Observations

Observation #1: I haven't blogged in so long I don't know how long it's been.

#2: It is possible for your back to swell when it's injured. Just ask RR.

#3: Mary Lane ER has the shortest wait times... probably in the country.

#4: If you need to drive 35 mph in a 50 zone, you probably shouldn't be driving

#5: Said ER offers a 10% discount if you pay at time of visit.

#6: There are some really dark stretches of road out here... just right for Steve Kind novels

#7: You can use Big Y turkey coupons at Stop and Shop.... this means like $4 for a 19 lb turkey

#8: I'm trying to decide what to make for ERP for his birthday, but we're celebrating together this year... so does that mean I need to cook on my birthday?

#9: Even with his haircut super short everyone still thinks ERP is a girl

#10: TT is the world's biggest cuddle bug

#11: Everyone in the ER thinks RR is really tall for his age... if only they knew how big his feet where as well

#12: Sometimes your armpits get sore when you're really over due to nurse a child



and to conclude.... RR is fine, "just" soft tissue damage to his back... from him falling off his bed and catching his back on the wooden rail while trying to get ERP to come see him

Mother's Day 2016

Today was a quiet relaxing day... a low key Mother's Day.

Husband has some sort of plague or something, and as such his asthma is kicking his butt; but all said and done he kept up pretty good (aside from the nap this afternoon, but in all fairness the kids were sleeping as well).

This photo pretty much sums up the day:

Today was day #2 of ERP sleeping until 8am. Husband was already downstairs with the other boys so I carried him down and went back to bed. My boys brought me one of my favorite cereals and coffee and bed. They showered me with gifts: tub for soaking my feet, new foot stuff, hand made pictures from school... and Husband got me flowers.

While I ate with my small mooches, RR made desert, He made two... one for us and one for my mom... so I can't tell you what it was since she hasn't gotten her's yet.

Then we all watched Ghostbusters and called our loved ones. The movie was followed by an early lunch and naptime for the boys. I watched my shows and made my feet all soft and pretty. 

The boys woke and we goofed around... did laundry and woke up Husband.

Then the SUN finally came out. After a week of rain the clouds parted and out came the sun.

The boys ran through the yard, laughing and playing and picking me "sunflowers" (dandelions to the rest of us). 

After that we all made dinner together... lobster, corn on the cob and salad (the little boys had chicken nuggets and Husband had shandwiches... so lobster for RR and I). The small boys had been getting a kick out of the lobsters since yesterday. ERP calls them "dinosaurs". I taught RR how to break up lobsters with crackers. TT and ERP wanted nothing to do with them... until dinner was over. TT feel in love with the lobster shells.

He started bringing all the bits and pieces outside to play on the deck with. Then he started carrying around the heads. He kept trying to get ERP to touch them and ERP kept saying "No, thank you" and running away.

It was so sweet to watch. A moment I'd like to remember forever.

The ugliest part of the day is when ERP tried to climb his slide while carrying a beater full of homemade whip cream (part of desert) and took a tumble off the top landing on his shoulder and head. Thankfully he bounced back after a little bit. And promised mommy not to try and use with slide with hands full of beaters. 

Dinner was followed by a failed bath for ERP and showers for the big boys. Then a failed bedtime for ERP. Thankfully TT was all about bedtime, him and I snuggled and chatted about the day. He told me the blue and pink in the sky looked like they were fighting... and he thought the purple would win.

Oh and some point during today, ERP got himself dressed. Already!! I am not ready. That said I can barely convince TT to dress himself most days.

Happy Mother's Day Everyone.

Easter 2015

Wise Protector & Christmas

Raymond means "wise protector".

So Christmas Day RR and I served at the 9:15am Mass. "Thankfully" the boys were up at 6am on Christmas morning and TT had no interest in unwrapping presents; he would rather play with each gift before opening another one, so we were all able to get dressed and fed and out the door on time for Mass.

Husband and the little ones were seated in the second row of the church. He seemed to have a rough start to Mass, getting ERP to settle and all that. But once ERP was settled the little ones seemed to be behaving well for Husband.

And then, there we are; during the Eucharist, all of the Eucharistic ministers, myself and the alter servers lined up to receive the Host and TT falls in the pew. He took some sort of tumble, and his cries soared out over a quiet church. Husband worked as fast as he could to comfort and quiet TT. But in RR's book it wasn't fast enough. Several times he had to pull himself back in line; as he was about to dash into the church and rush to his brother's aide.

