tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77290121669404547562024-02-21T01:20:39.665-05:00We Don't ChooseNone of us picks the life into which we are born, but sooner or later, we all pick a path. Here's mine.Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.comBlogger96125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-53712666144348024862015-03-20T00:19:00.004-04:002015-03-20T00:21:15.531-04:00Turning Two . . . and ThreeHow is it that the last two month of pregnancy seem to drag on forever, but the first two years after they are born seem to fly by? I will never understand that, but I know I am always left wishing that I had taken more pictures, more videos, written down more details, blogged more. Oh well, I guess we don't enjoy life any less, but taking that time to reflect on the details of day-to-day life somehow just seems to let you savor it a little more.<br />
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As the youngest of five, Eliana has grown up really fast. She is very independent, and don't ever try to tell the youngest from a large family they can't do something. You will get a lot of lip and a lot of attitude. She has plenty of that. James and I always comment how she and Darwin are so similar in their personalities. I don't think it's an accident because when you are the youngest in a large family, you have to fight for every bit of your independence. In many ways, that's a great thing, but in some ways, it's not so great..<br />
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Whenever we are at a restaurant, we are never quite sure how far away we are from our next screaming protest. That's how Eliana tells us she does or doesn't want something. We continue to insist that she not scream for things she wants, but her brothers and sisters keep reinforcing the opposite at home. At home, she learns that the louder and faster she screams, the sooner she gets what she wants. We haven't been very successful at unlearning lessons learned at home. <br />
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We are still working on the anger management with Darwin. He still thinks if he wants to get his way with his brothers or sisters, the best way to do that is to just hit somebody. Again, they keep reinforcing that because as soon as they realize he is going to hit them, they get out of his way. He's a pretty scary little guy when he's angry. I'm sure it's frustrating when your whole life you've had not 1 or 2 people trying to tell you what to do, rather 5 or 6 people doing that. I guess I kind of understand their frustration, but it doesn't make it any easier to work through this issue as a parent.<br />
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Bedtime also continues to be a bit of a struggle. Eliana has been less than willing to wean, but she has just recently started coming around about sleeping in her bed all night. I know a lot of parents would just put the kid in the crib and be done with it, but I'm okay with co-sleeping. We've done that with all of our kids, and they are able to go to bed on their own without any major issues. At this point, I try to just cherish it.<br />
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<i>Portion above was originally drafted in July 2013 but I'm publishing it now with some 2015 updates.</i><br />
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It's been now more than a year and a half since I started drafting this post, and it really just reinforces my original point that time passes so quickly when you have little kids. We've not only celebrated Eli's 2nd birthday but her 3rd birthday also. If you can't tell, her dad takes WAY better pictures than I do thankfully.<br />
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This year my "little one", as she likes to call herself, is turning four. She is sassy and loud as ever, and it's still hard to believe she's "the baby". We affectionately like to call her our "frat brother" because she's crass and uninhibited. For a while, she was punctuating her sentences with fart noises and shouting fake expletives at others for no reason. In short, we're having a great time raising our little lady. She's coming up on four, and I can only imagine what our future holds. We are lucky to have you, Eli!</div>
Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-33816158786302937282015-01-04T02:03:00.002-05:002015-01-04T02:03:36.957-05:00Herd of ChildrenWe have five kids. To us, it doesn't feel like "too many" because this is just our life. However, sometimes I am reminded, like tonight, that having five kids seems like an unmanageable or undesirable amount of children to some. Recently, at a a Christmas school function, a parent of one of the kids' classmates referred to them as our "herd of children". I smiled and responded that it's not that different than having three, like them. Jokingly, he responded that he would take my word for it.<br />
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With our youngest now over 3, I find it amusing that some people still wonder how we (and other big families) do it.<br />
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Like most parents, I cannot imagine life without any one of my kids. Yet, I know some parents will cringe at the thought of caring for any more kids than they already have. Despite compelling evidence to the contrary, most of us are fairly set in our opinions of how many children we want. Therefore, I share with you my thoughts on my favorite 10 things (no particular order) about having a big family, not because I think it will persuade anyone that having lots of kids is better than they thought. Rather, to share my perspective on why some of us are "crazy" enough to love having a big family.<br />
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10. Love truly multiplies. I did have some doubts early on whether there would be enough of me to be able to love all my kids how I wanted to love them. The moment the twins were born, I knew I was foolish for thinking that way. I didn't just love them. My understanding of love grew.<br />
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9. They love, help, and inspire each other in unexpected ways. From helping each other with breakfast before mom and dad get out of bed to learning to give a meaningful apology, their emotional intelligence is amazing.<br />
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8. There's always a party at your house, er, our house.<br />
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7. It's a lot easier to get most labor-intensive tasks done with 5 little helpers. They need a lot more direction than adult helpers, but they love to clean baseboards, walls, and windows, which most adults hate to do.<br />
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6. Nothing else in life seems as challenging as raising a large family. Really, it's not as difficult as some may think, but it definitely makes my "day job" seem easy by comparison.<br />
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5. I love to be busy, yes, insanely busy. At the end of each week, we've probably averaged 15-20 extra-curricular events, as well as the day-to-day madness of getting ready for school and work and attending any family or school events we might have.<br />
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4. I am humbled to be surrounded by a house full of little people way more amazing than I ever was. I love to watch as our kids develop their talents and skills, and I see so much promise in them that I hope I am lucky enough to watch them grow into adults.<br />
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3. Every outing, even simple ones, can really be an adventure. Some days it's exhausting. Many times, it's fun, challenging, and some time even exhilarating.<br />
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2. Someone is always ready to spend time with you, no matter what you're doing. Some days I'm just excited to think about how the kids will react when I tell them what I plan on doing that day. Many/most things are new experiences to them, and I love to be the one to introduce them to the world.<br />
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1. It will never get old and never be less amazing to hold your tiny newborn and feel the hope and power of the miracle in front of you.<br />
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I'm sure it does not sound any more appealing to some, maybe most. Either way, it doesn't really matter. We're the ones living it, and we love it!<br />
<br />Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-78774597023785954222014-12-05T23:55:00.000-05:002014-12-05T23:55:28.978-05:00Jameson 1, Bully 0Every parent has a slightly different take on all the responsibilities of raising children. For James and me, we think part of our job is finding a balance between raising children that are kind and compassionate but also know how to defend themselves. The story Jameson came home to share with us put me at ease a bit that at least he's going to stick up for himself.<br />
