Happy Birthday, Annabelle!!! ;)

The lovely Anna's birthday was Saturday!!!! We love you sooooo much, Annabelle, miss you *almost* as much, and pray for you every day!!!! Happy, happy birthday, sweet girl!!! ;)

Fellow Mommies.....I WANNA KNOW!!!!!!

Okay fellow mommies of toddlers (or kiddos who previously were toddlers)...please, please, please share some tips with me regarding HOW YOU GET ANYTHING DONE productively, without losing your patience a zillion times!!! Take cleaning, for instance. Today is my "cleaning" day. I am currently in the middle of cleaning the kitchen floor. As I stopped to check email, this is what happened...the "poltergeists" have attacked, again....or rather poltergeist, as Brooke did this on her own, Connor just came over once he saw what fun she was having. Mind you, they have a whole toy room and living room they can play in--15 feet away. They can do whatever their little hearts desire in there while I clean in the kitchen...I don't care...I just want 15 minutes to clean the kitchen floo

I give Brookie the dustbuster and let her help vaccuum...I let them "help" me wash windows...we took the pack and play away, because that just became a huge collector of toys...a.k.a...CRAP, so that's no longer an option. And, naptime is sporadic and questionable, so I can't always wait for that each day. Please, please, please...any tips or advise on how to keep an intense, high-energy, creative little 18 month old spirit occupied for 15 minutes, in a DIFFERENT area than I'm in, would be ever-so-helpful...as I'm about to lose my ever-lovin' mind!!! ;)

"Connor-isms"...the Latest and the Greatest.....

Just a few funny things our ever-thinking four year old has come up with, lately! :)


Mommy (TO DADDY): "I don't know what we are going to do about Brooke. Time-outs don't work, nothing works...we need to figure out a form of discipline that will WORK!!!"

Connor: "Mommy, I think you need to build her a dog cage......that's the only thing that's going to work." ;)

I guess little ears are always listening to grown-up conversations! ;) We laughed sooo hard (after explaining that though this might be just the ticket, it is highly illegal, and mommy and daddy would most certainly get in big trouble). I'm pretty sure he understood...hopefully.... ;)

.....................................................................................

We were out for a walk recently, and the weather was undoubtedly chilly. We only made it a little ways down our street before turning around and heading for home.

Mommy: "It is FREEZING out here. Connor, I'm going to need to drag out your big, puffy, winter coat. I can't believe how cold it is already!"

Connor: "Mommy, what does puffy mean?"

Mommy: "You know, like, big, squishy, lumpy...remember?"

Connor: "Ohhhhhhh...you mean like your tummy????"

Mommy: *Sigh*, "Exactly".... ;)

.....................................................................................

Connor and Gramps were sitting watching TV the other day, and this wonderful convo. was relayed back to me. Apparently, a commercial for a toothpaste dispenser came on.

Connor: "Oh Gramps, I wish Mommy would buy one of those things for her toothpaste."

Gramps: "Really, Connor? Why???"

Connor: (Sighs)..."Cause her bathroom is suuuuuch a mess..."

Thanks, Con! ;) I really appreciate you looking out for the cleanliness of my bathroom!!! Time to learn how to scrub out a sink and a toilet...bathtub, too! ;)

It's Been Crazy Around Here!

Wow...gone are the leisurely summer days, spent lazing (er, rather, chasing after two kids) by the pool, playing outside until the sun goes down, evening walks around the neighborhood, playgrounds, parks, heat, humidity. Fall is here, and I think WINTER is following quickly in her footsteps. It's COLD here. It's been rainy and chilly, and those crazy weather-people are calling for scattered SNOW showers on Monday. What?!? It's the beginning of October, people...how is that possible?

