Fall Fun, Take 1

We hit Rombach's pumpkin patch this weekend with all the girls ...

From 2008 October

Kim, Amelia, Erin, Bridget, Rachel and moi.

All the guys ...

From 2008 October

Mark, with no kid (HAHAHA), Tim, Shane, Mike and Matthew

And all the yellow school buses.

From 2008 October

Defying gravity are Rachel, Shane, Amelia, Bridget and Matthew

Nice photo shopping, EEJ. It seriously does look like our children are prodigies able to sit/stand by themselves and even drive the bus. Even Rachel looks like she can hold her head up, hooray!

Doesn't it look like we had fun?

From 2008 October

Actually, we did. A ton.

Sure, these outings are now very different than they used to be. They are no longer beer soaked, smoking and darts and Golden Tee 3 a.m. nightmares. Instead, we're doing bottle and spit up and tantrum and sticky hand laden afternoon kidfests. But I have to say, having these five kids hang out is fantastic. Loving every minute of this next step of our lives.

And of course this post wouldn't be complete without a pumpkin pic.

From 2008 October

(Thanks EEJ. That was a LOT easier than uploading and digging through my own!)

Mood Swings

This pretty much sums up life lately. One minute even our trains can't make us happy.


The next minute, we're loving life.


And by "we" I mean Matthew and me. Well, and baby Rachel.

I'm pretty sure Mike and the dogs are holding their own providing meals and sleep keep occurring in some way shape or form.

p.s. To prove I haven't off'd either kid or myself yet, check out our latest photos. And yes, there ARE way too many, so don't feel guilty about clicking past the six exact same shots of her starting off into space.

I Rock and So Does Snapfish

So according to my scientific poll, you're all as delinquent as I am at actually printing photos on actual paper for actual frames or God forbid, actual albums. It's a virtual world and we are virtual girls. But allow me to inspire you: tonight I ordered real live photos - a disgusting 186 of them - from Jan. 1 through my last July download.

So NOW when my computer crashes or I spill coffee on it, I won't have to throw myself off the nearest bridge. Because I will have my child and family and friends captured on PAPER not just megabytes. At least, the last six months. We won't talk about the lion's share of Matthew's first two years of life, just right now.

First, let me point out that at $.o9 a photo, vs. $.19 a photo, Snapfish beats the pants of Shutterfly. EEJ, I know you already are a fan...

Second, let me note that I love Picasa enough to marry it. Was SO easy to run through hundreds of photos, tray the ones I liked, connect to Snapfish and one short Visa order later, have our last 6 months of existence be put in the mail within 3 to 5 business days.

Third, do I have any takers on how long I'll procrastinate to actually PUT them into an album? I say if I can do this pre-baby, I'm a hero. Realistically, if I do this within 2008, I could die happy.

Either way, that's hardly the point, people. I can at least take 2-3 and put them in frames. Because judging by what you see displayed around our house, Matthew is still a newborn and Mike and I are still appily engaged to be married.

Okay, to wrap it up with a bow on top ... in my photo search/queue/order process, I ran across some kiddo shots too adorable not to share:

Matthew and Bridget, Superbowl, acting like goofy little kids (not babies) for one of the first times that I noticed.

Matthew and Max, our frienda Steve and Renae's son, during their last visit to us in June. Acting like the sweet angels they always are. Uh huh.

And the entire Steve/Renae clan - Anna, Aidan and Max - on an earlier visit this spring, at their old favorite haunt (before they became Little Rockians), Kirkwood Park.
The utter boredom of meeting Baby Shane at the hospital forced both kids into the closet, apparently?

Oh come on, you kids don't know from fun. Just LOOK AT HIM!

Naturally, I finally post a newborn photo right about the time he's turning 1. Ok, two and a half months, but might as well be 1, this kiddo has already grown more than I care to think about. Stay small, little guy, stay small ... you break mommy's and aunties' hearts when you grow too fast.

Miss Amelia, that all goes for you too.

I have to say, Matthew appears a little more lively visiting you. Guess he just likes the pretty ladies, and who can blame him. Though I certainly did not take a close enough picture of this baby girl, and I will be rectifying that when I can. Trust me, she is gorgeous.

