Watch Me Grow! - 5 months old

Emma is getting so big. She has just started getting those chubby little baby cheeks that just beg to pinched, and I love them! At 5 months she is now eating rice cereal, purposefully playing with toys, "talking" up a storm, waving, and trying hard to stay in a sitting position for longer than 15 seconds. She really has a very sweet disposition, and a personality that is uniquely hers. We are thoroughly enjoying this stage!

Pumpkin Patch

We took our little pumpkins to the pumpkin patch today. We LOVE the pumpkin patch. Cody loves the hay ride. I love the numerous photo ops and the perfectly pleasing fallness of it all. Emma seemed to love pretty much everything, as could be seen by her constant smiling and giggling. And Jay, well he loves hefting all of our picks into the big wheelbarrow of course.

Shannon Rocks!

My friend Shannon put together this new header for me. I have no idea how she did it - I've been trying to do something like this for a while now with no luck. So, Shannon, you rock!!!

Emma's new trick

Emma started waving today. It was too cute not to record. She was so excited by all of our clapping and cheering, that she literally continued waving for about 5 straight minutes. Here's a glimpse...

Rock Star

Cody was entertaining us this evening with some "awesome guitar music." Listen carefully for the title of his song at the end.

Drums, drums, drums? I believe he may be slightly confused.

My husband is SO gross!

Well, it's official...I married a very strange, some might say foul, or disgusting, man. Tonight at dinner we were rehashing the interesting bits and pieces about our day - pretty normal right? Nope! It turns out that after spending a day in Truckee tagging fish, Jay thought it would be a good (and he claims perfectly normal) idea, to bring some fish heads home with him. That's right, reread if you need to, but he brought fish heads HOME with him today. Why, you might be wondering? Well, to boil the flesh off of them, so that he can hang them above his desk at work, of course. Eeeeew! My husband is SO gross!

OMG!

Today Cody told me something that completely shocked me... For some time now, I'd say nearly 2 months or so, Cody has been coming home talking about his friend Lily Marie. "Lily Marie and I played lions today. I was Simba and she was Nala." Lily Marie and I played on the swings." "Lily Marie and I played with the Legos." And so on, and so forth. He has talked about Lily Marie so much, that I began to wonder just which little girl she might be. (I know most of the boys he plays with already.) So, for the last couple of days, when I've picked him up, I've asked him, " Is Lily Marie here today?" His response until today, has always been, "No Mom, she's already gone," or "She didn't come today." Today, when I asked him again if Lily Marie was at school, he said, "Mommy, Lily Marie is just pretend, like my baby deer." OMG!!!! I had NO idea! I am still reeling from that information - it blew me away!

A lesson in logical thinking...

Yesterday I was at Target with the kids looking for a Halloween costume for Emma. It was our third stop of the day, and I'd yet to see anything that matched the fancy frilly pink frock of my imagination, so I threw in the towel and told Cody that he could choose Emma's costume from the vast (wink, wink) selection on the Target shelves. He thought for a moment, then proceeded to choose THE LEAST girly costume available. Very much to my dismay, Emma will be a chili pepper for her first Halloween. When I asked Cody about his choice he told me, "Mommy, a hot pepper is kinda like fire, and fire is kinda like a superpower, and superheroes have superpowers, and superheroes are cool." Though my initial plan was to talk him out of the chili pepper, I ended up standing in the aisle with my mouth agape, and was unable to come up with an argument that was better than his. So, chili pepper, here we come!

Full Circle

I was prompted to start this blog after telling my friend Stephanie this story. Well, today, at an Oktoberfest party at my friend Suzanne's house, Cody nearly got his wish... There he was, minding his own business, eating dinner, when he innocently reached for his drink...oops - that's not it!!! Beer. Cody had his first taste of beer today! (Sealing our fates as parents of the year.) Fortunately he realized quite quickly that he had grabbed the wrong cup, and was not at all interested in continuing to drink "that disgusting stuff." Part of me can't help but now wonder if he'll wake up in the morning looking for hair on his chest? (hee,hee)

Super Cody!

Today I took Cody for his 4 year well-child checkup. They weighed and measured him as well as checked his vision and hearing. Cody is, as I have suspected for some time, way off the charts for height. The doctor gave me a graph that showed that a child Cody's age and weight is, on average, between 3'4" and 3'6" tall. Cody is 3'9" tall!!! I always knew he was tall, but WOW! On a different note, I was also super impressed with Cody's letter recognition on the eye exam. The nurse had asked Cody if he knew his ABC's or if he wanted a chart with pictures - he chose the letters, and got all but one correct. At the very end, she pointed to a v, and he said, " I can see that letter, but I don't know his name - he says /v/, /v/, /v/, like volcano. " She looked at me and we both burst into giggles. What a smartie pants!