The days are shorter, and we're trying to cram as much as possible into each one. Preschool, playdates, visits to pumpkin patches, and the apple orchard, Soccer, and Music classes, and me teaching three mornings a week...it's a tad bit crazy around here. Which, makes me really and truly appreciate mornings like this one, where I can savor my coffee with a hint of gingerbread spice (and no, Brooke is not going to indulge in my creamer today, FB friends, I promptly put it back into the fridge after each use now :), and lounge around in my pj's with my hair a frazzled/frizzled mess. A trip to Target is in order though (woohoo--I looove any excuse to get to Target :), so, I'll probably go run comb through my hair, throw it back, and get the kiddos into their gear--jeans, sweaters, coats..ugh..., and make sure to pick up some play-dough so I can have 30 minutes this afternoon to get a little work done!

Much ado about nothing, I guess! ;)

It's Beginning to Feel a lot Like......

FALL!!!!!! It's in the 60's today, and though it's overcast and gray, there is a little nip in the air, and we've lost some of our yucky humidity. I've been sooo looking forward to pot roasts, chili, pumpkin bread, spiced cider on the stove, and all of the other yummy delicacies that go hand-in-hand with the season.

Soooo....I have this ready to go in the oven. I have all afternoon to cook it nice and slooooooow....yum!



And, I just pulled this out of the oven. Pumpkin chocolate chip bread..mmmmmmmm......



I love fall!!!!

Brilliance...

We have had the most glorious September...beautiful, gorgeous, amazing...BRILLIANT! The skies have been robin's egg blue, with a few whispy clouds here and there...the colors are already stunning, and fall has only just begun to grace us with it's presence. I love, love, love this time of year!

My birthday was on Sunday, and after church, we had no plans at all...the weather was simply perfect so we knew we had to do something outside. On a whim, we packed the kids up and headed to our local arboretum. It was a perfect birthday. After walking for a couple of hours, and taking lots of pictures (one of my very favorite things to do :), we headed to our local market and bought dinner items, grilled up some salmon, with fresh herb salad (my favorite), and sat outside eating and sipping Mojitos. A perfect end to a perfect day!!!

Happy Birthday, Connor!!!!!

My "baby" boy turned four on Monday!!!! Wow, was it ever a whirl-wind day! Daddy was out of town all weekend getting the jet-ski ready to be "winterized"....(no tounge in cheek here, I promise ;). So, kiddos and I were left to our vices, getting ready for Connor's big birthday bash on Labor Day. Thank the Lord Mimi was around to help with the kids, because it was seriously CRAZY!!! Trips to the store (several), trying to stain deck furniture before the party, keeping the house in order, the kids entertained, and getting up in the middle of the night to feed nebulizer treatments to a sick boy....the night before his birthday. Ugh.

But, we did it. By the time Tommy got home on Monday, we were all at the end of our ropes. The kids were tired from lack of sleep and a big weekend. Tommy was exhausted from getting up before 3am to make the drive back from the cottage, and I was so spent I felt sick to my stomach, and thought of nothing but going back to bed all morning. But, we had a big, fat, party to get ready for. And, it was raining, no less. So, following in the footsteps of my friend Jess, I put on my big girl panties, and trucked on. I told Tommy that this was not about us, this was about Connor, and even though we were ready to drop, we needed to buck up, smile and get this party rollin'!

And...we did....and, we had FUN!!! Lot's of FUN!!! Connor had a blast, and loved his party so much! Everyone was AMAZING...pitching in, helping with all the details! We have such awesome friends and family, and it made the day so much better! Happy 4th Birthday, my little Buggy-boo!!! We love you more than words can say! (Next year, we might just go see a movie to celebrate your b-day, though! ;) LOL!

Connor's big present from us--his "Star Wars" room...of course, he wanted the light saber OFF the wall! ;)


Birthday moring!!!


Running around in the rain to try out his new sprinkler (which lasted all of 30 minutes before totally deflating ;)




Cake time!


Blowing out the candles...thought about his cold after the fact...sorry friends! Good thing most of the other kids had colds too. :(


Waiting patiently!


Pinata--Connor's favorite part! ;)


Brookie liked that Pinata, too!


And finally, with his birthday crown, celebrating at school!

Goin' to the Chapel...

My beautiful sister got engaged this weekend to the love of her life!!! Anna, we loooove you sooooo much, and couldn't be happier to welcome Brad into the family (that could have some crazy ramifications, especially with Tommy for a brother-in-law)! ;) Love you both dearly!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Time...where has it gone???

