Thursday, July 29, 2010

Traveling Circus

We are off to my cousin's wedding - you would think they are going to Disney. They love weddings...dressing up, dancing, and this time staying in a hotel.

"But where will we sleep?" They have asked me this 100 times - first times of anything are so fun with kids.

My medical records in hand, Im ready to go. But Im quite convinced that the baby will wait until we get back to NJ. This baby just likes to add a little drama wherever he can.

My little cousin getting married, 2 of my kids in the wedding, my DAD officiating the ceremony...and of course seeing so much of my family...I guess we are all just a tad excited!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Quote-tastic

Drew: "I didn't know I was opening his door (while Tyler was sleeping). I was walking toward the stairs and suddenly I felt my hand pull the handle."
Ella: "Im never going to take a bath or let you do my hair again. If I get very dirty, that's ok because it means Im having lots of fun."
Tyler: "Mom, be wyiet (quiet). Im a spy. Don't look this way. Be wyiet!" (as he is carrying the bathroom stool into the kitchen to climb on the counter)

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Peaches, Pools and Patches

His name isn't Patches, but wouldn't that have made the title better? No, this is Jackson (one of Aunt Melissa's dogs) the kids favorite dog in the whole world. He is small, calm, and tolerates all kinds of petting, squeezing, and chasing. In return we don't make him feel embarrassed when he pees on our feet - he is after all just excited (or scared) to see us!

Another favorite thing in the whole world - peaches. Really any kind of summer fruit. I often hear myself saying, "No more fruit today - how about a cookie or cracker?" Seriously, these kids eat fruit until they are sick. That doesn't jive well with potty training.

Did you really want a potty training update? Tyler is doing very well. 100% success while naked, a little tougher with clothes on - but no accidents in public places which is a relief to me. His independence is astonishing, he wants no help and probably wouldn't even tell me he went unless there was a treat involved. I realized yesterday that potty training isn't so bad with just one kid. Having twins first really did break me in to this whole parenting thing.

And grandma's pool. What would we do without the pool? Yesterday was the first day in about 6 weeks that the temp fell below 90 - and the high was 89 - but it felt down right cool. Back to the 90's today, so back to the pool we go.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Exam Rooms

Two years ago my angels sat like this while at my doctor's appointments...

Not much has changed.

Well...except for this guy and his antics...

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Hair Today...Gone


First we got rid of the diapers. Now we chopped off the curls. The little, wild, baby curls that stuck out from under his hat and looped over his ears.


It was a little traumatic for me, apparantly "leave as much length as possible" translates to "chop it all off" in hairdresser speak. Adding to the trauma is that I can't find a decent before picture to remember his little curls.

But, he is amazingly handsome...this new Big Boy of mine.
Oh, and please ignore the weird spikey thing the lady did in the front with gel! Ill get some more pictures today!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

You Know It

This sums up our summer so far. We have spent inordinate amounts of time swimming and sunning. (But don't worry, the kids are still mostly as white as snow!)

Whoever made it possible to be like 9 months pregnant in weeks on end of 90 degree heat should be arrested. I don't like to complain, but it is nearly impossible not to!!

My favorite word is submerge.

And we are so super lucky to have a pool just a few minutes away to camp out at.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Gotta Go

Note the Diego underwear and the potty.

In true Tyler fashion, he has demanded "No More Diapers!!" and thus the potty training has begun.

Of course, I was planning on waiting a month or two. Maybe when the big kids returned to school, or I was a little more mobile. But, as all parents know somewhere around conception you lose all the control you thought you had.

Gotta go!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Fix

While she was here she fixed our screen door.

It was literally the bane of our existence. It wouldn't slide. It would fall off and smoosh the kids. The kids couldn't open it. It frustrated all, every day.

But she fixed it. Because she is awesome like that.

And we got our fix. Our "Nonnie is here and all is well" fix.

She makes everything easier. Because she is awesome like that.

(Oh, yeah - and the surgery went well. Except for the fact that I went into labor. But they gave me some fancy meds and labor stopped. The whole experience was a little bit of a wake up call for Mike and I. As in "WAKE UP A BABY IS COMING - SOON!!" Uhm, got it.)

Friday, July 16, 2010

Going Under


Back in for another surgery this morning, not exactly where I want to be going, especially at 36 weeks pregnant.

