Living in "The Park"

All About Milo

2011-08-30T15:11:00.007-04:00

At 19 1/2 months old Milo is still all baby. He has taken a few steps but isn't even walking consistently. Since he's the last baby of our family I can't say that I'm sad that he's taking his time growing up. He's an adorable, sweet, squishable, loveable bundle of love. He's the most timid of my children, spending a lot of his time observing others, yet doesn't hesitate to let us know (loudly) when he has a need. He loves french fries (something I would have never let Jackson eat at that age - oh how times change!). He can identify a wide range of television characters thanks to his brothers' television habits. Spongebob and Dora are his favorite. Although after watching an episode of Spongebob lately I'm thinking twice about that. I'll push more Dora :) And lets not forget about his funny faces. This kid can give some looks I have never seen before - and is particularly fond of scrunching up his entire face to communicate his dislike of something. Cuteness! If only he'd stay this little forever.

Grandma Babe's Sauce

2011-05-10T15:46:00.004-04:00

I made this two times with her in my kitchen in Virginia, and tasted it many times at her home in New York. If anyone wants to make a (slightly labor intensive) delicious marinara sauce this is it. I make a big batch and then freeze the leftovers.

1 small pack pork neck bones
1 pack Premio Italian sausage (hot or mild, I use both)
2 cans 6oz. Contadina tomato paste
2 29oz cans Hunt's tomato sauce
1/4 yellow onion
garlic
basil
salt
pepper

Use heavy stock pot, coat bottom generously with olive oil. Set heat to medium high. If heat is too high the oil will burn. Slice approx. 1/4 of a yellow onion. Lightly brown onion in oil and then remove and discard. Rinse neck bones and trim any excess bits, pat dry on paper towel and brown in oil. Remove and set aside. Take sausages and hand "roll" them until they are straight and not curved. Brown all sides in oil. Only brown 3-4 at a time as not to crowd the pot. Remove sausages and set aside. Turn heat down to low, add two cans tomato paste and one can water, stir until "saucy". Raise heat to med-high and bring to a low boil. Add 1 layer around pot of garlic powder, a little pepper, and 1 tsp. salt. Add two cans of tomato sauce, stir well and then return meat to pot. Bring to a boil and add another layer of garlic powder and 1/2 tsp. basil. Lower to simmer and cover pot almost all the way to steam can escape. Simmer as long as possible but at least one hour.

Jackson showing Grandma his playroom during one of her visits:

Christmas with the Boys

2010-12-26T09:41:00.021-05:00

We had a fantastic day, filled with adorably happy little boys. Everyone got what they wanted from Santa and had a great time opening gifts and spending time together. We made a few trips over to Ma Ma and Pa Pa's house and had a yummy seafood dinner at Granddad and Paula's!

Halloween Day

2010-11-12T14:05:00.009-05:00

I'm finally getting up some Halloween photos. We had out of town visitors for the weekend so we were very busy! The boys all had a blast carving pumpkins, breaking open a ghost pinanta, and of course trick or treating. Even Milo enjoyed riding in the stroller and watching the big boys run around. :)

First days of school

2010-09-12T17:18:00.006-04:00

The older boys started school last week! Jackson is in first grade and is really enjoying his teacher. Andrew has finally ventured outside of our home to a part time preschool. He attends a local church program on Tuesday and Thursday from 9am-noon. He has only gone one time but appeared to thoroughly enjoy himself. My boys love getting away from me ;) Monday through Friday I have Milo of course, who is 8 month old and growing way too fast, as well as a sweet baby girl who plays with us for around four hours in the mornings. It's very busy around here! I guess summer really is over now. As fun as it was I love all the excitement and coziness that comes with Autumn - it's my favorite season! Hope all of you with little ones at home got them off to school with ease :)

Half a year old!

2010-08-01T21:39:00.008-04:00

The time passes so quickly! We've been busy enjoying our summer! Jackson has been in summer camp, having a blast getting super dirty every day. :) Milo, Andrew and I have been taking it easy, getting out of the house as much as possible when it's not 100+ degrees. Milo just turned six months old so we had his photos taken in the same pose as his brothers did when they were his age. I love looking at the differences. Milo looks just like Oren (at least I thinks so)! Hope you are all enjoying the summer break :)

Spring has Sprung

2010-06-08T09:35:00.006-04:00

And I love my hydrangeas!

Growing!

2010-05-04T22:46:00.003-04:00

Milo is almost four months old! I can't believe how fast the past few months have flown by! It's amazing to me that a little person can be in your life for such a short amount of time yet you can't remember what life was like without them. He fits in perfectly in this boys club :)

Easter Sunday

2010-04-04T19:53:00.014-04:00

We enjoyed a day of eggs hunts, Easter baskets, beautiful weather and awesome family!!

P.S. Looove how thrilled Milo was with his basket :)

Sleepovers!

2010-03-21T00:06:00.005-04:00

With the return of warm weather comes the season of sleepovers! Shortly after Scott came over to play this afternoon the boys started asking if he could stay the night. They were playing nicely so I agreed. It's so much easier with this beautiful weather because even Andrew plays outside most of the day... After play time, dinner time, movie time, and bath time, they literally fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow. I took a few photos to remind myself that, occasionally, they actually are quiet and peaceful :)

Growing fast!

2010-03-20T23:51:00.006-04:00

Milo had his two week check-up yesterday. He seems huge to me but he's only measuring 25th percentile right now. He got a clean bill of health with the provision that we don't hold him quite as much. Apparently his muscles are a little weak because he's not having to work them much. He's quite the little snuggle muffin! From now on we have to be sure to put him on his tummy at least twice a day for 15 minutes. Before I was averaging maybe once a day for ten minutes. He doesn't like it very much :( He's smiling and "talking" and of course his two favorite people are Jackson and Andrew. He finds everything they do to be hilarious. It's a lot of fun having a house full of boys - never a dull moment!

Big brother loving on Milo.

At the zoo.

Happy boy!

Close to newborn photos...

2010-02-07T16:05:00.004-05:00

For some reason DePaul didn't take any newborn photos of baby Milo. :( As soon as he was two weeks old (meaning I could drive) I made an appointment to have a few pictures taken. He wasn't quite brand new - but pretty close!

Three Weeks Old...

2010-02-04T20:56:00.003-05:00

I can't believe little Milo is already three weeks old! He has his check-up yesterday and had regained his birth weight plus at 8lbs 7oz. He's settling in here just fine - not sleeping through the night but I'm happy to say he's a pretty easy baby. Andrew is enjoying his new role as big brother, bringing him bottles when he cries and covering his head with kisses. Too cute!

Snow!

2010-01-31T20:42:00.011-05:00

Yes, as a 28 year resident of Norfolk I can say that it does actually snow around here. However, it doesn't happen every year so it creates quite a bit of excitement when we finally have some accumulation to play in. I missed the big sled outing this time but that comes with having a newborn. I took some photos of the boys having a snow fight in the front yard today and then I swiped some more photos from Megan and Zoe's Facebook pages. At least I got to see the fun second hand. :) School was out today and is also cancelled for tomorrow (Tuesday) so we may have some more photos in a couple days. Hope all you locals out there are having fun!