PS- It turns out that Cody is not hearing impaired as we have often assumed, he simply is choosing not to listen to us - can you believe that!

Family Tree

Cody has been learning Spanish in preschool, and has already mastered counting to 15, colors, and now family members. Today I was asking him to tell me the people in our family as we were driving home from school. He did. This discussion prompted a further discussion about our family which was quite interesting. In it, I learned that someday Cody would like to have children of his own, one of whom is Emma - because, "she is such a good, sweet baby, when she isn't crying really loud." I also learned that I may speak without thinking a little more than I imagine, as in a side conversation about my sisters, Cody said, "You have two sisters Mommy- Auntie Meems (Mary) and Auntie Chelle (Michelle). Auntie Chelle is your crazy sister though, right?" (He's totally right, but puleeze - I should really use my censor more often, now that he repeats everything I say.)

You are my sunshine...

My favorite song to sing to both of my children at bedtime is "You Are My Sunshine." It always makes Cody smile, and can stop Emma in mid-scream. Recently Cody has taken to singing to Emma, and wouldn't you know, he chose our special song. Here's a glimpse at my sweet boy singing to his sister.



Aw, isn't that too cute!

Getting the hang of it...

Emma is getting much better at the rice cereal eating, but it is still hilarious to watch. We all love to be present for her feeding, so as not to miss any of the action.

I'm a big kid now!

Emma had her 4 months shots yesterday and the doctor gave her the OK to try rice cereal. She didn't appear to swallow any, but she sure liked smearing it all over her face...

...just like her brother!

Sleeping Beauty

I just love to watch Emma sleep. She always looks so peaceful. What a beautiful little girl!

Changing before my eyes...

One of my favorite things about becoming a parent the first time, was watching Jay become a father. Here was this big, gruff, slightly rough around the edges guy, turned to mush each time his son cried, smiled, laughed, or squealed. Right there in my hospital room he transformed into the man I always knew he could be - sweet, gentle, and vulnerable.

(Reading with Cody - all of our hospital pics with Cody are on actual film, not digital, so I can't post.)

Now, the second time around, I am enjoying watching both of my boys change as they adjust to life with our little Emma. I expected her to have Jay wrapped around her tiny fingers, but I admit I am somewhat surprised at how much Cody adores her. He too has become more loving, gentle, and attentive to the needs of others (though he is definitely still a rambunctious boy).




I know they say that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but I bet if their were puppies involved, you could.

The "Baby Deer"

Cody brought his first imaginary friend home from school today. When I picked him up this afternoon, he ran to me, holding out his cupped (empty) hands, and exclaimed, " Mommy, look at my baby deer." For the life of me I did not know how to respond. I just stood there dumbstruck for a few moments while he prattled on about how he and Lily Marie had found the baby deer out on the playground by the swings. He then grabbed my arm, said goodbye to his teacher, and dragged me out to the swings to see where the baby deer came from. At this point I found my tongue and began asking questions about the baby deer and pretending that this whole thing was completely normal. (It is right?) We then left school and walked to the car. Here, Cody politely asked me if I would hold the baby deer while he climbed up into his seat. I did. (It was very strange.) At numerous times throughout the evening I have been given instructions relating to the baby deer - for example: "Mom, my baby deer needs to take a bath too," and "Mom, you have to whisper or you'll wake up my baby deer." Once, I was even reprimanded for sitting on the baby deer. I did not have any imaginary friends growing up, but I know some children do - but again I have to ask - this is normal, right?

Our very opinionated child...

On Friday Jay took Tootsie in to get fixed. She is fine, though a little tired and apparently itchy at the incision sight. Because she kept trying to lick her incision, we had to get her one of those funny lampshade-like cones to wear around her neck. Last night Cody asked why she had to wear the cone and we explained to him that we didn't want her to get an infection. Then he asked why she had to go to the doctor and we explained that we didn't want her to have any puppies, so we had to have her fixed. Fast-forward to this morning... Cody and I are making french toast when he says to me, "Mommy, remember when you said Tootsie has to wear her cone so she won't have any babies? Well, I don't want you to have any more babies either."
I guess it's a good thing that Jay and I have already decided against having more children, but now I keep waiting for Cody to suggest that I need to wear a cone around my head.