Time is ticking away as I write this. I have so many things to do, and so little time...the clock reads 5:07. Tommy will be home in 30 minutes or so. I have nothing for dinner (can I give him mac & cheese? Will he mind a hot dog for the second night in a row? ;), the loads of laundry need to be switched before that yucky smell sets in, there are toys all over the house, the dog wants to go out for the 900th time today...time...there is never enough of it, yet I have a sense these last couple of days that I need to cherish every second of this incredible phase in our lives.

Yesterday, my Connor started preschool. A milestone, yes, but nothing to cry over! Nothing to get incredibly emotional about...right??? Ugh...tell a first-time mama (to an almost 4 year old) that! ;) Preschool starts at 12:30, so at about 10:00 yesterday morning, I looked outside at the breath-takingly beautiful blue sky, and decided we couldn't NOT go for a walk on this crisp September morning. It was PERFECT, gorgeous, GLORIOUS even. Temps. in the low 60's, very slight breeze, and brilliant sunshine. I pushed Brookie in the stroller, and Connor walked beside me, stopping to look at bag worms, snail shells, and of course, to pick his mama many, many dandelions and stalks of Queen Ann's Lace. Some of the time, we walked hand in hand.

I breathed in heavily, glancing down at his not-so-chubby-anymore little hand in mine, as he skipped along. So much ahead. So many things to look forward to! Right now, he's ever so anxious about me leaving him at school, but when will the day come when he says, "Mo-om, please don't come INTO my room when you come to pick me up from school--it's soooo embarrassing"...remember those days? I sure do (so sorry, Mom :). I had such a sense of what a BLESSING we have been given..getting to raise these incredible little beings. Watch them grow and learn and become their own special little people. Wow. A song kept playing in my head...a song my mom used to sing to me, that her father used to sing to her....

TURN AROUND
Written by: Harry Belafonte, Alan Greene & Malvina Reynolds


Where are you going
My little one, little one
Where are you going
My baby, my own

Turn around and you’re two
Turn around and you’re four
Turn around and you’re a young girl (boy)
Going out of the door

Turn around, turn around
Turn around and you’re a young girl (boy)
Going out of the door

Where are you going
My little one, little one
Little pigtails and petticoats
Where have they gone

Turn around and you’re tiny
Turn around and you’re grown
Turn around and you’re a young wife
With babes of your own

Turn around, turn around
Turn around and you’re a young wife
With babes of your own

Where have they gone
My little ones, little ones
Where have they gone
My babies, my own

Turn around and they’re young
Turn around and they’re old
Turn around and they’re gone
And we’ve no one to hold

Turn around, turn around
Turn around and they’re gone
And we’ve no one to hold

Where are you going
My baby, my own

Of course, I did get a little teary during circle-time at preschool (the parents got to stay the first day). Watching my little man follow directions, find his name, and work through some real anxieties. But, good tears...only good tears. The best is yet to come, I am sure! :) Congrats to all the other "big kids" who started (are starting) school again this fall!!! Prayers for a wonderful year!!!

SOCCER STAR!!!

Last night marked the end of baby-hood, and the beginning of life with a busy pre-schooler! ;) Connor had his first soccer practice/game, and even scored a goal for the "green team"! It started out a little rocky at first...not quite sure he wanted to play with new friends, especially when he "couldn't remember their names". He would cry a little, then buck-up, and do what he was told by his coaches (who are incredible, by the way)! Daddy had to encourage Mommy not to run out on the field and hold his hand, (literally)...so, Mommy and Brookie stayed on the sidelines (with Mimi and Grandpa who showed up for support ;), and watched. Wow--I never realized how hard it would be to refrain from running out there to wipe your child's every tear!!! :) It was so good for our little man, though. I let Daddy take the lead and provide most of the encouragement..which was a good thing in this situation!

