One More Funny

Funny  story, that is.

So Peanut got terribly sick last night. He vomited for three hours straight. This is the first time he ever got this sick before. It's not funny at all, but he is a funny kid. And funny kids make great stories, even when they are incredibly sick...So, after he threw up all the contents of his stomach all over the front of his clothes and the kitchen floor (hallelujah it wasn't the carpet), I stripped his crying little self down to his birthday suit and got him in a warm bath. He perked right up and started playing with his bath toys. So I sat down on the edge of the bath tub to rinse out one of his cloth diapers in the toilet (sorry, this story is not for the weak stomach). I guess my pants may have been falling down just a bit (not a pretty picture but "bare" with me...ha ha ha). Peanut being the wonderful modesty police that he is (he likes to fix my shirt when I'm doing yoga to make sure it's not showing my back or stomach), decides he's had enough of my inappropriateness. He fills up one of his bath cups and, yes, pours it right into the back of my pants. Thanks again little one. I love you too!

Something Funny

You'll get a ho, ho, ho outa these.

Today I was Skyping with my Mom and Sister. I asked if they had received our package in the mail. They replied, "Yes, but the glass jar the caramels came in had broken all over everything." I thought that was a bummer but scratched my head thinking, "I don't think I put the caramels in any kind of container." Then it dawned on me...There was something in a glass jar...bugs. Yes you read it right. A dead, frozen, brown praying mantas and a leaf bug meant for my sisters growing entomology collection. Bumping around in pieces in the Christmas package. We all had a very big group gasp and a good laugh at that one. In fact I've been chuckling ever since I heard. Enjoy your gifts.

Here is another good tale that should paint a fantastic "Anna" picture in your brain. So let's start with, I'm outlet shopping with a friend and her two kids. We have her kids in a double stroller, Peanut in the single stroller with me, and Cashew in the baby Bjorn on my front. The sheer logistics of carting 4 kids around requires at least two bags plus a plethora of jackets and hats, and shoes that sometimes stay on their feet. By the end of the trip I had almost lost Peanuts shoe twice and I had gone through the entire line at Old Navy with a screaming baby and it didn't bother me till I realized that it was bothering all the other shoppers. We were quite a site to behold, especially trying to help each other get through the non-automatic doors.  That said, we had rallied our little circus in the children's shoe store to wrap up with new shoes for Peanut. My friend had offered to hold Cashew and watch all the gear while I tried the shoes on Peanut and chased him around the store for a minute to try them out.  As we leave the store in a hustle she is still holding Cashew getting ready to hand him off to me, Peanut is trying to squirm out of his seat and her daughter is walking along behind us while her seat in the double stroller is laden with all our purchases. I comment to her that we need to take a picture of this before we get into the car, to which she replies, "If we make it there intact." Almost immediately as she finishes that statement we arrive at the edge of the curb to get onto the cross walk. As we cross the threshold the stroller tips just ever so slightly and we litter the middle of the road with at least two or three shopping bags, one diaper bag and a blanket. We laughed as the holiday traffic got angry looks in their eyes. But really who can get very mad with that many small adorable children present :). 

Thirdly, I know a lot of you have already heard this but I felt I should record it anyways. So Peanut has realized that you can watch Helicopter videos on the TV with our streaming YouTube on the Blu-ray player. So I put one on the other day while I was cooking to keep him out of my hair for a moment or two. What I didn't realize is that once you've finished the video you originally  picked all subsequent videos on the search just start to play one right after the other. I kept thinking, that the video was going for a long time and I knew it wasn't that long of a video a helicopter race and suddenly Peanut starts sobbing. "BROKE IT!", he screams. I come running and I see that a video of a helicopter crash had come up. He was so distressed. He asked me to, "Fix it Mommy. Fix the Helicopert." Aww. It was hard to convince him that I was not able to fix a helicopter and that I'm sure there was somebody working on fixing the broken Helicopter. What a cutie! I live a good life with this kid in my house.

Again, Merry Christmas!

