The monkeys are having a blast at Nana/Papa’s, but they have both displayed signs of missing the couple they cuddle up to every night–their parents.  So I talked to Nana yesterday about meeting them tomorrow morning at our usual pick-up/drop-off spot in Iowa City.  Of course I can’t wait to see Charlotte and Thomas as tonight will make four nights away… but Dave and I enjoyed a chance to eat out in stretches longer than 20 minutes and do the kinds of errands that take twice as long with kids in tow.  Plus we picked out plants for four big pots we put out in front of our house, then I watched Dave plant them.  Yes, I’ll admit it.  We kind of act like a retired couple when the kids are gone.  We try to go to bed at a decent time, have an early dinner and look forward to the mail coming.  Dave admitted at one point it’s kind of boring at our house without the kids.  Sad but true in some respects!  Tomorrow, back to the craziness…

Blog reader's new baby, Elisabeth

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 35

Charlotte’s and Drew’s joint birthday party was so much fun.  Despite the holiday weekend, a lot of their classmates were in town and showed up.  Liz, Drew’s mom, matched the decorations to the indoor inflatable park’s color scheme.  Balloons, buckets of favors, sugar cookies, cupcakes, tattoos and a pinata went well with the bounce houses.  Charlotte had only two meltdowns.  The first when she insisted on taking her socks off and we wouldn’t allow it.  They are required on the jumpers.  Then when she was overwhelmed by the thought of being blind-folded and swinging a big stick.  So she didn’t take a turn whacking the pinata.  Otherwise, a good time was had by all! 

P.S.-Papa and Nana took Charlotte and Thomas back to Peoria for a few days.  They left after the party and, so far, they don’t miss us.  Finally I am posting new pictures on the left-side scroll.  In addition to more birthday weekend shots, KWWL bowling party pics are in the mix.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 35

Tomorrow is the big party.  A joint celebration for Charlotte and her classmate, Drew, whose birthday is May 29.  His mom, who happens to be a creative party planner based on previous ones I’ve attended, suggested we combine them since the same 30-plus kids from their pre-K classes would be invited.  Perfect!  I am typing this entry on the far left side of our bed with the birthday girl next to me, her brother beside her, then Daddy on the right.  Nana is sleeping in Thomas’ twin bed–the one he’s only taken two naps in.  Papa is on the basement couch.  Aunt Bird and my nephew, Liam, are in the guest bedroom queen.  It was a great afternoon and evening having them here.  We all squeezed into our SUV to get ice cream.  Papa and Daddy up front, the three munchkins in the middle seat and Aunt Bird, Nana and I in the far back.  Thomas suggested Nana sleep in Mommy and Daddy’s bed in between him and Sissy.  She politely declined.  Party pics to come!

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 35

Five years ago today, this was me:

Sitting all day in the hospital room, checking my email, waiting for something to happen with only a 10% chance the big baby girl inside my 220-plus pound body could fit through my pelvis.  Thankfully a C-section made May 26 her birth day.

Of course my world was never the same.  Today we celebrate our now 5-year-old who uses big words and projects her voice across a room, much like the day she arrived.

I tear up thinking about the incredible gift of a child.  And to be so in love with the man who’s her Daddy.  Pure gratitude.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 35

Today was the big day.  Charlotte’s 2-hour kindergarten visit at the school she’ll attend this fall.  No surprise she’s been looking forward to it since last year when her older preschool classmates left to go and she was devastated.  The kid is too much like me.  I remember my first day of kindergarten, no trial runs back then, looking around at some of the bawling children being shocked they were upset.  I couldn’t wait to go.  Neither can my daughter.  She darted in front of another mom and boy to get in the school door first.  Our new neighbor, Anna, came with us as we arranged for me to take and her mom, Staci, to pick up.  Charlotte will ride the bus home with Anna in the fall and go to her house early-out Wednesdays.  What an incredible blessing to have a wonderful family a few houses down that just so happens to have a stay-at-home mom and a daughter Charlotte’s age.  Could not have been scripted more perfectly!  The girls were wondering in the car if they could sit together on the bus.  So begins my new life with an elementary school kid.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 35

One thing I know for sure is my fashion choices, love ‘em or hate ‘em, generate a lot of conversation.  I sported a new, colorful shirt under my black blazer last night.  When Dave saw me in it, he said he liked it because it looked like a Native American print.  (He taught for years on an Indian reservation in White Swan, WA.)  Another viewer not so much:

Hi. As an avid reader of your blog I am always amused with how many emails you get regarding your appearance- and yet I am emailing you about your outfit last night.  During the 10pm news my husband and I both agreed that the blouse you had on looked like a spiderman costume under your blazer I think you looked beautiful as always- but we did get a chuckle out of the idea of you wearing a spiderman costume to do the news.   Perhaps I noticed this because I have older boys or maybe I’m just sleep deprived from having a baby girl 7 weeks ago either way you still looked good- and who am I to judge anyone with the energy to get up and put on grown up clothes while I sit here typing wearing yoga pants when we both know that there is no chance of yoga happening anytime soon! lol.     