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Jameson loves to read, and he is often reading while waiting in the car rider line. On this particular day, he found himself a comfy place on a bench and began reading. Here is the story as relayed by Jameson:<br />
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Jameson [minding his own business sitting on a bench]<br />
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Bully [stares down at Jameson waiting for him to move]: Get out of my seat.<br />
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Jameson: No, I was here first. You can't just tell me to move because you're bigger.<br />
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Bully [speechless, likely not sure how to respond to confident 1st grader he can't push around]<br />
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The bully walks away and doesn't bother Jameson again. <br />
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Yup - that's it. Nothing major, no major battle just a 1st grade version of "don't f@$k with me, kid". That's my little guy. Keep sticking up for the little guys, Jameson!<br />
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<i>This post was originally written when Jameson was in 1st grade and never posted it. I finally had the urge to blog again, and he's a big 3rd grader now. Hopefully, he's still looking out for the little guys.</i>Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-2964663000240701922014-09-28T23:46:00.001-04:002014-09-28T23:46:51.558-04:00Bedtime is Mom TimeI have a very demanding work schedule, so I often find myself up at 2 or 3 in the morning finishing up work that I should have finished that day or that needs to be ready that morning. Late nights mean I don't always get up in time to see the kids off on the bus. Thankfully, I can count on our kids and James to get everything together in the morning so everyone gets on the bus.<br />
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They go to school. I go to work. James and Eliana spend some "just us" time together and after rushing everyone around to after school activities, feeding everyone dinner, showering and brushing teeth, it's finally time settle down for the night. This is probably my favorite time of day because I get to do the one thing I don't get to do during the day - spend time with my kids.<br />
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Like most kids, our kids LOVE bedtime books. The best part is that I LOVE reading them. I love to have their full attention while they are learning something new. I love to watch their faces light up when something unexpected happens. I love to hear them giggle when we find a book that's really funny. I see it as an adventure we take together because I don't always read the book before I share it with them. Sometimes it's poorly written or boring (small risk I'm willing to take), but we usually get <i>something</i> out of every book we read.<br />
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It's not unusual for us to spend a half-hour reading bedtime books, and some nights we spend up to an hour. Tonight, we had one of those nights. I made a spur of the moment decision that we should start doing math and reading flashcards for just a few minutes each night to see how they improve over the next few weeks (more on that in a few weeks perhaps), and we were having so much fun that bedtime books were more of an afterthought. We did finally start reading and we only had time for 2 books tonight. We picked these two:<br />
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We enjoyed both books, but <i>Oscar and the Frog</i> did seem to pique their interest more. They all love science, and it's all about how living things grow. The book ends with the question 'Oscar thinks growing is great! Do you think so, too?'. Right away, Jameson chimed in with "No!". Truman was my most surprising response with, "I don't want to leave Mom and Dad!". Thank goodness you're young because Mom and Dad aren't ready for that either, buddy. In the mean time, I'm trying to soak it all in, and Mom will keep doing bedtime books as long as they'll let me.<br />
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<br />Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-11328705051831432582013-01-16T23:40:00.002-05:002013-01-16T23:46:14.104-05:00The Freaks Come Out At NightI used to be a sound sleeper . . . used to be. That all ended once we had children. I thought it was bad enough that our kids wake us up several times each night for whatever dumb reason - nightmares, water requests, "I want daddy!", etc.<br />
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Well, I was wrong. Now, somehow we need to be able to "watch" the children when we're sleeping.<br />
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Last night, I woke up (as I do every night right now) to run to the bathroom, then I went downstairs for something to drink. When I came back upstairs and sat down in bed, I noticed 2 of Darwin's bedtime companions at the foot of the bed. I thought it was odd because I was certain they were not there when we went to bed. I spend pretty much all day holed up in my bed right now, so I would have noticed if they were sitting there before bedtime or if he brought them earlier.<br />
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I recalled an incident from earlier in the night. First thing in the morning, I am used to waking up to Darwin closing his bedroom door as he gets himself out of his crib and heads to our room. The sound of the door always wakes me up. Last night, I was asleep, and I recall hearing a door close, but I was so tired I wasn't sure if it was a dream or if it had really happened. I asked James to check, but I fell asleep before I made sure he followed up. When I woke up and found Darwin's things in our bed, I was afraid that he slipped out of his bed, brought us his babies, and ended up somewhere other than his bed.<br />
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When I told James what I was worried about, he went to check on him. Luckily, he was in bed, but I couldn't help but worry and wonder if he had, in fact, gotten out of bed in the middle of the night. If so, how do I keep the kid out of trouble while I'm sleeping?<br />
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Tonight, I was doing some work in bed, and I decided to go downstairs to get something to drink. We generally leave the hallway and stairwell lights off at night. I approached the top of the stairs with a dirty cup in my hand, and I reached for the handrail. [This minor detail made all the difference in what happened next]. I started to step on the first step and felt like I was setting my foot on a small, warm dog. I froze and yelled for James as I save myself from falling down the stairs with the handrail I luckily decided to use.<br />
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With the crisis averted, I realize that the "dog" on the stairs was actually Amelia. She wakes up multiple times each night, and tonight she decided to lay down on the 1st stair at the top of the stairs, dangerously out of view from her very pregnant mom in a dark hallway. (Note to self: Always check stairs for sleeping children before walking, especially when pregnant). As her dad takes her back to bed, I think 'I could have just killed Amelia, Baby Tiny, and me if I had not been holding the handrail'. I shake my head that I have actually just had that thought.<br />
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As they all lie in bed sleeping (for now), I wonder what our next waking incident is going to be. Hopefully, this is all just a phase because James and I might lose it if we have to put up with the nighttime crazies for too much longer.<br />
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<i>Originally drafted in Fall of 2011 . . . finally published on post date</i><br />
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<br />Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-15860081593782665682012-06-17T12:57:00.000-04:002012-06-17T12:57:22.548-04:00To James on Father's Day 2012This year for Father's Day I decided I would do something you've been bugging me to do for a while - blog! <br />
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With all the kids running around like crazy, it's hard to get anything written, so I decided I would take a short video of each of the kids telling me what they love best about you. They turned out better than expected. You never know what the kids are going to say or do.