Live Nativity

This year our family was asked to portray Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus in the live nativity at our church Christmas party. Peanut had to sit this one out. We had suggested they hang him from a wire and he could be the angel. They smartly turned us down on that but I can envision it would have been great, in a "The Worst Best Christmas Pageant Ever" kind of way. Anyways, Cashew played his role splendidly, for no crying did he make through the entire presentation of music and speakers.

All joking aside, it was a wonderful experience and I'm happy we had the opportunity to do it. It allowed me a beautiful moment to reflect on the reason for the season, the Savior, Jesus Christ, while I looked into the sweet face of my own amazing little child.  I don't think I am anywhere close to being a Mom that could raise the savior of the world, but I sure will try my very best to give Peanut and Cashew all that they deserve.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

So, joy to the world, the Lord has come! I am forever grateful for my brother, Jesus Christ and for his sacrifice for me and for the joy that I find through doing my best to live by his example.

 Merry Christmas everyone!

Long Overdue

Cashew is now just about 3 months old so it's only appropriate that I will now be giving you his two month update. :) This little guy is just a joy. He's so smiley, another fantastic sleeper, and loves to be held and snuggled. I can't tell you how much I love my house full of boys.

At his two month check up he was something like 13lbs. 6oz. and 23" long (I'm shooting from the hip here with my memory. The sheet may have blown out of the window of the car. I don't know.). He's sprouting like a weed! This little guy sleeps 10 hours a night regularly and today has coincided his long nap with Peanut's one nap. Hallelujah! He also has finally decided that he will take a bottle. But only a special one...a ComoTomo Natural Feel Bottle, which we have affectionately deemed "the boob bottle", because that's what it looks like. It is what it is.

Peanut is also loving his little brother. He wants to hold him, build bridges over him, pick him up (much to my terror), kiss him, smack him, take his binky out and put it back in, take his socks off and put them back on, yell his name at the top of his lungs and make sure that I do not leave him in his room if he is crying.

Peanut is just oh so helpful in his own special way. He likes to help me cook...although I don't get much done other than having to clean up after his excitement. I got to be a part of a cookie exchange this week and he was allowed to add some ingredients for me in the molasses cookies. Here he is trying to add more ginger and cinnamon to the now empty bowl. "I pour it. I mix it. I DO IT!" Don't worry ladies, I did make him wash his hands...at least three times.



In other big news, we had what we call a BANISHMENT this weekend. A friend of mine and I sent our kids and husbands to one house and we stayed at the other, for 24 hours, to get projects done. This is an idea I recommend to all. It was fabulous and very successful, although I'm fairly certain we needed at least three or four more days to get everything done. Husbands are you up for a January repeat? :) 

Well stay tuned because we sure do have some catching up to do on here!

What's this girl to do?

So I'm come to a cross roads here with this blog. I have been officially notified by Google that I have used up my quota of photo space. As I deliberate the options of how to fix this problem, I realize that I am blogging even less than usual. So I figured I'd write a few stories to tide this over before I, A) Open a new blog, B) Have to go through and resize/delete old photos, C) Just pay for extra storage. Any votes?

Well last week was one of the busiest weeks we've had in a long time. Monday started off the week strong with...drum roll please...Peanut locking me out of the house. We had just enjoyed a pleasant lunch with Rob after Cashew's 2 month doctor check up and had arrived home after dropping Rob back off at work. I took Peanut inside (I don't like him running free so near the road) and somehow without even realizing it, hung up my keys before I went out to get Cashew out of his car seat. As I tried to turn the now locked handle I see Peanut looking at me with a big grin on his face out of the little window at the side of the door.  He of course has no idea how to turn the lock the other way again, and after 10 minutes of me pleading for him to open the door and trying to explain in a variety of ways a toddler may understand, he starts asking me, "Mommy come inside?".  Then he goes and gets my keys off of the hanger and hangs them on the closet door handle, then the front door handle and finally on the garage door handle as I watch helplessly from outside. The horrible catch here was, we are still a one car family so Rob wouldn't have been able to get home any faster than about 40 mins, and unfortunately the friends we had given a spare key to, happened to be out at dance class 20 or so minutes away. So 20 minutes it was. She kindly pulled her daughter out of tap class and bolted to save me, while I continuously knocked on the door and rang to doorbell to keep Peanut in the entry way and not running upstairs and out of sight until we were rescued. Bless her and bless my Dad for talking to me while this all went down. And thank heavens for the absolutely gorgeous, sunny, warm, unusual November weather we had that day while I was stuck on the porch with a 2 month old baby.

