Party Pictures

Aaron and Brady celebrated their 1st birthday today.
It was hot but the kids stayed cool in the pool
and the sprinkler
Aaron has been feeling under the weather (new teeth and resulting fever) but managed to be a good sport.
Brady, as always, was happy to have everyone's attention.
Alaina was a super helpful big sister.
Mommy made her first attempt at cake decorating two "banana" cakes for her little monkeys.
Sure they could have looked nicer but they tasted delicious.
While the boys enjoyed cake, the party guests enjoyed ice cream sundaes
Post-cake sugar crash resulted in some good snuggles for Gammy and Brady...
Aaron and Caroline...
And Pepere and Alaina...
Happy Birthday little boys!!

From The Mouth of Alaina III

We finally captured one on tape....



(In case you didn't get the audio, she's saying "It's not on my list today." Where does she get these comebacks?)

Happy Father's Day

Hi Daddy,

Happy Father's Day!

This year you have taken such good care of us. We love all the playing, cuddling, teaching, and comforting you have done. You get up in the middle of the night (most of the time without complaining or being asked by Mommy), you try to teach us through play, you don't let us watch junkie TV, and you are not afraid to show your affection. Most of all, you take really good care of Mommy so she gets to do the fun stuff with us too, not just the "work".

We are so lucky to have you. We love you. And when we are better at expressing ourselves, we'll type these types of things ourselves instead of just "dictating" to Mommy who interprets our words for us!

Love you!
Alaina, Aaron & Brady (oh, and Kayla)

PS - Mommy really loves you too...

From The Mouth of Alaina II

Morning time....

Alaina wakes up and leaves her room....

A: I have a funny voice and a runny nose. [sneezes]
M: Do you need a tissue?
[pause]
A: No. I don't like to blow out the loose boogies. If I leave them in there, they'll get hard and I can pick them out.


(What do you SAY to a statement like that??)

Favorite Brother

Alaina and Aaron were wrestling last night and she kept repeating - to his delight - you're my favorite brother.



To be fair, she said the same thing to Brady later in the night. And she also told me she loved the baby in my tummy. Good girl, don't play favorites!

Technology snob.

A regular desktop PC is no longer good enough for Alaina. It's the MacBook or nothing.


She also thinks any cell phone that's not an iPhone isn't a real phone. What have we done to her?

Bed time is the most fun time

From The Mouth of Alaina

Dinnertime conversation...
Pepere (referencing Alaina's "sore back" after she helped to plant his garden): Alaina, how is your back feeling now?
Alaina: Oh...not well. (siiiiiighh......)


In the backyard...
Alaina is running with her running stick - a stick with a ribbon at the end of it. She is practically tripping over it.
Me: Why don't you hold it over your head while you run with it?
Alaina (stopping dead in her tracks): Oh no. Only four-year olds can do THAT, Mommy.


In the playroom...
Alaina: Mommy, you be the prince and I'll be the princess. Stand up! Let's dance!
Me: I can dance on my knees. That way we'll be the same height.
Alaina: No Mommy. Princes ALWAYS stand up. They don't know how to kneel.


I'm sure the things that come out of Alaina's mouth will stop being cute in a few short years. So I'll take these moments while I can.

We Did It!

In yesterday's post over on HDYDI, I made big confession: I NEVER take the children anywhere alone.

I know, I know. The boys have been around for 10-months; how is that possible? Trust me, it just is. I've never been in the position to HAVE to go anywhere without another adult so I just haven't done it. Also, I'm terrified. And the work involved just packing everyone up and loading them into the car (while herding the dog off to her crate) is enough to deter anyone.

But that has all changed now my friends. I am happy to announce that for the first time last night, I successfully managed to be out of the house - alone - with all three children! We accepted a dinner invitation from Katie and her brood. Dinner time is about the worst time of day for my children. They are tired, they are hungry, they want their mommy and they will fight each other to get to their food/me. But, Katie and her kids are the only people I would feel comfortable accepting this invitation from - at least the first invitation. I knew that if the kids (or I) did lose it, she wouldn't be totally appalled and may, in fact, even invite us to do something else with them again. So, I decided it was time to just go for it.

I am happy to report that even though we all ate about a third of our normal dinner portions, we did ALL eat (myself included!). There were no meltdowns. In fact, there was laughter. My normally stranger-shy toddler was (gasp!) playing without keeping me within her direct line of vision. My sons allowed me to PUT THEM DOWN and WALK AWAY.

This was a great confidence boost. Now that the summer months are here, I am looking forward to finally getting out and about. So many things await: summer concerts on the town green, the park, the zoo. Now, if they'd only contribute to filling the gas tank, we'd be unstoppable.

Call me...Grandma?

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Well, then consider me VERY flattered that Alaina is also walking around the house these days "with a baby in my tummy, just like you, Mommy."

Yikes.

Yes, this startling announcement came on Sunday. I was sitting on the couch with my hand on my stomach. Alaina climbed up next to me, put her hand on her stomach and announced that she too, was with child.

