Weekending with Daddy

This weekend we attended…drum roll please…Daddy's very first kids birthday party! It's not likely that kids' birthday parties happen on a day Daddy is home from the hospital. He works every - single - Saturday, and naturally the majority of these celebrations take place on that day. As a result I have had to depend on every other event attendee to lend a hand watching my two monsters while I get food, eat, socialize, etc. And most every time I misplace one of them (for at least a split second). Ha! Thank God for my mommy pals who always help me find them.

Anyhow, it was such a treat to have Adam along. A couple of my friends’ husbands are nurses too so they happen to have a lot in common. The treat was merely the fact that I had time to chat and actually enjoy myself for once. It was a Thomas the Train party which as you could imagine was quite a hit with Evan. There was a bounce house, tons of ride-on toys, and even a train table outside - immobilizing Evan for nearly the entire party (sweet idea)!

Given that another round of birthday parties are about to unravel (our babies are turning THREE) I have begun to realize and appreciate the ease of toting about solely toddlers. No more babies. No more nursing, no more demanding infant crying for God only knows why, no more having a baby clutched to my hip. Now, it's simply my regular purse with one diaper/wipes, a couple crayons, and maybe a little snack for "the glutton" (her new nickname). The kids are manageable for the most part and I feel much more relieved getting out of the house by myself. Maybe I am just not good at multitasking - you know - baby crying, toddler whining, and I have to be somewhere or do something AND fix them lest my nerves get the best of me. It's incredible; my friend Jennifer will take both her -under three year old- kids to Disneyland for the day by herself! And enjoy it. As you can imagine I am getting very anxious thinking about taking three kids out of the house alone, by myself, with no help. I don’t know how I will do it. Or even if I will do it. I guess a lot of it will depend on the temperament of the new baby. And if he is anything like the last two, I don’t think I will see the light of day for a good six months. Sigh. I guess that’s life.

Back to the party. We had a blast there with good food, good entertainment, and great company. It’s so cool to think, too, that I was at this little boy’s very first birthday party. We all share such a sweet camaraderie simply being moms watching our babies grow. Here are the pics….

The Birthday Boy!

Adam and I

Evan and his bestie at the train table.

Picking flowers. See the boys fighting in the background (classic).

Pushing her bro around town.

Evan swinging at the pinata (we now know just how badly he needs to practice with a bat)

Little Rach even got a turn

The girls - all originally from Moms of 2007

"L"

Not sure what compelled me to start up the Almanac of Us series but I'm just gonna go with it. It's been, hmmm….a while and I was only on letter K but here comes L four months later…

Lips. I like them. I like them a lot. In fact if you ever have a conversation with me I will always focus on your lips and mouth. I have no idea why. I was never taught to do this nor was I taught not to. I never even knew it was something I did until Adam pointed it out when we were dating. I think looking people in the eye can be intimidating I guess.

(The only lips shot I could find)

Lemonade. Not just lemonade, fresh squeezed fresh-strawberry lemonade. Doesn't this photograph effortlessly scream summer? And I only wish I could go back there right now. Sippin' a glass this refreshing drink alongside a juicy burger, relaxing in the backyard. Ahhh those sweet summer nights. Can you tell I am over the gloom of winter (and seriously what do I have to complain about?!)?


Lord of the Rings. And let me just say right now that I am so not a Fantasy-liking sort of girl. But these movies are probably hands down my favorite of all time. I thought Peter Jackson did a fantastic job in every possible way. If you don't believe me just pick up the extended version and watch a little of the behind the scenes footage. INCREDIBLE. From the costumes, to the make-up, to the music, to the animation - it was simply that good. In saying that, I don't believe anything could ever top it.

More to come! :)

Laying Low

So, we have hardly accomplished ANYTHING for a little over a week now. I did in fact have the flu. Four days straight of fever, body aches, and exhaustion was hell. Once that let up, I had a strange feeling in my mouth - like I couldn't really bite down hard on food. Or like my teeth were all going to fall out. The very next day, all I could chew was yogurt and pudding. My entire mouth just began to throb. I developed fever blisters and sores all over my throat, lips, and gums, and my teeth were extremely tender. Brushing was torturous and forget flossing - I was crying my eyes out. Today I, at last, managed to visit the dentist where I found out exactly what it is…a classic case of not only pregnancy related gingivitis but fever blisters from the virus I had just gotten over...a double whammy. She gave me some antibiotic mouth wash, a nice soft toothbrush, some numbing gel, numbing rinse and I feel better already. I can actually eat more that just jello! Poor little Nicholas, he has truly been through the mill.

