I'll bet you can't wait to see more.
November 30, 2011
Oh, what fun . . .
Kyle captured this little gem as we were leaving the park after attempting to get family photos last week. This one photo pretty much sums up the whole experience.
I'll bet you can't wait to see more.
I'll bet you can't wait to see more.
November 27, 2011
At least I'm not on fire
This summer, when people complained about anything, we got our staff in the habit of saying "Hey . . . at least you're not on fire." Because really? Being on fire would have been worse than anything else that was going on.
I spent much of the last two weeks muttering "at least I'm not on fire" under my breath.
I was NOT sleeping well and this recent cold beat me up more than any other illness ever has. I don't ever remember feeling as crummy as I did. I was so, so tired . . . and when I'm tired, I become snarky and cranky. The cough that kept me up all night made my entire belly ache and I wondered all the time if it was hurting the baby (although google assures me she'll be just fine). I was coughing so hard and so much I thought she might just shoot right out from all the pressure. The worst part is not being able to take any drugs that might help.
The pain from this pregnancy is intensifying, just as predicted. During the week after my last appointment, I really wondered if the doctor had just been exaggerating. YOu know . . . making it sound worse than it is just to help me prepare for the worst? She wasn't.
It doesn't help that I'm not taking it as easy as I should be. The whole "stay sitting or laying down" thing seems impossible. And Ben has become ultra clingy . . . I think he senses that change is coming and I remember Jack doing this during the month or two before Ben was born.
Speaking of Ben . . . oy. The terrible twos have descended and have Kyle and I feeling a little bit like we've been hit by a truck. While there are still moments of sweetness, the moments of defiance and disobedience far outweigh them. His speech has taken off and you'd never know that three weeks ago I was concerned about it. It's like something clicked. But with that development has come his ability to tell us exactly what he's thinking . . . for better or worse.
There are some things that make us laugh . . . for instance, when he does something he knows he shouldn't, he'll just stomp to the time out chair and climb in grumbling "MIME OUT!" under his breath the whole way. I can't NOT laugh when he puts himself in time out.
When he gives us an inappropriate response to something we tell him to or not to do, we repeat the correct response until he says it too. And I don't think there's anything cuter than hearing him say, "Otay, mom."
I've mentioned that we've moved Ben and Jack into the same room, and that's totally ruined his sleep. He was SO amazingly good for bedtime, naptime and slept all night. Not so much anymore. Right now, they're sleeping on mattresses on the floor, but their beds come on Wednesday. I hope that being in a real bed will help him a little bit. Maybe.
The good news, however, is that I'm feeling so much better. I still have little coughing fits every now and then, but they're definitely fewer.
I spent much of the last two weeks muttering "at least I'm not on fire" under my breath.
I was NOT sleeping well and this recent cold beat me up more than any other illness ever has. I don't ever remember feeling as crummy as I did. I was so, so tired . . . and when I'm tired, I become snarky and cranky. The cough that kept me up all night made my entire belly ache and I wondered all the time if it was hurting the baby (although google assures me she'll be just fine). I was coughing so hard and so much I thought she might just shoot right out from all the pressure. The worst part is not being able to take any drugs that might help.
The pain from this pregnancy is intensifying, just as predicted. During the week after my last appointment, I really wondered if the doctor had just been exaggerating. YOu know . . . making it sound worse than it is just to help me prepare for the worst? She wasn't.
It doesn't help that I'm not taking it as easy as I should be. The whole "stay sitting or laying down" thing seems impossible. And Ben has become ultra clingy . . . I think he senses that change is coming and I remember Jack doing this during the month or two before Ben was born.
Speaking of Ben . . . oy. The terrible twos have descended and have Kyle and I feeling a little bit like we've been hit by a truck. While there are still moments of sweetness, the moments of defiance and disobedience far outweigh them. His speech has taken off and you'd never know that three weeks ago I was concerned about it. It's like something clicked. But with that development has come his ability to tell us exactly what he's thinking . . . for better or worse.
There are some things that make us laugh . . . for instance, when he does something he knows he shouldn't, he'll just stomp to the time out chair and climb in grumbling "MIME OUT!" under his breath the whole way. I can't NOT laugh when he puts himself in time out.
When he gives us an inappropriate response to something we tell him to or not to do, we repeat the correct response until he says it too. And I don't think there's anything cuter than hearing him say, "Otay, mom."
I've mentioned that we've moved Ben and Jack into the same room, and that's totally ruined his sleep. He was SO amazingly good for bedtime, naptime and slept all night. Not so much anymore. Right now, they're sleeping on mattresses on the floor, but their beds come on Wednesday. I hope that being in a real bed will help him a little bit. Maybe.
The good news, however, is that I'm feeling so much better. I still have little coughing fits every now and then, but they're definitely fewer.
November 21, 2011
Speaking of . . .
While perusing my blog posts from right before Ben was born, I found this little gem. It's funny that it was more than 2 years ago, but some things about Jack just haven't changed. It also made me glad that Ben isn't quite as verbal as Jack was at this age. I'm not sure I could handle it.
