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. 

 

busier than usual

It all started a week ago...

last thursday:
picture day for Tripp. Mom (me) forgot and had to run by picture place to pay for a late order

friday:
Tripp and Jase supposed to get haircuts... forgot!
Little sis home from college for the weekend comes by to visit with her four friends

saturday:
get gift for wedding shower
wedding shower
get cake and balloons
lots of cooking and party prep
Frannie's birthday party
party clean up

sunday:
Frannie's birthday
mass in the pouring rain
highland parade

monday:
no work, Tripp has a pneumonia follow-up appointment at the doc
trim all 20ish rose bushes, haul 2/3rds to the street, get out relatively unscathed

fat tuesday:
Tripp and Frannie both have Mardi Gras parades at school. Frannie needed cat ears and beads for her class
I had a patient at work, and missed the parades :(

ash wednesday:
Tripp and I went to mass at St. Elizabeth's at 7am. Best Ash Wed mass ever! No crowds! Will definitely be going here every year (like I will be able to remember, ha!)

thursday and valentine's day:
tripp's class- 18 unmarked valentines, 2 teacher valentines, ice cream
frannie's class- 14 unmarked valentines, 2 teacher valentines, fruit cups
max's class- 8 unmarked valentines, 3 teacher valentines, 12pack of sprite
PM- you forgot Tripp's allergy medicine. You realize this Friday morning and feel terrible.

friday:
YOU MADE IT. You remembered (almost) everything. You spoke with Tripp's teacher and she doesn't hate you for leaving the ice cream of the step outside her door because you were late and the whole class was at the flag ceremony and you didn't know what to do. You figured out Tripp left his coat in music class yesterday. You remembered to bring Max's gas drops, and talk to Frannie's teacher about what happened to her cat ears from the parade.

slow, deep breath.

And here is why it was worth it:

 

 

 

 

 

We are always busy. Here's hoping next week is just a tiny bit less

turning two

"Turning two must be easy to do,

I just blinked my eyes and it happened to you"

I can hardly believe Frannie is already 2 years old.

It seems like we were just bringing her home yesterday:

 

She is so full of life. She is just starting to take care care of her baby dolls, and she loves to make cake in her pretend kitchen. Then she brings it around for everyone to sample. She makes a mean "chock-it" (aka chocolate) cake. She also serves tea, but be careful... 

It goes like this: (huge grin) "Tea?" (holding out a cup for you)

"Oh, thank you" (You go to take a sip)

"HOT! HOT!"

It's only slightly worrisome how much pleasure she takes from you almost (pretend) burning your tongue.

 

She can count to 10, and she loves to draw... on pretty much anything but paper. She typically prefers to draw in her coloring books with an ink pen rather than colors, I'm guessing because that what her parents and big brother do. She is a way better sleeper than her big brother has ever been. She is still sleeping in her crib, and it's working so I really don't want to mess with that. Still no attempts to climb out- I wonder how long this will last?

 

She is also terribly independent. I knew this day would come since she comes from a very long line of strong, independent women. Hell bent on making their own mistakes. I still feel blessed everyday that she is in my life. I wish I could slow down time a little bit; I'm trying so hard to freeze these memories in my brain.

 

 

The world is a better, brighter place with Frannie in it.

 

and then there were five

I can hardly believe it is 2013. New year, new blogging resolutions I suppose. It's already been 3 months since we welcomed Max to the family. This happy little boy fits right in:

One friend sent us a gift, and having 3 children of her own, wrote on the card "enjoy the chaos". That is exactly how I would describe what's going on... we are enjoying the chaos. It's crazy and hectic and there are no days (or nights) off. Whenever I sit down to nurse Max, which is pretty much the only time I do sit down, atleast one small person brings me a book to read aloud. It's hard to say I'm loving every minute, because sometimes the screaming really gets to you. But come on, it would get to anyone.

a person

“A person’s a person, no matter how small”- Dr. Suess, “Horton Hears a Who!”

“I am the Lorax, I speak for the trees.  I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.” –Dr. Suess, “The Lorax”

We have to stand up for (literally) the smallest people of all, unborn children.  They have no voices.

[these are ultrasound pictures of my soon to be 4 year old son]

 

the old switch-er-roo

Last night we put the kiddos to bed and then went out to the living room to watch The Hunger Games. An hour later while delivering some clean laundry, I noticed Tripp's orange L-shaped pillow was strangely placed on our bed and I didn't think it had been there before. I walked into his room to find him with MY body pillow- which happens to be atleast twice as long as he is- snuggled all up on it and sound asleep!

I went to check with the hubs to see if he had for some reason given Tripp the body pillow. He said no... and we both couldn't stop laughing at the thought of him bringing his pillow to my bed as a trade for the body pillow. Jase: "He must have thought you wouldn't notice". The things Tripp says and does are absolutely hilarious! He is such a sweet boy, although [sometimes unfortunately] he never runs out of things to say. Waiting for his turn to talk is terrible torture for him.

