Spring Break

Colin had spring break this past week which, of course, was shortened due to all the snow days we had this winter (...yuck!). Thank goodness winter is OVER!! We managed to make it to my sister's house in Omaha for a brief, but fun, visit. LOVE seeing our cousins Lilly, Jack, and Eva! (Auntie Karen and Uncle Mike, too!) We don't get over there nearly enough!

Remember how fun childhood was? Some days I miss it...the feeling of pure joy with absolutely no worries swirling around the back of your brain...no "to do" lists bombarding your thoughts...on second thought, I miss it all the time!

We also got to spend some time with dear, old Lucy dog who happened to be celebrating her 11th birthday, and who is struggling with a degenerating spine which keeps her from running around, but not from wagging her tail and smiling! She is happiest with all her people around...especially my sister, Karen. We love our Lucy dog!

time flies (i.e. I'm really behind on blogging!)

Eden 6 weeks 3 days

Well Hello! I know, I know it's about time! Better late than never...yes? I'm here to cover a few important events that I have failed to blog about. We will start with the most current and work backwards (I wanted these to be in chronological order but I uploaded them this way and lets face it...I can barely find time to blog so...we're going with it! )


Notice the hint of a smile on Eden? Couldn't quite capture one, but she is smiling now! Love it! It warms my heart to see it...how blessed we are with these three...

Here with a very serious expression...

Eden's impression of a sumo wrestler...pretty good, huh? Look at those fat cheeks! She's not going hungry let me assure you!

Colin turned 7 on March 7th...his "golden birthday". We had so much fun! My sister, Karen, and her kids were here from Omaha, along with my sister, Diane, and her son Zach. So, all the cousins from my side were together! It was a good time... I just wish I had thought of getting a picture of all of them together! Colin is growing so quickly. I can hardly believe that he is 7. I goes so fast! I am thankful that he is healthy and strong, and so proud of him...he is a great kid!

Eden turned 1 month old! Talk about growing quickly! She changes every day and this time is just flying by...knowing that this is my last baby I just savor every moment with her! Even during the most trying moments my thoughts always return to the fact that I should enjoy the moment...or at least just live in the moment...because one day I will be missing it!

And, last, but certainly not least...Ty turned 4 on February 22nd. What a guy! Ty is quite a character. He is funny and stubborn and always up to something. He is finally in "big boy" pants. He made good on his promise that when he turned 4 he'd go on the potty. It didn't happen immediately but he's done it and I couldn't be more proud! He will be starting preschool this fall...time flies! I have enjoyed being home with him during this maternity leave...he has embraced his role as big brother. He is so loving and gentle with Eden.

Incidentally, I am also celebrating 1 year of blogging! (Yea me!) My first blog was about Ty turning 3. What a year...full of wonderful moments and not so wonderful moments. I cannot help but see the beauty in life. Each moment a blessing, the ups and the downs. The losses, though still painful, makes what we do have that much more wonderful! Thanks to those of you who read my blog...I love sharing my blessed life with all of you!

How I stayed sane today

Can I just tell you about the worlds best "game"? Eden is in week three and the "babymoon" is over! She is still a very good baby, but let's just say she's getting slightly more high maintenance. This leaves Ty feeling a bit overlooked and BORED! He does not understand why I cannot fix him a snack, play a game, button his pants, play Lego's and nurse the baby all at once. This leaves me feeling a bit FRUSTRATED! Anyway...let's just say that I've played more kids games than I've cared to ( all in the name of love for my Ty)! Today we pulled out my favorite "game" (Ty's favorite too if I had to guess). It's called Pattern Play (by Mindware). It has like 40 design cards that you recreate using the blocks and board. It is actually fun! It's not brainless and can challenge even me :) (on a less than stellar day). Ty is so proud of himself when he can do part of a design by himself...he requires a little help on the puzzles, but he is getting better at it each time we play. So, if you're looking for an alternative to Chutes and Ladders or Candyland...let me tell you, this is it!

P.S. Another good game...Balloon Lagoon by Cranium. Totally fast playing and hardly painful :)

Hello Sunshine!

Eden -3 weeks 3 days

right now

Right now my 2 1/2 week old baby is napping ( more like sleeping the entire day away so that she can party all night) and my 4 yr. old (+ 2 days) has decided that being 4 is license to be loud and mouthy and that even though he wants to wear underwear, that it's still acceptable to pee and poop whenever and wherever you feel like.