4 months old!

Emma is 4 months old today! She is getting sooo big. In the last month she has learned to laugh, and has continued to master the art of manipulating her brother and her parents. She is already a pro at knowing just when those cute little smiles will benefit her most. We are all quite enamored with her and have each been known to do strange things just to see that beautiful smile.

Camping Out

As I write, Jay and Cody are out in the backyard "camping." They set up the big tent (Cody's shark tent just wasn't big enough for Daddy), got sleeping bags, flashlights, and marshmallows, and set off for the "wilderness" at around 7:00 pm.

Though I'm not an official camper, I was invited out to eat smores (made over the BBQ), and to sit in the tent for a while. When I left to come back inside, Cody was soooo excited about camping out that I fear he may not actually sleep tonight. (hee,hee)

A new kind of superhero...

Cody is seriously into superheros right now. He is constantly running around the house, the yard, and the neighborhood fighting crime and catching bad guys. He often will tell us not to call him Cody, but Spiderman, Batman, or Superman instead. This morning the superhero theme took a strange turn... I had asked Cody to go get ready for his shower, while I changed Emma's diaper. As I was walking out of Emma's room I heard Cody in the bathroom. This is what he was saying, " Da,Da, Da, Da! I am Penisman! Penisman the superhero! Penisman will save you!" I tried really hard not to laugh right out loud. Instead, I said simply, "Penisman, are you ready for your shower?" Cody's face turned bright red, and we both burst into laughter. What an imagination!

Watch Me Grow!

My friend Shannon gave me a great idea. She suggested that I take Emma's picture with her baby each month in order to show y'all how she is growing. I loved the idea so here she is in September.

Look how much she's grown just since August. I love that she is growing up right before my eyes and I truly appreciate each small miracle that I am priveleged to witness, but for goodness sake sweet Emma - slow down already - Mommy's not ready!

PS - If anyone can tell me how to link to my own past postings I'd love to hear from you.

The Stall Tactic

Cody is becoming more and more creative in his attempt to push back his bedtime. We are way beyond the usual, "I have to go potty," and "Can I have some water." Tonight, 1 hour after we put him to bed, he came out to tell me, " You forgot to ask me what was for lunch at school today mommy." Admittedly, I did forget to ask this specific question while asking him about his day. But really, he can't sleep until he tells me what was for lunch? - that's really a stretch, even for my kid.

By the way, in case you're dying to know...lunch consisted of "bazogna, fruit and green beans." Bazogna?

This is AWESOME!!!!

"This is awesome." This was the catch phrase at Cody's birthday party yesterday. After each child arrived, after each present was opened, and after each swing of the bat at the pinata, "this is awesome" was what Cody (and some of his little friends) would say. Needless to say, Cody had a blast at his party. The kids decorated visors with stickers, swam, ate hot dogs and cake, broke open a pinata and collected all the goodies, and opened presents. It was a whirlwind of activity. I completely lost control - the 4 year-olds totally won...all of my careful plans and my timeline were thrown out the window about 5 minutes after the party began. Oh well, it didn't go according to my plan, and I didn't really have fun, but it totally went according to Cody's plan and he thought it was "AWESOME!" I guess that is what it is all about!

Four going on...

Today is Cody's 4th birthday. Bright and early this morning (6:00 am) Cody came in to announce that, "I'm 4 today mommy!" After lots of Happy Birthday kisses and cuddles, we got to talking about how exciting it is to be 4. Cody's favorite part..."That means I'm almost 5 mom!" Whoa there cowboy - mommy can barely grasp the fact that you're 4, let's hold off on the countdown to 5 please.

In other birthday news, we are having a few of Cody's friends over this afternoon to celebrate with some swimming, cake eating, and pinata smacking. I hope it lives up to Cody's expectations and brings him lots of smiles.

The Annual Letter

Beginning on the day of his birth, and every year since then on his birthday, I write Cody (and now Emma) a letter. Someday, when he is old enough to appreciate them, I will give him his letters to read and enjoy. In each letter I reminisce about the year that has passed and talk about the changes that have taken place in our family, the fun we've had, and the new tricks he has mastered. I, of course, also spend lots of time telling him how much I love him and how proud I am of his achievements both large and small, and about some of my favorite memories, activities, and moments that we've spent together. So tonight I'm looking through pictures and thinking back on the year in preparation for writing this years' letter.