Grama Shout Out

I feel it's time I dipped my toe into the video posting pond. Especially since my kid and his sweet little voice are so g.d. cute I can hardly stand it. Documentation must commence.

Enjoy, gramas!

Guess What You Can Do for An Hour?

When you are two, apparently for an hour, you can happily and silently look through the science and learning toy catalog leftover by our prior house owners. Carefully, painstakingly, page by page, back and forth.

But then sometimes you do have questions and comments. "Car? Cars. CARRRR!!!" "Trains, mama? Trains!!! TRAINS! Tracks? Where tracks?" "What's that mama? And that? What's THAT?"

For an hour.

Then you look through it again for another 1/2 hour that qualifies as your bed time story. And you sure can charm the pants of your mama while you're doing it.

Still Here

One of my loyal readers ordered me to update my blog tonight. I was going to cheat and post pictures - you know, of my son, Matthew? The one I used to talk incessantly about and have recently abandoned talking about all together? I have very sweet photos of him.

But Blogger's being a little biyatch and it's not working, so we'll have to try something else. Since I'm feeling a little guilt for not updating various Gamas on the goings on of their boy, here goes:

Some cute things he's done: Run and hug my legs when I got home, "Mama, mama!" with a huge smile. Order me and NOT daddy to push his stroller. When presented with option of eating or going to bed, get a grin, whispter, "Eat..." and begin fake eating his yogurt. Sing Rock a Bye Baby with me - word for word - for the last few nights in a row. Three times in a row, per night. Color all over his arm with markers. Play all weekend with his cousin Danny - giggling and chasing each other taking up 90% of that time. Hug and kiss the dog and say "Sorry" after the dog knocked him over tonight. Name his cabbage patch kid "Baby Shane" (nice ring, eh EEJ?) and insist on putting it to bed, in his crib, with his trains and his blankeys. Then climbing in to cuddle him.

Other stuff he does: Have a fit if we mention food to him when he's not interested in eating. Insist on riding his "motorcycle" when we come back from walks and woe be to us if we remind him 7:30 is bedtime not motorcycle time. Have a fit if we put on brown shoes and he wanted green shoes. Hoarding all cars/trains while visiting cousin Danny, cradling them to his chest and frequently punctuating the situation with "Mine! My trains, MINE!" Have a fit about once a week where he is inconsolable. Then just as suddenly wipe his eyes and say "Matthew's HAP-PEEE!" Right in the middle of my nervous breakdown.

Hopefully I can show you evidence soon that we've actually still got him running around here somewhere. I promise I didn't trade him in for the girl model.

What a Difference a Day Makes

I made an executive decision tonight to skip the two fun events I had planned, send Libby home earlier than we'd arranged, and take MY SON WITH ME shopping. To let go of moving and work stress and obligation for a night and just get out in the car with my boy.

And it was great.

First we waited in line together listening to my awesome new Mother's Day mix CD from BFF (thanks, Lisa!!) Our patience in the drive through line (1/2 hour wait - what up, Steak and Shake?) was rewarded with an amazingly delicious Frisco Melt. We hadn't minded waiting - "chatted" the whole time and had moved onto singing when the food finally showed. Still, felt it was karma when turns out they forgot the fries, ran them back out and "so sorry, ma'am" supersized them AND tossed in double cheese sauce. Good night.

Then we drove to Babies R Us to pick up a shower gift. I got to park in the Stork Parking, then Matthew got a turn on the Barney train out front. Luckily he had the good sense to be terrified and that didn't last too long. Good night.

We quickly found a gift off the registry, then picked up gifts for two other new babies we know. Went on to peruse the Thomas and Cars themed baby beds - "Cars, FAST!"

Matthew had fun locating a few other necessities, too... I'd him out of the cart while I pondered gift wrap. He goes to look at some toys a few feet away. Next time I look over he is loading the SECOND of two mini-construction sets into our cart. Which is higher than his head. I can't imagine how we got it in there so fast.

I cracked up and seeing it was on clearance anyway, decided tonight was buy my sweet kid a toy night. A good night.