I'm happy I was able to give you some one-on-one time with each of them again this year. I know they love doing all the creative things you plan to do with them. Happy Father's Day! You are a fantastic dad, and they are SO LUCKY to have you.
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This is Take 2 for Jameson. He struggled with this request, and he felt bad afterward saying, "I can't think of anything nice to say."
I'll post t Take 1
if I can get YouTube to cooperate.
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For Truman, this was very simple.
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Darwin was still musing about his outing with Dad on Friday.
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Eliana was not interested in cooperating. I thought I'd catch her saying "Dad", but
she just wanted to steal Darwin's hat. Either way, I thought she should participate.
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Oh yeah, one more thing . . .
Thanks for watching the kids last night, so I could get out to the concert. It was awesome! Say what you will about Lindsey Buckingham, but what a amazing talent. Here's a sample of what you missed.
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bLTz3zc4il8?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-87355370133733648602011-10-09T22:55:00.016-04:002011-12-05T02:36:40.859-05:00A Letter to James on our 7thAs I think back on the events of the last year, I can't help but tear up (yeah, the baby blues might have something to do with it). We celebrate another anniversary as we welcome our 5th miracle into this world. I have to mourn the passing of our "family building" years as I welcome a year we have already decided should be, at least in part, dedicated to reclaiming our own physical fitness. As I look back thankfully on 7 wonderful years, I am also saddened by the thought of how fast they have passed. Our first 4 babies are babies no more, and I know it won't be long before Baby Tiny is talking and walking.<br /><br />This year has been filled with lows like my grandfather's passing and having to skip my sister's wedding and highs like welcoming baby Eliana, watching our children enjoying life's simple pleasures, and actually spending a night away from all of them to celebrate our anniversary.<br /><br />At the end of this emotional rollercoaster of pregnancy, I look back thankfully that I've had you to lean on throughout the last 7 years. With each year that passes, you've shown me all the reasons why I've grown to love you more today than I did the day we got married. I know what Amelia means when she says she wishes she could marry you too. It's that she cannot imagine a greater man than her Daddy. Her world may still be small, but I have to agree with her that I cannot imagine a better husband or father. She is wise beyond her years.<br /><br />With 7 years behind us, I look forward to what our future may hold. Of course, I pray that includes many more happy, healthy years raising our family. I mentioned the other night that I found the words of Steve Jobs about having kids ("It's 10,000 times better than anything I've ever done.")really struck a chord. I've always felt that family is the most important thing in life, so that is no revelation. Rather, I think the perspective his statement offers, that someone as accomplished as Steve Jobs looks back at life, with the end in sight, and decides that having kids was his greatest achievement is so revealing. Like Jobs, I don't want to look back at life and have any regrets about how I was or wasn't there for our family. Being the workaholic I am, I expect you to keep me in check.<br /><br />I can't imagine having shared the amazing journey of the last 7 years with anyone else. Fresh in my mind are the memories of our wedding, traveling in Hawaii as newlyweds, finding out we were pregnant with Jameson, watching you sleep with each of our babies on your chest, bringing Truman and Amelia home from the hospital to meet Jameson, laughing at the surprise of Darwin's birth when we realized he was a boy, and our shock when we realized we were pregnant with Eliana. These memories just skim the surface of our years together, but they remind me how blessed we have been. My hopes for our future are simple: health and happiness for our family and time to watch our children grow and build their own families. When you think about it, it's all that really matters, and I'm lucky to share it with you.Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-64813289863277621482011-08-11T23:24:00.000-04:002011-08-11T23:24:00.295-04:00Let Me Take a Deep Breath . . .It's been a while, and the unfinished drafts are piling up.<br /><br />I have been a busy mom in the last several months, focusing all my time on work, family, and household work. Needless to say, my blogging has fallen by the wayside. I have 18 unposted drafts because I have started so many that I have been unable or unwilling to finish that I keep thinking I'm going to have time to finish. Maybe this one will finally make it.<br /><br />Our kids have grown so fast and so much has happened that I don't even know where to start. With each new baby, I have done a progressively worse job of writing and recording memories from their childhoods. There is still plenty of time, but it still makes me sad knowing how fast that first year goes. That being said, little Darwin is almost ready to turn 2, and I probably have less than half the number of posts for him than I did for the first three kids. Funny how we grow to understand what our own parents went through as each subsequent child has fewer pictures and keepsakes.<br /><br />One funny thing about our littlest guy (for now): he's a singing machine. He loves music, learning new songs, and best of all, singing them at the top of his lungs. Yes, most kids love to sing, but how many can really carry a tune? Darwin is unique amongst our kids for this quality. He not only has good pitch, but he also pays attention to the timing and the other details in songs. His favorite sing along: MJ's "Beat It". I don't expect him to be the next Andrea Bocelli, but it's one thing I want to remember about him as a baby. One of these days we're going to remember to tape him.<br /><br />He's also talking up a storm now, repeating anything and everything he hears. He likes to tell the kids what to do, what not to do, and if they make him mad, he's not afraid to fight back. He's a bit of a screamer, but we're working on that. He's an easy baby in so many ways that his difficult habits seem small by comparison.