Birth Day Memories

2010-01-26T18:32:00.009-05:00

My Jackson is six!! I can't believe it! He had his birthday on January 19th and his party the next weekend. It was Star Wars themed and he had his cousins Scott and Noah over as well as the rest of us grown ups. Andrew had no trouble at all keeping up with the big boys and thoroughly enjoyed hitting the pinata with his plastic bat. Very cute :) Because we happened to have a new baby on Jackson's birthday this year I found myself remembering how it felt when I first brought Jackson home from the hospital. That first child really changes everything - doesn't it? :)

Milo Joseph

2010-01-22T15:30:00.010-05:00

I know I'm really late - and most people have already seen these photos on Facebook - but I'm updating my blog anyway. Baby boy #3 Milo arrived as scheduled on January 13, 2010. He was born at 7:32am weighing 8lbs 5oz and measuring 20.5 inches long. As usual the anticipation was really the worst part. I didn't sleep at all the night before and actually started crying when we reached the maternity ward. Lucky for me I had a great anesthesiologist who talked me through the entire procedure and I managed to avoid panicking during the procedure. We stayed three days at DePaul and have now been home almost a week. Although I don't feel 100% things are getting better every day. It's sad when you look forward to being able to clean the house again :) It's been fun having another baby in the house, Jackson and Andrew are both doing really well with the addition. Whenever Andrew comes home from an outing or wakes from a nap the first things he does is look through the house to find the baby. I thought Milo was going to be a little fussy but since I've started supplementing with formula its been a breeze. He's just a hungry boy! Here are a few photos of him:

Brand New!

One day old.

Waiting for Daddy to bring the car around.

First car ride.

Big brothers loving me for the first time. No siblings in the hospital due to swine flue so they had to wait three days :(

Milo's Birthday

2009-12-17T18:15:00.006-05:00

So....unless he decides to make an early appearance (and judging from my other two this is highly unlikely) Milo will be born via c-section on January 13, 2010! I was a little disappointed because I was hoping for an earlier date. I could have gone as early as the 8th but I guess I have to take what I can get. I was wishing for earlier because obviously it's less time I have to be pregnant, and also because I was hoping for a least a week between his birthday and Jackson's. Since Jackson's is January 19th it means I'll only have three days once I'm home to get ready for big #6! I'm hoping to ease the pressure (and more importantly make sure his special day doesn't get lost in the shuffle) by wrapping all his gifts when I do Christmas as well as figuring out what his theme is going to be and purchasing supplies.

I find myself getting more and more excited to meet Milo and get some newborn snuggles in. :) Since this will more than likely be my last baby I'm going to enjoy every minute! Oh yeah - let me tell you about today - I'm sure you other mothers may be able to relate. I went to the OB today b/c I was having some back pain and thought I might have a UTI. About an hour before I left was suddenly hit by a wave of panic. What if something happens and I have to stay? I had piles of laundry waiting to be washed, not a thing packed for the hospital, all the baby's clothe still in bins from the attic, unwashed. Totally unprepared! Needless to say I spent that hour frantically packing a "just in case" bag, and trying to get a couple loads washed , dried, and put away. Since I have returned (with nothing more than a prescription for antibiotics thank goodness) I have done nothing but laundry and organizing. My mother is spending the three days I'll be in the hospital here with the boys so I have to have the house ready to go. Anyway, crisis averted :) Of course now he'll remain in place until the 13th - but better to be safe than sorry - right?

P.S. Side note - on the c-section date I have to call the hospital at 4am and be there to check in at 5am! Seriously? Was 7am just too late? I'm tired just thinking about it...

First Haircut

2009-12-11T11:16:00.005-05:00

I rushed out after school yesterday to get Jackson and Andrew haircuts. They were going to see Santa at 4:30 and I was hoping to maybe get a photo for our Christmas cards. No such luck. In fact I didn't even get one of them together. That's okay though because they had fun anyway. It's amazing how grown up Andrew looks to me without his baby curls! He did a great job sitting in the chair until another little boy beside him started playing with a Thomas train. All bets were then off and he spent the rest of the time trying to get down out of the chair and take the train. This kid has a serious Thomas addiction! Here are the results:

Two year photos....one month late

2009-12-10T12:46:00.004-05:00

In all the craziness of Halloween and Andrew's birthday party I didn't get his two year photos taken until almost a month later. Oh well... I wanted to take them before he got his first haircut so now that they're in I might just run him to the barber chair this afternoon! I think he's an awfully cute two year old! :)

33 weeks and counting

2009-11-28T14:56:00.003-05:00

This is apparently what baby Milo looks like now, at exactly 33 weeks gestation. Looks good, right? Like really, really good; like ready to come early! Not really, but I wish! I have to remind myself daily that though I feel (and look) big enough to have a term baby, he still has plenty of developing and growing left to do. I am feeling ready to be done with this pregnancy. Some days six more weeks sounds like an eternity, but know with Christmas less than a month away it will pass more quickly than I anticipate. Until then I'll be dreaming of the days when I can actually walk (not waddle) to lunch, eat a full meal, without heartburn, hip pain, or the need to run to the bathroom every 1/2 hour!

My Indian Chief

2009-11-24T19:15:00.003-05:00

It's that time of year again! We went to school today to see Jackson's kindergarten class perform their Fall recital. It was so fun seeing them all dressed up!

Big Boy Bed (oh no!)

2009-11-22T14:16:00.003-05:00

It finally happened. Andrew climbed out of his pack n play four times during his nap yesterday and first thing this morning. We figured it must be time for a big boy bed. It's so hard as a mom not to have a place where I know he's safe and not getting into anything. Now when I shower I'm going to be paranoid that he's up, bedtime is going to be nightmare, etc. Any tips are much appreciated! This is a photo of him just now taking his first nap in his big boy bed. We started a little before noon and he finally fell asleep, after many tears, about two hours later. When I heard him quiet down I went to check on him and he had fallen asleep half-laying on the bed but with his feet still on the floor. I should have taken a photo but I didn't want to wake him. Should be a fun night tonight!

Early Thanksgiving

2009-11-19T22:18:00.007-05:00

Today Jackson's school had a Thanksgiving lunch and families were invited. Jackson was very excited to have Andrew and I come down and spend some time with him! He requested that I take some photos of him which of course I had planned on doing anyway :)

30 is NOT the new 20 when you're pregnant!

2009-11-16T15:23:00.010-05:00

My parents and Oren worked together to throw me a semi-surprise 30th birthday party Sunday. What that means was that they told me a few hours before the party. I think that this is a lovely idea because otherwise I probably would have gone over in my pj's! I was very surprised when I found out and they were even arranged for Scott and Jackson to be babysat by Caleb. Naturally Andrew had no problem being the only child there - he ran through the house and ate his fill of goodies. There were several games including "Anna through the years", where we had to put the photos in order (I got a bunch wrong)! There was also "Anna Jeopardy", which naturally brought out the competitive nature of my family. :) Thanks to everyone who went out of their way to come and to my parents and Oren for being so thoughtful and generous with their time - it was fun!

Silly boy

2009-11-15T11:17:00.002-05:00

I'm sure all mothers have those moments that by the time you realize it's too quiet, the damage has been done! A few minutes ago this is how I found Andrew....at least it's a washable marker!

Through the years...

2009-11-13T10:04:00.006-05:00

I found out today that my Grandma passed away last night. When I told Jackson he was really sad and asked me to print out a picture of them together so he could make a card. When looking through some old albums I found some others and thought that I would post them. Grandma's are very special and I'm so lucky that I have the two BEST ones out there (sorry everyone - I lucked out) :)

One of my first visits to New York - I was maybe 4

Blowing out candles for my brother's birthday - 5

Her last visit down to Virginia to visit us, it was 2008

Mission Complete!

2009-11-09T12:35:00.002-05:00

I actually did get off the computer and finish the job! It took about 6 hours of almost straight painting. The color isn't anything specacular but I already had it in the closet. I just love a freshly painted room - it feels so much cleaner!

