It's all relative!

This morning we got a phone call from my dad's sister Joey who was visiting some friends nearby. I was so excited to hear from her, and even more excited that she said she was planning to stop by and see us for a bit.

When she was on her way, I was trying to explain to Bo who she was:

Me: Bo, Aunt Joey is coming to visit and say hello. She is Papa's sister.

Bo: Oh, she is Papa's sister. Oh, no, what about Gigi's sister.

Me: Bo, Gigi's sister is your Aunt Jane. You've met her before. Do you have a sister?

Bo: Yes, Jack is my sister!

Well, not quite, but he was excited to have "friends" coming over nonetheless! Both of the kids went running out to give Joey hugs when she got here, and they had big fun! She brought them some little stuffed monkeys, but also left a few other treats from her purse behind for them.

Bo was asking what some of the things in Joey's purse were. Read: He was going through her purse and J and I were attempting to instruct him in why that is not a good idea. When he found a harmonica, Joey played a little tune for them. Bo and Ella were so fascinated by the music and immediately wanted to try to play it as well. Joey was so excited and offered to leave the harmonica for them to enjoy. J and I kept telling her that she did not have to give them anything [especially not after Bo had gone digging through her purse], but she was insistent.

The smiles say it all; we all had a great time!

A rare shot with all of the kids...

Jack was having a great time making faces and smiling for Joey as he played in the exersaucer.

After their naps this afternoon, we got out the harmonica once again. So far the kids do a great job sharing it and taking turns. Bo keeps calling it a banjo for some reason. It's funny because I'm not even sure where he's heard the word banjo. It's fun to see them enjoy it!

Jack and the exersaucer!

I can't believe I never had an exersaucer before now! This was a hand me down from one of my favorite friends, and Jack has LOVED it! He looks like such a big boy when I put him in it!

Bo and Ella are extremely fascinated by it as well, and they both love to "help" him play in it. Too fun!

As I type, Bo is in the next room "pretending" to have a conversation with me. It's rest time for him, and I think he's ready to be released from the couch! I can hear him asking me about getting up and then I hear myself [complete with voice change] responding that it's still rest time. Oh, and there's something about a dog and ice cream as well!

I love rest time!

Pretty Picture?

This morning, I got out of bed and skipped the shower. Instead of "real clothes" I opted for an old t-shirt and comfy shorts. We were planning to be home all day so I could complete a series of chores, so I wanted to be prepared for scrubbing and dusting!

It's on days like this that I imagine myself as the picture of domesticity. I'm at home, working around the house, putting things in their place, and finding some sort of order amidst the chaos.

Today, the cable guy made a stop at our house to fix some problems with our reception. As he left, I couldn't help but wonder what he must have thought about my view of "domesticity."

The time: 12:21 PM

Me: wearing ratty clothes that had a decent amount of grime on them. Greasy hair. No makeup. I'm holding Jack and he's just spit up on me.

The kids: sitting at the lunch table eating, but they are in bottoms only. They didn't have on shirts because they were eating pickles, and they always end up with pickle juice everywhere.

The house: I have cleaned the back rooms, but the main room is a wreck. There are toys everywhere. I have only partially dusted. The vacuum cleaner is sitting in the corner waiting to be used. A glimpse into the kitchen reveals the "fixin's" from lunch all over the counter and food littering the plates in front of the kids.

Oh, and the "reception problems" with the cable turned out to be a somewhat improper hook up.
He must think I'm crazy!

Oh, and thankfully I'm not forced to do chores all by myself. I've got some great help around here!

Tears

We had a teary goodbye this afternoon with our friends who leave tomorrow.

As Bo casually said goodbye to his sweet friends, I tried to explain that he needed to understand he wouldn't see them for a while. I got all choked up, and Bo asked if I was sad:

"Yes Bo, mommy is sad. We have to say goodbye to our very special friends, and it will probably be a long time before we get to see them again."

"Oh."

"Bo, can you say goodbye and I hope you have fun in Minnesota?"

"But mommy, I don't know that word. I don't like it."

My sentiments exactly, kiddo!

Tired...

It's late [for me at least], and I'm tired, but the computer beckons with it's glowing screensaver!

I think for me a countdown of sorts has officially begun...

