That's a Lot of Sewin'!

Before I forget to scrapbook this one...

This week (34 weeks pregnant), I've been having more contractions than I'd like, which have led me to extreme paranoia that Princess #3 will be born too early. Both girls were early (Gabrielle 2 1/2 weeks and Corinne 3 weeks) so early would be the norm, but I'd love to get as close to 40 weeks as possible this time. For a number of reasons. Is it selfish if a few of those reasons are work related??? But the most important reason is for the baby's health...I just want to give her lungs as much time to develop as possible and in my belly seems to be the best spot for that to take place (although she is definitely running out of room in there). I laughed to Thad yesterday that my bellybutton may actually turn inside out this time...that would be a first! I'm usually an "innie" even through pregnancy but the "well done" button is about to pop!

Anyhow, my midwife has advised me to try and "lay low" and since my work consists mostly of computer time, that is fairly easy...in theory...except when the girls get home from school/Danielle's. Then of course I need to get dinner on the table, take them to dance, swim lessons, or Daisies, bath them, get them ready for bed, etc. etc. etc. I find I go up and down our stairs at least 15 times in the course of one little evening.

Thad had let the girls know they needed to be "Mommy's helpers" and not ask for a different meal when one is in front of them, not ask me to run and get them things upstairs when they are perfectly capable, etc. With his late work hours he is doing his best to train them to be helpers.

I had just put dinner on the table last night and let the girls know I was going to go upstairs and shower and to work on giving each other compliments while they eat their dinner. Then-- the fighting began. I wasn't in the shower more than two minutes when upstairs came G. "Mommy...I just told Sissy when she smiles it lights the whole room up...and all she did was smile back at me!" (What was she supposed to do...stick her tongue out? She's 3!).

I told her (or shouted perhaps...) "Get downstairs...and STOP FIGHTING!" I finished up my shower in record time, got my robe on, and headed downstairs to sit on the couch and stew while refereeing the back-and-forth bickering. I wanted a Mommy break...bad.

Still at the dinner table, G then asks "Mommy...remember that very bad dream I had while in Disney?" She had a dream in Disney that "Mommy's belly was empty and Baby Sister was in heaven." I told her "Yes, I remember...but sissy is fine and will be okay." This dream apparently was very real to her as it took me a while to sooth her in Disney that this dream was not true.

Then, seeming satisfied that she trusted I was right and Sissy was safe, G says "Mommy, how does God make babies?"

(Gulp)...Thad not being home to defer to I start "well, when a mommy and daddy love each other very much..." G cuts me off..."yeah, yeah, yeah, I know all about that part" (which she doesn't).

"I mean how does GOD make the babies."

Whew...so glad it was a more theological response rather than physiological one she was wanting. We'll save the birds and bees talk for another day in at LEAST 10 years! Trying to come up with an answer to satisfy her curious mind I tell her "Well, according to the Bible, God knits each baby in the mommy's womb...and a womb is a belly. Knitting is like sewing with a needle and thread. So God picked all your parts, like your eye color, your sweet nose, your two ears...everything! He cared enough to choose it all."

G smiles, seeming content with this answer. Then responds (still mulling over the information), "Wow that is a LOT of sewing!!!"

Happy 6th Birthday My Sweet

Wow...6 years ago my life truly changed. Everything I had thought, hypothesized, and assumed about motherhood was thrown out the window on December 28th, 2005, at 3:04pm. I had always loved children, which is why I wanted to become a teacher, so it seemed motherhood would be a very natural fit. I knew your Daddy would be an amazing father...he was great with children and very patient.

From the time we decided we were ready for a baby, it was just...well....difficult. Conceiving you was far from easy. There was about a year where I thought I would never get the opportunity to become a mother. It definitely made me realize that you can't take things for granted. I was thrilled to become pregnant with you! I wanted to make sure everything was just perfect before you arrived!

Not wanting a December baby (since I myself am one), we tried to do everything we could to avoid getting pregnant during that time. Right after I saw the two pink lines we learned you were due on Friday, January 13th. "Whew...missed December by several weeks," I thought.