Here are a few of my favorite memories, in picture form, from this, the 4th year of Cody's life...

Happy Birthday Jay!

Though he has been celebrating all week long, today was Jay's birthday. On Monday he went to the Raiders' game with some friends. The Raiders lost, but the boys had fun. On Tuesday he took the day off to "recover" from the Raiders game (rough life). Today we went out to dinner to get Jay some meat. The man requests a big steak every year for his birthday dinner, so we went to Cattlemens and had a ridiculous amount of food (meat included). Tomorrow Jay and some buddies are going "work fishing." Work fishing is when Jay takes the work boat and some of his friends out to the delta to catch fish for various work related functions - no wonder he loves his job! It has been a long week of celebration for Jay, and he deserves every bit of it. He has worked hard at his job and for his family all year, and we love him for it!

Here are the birthday boys at dinner.

football

For the past few months, on Saturday mornings, Cody has been participating in the local park and rec sports programs. He did basketball for the first three sessions. He has playing basketball practically since birth, and is quite good at it, which is part of the reason that he chose it. This last session, he decided to venture out and try something different - FOOTBALL. It is soooo cute. All these 3-4 year old boys put on their flags and chase each other around the field (rarely staying in bounds) trying to catch the ball and pull flags off of each other. Cody is having a blast and Jay and I are exhausted from laughing after each session.

worn out

After her first day in her new home, Tootsie is exhausted. At 7:30 Jay went in to read bedtime stories with Cody and put him down, while I got Emma dressed, fed and settled for the night. When we came back out into the living room, this is what we found...

Just as we thought...A perfect match for our family. Around here anyone under 30 goes to bed at by 8:00 (and anyone over 30 at around 8:30.)

Tootsie!

We passed our home inspection and now we are on to the next step - the two week trial. Basically, we are now dog owners, but we do have two weeks to change our mind and still get our money back. We won't be changing our minds.



Meet Tootsie. (She was already named and she is 11 months old, so we thought it would be weird to change it - even though it's kind of lame. Oh, well.) She is very sweet - we are already in love. Cody has been showing her off to his neighborhood friends all day, as well as reading her books, and playing fetch. Emma thoroughly enjoy doggie kisses and squeals with laughter each time Tootsie comes into her line of sight. I know I said that we were prepared to wait for the right dog for us, but I'm sure glad that we didn't have to wait too long. (Patience is not a Rowan family virtue.) Welcome to the family Toots!

home visit

Jay and I have been going back and forth for quite a while on whether or not we should adopt...a puppy. We originally thought it would be too hard right now with a new baby and all that, that entails. But truly, we're pet people - and since we put Vinny down and Mrs. Mittens died, we've been waiting patiently for the right time to adopt. We decided yesterday that we are ready.

We really want a midsized dog - one that is kind of mellow, so as not to freak Emma out. A dog that can live inside when we're home and outside during the day while we're away. A dog that I can take running but that will not be running amok in our home. A dog that Jay can take fishing that won't jump from the boat and drown. A dog that can handle having his ears and tail pulled by our kids and who won't mind when one of them falls asleep in his bed. We know it's a lot to ask of a furry friend, but we're ready to wait until we find the right dog for us.

This morning Jay came across a lady who rescues dogs and we've been going back and forth all day filling out applications, researching breeds, and figuring out what we want. Tomorrow we have an official home visit. The dog rescue lady, Debi, is going to come over and make sure that our home is appropriate for taking in a dog. (It's totally weird, I feel as if we are adopting a child.) She has a really cute Beagle that we are interested in adopting, but we have to first get the green light from her.

Our research showed that Beagles are gentle dogs. They are midsized, good natured, great around kids and other animals. They are rarely aggressive, will run when lead, but also enjoy their lazy around the house time. They can be trained easily, and are generally good swimmers. (And this one is already potty trained.) On paper, they are just what we're looking for.

Tomorrow, if the home visit goes well, we will get to spend some time with the Beagle in order to help us decide if she's a good fit for our family. (I can tell you right now that if we spend time with her, I'm going to want to keep her - that's just the way I operate.) We are all excited at the prospect of bringing home a new member of our family. So, keep your fingers crossed for us and we'll keep you posted.

Daddy's home!