13 days until J takes his Physics boards. For those of you unfamiliar with how it works to become a radiologist, this is the first in a series of three tests that he must take [and pass] in order to be board certified. Oh, and he must be board certified to practice! We've been missing him around here. Most moments he's at work or in the study answering questions like this:

The 364 keV photons emitted by I-131 have a HVL of 6 cm in water. What is the precent of the primary beam transmitted through 24 cm of water?
A. 50
B. 25
C. 12.5
D. 6.25
E. 3.13

Huh?

It's taking a toll on me, and I know it's taking a toll on the kids. On the nights when J is here, Bo's bedtime prayer includes, "Thank you Jesus for letting daddy be here tonight to eat dinner with us. We really miss him!"
Needless to say, we're all looking forward to September 8th.

9 days to J's birthday. Lots to do. Lots to plan. I'm not even sure how much of a celebration we'll be able to have with all the Physics preparation happening around here!

5 days until Labor Day...although at this point I'm not sure we even have anything planned, so I'm not sure what I'm so excited about. Maybe I'm just ready for all the white shoes to be retired?

1 day until my dear friend and her husband officially "move" even though all of her stuff will be here for another month or two as they find permanent housing. I am so sad. It makes me ache to think that she will be gone. We've filled these past few days with lots of playdates for the kids and plenty of evening get-togethers without the kids. It's just refreshing to be with her, and I will miss having such a dear friend here in the same city. It makes me hurt to know how my kids will miss her kids as well. They are precious playmates!

I've really been enjoying the words to an old hymn. It's been a comfort to me lately:

Satisfied

All my lifelong I had panted
For a drink from some cool spring.
That I hoped would quench the burning
Of the thirst I felt within.

Chorus:
Hallelujah, he has found me.
The One my soul so long has craved.
Jesus satisfies my longings.
Thro' his blood I now am saved.

Feeding on the filth around me
till my strenght was almost gone.
Longed my soul for something better
Only still to hunger on.

Poor I was and sought for riches
Something that would satisfy.
But the dust I gathered 'round me.
Only mocked my soul's sad cry.

Beautiful!

And on that note, I'm off to bed...

Oh, because I know you're wondering, the answer to the question above is D. Bonus points if you can tell me what a keV photon is!

Farmer in the Dell [remix]

I'm feeling a little low on creative juices these days! There are so many things I want to blog about, but I just can't seem to find the energy!



This video of Bo cracks me up...he added his own twist to "The Farmer in the Dell"

10:18 AM

Jason called this morning at 10:18 from work. Yes, he's working on Saturday [and Sunday]. Bummer.

He asked how my morning was going, and he got a little chuckle when I replied that everyone was dressed. He thought it was funny that I used that as a gauge for the success of my day.

Getting three little ones and one big one ready for the day by 10 AM is big success in my book, even if it is a Saturday!

Glimpses of my day...

A car full of fraternity boys drives past the me as I'm on my way home, and several boys hoot and wave at me. I'm pretty sure it's not because they thought I was hot!

Bo has discovered that he can create beautiful artwork when he pees. Today, the canvas was the couch!

I had to grab a napkin halfway through feeding Jack his mush this evening and he burst into tears because he thought he wasn't going to get any more food.

The valve on Bo's sippy cup wasn't working, so the milk he didn't quite finish in the car this morning ended up all over his car seat and baked in the hot car for about two hours. It was pretty stinky to say the least.

Pushing a sit and stand stroller with three children on it is not easy, especially not uphill.

All the kids in bed and quiet by 8 PM...pure bliss!

Racewalking, really?

I caught a few minutes of some Olympic coverage last night, and I almost giggled as I watched the athletes. They were speedwalking! The official event title is racewalking, but I must admit that it looked a little silly to me.

That being said, those athletes were "walking" at a speed that I'm not sure I could run! And they do it for twelve miles. Definitely impressive.

It inspired me to come up with a few event ideas for my own "Mommy Olympics:"

One-handed Sandwhich making: Contestants must make a nutritious meal that a 3 year old and 2 year old will eat without complaining. The trick is that only one had can be used while the other must be occupied with holding a child or meeting a series of toddler needs.

Simultaneous need fulfillment: Contestants must tend to a toddler tantrum, change a dirty diaper, and nurse a hungry infant simultaneously.