Now one would think we were out of trouble by that point, but no. This is Peanut we are talking about. After we are safely inside he bolts upstairs, rips an entire Christmas pop up book to shreds, and as he is running down the stairs to tell me, he falls and barrel rolls down at least the second half of the stairs, landing flat on his face on the hard wood. I screamed ran over and, of course, there was blood dripping everywhere. Luckily we ended up with just a bloody nose and nothing broken. Following that realization I complained profusely to myself that I now had to clean all those clothes and that there was blood on my new white shirt. So I sat down and ate a cookie. 

Newest Member of the Fam

As you all will learn today, Rob and I have a hard time waiting till Christmas for big purchases. When we decide we want it we usually just get it, and we are happy to put it to use and still wrap it up for Christmas. Our poor children.

Well, our old trusty HP is finally nearing the end of it's life. So instead of waiting for it to completely crash we decided to just buy a new one so we had time to transfer files and a window of opportunity to return the new computer if it wasn't all we had hoped for, and still have a working model at home. After much deliberation we settled on the Acer touchscreen notebook. I love the touchscreen. Yes it is like a glorified tablet and I am reveling in every finger swipe.  It also came with Windows 8. What an adjustment! But it might be growing on me. Have any of you tried Windows 8? I'd love to hear your thoughts/loves/complaints/tips...yes, most importantly tips.

Well happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for technology...among many other things.

1 Month ~ Cashew

I'm terrible at blogging now that we have two kids.  Sorry!

Well it's already been 6 weeks since little Cashew joined us. 6 WEEKS! I absolutely can not believe it. He is such a wonderful addition to the family. I am so enjoying snuggling a little one again. I love nursing time because I get to just hold him and look at his sweet round face and chubby cheeks. And those chubby cheeks make some incredible smiles. He just smiles and coos these days if you stop and pay attention to him.

Nursing is going so well this time. This little guy is a heavy weight, at least compared to his brother. At  his one month check up last Monday (yes, during the opening hours of hurricane Sandy we were heading out see the pediatrician) he weighed in at 11 lbs 8ozs. (80%) and measured 23.5 inches (93%).  Where did these tall children come from? Rob and I are going to be dwarfed by our boys if they continue at this rate.

Lucky us! We have another great sleeper. He is so scheduled now it's wonderful, eating every three hours or so starting sometime between 7:30am and 8:30am and giving us a long stretch at night from 11pm to 4am or 5 am. Hallelujah! Oh and he is the most relaxed sleeper. From the minute he came home from the hospital he sleeps spread eagle if he's not swaddled. No fetal position for this little man.

I am also proud to say that this child is an excellently clear communicator so far. He does this funny snorting whimper which I have learned  definitively means he is working out a poop. DO NOT, change his diaper until you have waited a good five or ten minutes after the grunting has subsided, or you may get projectile pooped at. I learned this in the wee hours of the morning a few weeks ago when he launched one completely over the changing pad and all over my pajamas and the carpet. I wasn't even mad, I was so amazed.

On the other end of the bodily functions (indulge me here folks, at one month they don't do much but eat, poop and sleep) he fusses with a different set of snorting and snoring if he needs to burp. This often results in spit up, which sometimes has even been coming out of his nose. Poor little guy! This has only happened to me when I am laughing. Maybe he's laughing on the inside. He is also a regular sneezer. The reason this is funny is because Peanut blesses Cashew every time..."Bwess you Hen-wy!!".  He also blesses us and himself with the same verbage..."Bwess you Hen-wy".  And when anyonee coughs, Peanut says, "Choking". Hilarious.

This past Sunday we were able to bless the little man at church. It was a wonderful experience. We were able to have some family come join us for the blessing and lovely dinner and afternoon of socializing following the event. Thanks everyone for coming! We had a wonderful time.

Lesson learned ~ Do not take pictures at Peanut's nap time.