Nonetheless, Ben's speech has taken off. We had his evaluation with the speech therapist a few weeks ago and it went well, and she took my concerns seriously, but she kept emphasizing that he was ahead of the game in every area but expressive speech and I got the feeling that she wanted to say, "Calm down and don't worry." She was very nice and really professional though.
It didn't help my case that he literally started using two and three word phrases 18 hours before she came. I'm not even kidding. He repeated me when I said "Happy Halloween" and then just took off from there. She repeated almost everything she asked him to. I was proud, but a little bit embarrassed that I had just finished telling her that he won't do that at all.
Now he's pretty much saying everything he wants to and repeating anything we ask him to. He still has a lot of pronunciation issues, but even those are resolving themselves without much intervention. When he wanted a cup of water, he would always say "Wa-Gee" instead of "water." This morning he walked into our bedroom and said "Water in big cup, pease." And then he stood there unsure of what to do as Kyle and I cheered and asked him to say it again. His love of books (and attention span) is growing and there are many that he'll "read" to us. Something just seems to have clicked for him.
He's come a long way in just a few weeks.
So, while maybe I jumped the gun with speech therapy, I don't regret it. I'd rather be a little too proactive than not proactive enough, I guess. The therapist is making a return visit tomorrow to evaluate his progress, and I'm pretty sure his progress will confirm her feelings that I'm a little bit overprotective. Oh, well. There are worse things to be, I suppose.
Nonetheless, Ben's speech has taken off. We had his evaluation with the speech therapist a few weeks ago and it went well, and she took my concerns seriously, but she kept emphasizing that he was ahead of the game in every area but expressive speech and I got the feeling that she wanted to say, "Calm down and don't worry." She was very nice and really professional though.
It didn't help my case that he literally started using two and three word phrases 18 hours before she came. I'm not even kidding. He repeated me when I said "Happy Halloween" and then just took off from there. She repeated almost everything she asked him to. I was proud, but a little bit embarrassed that I had just finished telling her that he won't do that at all.
Now he's pretty much saying everything he wants to and repeating anything we ask him to. He still has a lot of pronunciation issues, but even those are resolving themselves without much intervention. When he wanted a cup of water, he would always say "Wa-Gee" instead of "water." This morning he walked into our bedroom and said "Water in big cup, pease." And then he stood there unsure of what to do as Kyle and I cheered and asked him to say it again. His love of books (and attention span) is growing and there are many that he'll "read" to us. Something just seems to have clicked for him.
He's come a long way in just a few weeks.
So, while maybe I jumped the gun with speech therapy, I don't regret it. I'd rather be a little too proactive than not proactive enough, I guess. The therapist is making a return visit tomorrow to evaluate his progress, and I'm pretty sure his progress will confirm her feelings that I'm a little bit overprotective. Oh, well. There are worse things to be, I suppose.
November 17, 2011
Say cheese.
Does this kid have the cheesiest picture face, or what?
How can you look at this and not smile?
How can you look at this and not smile?
November 14, 2011
Nesting
I did a lot over the weekend to get ready for Claire. I washed and put away her clothes. I washed and stuffed cloth diapers. I made a list of things I still need to do and there are quite a few, but at least I'm making progress.
I can definitely tell I'm nesting . . . not only because we've replaced all of the floors . . . but also because I buy some sort of new cleaning product or tool every time I'm out - whether we really need it or not. It just always seems like a good idea.
I can definitely tell I'm nesting . . . not only because we've replaced all of the floors . . . but also because I buy some sort of new cleaning product or tool every time I'm out - whether we really need it or not. It just always seems like a good idea.
Home Improvements
I can say without hesitation that the last 4 - 5 days are probably some of the most stressful I've ever had.
On Thursday we had new carpet installed in all of the bedrooms. I mentioned that Kyle and I installed wood flooring throughout the house in August/September and this was the last piece of the flooring updates. I'm telling you . . . it feels like a brand new house! I love it!
The carpet that was installed by our builder was considered "builder's grade." The installation person we were talking to told us that it's normally only expected to last 2 - 3 years while the owners figure out what they really want. It's been 7 years, so we were way past due and it showed.
The stressful part of the whole thing is that we had to move every piece of furniture and every item into our living room/kitchen on Wednesday night (thanks to the help of Kyle's cousin Brian). We slept on the floor and couches on Wednesday night and it was miserable. When we moved things back in, we moved all of Ben's stuff into his and Jack's shared room and cleaned out the nursery for Claire. This involved buying more shelving and drawers for the boys, assembling it, sorting through things, etc. We couldn't really prepare meals so there was a lot of eating out and a lot of television for the boys while we tried to get everything going. It was chaotic.
But like I said, I LOVE the new floors. We still have finishing touches to add, but I think we'll have those done in the next couple of weeks.
Some good news: Claire will actually have a girl's nursery! I was worried that we might just have to make do with blue and green rocket ships, because I wasn't sure when we'd have time to change things up. But I'm happy to say that the blue walls have been replaced by gray walls and the rockets have been replaced by zinnias.
