Siblings

An older sister is a friend and defender - a listener, conspirator, a counselor and a sharer of delights.  And sorrows too.  ~Pam Brown

Siblings are the people we practice on, the people who teach us about fairness and cooperation and kindness and caring - quite often the hard way.  ~Pamela Dugdale

 

 

 

She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities.  She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway.  She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark.  She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink.  Some days, she's the reason you wish you were an only child.  ~Barbara Alpert

 

 

Three weeks down - a whole lifetime yet to go.

Happy Fathers Day

Rebuilder of people's homes by day - 

baby baths and swaddler by night.

 

 

Happy Fathers Day to the man that I have no idea how I got so lucky to have.

Definition

Is this what "snug as a bug in a rug" look like?

 

 

One Week Already

I suppose when you don't get home from the hospital until baby is 3 full days old, the first week is bound to go fast. 

 

 

And that it did.

 

At Holly's one week check up (technically at one week and 3 days old) she was back up to her birth weight.  This was an area of concern as she had dropped 11 ounces by the time we left the hospital and had only gained back 1 ounce over 4 days time.  But now everything is looking healthy on the weight front.

 

She even measured in at 22 3/4 inches at her appointment.  She stretched herself out almost an inch in a weeks time too!

 

But the most changes we've noticed in this week has been in all her facial expressions.

 

Yeah, yeah, yeah... I know.  Its just "gas." 

 

Gas or not, its still cute to see.

Picture this

Its a glorious day in June. 

 

The sun is shining.  Hardly a cloud in the sky. 

The temperature is in the low 70's.

 

Just perfect.

 

Perfect enough to eat dinner out on the patio.

 

Corn on the cob, grilled chicken sandwiches and sausages, chips with Sterlings dip (there is none other of course), bananas, bing cherries and chocolate milk.

 

Its a wonderful dinner, its a wonderful day, everyone is enjoying themselves.

 

Everyone except Bree.

 

My darling child is spending the entire dinnertime complaining.

 

About what you ask?

 

Well..... about how cold it is outside.

 

Coat... Hat... Scarf... In June

 

She is so weird.

Introducing...

Holly Jacquelynne Dominique

Born Tuesday May 28, 2013 at 8:46pm

 

She was 9 pounds, 13 ounces and 22 inches long

 

We are home and settling nicely into our new life.

 

 

Next week the real challenge begins when Daddy goes back to work.

 

 

I hear ya, Holly.  I hear ya.

My T-Ball Girl

Bree's first game of her baseball career was last night.

 

 

Its moments like these that make me realize how fast life passes us by.

 

Here's a small clip of my t-ball girl up to bat:

 

 

Bree is the one on the left crouching like she's getting glamour shots done instead of waiting to stop a ground ball.  Gotta work on her stance a little bit.

 

Oh goodness...  It seems like just yesterday I was the one out there on the field high-fiving everyone after a game and going to the concession stand to get my treat for the evening.  I remember coming home and having to sit on the front porch to eat my snow cone while the window air conditioners hummed behind me, mosquitoes attacking my legs and the other neighborhood kids would slowly start to trickle home after their games.  Then I would go inside where it was "freezing" to change in to my pajamas and sit on the couch and watch the Waltons with my parents before going to bed. 

 

Oh the memories.

 

Such good memories.

 

And now its time to Bree to start creating her own.

Ready or Not - Take 3

Today was the day. 

 

Well... it was supposed to be the day.

 

But baby girl has a different opinion.

 

Today was my official due date and with only 1 hour and 52 minutes left, I'm thinking its just going to pass us by.

 

So what does a 40 week pregnant lady during a mid 80's and horrible humidity heat wave after a full days work and t-ball game look like?

 

 

 

Am I ready for this pregnancy to be over?

 

That would be a big fat Y-E-S!

 

I'm ready to not be out of breath just walking to the car.  I'm ready to sleep on my stomach or back again.  I'm ready to eat a full meal in one sitting.  I'm ready for the simplest of things like jello to not give me heartburn.  I'm ready to not break out into a sweat while taking a nap. 

 

Oh so ready.

 

However, am I ready to have a baby?

 

Not so much.

 

Babies require around the clock care - feeding, changing, quieting crying fits, breaking their confusion of night and day, attempting to get them on a schedule that semi jives with ours and everything else that I can't possibly mention.  If my life would be just about loving on this baby, then everything would be okay.  But along with all the aforementioned, my life will also consist of:

 

- A 5 year old

- A 3 year old

- T-ball practices

- T-ball games

- 2 week safety city

- ENT appointments

(to assess Bree's constant nasal congestion and the possibility of adnoid and tonsil removal)

- baby's weekly and monthly check ups

- school physicals for both Bree and Jake

- working with Jake to prepare him for preschool

- working with Bree so all she learned in preschool won't be forgotten

- school shopping for two children

- dentist appointments

 

We also want to have some fun this summer so we purchased tickets to a Tigers game, would like to take the kids to the Mudhens at least once, try to get to the zoo a few times and attempt a small family getaway as well as spend a few weekends up at the lake.