Jay got home this evening after a long week away. While he was organizing and carrying out a major fish rescue at Caples Lake, we were busy trying to manage our day to day life without one of our key players. Though I often chide Jay about how little he does around the house, it was not until he was gone and actually doing nothing, that I came to realize that he is actually quite a bit more helpful than I give him credit for. Single mommyhood is exhausting. It is so exhausting in fact that this afternoon while I was pumping during my lunchtime, I fell asleep for a few moments in the small closet-like workroom where I hide out. Fortunately a duo of kindergartners ran in the classroom and woke me - I could have slept for hours. It has been a very long, and exhausting week (for all of us), and we are looking forward to spending some time together on this long holiday weekend.

And now, with the children all snug and sleeping, Jay and I are off to bed. (It's 8:30 on a Friday night! Man, we are so sad.)

3 months old!

Our little Emma is 3 months old today. Life gets better everyday, and she is a big part of the reason for that. We just love our little pumpkin.

my little analytical thinker

Me: Cody, My friend Katie is going to watch you at my school while mommy has a meeting. Is that OK with you?
Cody: Sure mom, but who is going to watch Katie?

What a day!

Since Jay is out of town all week, I have been living the life of a single parent. It's HARD! Besides all of the usually follies that come with the territory when you have two small kids, I'm pretty sure that my children are out to get me. Let me explain... My day started at about 4:30 this morning with Cody coming in to tell me that he had to go potty. (For whatever reason, he always feel the need to announce his business to Jay and I - whether the timing is right or not.)After he did his business, I sent him back to bed, and went in to feed Emma, who had awoken with a hungry cry. At around 5:45 I emerged from my shower to find Cody playing race cars on the living room floor, emphatically claiming that he was no longer tired, and couldn't sleep. I readied myself, helped Cody pick out clothes, got Emma dressed, and packed up the multitude of things that one must drag around when playing single mommy. When everything was all set, I turned to let Cody know that it was time to go, and there he was - passed out cold on the couch! I woke the poor kid up, wrestled him into the car, and went back into the house to load up Emma. Just as I lifted her up to put her in her car seat, we had a major diaper malfunction. I changed both mine and Emma's clothes, loaded her up, and finally made it out the door.

I went to work, yada, yada, yada, and then picked the kiddos up from school.

On top of everything else, it also happened that it was Back to School Night at my school. Again, Jay is out of town, so I racked my brains and finally came up with a plan that I thought was quite genius. I had one of my colleagues' daughter watch the kids in the classroom next to mine while I did my BTS night presentation. Sounds good in theory, right? Well, about 20 minutes into my presentation I hear Cody calling from the back of the classroom. "Mommy, I need you." I blush, giggle nervously, and explain to my audience that this is my son, while trying to figure out what exactly Cody could possibly need. He scrambles up to me in the front of the room and whispers loudly, "I need a hug and a kiss mommy." I quickly oblige, amidst giggles and sighs from our audience, and send him back next door. Don't get me wrong, I love that he indulges in random acts of hugging and kissing mommy, but really - he has got to work on his timing.

What a day!!! Jay comes home on Friday - we can't wait!

finding her voice

Emma has been experimenting with new squeaks and squeals the past few weeks. I love listening to her "talk" to herself in the morning as she waits for us to come in and get her, or as she plays with her toys on her gymboree mat. The sound of her voice fills me with joy. I can't wait for the days of long heartfelt chats with my daughter, but for now, this is just as nice.

evidence of his affection

This morning while we were at the park Cody collected a bouquet of dandelions. He handed them to me and said sweetly, " I got these for you because you're such a good mommy." Then he hugged me and kissed me and walked away to go play in the sandbox.

I am posting this story for two reasons: 1) because it was just so innocent and sweet, and 2) because someday I'll need to prove to both Cody and myself that there indeed was a day when I was the object of his affection. I'm going to soak it all up while I still can!

What a handsome boy!

Last Friday I took the kids with me to our favorite Mexican restaurant for a TGIF with a few girls from school. While we were chatting I glimpsed Cody out of the corner of my eye checking himself out in the mirrored wall. Chuckling to myself, I asked him what he was doing. His response, " I'm just checking to see if I'm handsome." The girls and I had quite a giggle at that. But, he is one handsome little boy, and obviously we tell him that often.

dramastics

I love the Olympics! We have been tivoing the swimming and gymnastics, or as Cody calls it "dramastics," and watching them at a more decent hour, and both Cody and I are hooked. Tonight, as we were watching the uneven bar individual medal competition, Cody said to me, "Mom, pretend you're my dad and I'm Nastia. Watch me flip and win the gold medal." Jay of course says to him, "Cody, you're a boy." To which Cody responds with confidence, "Not right now I'm not. I'm Nastia." I so remember pretending to be Nadia and Mary Lou, I totally get it. But, I am positive that Jay was extremely uncomfortable with this game of pretend.

