!!

I'm not sure how far they got, but I am eternally grateful for the grasshopper that startled them enough to send them careening inside to tell me about it!

After I finished feeding the baby, I took them outside and asked them to tell me where they went. C insists they didn't leave the stoop, but I am not entirely convinced. Once we were finished, I told them they needed to come inside. C starts shouting "No!" at the top of her lungs and screaming, "BUT I WANT TO SEE GOD'S CREATION!!!" 

I didn't get any photos today. It was one of those days where we lept from one tantrum to another with little break between. I'm hoping as we settle more into our routine these episodes will subside. 

Tomorrow morning Baby E has his cardiology appointment. Prayers appreciated that the doctors will rule out anything serious. Thank you! 

01-31-15 I Want To Go Home

"I want to go home."

He says this each morning as he props his little elbows on the window sill and stares down at the parking lot below. "I miss the farmhouse."

Big E was six months old when we moved into the farmhouse. It is the only home he remembers, and right now he misses it. I once heard someone say 'the barefeet of a child touch the ground and that ground becomes sacred to him.' He will adjust and he will come to love the new house. Likely when he is older, he won't even remember the farmhouse, but for now, it is still sacred. 

Of all of us, he is definitely having the hardest time adjusting. He gets sad easier, (he is usually my happy kid) and he has been needing much more attention and affection. The world is a big place for a two year old and his life just changed drastically. 

We finished at the farmhouse today. Everything is out. Finally. I stepped out its door for the last time. I'll be honest, it was a unique experience living there. The first six weeks we lived there, there was no hot water. I would boil water on the stovetop and pour it into the bathtub to wash my hair and bathe. We caught moles and snakes in the basement. We had a stink bug infestation that resembled a biblical plague. At times I felt like a pioneer woman, like I had stepped back in time. It was such an odd experience, but I am grateful to have had it. :)

&

All snuggled in bed for story time.

Today was our nephew's first birthday party. Happy Bithday J!!

01-30-15 I Miss You

"I miss you!!" 

That's the first thing that Big E said as I walked in the door this evening. He ran across the living room and flung himself towards me. "I missed you, mommy." What a sweet welcome. 

With two days of work under my belt, it's good to be home again!

Selfies!

01-29-15 Familiar

Last night I told C that with her help I was sure we could get the boys out the door this morning with no problem! She gave me a huge grin and a high five. This morning we delivered! They woke up thirty minutes early with smiles on their faces. While I fed the baby, C helped with getting E completely dressed and his teeth brushed. I was so proud of her as I listened from the next room. When she was done she paraded her little brother in front of me to show off her accomplishment. I was certainly impressed. There as no arguing to get shoes and coats on, no dragging of feet, no fighting. It was smooth. The only hiccup was when I got Baby E fed, changed, and dressed and he promptly threw up all over himself and me. Fortunately I had the foresight to wait to get dressed until after he was in his cars seat. 

I'm not going to lie, though. Dropping them off was hard. I hated leaving them behind and I definitely teared up on the way back to the car. 

When I got to work I was surprised to find this in my office!

What a sweet thing to come in to find! There were also bagels from the Bagel Place (including my favorite, Old Bay bagel. So yummy!) I work with some pretty amazing people and it made walking into the office so much easier! 

The first half of the day was a slow start. My mind felt foggy and sluggish as it tried to piece together the information it was taking in. My fingers were stumbling over my keyboard and actions that used to be second nature took some time to recall. But after a few hours, my hands started to work on their own, taking familiar motions. My editing got a little faster and more confident. A few more days and I should be back to normal. 

My mother and her friend spent the day at my house doing more painting and organizing. Imagine my surprise and delight to walk in to find my dining room and kitchen all put together and dinner ready to pop in the oven!

Spending the evening with the kids was extra special as they excitedly recounted their day. Today really did go so much better than I had imagined. Our little family is very blessed!