Pregnancy

2009-11-07T13:40:00.005-05:00

This is what I do to myself when I'm pregnant:

Right now my kitchen is completely torn apart and half painted. As you can deduct, I am currently on the computer pretending that my kitchen does not look like it does. It always starts out with good intentions: "I'll just throw coat of paint up on the kitchen - there's not even that much wall space". These ideas, of course, only come to me when I'm alone in the house and can't be talked out of it :) About half way though whatever project I'm doing I realize that I'm pregnant, and can't breathe, and that those lovely second trimester energy bursts are a thing of that past. So here I am. I'm going to try to muster up some more energy and finish the job - wish me luck! Hopefully I'll be posting some "after" photos soon...

Halloween 2009

2009-10-31T23:47:00.012-04:00

We started off Halloween this year by going over my parents house and letting the boys loose on a candy corn pinata. They really had a good time and as usual Andrew had no problem keeping up with the big boys! When it started to get dark the costumes went on - Jackson was a ninja turtle, Andrew was a horse, and my nephew Scott went as a vampire. It was the first Halloween Andrew really understood the concept and it was fun watching him go up to each house and hold his basket up - he wasn't shy at all! Lollipops were his candy of choice and he ate a couple along the way :) By 7:30 Jackson said he was ready to stop so we moved on to MaMa and PaPa's. Once there we snacked, talked and sorted out candy. Jackson passed out on their couch shortly after but Andrew was still going strong - must have been all that sugar :) Hope you all had a Happy Halloween too!

Halloween Party

2009-10-27T16:28:00.002-04:00

We had our annual Halloween party Sunday night! While it was exhausting for me, being a giant pregnant gal and all, it was lots of fun! I enjoyed that it was a bit cooler so I could eat some chili and snuggle in close to the fire. The kids really seemed to have a blast too! Oren made a maze which they spent time running through, and needless to say cake and candy are always a hit. Next year I hope I can enjoy it even more with a new addition to our family and less swelling in my feet :)

Take-Two

2009-10-25T09:32:00.005-04:00

It's been almost a year since I gave Jackson this quiz and I decided to ask him all the questions again. His answers weren't all that different :)

1. What is your favorite after-school activity? PLAY TIME
2. Where do you go when you want to be alone? I DON'T WANT TO BE ALONE
3. Do you collect anything? If so, what? YES, MARBLES AND ROCKS
4. If you could be a cartoon character, who would you be? NO WAY, I LIKE TO WATCH THEM, NOT BE THEM
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? POPSICLES
6. What do you love most about your neighborhood? THAT I CAN WALK OVER TO SCOTT'S
7. What is your most treasured possession? MY MONSTER TRUCK PILLOW AND MY TRANSFORMERS PILLOWCASE
8. If you could have one superpower, what would it be? TO RUN SUPER REALLY FAST
9. What is your favorite thing to do with your family? EAT POPSICLES
10. If you could plan the next family vacation, where would you go? CAMPING

Andrew turns two!!

2009-10-25T08:18:00.006-04:00

We were supposed to have a birthday/Halloween party but we postponed the Halloween party b/c it was supposed to rain. Instead we had some family over for cake, ice cream, and gifts. Andrew really enjoyed unwrapping his gifts and playing with his new toys. Here are a few photos from yesterday:

My likes this week

2009-10-16T09:58:00.007-04:00

Always having yummy, easy desserts like chocolate chip rice krispy treats in my cake dome.

When Kroger has $1.99 clearance flowers - I will sometimes treat myself.

Finding cute, easy craft ideas that I steal from creative bloggers worldwide.

Realizing that as long as you're already late to school on a rainy, cold day; a surprise stop at Hardee's won't make much of a difference.

Ear Tubes

2009-10-14T08:53:00.006-04:00

On Andrew's third visit to the audiologist we decided that it was time for him to get ear tubes. Each time we went to the doctor he has had fluid in his ears. We're hoping that once it is fixed it will help his speech delay. It was a very quick outpatient surgery at CHKD. Of course I was still worried the night before - I am the mommy after all! :) Really though the worst part was the not eating or drinking after midnight - and his surgery wasn't until 1pm the next day! Besides a few grumpy moments he really didn't complain too much - they had lots of fun toys in the waiting area for him to explore. Some of my old co-workers came down to visit which was really nice. I miss them! The hospital has made some nice upgrades since we were there with Jackson almost six years ago. My favorites were the Wii in the waiting room (yes - Oren and I played) and also this system where they assign your child a number and then have a computer screen where they let you know what stage of the surgery your child is currently in. Andrew's number was 7055 so when it popped up on the screen I got excited and took a photo. I didn't see anyone else doing this so maybe I'm strange. I don't know :) Anyway, not five minutes after it said he was in the OR Dr. Hood popped in and said that he was done and that everything went smoothly. Since it was such a fast and quick procedure, Drew didn't have to have an IV or even change out of his clothes. He was a little fussy when he woke up but as soon as he had a drink he was fine and within fifteen minutes we were heading out to the car. I can't say that I didn't stress a little - but overall it was about as easy as a hospital procedure can get! Thanks to all my family who kept us in your thoughts and prayers (and for watching Jackson)!

Sleepyhead

2009-10-14T08:51:00.001-04:00

Don't we all have these days?

My current view

2009-09-28T19:35:00.005-04:00

UPDATE: Went to ER this morning and it's not broken!!

This is what I'm looking at right now (when I look past the laptop of course). In case you can't tell it's my elevated, swollen foot which just so happens to be sitting beside an evil pile if bedding. You see, I'm always paranoid that I'm going to trip over something when I'm pregnant. Well, I didn't. At least not technically. I was carrying load of sheets out of my laundry room (which you have a step up into) when one of the sheets slipped down out of my arms. Next thing I know I'm stepping on that piece of sheet which then flies across my nice, new, slippery, laminate wood floors. Let me tell you, I am not an athlete. I have never broken a bone or had stitches that weren't a result of surgery. So I've never felt quite anything like this before. I remember falling in slow motion and my left foot just kept on bending, slowly, slowly, then two lovely snaps. Dizziness, pain, blood, and heat rushing to my throbbing foot. I was all very dramatic in my head. It hurt so badly that I couldn't tell if it was my foot or ankle at first. Scott was over having dinner with us and all three boys were staring at me. But I didn't cry. Okay, maybe a few tears snuck out later but that was when the sheer panic set in at the thought of having to care for my children like this. I resisted a trip the the ER. The kids needed to get ready for bed and it was getting dark, etc. Plus I'm a wimp and I need time to mentally prepare :) It's been almost two hours and I can say for sure now that I don't think it's broken. I can't put any weight on it but the throbbing has stopped. I'll most likely be good girl and go get it checked out tomorrow. My car is a stick so I'm going to try to drive Oren's. We'll see how it goes. Darn it - I was just beginning to be so productive with my nesting! :( I'll paint that dining room table yet!

Trash or Treasure?

2009-09-27T21:07:00.005-04:00

I was shopping at the thrift store Friday (I found Jackson a like-new Ninja Turtle costume!), when I decided to take a quick look in the furniture section. I came upon this old black piece labeled "vanity". I don't know if that's really what it is, but it was marked down four times to $15! Oren said when he and my Dad went to go pick it up and they gave the employee the ticket he laughed at my purchase. Apparently I am the only person who wanted it! There is a spot in the middle that I assume held a mirror. I'm planning on cutting some plywood and upholstering that section with fabric. I think it'll be really cute. What do you think - trash or treasure??