<br /><br />He likes to wake up and say "Good Morning!" to Baby Tiny by pulling up my shirt and smacking my belly. He always remembers to tell me he loves me when I leave for work in the morning, which always melts me. I know one day he'll stop, so I'll cherish it while it lasts.<br /><br />I think to date, he's our easiest bedtime baby, or he's a close 2nd to Truman. He's not always immediately willing, but he never puts up much of a fight. He has a stuffed frog that plays music, whom he affectionately calls "Grog", and a teddy bear, known as "Baby Bear". They're his morning buddies as Mom & Dad struggle with mornings earlier than 7:30 a.m.<br /><br />There's no doubt that he's in a big hurry to grow up, so I'm clinging to the end of his babyhood. I guess with Baby Tiny on her way, he's going to have to get used to being the big brother. I'm looking forward to introducing them, so hopefully, Baby Tiny and I make it safely through pregnancy and delivery. I'm sure he'll make a great big brother. He has 3 great models. <br />(originally drafted 6/6/2011)Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-83152562986183662032011-01-26T00:56:00.003-05:002011-01-26T01:31:44.508-05:00Bedtime OutburstTruman is generally our best behaved kid when it comes to bedtime. Dinner ends, and he might play for a bit, but he is usually asking to "do all the things". That means that he wants to do everything to get ready for bed (brush teeth, read books, maybe the occasional video game), and he is generally willing to go to bed shortly afterward.<br /><br />Tonight, James was taking Amelia to a basketball game, so it was just me and the boys. Shortly after dinner, Truman was already asking to "do all the things", so James offered to put him in bed before he left. He put him in bed, left, and I stayed with Jameson and Darwin downstairs.<br /><br />About 30 minutes later, as I am preparing to take Jameson upstairs to bed, Truman pokes his face through the 2nd floor stair rails and yells, "bring me downstairs!". I am surprised to see that he's still awake, but I try to reassure him that I am on my way upstairs to bring Jameson to bed. He breaks down, falls into a fetal position, and starts crying. I pick him up, and I tell him that if he lays down, I will get him a drink.<br /><br />As Jameson brushes his teeth, and I return with a drink for Truman, which seems to satisfy him for the moment. For a few brief minutes, everyone is at peace as we lay down to read a couple of books. Then, I declare it's bedtime.<br /><br />Everyone is quiet as I lay down with Jameson for a few minutes. Truman begins grumbling that he doesn't want to go to sleep, but I am so tired I am fading in and out of sleep. A few minutes later, I wake up to more Truman grumbling, except he is escalating it now to yelling and threats, fairly out of character for him.<br /><br />I ignore him at first, just listening to what he's saying. I wanted to be mad because it's late, and I still have to get Darwin to sleep. Then I really started listening to what he was saying, and I wanted to laugh.<br /><br />In his angry stream of demands and threats, he orders that I "say something to [him], don't say something to [him]". I think that's his way of telling me not to talk to him. He demands the same about 20 times. When I don't respond, he begins to bang on the sides of the crib. (Yes, he's still in a crib due to our temporary living arrangements). I can tell that he likes the loudness of his foot banging on the wood panels. He bangs harder. Then he begins to throw out his threats, "I'm gonna break this bed!", and I can't help but giggle to myself.<br /><br />"I'm gonna break this bed and then we don't have a bed!" I am still laughing on the inside, but I tell him to cut it out, and that it's time to go to sleep. He grumbles more threats under his breath, and I tell him I am going downstairs to get Darwin.<br /><br />When I return with Darwin, Truman is still awake and continuing with his complaints and threats. I turn on the bedtime music, and this finally seems to settle him down. He is asleep before I can get Darwin to sleep, and I laugh as I remembered his angry little threats and how far we've come from the calm, quiet, agreeable Truman of days long passed.Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-51967928714374295742010-10-08T03:23:00.002-04:002010-10-08T03:24:04.698-04:00What the Kids Are Saying(originally drafted 7/27/2010 and revised 10/8/2010)<br /><br />Every day James and I laugh about something one of the kids said. Here's some of my recent favorites.<br /><br /><br />"What the mess?" - Amelia's favorite expression of surprise<br /><br /><br />"What the, what the, what the" - Truman's version<br /><br /><br />"Ba, if you want to see your babies more, then only go to the casino at night" - Jameson's words of advice to my mom<br /><br /><br />"No, no, no" - Darwin's late night complaint when he doesn't get his way<br /><br /><br />"Brefticks" - Jameson's word for 'breakfast'<br /><br /><br />"Hoolie - go to work" - Amelia's warm way of saying 'good-bye' when I leave for work.<br /><br /><br />"You got to turn off the vireless?" - Truman's austrian pronunciation of "wireless"<br /><br />"milk and honey and cheerios and blananas" - Truman's all-time favorite food<br /><br />"blputer" - Truman's new favorite diversion, the computer<br /><br /><br />"Pongebob Quarepants" - Amelia's favorite cartoon<br /><br /><br />"Let me have the puzzle phone." - Truman's name for the iPhone<br /><br /><br />"Anybody help me!" - Truman's way of declaring that he needs help<br /><br />"auntdat" - Darwin's way of telling you he wants something<br /><br /><p>I could go on here, but if I do, I'll never get this posted. I'm already way behind on my posting, so no sense in delaying it any more.<br /><br /></p>Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-49557932530689811102010-08-24T01:26:00.010-04:002010-08-24T16:56:06.481-04:00Baby D Turns OneOne year ago today, you woke me up with a sharp kick to the stomach. You hit me so hard, that I got up to go to the bathroom, and I realized what was happening. You hadn't just kicked me. You broke my water.<br /><br /><br />I woke up Dad at about 4:30 a.m., and he called your grandma who was ready to come take care of Jameson, Truman, and Amelia. We rushed off to the hospital, excited because we knew you were coming. We checked in, and labor progressed painfully quickly. By 7 or 8, I was begging for an epidural, and the doctor showed up not long after.<br /><br /><br />A few hours later, you were ready to meet the world, and you were out in no time. Moments after you were born, I found out that you were a boy. I was a little surprised since I was convinced you were a girl. Either way, you were perfect, and I could not wait to bring you home to meet your brothers and sister.