What I learned at school today...

When I picked Cody up this afternoon, he had some very exciting news to share. For a while now, he has been eagerly waiting for his fourth birthday so that he could, "change into a butterfly." Well today, though he's not quite four, his wish came true. Cody has officially "graduated" to the pre-K class at his preschool - AKA the "butterflies." He was very excited about the big move and had lots to share with me about his day. My favorite revelation - when I asked him what he learned today he replied, "I learned that we don't lick people." (FYI - thankfully I learned that he gained this wisdom from a friends innocent experimentation, not his own -eeew!)

PS - He now insists that he is 4, because "that's when I get to change into a butterfly, mom!"

finding joy in the simple things

This afternoon when I picked Cody up from preschool, he was bubbling over with glee. As I opened the door to the classroom he ran at me full speed shouting, "Guess what mommy! Guess what! Guess what! Guess what!" I of course was eager to hear what all the excitement was about so I leaned in to hear about the extraordinary thing that had happened to him. You know what he told me? "I got to be the line leader today!" I love that he is able to see small moments as such BIG deals. I could learn a thing or two from him.

I changed my mind

The only vegetables that Cody willingly eats are green beans and carrots. In an effort to broaden his horizons a bit, Jay and I frequently encourage Cody to try at least one bite of whatever vegetable we are eating. Tonight we had squash. As is pretty typical, Cody ate his entire dinner except for the squash, and then proceeded to go on and on about how he was too full to try even one bite. We finally persuaded him to try just one. After he ate it Jay asked, "did you like the squash?" Cody nodded his head yes and much to our astonishment went for another bite. About .3 seconds later Cody threw up all over the dinner table. When he had collected himself a bit, he said very nonchalantly, " I changed my mind. I don't really like squash." I guess not!

Beware of pink elephants!

Earlier today Cody had quite a bit of gas. I know, not really a very mature or appropriate post, but this is what happened...

Cody (very excitedly): Did you see that mom?
Me (confusedly): What?
Cody: A pink elephant just ran across the room.
Me: Huh?
Cody: A pink elephant!

A few minutes later I hear Cody passing gas so I ask him to please use his nice manners and say excuse me.

Cody: It wasn't me mom, it was the pink elephant.

I honestly don't know where he comes up with this stuff!

First Day

Today was the first day of school. Though I've been working like a dog to get ready, this is the least prepared I've ever felt at the beginning of the school year. My room is not only not finished being set up, it is not finished being renovated. All of the technology that was supposed to be delivered is currently in Canada, two of my windows are broken, and I do not yet have a key to my classroom door. My students, though super cute, as 5 and 6 year olds tend to be, are the most chatty group I've had to date. (Usually they are on their best behavior the first day. But, if this was their best behavior, I'm doomed.)

My kids, on the other hand, are making a fantastic impression on their teachers, as they ease into daycare/preschool. Cody has always been applauded at school for his kindness, empathy, and good manners. And now, Emma is making her mark. She has captivated all of the women with her smile, easygoing nature, and new-found coos and squeals.

It may be a really long year, but at least when the day is done I get to come home to the people I love. I can't wait to see what life throws at us next!

Pity Party

Oh, poor me! That's how I felt this morning as I climbed into my car on the way to work. Today was my first paid day back at work. (Though I've been in all weekend long getting ready.) My alarm clock woke me at quarter to 5. I got myself ready, then fed Emma, and got her ready, while Jay showered and Cody got dressed. There was so much going on in our house at such an ungodly hour - it was CRAZY! When I finally left for school, at 6:45, both Cody and Emma were in tears. Need I mention what effect this had on me? I arrived to my first day of work with tears streaming down my face, mascara dripping off my nose, and my breasts leaking. Oh, poor me!

I'm NOT tired!

For the last few days, Cody has been trying to convince me that he is too big to take a nap. Well, apparently this afternoon while he was with my mom, he succeeded in convincing her of just that. When I got home he told me that he didn't sleep, but that he "rested" instead. Then he let me know that he was not going to be either tired or cranky later and that I should, "just wait and see." Here he is at 5:00.

This was followed by about 30 minutes of uncontrollable sobbing. Not tired or cranky, huh!