BTW: I haven't decided what place on my "vanity" yet - that plant and watering can were just handy.... I'm thinking pumpkins for October! :)

Cupcake Adventures

2009-09-26T14:42:00.004-04:00

Jackson had mentioned a few times seeing these Dora cupcakes they make on Noggin. He wanted to try them and today was overcast and blah so I decided - why not? We ended up making a couple shopping trips to pick up everything we needed. And of course our simple plan became a little more complicated when I was online looking for directions and Jackson saw all the the cupcake ideas for his favorite Noggin characters. He couldn't contain his excitement. I limited him three choices and he wore me down to four. Half way though the (loooong) decorating process Jackson decided that he was tired and wanted to take a nap. I felt the same way! As you can see I'm not an icing expert to say the least. I didn't even get any decorating tips so I used sandwich bags with the corners cut off to apply the details. In the end it was a fun adventure and it filled our day. I took a photo of one of each of our end product. They are: Ozwald, Diego, Miss Spider, and Olivia. Hope you all found something fun to do today too :)

First Day of Kindergarten!

2009-09-08T09:56:00.010-04:00

It finally arrived! Today was the first day of school for Jackson. Since he went to Pre-K last year at the same school it wasn't much of a change for him, in fact his new classroom is directly across the hall from his old one. I don't have the proper sheets filled out from his doctor yet I still have to go in at 11:30 to give him his medicine. I'm hoping that after tomorrow I'll be done with that. For now I don't mind though - I'd like to check in on him and see how his day is going. His new teacher's name is Mrs. Ruble and she seems very nice. I was hoping for some sunny weather so maybe Drew and I could spend some alone time at the park or at least go for a walk. Unfortunately nice weather is not what we have today. My alarm went off at 7am to rain pouring and black skies. Because of this I didn't get a "real" first day of school photo. We took a couple at the front door but his book bag had already made it's way out to the car. Luckily Oren left the house late so I didn't have to bring Andrew out in the rain. So we finally make our way to the parking lot and run in with our umbrella and coats and huge bag of supplies. The children were all being seated in the hallway under paper apples with their names on them. Jackson's name was between Mariana and Isabella, who were both in his class last year so it really put him at ease. By the time I dropped off his supplies and turned to leave he was chatting with the girls, reading a book, and couldn't be bothered to look up when I said goodbye. That's okay though, I'd much rather him be happy and secure, that way I don't get teary!

Last beach day

2009-09-08T08:53:00.012-04:00

Considering we live by the ocean - I'm sad to say that this was only our third beach trip this summer. Earlier in the season Andrew really didn't enjoy the process and spent the first two outings crying. Jackson really wanted to venture out one last time so we spent a lovely Sunday morning out on the sand. Luckily this tiem around Drew seemed to relax his anti-beach stand. After about an hour he allowed me to hold his hand a get his little toes wet. Other than that he was happy to play in the sand and watch Jackson. I was really glad that we ended the summer on a good note - maybe it will mean more beach trips next year!

Boys rule....

2009-08-25T20:05:00.002-04:00

....apparently!! Today was our 20 week ultrasound and we found out that boy #3 is on his way. I wasn't too surprised, I actually had a feeling it was a boy. Nonetheless, it didn't stop me from e-mailing my Mom a photo of a really cute toddler girl peacoat from Old Navy a couple weeks ago. :) It's really just the clothes that get me. But we're very excited and logistically it works out great - I know how to deal with boys and he can share a room with Andrew. As always it was wonderful to hear that everything looked healthy, now it's just a waiting game until January.

Getting closer....

2009-08-11T12:31:00.002-04:00

It's nearing the end of summer and we have started school shopping around here. Last weekend was tax free for clothes and school supplies and we took advantage of it! Jackson's list for Kindergarten was quite long so I was happy we caught some good sales. I also found some great deals at Old Navy online (also tax free) and some Fall clothes should be arriving any day now. I really try to limit my shopping so it was nice to have a little fun. We're still in full swing summer mode around here - some form of water play is included into every day and it's been nice that the boys have gotten to spend some quality time (meaning just about everyday!) with their cousin Scott. Nonetheless, I can feel the changes just around the corner - should be fun!

We got a visit from the Tooth Fairy!

2009-08-07T15:15:00.003-04:00

Yesterday Jackson lost his very first tooth! The poor little guy looked a little freaked out when he came to me, tooth in hand, and confessed that he "helped" it by wiggling on it and thought he might be in trouble. Of course I told him it was fine and that in fact sometimes they need some help! As we went about getting his tooth ready to put under his pillow later in the evening he was having a debate: he wanted to keep his tooth, but he wanted a treat from the Tooth Fairy. He knew he couldn't have both. I told Jackson that the Tooth Fairy keeps all his teeth and then later gives them to his parents so he can have them back one day. He was happy with that compromise. :) He's so funny!

Sweet Andrew

2009-08-05T10:02:00.002-04:00

I can't believe my little baby will be two this fall! Although we have been experiencing some terrible two behavior - Andrew is still very good natured and happy. Toddlers are so much fun and so full of excitement. This month on the 17th he starts his speech/language therapy. We were referred to a nice program that comes to our house once a week for about an hour. A nice bonus is that their office is right in our neighborhood and they offer gymboree every Wednesday at 10:00am. I'm hoping that with just a little help Drew will catch up on his verbal and comprehension skills. He's actually starting to add to his vocabulary already - last week he said "elephant". It may not sounds exactly like that to just anyone - but I know. :) I would say he's saying over five words now which is a great improvement. I'm just waiting for the day when we're in the car and he's talking nonstop and I wonder why I ever wanted him to start!

Old Wives Tale.......or not?

2009-07-27T11:44:00.002-04:00

Today we had our third OB check-up. It wasn't too eventful as I opted not to take the triple blood test. I had gained only a pound in the last month so I was happy with that - if only I could keep it up for every month until delivery! Last time we weren't able to find the babies heartbeat but we were luckier this time around. The heart rate was 160. My OB commented that if we go by the old wives tale that means a girl. I don't remember what my boys heart rates were so I can't compare. Either way we'll know for sure in four more weeks!!

Southern Summers = Water Fun!

2009-06-27T11:07:00.008-04:00

This past week we've spent lots of time cooling off in various forms of water, from backyard kiddie pools, to sandy beaches. I've discovered that my days of actually relaxing at the beach are long behind me! We've also had a few surprises along the way, for instance, my water baby Andrew aparently only likes baths and small pools. At the beach he spent half his time in tears and the other half trying to sneak back up the stairs to the car. When we went to the zoo for a cool off, the water fountains terrified him. Eventually, after much coaxing, he played a bit in the shallow globe basin. I'm hoping this is a just a phase but time will tell. Other than that we've just been hanging out. At times I think I'm starting to feel less sick, but then the next day will be a bad one. I'm at 11 weeks today so it can't be too much longer :)

Pre-K Graduation

2009-06-13T16:44:00.005-04:00

I can't believe school is finally over! I'm nervous and excited at the same time! It's going to be a hard summer but I'm hoping in about a month I'll start feeling better and we can get out of the house more often. I'm so proud of how well Jackson did this past year! He won multiple awards in school for including the one I'm proudest of: hardest working. I was so worried about how Jackson would do in school with his ADHD. While he has had a few trying days, overall he has really developed a love for school that I hope he keeps for many years. His teachers Mrs. Clanton and Mrs. Lale were wonderful and they even gave each child a 3-ring binder at graduation with photos of themselves doing activities throughout the year. Here are a couple photos from the 10th:

Luau Ceremony

2009-06-13T16:24:00.011-04:00

We had a wonderful day last weekend - the weather cooperated and the kids were well behaved - you can't ask for much more than that! It was harder getting ready than I anticipated b/c I was feeling so ill. I'm only 9 weeks and I can't fit into most of my pants. I swear it happens earlier every pregnancy! Here are a few photos from our day:

Fun at School!