<br /><br /><br />We spent the next two days holding you, staring at you, and trying to pick your name. We knew right away that you were going to be such a good baby. You have not disappointed.<br /><br /><br />I knew you would be smothered in love from day one, and I knew I was right when everyone was far more excited to see you than Mom and Dad when we came home from the hospital. Every morning, JJ still wakes up to see if his little Darwinky is up yet. Truman and Amelia rush to Mom and Dad's bed when they wake up for a chance to be close to you and talk to you.<br /><br />You are so anxious to be one of the big kids, and Mom is happy to keep you as a baby for as long as possible. Now I know why parents spoil the baby. I feel lucky to be your mom, and I can't wait to learn more about the little boy you are becoming. Before I know it, you'll be off to school (like JJ), anxious to do whatever JJ, Truman, and Amelia are doing.<br /><br />Today, I just wanted to take a moment to remember how excited I was a year ago today to know that I would finally get to meet you. You have made it easy to be your mom, and you charm me every day with you big dimples, coy smiles, and happy demeanor.<br /><br />Happy 1st Birthday, Baby Darwin!Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-85805992407699768642010-07-06T09:26:00.001-04:002010-07-07T02:24:33.653-04:00So What If It's Not Father's DayAfter a long blogging hiatus, I needed something like Father's Day to pull me out of my rut. Sadly, I missed the actual date, but I am still compelled to write my "Father's Day" post. After all, there's no reason we can't celebrate Father's Day any day of the year.<br /><br />In this household, I am the one that fails to plan for birthdays, anniversaries, or any other special occasion. James is far better in this department, and the kids know it. Apparently, Father's Day deserves more hype than I planned. Jameson told me on Saturday (our chosen day to celebrate) that 'Dad gets to sleep late and eat breakfast in bed'. I told him that we were making cards, and he told me, "We have to make more plans than that". Like I said, I usually fall short in special event planning. Jameson was right. Our family owes James more than that, but James was happy to sleep in until 10:30 and eat a cold bacon, egg, & cheese biscuit in bed. The beauty of men is that they are simple creatures.<br /><br /><br /><p></p><br />Well, I might have missed the actual day, but that does not make <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">James's</span> role in our family any less special any other day. Every day I come home to happy, healthy children (and maybe a cooked dinner) is another day I am thankful for everything he does for us. I know the children concur.<br /><br />They each have their special bond with their dad, and it's always cute, sometimes even funny, to see it in action. For instance, one of Amelia's favorite rituals is to ask to hold his finger whenever we're in the car. Yes, it sounds ridiculous, and it is, but it's still kind of cute. I am not sure how this strange request ever came up, but I am sure one day she will laugh when I tell her that story.<br /><br />Jameson's favorite pastime with Dad is definitely video games, specifically Mario Galaxy (or the more recently released Mario Galaxy 2). Strangely, Jameson doesn't even care to play so much as he does to WATCH James play. I'm not sure why or how it works, but Jameson loves to have some video game time with dad.<br /><br />Truman's favorite time with Dad is just about any one-on-one time he can get. Truman is so good at independent play and is so low-maintenance (usually) that it's easy to just let him do his thing. He's happy to play on his own, but he loves it when James roughhouses with him. He will squeal in delight and his legs buckle when he's laughing hard, startled, or excited. Truman loves to curl up on the couch with Dad, his cup of milk, and a good cartoon.<br /><br />Darwin is the latest addition to this rowdy bunch. He's no longer happy to sit back and watch all the fun, so he is demanding to get down and do what the other kids are doing. Like all those before him, Darwin is a big fan of Dad. I know James was happy to finally have one of our kids say "da da" before "ma ma".<br /><br />Okay, so I'm a bit late with my "Father's Day" post, but is there ever really a bad time to say thanks, James, for being without question the best dad and husband possible? I don't think so.Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-78910533049741055922010-03-03T23:29:00.004-05:002010-03-03T23:38:26.789-05:00What cakes?It looks like we might actually be selling our house. We even have a closing scheduled at the end of the month, so at the risk of jinxing our potential sale, I bought our neighbors a gift. On my way home from work tonight, I stopped at a cake bakery, and I picked up a box of delicious cupcakes. We have one set of great neighbors. You know - the kind who mow our grass, snow blow our driveway, and cook for us after we have another baby. Anyway, they're great, and we will miss them. A box of cupcakes is just a small gesture.<br /><br />Well, I couldn't go and buy cupcakes for our neighbors and not bring some home for our kids. I brought them cupcakes too, and I got them a few "cookie monsters". After dinner I handed out the cookies monsters, and Truman, as usual, devoured his. A short while later, after running about 30 or so races from the front door to the couch, Truman decides he wants to eat again. He says he wants more "cookie monter". "Sorry, Truman, but Mom just has cupcakes", I tell him. With his cute as always "Yup", he agrees, he wants "buttcakes". "Yup, buttcakes"!Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-43646008966113641232010-01-20T20:09:00.008-05:002010-08-15T05:21:21.374-04:00The Roof Came Alive by JamesonI have so many posts that have only really made it to draft form <span style="font-size:78%;">(15 to be exact)</span> and for one reason or another I see them later and I am compelled to post them. I love this one inspired by a story from Jameson.<br /><br /><em>The Roof Came Alive by Jameson<br /><br />Once there was a little boy who had a tiny little brother, and all his little brother liked to do was suck on his hands. So the little boy was very lonely and he wanted a friend. The mouse magician knew the little boy wanted a friend, so he did some magic one day and the roof came alive! Now the little boy had a friend.