We drove home and sang some more. We detoured through Webster to visit the new house. When we parked at home, we looked for the moon (found it) and the stars (no such luck, cloudy). Then we talked to Daddy on the phone at his school's camp; we wrestled our way into dinosaur p.j.'s.; and we snuggled up with books, which we took turns reading as he knows lots of Dr. Seuss by heart now.

To cap it off, we stood in his room in the dark, him snuggled up on me... and I swear, helping me sing - like, along with me - his Rocky Baby song. I have never heard our two voices singing together before (he can sing?) and it was the highlight of my day, week...

To think last night I nearly chucked it all and tossed myself off my window ledge (empty threat, it's 3 ft. high) due to moving stress. Work deadlines. MIA husband (ok, he was working). And a terribly cranky two-year-old that was still awake (long story) at 10 p.m.

And tonight. I am feeling a blessed mother of one helluva sweet boy (snoring quietly in other room) and one precious little girl on the way (kicking me like crazy this whole time I'm writing). Ah, perspective - what a difference one good night makes.

Stuff I Don't Wanna Forget, v1

It's been a while since I've posted much about Matthew. You remember him, that short person that lives with Mike me and the dogs.

I haven't been doing well lately with the picture taking, the milestone recording, the documenting. But thought I'd steal one post and just list out the cutest stuff lately that I hope I don't forget.

When you ask a question and get "YeeeaaaSSSSS!" in the most excited squealy voice.
How he likes to line up cars - on shelves, along the couch, on window sills. It's his calling card, I can tell where he's been throughout the house.
Calling our dogs Murphy girwl and Bogey boy.
Wanting to buckle himself into his booster seat - "Matthew do it" - and being so careful to not pinch his hands, doing it in fact just like Mommy and Daddy do it.
Chasing the cat throughout the house, never giving up, and never getting that his screaming "COME HERE MAYA!!" is exactly what's sent her on her way.
How every time we use the phone, he yells out, "HI GRAMA!"
How he names one of our family as wanting to drive all the trucks in the truck book and all the trains in the train book. "Mama!" "Yes, Mama likes the giant excavator." "Dada!" "Yes, Dada likes the dump truck." And "us" includes him, me, Mike, Bogey, Murphy, Maya, and House.

How just today, he told me he had "echos" (excavators) on his p.j.'s (he did, they are construction themed) and how they dig and how they dig dirt. I have never had this conversation before with this kid.

God, I sure love this kid.

How to Have a Happy 2nd Birthday Weekend

Start it with bubbles. Lots of 'em, that shoot out of a Machine that only a Daddy would buy.

Then crash your Aunt Erin's 29th birthday party. While there, really make your mark. Just because the party's at Bridget's grama's house, and it's Bridget's ball, doesn't mean it's hers tonight. It's YOUR BIRTHDAY! Finish 'er off with a raging kegger. Or, if your square parents say no, a Gymboree party with slides, balls, cake and way too many generous presents ought to suffice. (For full documentation, see my Picasa photo account to the right.)
To my birthday boy:

You make us laugh every day now, and this weekend was no exception. It was SO fun watching you jump, climb and be adventurous with your friends. You're quite the two-year old already - demanding this, demanding that, demanding even louder NOT to do this or that ...

Pointing out planes and "tractors" (helicopters) in the sky with so much excitement. Running at top speed with your legs almost in front of your body. Kissing the dogs, cat, Daddy, me and now your babies good night. Patting the baby in my tummy - then patting your "baby" in yours ...

Saying please and thank you in your tiny little voice - often in the right context, but even sweeter when you're thanking me as YOU hand ME your used sippy cup ...

Not just giggling, but screaming with joy now when we tickle you. Just like I did when I was a little kid ...

Learning to draw, learning to count. Screaming out letters when you see them in signs. Telling me there's a triangle on Dad's shirt (when did you even LEARN THAT?) Loving your Gramas, your Daddy, your friend Jackson, Bridgey ... loving everyone around you, really.

You are my sweet, sweet boy, and I wish I could keep you this way for another few years. Well, most days, that is.

I love it all, and I love you. Happy birthday, big boy!

Bright Spots

So by Thursday night my peppyness was a bit done. I was tired and ready to be home, but still had a long day of work and traveling ahead Friday.