A visit from Grandma

My mom, AKA Grandma Cheryl, is in town for a few days. She came up to see the kiddos - her first time since Emma was born. She got in on Thursday, and we all spent some time together before Jay left for Hot August Nights and I got busy putting my classroom back together. Friday she and Cody had a lot of fun together, just the two of them. They went to the park in the morning and then to see Kung Fu Panda at the mall in the afternoon. Cody came back with a belly full of popcorn and a couple new toys. (Go figure.) This morning, we all played at the park and went to the library. Later this afternoon Grandma gets to watch both kids for a few hours while I go back to school to wrestle some more boxes. I'm grateful that she's here. I don't know what I would have done with my kids/classroom if she wasn't.

look how big she's getting

Emma sat in her Bumbo seat for the first time today. She smiled and squeaked the whole time she was in it. I think she loved feeling like such a big girl.

Emma's new baby

Grandma and Cody got Emma her first baby doll today.

A stickler for the rules!

As we were driving home from Costco this afternoon, we passed a forty-something year old man crossing the street. Suddenly, from the back seat I hear, "Hey mom, that guy's not holding hands when he crosses the street! He's not being very safe, is he." What a stickler! (But I'm glad he's been listening.)

trial run

Today I took Emma in to school for a few hours. As expected, she did very well. And, as expected, I was a mess. (I'm totally "that mom.") Fortunately, I got a call from my principal last night saying that I could get into my classroom today, so I was able to keep myself busy. Here's a picture of Emma and Miss Louise when I dropped her off. She had the same contented look on her face when I picked her up which made me feel slightly better.

getting ready

As the beginning of the school year rapidly approaches, I am beginning to get myself ready to make the transition from stay at home mommy, to "bringing home the bacon." Today I spoke with Cody's school about bringing Emma in for a trial run. My plan is to drop her off for 2 hours tomorrow, just see how she does. (Really to see how I handle it.) They are excited. I am hesitant. I trust them completely; Cody's been there for 3 years and loves all of his teachers. In fact, he often feels sad when we won't take him to school on Saturday and Sunday - a sure sign of his affection. I am hesitant only because I know that I will have a hard time leaving her. I went through it with Cody, and now I am prepared to go through it again -but not really. Baby books and magazines are always talking about separation anxiety, but they are always referring to the baby. In my case, it is me who experiences this anxiety - I'm sure Emma will be fine. She'll be well taken care of, stimulated, and doted on. So, if you happen to see me in the next few weeks, and I look forlorn and generally heartbroken, just know that I'm OK - but not really.

Cody's Learning Spanish!

They must be teaching Cody some Spanish at school. This morning I overheard him counting his race cars. It sounded something like this..."Uno, dos, tres, quatro, cinco, hola, grande, ocho!" He'll be bilingual in no time!

Fairytale Town

Yesterday we went to Fairytale Town with our friends Cara and Rylan. The boys had a great time running, climbing, and going down the slides. Cody's favorite attractions were the big barn slide and the crooked mile.


Emma was just happy to be there. Her favorite activities were cruising around in her stroller, and going down the little slide with mommy. Amazingly, we had no major tantrums or catastrophes - though I was grateful that Cara was there - just in case!

All on all it was a great day!

Another Codyism

Cody has been enamored with his little sister since the day we brought her home from the hospital. He is constantly asking if he can hug and kiss her, and is the only one who can make her smile when she is in the midst of crying. He is very interested in all of her daily activities. He loves to make faces at her as she sits in her bouncy seat, bring mommy burp cloths for the inevitable spit up accidents, help put away her laundry, and watch her get her diaper changed. This last thing is the most amusing for Jay and I. It seems that, as fascinating as diaper changes are, Cody prefers to be present for the changing of poopy diapers rather than mere pee-pee diapers. Often he will ask us as we head to the changing table, "is it poop?" If we say yes, he is right behind us anxiously awaiting the big reveal. (Boys are so gross!) Then, as soon as the tabs are loosened and the treasure is unearthed, Cody can be heard to say any number of hilarious things - mostly "eeeew," or "gross,"- but the other day he busted out with, "that is a BIG stink for a little girl!" Aaah, the things they say!

My fear of the pediatrician...