I felt guilty about switching the pillows back after he was asleep, but at 31 weeks pregnant I cannot possibly go 1 night without my body pillow! We are going to have to keep our eyes on this one...

two sillies

Loving these two sillies at the splash party

getting old

Tripp got his tonsils out a week ago. We have survived. We're not completely out of the woods, but mostly. This was his third day back at playschool (as he has started calling it). On the way, I looked in my rear view mirror to see his head leaned over to the side with heavy eyelids.
me: What are you doing buddy?
him: ooooooooooh Mama. (mumbling)
me: What? I can't hear you? Say it loud
him: (moaning) ooooh Mama. I'm ooooold
[I could not stop laughing at this point]

I finally got it out of him that he heard it from his teacher. I said I was sorry, but he had a long long way to go before he was "old".

Here he is re-cooperating in "Mama and Daddy's bed":

Here is Frannie, showing her support by demanding a popsicle anytime anyone else got one:

where my beaches at?

Tripp and I tagged along with Aunt Jordy, Grace, and Bill to the beach. It was a hot day (No, not "Louisiana hot"), but the water at the beach was cool. Beach = Lake Michigan.

Oh, Mr. Sandman...

Step 1: Roll in the sand and get as much as possible all over you.

This step was repeated many times. Every time we would get back out in the water, Tripp would say: Mama, I just want to get in that sand. I don't get it. I wanted to stay in the cool water. But we tromped back and forth and back and forth.

Ready to test the waters

I love this picture because you can see the clouds reflected in the water, and because Tripp looks like he is on a mission. I loved how shallow the water was- absolutely perfect for wading. There is Aunt Jordy and Grace! Bill was way too fast for me to get him in any pictures.

Yeah! This place is awesome! Let's live here forever!

(If I had to guess what was going through his mind)

break time

Here were are in Natchitoches. We spent 24 hours away from the kiddos and went to stay at a Bed and Breakfast. Such a treat and just around the time of our 5 year wedding anniversary. These are the only 2 pictures we took and I can't decide which one I like best.. I would love to make this an annual tradition. It was so much fun wandering down Front Street in and out of all the little shops. We had so much good food to eat! Fried green tomatoes, corn and crab bisque, filet, and much more. Dinner on the lake at The Mariner during sunset was just awesome. What a salad bar! I got the rasberry bread pudding, but next time I'm going with the key lime pie- my favorite. The only thing we missed, and the main reason we must go back, were the meat pies! Lasyone's is not opened on Sundays- and some one told me it was sacrilegious to eat them from any where else :)

Our bed and breakfast has the BEST breakfast! I usually don't eat very much right after I wake up, so I couldn't finish it. Yogurt with strawberries and bananas. French toast piled with whipped cream and more fresh fruit, and sausage, and coffee. Our inn keeper also made this delicious juice concoction- orange and pineapple? I'll have to check with my partner... Anyway- It was a perfect little break, and I can't wait to go back and visit.

twas a good weekend

Sound proud of my little sister, Adrienne. When she walked across the stage, I yelled "ADRIENNE"- you know, Rocky style. She said she heard me :)

I love this picture (even though it's a bit blurry) because our faces are aglow from all the candles. And Frannie doesn't know what to think. She just kept staring wide eyed, and slowly reaching toward them. It made me think of "Finding Nemo" when they see the light deep in the ocean and they're like "What is that? I don't know but I can't look away and I have to touch it" I guess bugs are like that too. 

And I love this next one because Tripp is grinning so proudly at all the candles he blew out for me. This also made me really curious about why the heck we stick candles in our food and blow them out in front of a singing group of people anyway. Wikipedia isn't always the best source, but they usually have the basics. Here's what they said:

The tradition of putting candles on birthday cakes is attributed to early Greeks, who used to place lit candles on cakes to make them glow like the moon... Some say the candles were placed on the cakes because people believed that the smoke of the candle carried their prayers to gods. Others believe the tradition originated in Germany where people used to place a large candle in the center of the cake to symbolize the 'light of life'. 

Other important things I now know:

1. Make a silent wish before blowing out the candles (totally forgot this year)

2. If you blow all your candles out in one breath, your wish will come true and you will have good luck for the next year

3. Smear out the name of the person before slicing the cake to bring good luck. 

I also love learning new random facts. 

Happy Memorial Day.

I am especially thankful for the men and women who serve our country. For those who have given their lives, and to their families they have left behind. For the past couple years, every time I see a soldier in uniform I try to say "Thank you for your service". It is so noble of them. 

why i'm always laughing

Daddy: "Tripp, do you have poop in your pants?"
Tripp: "No."
Daddy: "You know I can smell that, right?"

lessons from daddy

This morning I was in the bathroom drying my hair. Tripp walks in, looks at me, and says "You need to stand up and go tee-tee like a big girl."

Then we had to have another talk about the different equipment boys and girls have. But hey, atleast some of Daddy's training is sinking in.

When you start off as a parent, you think about all the things you have to teach your children. You don't realize how many things they will teach you. (And I still have a long way to go) Man, do I love this kid:

the mama called dada

"Frannie, can you say baby?

"bay-bay"

"Can you say more?"

"mor"

"Can you say flower?"

"ow-her"

"What does a duck say?"

"ack ack ack ack"

"Can you say hot dog?"

"dot dog"

"Can you say Mama?"

"Dada!"

Another word Frannie has mastered: NO!

She even said it in her sleep last night when I tried to give her a pacifier

I have a feeling this is the beginning of a long road to come...