</em> <span style="font-size:78%;">(originally drafted 1/20/2010)</span><br /><br />He told this story shortly after Darwin was born when he was too little to do much but suck on his hands. It was one of those stories that kids come up with on the fly, but I love the "mouse magician" he pulled out of nowhere. I laughed as I re-read it, and I thought at least James would get a kick out of it.Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-31717373378240063152010-01-20T00:00:00.005-05:002010-01-20T00:13:49.703-05:00Thank You, Massachusetts!I believe in checks and balances, and a super majority is super sucky! That's all I have to say tonight. Well, not really, but this is a family blog. <br /><br />On a far more important subject, say a prayer for the Haiti earthquake victims, and consider yourself blessed.Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-75451863662578572142009-12-31T15:24:00.018-05:002010-01-09T23:07:50.779-05:002009 in ReviewI told James last night that I was resolved to blog at least one more time before the end of 2009. Let see if I make it. . . . Nope, I failed but here goes anyway<br /><br />This year we. . .<br /><br />. . . saw the twins turn 2, and we had a small (immediate family only) party at home. I figured that we'll have many future birthday parties with children and guests overrunning the house, so we opted for low-key this year. Happy Birthday, my twinkies! I owe both of you two blogs or letters since I have missed writing to you both years. (video to come)<br /><br />. . .celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary, and I can hardly believe that here we are 5 years later with 4 kids. I love it when people ask 'how do you do it?'. I always think 'I don't know.', and I'm pretty sure that most parents with lots of little ones think the same thing. It's all happening so fast, you barely have time to think about it happening. One thing is certain though. We make a good team when we're not driving each other crazy, and that's really important with small kids. They count on us to hold this thing together, and so far, I think we're doing pretty well.<br /><br />. . .pulled Jameson out of school. I really regretted having to pull Jameson out of school, but daycare is ridiculously expensive for a single-earner household. I do not miss the virus of the week he would bring home, but we're still getting more than our fair share of "sickies". He is very anxious to get back to school, and I know he misses his friends.<br /><br />. . .had James quit his job and stay home with the kids. This was probably the single best decision we made all year. We didn't have to think too long and hard about this one. It just made sense. Even though I tease him about being my housewife, he really does a great job with the kids.<br /><br />. . . watched how our daughter had turned from infant into little lady. She is 2 going on 12, already rebelling and telling me "Stop it, Mama!". She's like a little parrot, happy to repeat everything we say. Almost from the time she was a newborn, she has had this knowing smile that says 'yeah, I know what's up'. She thinks she's part of every joke, happy to feign laughter as if she's in on it. She wakes up in the mornings telling us that we need to "change Maya" and that "Buddy's stinky" (Buddy is, of course, Truman). Here's a short video of spunky, little Maya.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ih_j3QL71Os&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ih_j3QL71Os&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />. . . found out that even Truman will have the 'terrible twos'. Truman was such an easy baby in most regards. He went to bed easily. He ate whatever you gave him. He would sit happily. He would play happily. Well, unfortunately, even though he was an easy baby, it appears even he will go through the rebellious, tantrum-ridden twos. Now, he enjoys throwing everything in sight, biting you if you make him mad, picking fights with JJ, and bullying Amelia. He can be the sweetest, most sensitive little boy one second, but, look out, 'cause he's got a mean streak. That's okay by me though because I think everybody needs a little edge. Here's a little Truman craziness.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9sWHJB1k908&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9sWHJB1k908&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />. . . <a href="http://fallofjames.blogspot.com/2009/08/ladies-and-gentlemen-please-welcome.html">welcomed Darwin into the world</a>! Despite thinking we would have at least a 3 year break before having any more children, we found out that we could not have planned things any better. Darwin is precious and such a good baby. He is cooing like crazy, and I can already tell he's going to be a talker like JJ and Maya. I love curling up next to my little guy at night, and I am relishing the baby stage. Jameson has enjoyed Darwin since he is now fully aware of all the big brother responsibilities and privileges. Here's a video of Jameson's favorite morning activity.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/m7o-TJRIAyo&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/m7o-TJRIAyo&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />. . . <a href="http://fallofjames.blogspot.com/2009/11/sexy-time.html">actually went out on Halloween</a>, and James remembered that he's no longer 20. It took a long drive home and an early wake-up call from the twins for it to really sink it, but I'm pretty sure he's got it now.<br /><br />. . . hosted James's family Christmas at our house. James's mom asked, and I wasn't sure how it would work out, but we had a great time. It was nice to get to spend some time with adults since we were able to put the kids to bed then spend some time talking and playing games.<br /><br />. . . James finally saw Footloose and the warehouse dancing scene. We saw Hot Rod earlier this year, and I told him he couldn't really appreciate the dancing scene in Hot Rod without having seen the original. I also told him that you can't consider yourself a movie fan if you've never seen Footloose.<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/FsCO-YkDgnY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/FsCO-YkDgnY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/Q0_dWQUPSX8&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/Q0_dWQUPSX8&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />I know we had a lot more going on that I could ever blog about, but these are some of the highlights. I wish I could capture every moment, and some days I wish my kids weren't growing up so fast. I can hardly believe another year has come to a close, and time just seems to keep accelerating. I remember when I was a kid a year felt like an eternity. Now, a year seems to pass me by before I get to everything I want or need to do. I'm hoping, wishing, and praying for a happy and healthy 2010 for all our friends and loved ones.Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-25847233223100257612009-11-19T01:58:00.003-05:002009-11-19T02:49:43.492-05:00TurdtastropheYup, pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Good times - they went something like this<br /><br />This weekend after feeding the twins lunch, Amelia tells me she's "poopy". I pull her out of the high chair and start to move her toward the floor, when I realize that she hasn't spilled juice or chocolate milk all over her pants. 'Great' I think to myself, and we head upstairs for a bath. I got her all cleaned up, and we headed downstairs thinking that was the last of the messes to clean up.<br /><br />I set her down, and notice the kitchen and sunroom smell funny. I look at Truman and notice he has a toy and what appears to be poop smeared all over it. "James!" I say in disbelief, "There's poop all over the place!". James scoops up Truman and heads to the bath. I survey the damage.<br /><br />In no less than 2 minutes, Truman managed to poop on the floor, smear it all over his toys, step in it, and leave about 40 poopy footprints all over our area rug. We had a showing scheduled for the house the following day, and I decided that the only way to take care of this mess quickly and decisively is to roll up the area rug and throw it out. That's exactly what we did, and even though we're down an area rug, I don't regret it one bit.<br /><br />I know Truman didn't feel bad about this one. Somehow he managed to keep a clean diaper, and his pants were still on. I know he was thinking 'You guys think you're so smart with your backwards pj's. I'll show you.' He's like the poop Houdini.Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-56229899078610685122009-10-28T13:55:00.004-04:002009-10-28T14:00:33.692-04:00Really, I'm WorkingSo I'm sitting at my desk doing work right now, and this song from our iTunes collection comes on<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pY8jaGs7xJ0&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pY8jaGs7xJ0&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />It's hard to focus or take anything seriously with this type of music in the background, but these guys are funny. I have a Go To Meeting - gotta runHooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-59976375739800660822009-10-14T23:47:00.003-04:002009-10-15T00:01:43.068-04:00Other Parents' StrugglesSometimes as a parent it's reassuring to hear about other parents' struggles because you feel like at least there's other people out there who know the ups and downs of parenthood. Every parent struggles with different things, and we all have our work cut out for us. Every now and then, you hear about someone else's parenting woes, and it makes you glad that you're not in their shoes.<br /><br />James told me his cousin had started a blog, and I went over there to check it out tonight. I read <a href="http://doubletrouble47.blogspot.com/2009/10/innocent-i-think-not.html">this story</a> and thought it was hilarious. Sorry Tarah, I don't mean to make a mockery of your parenting struggles. I really do hope you find something that helps. In the interim, here's all I could think about while I was reading about your little sleepwalker.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VpIKX8VIaT8&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VpIKX8VIaT8&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-26571128487169540312009-10-07T00:50:00.004-04:002009-10-07T01:20:55.595-04:00My Kids Are FunnyWe're never at a loss for a good laugh around here with all the crazy things our kids do. I should be doing work, but I wanted to get a few of these written down, so one day they can laugh at themselves too.<br /><br />Jameson<br />My brother came over to visit last week with his daughter. He and JJ have a playfully antagonistic relationship, so I was surprised when after an evening of their usual shenanigans Jameson asked Betito (as JJ calls him) if he could give him a kiss before he left. Betito, of course said yes, and as he bends over for a kiss, Jameson kicked him in the shins. I was just as shocked as my brother, but we could not help but laugh.<br /><br /><br />Truman<br />I heard Amelia crying in the twins room tonight, so I went in to check on her and see if she needed her blanket or something. I went in, put her back on her pillow and covered her again with her blanket. When she settled and went back to sleep, I look over at Truman to make sure he is okay. I laugh as I catch sight of a belly-side down, bare-butt-against-the-crib-rails naked Truman asleep and, apparently, very comfortable. He has nicely scrunched up his pj's and diaper against the crib rails. What's funnier. . . this is the 2nd night in a row that we have to re-dress him in the middle of the night.<br /><br />Amelia<br />What amazes me about Amelia is her ability to learn and repeat new words and phrases shortly after first being introduced to them. Not long after Darwin's birth, one of her new favorite phrases was 'chocolate milk', which really sounded more like "yacolat mook". She, in particular, seemed to take interest in what I was doing when I would nurse Darwin. I don't recall exactly how I tried explaining it to them, but I had to laugh when one day as I'm nursing Darwin, Amelia comes over to see what I'm doing and knowingly declares it "yacolat mook".<br /><br />I can never wait to find out what they'll do or say next to make us laugh!Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-64189132984783147992009-09-10T23:07:00.015-04:002009-09-21T05:01:53.530-04:00Jameson Turns Four<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6dA4TRv3UXweHoOVnheupGJZSZqywnLQ9JKp_q7qHsKOliYnnV4upRLJMndBzMisFRkNmMMFSr9lS1JaFRNJvVWqkTr9PYmavs85tUzO2DmtZ7GSr7s1-Hy12kZQiEKzXwfHBMQIdOQ/s1600-h/FamilyPics+045.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383833344763734722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6dA4TRv3UXweHoOVnheupGJZSZqywnLQ9JKp_q7qHsKOliYnnV4upRLJMndBzMisFRkNmMMFSr9lS1JaFRNJvVWqkTr9PYmavs85tUzO2DmtZ7GSr7s1-Hy12kZQiEKzXwfHBMQIdOQ/s320/FamilyPics+045.jpg" /></a><br /><div>On the day you were born, I had no idea how much you would change my life.</div><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><div></div><div>When you become a parent, you give up a lot of things but you gain far more. As I think back now about how it feels to become a parent, I would say it's as if you have suddenly gained a part of yourself that you never knew you were missing. From that day forward, you cannot imagine living without that piece of you, and sometimes you hardly remember your life without it.