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 35

We had talked about taking our two to the kids’ movie Rio Saturday.  An afternoon nap killed the plan, but a 6:50 showing last night is one we could make as another long nap meant Charlotte and Thomas would be in good moods.  Let’s do it!  Two things worked in our favor:  We had treats.  We had the entire screening room to ourselves.  Of course I failed to factor in the mood is usually killed for my daughter when a mean character shows up.  And these movies always have evil animals!  So this time it was the crotchety cockatoo who tried to strangle the blue macaw stars.  Nigel, as he was called, upset Charlotte enough that she kept saying she wanted to go after scenes with him.  I was on the fence.  Don’t want to force her to watch something that scares her… but agreed with Daddy that she shouldn’t control the situation when the rest of us were enjoying it.  Thomas was laughing out loud.  So I kept telling her it was almost over and she recovered during the kinder, gentler scenes.  At one point Thomas was standing on my lap, followed by doing a samba in front of the seats at the end.  Dave pointed out if anyone else had been in there we would have left.  True.  These movie plans always have a hitch.  In the car ride home, Charlotte said she wants to go to another movie just as we discovered the kids’ meal toy on the backseat floor was in fact the evil cockatoo, Nigel, holding keys used to lock up the birds.  Who knew?

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 35

We celebrated Thomas’ birthday, unofficially, at Young Preschool today.  I now get why people who have birthdays outside the school year complained growing up.  You never get the experience of bringing treats to school on the real day.  Thomas won’t turn 3 until July 31 but today he got to enjoy the hype during what his school calls A Birthday Walk.  Sissy came down from her class to watch… and direct him from the sidelines as he selected songs to sing, counted out the days on the calendar and otherwise took center stage.  It kills me how he speaks so softly and acts so shy.  At home he’s doing flying leaps in my lap with knees bent and shrieking around the house.  What?  My baby is turning 3.  Have I been taking it all in?  Holding on to the fleeting moments?  I thanked God again, as I do regularly, for giving me two little ones to call my own.  Watching Thomas and his class sing Old McDonald, among other ditties, was easily the highlight of my day.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 35

Going back to watermelon with seeds.  Yesterday I bought a pre-cut piece from a grocery store because it was cheaper with seeds.  It was nerve-wracking to eat.  Way too much effort.

Giving up my cell phone.  It is my constant link to Dave and my family while away.  I can even Skype on it.  Driving anywhere alone without one seems crazy.

Taking tests and doing homework.  It has been wonderful to work in a profession that does not require more than a 4-year college degree or a need for continuing credits.  Helping my step-daughters with their courses reminds me how much I don’t miss 5-page papers and multiple-choice quizzes.

Living without children.  You know those rare moments when you and your spouse are alone in the car or your house and acknowlege the quiet?  It’s eery.  I prefer the noise.

Returning to the time in my life when my faith was not a priority.  My relationship with Christ has made the past few years so much bolder and brighter.  Like before I was just going through the motions but now I’m living with intention.  At least that’s how it feels to me.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 35

It’s 12:24 on Thursday morning and I have yet to go to bed since coming home from work.  Sitting on the couch scrolling through half-watched DVR recordings, I remembered I didn’t blog.  So I’m writing.  Earlier tonight a woman at an open house for a family celebrating an adoption told me she didn’t believe someone who told her I was a Weight Watchers leader.  She didn’t think I had a problem with food.  Yesterday I passed up brownies and tons of Texas Roadhouse stuff left in the break room from the noon news.  Tonight I had a good-sized piece of cake dropped off at the station from a local business.  And I just finished a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios and a Wendy’s frosty I found in the freezer.  It was Charlotte’s.  Do I have a problem with food?  Yes, every day.  It’s just that some times I’m better at controlling it.  It’s such a love/hate relationship.  I love to eat but I hate when I’m doing it for emotional reasons and not true hunger.  Now let me go squeeze in between Thomas and Charlotte while I can still fit.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 35