However, you had other plans and were ready to greet the world a few weeks early, squishing your birthday right between Christmas and New Years. The nurses let me know I should be elated that there was a tax credit since I had her before January, but all I could think of was the forgotten birthday for the rest of your life, trying to live up to the holiday madness. Nonetheless, you were healthy and that was the most important thing.

Meeting you for the first time...I thought you were perhaps the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. I assumed all babies looked just like you when they came out...perfect. And from the time we left that hospital room in Mesa Arizona, to the next 12 months, there were many days I failed to see that beautiful creature through all the sleepless nights and days we had to go to the pediatric urgent care for high fevers, viruses, reflux, and ear infections. I wondered at times if maybe I actually wasn't actually cut out for this role as mother because you screamed the bulk of the time and I don't handle noise especially well...screaming babies in particular.

Thankfully, some Prevacid (for reflux) and ear tubes later (after 13 ear infections in 13 months) we got to see your personality emerge and I finally started to form a bond with you. Your personality was so sweet...very tender from the start. It was a relief to see you happy and settled.

As you grew, your personality was infectious! Moving back to IL where your grandparents and aunties and uncles could love on you was a good decision. You were invited to sleepovers with Mimi, and movies with Papa, and got to meet many new friends.

Starting Kindergarten this year was a huge milestone, and one that I was surprisingly not quite ready for. The control freak in me wanted to box you up and keep you just for us...I didn't want that sweet spirit crushed. You are so sensitive which can be a double edged sword...always looking out for the underdog and making sure kids aren't picked on or left out, but getting your feelings hurt regularly.

You are so observant and never miss a beat. All the the things in nature we adults seem to gloss over in our busy mad rush to do this and finish that, you don't miss. You appreciate the small details in nature and in people alike. You love fashion and anything related to fashion which has definitely been an obstacle in trying to get you ready for school (or church, or any other place). The outfit has to be just "perfect" and only 1 outfit a day just wouldn't do...we have to have a different outfit for each setting.

You are a wonderful Big Sister and though you and Little Sis have your squabbles, you are the first one to stand up for her when someone hurts her feelings or doesn't share. You are so good about praising her when she does the right thing or learns something new. I know you'll be a great Big Sis to Baby Sister once she arrives too.

You and I can be like oil and vinegar...and your Daddy always laughs and says it is because our personalities are so much alike! But I couldn't survive without my little partner in crime. I love you from the bottom of my heart and couldn't be prouder of my big 6-year-old girl! Happy birthday sweetie...you fill our hearts and home with joy beyond measure.

Mommy

Mayday, Mayday, we have a problem here!

And indeed we do have a problem. A serious one. A spoiled-rotten-child one. A "mommy is wrapped around my little finger" one.

Miss Corinne Kennedy is exactly who I'm talking about. She seems to be the one running the show around our house lately. As a rule of thumb, I've always been a little leery of youngest children. I do have quite a few friends who are "youngests" but most of these don't follow what I consider the normal "youngest child" patterns. I always said I'd never spoil my youngest or make it so they felt a sense of entitled. And then came Corinne.

I don't know if it is that huge potbelly she sports, or the fact that she's still so attached to her belly button and forever has her finger in there, or the way she talks with that little lisp, or maybe even the way she says "Mama, I need some cuddles" at least 3 times a day. I just can't pinpoint where we went from "sane mama" to "completely irrational, wrapped around her child's finger" mama.

The little terror has been waking up at 6:30am (a forbidden deed in this house) and waddling into our room with her "nigh-nigh" cuddled up by her nose and binkey still in and as loud as she possibly can saying "Mama, Daddy, I AWAKE...I watch some Toons?" When we tell her to go take her diaper off, go potty, put her undies on, and put her "BB and guy" away, she always responds "just one more sniffy?" Translation: She doesn't want to stop loving on "nigh-nigh."

She still only wants to wear dresses but is very choosy even about the dress she wears. She wants to do everything by herself, even dress herself (which leads to her undies being on backwards and giving herself a wedgie at least 99% of the time). Very independent.