Air travel triathalon: The first leg of the race involves getting everyone through security by stripping everyone of shoes and other valuables, folding a gigantic stroller while holding an infant and making sure no one freaks out because they are no longer wearing their shoes. The second leg of the race involves physically getting on the plane by once again folding said gigantic stroller, juggling drinks bags and kids while the flight attendant checks the car seat for the FAA approval sticker, and then getting all kids into buckled seats without delaying any other passengers. The final leg involves a complicated layover. Contestants must exit the plane, race to another gate at the other end of the airport, and board the next plane before takeoff all while lugging children and baggage with superhuman strength.

Synchronized Checkout Grabbing: Contestants must place items from the back of a shopping cart onto a moving conveyor. They must simulatenously watch the toddler they have strapped in the front basket and as she wiggles out of her seat to swipe a candy bar from the glittering candy display, they must defend the candy and safely return the child to the basket.

I've been training for these games for the last three and a half years; I'm pretty sure I could win gold!

Beach Lovin'

I'm finally going through the pictures my sister took while we were at the beach. This one was too fabulous not to post right away.

Thanks Aunt Sarah!

Little Man

Jack seems to be recovering from his shots yesterday with ease. He's loving his cereal with fruits and veggies, and eating way more than Bo or Ella were at this point. It seems like he may roll over any day. Where did my wobbly newborn go?

Here are his latest stats:
Weight: 14.5 pounds
Height: 26 inches

He is just too precious!

Big Girl

After our visit to the pediatrician yesterday, here are the updates on little miss Ella:
Weight: 23 and 1/2 pounds
Height: 33 inches

She's talking and talking and talking and wanting to do everything just like her big brother. We're also using the potty, but her interest is sill pretty casual!

What not to do!

I feel as though I could write a really good [and probably pretty long] parenting book. Unfortunately, instead of being filled with wonderful tidbits of wisdom and advice, it would be a long list of things not to do. I find myself in so many situations as a mom where I know how not to handle the situation, but I'm ultimately at a loss for how to parent in those moments.

Case in point:

Yesterday I took the kids to the pediatrician. Jack had his four month check and Ella had her two year check. I knew it wasn't going to be the easiest interaction, and I was most concerned about Ella and her shots.

Imagine my joy when they informed me that Ella wouldn't get any shots. Woo-hoo!

We made it through the exams okay. Bo played with the germ infested doctor office toys, and I held Jack and Ella for most of the exams. I was sweaty, but we managed to minimize the screaming, so it was worth it!

As the doctor leaves, she asks Ella what kind of sticker she would like and begins to list her options. When she says, "Dora," Bo immediately perks up and asks if he can have a Dora sticker.

Doctor: "Bo we have some Diego stickers."
Bo: "I want a Dora one."
Doctor: "Are you sure you don't want Diego?"
Bo: "No, I really want Dora."

Can you read the writing on the wall yet?

The nurse comes in to give Jack his shots, and hands Bo and Ella their stickers. Bo takes one look at Dora and has a meltdown. Within seconds, he is pitching a full-fledged fit, complete with kicking, screaming, and throwing himself down on the floor. I wish I could say that I knew exactly how to respond and control the situation, but I think I was just as surprised as the nurse who delivered the sticker.

So Bo commenced screaming on the floor while the nurse began giving Jack his vaccinations. As the icing on the cake, Ella realized she didn't have her shoes on and she began crying for help because she couldn't get the strap in the back just right. Did I mention I was sweating?

I took a break from Jack and made Bo sit on the stroller. I told him to stay there, and I'm pretty sure the look on my face told him I was serious. He continued crying and moaning, loudly!

After the shots, the nurse is leaving the room and asks me if I want her to get Bo a Diego sticker.

Ding, ding, ding. I know what not to do.

No, he may not have a Diego sticker. At this point, I'm not even going to let him have the Dora sticker!

I got in Bo's face, made him look at my eyes, and very calmly said, "Bo, it is okay to be upset, but it is not okay to pitch a fit like this. You need to get it together before we walk out of this office or there will be consequences."

And then, just like nothing had ever happened, he totally stopped crying. As we walked out the door, he actually giggled because the wheel of the stroller hit the door frame on the way out. It was truly the most unbelievable mommy experience ever. I found myself wondering if I had imagined the entire situation.