It was a good Christmas. Full of love and memories and really good food. But RR wanting to rush to take care of his brother is what I will always remember from that day.

And now some photos... to share some of our other memories with you.

A Christmas Miracle

Today, the second to the last Saturday before Christmas; I found myself alone at the biggest mall in the area with all three boys. Originally TT was suppose to stay with Husband at an Aunt's house while he worked on a computer. But after many tears about wanting to keep riding in the car he came to the mall with me. I will admit I was a little concerned, tears that early in the day are never a good sign. Plus I didn't have a stroller, but Husband suggested I spend the $4 and get one of the mall "racers" to push TT around in. So, with three boys; one strapped to me, one in the racer and one walking we set out at the mall.

And it was by far the calmest shopping trip ever. 

1) I got most excellent parking, without having to look

2) None of the boys cried

3) None of the boys asked me to buy them anything

4) I stayed within my spending budget

5) The line at Starbucks, while a little long; moved fast

6) No one at the mall was rude, or cut in front of me, or stepped on my heels

7) I got everything I set out to get (and then a little more)

8) We left before my "timer" went off (I had to get home in time to get ready for Mass)

9) None of the boys teased each other, or played "punching" or the like

10) None of the boys cried - did I mention that? 

Truly our shopping trip was a Christmas Miracle. OK, really it was the boys' behavior that was a miracle. They were so well behaved I took them to lunch. Where I proceeded to order two too many hot dogs for some reason. And again during lunch my boys didn't argue or cry. TT even ate his baked beans before the fries. 

A Year!

ERP is a year old. Actually one year and five days. But, who's counting?

We had his one year well child check today. And guess what? He is still a peanut. Getting more and more peanutty as he gets older. He is a whooping 18 lbs. and is 28.5 inches long - note this was said dripping in sarcasm. For ever inch TT is a giant, ERP is just the opposite. His weight is holding steady at the 3 to 5% but his height has gone from about 20% down to 5%. He's petite as his doctor put it. He is easily 4 inches shorter and 4 pounds lighter than his brothers were at this age.

What he's got that they didn't have - sixth teeth!!  And more coming in. He has four top ones just about in, the two bottom ones (he's had those for months) and some random ones further back making their way on through.

He is "this close" to walking. He's taking a couple steps between Husband and I. He cruises along furniture, but still loves to crawl. And he is FAST.

He is still nursing on demand - read all night long - and eating three meals a day and two snacks as well. He is fully eating table food and has what we are having (as long as the sodium isn't insane). The only food he doesn't like - eggs - scrambled or fried. But he will eat them boiled.

He says "mama" and "dada" and RR swears he says his name. He makes lots of other sounds as well, but I don't think they mean anything at this time.

He is still napping two times a day. Some days he still naps three times.

He is stacking blocks and putting things in and out of containers. He waves bye-bye and loves to clap and read books. In his jumper he rocks it back and forth, and gets some serious air time.

We celebrated his birthday on December 6th with a circus themed party. His brothers even had clown wigs to wear. Husband and brother-in-law did an awesome job with the streamers and I made a five layer rainbow cake.

And I didn't cry. OK, maybe once...

Oh yes... and the crazy hair. He has some serious crazy hair.

Things I don't want to forget from this last months
~ How the hair on the back of his head is so course - and he sleeps on his belly so that's not it
~ How the rest of his hair is super wispy and fine
~ The way he HATES and I mean HATES the shower
~ The way he arches his back and becomes stiff as a board while crying and turning red when he doesn't want to do something - like go to bed or get a diaper change
~ His smile and his giggle
~ The "stork bite" on the back of his neck - I am guessing it's a faint birthmark by now.
~ The way he will happily lay on me in the darkness for hours on end
~ How afraid of meeting St. Nick he was
~ The way he looks in he morning with his hair all a mess
~ How he loves his pacifiers and will crawl around with one in his mouth and one in each hand
~ The way he plays with TT and they are doing more actual playing these days
~ The way RR simply adores him and dotes on him
~ The face he made when he saw his light up book for his birthday
~ His baby smell
~ The softness of his skin and hair