She is very excited about her first Disney trip coming up and can't wait to "meet Snow White." Every time there is an airplane (or even helicopter) outside, her whole face lights up and she says "Mama, they going to DISNEY!" To her anyone on a plane is headed to meet Mickey. I think she may POSSIBLY be as excited as G and I are for this trip.

She loves her Big Sis and has a melt down every time G goes somewhere that C can't come with. Even while G was in swim lessons this week, C was throwing a fit to "give Sissy one more hug and kiss."

And perhaps it is simply this age I'm in love with and wish I could bottle. As many 2 1/2 year old melt downs and tantrums and whining we have, I love that this age is the discovery of everything new! I also love the way she is still learning how the English language works (for example "Where is her going" or "Can I go outside and play with she?").

I will be a bit sad when this age is over...but realize I'm fortunate enough to get to do it all over again with #3. If ONLY I didn't have to endure the first 15 months of the child's life that were so rough with both of the first two.

Just a touch of pixie dust

The girls are at a tough age for getting along. As much as I want them to go skipping together, picking daisies, hand-in-hand, with BFF necklaces on, everywhere we go...Little Sis is a bruiser and loves to mess up anything Big Sis is doing. Big Sis is as OCD as kiddos come and when she gets an idea and needs to carry it out, she can't seem to control her emotions in order to bring it to fruition.

But little moments like we experienced on Saturday make me sigh and realize just how rewarding motherhood can be. I had just made the girls some lunch and we sat down to eat, with the back door open and the crisp fall air and sunlight streaming in. I was honestly soaking in the peace for a moment, which was a refreshing change from the weekly rat race. Ahhh...thank you weekend for arriving and thank you fall weather for finally making your appearance.

A few bites into lunch, Big Sis noticed a speck of dust floating in the air and pointed at it. "What's that Mama?" She asked. I was thinking...not sure how to explain that these tiny figments of dust can sometimes be seen in just the right light, especially with the door open, etc. So I opted to go a completely different route.

"What are you talking about Sweetie...I don't see a thing."

Her eyes got big and she responded, “RIGHT THERE Mama! How can you not see this? There it is again (pointing)! And there (pointing again)!"

"Honey...are you sure? I just don't see it. Do you think it could be something magical that only kids can see...or maybe your imagination is just..."

"Mommy! Oh my goodness...you don't think it could be....a fairy?" (The child is COMPLETELY serious at this point and I knew all it would take was a tiny prompt.)

"Well, I don't know Honey...do you believe in fairies?"

"I DO Mommy...there it is again!” She paused, and looked straight at the speck, “What's that? What did you say?” She continues on talking to the speck, “Is it YOU Tink?” “Mama, now I see TWO specks...it must mean Tinkerbell AND Terrance are here."

This interaction, which she was completely serious about, went on for close to a half hour! Even Little Sis got in on the action and was pointing at the various specks and calling them by name ("Hi Tink...Hi Tewwance (Terrance)”).

By the end, there were many fairies...Tink, Silver Mist and Terrance. Big Sis asked if she could drop a piece of sugar from her "puppy chow" she had for dessert and see if Tink would eat it. Sure enough, later it was "gone" (after Summer had been let out of her kennel ironically enough).

Big Sis was so excited to tell both Mimi and Daddy later that day about really "for real" seeing fairies...but that we think only kids can see them. Big Sis wants Daddy and I to write a letter that she can hand to Tinkerbell when we go to Disney to ask her if she visited our house. She told me later that day, sadly, "Mommy, none of my friends at school will believe me." I responded, "It doesn't matter...fairies only show themselves to those who believe."

A picture worth rescuing from the recycle bin

With Kindergarten now in full swing...Big Sis comes home with piles of papers, artwork, and handouts daily. I try to be "on top" of cleaning out her take home folder, ensuring I don't miss something important, like the dates for show and share, school pictures, and whether the hot lunch is pizza or roast beef the next day. I am not a pack-rat by nature...I find myself getting overwhelemd with too much "stuff" of any type and so therefore, am a big fan of the recycle bin...especially for these school handouts Big Sis comes home with. After I take a gander at what she's learned for the day, and ask her about her work, I realize we'll be getting more papers the next day...and the next, and dutifully toss them in the recycle bin.