By the end, he was thrilled, and we were the last ones to leave the field. He and his good friend Ellie, from down the street--who happens to be on the blue team, stayed and practiced for a good 45 minutes after his official practice ended. They had a blast, and he was chatting up a storm about his new-found love for the game of soccer the whole way home! So adorable! I was so proud of Connor, though. He's very "slow-to-warm-up" and has trouble adjusting to new situations. But, he hung in there, worked through the tears, made some new friends (maybe next week he'll remember their names :), and even scored a goal!!!! Yay!!!! Today marks the start of his first year of pre-school...praying that goes just as well! At least moms/dads get to stay for the first day!!!

New Scoots for Fall...

Mimi and I took the kids shopping the other day to get a few things, including new fall shoes! I am always amazed when the shoe salesperson measures their little feet and I discover that I've been literally CRAMMING their feet into too-small shoes for a couple of months...ooops! ;) Brookies shoes were all size 4's, and she's now measuring a 5 1/2...sorry Brookie!

She is very proud of her new kicks--they sparkle, and Connor helped her pick them out--(If it was up to her she would have purchased one of each of the display shoes in Nordstroms). Poor salesman, we were "those people" who made him pull out like 50 pairs of shoes! It looked like a tornado hit by the time we left! Ha!

Yep, that's my MAN....

After power-washing the deck and furniture all day! ;)

Welcome, Fall!

Oh my goodness--September is going to be such a busy month! I am excited for all of the new things to come...Connor will be starting soccer, and pre-school, both of our birthdays are this month, I start teaching again mid-September...busy, busy, busy!

As fall approaches, and summer comes to an end, I find myself becoming a little nostalgic. Four years ago at this exact time, I was on bed-rest with Connor--our first little bundle of joy, waiting (quite impatiently :), for him to be born. August was an especially HOT month that year, and September did not give way to cool weather as I had hoped. I was H.U.G.E and pregnant...seriously--if I weren't so disorganized with pictures, and had actually transferred all of our files over from our old laptop, I would post one here. When I think about these feelings of nostalgia, I have to laugh. At the time, I was miserable. I was scared for my health, my baby's health (I had high blood pressure and tons of swelling), I was so fearful about having to return to work, nervous about bringing home a new infant...our life as we knew it was about to change in every tiny little aspect.

I think the reason I become sentimental when I see the first leaves start to turn, or when I begin to hear the count-down for the re-emergence of college (a.k.a. OSU football), or when I smell and autumn-scented candle, is that I treasure that time in my life soooo very much. It was the hardest, most intense thing we have ever done--going through a difficult pregnancy, having an extraordinarily rough delivery, having to return to the hospital five days post-partum because my blood pressure was out of control, and then being released on my 27th birthday--a clear sign from the Lord to me that He was always holding us in the palm of His hand, and then finding our two months later that Connor would need to have surgery....intense, to say the least. But, oh, the joy....I cannot begin to describe the joy.

Bringing a baby home is soooo incredible, and I'm so thankful to the Lord that He is given us this amazing opportunity two times. I will always love this time of year, as summer gives way to fall. As we get ready to begin a new school year, and the schedule fills up. I will never forget laying on my couch, surrounded by books and TV, magazines, my lap-top, and lollipops (helped to encourage the baby to move so I could keep up with my "kick-counts" :). Those were the last boring and quiet days of my life for many, many years to come. The last time I searched for things to fill up the very long days...waiting, anticipating what was in store.

Welcome, fall! Welcome, September!!! I'll have much more to post about, very soon!!!!

Favorite Summer Memories....

I just hopped on Jess's (The Entertaining Mom's) blog, to read her latest new and delicious post, and was thrilled to discover her "Favorite Summer Memories"....makes me miss summer already--and, it's not even gone yet! Make sure you stop by and read her post...a taste of a real New England summer....ahhhhh! Since she tagged me, I guess I'll give you a taste of an Ohio summer...doesn't quite have the same flair, now, does it? :) But, you get a taste of it anyway! Ha!