Not only did she make this announcement, she ran with the fantasy for a good long while afterwards. She had doctor appointments and informed me that the baby has to stay inside for a while to "grow bigger and bigger". She had important shopping to do for a car seat and a crib.

Finally, the big moment arrived and the baby was born. (Thankfully said baby just appeared and we did not have to discuss how babies are born). Then it was on to feeding and "being very quiet" while the baby napped. "No more talking, Mommy. Don't wake up my baby."

I hope this is a sign of her excitement at being a big sister again. Not a sign of her impending teenaged-motherhood.

2008 March for Babies

This past Saturday our family participated in the 2008 March of Dimes March for Babies. This was my 3rd year as an individual and our second year as a team. We had a beautiful, sunny day in New England and everyone was feeling good. Most importantly, our team raised JUST under $1500 for the cause which is great! It's not too late to help us beat our 2008 goal; just click the March for Babies badge on the right side of this page and make a little donation today. Even $5 can help.

Here are a few pictures of our day (our team picture will be posted soon...hint, hint to email it to me LIZ!!)

Camera Shy

We finally got a new digital camera this month. Because Alaina has always seemed fascinated by photography, we gave her the old one. It's huge, it's heavy; it seems fairly indistructable. But ever since we gave her that camera, she seems to have no interest in being in front of the camera.

While we were able to snap more cute pictures of the boys this week than we can ever use, this is the best we were able to get of Alaina:

Horton Hears a "What that say, Daddy?"

Daddy took Alaina to her first big-screen movie today, “Horton Hears a Who”. The outting started off on the right note with the purchase of popcorn. Daddy probably could have just stopped right there and Alaina would have come home satisfied. But, he ventured on. Into the theater!

She sat through the movie, asking only 50 times "What that say, Daddy?" during the opening credits. Surprisingly the movie did not evoke the usual 1000 "Why"s that normally come. I think she must have just been awestruck.

When I came home from work I got a full report. On the popcorn, the seats, the screen, the stairs. Pretty much everything except the movie itself. When I asked her about the movie she said "Um...I don't really 'member the movie." Ah...money well spent!

School Daze

I am happy to report that Alaina has successfully completed her first week of pre-school!

After months of asking “When I go to school?” we enrolled her in a full-day program on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She loves it! School starts at 9 am but you can drop off any time after 7. She has been getting there around 8:15 which means she is able to have breakfast with her new friends (Max and Adriana). Classroom time begins promptly at 9 am with circle time. The rest of the day includes gym, science, reading, free play in the classroom, music, art, outside play, and (teachers’ favorite!) rest time. The best part for us is that the school provides the snacks AND meals so it is just one less thing for me to worry about on those days.

So far, so good. She is excited about school the night before. She is so-so while getting ready in the morning but she is quite happy to be dropped off once she arrives. At the end of the day, she is a MANIAC. She is bursting with energy, ready to talk about her day and even (gasp!) eats her dinner! It’s like she is so excited from her school day that she forgets to do her fake “I’m not hungry” or “I can’t like____(whatever we have served her)” routine at the table.

We are going to give it a few more weeks and see how it goes. If all continues to go well, we may change her schedule to Mon, Wed, Fri. But for now, she is happy and we are thrilled.

Alright, Alright

Thanks for all the emails reminding me I haven't posted any photos of the kids in a while. Here ya go:

Aaron:

Brady:

Alaina:


Also, yes, I'm fully aware that the posts have been slowing down as well. It's not that nothing is going on. It's that EVERYTHING is going on. And they've blocked Blogger in my office. Seriously, like I have time to post stuff when I'm at home! I promise to try harder....

X, Why, Z

Being sick this week has provided me with the nice side benefit of spending more time at home with Alaina. She is great. I love spending time with her. But, I must admit – she is exhausting.

She is a pretty calm kid. She plays quiet games. She likes to read and listen to music. But she is 3-years old. So the challenge comes with her favorite word: “Why?”

DEAR LORD it is amazing how many times one tiny person can utter the same three letters.
“Why she saying that?”
“Why he crying?”
“Why the bird is chirping?”
“Why is it snowing?”
“Why you don’t feel good?”
“Why people need to eat?”
“Why she reading?”

My favorites this week were:
#3: We were playing picnic with her baby dolls, feeding them, changing their diapers, etc. when out of the blue: “Why Alex push me?” Huh? A child named Alex pushed her accidentally at day care. Over 18 months ago. Never mind that we haven’t seen this Alex kid in 9 months, we’re still asking about it.

#2: I took her to breakfast at Friendly’s to get out of the house. The waitress, who was enthralled with her, dropped off our plates and asked if we were all set. My back was to her as she walked away so I can only hope she was out of earshot when Alaina asked “Why that old lady bring me my breakfast?” Keep in mind this woman was probably, 40 at the MOST. Yikes.

#1: After doing my very best to answer questions to the best of my ability, in a manner she could understand, I found myself starting to answer with “Because” and even (gasp!) “I don’t know.” This led to my favorite “Why” of the week: “Why you don’t know all the answers, Mommy?”