Anyhow, our week was very blah and slow. I felt bad for slacking off with Evan's school but, whatcha gonna do? I'm sick and need the break. We still did activities here and there but nothing associated with the theme - Health and Safety. I will try to pick it up this week or next. But I have found that doing random skill-based activities is a heck of a lot easier. And also nice for Rachel who can partake in many of the festivities. Here is a little recap…

On Tuesday (before I got sick, probably WHERE I got sick), I took the kids to an indoor playland where we met up with the mom's group which includes Evan's best bud Jonathan. Evan was thrilled..even holding his hand while we waited in line. Look at how cute. And they are even dressed alike.

This was tons of fun for Rachel too. You put balls in this thing and it shoots then up and out. There are also guns where you load the balls and shoot people. Luckily the kids didn't figure out that they could aim at people.

This huge slide was the best of all.

Lunch with his pals - Kayla and Jonathan

Back at home...putting pipe cleaner into a parmesean cheese can

Choo-choos with Papa - Rachel is really good at playing "King Kong" and destroying his tracks.

Filling the birdfeeder was on our to-do list. Evan did a great job of pouring the seed - can't you tell?

Making cheerio/pipe cleaner bird food. He had to lace on the cheerios but instead got bored and ate it.

This was such a hit and a SWEET dollar tree find. I bought 3 sets...uppercase letters, lowercase, and numbers. He loved popping out the foam and then hammering it back in. He could get a few letters and needed a lot of direction, but I like the trial and error of it.

Shaving Cream FUN!

A total mess!

Just thought this picture was too funny. After eating an oreo, Adam discovered Evan's chocolate goatee - don't mind the potty shot. Hee hee!

Our new growing pal Olly the Octopus. We put him in water yesterday - he is suppose to get huge. Hoping he won't disappoint.

He got to pick some lemons with Daddy in the backyard.

Feeling Fluish and

Hello there. This is just a quick post from my cell phone. I have been sick since tuesday. Went to the hospital Thursday- was treated for flu/swine flu (apparently they are very similar in how they present). I felt good yesterday and then today I could hardly get out of bed. I had a high fever (102) for being pregnant and almost drove to the hospital. I am hoping I feel better tomorrow. What's throwing me off the most is the fact that I have swollen gums, and cannot eat due to the pain in my teeth. Oddly enough it's ALL my teeth. I know I need to get checked out but I am trying to avoid being admitted to the hospital. I was told from a friend who lives near me that Kaiser had her stay 5
days for just a cold!

Well that's it for now. Back to resting and
watching more tv. Sigh! I'll update more soon.

A Mishmash of Rainy Day Doings

What an incredibly stormy week! We lived through 60 mile an hour winds, quarter-sized hail, waterspouts, tornados, thunder, lightning, flash flooding, and of course heavy rain! The downpour began Sunday and finally tapered off five days later Friday evening (accompanied by a beautiful double rainbow I captured on video). I think they estimated almost 20 inches of rainfall just this past week - more than we typically get in an entire year. So as you could imagine there were some major flood problems in various parts of So. Cal. I am thankful we live on a little bit of a slope and had no serious issues.

At any rate we were able to keep ourselves very busy indoors with… plenty of Christmas presents I had yet to let the kids open! If you want some sanity back during those probable cabin fever days of January showers try this. Evan ripped open a few new and novel toys and was kept amused for hours at a time.

This week school was much more lax. I did a lot of review of our theme from last week: Our Family, but also added several skill-based activities. Here is the week's happenings (and please forgive me for a few blurry images as my flash was not working properly)….

Our Family, once again. I am just a little too proud of my peg people and they are mainly what Evan played with all week (he started to ask me a bunch of questions, like why they have no arms? Where are their feet? How do they walk? LOL! I didn't know what to say.)

Sportin' the jammies all day was fun and they loved eating in the playroom (a no-food zone)

Quite possibly thee best, most delicious muffin I have ever consumed. Stole it off of Jill's blog who got it from here. Please try these! You will not be disappointed!!!

Jello jigglers family!

Unfortunately we decapitated them horribly. Evan thought it was some kind of sensory plaything like floam or play-do. When I told him to eat it - he was so disgusted he gagged.

This color sorting M&M mat is from here and was soooo cool. Evan couldn't get enough.