Favorite Summer Movie: Ooohhhh...I just watched "Mama Mia" with Teah, Lynne, and my Mom, and loooooved it. I would have to say that's my new favorite summer movie. Since Jessica already claimed "Grease", I won't do it, but...can I please just claim the line in "Summer Nights" when John Travolta sings..."oooohhhh, uh....those suuuuuhhhhuuuuummmmer, ni-hiiiiii--iiii-iiii-iiiiii--iitttesss..." Gives me chills just thinking about it! :)

Favorite Summer Cocktail: Oh, this is so hard. But, judging from what I've poured a glass of nearly every night since the on-set of summer, I would have to say a crisp, clean Chardonnay....mmmmmmmm...drinking one currently.

Favorite Summer Song: I always love me a little Bob Marley, and, has anyone else heard the new segment on Noggin, featuring a gorgeous version of "Three Little Birds"??? That makes me happy! ;) It's really hard to narrow it down to just one, though.

Favorite Summer Meal: Hmmm...I am in love with Earthbound Organics Fresh Herb Salad Mix...YUM!!! I love this with grilled chicken, feta cheese, fresh tomatoes from the garden, and a little Garlic Expressions dressing. Soooo good!!!


I also love to parboil Country Ribs, for a few hours, and then create a foil "boat", slather the ribs in really good bbq sauce, and throw the "boat" on the grill for 20 minutes or so....yum, yum, yum!!! :)


Favorite Summer Outfit: Wow! I guess I would have to say a tube dress that is easy to wear, comfy, and cute, all at the same time!

Favorite Summer Reading: I love to read during the summer. My favorite thing to do is to sit on our porch swing with a glass of Chardonnay on a summer's evening, and read a good book. Granted, these nights are few and far between at this point in our lives, but I treasure them. I've read many wonderful books this summer, including:
"And the Shofar Blew", Francine Rivers
"Accidental Mother", by Rowen Coleman
"Fire by Night", and "All She Ever Wanted", by Lynn Austin....
among others! ;)


Favorite Summer Moment: Oh goodness, there are many, many perfect moments that would describe this summer. We spent many glorious nights at The Winery at Otter Creek. We get a bottle of Chardonnay (to start :), sit out by the beautiful lake in Adirondack chairs, watch the beautiful sunset...ahhh..simply brilliant!
Spending time up North with friends and family...every day was to die for up there..*sigh*..
The fourth of July celebrations in our quaint town, including spectacular (in our humble opinion :) fireworks displays, spending time (and money...oye, ve) at the street fair, catching up with old friends, riding in the parade, etc., etc.
And, finally, spending days at the pool--chasing after little Brookie, watching Connor become more and more confident in the "big" pool, eating the greasiest french fries and grilled cheeses one could ever imagine!!!

Ahhh....can't wait to do it all again, next year!!!

Next, I think we should explore our favorite things about fall....so we don't become entirely distraught that summer is coming to a close...*sigh*...again. Thank the Lord for seasons! Something to look forward to every three months! ;) Although, winter can stay far, far away in my book!!!

I'm tagging:

The (anti) Boring Blog

I heart

Everyday Matters

A Mom's Life

So Happily Us...

We 5 Forgeys

Crossing the Prairie

Caught in the Act!

Remember when I said that the post-vacation DIET would start on MONDAY? Well, apparently I forgot to start eating healthy.

This is what I ate straight from the freezer BEFORE lunch...


Part of the left-over Buckeye cake from Whit's (our favorite place, ever for indulging in amazing custard treats).

And, guess who else thought he should partake in the heinous(ly yummy) eating habits of his muffin-top sportin' mama...




BAD MOMMY!!!! Diet starts, you guessed it...MONDAY!!!!

Progress Report.....

Just a quick note to say that CONNOR has slept ALL NIGHT in his new room for THREE NIGHTS IN A ROW!!!!!!!!!!!! WAAAHOOOO!!! He's doing so well, and actually we've noticed a definite improvement in his behavior, as well--probably due to sleeping uninterrupted all night. Brookie is still a work-in-progress, but we'll get there--slowly but surely.