When I was 7 years old, my 4 month old sister, Angela, passed away due to complications from her recent vaccinations. As sad as that story is, it was not until I had children of my own that I realized what an impact it has had on me. Yesterday, Jay and I took Emma in for her 2 month appointment, the first of several scheduled in which she'll receive her vaccination shots. Emma was a champ. She cried at the initial shock of the needles, but stopped fairly quickly and spent the majority of the rest of the day "sleeping it off." I, on the other hand, was a wreck. I watched her carefully all day, checked her breathing and temperature often, and was generally on edge. Nighttime was even worse - for me. I was up often fretting about the lack of noise coming from her room, and got up twice to make sure all was well. During my wakeful hours, I thought back to when Cody had his vaccinations. Was I this neurotic then? Did I behave this way every time he was scheduled for vaccinations? The answer - yes. Chances are I will react this way each time one of my children needs to see the pediatrician for routine vaccinations. But fortunately, chances are just as good that my fears and neurotic behavior will come to naught each time. As you can see, Emma is doing just fine (and so am I)!

Emma

Emma is 2 months old today. It amazes me how much she has brought to our lives in such a short period of time. I found this poem that I think says exactly how we feel about our precious little Emma.

"You were entirely expected, yet you take us by surprise. We set about with calm precision, but you are a whirlwind: irresistible, random, and compelling. You dash our confidence. You are tiny but immeasurable; beautiful and impossible. You are one part apprehension, two parts awe. You promise with potential and frighten with uncertainty. You are us, and we are you. You sow endless anticipation, and you question our assumptions. You overwhelm. You are bubbling, then overflowing. You are verdant, consuming effervescence, springing from abundance. You are head-over-heels, pell-mell, tumbling down gentle hills laughing in the sunshine, then running back again. You are one step out the door, straight into freefall. Your seeking and comprehending are butterfly wings, flitting about and launching a tempest. You have bewitched us, you unpainted canvas, and masterpiece."

We are so blessed to have you in our lives Emma. You've made our family complete and we love you.

Confessions of a mommyblogger...

I am new to the blogging world, only a few weeks in, but I must say I am addicted! I love to write about our life and to read about the lives of others. As I get more and more into my new hobby, I am discovering some things about myself that I feel the need to confess.

1) I check my friends blogs for updates, pretty much every day. I can't wait to see new posts!
2) At times, I have caught myself more interested in taking pictures of events "to post on the blog" rather than just enjoying said events and activities.
3) I love comments! It's nice to know that people are reading what I write and to learn how they feel about my posts. After I post a blog, I usually check back several times to see if I received any comments. (It must have something to do with my need for affirmation.)
4) I am sometimes a blog stalker! Yes, I look at other peoples' blogs that I don't even know, and I do not make comments. Lately, I have been trying to give myself up and let people know I have been reading their blog, but sometimes I can't bring myself to do it - especially if I don't know the person. (If you are reading this and stalking my blog, let me know - I'm probably stalking yours too, and we could just get it out in the open...)
5) I get really (kind of ridiculously) excited when I publish a post!

So there you have it. Phew! I feel much better, having confessed all of my dirty little blogging secrets.

water babies

Cody is practically a fish during the summer. Multiple times a day, you can hear him say, "Can we go swimming?" Thankfully, Jay is also part fish, and usually is ready and willing to take Cody for a dip. I love that we have the pool, but really, I'm a sissy. If the water is not bathtub warm, I generally can be found watching from a lounge chair or sitting on the steps with only my legs in.

Well today, little Emma had her first experience in the pool. She's dipped her toes a few times, but today she went all the way in. And though she seemed to get used to the water, I'd have to say that her initial screaming as she was submerged, was much like you might hear from her mommy. I know that Jay and Cody will continue to try to tempt both Emma and I with promises of warm water, and how "good it feels," so we may become fish yet!

My cute kids!

I hate to brag, but my kids are really cute!



As you can see from the picture, Cody is an awesome big brother. He's helpful, kind, and patient. Emma is pretty easy to fall in love with too. She's really a good baby; she barely cries, smiles at almost anything, and she's been sleeping nearly 10 hours at night for almost 3 weeks now! I am one lucky mommy!

swimming lessons - take 2

Cody is doing much better in swimming lessons now that he's in the right class. (Look at him here, hanging onto the wall with all the other kiddos.) He is learning the freestyle stroke, the backstroke, and how to dive. He is still having a difficult time being as attentive as the other kids, but he is getting better every day. Just today, as a matter of fact, his instructor complimented him on his improvement, and then almost fell over when he learned that Cody is still 3. Apparently all the other kids are 6 or 7 - so I guess his immaturity makes sense.