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Assorted Thoughts

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

By Beth · Comments (52)

I don’t know why my blog keeps breaking. But it’s malicious activity which makes it even more annoying. That doesn’t mean someone is out to get me, it just means that some people have no life and want to target wordpress users.

I hired a nanny last week. She’s here three days a week.

Clara turns four months old today. I have no idea where the time has gone but I’m appreciating her new growth-i-ness. She’s much happier these days.

Clara 4 mths

My first workshop is this weekend. While planning this workshop and all of it’s beautiful details, I realize how amazing this workshop is going to be. (and I’m not just saying that. It’s going to be awesome.)

I am honestly bummed that all of the spots have not been filled.

After this workshop, I’m looking forward to moving to a normal schedule with work while having a nanny here.

Anna is singing in a talent show this Friday.

I bought Noah a new pair of pajamas yesterday and showed them to him and he said “about time.” (he feels he really needs pajamas)

Eli burned himself on the stove on Monday. His little finger has a blister. Makes me so sad.

I actually showered today.

Brian has a cold. I’m trying not to catch it. No kissy-kissy for us.

Clara loves having her diaper changed. It’s actually something everyone should experience. As soon as you lie her down, her faces breaks into complete happiness.

I often wonder why so few people comment on blogs anymore. Thoughts?

I miss you all.

Last week’s featured photo goes to FrogMum. I just love this image. (achieving such great white balance in a bathroom is hard work!) Nicely done, friend!

Categories: Being a Mama, stupid crap, YC Featured Photo

She’s 9

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

By Beth · Comments (23)

I have a nine year old. Even though I just typed that out and even though I just kissed her sweet birthday cheeks this morning, I still can’t believe it. She was the first one to teach us how amazing it was to be a parent, the first one to change our lives and show what was really important in life. She’s our entertainer, she’s a lover, she’s a tester (IS SHE EVER!) and she’s ours. Last night, I was able to ask her a few important questions.

Anna turns 9!

So, what’s tomorrow? My birthday.

How old are you going to be? Nine.

Do you feel older? A little bit, I feel very different.

Do you feel taller? A little bit, I felt like I was growing a little bit earlier because my legs started hurting.

Did you have a birthday party last week? Yeah. What kind? A ceramic party.

Was it fun? Yes.

What’s your favorite color? Green and blue

What’s your favorite food that Mommy makes? Pasta. Macaroni. Hot chocolate. Chicken.

Do you like to help me in the kitchen? Yes, I’m your sous-chef.

Have you received any birthday presents yet? Yeah, I got the thing that I really wanted. I got the girl legos.

This past year, a lot of things happened. Can you name a few? You had Clara and I turned 8 and I swam in my friend’s pool.

Did you get a new roommate? Yeah, we traded rooms and me and Noah share a room now.

And do you like it? Yeah. A little bit.

Do you miss your old room? Yeah.

What’s your favorite thing to do? Play basketball, play with my friends and ride the bus.

Can I take you to school tomorrow? No. I was thinking of it but I changed my mind because I like the bus because I like the smell.

Do you smell everything? Yeah, I smell the seats, they smell like plastic.

How much do you love being a big sister to THREE siblings? I loooove it because I’m the oldest. I get to hold Clara a lot.

And how much do you love having a sister? I love it! I’ve been waiting all these years.

Is she very special to you? Yes, she is.

Tell me one thing that you love about your brother Noah? He’s nice and he shares and we play Legos together.

Tell me one thing you love about Eli. He gives hugs, he calls Noah “elmo,” gives me kisses and he watches Elmo.

And Clara? She’s cute and fluffy, in a good way, like soft and smooth.

Does she smell good? Yeah.

What do you think you’ll be when you’re older? I don’t know. A sushi waitress? (tons of laughter) I’m just kidding!

What do you do everyday on the iPad? I check the weather for everywhere in the United States.

What do you love about your Mom? She’s pretty and nice and she let’s me play on the iPad.

What about Dad? He is awesome, he gives us our own computers because he fixes them and I don’t really get to see him a lot because he has work and school.

But when he’s home, he’s pretty fun, huh? Yeah, REALLY fun. So are you, Mom.

If you could do anything in the whole wide world on your birthday, what would be? Give everybody in the whole world a hug.

***

Happy Birthday to our sweet baby girl!

Categories: Being a Mama

He’s 8

Monday, January 23rd, 2012

By Beth · Comments (16)

Noah turned 8 on Friday. Typically, I write up a sweet little post for my babies on their special day but my blog was so broke. (did you notice?) So, here’s a little something for one of the sweetest boyd in all of the world. (this is fact, by the way.)

Noah turns 8

(I’ve been interviewing Noah for many years, you can read previous interviews here.