After all of this, I've often asked myself if I had it to do all over again would I choose to co-sleep, and without a doubt, I'd have to answer in the affirmative. It's definitely not for everyone, and there are some real difficulties that come along with co-sleeping (including the issues of night-weaning if you're nursing, and transitioning into the child's own bed), but I must admit, I adore my sweet baby's breath on my neck, and feeling her little heart pitter-patter away as she's curled up in the crook of my arm. I've come to realize that even if we have ten kids (deep breath, Mom...just a hypothetical, and most definitely not in the plan :), I'd probably end up *happily* sharing sleep with each one of them! (*Obviously last night was a good night in terms of sleep, or I might be singing a different tune this morning! Ha! :)

Speaking of sleep, I was turned onto this website PickNicksBrain by a family of one of the children that I teach. It's actually really cool! After dealing with a baby who had major sleep difficulties, Nicole dedicated her time and energy into researching sleep (among other subjects relevant to baby/toddlerhood) in order to help other struggling mommys. Check it out if you have a chance--good stuff!

Million Dollar Head....(Can we get a helmet for that thing?)

Today proved to be just as the weatherman said--hot and humid, with a few storms and scattered showers. We spent the morning meandering about our local "mall", (which consists of about five REAL stores and 200 little kiosks, and temporary stores), trying to kill time, and get a few things that we needed. The kids actually were very cooperative, and we even managed to squeeze in a haircut for Connor. The wait was a total of ten minutes once we signed in to get his cut, and our little meticulous man must have sighed at least 20 times, exclaiming, "When is it going to be MY turn?....I NEED a haircut...I really, really NEED to look handsome." I was seriously cracking up as I tried to give him things to do in order to keep him distracted until it was FINALLY his turn! ;)

By the time sweet Brookie woke up from her nap (in her NEW bed--which she happens to be sleeping in sooo well :), the skies had cleared, and the gray gloomy day had turned hot, sunny and hazy. I figured it was time to get the kids outside for a bit to expend some of that pent-up energy! We have a water table, and their most favorite thing to do is turn on the spiggot at the side of our house and fill their buckets over, and over, and over again, all the while splashing each other, and filling up the table. We usually let them play for a few minutes before giving the "okay, this wastes water, let's turn the faucet off" now speech. So, I was grabbing a few of these precious moments to read my newest page turner (The Accidental Mother, by Rowan Coleman)when I hear Connor yell, "Owwww". I look up from my gripping story, and he seems to be just fine, dumping yet another pale of ice-cold water on his head and squealing with delight. I give the "water off" speech, and they turn off the spiggot. All is well as my children are happily entertained splashing in the water table and squelching in the mud puddles that have emerged from the running water. I look up at a laughing Connor, contended as ever, running and playing in the mud, covered from head-to-toe in a dirty...gooey...brown liquid...er, wait...IS that brown? Do we live in the Carolinas? Could it possibly be that our earth tinted a rust color? Um, I don't think so. I lept out of my ever so cozy plastic lawn chair to further examine the substance on my baby boy's face.

Low and behold...a mother's worst fear! It was something out of a horror movie!!Blood...red, and watered down from the aquatic entertainment...gushing down Connor's face, and chest, and back! My immediate reaction was to grab his WHITE polo shirt, which he'd previously taken off due to soakage, and start wiping away the blood. Okay fellow mommy's...note to selves..if your stomach is at all weak and you find yourself in a "sticky" situation that might involve loss of bodily fluids, grab something other than a stark white shirt to perform damage control. Damage assessment might not prove to be entirely accurate upon inspecting the WHITE garment.

After I caught my breath, said my initial prayers, calmed myself down, and brought my completely un-phased boy in the house (along with his completely out of control baby sister who absolutely was NOT ready to come inside yet), I could survey the situation and use my hours upon hours of extensive internet medical research to confirm a diagnosis. Upon performing my initial examination I concluded that the wound appeared to be a split laceration, and should not require *real* medical attention. :) Just to be sure, I called the pediatrician's office, and explained our situation to the nurse--who might have been a teensy-tiny bit annoyed at my untrained use of medical terminology, and rightfully so! Lol! ;)

My real concern was WHERE the laceration occurred. You see, when Connor was a mere three months old, he underwent neurosurgery for a condition called craniosynostosis, in which one (or more) of the sutures in an infant's skull fuses pre-maturely. The surgery resulted in removing a 2"x3" piece of skull, to allow Connor's head (and brain) to grow correctly. I realize this is an entirely different post altogether, but my fear at the time was that this "split laceration" re-opened one of the scars from the surgery, and that brains might come bubbling out of my little guy's head. Seriously...this is what my clearly non-medically trained mind was conjuring up at the moment. And is probably why the nurse clearly thought I was nutso as I hurriedly explained the situation.