3 weeks old

Newborn Photos

I have the greatest friend, who also happens to be an amazing photographer so I was able to hire her to take these amazing photos for us when Cashew was just a week old. Check her out HERE. I think they are to die for. And if I do say so myself I have some incredibly cute kids. You should probably all hire her. So come visit us and get some photos! Here are just a few of my favorites.

BOO!

Happy Halloween family and friends! Trunk or Treat brought us out this frightening evening and we couldn't help but share. Enjoy all the tricks and the treats and please, please dress up. I don't know how anyone can stand to pass up a holiday where costumes are involved.

Love,
The Circus

 The Ringmaster/Lion Tamer

The Lion

The clown

The Elephant

Look What I Made

...with a little help :)

I haven't done one of these posts in quite awhile. But thanks to my Mom, some very good friends, and the opportunity we have to own a home, I've been able to get my creative on. I'm in love with all of these recent projects. What do you think?

The second bedroom, Peanut's future room, the Peter Pan room, is 98% finished. My Mom helped me make this incredible tipi while she was here. I wanted one that fit in the room but that was big enough to fit at least three people for stories. All it needs now are some twinkle lights and pillows. As for the wall over the bed, I just need to make peter and friends permanent on the wall and then paint the Big Ben silhouette around the clock at the head of the bed. First star to the right and straight on till morning. I LOVE this room!

Mom also helped me make this pillow...ok so she ended up doing the whole thing here, but I watched attentively so I could make another when I find the time. I think I could re-create the piping. So I participated right? I made the cute baby if that counts for anything :).

As for the bar menu here, no I have not become a drinker, but I have become an official chalkboard artist. Some great friends of mine were hired to be wedding planners. So they in turn, kindly hired me to be the local chalkboard artist. I was in heaven sitting down to draw for a few hours. I haven't really done that for years. I think it turned out awesome...and yes it was all done free hand. 

Last but not least (for the time being), is the finished TV stand. The living room needed a pop of color and I am so pleased at the finished product. It was a tough choice between green and blue but as always, green won out in my little world. Excuse the diaper and mess in the corner. There are a lot of diapering supplies and extra miniature clothes littered around the house these days.

Hello Cashew!

He's here! No more whining or moping from me, beautiful baby #2 has arrived. Henry Winston joined our little family on Friday, at lunch time, weighing in at a whopping 8lbs 12.2oz. (yes folks, that is 2.8oz shy of being  two full pounds bigger than Peanut at birth). We are so happy and excited and have been enjoying every minute snuggling this happy little baby.

THE STORY
So here's how it when down. I slept terrible Thursday night, feeling like I had to pee every hour or so. I finally just went downstairs and read in the rocking chair until 2am, then finally fell asleep. When I woke up for the umpteenth time on Friday morning it was thanks to my first real contraction at 7am. From then on contractions were 3-5 minutes apart. So I told Rob to stay home from work to see what happened. We sat down, ate some breakfast and I started giving Rob the list of "honey-do's" in case we needed to leave for the hospital. We cleaned a bit and then I jumped in the shower. I was starting to really feel it at this point but could still talk through them (aka, dole out some orders to Rob and Peanut) so I figured it couldn't be that far along. Rob finally made us leave at 9:15am noting the fact I was almost doubling over. I guess I was in denial.

So off we went, dropping Peanut at our friends, and keys at another friends and then continued the 45 minute drive to the hospital. When we got there the front desk nurse had me sit down in the waiting room and then was like, "Are you here for a scheduled birth?". I said, "No, I'm just in regular labor." She exclaimed a big woops and told me I was smiling too much to be in labor and immediately sent me back to get a room. I was just excited to be having a baby! I then changed into a glamorous hospital gown and the midwife came in to check me. She looked up and shocked me with this news, "You are at an 8 or a 9 and the only thing keeping you from having the baby now is your water hasn't broken. And I'm surprised it hasn't already. Do you want me to break it and just have the baby right now?".

I totally chickened out and still wanted the epidural. So they rounded up everyone as quick as possible. Labor and delivery was super full that morning and I was one of the last ones to show up and was going to be the first to deliver. I received the most perfect spinal epidural, that acted fast and didn't completely numb me. I could feel Henry coming out but could barely tell I was having contractions...and an hour after he arrived I was even able to walk myself to the bathroom. Hallelujah.