On top of everything else, I developed a nasty cold on Saturday night / Sunday morning. Sore throat, congestion and the worst achiness I've ever experienced with a cold. I haven't had a fever or anything. I've just felt crummy. I thought it would be over quickly, but I couldn't even pull myself out of bed this morning, other than to go sit in the bathroom and run hot water to help clear my congestion. I'm so thankful for Kyle and how he takes care of me.
On Thursday we had new carpet installed in all of the bedrooms. I mentioned that Kyle and I installed wood flooring throughout the house in August/September and this was the last piece of the flooring updates. I'm telling you . . . it feels like a brand new house! I love it!
The carpet that was installed by our builder was considered "builder's grade." The installation person we were talking to told us that it's normally only expected to last 2 - 3 years while the owners figure out what they really want. It's been 7 years, so we were way past due and it showed.
The stressful part of the whole thing is that we had to move every piece of furniture and every item into our living room/kitchen on Wednesday night (thanks to the help of Kyle's cousin Brian). We slept on the floor and couches on Wednesday night and it was miserable. When we moved things back in, we moved all of Ben's stuff into his and Jack's shared room and cleaned out the nursery for Claire. This involved buying more shelving and drawers for the boys, assembling it, sorting through things, etc. We couldn't really prepare meals so there was a lot of eating out and a lot of television for the boys while we tried to get everything going. It was chaotic.
But like I said, I LOVE the new floors. We still have finishing touches to add, but I think we'll have those done in the next couple of weeks.
Some good news: Claire will actually have a girl's nursery! I was worried that we might just have to make do with blue and green rocket ships, because I wasn't sure when we'd have time to change things up. But I'm happy to say that the blue walls have been replaced by gray walls and the rockets have been replaced by zinnias.
On top of everything else, I developed a nasty cold on Saturday night / Sunday morning. Sore throat, congestion and the worst achiness I've ever experienced with a cold. I haven't had a fever or anything. I've just felt crummy. I thought it would be over quickly, but I couldn't even pull myself out of bed this morning, other than to go sit in the bathroom and run hot water to help clear my congestion. I'm so thankful for Kyle and how he takes care of me.
November 2, 2011
Big shoes to fill
Do you notice anything weird about this picture? The size 12 shoes, perhaps?
This is the second of this exact same pair that I've purchased for Jack since September. Did he outgrow the first pair? Nope. Were they ruined? We're not quite sure.
You see, Ben likes to wear Jack's shoes around the house. The last time we saw Jack's first pair of these was about a month ago . . . on Ben's feet. We've searched the house high and low for those shoes and cannot find them anywhere. So today, I broke down and bought another pair.
Ben, of course, had them on his feet within minutes of me walking in the door.
October 31, 2011
Halloween 2011
We did it. We wrestled Ben into his costume. It took lots of coaxing and bribery, but my boys were both dressed up for Halloween. And I managed to get photos.
Jack had a fever on Saturday and I was sure he'd have to miss school and trick or treating, but it never came back. He still has a raspy voice and a little bit of congestion, so we didn't stay out long.
We only went to the fire station and they got treat bags from grandma, so each of the boys ended up with about 1 0 pieces of candy . . . which is a good number for kids their age. However, they'll totally notice if a piece goes missing. That bums me out.
We had a fun night, although Ben self-imposed a time out at one point. I'm not sure why. He just sat on the step and kept saying "Mime out!"
As Jack was getting ready for school this morning, he said, "If there's ever a fire at school, we go out the emergency door and to the building across the parking lot. But if there's a fire today, they'll be SO lucky I'm there!" I love it.
That might end up being our biggest accomplishment of the week!
Jack had a fever on Saturday and I was sure he'd have to miss school and trick or treating, but it never came back. He still has a raspy voice and a little bit of congestion, so we didn't stay out long.
We only went to the fire station and they got treat bags from grandma, so each of the boys ended up with about 1 0 pieces of candy . . . which is a good number for kids their age. However, they'll totally notice if a piece goes missing. That bums me out.
We had a fun night, although Ben self-imposed a time out at one point. I'm not sure why. He just sat on the step and kept saying "Mime out!"
As Jack was getting ready for school this morning, he said, "If there's ever a fire at school, we go out the emergency door and to the building across the parking lot. But if there's a fire today, they'll be SO lucky I'm there!" I love it.
We had a good time and when we got home, Kyle and the boys popped pop corn and watched The Great Pumpkin.
October 27, 2011
Ouch.
I had my 31-week check up. Let me tell you . . . I'm loving only having to go into the doctor's office every six weeks this time around. I'm sure I would have hated it when I was pregnant with Jack. But now that we're on to number 3, it's nice not having to make that drive as often. The next time I go back, I'll be full term!
Anyway, we brought the boys with us for the obligatory "hear your sister's heartbeat" visit. Jack was really excited. Ben was really quiet and just kind of watched and listened. They both behaved so well. I was stressed out about how they would act, but they were awesome.
It turns out that I actually should have been stressed out about something else.
I mentioned all of my contractions . . . I have around 8 - 10 an hour when I'm up and moving around and less when I'm sitting or laying down. She didn't seem too concerned, so I wasn't either. Phew.