But, according to the pediatrician after an over the phone consultation (through a nurse), and our non-expert opinions, Connor's "million dollar head" (as we affectionately refer to it) is still intact--brains and all! :) I think I'll ask for a helmet at our follow-up visit with the neurosurgeon this fall!

Musical Beds/Rooms, etc.

Did you ever consider how much having babies would affect every single aspect of your life, down to the tiniest, most mundane detail--especially, your NIGHT LIFE??? Yes, yes, obviously having a baby affects your night life, but what about your SLEEP life? Did you ever think about how much THAT would suffer??? Even four years after the birth of your first baby??? I, most definitely did not.

When Connor was first born, we lived in a cute little cape cod house...two bedrooms downstairs, and the master "suite" was the entire second floor. Of course, we created a nursery in one of the downstairs bedrooms, and thought that somehow it would fly for us (me--since I was nursing) to run up and down the stairs 25,000 times a night to check on the baby, nurse the baby, burp the baby, lay a hand or an ear on his chest to make sure that he was still breathing (5,000 times a night), etc., etc. At first, (because once the baby was actually born we discovered this was not so realistic), we brought the bassinet and the baby upstairs to sleep next to our bed--along with all the diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream, and burp cloths. We were prepared for sleep. Which, never seemed to come. We all kept each other up--Daddy tended to snore, baby tended to cry, Mommy tended to fall asleep nursing the baby in bed, and then would panic because Daddy slept so heavily (why, and how can Daddy's do that, I'll never understand...) So began the game of musical beds in our household.

After really, really lacking on sleep, I began napping in the downstairs guest bedroom, which just so happened to be next to the nursery. How utterly convenient. The changing table, rocking chair, crib, etc., was right next door...no going up and down stairs in the middle of the night. Hmmmm....I figured it might not be such a bad idea to camp out in the guest room just for a little while, until we adjusted to things. Sleep was vital at this point, to both Tommy and I, so it seemed like the best solution. Well, being the hands-on, can't-put-a-baby-down, kind of mother that I am, co-sleeping was a natural progression, and as soon as the baby would wake up for his mid-night feeding, he'd come back to bed (the guest bed) with me....where he was contended to lay, and dream-feed for the rest of the night.

It worked. It did. We were in severe survival mode, and this was the best way we knew how to survive. Well, when Connor was 9 months old, we moved. We are now in a house where all four bedrooms are on the upper level, so sleeping arrangements SHOULD be straight-forward and easy. However, no one took into account that a baby boy who was used to the comforts of sleeping next to Mommy would not be having any of that sleeping in his own crib stuff...and yes, we tried CIO, and it was awful, horrible, I have extrememly stubborn, strong-willed children, and I can't tolerate it. Soooo, Tommy, Connor and I all slept in the master bedroom. Until it started to get a little crowded.....

To make a very, very long story short...Connor and I then moved to the guest room (mind you, a beautiful little nursery was set up this whole time which, pretty much, housed clothing). We stayed there for a little while, until I decided that he and I should move to the master bedroom, and Tommy should move to the guest room. We switched again. Then, I got preggers (imagine that given our sleeping arrangements :), and we decided it was time for Connor to have his OWN ROOM. We set up his "big boy" room, and used a little (or a ton) of bribery to get him to stay in there. It kinda, sorta worked for awhile. He would sneak into bed at some point in the night, always though. As my belly grew, and grew, and ggggrrrreeeewwwww, I got more and more restless and unable to sleep. Soooo, Daddy moved back to the guest room, and Connor would flit back and fourth.

