the day he grew up

Once upon a time many moons ago, baby Max joined our family. What a happy baby he has always been. I get a little more squeezing time with him because when big brother and big sister were turning two I was in the middle of "new baby town". Adjusting family size, and figuring out feeding schedules, and routines, and immunizations, and cleaning breast pumps, and getting little people to sleep through the night, and just to sleep at all, and diapers, diapers, diapers. It's a wonder we survived. Some days we didn't feel like we would.

But my littlest baby has been growing. He was a early walker and slower talker (like his big brother) and all of a sudden around his 2nd birthday (2 months ago), he was speaking in full sentences. He has books memorized, and songs memorized, and has started to want to sleep with big brother and not in his crib. This morning I got his clothes and he wouldn't let me help him. "Me do it mama". He put on his own socks, and his own shirt, and his own pants (I still zipped and buttoned), and then he jumped up and said "go get shoes!"

We've all been home the last 12 days through the holidays, and today was his first day back and moving down the hall to the 2 year old room. Coming back from a break has always been tough, but after a holiday AND a whole new room? My memory of these moments filled me with dread.

He hugged my neck so tight just like every morning on the way in. A luxury that my other two never had at this time... I was dragging them by the hand, begging them to walk, trying to balance that horrible car seat on my other hip. So I secretly love carrying him still.

We walked into his new room and he was off and running. He never looked back. He ran to his friends, and didn't hear me say "I love you" one more time.

The wave of realization stung as I walked to my car.
All of a sudden knowing this big boy has taken my baby's place.
I saw the signs coming, but I guess I was in denial.
The next phase is here. Ready or not, here it comes.

through his eyes

It's a humbling experience to see yourself through your child's eyes. And here is exhibit A:

We had fun working on this project together. He told me as we were driving to school: "I'm supposed to bring a poster today" well, that's not going to happen. Guess we'll have to do it tonight. 

I try not to think about all the school projects that are in my future. Not sure they will turn out this well.

so much love

This sweet, precious boy has such a big personality quietly blooming in the shadow of his big brother and big sister. He follows them around grinning and memorizing their every move and storing it away. He doesn't talk much but you can see in his bright blue eyes the brilliance he will one day share with the world. I am a lucky lady to just be a witness and marvel at this not-so-tiny toddler. 

And in his eyes you could see the light dancing

And in his laughter you could hear the love

But listen close and don't look away

He's quick and found something new 

july

Several times I have tried to add pictures on here, and met with a challenge I folded. I give up easily when battling technology. I admit it.

Here are my kiddos. 4, 2, and 8 mos. Max is almost 9 months now. He's been a crawling fool. Slapping the ground as he chases his big brother and sister from room to room. He won't stay in a room by himself; he wants to be with the crowd!

We took this picture for a friend's birthday gift, per request, but I just love it. It's rare getting a picture of all three of them.

We've just been busy rowing through the summer. Max has had many ear infections, or one never ending one- and that has taken center stage for my attention lately. Actually, it's only 2 more weeks until Tripp starts K4!

We spent a week in Branson with my family. Nine adults and four kids in a three story cabin. I heard Jase say he was more tired when he got home than when he left... unfortunately it was pretty accurate. It was fun, and there were a lot of things I hadn't gotten to do before- but it wasn't a "vacation" when you think about the true definition of the word. I certainly wasn't lounging around with my feet propped up. Maybe that's just my definition... The best part of the trip was getting to hang out with my big sister and her family for a whole week, since they live so far away. Such a treat.

Onwards and upwards!

growing too fast

Hard to believe my little guy is almost 6 months old. He out grew his infant car seat at 5 months!! Tripp out grew it at about 10 months, and I think Frannie made it to her first birthday. It will be very interesting to see if he stays this tall...

Here he is dozing in his new seat.

 

Don't even think about touching Duckie. Look at that grip! (And those cheeks!)

no, she's not crying

When Frannie got here with tear duct problems, we had already been down that path thanks to Tripp. He had stents put in his tear ducts, they came out on their own, and we never had another problem. Frannie has been a different story...

About 9 months following her first stent placement, I pulled one of the stents out that was hanging out of her left eye. Once the stent was removed, her eye started draining normally. Since her right eye wasn't, we [well my MIL since Max ended up being born that week :)] took her back in and he had to remove the right one. He said if it didn't start working to bring her back.

Well, it didn't so we did. She typically has a tear sitting atop her right cheek at all times. Her tear duct doesn't drain the normal fluid in her eyes, so they just spill out. Everywhere we go, people say "aww- why are you crying little girl?"

Me: "No, she's not crying. She has tear duct issues."

Friday, he put dye in her eyes:

 

This stuff is pretty cool. This fluorescein dye shines neon green under a black light and lets the eye doc see how her eye is draining. It's pretty freaky the first time you see your kid with crazy, zombie eyes. This wasn't my first rodeo. Wish I was quicker with the camera. You can tell in the pic how it is pooled up in her right eye even after wiping it multiple times... This girl was such a trooper, and was so cooperative at the eye doc.

 

When he did the first surgery, he said her eye was a little different that other kids. She was born without a complete right tear duct and it was attached to the bone. So he "unstuck" it, but it looks like it still won't cooperate. We're all signed up for surgery attempt number 2! He said we try at least 3 times to "unclog the drain" before we move on to a different and bigger surgery.

 

(See how yellow her right eye is? And her left is white?)

 

Here's hoping this one does the trick. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed so we don't have these issues with Max. So far, so good.

round here

Shoot. I missed March. And now April is already almost over. Here are some pictures of how it's been around here. The "real" pictures on my camera tend to stay there, and I grab the real camera for the life events- like Frannie turning 2, Max's baptism, and Easter. But here are the little things.

We went camping! Not too far; for two nights. I'm pretty sure we spent more time getting everything ready before hand, and cleaning everything after than we actually did camping... but I still had so much fun. I let the kids just cover themselves in dirt, which they absolutely loved. I was sitting there wincing and fighting all my instincts to stop them. I did hose them down afterwards... literally. I asked Tripp what his favorite part was, and he said "playing in the camper". I am determined to go camping more and use this pop-up, but not in the middle of summer!

 

Here's Frannie "helping" me cook Pops' favorite dessert. She thought this was the BEST thing ever, and kept demanding more. The dress she's wearing is one me and my sisters wore, and I recently acquired it from my mom. This was the first time Frannie wore it. She looked at herself and said "I pretty. I like this dress."

 

Here's sweet Max during the cold snap after Easter, with his sweet Daddy. What the heck?? The weather has certainly helped us make sure atleast one person at my house has a runny nose at all times. Gee, thanks Mother Nature!

 

Here's Frannie outside swinging with Daddy once it warmed up again. Girl loves to swing, and refuses to get out once you put here in there. She is definitely embracing being "two" and all the lovely characteristics that go with it.

 

Tripp is always grabbing Max and saying "Mama, take our picture!" So I have lots of these. Tripp loves his brother, and it shows! I can already see them sneaking off getting into trouble.

 

"Mama, take our picture!"

 

And this picture captures life these days most accurately:

Tripp busy building something.

Me trying to get Frannie to stop sitting like this.

Max putting anything and everything in his mouth.

And the mess. Always the mess.

 

I love it though. These quiet moments sprinkled in the day.

Makes this mama know it's all worth it.