But then I mentioned some pain I've been having for a few weeks. I had almost forgotten to say anything about it until I went to step down off the table and felt the sharp pains through my entire pelvis and back. I won't go into all of the details, but she did a real quick exam and I believe her exact words were "Oh, crap."
Apparently, this "issue" can sometimes arise in women on their third or fourth pregnancies, particularly with a history of large babies. Jack was 8 lb, 10 oz and Ben was 9 lb, 6 oz . . . not abnormally huge, but definitely not tiny.
The only thing that will relieve the pain is having the baby. Likely, it will continue to get worse until after this little girl is born. Awesome. I'm supposed to avoid lifting the boys as much as I can and I'm supposed to stay sitting or laying as much as possible to try and keep it from progressing any faster. When I said, "Yeah, right" she warned that some women, if they're not careful, end up in wheelchairs for the last few weeks of pregnancy because of the pain from this.
Ugh.
I asked if it would interfere with labor and delivery and she said it wouldn't, but they often have to induce early because the pain gets so severe. And if you know me, I'll do almost anything to avoid being induced.
On top of all of that, my platelets are low which might prevent an epidural. And kudos to those of you who can make it through labor and delivery without one, but I don't think that I can. I'll be tested again at 37 weeks to see how they're doing. Apparently they were low with both Jack and Ben, but not low enough to be worth mentioning. This time they're a little bit lower.
I cried a lot on the way home. I know it's silly . . . none of this life threatening. My little girl will continue to grow and develop normally, and right now the pain is bearable. I can handle this for 10 or 11 weeks, right? It could be so much worse and I have so much to be grateful for.
I just think this was just the tipping point that let all of the fatigue and emotion over miscellaneous things over the last few weeks come spilling out.
SIDE NOTE: I just barely twisted my ankle this morning. For some reason, Jack has it in his head that the entire conversation he overheard between the doctor and I was about my ankle and he's sure that it's what's causing me so much trouble. He just brought me some ice cream and said, "I hope this makes you feel better about your ankle." So sweet.
The GOOD news is that I'm feeling her kick and move daily. Up until the last week or so, every day was a guessing game as to whether I'd feel her and I was kind of on edge until I did.
Here's a self-portrait at about 31 1/2 weeks now. Not flattering, I know. But I finally took one, didn't I? And yes, my eyes are still puffy from crying. Lovely, I know.
Anyway, we brought the boys with us for the obligatory "hear your sister's heartbeat" visit. Jack was really excited. Ben was really quiet and just kind of watched and listened. They both behaved so well. I was stressed out about how they would act, but they were awesome.
It turns out that I actually should have been stressed out about something else.
I mentioned all of my contractions . . . I have around 8 - 10 an hour when I'm up and moving around and less when I'm sitting or laying down. She didn't seem too concerned, so I wasn't either. Phew.
But then I mentioned some pain I've been having for a few weeks. I had almost forgotten to say anything about it until I went to step down off the table and felt the sharp pains through my entire pelvis and back. I won't go into all of the details, but she did a real quick exam and I believe her exact words were "Oh, crap."
Apparently, this "issue" can sometimes arise in women on their third or fourth pregnancies, particularly with a history of large babies. Jack was 8 lb, 10 oz and Ben was 9 lb, 6 oz . . . not abnormally huge, but definitely not tiny.
The only thing that will relieve the pain is having the baby. Likely, it will continue to get worse until after this little girl is born. Awesome. I'm supposed to avoid lifting the boys as much as I can and I'm supposed to stay sitting or laying as much as possible to try and keep it from progressing any faster. When I said, "Yeah, right" she warned that some women, if they're not careful, end up in wheelchairs for the last few weeks of pregnancy because of the pain from this.
Ugh.
I asked if it would interfere with labor and delivery and she said it wouldn't, but they often have to induce early because the pain gets so severe. And if you know me, I'll do almost anything to avoid being induced.
On top of all of that, my platelets are low which might prevent an epidural. And kudos to those of you who can make it through labor and delivery without one, but I don't think that I can. I'll be tested again at 37 weeks to see how they're doing. Apparently they were low with both Jack and Ben, but not low enough to be worth mentioning. This time they're a little bit lower.
I cried a lot on the way home. I know it's silly . . . none of this life threatening. My little girl will continue to grow and develop normally, and right now the pain is bearable. I can handle this for 10 or 11 weeks, right? It could be so much worse and I have so much to be grateful for.
I just think this was just the tipping point that let all of the fatigue and emotion over miscellaneous things over the last few weeks come spilling out.
SIDE NOTE: I just barely twisted my ankle this morning. For some reason, Jack has it in his head that the entire conversation he overheard between the doctor and I was about my ankle and he's sure that it's what's causing me so much trouble. He just brought me some ice cream and said, "I hope this makes you feel better about your ankle." So sweet.
The GOOD news is that I'm feeling her kick and move daily. Up until the last week or so, every day was a guessing game as to whether I'd feel her and I was kind of on edge until I did.
Here's a self-portrait at about 31 1/2 weeks now. Not flattering, I know. But I finally took one, didn't I? And yes, my eyes are still puffy from crying. Lovely, I know.