I maintain that having three small children is really easy until I get out of bed in the morning!

Almost. Rolling. Over.

Guess who's eating solids?!

Cousins, Cousins, Everywhere!

We were able to spend some time visiting with Jason's family and all the cousins. It's wild because there are SIX cousins under the age of four, so things are busy to say the least. We were able to get a few shots with Grandaddy and Marmie and all the cousins.

All my kids with J's parents. At least Jack was looking at the camera!

I couldn't resist zooming in on just my kids at one point during the shoot. It's just so rare for all of them to be in one shot!

My little ladybug!

We had such a great time celebrating Ella's second birthday. I still can't believe that my little girl is two years old! I know that Ella probably won't even remember it, but I loved the ladybug theme. It was so much fun!

One of my favorite birthday memories from childhood is the decorating. Every year I looked forward to the birthday balloons, streamers, and sign in the kitchen. I imagined that my parents stayed up all night decorating just for me. I am not sure Ella understood the signs or the balloons, but it's fun to keep that same tradition with my kids. Thankfully, I had my super creative sister Maggie to help with all the cool lettering!

Ella enjoyed tasting the cake batter with her cheerios because who doesn't want a little cake batter for breakfast on her birthday?

Maggie and I decorated all the cupcakes with twizzler pull and peel ladybugs. It really was cute, and delicious, of course!

I was so excited that two dear friends were able to come and help Ella celebrate with their little girls. These women were childhood friends, bridesmaids in my wedding, and now we all get to experience being moms together. It made me ache for Ella to know their little girls. I'm hoping someday we will live closer to family and friends once again!

Maggie did such a great job on the poster that I was hesitant to let the kids put the spots on there. It wasn't much of a game, but the kids did have fun putting the spots on the ladybug.

Ella got her own cake with supersized lady bug!

I somehow missed getting a picture of her blowing out the candles, but she enjoyed eating the cake for sure!

I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get this picture turned the correct way. This was right before Ella started opening her presents. I just thought it was fun to get a picture of most everyone in the same room!

Big Boy

I feel like Jack is such a big boy! He's making the greatest faces and noises.

He actually started laughing not too long ago and it is the best. He will giggle and laugh without even being tickled. It just seems like time in on hyper-speed these days!

Beach fun

Here are a few shots from our first night at the beach. We took the kids out to see the water and let them burn off some of the energy they had left after a long day of traveling...

It didn't take long for Bo to head straight out to the water.

He couldn't keep his britches up in the waves. It was so fun to see him be so excited!

Back Online!

We said a teary goodbye to Gigi not too long ago, so I guess I am now officially back in reality! Even though we've technically been back since late Tuesday afternoon it's been a whirlwind of activities since our arrival!

I'm sorting through laundry and pictures and still trying to figure out where all the time went. It just went way too fast. Hopefully I'll have some pictures up here before too long...

Whirlwind

I was joking earlier that I am so tired that my hair hurts. Seriously, the last 48 hours have been a whirlwind!

Saturday morning we got everything ready for Ella's SECOND birthday party. We did a ladybug theme, and it was so much fun. I can't believe my baby girl is two years old!

I rushed from the party to a lunch with some high school friends, and even though I was totally late, it was great to catch up with a few people.

After lunch, Jack and my mom and I headed out to a baby shower and then it was back home to get ready for my high school reunion. Wow, how is it possible that I graduated from high school ten years ago? It was great to see everyone, and great to have a night out without the kids!

This morning we were out the door to church, lunch, and over to the in-laws for more birthday celebrations with Aunt Hannah and Aunt Natalie. It took us almost two hours to get home because there was a serious accident on the highway, so we spent a few long hot hours in the car!

The kids are now settled, and I'm just starting to think about all the events of the last few days. It's bittersweet that this visit is coming to an end! I miss Jason and home, but it has been so refreshing to see family and friends and enjoy life in a new place for a few days.

I'll try to get a few pictures up [if Maggie downloaded her party pics :)] but it may have to wait until mid-week...more to come!

Shout Out...

...to my sister Maggie for the awesome pics!

Timer Photo

We actually managed to get a photo with everyone in one frame...definitely not easy!

How wild is it that we're just one [growing] family?