Mommy is tired, honey. Try Google.

Why do I love iTunes?...

...Because sometimes, you just NEED to get a fix of Hanson's "MMMBop". And am I willing to go out and purchase a Hanson CD? Absolutely not. So, iTunes lets me get me quick fix of silliness. Other highly-satisfying guilty pleasures currently in the library include LL Cool J's "Around the Way Girl", Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice", Public Enemy's "911 is a Joke", and Kriss Kross' "Jump, Jump".

Honestly, what's better than instant gratification in the music department? When you're in your PJs, dancing with your 3-year old on a Sunday morning, almost nothing. Thanks iTunes - love ya!

Look out Martha Stewart...

...Alaina is learning to bake!

On Her Birthday: The Top 5 reasons why Alaina is Awesome

#5 – She is hysterical. As I have mentioned here before, the stuff that comes out of her mouth has us constantly laughing. And not only is the stuff she just randomly blurts out funny, but she actually has an amazing little sense of humor. I’m in awe of that. Clearly it’s something she has developed on her own. How can you teach someone to be funny? Obviously 3-year old humor is not always “parent” humor, but watching her crack herself up is hilarious. Often though, she does come out with stuff we all find funny. Lately she has been into knock-knock jokes. Mostly she makes them up and they’re nonsense (but funny to her), but check out this gem she came out with in the car yesterday:
A: Knock-knock
C: Who’s there
A: Betcha
C: Betcha Who
A: Betcha I love you a lot
I almost drove off the road.

#4 – She is beautiful. I know that is not a reason to love someone. But, it is worth pointing out that occasionally she takes my breath away. Thankfully she hasn’t realized the power of pretty just yet. But someday soon she will and then Daddy is in for a world of trouble.

#3 – She is smart. We have always joked that Alaina is “advanced”. We started way back in infancy when her Doctor at the time would always start every appointment by reminding us that she was premature and we should expect her to be a little behind developmentally. And she never was. But as she has grown, we realize that, all kidding aside, she is a smart child. And perhaps it’s a little girl (vs little boy) thing but she truly LOVES learning. When given a choice of how she would like to spend playtime, she will always choose reading or doing a “project”. Projects consist of working on letters or numbers. Her Daddy is excellent at making learning fun and she really gets into it. Projects can also involve art. One of her favorites is to find pictures (of a certain theme), cut them out, glue them onto a page and make up a story. Watching that little mind process information is simply amazing.

#2 – She is thoughtful. Alaina is a caring and thoughtful child. If someone is sick or hurt (or, in the case of her brothers, crying) she wants to know “why” and what she can do to make them feel better. Now, she is 3 so often she won’t try to resolve the situation herself, but she is always quick to offer advice to make someone feel better. I had a headache recently and she told me (from her position on the couch) to go drink some water and then I would feel better. Such a help! She will also let us know that “Brady needs something” or she’ll go and get one of them a toy if they start to fuss. She doesn’t like to see loved ones upset and she is quick to try and do something to make them feel better.

#1 – She reminds us to slow down and enjoy things. I have heard from others that children make you see the world all over again, with a new set of eyes. With Alaina, I’m finding this to be true. I’ve mentioned before how she has renewed my love for Christmas. But it seems she is renewing my interest in a lot of things. Just yesterday we enjoyed the mild afternoon and took her new sidewalk chalk out to the driveway. Man, that was fun! Simple things like taking a walk bring so many questions that I am forced to think about things I haven’t thought about in decades. Spending time with her brings me a whole new appreciation for things I could have honestly cared less about 3 years ago.

So, Happy Birthday little princess. You are a joy and I can’t wait to see what the next year with you brings!

The Doodlebop Party

Notes to self:
- No one wears the themed party hats. They look funny and the elastic band that holds them on is not only uncomfortable but painful. Do not buy these for future parties.
- Buy more than a 12-pack of beer. Apparently adult males at a 3rd birthday party need a little help getting through.
- Hide toys that may cause arguments amongst the party guests. Also hide toys that may be used as weapons. Actually, hide all toys.
- When serving chicken, better to overcook. Check recipe and start cooking much earlier than what asks for.
- Don’t open presents in front of the other children. Too many children + too many new things = Chaos.
- Do not choose the night before your child’s party to go out and hear a band that starts at 10 pm.
- Keep the veggies and dip at a much higher level. Serve the children who are interested. Never let their hands touch the platter.

All in all, the party was good. Alaina was happy with it and since it was her party, that is what matters. There was some chaos among the other children – some expected, and some that drove Mommy to the point of wishing she could wash down a valium with a shot of vodka. Oh, and did I mention the twins were projectile vomiting throughout the day?

There were plenty of high points too. Alaina dressed like Rooney and greeted everyone at the door with an enthusiastic “I’M THREE!!”. Also, despite being the center of attention, she managed to successfully use the potty all day – no accidents! She got some great gifts and more importantly, she had all of her most beloved people all in one place at one time.