Also, I found a few self-photos that had been backed up before my iphone was stolen . ..
18 weeks:
19 weeks:
18 weeks:
19 weeks:
October 24, 2011
Twitter: July 23 - October 23
Selected Twitter posts from the last two months.
October 23
Me: We're going to camp, Ben. Ben: Beach? Me: No, can you say "camp?" Ben: Beach! Me: C-C-Camp. Ben: C-C-Beach.
October 21
Jack: How old are you? Ben: Two. Jack: Yes, but how old does your grandpa want you to be? Ben: Um, six. Jack: Yay, Ben! That's right!
October 17
Jack: Can I watch one more show? Me: Hmm . . . what if we fry your brain? What then? Jack: I just won't be as smart. I can live with that.
October 16
My dad turned 60 this week. He also ran his 11th marathon. Incredible.
October 15
Today, a retiree made a comment to me about "When you're receiving social security checks . . ." That's cute.
October 14
Jack: "I DO NOT like Elmo. It's so old. From when I was a little kid."
October 5
Jack just snapped his fingers at me and said, "I NEED SOMEONE TO GET ME BREAKFAST!" Excuse me?! I have a lesson I need to go teach . . .
October 3
Pool = FAIL. But we did discover that Ben's tennis shoes will float in a pool when thrown in.
October 2
Few things bring me as much joy as watching my boys sing Oh Happy Day. #churchinthecar
September 23
Opening his presents. He put each thing away as took it out of the box! yfrog.com/nytocavj
2 years ago right now, contractions were 5 minutes apart. I was an hour from the hospital and wanted to stop by Target on the way. #denial
September 22
My contractions stop when I lay down. But when i lay down, I don't get much done. Grrrr.
September 19
After complaining all the way home about egg salad for lunch, they talked me into pizza. Then they ate my entire sandwich & asked for more.
September 17
I can hear my sister upstairs introducing Jack to songs from The Sound of Music. But I haven't heard Kyle's head explode. Yet.
September 16
No, I was not embarrassed when the drive thru worker from whom I ordered lunch remembered me from breakfast. Not at all.
September 12
This cracked me up. NOW I know what do do with that enormous surplus of "free time" I have when jack's at preschool! yfrog.com/h6xrsxij
September 11
After he tooted, Jack just smiled and said, "That was me just making nutrients." WHAT?! Who taught him that one?
September 10
In the middle of praying at bedtime, Jack said, "Uh, mom? Can you put some perfume on?" Ouch.
September 3
I hear Ben up in his bed yelling, "NO WAY! NO WAY!" I can't help but wonder what's going through his mind . . .
September 1
It's so funny that Ben laughs at something when Jack does, even though he has no idea what is so funny.
August 29
We've "narrowed" the list of baby names from two to four. Hmmmm . . .
August 28
Jack had to go to bed without dinner tonight. I know he won't starve, but I really do think I feel worse than he does.
August 25
Coincidence that my iphone was stolen at the same time Steve Jobs announced his resignation? Hmmm . . . I'll let you decide.
August 24
If your name is Oprah, you can call your show "Oprah." If your name is Katie, you need to come up with something a little more original.
August 23
Why do my children have the ongoing, irresistible urge to unfold my folded laundry?
August 22
Kyle just came into my office and asked if I had an envelope. That's cute.
August 17
We bought new tires and ordered new flooring today. Which makes me feel old. And broke.
Oh, Man in the yellow hat . . . you put your monkey in charge of clearing the dinner table. You were kind of asking for it.
August 15
Ben's watching Leapfrog Letter Factory, and every time the main character finishes a song, Ben says, "Thank you!"
August 11
Loved having staff at our house tonight. There's nothing better than an evening of laughter and oversharing to cap off a great summer.
August 10
Feeling really grateful for the amazing staff we've been able to work with all summer. I'll be sad to see them go this weekend.
August 6
We're taking our kids to the beach today. All 19 of them.
August 4
Ben's new favorite thing us to yell,"That way!" every time we get to an intersection & then scream if we go the other way. It's super fun.
August 3
A few things to remember for when you meet my daughter . . . http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-bloom/how-to-talk-to-little-gir_b_882510.html
We have one VERY active baby! Any gender guesses?
August 2
I'm not usually one to brag, but . . . I'm going to anyway. http://www.babble.com/mom/work-family/best-mom-etsy-shop-handmade-mom-lukecommasara/
Oy. We are going to have a bummed out 4-year-old on our hands if we come home and tell him he has another brother instead of a sister.
July 30
The Olive Garden waiter left us 5 Andes mints, which was an obvious attempt to cause dissension in our marriage.
July 29
Ben's first hair cut. yfrog.com/kipjgvvj
"No money, no spendy. That’s how it works in our house. And it hurts." Love this. http://everydayepistle.com/2011/07/26/how-the-government-can-save-3-14-million-this-year/
October 23
Me: We're going to camp, Ben. Ben: Beach? Me: No, can you say "camp?" Ben: Beach! Me: C-C-Camp. Ben: C-C-Beach.
October 21
Jack: How old are you? Ben: Two. Jack: Yes, but how old does your grandpa want you to be? Ben: Um, six. Jack: Yay, Ben! That's right!