Right now I feel like my head is going to go spinning off of my body and orbit the earth! Right now I could stand to do about 5 more loads of laundry (see above about the peeing, pooping 4 yr. old). Right now I'd love to take off on a walk by myself and blow off some steam. Right now I am more frustrated than I've ever been in my whole life!

And right now I'm going to go sit quietly and count my blessings in spite of it all!

middle man

Being a middle child myself, and knowing how sometimes you feel a bit overlooked, I have to give Ty some much needed attention. He is so proud to be a Big Brother. I don't think I've ever seen a child ooze such pride as Ty did the moment he laid eyes on his little sister. And, it came without all the fanfare, as it so often does, for the middle child.

When we were expecting Ty, Colin was of course prepped for his new role as big brother. We talked about it at great lengths. Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, friends...all made a big deal of the fact that he would soon be the Big Brother! When Ty finally arrived Colin was a big part of all the attention...showered with gifts, people went out of their way to keep Colin in the spotlight.

Now, I'm not saying that we didn't prep Ty for his new role...we did. Only the spotlight never shown on Ty alone, Colin was always there too to absorb some of the attention. I'm sure he hasn't noticed...but I have. I'm so proud of the sweet little guy that he is. He is such a good kid, and he sure loves that little sister of his. My heart melts when I look at the picture of his little face beaming with joy as he holds Eden for the first time...my little middle man.

little piece of heaven

Eden Arabela

8 lbs. 2 oz. 20 inches

February 5, 2010 7:33a.m.

in memeory

Yesterday a butterfly
Came floating gently through the sky.
She soared up through the atmosphere
Then drifted close enough to hear.

I said,"I'd love to fly with you
And sail around the way you do.
It looks like it would be such fun
To fly up toward the summer sun.

But I have not your graceful charm.
I haven't wings, just these two arms.
I've been designed to walk around.
My human feet must touch the ground."

Then magically she spoke to me
and told me what her wish would be.

She said, "What I'd love most to do
Is walk upon God's Earth with you,
To squish it's mud between my toes
Or touch my finger to my nose.

I'd love just once to walk around
With human feet to touch the ground.
But I have not two legs that swing,
I haven't arms, just these two wings."

And so we went our separate ways
In wonder and surprise.
For we'd both seen God's precious gifts
Through someone else's eyes.

-Author Unknown

Clementine Grace
January 21, 2009

Forever in our hearts...

a blessing

I have to say that if I could play a chorus of angels singing and shine a heavenly light onto this post I would! Anyone who has had sinus issues and has not tried The Neti Pot...well, you're just plain unfortunate. I have been dealing with sinus pressure for the last two weeks. A couple of times I even think I may have wished for death...especially when the barometric pressure changed! It has been excruciatingly painful at times. But thanks to the good, old neti pot I've gotten some awesome relief.

If I could show you the "stuff" I've gotten out of my sinuses with this thing...well, you'd probably barf but, I can assure you, you would be in awe. I know I am every time...I am truly amazed at how much mucus my sinuses can hold. OK! Enough snot talk...just wanting to help the sinus sufferers out there...if you haven't tried the neti pot don't say I didn't do my best to convince you!

for Jenny

Pregnancy update! I haven't done much talking about it because I honestly haven't felt like it was really gonna happen until a few months ago. It's been a long journey. I've been pregnant forever minus three short months in the middle. I'm ready to have my body back and at the same time, not.

I am 35 weeks as of yesterday! Hooray! And, my c-section is scheduled for February 5th. That is the good thing about c-sections...you can always plan them and you have a definite end in sight!

I am looking forward to meeting "gumdrop" (Ty gave her that nickname)...a dream of a third finally coming true. Scary and exciting all at the same time! And, here before we know it...

looking forward

Happy New Year! I'm totally in the mood to clean out and organize just like Better Homes and Gardens and Target and every other magazine and retailer want me to be. I'm a good little consumer! Just one slight problem...my expanding belly and dwindling energy...I guess that's technically two problems. Being "advanced maternal age" ain't no joke. What is a joke is that every part of my being wants to clean, organize, and simplify...one, because (as I mentioned before) it's in my face 24/7, and two, because I'm in my last 4 weeks of pregnancy and I'm a nesting fool right now. So, the joke is that I have zero energy! Three words..."advanced maternal age", and two other very important factors, Colin and Ty (whom I adore, of course).

So...first lesson of 2010. Let go. Give up the illusion of control. Cry. Get over it. Nap. :)