01-28-15 Baby Jesus and the Hair Salon

Well there it is... Twelve weeks come and gone. Today has been good, but tainted by that achy feeling that something wonderful is about to end. I played longer, cuddled more, laughed often, trying to soak it all in. Tomorrow we get up while it's still dark and venture out in our different directions. I suspect there will be tears, but that's ok. In a few weeks we will be settled into our new routine and nothing will seem amiss. 

This morning C insisted that we pretend that baby E was baby Jesus. I was Mary. And she was a wiseman, but a girl. Instead of the traditional gold, frankincense and myrrh, she brought warm red water to pour over baby Jesus' head to cure his cradle cap. 

In the same spirit, this afternoon E wanted to play baby Jesus again and he wanted to be baby Jesus. However C wanted to play hair salon. The compromise was that I would be Mary and I would bring baby Jesus to the salon with me while I got my hair done. Everyone wins. 

If you think of us tomorrow, whisper a prayer that this transition will go smoothly. Thanks!

01-27-15 The Kids

As I walked through my house this evening I felt something I had been longing to feel... Progress.

After multiple loads of laundry and lots of folding, the dressers are filling up and floor space is returning. 

Today was a rough day. I strained my back/neck this morning and could barely move. The kids were good to play by themselves as I rested but this afternoon all bets were off. There was a lot of whining and picking on a each other and not a lot of listening. They must feel the change coming because today they were all over the place. 

But instead of sitting here being frustrated with them, I want to take a moment to tell you about my children. 

First there is C, a definite born leader. At four years old she is fiercely independent and wants to prove she can handle life on her own. She isn't quick to ask for help and often works through her problems. She thinks princesses are real and something you can grow up to become. She is observant and always has a question that needs an immediate answer. She loves to tell jokes, play house, and name every imaginary animal or friend Elsa. Empathy is not her strong suit, but she can be compassionate when she really stops and notices those around her. Her greatest dream is to be a mommy. Her smile is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. 

Next, Big E- at two (almost three) years old he is the most compassionate and generous little kid I have ever met. He is the first to share his toys or food. He worries constantly about his sister and wants to make sure that she is happy and safe. He is quick to give hugs, kisses, and cuddles. He is sensitive and caring. He is not as bold as C, but he can play more independently. He wants to work with tools when he grows up and wants to work at the shop with daddy. He cannot help but laugh when he is tickled, no matter his mood and he has the absolute best laugh. 

Baby E is starting to form his personality. At nearly twelve weeks old he is becoming more interactive and social. He likes to be around people and he begins to fuss when he cannot see anyone. He smiles when he sees you. He is a good sleeper, loves his paci and seems to enjoy his siblings.

Sometimes parenthood can be a frustrating experience. But when I stop and really look at my children, look past the sticky hands, the alligator tears, and the impromptu tantrums, I see unique, amazing individuals that God has blessed us with to prepare and train and encourage into adulthood. 

01-26-15 Adventure

I woke the kids up this morning and told them we were going on an adventure but I wouldn't tell them where or who would be joining us. They were very excited when we met up with Aunt Jenn, Allie, and Josiah. after an epic struggle we managed to get all the car seats into one van and we set off on our way!

Ready to go! Even baby E fit in the row with the boys! 

Despite the sleet, we headed up to Bethesda to the Playseum. When the kids walked in they were so excited! The Playseum so divided into multiple themed rooms. Some are sponsored by local businesses like Safeway and Dominos. And others are rooms geared toward dressing up or crafts. They have an animal room with bunnies and birds. There's a fire truck room, a travel room and a grandma's attic. There are so many different things the kids can explore and have fun with. 

It's hard to focus on lunch when there is so much playing to do!

Time to make pizza!

The boys loved the fire truck.

They all enjoyed grocery shopping.

Dressing up was fun!

Petting the bunny. 

I will probably post more pics tomorrow because I took a ton! By the time we left the kids had had many adventures. C can't wait to go back! 

Exhausted!

We got home in time to sneak a nap in. I'm gonna miss my little napping buddy!

It was such a blessing to spend time with my sister-in-law and her kids! It's not often that I get to hang out with friends, so I was happy for the opportunity! It's wonderful that my kids have so many cousins that are so close in age and proximity. I love watching them grow up together!