Woke up Friday and various things set me off to a bad start. So texted Mike, "Off to a bad start, better send me a good pic [meaning of Matthew] quick."

I didn't get a pic, but got an even better text message back:

A plane just flew overhead and matthew looked up and screamed hi mama hi mama

The day improved markedly as did my mood after that.

Travelin' Woman

Greetings from Philly! I'll be here all week, folks, catch the midnight show. Feels like I've already performed it - twice. Why is it no matter how smoothly business travel goes, it just leaves you ... utterly exhausted? Oh duh, it's the bags, the lines, the shoes off (probably a killer fatigue/foot disease spread to me on Lambert's vinyl floor this morning) and the take out food (fries, chips, lattes, oh my!)

My phone conversations with Matthew really help me get through the week now, though. When he was a baby and I traveled, I couldn't tell him night night, send him kisses, and have his Dada relay that he's kissing the phone in response. I couldn't hear him tucking his babies in, or yelling "MAMA!" when Mike first puts me on speaker. Or have him describe that he ate "orangies" for lunch, or what he's doing right now - "gold car, dwive!"- which of course means driving home from the store in Daddy's gold Pathfinder.

I'm sure it's not exactly easy on him when I'm gone. But he's having a great spring break week with his daddy, so this was fortuitous timing. And now that we can "talk" on the phone, I have direct evidence that he's happy, he's okay, every day and every night, until I'm back to make sure of that again myself.

"Oth Side!"

That's how Matthew says "other side" - which you'd be surprised to know can OFTEN be worked into conversation. Like when we're reading books (turning pages/other side), when we give hugs (first hug/other side/new hug on other shoulder) or really, you know, anytime we're holding something with two sides. Gotta check out the "oth side!!"

That's how I feel about getting past his surgery - glad we're on the other side.

Most of the day was waiting - 2 hours before the surgery, about 50 minutes for the surgery, another hour with him still away from us in the recovery room, and then another hour or so all hanging together in our room eating popsicles and animal crackers so make sure there's no tummy problems from anesthesia (none).

The only time I got at all emotional was seeing his actual incision - it's about 1 1/4 inches, and RED. It's taped up with a big clear bandage (like a second skin) the doctor will remove in a week. It's not bothering him at all; we do call it his ouwie. But we even could get it wet, and he doesn't seem bothered.

So it was obviously a very smooth experience. The only time HE got upset was when they were removing the IV (being held in his left hand below by the blue wrap aka his bowling glove) and the tape holding it on. Fair to say we were proud of our trooper.The St. John's pediatric surgery nurses were fabulous. It reminded me of St. Luke's nurses when I had Matthew - visiting constantly, offering meds, making sure you're comfy, bringing you Sprites... just total care givers.

Anyway - we certainly felt lucky to have something so minor, when there were kids in there having real illnesses going on. Just breaks my heart to even think of it. But, I'm certainly glad it's over and that since Friday he's been climbing on stuff he shouldn't and running through the house like a wildman - back to normal.

The Sun'll Come Out, To-mor-row

And we'll all be up to see it - dawn, that is.

Tomorrow's d-day - as in, de-hernia-ing day for Matthew.

I have focused intently on NOT focusing on this moment for weeks. Now, tomorrow, my son will be wheeled away in a wagon after being given "happy juice," after we arrive at 6:30 a.m. at St. John's with nothing in his tummy and his jammies and dirty diaper still on (aka hopefully he's sleeping).

He'll then be given anesthesia, operated on, and returned to us promptly within 45 minutes.

Forty-five long minutes, in which I've already been warned by a well-meaning colleague that I may "just have to let it out." I feel guilty but I'm not sure what "it" is really? I am so focused on not worrying, I can't really predict if I'll get emotional?

But I do know when I was reading to him tonight, I was kinda going in for extra kisses, extra hair brushing off his face. I was disappointed when he wanted to go right in his crib vs. demanding extra cuddling time like most nights.

And yes, I am still awake when I shouldn't be because yes, I guess I'm nervous.

P.S.

His hernia surgery is postponed until March 14. My business trip last week bumped it ... then never even materialized.