2009-06-08T11:16:00.006-04:00

Unfortunately the weather tried to rain us out, however Jackson's school moved their carnival inside and the kids really had a blast! There were many activities including relay races, tug-of-war, face painting, art projects, etc. They also hired a man who made really cute balloons for the kids. The boys mostly wanted swords of course. Some of the girl pieces were my favorite though - they had butterflies and poodles and all kinds of adorable shapes that they wore on their heads. Andrew was, as usual, right in the middle of all the action. That child is not intimidated by anything!

Long time, no post.

2009-06-01T13:09:00.003-04:00

Okay - I've been slacking. But....I've also been sick! For those of you who don't know we're expecting a baby in January! I had my first OB appointment this morning and everything looks good. The ultrasound photo really looks like a blob but the beating heart was wonderful to see. No matter how many babies you have it's always a thrill. :) That being said, I've forgotten how hard the beginning is! Last night I was lucky enough to take a "nap" at 4pm which lasted four hours! Then I went to bed at 11pm and had no trouble sleeping through the night. It's like I can't get enough. Hopefully I'll feel better soon, if not I may leave a permanent mark in the couch!

What will happen next?

2009-04-28T08:55:00.005-04:00

Yesterday I brought Drew to the pediatrician b/c he had been running a fever and I wanted to check out his ears. When we got there his temperature was 105! I've never seen a thermometer read that high before so I almost panicked for a second. They sent me to the CHKD ER to get some blood work done on him and make sure that he didn't have and infection or meningitis (they really like to freak you out!). It didn't help that it was 90 degrees yesterday and I had to drive him to the ER in our hot car. Poor baby - he was so miserable!

Long story short, we waited and waited and waited and finally were told it was a virus and keep up the Motrin/Tylenol rotation. Did you know you can alternate between the two every three hours? I thought it was every four so it was news to me.

Anyway - so thanks to Oren for watching Jackson and Sidney when I brought Drew in and thanks also to my Mom who took over babysitting so Oren could come keep us company in the ER. It was actually my first emergency room trip and my kids are five and one and half so I am thankful I've never had to go before. Hopefully there won't be a second visit any time soon!

After a night of deep sleep I woke this morning full of plans to finally complete some cleaning and get some chores done around the house. Jackson gets to school at 7:45; around 8:15 I get a call to come pick him up. He's broken out in a rash all over his body. Great. So I dosed him up with Benedryl and parked him in front of Noggin. Hopefully it will take care of the problem and we won't end up back at the pediatrician's office. I'm sure they love us! :) I suppose there's always tomorrow....

Update: Day THREE! Woke up with Jackson's face swollen even worse than the day before. I get online to finally finish up this blog, stretch back, and POP! My back goes out! I've never had this happen before and it's really awful. I can barely move and getting Drew in and out of his crib is nearly impossible! I'm letting the Motrin do it's job. Jackson has an 11:30 appointment for his face so I'd better start inching my way along. Sorry for the long, rambling post....

Jackson in a nutshell.....

2009-04-26T08:46:00.003-04:00

Sometimes you run across a photo of your child that just seems to sum them up. My cousin Megan sent me this photo that she took last weekend and I think it's funny b/c there's my sweet Jackson. All you have to do is look past the razor sharp teeth! Love him........

Any Suggestions?

2009-04-21T17:44:00.001-04:00

I just posted this on Facebook:

Okay - I just can't pass up someone else's junk sometimes. My mom's neighbor is renovating and threw out this side door. It is old, solid, original to the house and I love it. Now I just need to call on my ultra creative friends for some inspiration. Could I use it in the garden? House? Any cute ideas?

Yes, we had Easter, too!

2009-04-16T10:59:00.005-04:00

Let me tell you how the "Easter Bunny" does it at our house...

As most of you know Mr. Jackson is quite the busy body. I figured our years ago that if left to his own devices, he would devour his entire easter basket while I lay dreaming in bed. Because of this, when Jackson wakes he finds a plate where the Easter Bunny left the remainder of his carrot and an egg with a clue in it. Since Jackson can't read yet we have to help him by reading it aloud. This clue leads him to a series of eggs, eventually leading to where his basket has been hidden. This year the final location was in my bedroom, beside the dresser. It appears Mr. Bunny might not have thought out that spot too well. Although it was lovey to be able to watch the boys go through their baskets from the comfort of my bed, I'm not convinced it was worth all the time I spent washing the chocolate out of the sheets. Pretty messy!

This year was Andrew's second Easter, and the first he could enjoy with his big brother. He isn't normally allowed candy so it was really fun watching him grab for those jelly beans like he had discovered the best food ever! He actually laughed while eating them :) That afternoon we ate tons of yummy food at my grandparent's house. We played some board games - you can guess who won (What? You mean me? That's right!). All in all it was a wonderful day!

Easter Egg Hunt

2009-04-10T15:50:00.009-04:00

Here are some photos from Jackson's class Easter Egg Hunt. Andrew had a great time both hiding and "hunting" for the eggs with the big kids. :)

Where does the day go?

2009-04-07T12:48:00.003-04:00

I remember when I worked full time thinking "What would I do with all that extra time if I stayed home?". Now I know:

Wake up, think of all the things I want to get done today
Collect dirty laundry, start washing machine
Feed squirming baby against his will
Begin process of unloading dishwasher
Pick up all the (now dirty) silverware Andrew grabbed and threw on the ground
Remove him from the top of open dishwasher door he climbing on while I was picking up silverware
Try to distract him with a toy in order to finish unloading dishwasher
Ignore the sound of magnets from fridge being thrown across the kitchen floor
Stop unloading when he rips Jackson's drawing into many pieces
Try to distract him with yet another toy
Frantically try to finish unloading dishwasher while his back is turned
30 minutes later: task completed!

Next:
Take items from dryer to fold
For every two items I fold, Drew grabs one off the couch and runs away laughing and dragging the now unfolded laundry through the house
Remove laundry from dog bowl, trash can, etc. and throw back in to dirty hamper..................

I'm sure you get where I'm going. Two steps forward and one step back.

I'm working on my patience.....and it helps that he's so incredibly cute while being such a busy little boy :)

Bathing Beauties

2009-03-26T13:10:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite things to do is watch my kids take a bath. Occasionally Jackson will request to have his bath alone (he'll say Andrew splashes too much), but for the most part they enjoy playing in the water together. I love watching how much fun Drew has making a mess and watching for everyone's reaction. Jackson is, for the most part, a very patient big brother. I can tell you Drew has smacked poor Jackson over the head with toys more than once, yet he always takes it with a grain of salt. Lately Jackson has been practicing holding his breath under water and "swimming". He let it slip that he's getting ready for his swim classes. I took that as my hint that I should sign him up, however, when I called all of the classes were full :( I'm not sure what I'm doing to about that yet..... Until then I'm going to enjoy all the wet, sloppy brotherly love!

Please, please, please, please, please...

2009-03-22T13:47:00.003-04:00

...please don't mess up again!! Duke's had a hard time these past few years advancing in the NCAA tournament (despite winning the ACC Championship title - take that, UNC!). Last night they played a great winning game, meaning that they'll make it to the Sweet 16 this year. I'll be watching with anticipation, hoping that this losing streak will finally come to an end!