After the epidural was in place, the midwife broke my water and out came Henry. I hadn't even missed a meal yet! Bless this child.  Rob cut the cord this time and was the expert photographer. We couldn't ask for a better support person! He knew exactly what to do. Looks like I need to listen better, and head to the hospital earlier next time so he doesn't have to deliver the baby in the car.

Well Cashew is perfect, if I'm allowed to say so! He is calm, snuggly and is a fabulous eater, other than the fact that he would like to eat all day if I would let him. And may I say, we are delighted that he came out the right gender this time. He looks completely different than little Peanut...who does not look little at all these days. I think we are so much more calm and ready this time around. I loved just sitting in the quiet of my hospital room snuggling with my new little boy. I feel completely blessed in every way to be able to have a family, and to have not one but two kids to bless our lives! They really make life complete.

On Saturday we had Peanut come to meet his new brother for the first time. He wanted NOTHING to do with the new baby. He wouldn't even look at him and the minute Rob took the baby, he crawled on my chest and almost started crying. I felt so bad for him but knew he'd come around. So we offered him a cookie and a cracker and that seemed to smooth things over. Food is important in this family :). 

So we are just having a ball. I want to give a big shout out to the great friends who have been so kind to visit and make meals, watch Peanut and surprise us with signs. How fun! A big big thank you! 

Check back sometime in the future for...Visits from Grandma and newborn/family photo shoot

Any Time

I have not been in the mood to blog. Sorry. I want to have a baby. Today though I have run out of things I am capable of doing as I am basically stuck sitting so I guess the time is now for an update. Why am I sitting you ask? I think I pulled a muscle somewhere in my pelvic region right where Cashew has wedged his beautiful little head. It was just about killing me last night and today so much so that I found myself crawling up the stairs to get Desmond out of bed, and lifting my leg up with my hands to get over the tub edge and into the shower. Rob even pushed me around Home Depot last night in a wheel chair. We were there instead of the fair. You know it's bad when I turn down an offer to go to the fair for family night. I have never turned down an opportunity to look at farm animals and eat funnel cakes. Yikes. I had to call a friend this morning to come play with Des while I just sat there on the couch and watched. I feel pathetic. I am so glad to know I have people to call that will do that for me though. Blessed. That is what I am.

So on a more pleasant note, we finally got a new camera. No more manta ray tank problems here. I bought a waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof, orange beauty, Fujifilm point and shoot. It sounded about as kid proof as I could possibly find in our price range. I'm excited to have one again, and just in the nick of time with my due date being Sunday. Here is the explanation of photos above:

1. Playing with the new camera.
2. Rob hard at work sealing the newly refinished T.V. stand.
3. Finished sign for Peanut's new Peter Pan bedroom.
4. The end is near!
5. Home made pumpkin spice doughnut holes. Mmm I love fall!
6. Blankie game. Thinks he's hilarious and puts it over his head then walks around until he runs into something.
7. He also thinks it's hilarious to put stickers all over his head, especially when Dad does it for him.
8. Peanut and his buddies ogling the giant beetle they found on our mommy exercise walk last Friday.

We are currently waiting! That is our purpose it seems, as I watch the four other women in my area and my aunt (who had the same due date as our little one) all have their babies a week early. Go figure. So until this blessed pulled muscle we've just been trying to stay productive. I continue to coach, walk, and try to keep the house in order.  Peanut has become the destroyer and keeps life interesting.  Rob continues to work hard at the office and at home. I've kept him busy with a long list of honey-do's, and he has indulged me in cleaning the house every night in case tonight is the night. He is a really great guy in so many ways. Again, blessed.

And to leave you all with another fun bit of imagery, I have also been blessed in that I have not swollen much at all until today, and now I am making up for so much lost time. I just looked down to figure out why my feet itched and were feeling hot and all of a sudden they are at least five times their normal size. Baby tonight?

What's in a name?

HENRY IAN CUSICK

As we have been narrowing down the name selection for little Cashew, these three have made the final round: Henry, Lucas and Ian. We have no strong particular meaning behind any of them except that we like how all three sound and that Peanut's only viable suggestion on the topic of naming his little brother has been something sounding like Ian (which followed after the suggestions of  "doggy" and "book").