We all know Im a control freak and that moment before the anesthesia kicks in is my least favorite. I hate the idea that Im laying there and have no idea what's going on. Add to that the dreams I have of waking up to find they have delivered my baby....aggh!

But no matter how much I hate this entire process, my poor husband has it worse. He has to watch and wait and wonder. At least Im asleep.

The kids? They love this. They can't wait to shoo me out the door so they can be with Nonnie all day long. Treats up the wazzoo...tv to their hearts content....generally breaking of all rules - woo hoo!!! Party!!

I like to tease, but really nothing is more comforting than knowing that they are happy.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

4 in 4

First there were two...
...and then the little one barrelled his way into our family.
In four weeks from today the new little boy is set to arrive.

Ready?!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Pictures

I managed to catch a sort of milky shot of a sunrise, but after combing through about 200 pictures, I realized I missed many shots. I have no pictures from the front of the house and it was my preferred view! From the balcony on our room or the front deck off the kitchen, you could stare out over the North River, the lush green marsh, and the boats traveling back and forth all day - not to mention the amazing nightly sunsets.
I love this shot of Ty's nudey bum and the rocks...but I missed him driving Uncle Mark's boat and all 3 kids running on the pristine beach at the spit. In fact, I have very few pictures of so many of my favorite moments. The kids faces during the super fireworks show, wrestling with cousins, coloring rocks, sitting with my dad, all the kids eating together....and of course the ever popular group shot is missing this year.

Maybe it was because we were there for 2 weeks and the feeling of "Ill take it next time" was always there. Or maybe it was because I barely left my beach chair. Maybe it was because I was in major rest/relax/lazy mode...whatever the reason, the images are in my head. And I was fully present and fully enjoying every one of those moments my camera missed.

And, there is always next year, right?!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Looks can be Deceiving


Sure, she looks cute and innocent. Cute little curls...smatter of freckles....

But this is the "conversation" I overheard in the car today while she was talking on her play phone to my dad....

"Hi. Im calling for Caca.
Yes, Ill wait.
Ohhh, Hi Caca!! It's Ella!
We are just driving in the car. I think we will stop for some coffee.
Oh, ha, ha, ha, ha!
You're kidding!!
Jesus Christ!!
I gotta go."

Yikes.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Beach Ty

Just look at him...sunglasses, hair all surfer like and highlighted...this kid was made for the beach!
As usual, Ty spent his vacation following right along with the older kids half the time, and the other half being his little independent 2 yr old self. He would often disappear up to the outdoor shower calling back over his shoulder, "I wash myself!"
Or he would wander down to the ocean's edge to throw rocks.
He won the hearts of all the visitors with his crazy antics - like making a catapult for rocks out of a huge shovel, smashing castles, and doing cannonballs into a hole.
I love this kid.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Buddy and the Beach

He was a little braver this year at the beach - jumping waves, wading in, and filling buckets.
He decided his new buddy was baby V, and he loved making her smile. Not only a great big brother, but also an awesome big cousin.
He was happy and silly and everything you should be on vacation - and always the first one asleep at night - worn out!
Every once in awhile, he would sneak off to do his own thing, like building a sand castle town. I love his focus.
Of course, no vacation would be complete without his Caca. Drew would disappear onto the deck to sit on my dad's belly for what seemed like hours. They would tell stories...and...well, I don't really know what they do together. All I know is that my boy is happy, confident, and content with my dad - truly awesome.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Beach Babe


She jumps, she skips, she runs, she dances.

She basked in the sun, her cousins, and all her adoring aunts and uncles.

Like her Nonnie and her Mama, she loves to be outside. She may have been the one to enjoy this vacation the most...but most of us would be a close second.

She earned a new nickname while at the beach - Forest. My Dad took the kids for a walk and when trying to entice them to turn back he said, "First one back gets a Popsicle!" He underestimated Ella's love of all things "treat." She ran back the whole way - about 1/2 a mile! Over the course of the two weeks she ran that route several times, leaving kids and adults in her dust!!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Away


Tucked away on a skinny little peninsula is a strip of beach that was our home away from home for 2 weeks. We piled in cousins, aunts, uncles, and 2 furry friends for the best weather June has seen in 9 years. Aren't we lucky?!

Im just beginning to go through all the pictures. But in the meantime I love thinking back on all the moments shared - with the beautiful backdrop of ocean and marsh

Don't worry Ill be posting pictures for the rest of this week.