Then, along came Brooke...she and I moved into Connor's room in the beginning. Daddy and Connor slept in the master bedroom (I don't even know why at this point--it seems so weird and irrational thinking back). At some point, we moved Brookie's crib into the master...but, Daddy's snoring would keep her up, so Tommy was in the guest room again. Connor would go to bed in his own bed, and then sneak in with Tommy at some point in the night. Seriously, people, MUSICAL BEDS. The best was when people would come over and Connor would give the token "tour" of the house, and introduce, "Daddy's room" and "Mommy's room"--I'm quite sure this raised a lot of eyebrows!!! ;)

Well, the point to this incredibly long and dis-jointed story, is to tell you that FINALLY, we created a real room for Brookie--with a bed, since she's been a co-sleeper, too and is used to sleeping in beds, and moved Connor into the bigger bedroom (formerly the guest room, a.k.a. "Daddy's room"). And Tommy and I are back in the master bedroom....at least for most of the night...until Brookie wakes up at some point and I creep into bed with her, and her cry wakes Connor up, and he creeps into bed with Tommy. Maybe, just maybe, someday we'll stay put for an entire night!!!!!!!!!

The point of this whole story is to share pictures of Brookie's new bedroom:

Home...So Why am I Still Eating Chips????

Back to life. Back to reality. Back to phone calls, emails (even though we had internet at the lake, I used the "vacation" excuse to the max...reading very selectively, and answering even more selectively :), to a messy house, a trip to the grocery store, running into people we know at the grocery store, a lawn that needs mowed, etc., etc., etc. I left a life of relaxation and leisure behind, to come back to our REAL LIFE..which I love, and really did miss.

One thing I didn't leave behind were my horrible eating habits. U.G.H...I was sooo bad on vacation. Doughnuts, coffee with creamer (sweet creamer, ta bout), DQ tag-a-long blizzards (can I say, "yum"), fried chicken, mashed potatoes, Subway sandwiches at the beach...and the list goes on, and on, and (quite unfortunately...ooooonnnnn). So, here I am, back at home, eating a nice turkey sandwich and CHIPS for lunch! I don't eat chips in REAL LIFE...I really don't. But, I guess I'm not quite ready to give up my vacation mentality. Plus, Grandma dropped off a home-made apple pie last night upon our return. She makes THE BEST apple pies--with apples from her own trees, right there in the front yard. She rolls out her pie crust from scratch, and it bakes up so golden brown and crispy....mmmmmm...how can I pass that up???

So, my friends, MONDAY it is. Monday vacation ends, and I will greet reality head-on. I have my Kashi Go-Lean cereal waiting for me in the pantry, skim milk to add sparingly to my coffee, tubs of Organic fresh herb salad mix with feta for lunch. And, if I get really inspired, I'll pull out my "Oprah Detox Diet" (I'll post more about this, later) and quit messing around all together. Maybe by Wednesday.....right now, I'm having a piece of apple pie...al'amode, of course! ;)

And, Part Deux....

We have had the most tremendous time up North. I can hardly believe it's been fourteen days, and now we're looking around at our mountain of "stuff", thinking about re-packing the car in order to drive south tomorrow. No more listening to the wind rustle through the birch trees on the deck. No more waking up to the smell of Dad's coffee percolating in the kitchen, making getting out of bed before 7am much more tolerable...maybe even nice! :) No more chasing Ms. Brookie all over the beach, stopping to "talk" to every doggy (and their owners), before finally making it to our final playground destination. No more feel of FLYING as the jet ski hits speeds around 55 mph, wind in your face, freedom like no other! No more hearing Connor beg to go fishing down at the dock....

But, we can go home revived and refreshed, ready to start another year! Much to look forward to upon our return! I bought some wonderful things for Brookie's room at the Pottery Barn outlet on the way up....maybe I can get some advise from my sister's new employer--one of HGTV's hottest stars! ;) (Anna, am I allowed to say who? :) Connor starts soccer and pre-school in a mere couple of weeks, and soon it will be time to plant mums in the planters, and buy gourds and pumpkins for the front porch. Where does the time go? Well, at least we have beautiful pictures and a vast array of memories to commemorate our glorious vacation to culminate the summer of 2009!