Last week she came home from school with a picture she had drawn in art class. It didn't seem unusual to me...it showed Mommy and Daddy holding hands (we always have dark hair in the pictures). Daddy was holding a blond child (I figured that was Sissy) and then there was Big Sis, holding my hand (a much shorter version of the drawing of me but with a head of blond hair, and of course, a bow). Even Summer dog was right there with us, tongue out and all. There was the typical Kindergarten elements to a good picture...our house formed from a square with a triangle roof, the grass, and the sky. But under the blue clouds you could see purple figures drawn.

Just to ensure I was going over what she had learned and spent her day doing, I asked her "Hey tell Mommy about your pretty picture." She explained what I had suspected...pointing to each thing she said "here is you Mommy, then Daddy, Me, Summer, and Daddy is holding Sissy. Here is our house." Then as she pointed to the purple figures in the clouds she said "and here is Grandpa Jack and Kimmy...Nana's dog who died...they are up in Heaven with Jesus."

That day I was surely thanking God I had not thrown her precious picture away. I need to take a picture of it for extra safe keeping too. To me that day, regardless of how many sight words she was still struggling with, or the fact that she is now refusing to eat hot lunch the majority of the time because "her tray is too heavy"...she had the important things down.

Rinney Roo

Little Sis is keeping us on our toes lately. She is an intense, strong-willed, fearless, hilarious child all rolled into one. She loves to streak across the house completely naked and say "I shake my booty." She knows even if I'm mad at her I'll eventually laugh. Thad and I joke that one of these days she's going to bring this house tumbling down on top of us.

She's also had a sassy little mouth lately where she'll say to me "You be quiet Mommy" or to Gabrielle "Don't talk to me" or "Don't copy me" or "Don't look at me" (pretty much anything that starts with "don't."

We can tell when she's done something wrong when we aren't around. Yesterday I was cleaning up the dinner mess and she and G were playing upstairs and I hear Corinne shout "I sorry Mommy. I forgib you." (she doesn't understand yet that you have to apologize first and then WAIT for the person you're apologizing to to actually forgive you.) She had pulled Gabrielle's morning routine chart out of the wall...thumb tack and all...and knew she's better rat herself out before I came upstairs and she got in more trouble.

While we were eating dinner yesterday I was trying to enroll the girls in swim lessons (which is first come first serve and the enrollment opens at precisely 6pm). Corinne was not getting the attention she wanted/needed so she tore her hamburger into tiny pieces that she proceeded to throw at my head while laughing.

She loves the Despicable Me movie and her favorite character is Vector (she calls "Vectow"). When she's supposed to be trying to fall asleep at night you'll hear her screaming as loud as she can "Oh yeah, oh yeah...I Vectow" and cracking herself up! Thad and I still laugh (since she can't hear us laughing) because she's such a nut!

She still hates riding in the car (both girls were just like this at this age) and just in general, doesn't want to be pinned down. Thankfully, she's still a very good napper. Without that nap each day, our sitter may go crazy and on weekends we may go crazy. We need a little breather from the little spit fire...it is like a Mommy time out.

Adopting a polar bear for Christmas.

Several months ago Gabrielle was watching a kid's TV show that must have been on a channel that had commercials (perhaps PBS)? They had one of the commercials trying to get you to give money to "adopt a polar bear" and said on the commmercial how they are dying and need funds to help save them, etc. Gabrielle's eyes were getting wide as she watched this commercial. She is a total animal lover.

That day she had asked me if we could adopt a polar bear just like we adopted a child from Compassion International. I told her right now that wasn't in our budget but maybe someday. Recently, we were talking about Christmas and gift ideas (because every commercial for toys that comes on she wants of course to add that toy to her Santa list). She said "I KNOW! I could adopt a polar bear for Christmas because they are dying and we need to save them!"

We'll see if as Christmas draws closer the polar bear wins over the list of toys she wants so badly:)