After skimming a Martha Stewart Magazine I was inspired to color organize my closet. I LOVE it. Every time I go in there I just smile.

THis week I did a lot more activities with Rachel. I was really feeling bad that she's sorta been left out. So, I found some tasks she can do. Here she is pulling scarfs out of a wipes container.

Color sorting with Daddy. She places the red poker chip in the red can and the yellow one in the yellow.

Evan finally opened his Clickstart computer (his Christmas present from my step-bro). We can only play when Rachel is asleep, so its a perfect thirty minutes of comp. time. He really likes it and so far seems to be learning the ropes of a mouse and keyboard.

A new dish! We had falafel pitas that were delish. If you like greek food you gotta try these. The falafel is from Costco, flat bread and Taziki sauce from Trader Joe's topped with crumbled feta cheese, onions, tomato, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. YUM!

Hanging out with Dada watching Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Adam and I thought this movie was hilarious. And the kids sat through the entire thing!

Highlights hidden objects sticker match. I didn't think he could do this, and then he surprised me. He has always been good at spotting things quickly but this seemed sorta hard. He had to find the hidden object and then place a sticker on it.

After that it was a great coloring page

Food matching. I started out doing this game mystery bag style and then changed it up since that was too difficult. I had this old board book, 100 first words, that that Rachel tore up. I cut up the pictures and catagorized them properly. I laid out two pieces of food on the tray and then showed Rachel the picture. She had to choose the correct match. She is still learning.

Crayons. Her first time coloring! She did way better than I thought she would. I thought you weren't suppose to give kids crayons until two! What a crock!

A fun fishing pond game. These little ocean creatures are actually finger puppets from IKEA. I attached a safety pin to each one, placed them ontop of a blue scarf and handled Evan a magnetic fishing pole. He gave it a couple shots and then gave up.

Our rain jar. IT'S FULL!!!

This is the Cleveland National Forest behind our house - behind them is Trabuco Canyon. The clouds were moving so fast.

This is our park turned lake! If you look closely in the middle you can see ducks swimming. HAHA! Wish I had a boat.

And finally, after a week of being couped up I sent the kids off to the G'parents and went out with the girls. This place called Heroes in Downtown Fullerton was so fun. The food was out of this world good!


The rainbow:

Let's Be Real

Blogs. There is something about 'em. Something intimidating. Something to make you feel….like less of a person, mother, wife, etc. I bring this up because I read so many great blogs and also some of the famous ones. I think to myself GEEZ this women is incredible! Skilled at everything from sewing, to photography, to crafting, to child rearing, to cooking, to cleaning, to having a social life, to entertaining guests, to having time to blog, to…the list goes on. And I envy each one of them for talents and gifts that are not mine.

I get very inspired. I plan. I prepare. And then, I fall short. I desire to accomplish so much (especially with my children), but the truth is I am just not them.

As my Google reader loads and I begin to skim these various blog posts there is a certain amount of inferiority that comes over me. I see the time these moms spend with their kids on the floor painting, and coloring, using a computer, baking, reading to, or interacting with. Also the countless different hand-made activities they create and bring to the table are exhausting to review. It can bring a sense of inadequacy to say the least.

Many times I would come away from reading a blog feeling guilty (particularly those authored by super moms). Seeing what they did with their day and how much they got done and what a great life they had made me crave the same. I would strive to be that superhero of a mom or the wonder wife who cooks, cleans, and has everything in order from bills to bedtime. I found myself longing to be that person and when I couldn't get it right I felt even guiltier. But one has to remember blogs are only a mere snapshot of that someone’s day. Their family, their activities, accomplishments, dreams, vacations. The good stuff. Very rarely is it about the trials and tribulations we all face. You know? The humdrum junk that fills the rest of the day.

As far as this blog, more so lately, I've noticed myself only wanting to post the sunny side, the happy-go-lucky stuff. But, I think that can be misleading. It's not fair for you as a reader to think I have some flawless existence. Thanks for the kudos and the comments but…truth be told…IT JUST AINT TRUE.

That’s why I have to admit:
*I don't cook. And when I do, the microwave is usually involved. I do like to bake and try new recipes. But our yummy dinners are mainly cooked by Hubby. He is the one who deserves the credit. And the nice thing about it is he actually likes to cook - kind of an outlet for him he has explained.

*My house is tidy (due to OCD hubby), but don't look too close there is more often than not dust bunnies found in the corners and soap scum in the sinks.

*The laundry can sometimes take me up to two or three days to put away, so by the time I arrange it neatly in the drawers, there is a whole other 3-5 loads needing a wash.