That probably gives you a sense of what it's been like.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

I Can't Take it Anymore!

I so don't have time for this but my barren blog needs posting. Also, my poor mother in law must be dying for a Matthew update.

Here goes.

Everything's not just "no" it's "No Way!" As in, "Mtthew do you want an orange?" "No Way!"

Everything out of his eyesight is "hiding." Daddy's in the shower? Hiding. Remote control partially under a magazine? Hiding. Red Fish, Blue Fish Dr. Seuss illustration of cartoon arms and hands reaching across the page? Naturally, hiding.

He runs everywhere, and is fast.

He nightly goes around kissing all animals on the lips. The cat especially gets the treatment, with him gently manouvering her head around like they're on their first date.

He and his buddy Jackson across the street have moved past biting and hitting to giggling, playing and getting into trouble together.

He learns what seems like five new words a day. He knows his letters and we're working on numbers.

He is enamored with Xuxa, a Brazillian woman who makes children's DVDs. Thanks Aunt Fernanda! As we cart him around househunting the last few Sundays, he's happy in "Shosha!" land in the backseat.

He labels things "Funny!" when he makes use laugh. He knows when he's being silly.

He LOVES his new play area we setup in the basement and demands to go "Down, down!?" constantly. I barely got my bye bye kiss today, he was practically hurdling the safety gate.

He simply loves taking showers!

Since no guilty belated update would be complete without visuals, here he is wearing his AWESOME big brother to be shirt from Aunt Erin (and available to the paying public ZoeysAttic.com).

Hopefully I have broken my blogging block. More to come soon, my peeps.

So THAT Explains It

Reading my prior post about how my crabby baby wasn't sleeping, I feel terrible. Since Matthew has been on antibiotics for his ear infection, he has:
Been sleeping
Been eating
Been happy
Not been a bad crabby apple baby

So THAT is what not being in semi-constant pain can do for a child's demeanor!

To our defence, we'd had him in to the doc the week before, suspecting something was wrong. But she sent us home saying some kids have coughs all winter, and his ears were clear, blah blah. What a difference a week makes - she spotted it as ear infection right away when he was in the following week. Mike said she almost got defensive, "this wasn't like this last week." Hey lady, I'm with you. It would kill me to think he suffered like that a whole week, so instead let's believve it just came on. Which I really think it DID, but, the precursors must have been there and made him, if not in pain, at least uncomfortable.

Anyway, three cheers to Pasteur or Newton or whoever it was - heck, it probably a mom - that came up with penicillian and it's babyfriendly cousin, amoxicilan. Within 2 days he was better, and for the first time in weeks, we sent him to bed without his copilot, baby Tylenol cold tonight. Though he still have his wingman, Humidifier, aka "Fier? Fier?"

My Little Man has a What?

A HERNIA! Yes.

A couple times in the last week, we felt a lump and noticed a bluish swelling in his you-know-whats (the beans, not the frank). After a pediatrician visit and surgical consult today (plus a couple frantic calls last night, including to the after hours line) we are scheduled to have our sweet little baby's privates operated on to fix his hydrocele hernia on Feb. 22.

Inguinal hernias form as a direct consequence of normal events in fetal development. At about 12 to 14 weeks of gestation, the gonads (testicles or ovaries) are formed near the kidneys. They gradually descend through the abdomen as the baby develops. If the baby is a boy, the testicles pass through an opening low in the abdomen and into the scrotum ... In about 5 % of children in the United States, this opening does not close properly. This happens more commonly in boys than in girls ... The failure of this opening to close potentially allows the contents of the abdomen to travel down into the scrotum (in a boy) or the labia (in a girl). The contents of the abdomen include the intestines, the ovaries, and the clear fluid in which the intestines normally float. If the scrotum or labia are found to contain intestines or an ovary, this is termed an inguinal hernia. If they contain only fluid, this is a hydrocele. The difference between the two is usually just the size of the opening; the basic anatomy is the same in both cases.

Lovely! I know!! Aren't you glad I shared?