Go Blue Devil's!!

P.S. And yes Obama, although I was crushed, I will forgive you for picking UNC to go all the way. I suppose you can't be good at everything.

Soooo Sleepy!

2009-03-18T10:34:00.005-04:00

One thing that Jackson never, ever did was fall asleep in a highchair, bouncer, etc. He just never let himself slow down long enough to doze off. So when I turned around to see why Andrew was being so quiet and saw him passed out in his chair I thought it was the cutest thing ever. Unfortunately for him, the poor little guy didn't appear to be sleeping very well so I took a quick video and then whisked him off to bed. Gotta love toddlers - they're the best!

Urban Cowboy

2009-03-17T16:19:00.003-04:00

Okay - I know in ten years he may not be thrilled out this outfit choice - but when Jackson strolled casually into the den yesterday in this get-up I just had to break out my camera! Maybe next time he'll remember his pants :)

Spring Teaser

2009-03-08T19:12:00.008-04:00

Hasn't the weather been great!? I know it isn't here to stay, nonetheless we've really enjoyed ourselves the last few days! Friday we spent the entire afternoon at the park, Saturday we went to the zoo, and today we walked around the grounds of the Hermitage. The kids have been so worn out by all the sunshine and fresh air that bedtime has been a snap! I purposely left the camera at home this weekend so both the kids and I could just have fun, but I did get a few shots of Scott, Andrew, and Jackson goofing off at Lakewood Friday.

I hope you all had a great weekend too!

Snow!

2009-03-04T13:45:00.006-05:00

Okay, by now all the snow has melted, but I took a couple photos so I would have proof that it wasn't just a dream! Even though it hasn't snowed here in a couple years, and as beautiful as it was watching the snow fall, we didn't really get out in it too much. Jackson played in the front yard for about 20 minutes and then was ready to come in. I was too afraid to let Andrew out because he was still getting over his infection and it was a really wet, cold day. He enjoyed watching his big brother from the window though! I'm off to get St. Patrick's decorations from the attic - yippie! :)

Sick Baby Boy

2009-02-26T20:38:00.002-05:00

Here's what a sinus infection, ear infection, and double eye infection can do...
Poor baby Andrew!

It's the little things...

2009-02-20T13:35:00.003-05:00

My boys are BOTH taking a nap.
Like sleeping.
At the same time.
Not a sound in the house.
Enough said...

Guess who??

2009-02-17T20:05:00.001-05:00

My Valentine

2009-02-13T23:52:00.005-05:00

Today Jackson was my valentine! I spent the morning at his school painting hearts on faces and enjoying the celebration. The preschool and kindergarten classes all took turns rotating to each classroom to participate in an activity. In Jackson's classroom we were face-painting and playing bingo. Since Scott is in kindergarten, I was able to watch him have fun too!

Zoe snapped a photo of us...

The kids seemed to really have a great day, and I did too! :)

Finally, a break!

2009-02-10T17:15:00.005-05:00

I really needed a break from this never-ending cold! Luckily for me, the weather today was beautiful and we took advantage of that by packing up the baby and heading to the zoo. Jackson was a little upset we went without him, so if temps stay up we may be going tomorrow as well! :)

Great minds think alike...

2009-02-10T00:02:00.003-05:00

It was the funniest thing - I was just checking everyone's blogs and I noticed the that Deborah just posted a really cute clipboard she made for Maddie's teacher. I thought it was a funny coincidence that last weekend I made clipboards too! :) I decided to make one for Jackson's teacher, Mrs. Clanton, and one for her assistant, Mrs. Lale, for Valentine's Day. I really had fun making them too. I made a mental note to myself to do more fun projects like this!

Destructo Jackson

2009-02-04T12:55:00.000-05:00

I just got back from a nice lunch out, intending on getting little cleaning done before I have to pick up Jackson in an hour.

I thought that maybe I'd start with magic-erasering off the crayon on my nightstand...

or the crayon on my wall which goes well with the nice red marker on the curtain, don't ya think?

or maybe the big red X "that means don't come in Mommy!" on Jackson's door.

There are the things I have hope for, but have not had much luck with so far, such as the permanent marker on Jackson's vinyl window,

or the lovely, and permanent, mural on his wall (which you can see I tried to paint over but the color didn't match - it's a work on progress!)

Finally there are the things that I know are lost causes, like my wicker side table that apparently needed some venting at the top,

or Jackson's antique headboard that he scratched up one night :(

Sometimes I just can't keep up! Are all boys like this? I'm just hoping that one day, even if it's many years from now, I will be able to have just a few nice things in my house. Until then I'm off to clean the wall, door, and nightstand. Let me know if you have tips for the rest!

Jackson's party

2009-01-26T13:22:00.000-05:00

Jackson had his 5th birthday party Saturday night. He wanted the theme to be "game night" and for the party to start after dark. I'm guessing that his motivation for wanting this kind of party was seeing all the goodies we buy for "real" game night! We bought candy and chips galore. It was a fun time! Jackson received many nice gifts including a few board games and a Wii. Although we've already had a couple injuries, the boys love playing the games (especially boxing!).

Oh yes, and baby Drew provided endless entertainment for us grown-ups!

Oh, man!

2009-01-19T14:06:00.000-05:00

Nothing tells you that you need to go on a diet faster than breaking furniture with your fat butt! Now I don't know if it helps my case but I think I broke it in stages. A couple months ago I was sitting on the arm of the chair and playing around on it when suddenly I heard a crack! I froze, my eyes grew large,and I just sat there. Nothing seemed to be broken so I made a mental note not to be rough on the arms of the chair. Last weekend I appeared to have forgotten forgot my mental note as I was once again jumping around on the furniture. What happened next? Another (louder) crack, followed by the arm actually falling off, and me falling out of the chair and onto the floor! Now I know it wasn't the adult reaction, but I found it to be completely hilarious. I couldn't stop laughing! I was rolling around on the ground like a thirteen year old girl having a giggling fit.

I was talking to my Mom the next day and she pointed out that it was one of those things where it's so good you did it and no one else did b/c then it wouldn't be funny. And you know what - that's SO true! If Jackson had broken the chair I would have been so upset! But what's done is done. I'm going to see if it can be repaired but I'm not counting on it.

I could say that I've learned my lesson - but I can pretty much guarantee that before the new chair is six months old I'll be carelessly throwing myself all over that one too. Oh well, some people never change :)

Hip Hop Hooray, Jackson is 5 Today!!

2009-01-19T13:28:00.002-05:00

Today is my baby's 5th birthday! Time flies by so fast! Granddad and Scott made cards for Jackson which we put up in our den. We're having his party Saturday so today has been pretty low key. I asked Jackson if he wanted to go to lunch - that he could pick ANYWHERE he wanted. I was thinking about a "real" lunch but of course his child brain went straight to McDonald's. I asked him why he wanted to go there (knowing darn well it was because of the playground) and he said "They have the best food, Mom!". So we brought Scott and they had a great time running around like wild animals.

Jackson at 6 months

Jackson at 2 1/2

Jackson at 5!

I don't know about all you other mommies out there, but all I have to do is think about the moment I first saw him and it still makes me get all mushy. Being a mom is such an amazing gift!