*I do not in any sense of the word PLAY with my kids all day every day non-stop.

*There are days my kids watch four - five episodes in a row of Diego, Wonder Pets, Curious George, Sesame Street, etc.

*I have a complete room full of home gym equipment and I don't work out. At all. Never have.

*When I NEED to get out of the house it is usually to Target, or Michael's to buy crap my kids don't really need.

* I loose patience with my kids A LOT.

* I am a Facebook-aholic.

*I don't finish things.

*I let problems that need consistent discipline slide.

*I am not always content being a SAHM.

I think you get the point I am trying to make. I just want to get it out there. I am not super mom. Or wonder wife. I am a normal human being just trying to make it through the day with two young kiddos and a third on the way. Sigh!

I aim for happiness and a peaceful home. But I struggle everyday for wanting things my own way, or seeking my own pleasure and/or glory. Recently I read a quote that stood out to me. It's found in the classic book by Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ. It reads, "But the man who seeks glory in anything other than Me, or seeks his delight in some good of his own choosing, shall never find true joy nor have joy bursting in his heart, but shall meet obstacle after obstacle and find himself inextricably entangled in life's web." I think I may need to read this quote everyday. This passage has lead me to search my own heart in this matter.

And so I am hoping you can come away from reading this feeling encouraged by the fact that we are all in the same boat - struggling, striving, seeking for peace, joy, contentment. But also to know we will never find it until we turn to the One who already knows, who already has a plan for our lives. A plan that is unique for each and every person.

This wasn't supposed to turn into a lecture, and sorry if it came across that way. My central thesis is basically: none of us are perfect people and as much as you may think someone has it “all together” or is superior in some way, think again, they most likely are NOT sharing the gory/boring/demanding particulars that are really taking place in their home.

Rachel - Our Well Baby

Seeing that I utilize my blog as a means to scrapbook (more or less) by documenting milestones, I am happy to report a thriving 14 month old weighing in at 25 pounds, 32 inches. I know we are a tad behind schedule for our One Year Checkup, but that's just how I roll when it comes to visiting the doctors. I HATE bringing my "well" kids to a haven polluted with sickies. And it seems one of my kids or I almost always get sick - especially at the Pediatrician's office. In fact just hours after our return home I felt a sniffle coming on. I asked Adam if that's even possible. He supposes it to be a mild virus. And such a quick onset is actually likely. Fooey. Just my luck. I barely just got over a three week long sinus infection.

Back to our visit, Rachel's Pediatrician mentioned that she is very tall for her age and even asked me if her daddy is tall. I was sort of, well...pleased given that the last checkup (six month) she was hardly average in stature (which is fine), in addition to being exceptionally plump. I always assumed she would be my "shrimp" though. And unfortunately I know what it can be like to be the peewee of the class…I always was. It's no fun. Albeit my last name began with E, we only occasionally lined up alphabetically - a chance to be in the front of the line. :) I am sure they do things way different now. It's just not PC to put the short kids in the back anymore or to be the last one chosen for a team. Anyhow the 93rd percentile for height and the 68th percentile for weight is good and her proportioning is much better. Ha! Her six month pictures are too funny - remember we nicknamed her The Blob? She has only gained three pounds since then! LOL.

Anyhow. Rach is good and healthy. Praise God. After going though what we did with baby Nick (do I still like that name?) I am so thankful and oh so very blessed to have two remarkably healthy children. You really don't think about it when you have a hale and hearty family. But for everything in that little body to function properly and together, it is a genuine wonder. You don't need to take an anatomy or physiology class to figure out just how marvelously and miraculously we were designed. Truly a work of God.

I also should note she was a fantastic patient and recieved two shots like a champ. The crying only last a couple seconds and then she was super curious about the newly placed bandaids on her thighs. I did opt out of the MMR and Chix pox vaccine for now. However, we will get those in a couple months. I just don't see how or why a little 25 pound frame of a body needs that many chemicals all at once. We also avoided the Seasonal Flu Shot and Swine Flu Shot. I don't think it has been researched enough and from what I have been told there is mercury in the Swine Flu Vax. Go figure.

While at the doc's today Rachel got to don an adorable little hospital gown. I believe they only set out the gowns when it's cold out because we never have had to wear one before. And it is chilly out. I thought it was the sweetest. And certainly a fun photo op…So here she, is my little monster….6 months (22 lbs) and 14 1/2 months (25 lbs)