So as a little back story, when naming Peanut, if you didn't already know, we may have been inspired, just a little bit, by the characters on the epic TV series, LOST. That said, this little nugget of joy is what has kept our family laughing all morning. Here is an email my sister in law just sent:

Hey Brother!

So it just occurred to me that if you name the new baby Henry or Ian, you will be continuing your theme! I don't know whether or not you realized this, but the actor who played Desmond on Lost is Henry Ian Cusick. Therefore, you should totally go with either Henry or Ian.

Also, Cusick was born in Peru and speaks fluent Spanish and has a Scottish accent (his mother is Peruvian and his father Scottish). Thus, he is awesome. He also appears to have a son named Lucas. So even that would b only one degree removed from the theme.

Well there you have it. Thank you Holly! I will second your motion that he is awesome. Just like our son is awesome. And we should continue to make sure that our next son is also awesome. We are feeling fully inspired now to move forward with our name choices.

This does not resemble obsessive behavior in any way, does it?

Where'd Everyone Go?

It's quiet around here. Katie's been with us since January and is now gone. Then, my brother joined us, and then left with my Katie. Rob's Sister and my nephew (I'm an aunt...that's still fun to say even though it's been a reality for almost a year now) also joined us for the last week and now everyone has vanished. I've become accustomed to much more noise chaos and a whole lot more bodies around the house. 

Now it's all over. Seems only appropriate that we should add another baby in the next few weeks.

Well we had a great time with everyone! Here's what we were up to...sightseeing (we learned that a BOB double stroller can fit on the Metro), swimming (the younger cousin enjoyed the water much more than the older cousin), walking through Harper's Ferry (discussing whether West Virginia was a suitable vacation spot), berry picking (so many berries means giant disgusting poopy diapers for days, a very cute messy monster face and delicious jam for the next few months), and cake making! We made Katie a good bye cake. It's a garden with mini carrots, lettuce, cabbage, spinach and tomatoes growing out of the crushed cookie, cocoa and brown sugar dirt. That sounds like the best kind of garden.

Growing

Is it really mid August? I am so far behind on this blogging thing. Everything around here is growing, especially me, and I can't keep up. This is an old picture. I am definitely 34 weeks right now but sorry, 32 is as close as I can get for the moment with phone pics.

More importantly Rob's resume is growing. He is the man of the hour. Last Saturday, Rob donned his very first pair of bike shorts (a major feat all on it's own) and a nervous-eager smile in order to compete in his first century ride. We dropped him off at 7:30am to start the grueling endeavor to conquer 103 miles and 7000 feet of climbing in the tree lined rolling hills of Boonsboro, MD. He had never ridden over 60 miles in any single ride before that so who knew what would transpire. As luck and will would have it, he finished the ride! I am so proud. I am even more proud that these words left his lips as he collapsed onto a bench to scarf down his post race food, "OK Anna, I'm ready for you to join me next year". He will do it again!

Let's continue the theme here. Peanut is growing...exponentially it seems. At his latest check up, he was 24.5 lbs (25%) and 35 in (97%). Where did this height come from?! The Mr. is the thin one in this bunch so I understand where he gets that. (The pediatrician also told me I was petite so that's probably where he gets it. Ha ha. Petite? Bless her. She will have my business forever.) To accompany this physical growth is a surge in the amount of difficult behavior. This is directly proportional to the shortening of the length of my fuse of patience. Anyone have any exciting discipline tricks up their sleeves? 

This hard behavior in conjunction with my limited ability to bend over is in turn is growing the list of things we need to buy for the house, in order to keep things out of sight for the little man and his upcoming little brother. I am also wishing we could grow a cash tree somewhere. I am currently working on sanding and painting this $15 yard sale beauty of a buffet/dresser, so we have some more storage space in the living room.  The right paint color is still eluding me. I will keep you posted.

Speaking of growing trees, we have some things growing beautifully in the backyard: tomatoes, flowers, rhubarb, green onions, basil, cilantro. If only there weren't so many green tomatoes in the compost bin thanks to Peanut's eagerness to help.