October 17
Jack: Can I watch one more show? Me: Hmm . . . what if we fry your brain? What then? Jack: I just won't be as smart. I can live with that.
October 16
My dad turned 60 this week. He also ran his 11th marathon. Incredible.
October 15
Today, a retiree made a comment to me about "When you're receiving social security checks . . ." That's cute.
October 14
Jack: "I DO NOT like Elmo. It's so old. From when I was a little kid."
October 5
Jack just snapped his fingers at me and said, "I NEED SOMEONE TO GET ME BREAKFAST!" Excuse me?! I have a lesson I need to go teach . . .
October 3
Pool = FAIL. But we did discover that Ben's tennis shoes will float in a pool when thrown in.
October 2
Few things bring me as much joy as watching my boys sing Oh Happy Day. #churchinthecar
September 23
Opening his presents. He put each thing away as took it out of the box! yfrog.com/nytocavj
2 years ago right now, contractions were 5 minutes apart. I was an hour from the hospital and wanted to stop by Target on the way. #denial
September 22
My contractions stop when I lay down. But when i lay down, I don't get much done. Grrrr.
September 19
After complaining all the way home about egg salad for lunch, they talked me into pizza. Then they ate my entire sandwich & asked for more.
September 17
I can hear my sister upstairs introducing Jack to songs from The Sound of Music. But I haven't heard Kyle's head explode. Yet.
September 16
No, I was not embarrassed when the drive thru worker from whom I ordered lunch remembered me from breakfast. Not at all.
September 12
This cracked me up. NOW I know what do do with that enormous surplus of "free time" I have when jack's at preschool! yfrog.com/h6xrsxij
September 11
After he tooted, Jack just smiled and said, "That was me just making nutrients." WHAT?! Who taught him that one?
September 10
In the middle of praying at bedtime, Jack said, "Uh, mom? Can you put some perfume on?" Ouch.
September 3
I hear Ben up in his bed yelling, "NO WAY! NO WAY!" I can't help but wonder what's going through his mind . . .
September 1
It's so funny that Ben laughs at something when Jack does, even though he has no idea what is so funny.
August 29
We've "narrowed" the list of baby names from two to four. Hmmmm . . .
August 28
Jack had to go to bed without dinner tonight. I know he won't starve, but I really do think I feel worse than he does.
August 25
Coincidence that my iphone was stolen at the same time Steve Jobs announced his resignation? Hmmm . . . I'll let you decide.
August 24
If your name is Oprah, you can call your show "Oprah." If your name is Katie, you need to come up with something a little more original.
August 23
Why do my children have the ongoing, irresistible urge to unfold my folded laundry?
August 22
Kyle just came into my office and asked if I had an envelope. That's cute.
August 17
We bought new tires and ordered new flooring today. Which makes me feel old. And broke.
Oh, Man in the yellow hat . . . you put your monkey in charge of clearing the dinner table. You were kind of asking for it.
August 15
Ben's watching Leapfrog Letter Factory, and every time the main character finishes a song, Ben says, "Thank you!"
August 11
Loved having staff at our house tonight. There's nothing better than an evening of laughter and oversharing to cap off a great summer.
August 10
Feeling really grateful for the amazing staff we've been able to work with all summer. I'll be sad to see them go this weekend.
August 6
We're taking our kids to the beach today. All 19 of them.
August 4
Ben's new favorite thing us to yell,"That way!" every time we get to an intersection & then scream if we go the other way. It's super fun.
August 3
A few things to remember for when you meet my daughter . . . http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-bloom/how-to-talk-to-little-gir_b_882510.html
We have one VERY active baby! Any gender guesses?
August 2
I'm not usually one to brag, but . . . I'm going to anyway. http://www.babble.com/mom/work-family/best-mom-etsy-shop-handmade-mom-lukecommasara/
Oy. We are going to have a bummed out 4-year-old on our hands if we come home and tell him he has another brother instead of a sister.
July 30
The Olive Garden waiter left us 5 Andes mints, which was an obvious attempt to cause dissension in our marriage.
July 29
Ben's first hair cut. yfrog.com/kipjgvvj
"No money, no spendy. That’s how it works in our house. And it hurts." Love this. http://everydayepistle.com/2011/07/26/how-the-government-can-save-3-14-million-this-year/
October 23, 2011
She has a name
We're excited to have chosen the name "Claire" for our baby girl. We tossed around SO many options. Claire was Kyle's very first pick and we both really love it.
It means, "bright, clear, famous."
As I've been praying for her over the last few days, I've used the meaning of her name as a guide.
BRIGHT
I pray that she'll be bold and imaginative and that she'll reflect God's light wherever she goes.
CLEAR
I pray that she'll be free of anything that obstructs or darkens her love for God or her passion for doing His work.
FAMOUS
I pray that she'll be well known for her brightness, her clarity and her love for the Lord.
We still don't have a middle name for her, and we're open to suggestions. My sister suggested the middle name "Huxtable."
It's funny, but I think we'll pass.
Baby Shower
Jeanette and Debbie threw me a shower last month. It was so, so nice and I appreciated it a lot.