Silly Baby Boy

2009-01-15T20:31:00.000-05:00

Andrew cracks me up! Yesterday he kept climbing on the seat of one of the dining room chairs and then he would squeal because he was stuck up there with about six inches of space between himself and the underside of the table! He's such a silly boy that even though I had to help him get down, he kept getting himself back into the same situation. Tonight I was getting a bath ready for the boys, and I randomly thought "Hey, I don't think I've ever given Drew a bubble bath before." So he's in the tub splashing and I add some soap. As I turn around to help Jackson undress I hear a hysterical scream behind me. I frantically turn around and find Andrew looking terrified and trying to scramble out of the tub. Yep, apparently he's afraid of bubbles. It then triggered my memory and I remembered that Jackson was afraid of bubbles when he was a toddler too. I have strange children! So... I'm leaving you with a photo of Andrew being adorable - it's what he does best!

In case you didn't know

2009-01-15T20:27:00.000-05:00

I may be the last to know but I just found out I can back up my blog for free! I'm so paranoid about losing files and photos so any extra protection for me is a bonus! I signed up for the free version (since I only have one blog) on www.bloggled.com. :)

Kept Promises...

2009-01-13T14:49:00.000-05:00

I've been promising Jackson since November that we'd go ice skating at MacArthur. Since this is the last week they're open, an after school adventure appeared to be my only option. He was sooo excited when we got there yesterday afternoon! It was his first time (and only my third) so it took a few minutes to get adjusted.

Poor Jackson fell down consistently about every ten seconds. Nonetheless, he did a great job and kept popping right back up. We spent about an hour and a half skating and falling and enjoying every minute of it. It was so fun to have a special afternoon with just "Jackson and Mommy". It brings back memories of the four years we had being buddies before Andrew joined the crew. So yeah, it was fun, but it was cold, and I'm more than happy to retire from skating rinks until next season!

Photo booth Jackson insisted upon doing (note to self = take photos before skating next time!)

Jackson looking terrified

Oh yeah - and he kept telling me that he "meant" to fall - he hates the idea of looking silly in front of people!

I finally did it.....

2009-01-09T15:15:00.000-05:00

........I ignored the guilty nagging in my head and cleared out our playroom! I know it sounds bad but it had to be done! This is what we were living with:

I would:

See a cute project I want to try...
Clear the dining room table...
Remove some of my scrapbooking supplies from the closet (very carefully!) as not to knock over the carefully arranged bins...
Sit down at the table...
Five minutes into project...
Realize something I need is at the bottom of the closet (of course)...
Watch in horror as everything on top of what I need comes tumbling down...
Finally get back to the table...
Wait - it's time to pick up the boys from school....
Etc, etc. - you know how it goes...

Before I know it it's dinner time and we're all eating on the couch because our dining room table is covered in supplies.

I decided I just could not work out of a closet any longer. So yes, I'm a bad mom, I hijacked the kids playroom. To be fair they still have some toys in there, we just had to change one important rule. From now on toys must be removed from the playroom, played with, and put back when done. I can just see glitter covering every surface the minute I left them alone in there! Here is what I ended up with:

Work Space (has ribbons, and large supplies such as heat embosser, etc. in large drawers below)

Papers, Misc. Supplies and Toys

Storage Area

Stamps in the Green Bins

Chipboard Alphabets

Scraps, Mat Stacks, 8.5 x 11 Paper

Ink Pads, Ink Spots, Stickers

Woven, Adhesive, Misc.

Bye, Bye Winter Break!

2009-01-05T18:29:00.000-05:00

Firstly, let me sheepishly admit that I was somewhat dreading the two weeks of winter break! I suppose it's because, for me, once I'm in a routine it's easier not to break it. All I could think of was two weeks with no break from Jackson, no quiet time, always dragging around both kids for chores, etc.

And while all that was true, it didn't take away from the fact that it was a really nice break. For one, I had overlooked the fact that no school meant sleeping in! What a shock when 7am came this morning and my alarm blasted me out of my lovely dream. More importantly, I realized how easy it can be to focus too much on how difficult Jackson can be and not enuogh on how wonderfully sweet and helpful he is. The last two weeks he has: climbed into Andrew's crib every morning to play with him, helped me with Christmas baking and crafts, helped transform the playroom into a scrapbook room/playroom (hey - at least I got half the room!), and many other good deeds.

As Andrew and I went through our day today, there were countless times when I was reminded of Jackson. Dare I say it, I even missed him! One of my resolutions this year is to try to focus on all on Jackson's endlessly fantastic qualities and not let myself get so caught up in the little tantrums. I've even heard suggestions from family members that having a difficult child might just be my payback. (I have no idea what they're talking about!:))

P.S. As I write this I am listening to Jackson explaining something to Drew in the other room - Jackson is truly the BEST big brother!!

Welcoming the New Year with Wii

2009-01-01T11:28:00.000-05:00

Usually on New Year's Eve I am in bed and asleep by midnight. This year I went wild (for me) and decided to have a game night to welcome in 2009. Megan was nice enough to bring over her Wii and we spent the night racing around in circles, falling off cliffs, and playing skillball(skeeball). I had a lot of fun and have confirmed that fact that I'm REALLY awful at any sort of racing game!

The best part for me was getting the video of Clayton, Oren, Megan, and Adam (yes - that is him hiding from my camera!) playing skillball! It's so silly looking that it's hilarious to me. :)

I couldn't have done this if I tried........

2008-12-26T21:00:00.000-05:00

The day before yesterday I went to unload my dishwasher. As I opened the door I stopped, looked down, and just stared. Then I shut it and went in the den to get Oren. I said "Okay, I think I'm going to crazy here and I just need you to see something. My dishwasher is purple - right?"

And sure enough.....

Apparently Jackson put a black ink pen in the dishwasher which in turn turned everything a lovely shade of lilac. Multiple washes later, it appears the color is here to stay. At least it wasn't a brown pen!

After Christmas Brunch

2008-12-26T16:40:00.000-05:00

It's become an annual tradition for us Maury grads to meet for brunch the day after Christmas. This year was no exception. After running Jackson to the pediatrician (yes, ear infection), Mom watched the boys for me. I met up with Emily, Diogo, Ivan, and Patty at Baker's Crust and had a fun lunch. It's always nice to catch up with old friends! Love you!

Mixed Christmas...

2008-12-26T14:19:00.000-05:00

There was a little of this:

And a lot if this:

Christmas began promptly at 6:30am. Jackson woke up and immediately wanted to see whether Santa had eaten his cookies or not. I could hear in his voice how excited he was! He ran straight for the plate - not even looking to see if there were presents under the tree. Things went well until I noticed that my camera batteries were dead and my charger was missing....a mom's worst nightmare! I got exactly four very quick photos before it died. I wanted to cry but I reasoned with myself that it wouldn't have helped the situation to get upset about it. We had the video camera going so it wasn't a total loss. I still had a great time watchign Jackson and Drew open gifts.

Fast forward to 9:30am. We're getting ready to go to my parent's house and Jackson says he doesn't feel good. As soon as we get there he rapidly declines - saying his ear hurts, crying, and so on. It was sad. From there I went to take Jackson and Drew to see their other side of the family. Jackson fell apart and said he didn't want to stay. He wouldn't even open gifts. Luckily they understood so Andrew had his first visit alone. Durign that time Jackson came home and took a nap so it actualyl worked out well.

Fast forward to 2:40. I'm walking into my grandparent's house with green bean casserole, diaper bag, and kids in tow (I'm late of course). We had a blast visiting, eating, and playing games. Although he still wasn't interested in openign any more gifts, between the Tylenol and Scott's mere presence, Jackson perked up. By 6:30 we were heading home, happy but exhausted.

Fast forward to 8:00-9:30. Andrew is crying hysterically. From the drool pouring out of his mouth I can only assume he's cutting another molar. He would not be consoled. I tried walking, bouncing, rocking. Oren tried flying him around, bouncing, etc. Nothing worked. It was so upsetting. Suddenly I remembered that with Jackson I would have to drive him to get him to sleep (see - Drew really IS a good baby - I haven't have to try to driving trick until now!). After a few loops around the neighborhood he fell asleep.