4 years | 5 years | 6 years | 7 years

So, Noah, how old are you going to be tomorrow? Eight
Are you excited? Yeah. Very.
Do you feel any different? Yeah, I feel taller.

Do you like it when you and Anna are the same age for five days? Yeah. It’s fun.
What’s your favorite thing about Anna? She has a pretty face.
What’s your favorite thing about Eli? I love that he’s a cute chubby boy.
Does he love you? Yeah, he loves me a lot. Cause he always chases me around the house.
What do you love about Clara? What I love about Clara is that she has these little tiny screeches that are really cute.

What’s your favorite color? Orange
What’s your favorite food? Pizza with sausage
What’s your favorite thing that your mom makes for dinner? Macaroni and shells, pizza delivery, chicken enchiladas, chili and lasagna.

What do you like to do in your spare time? I like to sometimes play Legos, place DSi and Wii, I like to read before bed, chess and I play with Anna, Eli, Cade and Fabio.

This year, you started Cub Scouts, baseball and basketball. Which is your favorite? Basketball and Cub Scouts.

You always seem to follow the rules, can you tell me why that’s important to you? (he did not like this question) Because I don’t want to get into trouble.

What’s your favorite subject? Math

And how much do you love your Mom? So so so so so so so so much.
Why? Because she makes really good food, has great skills on cheerleading and teaching Anna cheerleading and photaography. (I almost forgot photography, wow.)
What do you like to do with your Dad? I like to go in the summer and go outside and he pitches and I try to hit the ball with a bat.

Do you want to go to bed now? Yeah, I’m really tired.
One final question … how old will you be when you get a moustache? 16 or 24
How many kids do you want? I can’t decide, maybe 3 or 4.
And finally, what do you want to be when you’re older? Maybe I’ll be a computer person, like Dad.

Good night my big boy. Good night, Mom. *runs away as quickly as possible to avoid further questions*

***

So, that interview was done last Thursday, the day before his birthday. On Friday evening he had his birthday party, a Lego party and it was really fun. I’m planning another post to tell you all about it!

Right now, I’m enjoying my TWO eight year olds for just two more days!

Categories: Being a Mama

Five weeks old

Saturday, November 5th, 2011

By Beth

Clara 3160

Clara 3145

Categories: Baby, Being a Mama

Little People

Monday, October 31st, 2011

By Beth

Clara has been here for nearly one month and I can tell you that our lives have been turned upside-down.
In a good way, of course. (mostly, of course.)

I’m not sure how it happens, but we always forget how busy the newborn phase is. The nonstop nursing, the desire to always hold the baby, the endless diapers, the piles of laundry containing 700 little pieces of clothing … there’s just not much time for anything else.

And then you factor in a demanding 19 month old. One who likes to be involved in everything single thing you do, from nursing to changing diapers to doing the laundry. (and undoing the folded laundry you just so neatly folded into beautiful little pink piles.)

And when he’s not involved in you and the baby, he’s involved in climbing on the kitchen table, playing in the toilet, typing on Dad’s computer, drawing on the walls with marker …

And then this toddler gets sick and won’t eat or drink and just cries. And cries. He sometimes doesn’t cry because he then just screams. And screeches.

In the midst of all this, Mommy gets mastitis. The worst ever with two days of high fevers, her entire breast is bright pink and it takes days to get better.

And this same Mommy? She took a two week maternity leave from work. So between all of this? She’s working. (or trying to, at least.)

And then there are two older kids. These two are pretty low maintenance, they get their own water and there are no diapers to change, they have homework and are always wanting to turn Blue’s Clues off which is the very thing that is saving their Mom’s sanity because it makes the toddler stop SCREEEECHING.

And then sometimes, right before bed, or early on a weekend, we all sit, peacefully, on the couch, just being a family.

Every morning, I wake up (reluctantly, of course) and I plan a few things that I’d like to complete for the day. On the list is always “write a post” and that’s the one thing that always gets tossed out because, well, obviously the hungry, hungry baby and the very climby toddler and our world of everything else becomes way more important. And well, it is.

I often find myself wondering how these other moms do it. How they can seem to have it all together with their clean clothes and flat bellies and clean children, their tidied homes, their shaved legs (I’m assuming) and they continue to post on their blogs as if they have a team of people helping them get through each day.

And here I sit, struggling to, not do it all, but to do maybe half of it all and I just can’t.

And all of this while Brian has been home this entire time and goes back to work TOMORROW.

(LORD HELP ME.)

So, honestly, these days, I’m doing what I can, I’m remembering how difficult these days are but also how fleeting they are. Soon, Clara will be the one on the table and tossing the laundry while Eli is away at preschool and the big kids are bigger and drifting further away no matter how hard I try to grasp at them to stay closer to their Mama.

So, I’m here. Living. Waiting. Hoping, Praying.

Surviving. All while being surrounded by these people.

my-adorable-people