It was in September because they're both pregnant and due before me. The whole thing made it so real . . . I was opening lots of pink and even got her first dress. I'm really excited about having a girl! I've come a long way from where I was on August 3.
Everyone was so generous. I registered at a few places thinking that one or two people might like ideas, but my friends and family just about wiped it clean! I was thankful and humbled.
I was just enjoying myself and didn't pick up my camera once. Luckily, my mom was there and was able to get a few pictures.
It was in September because they're both pregnant and due before me. The whole thing made it so real . . . I was opening lots of pink and even got her first dress. I'm really excited about having a girl! I've come a long way from where I was on August 3.
Everyone was so generous. I registered at a few places thinking that one or two people might like ideas, but my friends and family just about wiped it clean! I was thankful and humbled.
I was just enjoying myself and didn't pick up my camera once. Luckily, my mom was there and was able to get a few pictures.
October 22, 2011
October 13, 2011
In over my head
I'm having one of THOSE weeks. The kind of week that reminds me that there's very little I can do apart from the grace of God. You know the kind, right?
The first week back from vacation is always stressful because there's so much catching up to do, and like I mentioned earlier, we were coming off a crazy drive home. When I got home on Sunday night, I was fried. Then upon return, I was hit with one thing after another for about three hours straight that seemed to make the outlook for this week even more difficult.
Late Sunday night, I sat at my desk looking over my to do list, calculating how long it would be before my head would hit the pillow and taking deep breaths in an effort not to panic. I think the only phrase that can accurately describe how I was feeling that night is "in over my head." I spent a good portion of that time wondering how on earth I'll cope with a third child.
The next morning, I was looking through photos from Ben's birthday party (that have yet to be processed) and found this family photo. We don't have many, and this photo is not all that great . . . but I've found myself staring at it for a few minutes every day this week, wondering who that pregnant grown up is in the picture. Because although it's been 11 years, I sometimes feel like I'm still very immature and fresh out of college.
These last 11 years have passed so quickly. And the next 11 will likely move faster. This stress and craziness is temporary. Wiping bottoms and breaking up screaming matches won't last forever. And neither will the cuddling and the chance to train these boys "in the way they should go."
I love that picture because I love the people in it so much. I might be in over my head, but I don't think I'd have it any other way.
The first week back from vacation is always stressful because there's so much catching up to do, and like I mentioned earlier, we were coming off a crazy drive home. When I got home on Sunday night, I was fried. Then upon return, I was hit with one thing after another for about three hours straight that seemed to make the outlook for this week even more difficult.
Late Sunday night, I sat at my desk looking over my to do list, calculating how long it would be before my head would hit the pillow and taking deep breaths in an effort not to panic. I think the only phrase that can accurately describe how I was feeling that night is "in over my head." I spent a good portion of that time wondering how on earth I'll cope with a third child.
The next morning, I was looking through photos from Ben's birthday party (that have yet to be processed) and found this family photo. We don't have many, and this photo is not all that great . . . but I've found myself staring at it for a few minutes every day this week, wondering who that pregnant grown up is in the picture. Because although it's been 11 years, I sometimes feel like I'm still very immature and fresh out of college.
Side note . . . Kyle loves this picture because the word "HOT" is right over his head.
These last 11 years have passed so quickly. And the next 11 will likely move faster. This stress and craziness is temporary. Wiping bottoms and breaking up screaming matches won't last forever. And neither will the cuddling and the chance to train these boys "in the way they should go."
I love that picture because I love the people in it so much. I might be in over my head, but I don't think I'd have it any other way.
October 12, 2011
Dear Bennett, months 24 & 25
Dear Ben,
You turned two last month, and it's like you know what that means. It's as if you understand the phrase "terrible twos" and feel like you have some sort of expectation to live up to. The screaming, the tantrums, the disobedience . . . you're testing every boundary and running me ragged.
On the flip side, you're doing so many fun new things, too. This morning, you started crawling on your hands and knees and panting. I gave you a puzzled look and you just grinned from ear to ear and said, "doggy." I thought it was super cute until your Dad told me that you tried to bite his ankle.
I love it when you do something fun or achieve something new and pump your fist and exclaim "YESHHH!". . . just like your brother. I crack up every time you finish a snack, because you always lift up your shirt and say, "Mama! Betty!" Translation: "Mom, my food's all in my belly."
You like to tease us by sticking your thumbs in your ears, wiggling your fingers and saying, "Na na boo boo." You love to sing, and even when you can only pick up on one or two words of a song, you sing those words with enough gusto to make up for all of the words that you don't know. I love hearing you exclaim "MO-NING!" (Good morning!) each morning. No matter how little sleep I'm running on, it brightens my day.
You're incredibly active and have very little fear. You love to jump off of things and usually exclaim "COOOL!" when you land . . . whether you land on your feet or back side. You climb, explore, dig, gallop, run and play harder than any kid I've met. You have sustained more injuries than any other toddler I've encountered. I'm having trouble remembering what you look like without a fat lip and two year old pictures have been delayed because of it. You are incredibly resilient. I know that when I hear you cry hard over a fall or spill that I need to come quickly because it's probably more than just a bump or a scrape.