So like I said - it was a mixed Christmas. I'm sure in a couple years we'll forget the tears and only rememebr the smiles! We hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas!

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads....

2008-12-24T20:47:00.000-05:00

I just got up to check on my babies and they're both knocked out. Not bad for 8:51pm! I have a busy night ahead of me but I just love how sweet they look when sleeping....

Christmas morning - here we come!!

P.S. Notice Jackson's "art" on Drew's crib? When I asked him if he wrote his name on his brother's bed he said:

"No! I only got to J - A - C - K!"

Pre-K Holiday Fun

2008-12-19T13:21:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy week at Willard! Tuesday Jackson's class was in a super cute musical number where they dressed as mice. I didn't load the video to prove it, but........he actually participated! Sure, the treat we bribed him with may have helped, but I'll take what I can get :) Here is my little gray mouse:

Wednesday each class took turns rotating from one room to the next, completing a fun activity in each classroom. In Jackson's room I helped paint various holiday scenes on (mostly) cute kids (I know - that was bad!). Thursday the class wore p.j.'s to school to watch Polar Express, complete with hot chocolate! And finally today they had a very impressive Christmas party! It was almost two hours long and included crafts, a gift exchange, and of course loads of yummy treats. Andrew was even treated to his first lollipop by Mrs. Clanton (I have trouble saying no sometimes!). It was such a fun week and I'm so appreciative that am able to be with Jackson and share in his excitement!

Baby Feet

2008-12-13T10:55:00.000-05:00

Even though Andrew continues to resist walking, I thought it was time to buy him some soft and comfortable shoes. Who knows, maybe it will encourage him! I found these cute little faux crocs at Wal-Mart. I love that they're soft inside and have a little strap in the back for easy access. Best of all, Drew loves them too! The first time he wore them he sat in his carseat and twirled his little feet around in circles. Apparently new shoes are fun to watch too! :) I don't know about you - but I think he looks adorable. :)

O Christmas Tree

2008-12-09T14:51:00.000-05:00

This year we decided to have two trees. Jackson named the smaller tree "Mommy's Tree" because it's pretty and has a few breakables. Our tree in the den (the "Kid Tree") is all either paper or plastic and anything goes. Scott and Zoe came over yesterday to help us decorate the big tree. Jackson and Scott seemed to enjoy being able to hang ornaments wherever they wanted.

Side note: I can't wait until holiday items are on sale because I have my eye on these cute ornaments!

Early Christmas

2008-12-07T21:40:00.000-05:00

For Christmas this year Mom and Dad helped us out with great tickets to see the Nutcracker! We went to the 2pm show today at Chrysler Hall. It was my first time seeing that ballet and I really enjoyed the dancing and music. Thanks Mom for babysitting Drew and Jackson :)

For the record, I now know what zero body fat looks like and it's pretty impressive!

2 cute 2 pass up

2008-12-05T16:21:00.000-05:00

2 cute 2 pass up - passed on from Marie!

Here is a "kid tag". Ask your kids the following questions. You can not encourage any answers! Here we go...

What does Mom always say to you?
Go to bed

What makes Mom happy?
If I get a treat at school

What makes Mom sad?
If I take candy and I steal it and I don't ask

How does Mom make you laugh?
If she laughs

How old is Mom?
1

How tall is Mom?
2

What does Mom like to do?
Watch basketball on tv

What is Mom's job?
To work

What is Mom's favorite food?
Chocolate (he DOES know me!)

How do you know Mom loves you?
She tells me it

Grown-ups like to play too!

2008-12-04T16:21:00.000-05:00

So was Oren was telling me about a dream he had last night about playing skeeball at Jillian's and using some new technique that launched the ball into the 10,000 hole every time! (It also involved P.Diddy but I'll leave that part out :))

We both thought it was really important to test out this theory so we decided to go up to Waterside for lunch today. We've only been with Jackson before so it was fun to be selfish with all the points!

Of course I won (MINE is the one on the left - guess the dream was wrong!)

With our tickets (265) we bought some candy...

...and I was a happy camper :)

Little Explorer

2008-12-02T23:00:00.000-05:00

So I looked over from my den today and found that Drew had climbed up into a storage bin filled with food (Long story short - water heater broke - we had to clear out the pantry, blah, blah, blah). I wish I had caught him right away because it was so cute. When I ran to get the camera he somehow found his way down. He took one look at me with the camera and decided to give me an encore performance! I soon saw just how graceful his exit was :)

Also, please, please turn down your volume! I don't know why I have to blab on like that when I record!

A valid excuse for a messy floor

2008-12-01T10:54:00.001-05:00

Sweet, adorable Andrew... Not much makes this little man unhappy. Dirty diapers, an empty tummy, the usual. And there are even times when, gross as it sounds, he appears to actually have fun bouncing around in a dirty diaper.

So, you might ask, what could possibly evoke the fear seen in this poor child's eyes? (And yes - he is actually flailing his arms, begging me to pick him up and save his young life!)

Here is the culprit:
Seems pretty innocent - right? Andrew is soooo afraid of vacuums! I tried waiting until he was asleep but it always woke him up - which seemed even worse to me. So now I've turned into a speed vacuumer. I can clear the dining/den in 3 minutes flat (which most likely means I still have dirty floors.) However, until his fears subside I have the perfect excuse for why I'm out eating lunch with friends instead of vacuuming!

(Disclaimer - I did actually vacuum the floors this morning - I didn't terrorize my son just to take a few photos :))

Do you think he likes Scott??

2008-11-26T15:28:00.000-05:00

Jackson gave me a couple minutes of his time to answer a few questions today. I learned some new things such as: he collects rocks (now I just have to find the mysterious collection!), he needs quiet as much as I do sometimes, and even though I already knew it - he really loves his cousin!

1. What is your favorite after-school activity? GO TO SCOTT’S
2. Where do you go when you want to be alone? A PLACE THAT’S REALLY QUIET
3. Do you collect anything? If so, what? YES, ROCKS
4. If you could be a cartoon character, who would you be? DARTH VADER
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? MEAT
6. What do you love most about your neighborhood? SCOTT
7. What is your most treasured possession? DINOSAURS
8. If you could have one superpower, what would it be? BREAK A BAD GUYS BUILDING DOWN
9. What is your favorite thing to do with your family? PLAY ON THE COMPUTER WITH THEM
10. If you could plan the next family vacation, where would you go? TO SCOTT’S HOUSE

"Mommy - I'm corn!"

2008-11-25T19:20:00.000-05:00

Today Jackson had a Thanksgiving performance at his school. He was the cutest corn there! As usual he was nothing if not entertaining. At first he was swinging his arms all around like a mad man. Then, EXACTLY 1:55 seconds into the first song his little face goes from excited to totally OVER it! It was so funny! He grimaced. He scowled. He managed to keep in together for this song and then spends the majority of the next two he turned completely around backwards. Typical Jackson! My adorable nephew Scott in the red shirt standing beside Jackson did such a great job performing his part - I was a proud aunt and a proud mommy today.

Joining the club....

2008-11-25T19:03:00.001-05:00

I wish I could say that I'm starting this blog to keep in touch with family and friends, but it's only partially true. I'm hoping that it encouranges me to write down some of the seemingly boring, everyday events in our lives. I know that they will soon be forgotten. My boys are growing up so fast and I don't want to forget a thing!