This is not an emergency, but everything I'm reading backs up the doctors' advice to fix it now. Left untreated, it could be fine for years, but could eventually become a full inguinal hernia - where the intestines push through - and then eventually become strangulated, where the intestines actually get trapped, and the blood supply is cut off. Apparently in adults they take their chances sometimes and avoid surgery, but with kids, because their organs are small, there's a greater chance that strangulation occuring.

He's not in pain - thank goodness - but the lump sure does look painful.

I hate that I didn't get to meet the surgeon today (it's at St. John's) but Mike liked him. It's 45 minutes outpatient surgery, but full anesthesia, which unnerves me. The doctor's saying it's not risky, and that the trauma of holding kids down and using a local is far worse. Apparently this is like, the most common surgery for kids. Matthew's uncle Scott had one as a kid and so might his little son, Matthew's cousin Danny - literally might be having surgery for the same thing next month, we just learned.

So this is all reassuring. But also seems odd that they can cut into my little son, and put him down, and bring him out of it, all in forty-five minutes. I almost want to tell them to take their time.

The cherry on top: while at the doctor's, we had her recheck his nagging cough ... to learn he's got his first ear infection.

IT HAS BEEN QUITE A WEEK AND IT'S ONLY WEDNESDAY, PEOPLE.

What the ...

Matthew is asleep now. But has already done the scream/whine three times tonight, the one that won't stop til go in and pat him.

Which has been happening for the past three nights, all night. What the ?!!??!?!

He has been, I think, both teething and congested. The combination has caused him to wake up crying every 15 minutes at different points. Then we might catch an hour, then every 15 minutes. Then a 2 hour stretch until 5 a.m., bring him to bed with us, and THAT is when the kid finally sleeps hard.

Last night we ever tried our bed for the whole night, but that actually freaked him out. "Dark! Bed!" so back into his crib. Only to summon us across the hallway all night long with squeals, sobs and various other "someone's poking me with knitting needles" noises. That don't stop. I'm fine with crying it out - but after 30 minutes, when none of us are getting sleep, it seems a bit redundant. So I go pat him and after about 4 seconds, he's fine and back to sleep. For some TBD period of time.

It was an all too familiar reminder of the horrible sleep deprivation of newborns. And I actually found myself having that same ridiculous ability to get up and deal with it, every time. And even get through the days okay. But also thinking OH MY GOD, this is what I'll be doing for 6-10 weeks in a few short months.

Meanwhile, dear husband was right LOSING IT on night two, much less last night. We took turns getting up, but I will share, he was a bit more panicky and impatient with it than I (a rare occurence in our household). He is actually tucked into bed now, trying to catch up on his Zzzzzs. With any luck, Matthew will give us both 8-10 sweet hours of them tonight.

And Now It's Time for Some Bragging

So we are playing with one of our many new wooden puzzles from Christmas. It was an alphabet one.

Oh sure, he knows the A and the M and the K and a few others. We always do those first as the ol' self-esteem builder. And naturally we whip that out like a parlor trick around company and family every chance we get.

But tonight he shows me he knows X. O.
The W, for God's sake, the W!!

Where is he getting this?

We do have these great foam alphabet letters for the bathtub, and we practice them a lot. But I swear I don't remember an X ever coming up. And he knows it. I assume that means Libby or Mike taught him - but still - wow, my baby, knowing letters, just like I know letters.

Kids
are
AMAZING!

Anyone else have this? (Libby I'm talking to you here)

I'm getting a little work done. It's quiet (Mike's doing the same and Matt's in bed and dogs are having a snow party outside).

And all I can hear ringing in my head is...
uppee uppee uppee UPPEEEEEE!
uppee UPPEE!
UPPEEEEEEEEEEE!

We taught him cutesy words like "uppey" for getting picked up and "milkies" for, well, milk.

But my how the too cute luster fades when screamed 800 times a day in your general direction. Not sure what's going on with him but all of a sudden - and all weekend long - he is all "I NEED UPPEEES and I need them NOW. NOW being EVERY 10 SECONDS. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE DOING THE DISHES OR PULLING HOT THINGS OUT OF THE OVEN. Like, NOW MOMMY!"

For one brief moment, I'll admit the quiet peace of my office is not sounding too bad tomorrow.