You love playing with trains, moreso setting up the track for them to run on. Actually, I think your favorite part might be taking the full tub of train parts and pieces and dumping the entire contents on the ground, because you giggle with delight every time you do it. While you and Jack fight, oh, every 30 seconds or so when you're playing with the train set, it's one of your favorite things to do with him. After your nap this afternoon, I asked if you wanted to play with the train set. But Jack wasn't home and you just shook your head and said, "No. Jack, helpee." which I understood to mean, "Not unless Jack's here to help me."
Have I mentioned how infectious your laugh is? You have this contagious, deep chuckle that is most often elicited by your dad's antics. He tickles and wrestles with you in ways that make you giggle uncontrollably and honestly? I don't think anyone could hear it and not smile right along with you. I normally have to leave whatever I'm doing to go watch, because there are few sights and sounds better than your dad making you laugh.
You and Jack share a room now, and with that change, your excellent sleep habits have gone right out the window. It takes a lot of time to get you settled down and you know EXACTLY which buttons to push to get Jack irritated and prevent him from sleeping. I know it'll take time, but I think you two will eventually love sharing a room. Eventually.
You love playing with our phones and watching videos from the summer and looking at pictures of yourself. You even show us the photos and tell us what they are as if we've never seen them before. You play games on the phone and the ipad "or as you refer to it . . . the "ipat."
I love it that you are always so thrilled to see me. Whether I'm gone for 10 minutes or all day, you run to me and hug me tightly whenever I return. I don't think a single one of these moments passes without me wondering how long it will last.
So, I'll deal with the tantrums and the excruciatingly high-pitched screams because I know that it's just a small piece of the larger picture that makes up who you are and who you're becoming, and you are so special to me, just the way you are.
Love,
Mama
You turned two last month, and it's like you know what that means. It's as if you understand the phrase "terrible twos" and feel like you have some sort of expectation to live up to. The screaming, the tantrums, the disobedience . . . you're testing every boundary and running me ragged.
On the flip side, you're doing so many fun new things, too. This morning, you started crawling on your hands and knees and panting. I gave you a puzzled look and you just grinned from ear to ear and said, "doggy." I thought it was super cute until your Dad told me that you tried to bite his ankle.
I love it when you do something fun or achieve something new and pump your fist and exclaim "YESHHH!". . . just like your brother. I crack up every time you finish a snack, because you always lift up your shirt and say, "Mama! Betty!" Translation: "Mom, my food's all in my belly."
You like to tease us by sticking your thumbs in your ears, wiggling your fingers and saying, "Na na boo boo." You love to sing, and even when you can only pick up on one or two words of a song, you sing those words with enough gusto to make up for all of the words that you don't know. I love hearing you exclaim "MO-NING!" (Good morning!) each morning. No matter how little sleep I'm running on, it brightens my day.
You're incredibly active and have very little fear. You love to jump off of things and usually exclaim "COOOL!" when you land . . . whether you land on your feet or back side. You climb, explore, dig, gallop, run and play harder than any kid I've met. You have sustained more injuries than any other toddler I've encountered. I'm having trouble remembering what you look like without a fat lip and two year old pictures have been delayed because of it. You are incredibly resilient. I know that when I hear you cry hard over a fall or spill that I need to come quickly because it's probably more than just a bump or a scrape.
You love playing with trains, moreso setting up the track for them to run on. Actually, I think your favorite part might be taking the full tub of train parts and pieces and dumping the entire contents on the ground, because you giggle with delight every time you do it. While you and Jack fight, oh, every 30 seconds or so when you're playing with the train set, it's one of your favorite things to do with him. After your nap this afternoon, I asked if you wanted to play with the train set. But Jack wasn't home and you just shook your head and said, "No. Jack, helpee." which I understood to mean, "Not unless Jack's here to help me."
Have I mentioned how infectious your laugh is? You have this contagious, deep chuckle that is most often elicited by your dad's antics. He tickles and wrestles with you in ways that make you giggle uncontrollably and honestly? I don't think anyone could hear it and not smile right along with you. I normally have to leave whatever I'm doing to go watch, because there are few sights and sounds better than your dad making you laugh.
You and Jack share a room now, and with that change, your excellent sleep habits have gone right out the window. It takes a lot of time to get you settled down and you know EXACTLY which buttons to push to get Jack irritated and prevent him from sleeping. I know it'll take time, but I think you two will eventually love sharing a room. Eventually.
You love playing with our phones and watching videos from the summer and looking at pictures of yourself. You even show us the photos and tell us what they are as if we've never seen them before. You play games on the phone and the ipad "or as you refer to it . . . the "ipat."
I love it that you are always so thrilled to see me. Whether I'm gone for 10 minutes or all day, you run to me and hug me tightly whenever I return. I don't think a single one of these moments passes without me wondering how long it will last.
So, I'll deal with the tantrums and the excruciatingly high-pitched screams because I know that it's just a small piece of the larger picture that makes up who you are and who you're becoming, and you are so special to me, just the way you are.
Love,
Mama
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