 

Plus don't forget that both Jim and I have jobs as well, work a few fairs, and I'm considering entering a 5K in August which I will definitely need to do some training for.

 

And on top of all that we still need to eat, sleep and take lots and lots of baths.

 

Whew.  I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

 

So am I ready for all this?

 

No.  But ready or not, I'm going to be a mother of three and life is about to move at a pace that I didn't even know was possible.

 

Oh yes it is

Tis the season to be

 

 

 

C-H-E-R-R-Y!

 

 

My most loved fruit is back in the stores for the season.

 

Cherries.

 

Mmm Mmmm

 

And in case you are wondering...

 

Yes, a bag of cherries is a perfectly acceptable gift to bring a new mom in the hospital.

Keeping Up

Even though I am 38 weeks pregnant, I find myself beyond exhausted by the end of the day.  I have actually come home from work just to take a nap before heading out to the store.  Its so, so bad and I have no idea why.

 

 

9:34am - Football

 

 

Jacob gets tried of having to chase after the ball so we move on.

 

9:36am - Baseball

 

Mommy gets tried if having to chase the ball.  Move on Jake.

 

9:39am - More Football

 

Jacob gets tired of getting hit in the head with the ball.  Onwards we go.

 

9:40am - Digging in my garden

 

We have to leave to get Bree from school before too long which really means don't get dirty.  Find something else to do.

 

9:40:37am - Football yet again

 

Trying to be cool like Daddy and spin the football on the ground.  Doesn't go so well but kept attempting it anyways.

 

9:44am - Biking

 

Love it.  Takes no entertainment or energy from me because...

 

Whew...

 

I'm exhausted, aren't you?

To each their own

Whether its the rays of sunshine peeking over the roof or the sound of stampeding feet running into my room to wake me in the morning, the first thing I see when opening my eyes is this glorious view through my bedroom window:

 

 

A budding green maple...

 

Pine trees...

 

And a behemoth lilac bush.

 

 

Its a beautiful bush.

 

Wonderful amounts of shade.  Great barrier between our house and the neighbors. Plenty of branches for Bree and Jake to practice their climbing skills.

 

However, as I said before, this bush is huge.  Gigantic.  Enormous. 

 

And the problem with a massive lilac bush is the sheer volume of flowers in the spring time.

 

And the problem with the sheer volume of flowers is the Over. Whelming. Stench. all the flowers produces.

 

Although I find the flowers very pretty to look at, the aroma of lilacs is one I have never, ever liked in my life.  Even if I had liked the smell before, having that large of a bush with that strong of an odor invading my every breath every moment I'm home, I'm not so certain I'd like it anymore. 

 

The silver lining?

 

I am very, very thankful for my sense of smell, even if I have to deal with a little unpleasantness every spring.

Year Three

Three years.

Wow.

Words fail me right now.

So much has happened, so much has changed, so much you aren't physically here for.

But I know you're with us in spirit.  Watching over us.

I look for signs of your presence and smile at the orbs in pictures I've taken of the kids.

And then I think of my unborn child. 

Bree only got to know you for 2 years and 5 months, Jacob for one short month and now a third who won't even have a picture of you holding her to keep for the rest of her life or mine. 

No stories to share with Jake or baby girl of interactions they had with you.  Its a hard thing to take in.

So hard.

Just as having three children will be.

I find myself short-tempered with the kids and at the end of the day I spend my time thinking about the patience you had. 

You gave us all attention, taught us sports, grew a wonderful garden, worked full time and all with endless amounts of patience. 

How did you do it?  Was it hard for you?  Was it worth all the sacrifices you made?

So many questions.

So many conversations I'll never get to have with you.

So much taken for granted.

I miss you so much. 

Ready or Not - Take 2

A month ago Bree declared that she was "too big" to use the stool to brush her teeth.

 

 

Then as the due date for Baby Girl #2 quickly approaches we decided it was time to upgrade her to a bunk bed in which she will, of course, be on the top bunk because she's older now.

 

 

And just last week my little Breezy girl had Kindergarten registration.

 

Just when things are getting good - she's (mostly) willing to help with whatever is asked of her, she wants to explore and travel and experience hands on learning, eager to cook, and can entertain her brother so I can get something accomplished in a day - I have to give her up and send her away to school. 

 

Its just not fair. 

 

I'm not ready. 

 

But I am so excited for all that is coming her way.

 

Payback

Hey Bree - Remember all those times you were picking on Jacob and we tried to tell you that one day he would be bigger than you and it wouldn't be so funny when you're the one being picked on?

 

Well he may not be bigger than you but I definitely see the tables turning. 

 

 

** No children were hurt in the making of this blog post.  If my memory serves me correctly, it was Bree's idea for Jacob to throw the ball at her in the first place.  I was just there to document the joy it brought to Jacob's face.