</div><div></div><br /><br /><div>We had a doula attend Darwin's birth, and during a conversation with her, we talked about having children. She was telling me about her five girls and how they ended up with five. She told me that after they had their 3rd, her husband was ready to stop, but she really felt that she wanted another. I asked her how she convinced him to have another, and she told me how she described to him how she had already envisioned her next daughter. She told him what she was going to be like, and about how much she would miss her if she was never born.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>What struck me about this conversation was how she said she would miss her yet unborn daughter. Strangely enough, I knew exactly what she meant. People ask how we have the time or energy to have/make more children, and I struggle more with 'how could I refuse them?'. Today, Jameson, you turn four, and I can say with certainty, that my life would not be complete without you. </div><div><em></em></div><br /><br /><div>In the years since you were born, we have watched you learn and discover so many things about life, about your Mom and Dad, your family, and about yourself. You have become a big brother 3 times over, and I know this is your proudest accomplishment. This year, you gained a "sitting buddy" and proved you were absolutely right when you told us 'Baby Bob the Boy' was in Mom's belly.</div><div></div><br /><br /><div>This year you started "working on your patience", and I am so proud that you're learning to eat your vegetables. You told us that you were ready for school, so you Dad started your "lessons" at home. He's doing a wonderful job, and I love seeing <a href="http://fallofjames.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html">some of your experiments</a> <span style="font-size:85%;">(He's been working on his photography.)</span>. </div><div></div><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><div>You surprise me nearly every day with everything that you know and say. Some days you are so mature and grown-up that it's hard to believe you're only 3 (four now). Other days, we have to remind ourselves since we expect so much of you.</div><div></div><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><div>You are so much fun that conversations with you are truly an adventure. Some days I wonder and laugh about how you must come up with your stories and explanations about how or why things happen. One of Mom and Dad's favorite is your explanation of falling in love and getting married.</div><div></div><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><div>There is no question you are afraid to ask, and sometimes Mom and Dad have to be careful and creative about how we answer. We believe in always telling you the truth, so when you asked how Baby Bob was going to get out of my belly, I had to pause for a moment to figure out how to answer you. Lucky for me, you were satisfied with my honest, but not too graphic answer.</div><div></div><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><div>In the years since you came into our crazy family, you have taught me a lot about myself. Through you and in you, I have seen my greatest strengths and weaknesses. As you grow into a boy and someday into a man, my hope is that you remain that caring, thoughtful, sensitive, beautiful person that you are. You are a wonderful son and an amazing brother. I pray for many more happy, healthy years for you and our family, and I cherish all the years we have already shared. Truman, Amelia, and Baby Bob (Darwin) are so lucky that you are their role model, and they are already learning so much from you.</div><div></div><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><div>We all love you, and I hope you have a happy 4th birthday!</div><br /><br /><div></div>Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-21879901377255982292009-08-20T23:01:00.000-04:002009-08-22T22:42:39.540-04:00Chiquita ReunionThere a large part of me that I have not written about much on the blog, but I must admit that it dominated a large part of my childhood, teenage, and college years - soccer.<br /><br /><br />To say I grew up playing soccer is an understatement. It was my first passion, and for years, I spent most of my "free" time playing soccer. When I wasn't at practice or playing a game, I was outside playing in my backyard. In my mind, I could not get enough of it, and lucky for me, I had some talent, which helped fuel my interest. I was a sucker for competition, so the better the team or the competitor, the happier I was.<br /><br /><br />My dad, who grew up playing soccer in Mexico, coached me and the teams I played with for the first 8 or 9 years. Shortly before I entered high school, I got involved in the Olympic Development Program (ODP), which is the feeder program used to identify and develop olympic hopefuls. Try-outs are held on district, state, regional, and national levels. To try-out at any level other than district, you have to make the team for the preceding level. I never really cared much about recognition, so the draw of making the cut in and of itself was not enough to keep my interest. However, I did know that I wanted to play in college, and I knew this might be a great way to get noticed for a Division I soccer program.<br /><br /><br />Up until this point, I had played for some fairly good teams in Dayton, but we never competed well against larger club teams from Cincinnati and Columbus. Overall, the talent in Dayton was just not as well-developed. At ODP tryouts, the girls that played for these larger Cincy & Columbus teams were shoe-ins. Being one of the few Dayton oddballs that made the state team several years in a row, I got to know some of the better players from the Cincinnati and Columbus areas. Although I did not realize it at the time, it was this "networking" that brought my name to the attention of a Cincinnati team, looking to recruit new players. That team was Cincinnati Chiquita (Yes, we were sponsored by Chiquita Brands International). I was invited to play an indoor season with them so we could "try each other out", and if we both agreed we were a good match, I would be invited to join the team for the regular (Spring/Summer) season.<br /><br /><br />When I joined Chiquita, I had never played for a team that was really competitive on a state-wide level. I had played with other good players, but there were always enough complacent players on the team that didn't take the sport seriously enough to make the team highly competitive. When I played for Chiquita, it was the only team where I truly felt we were all working toward the same objective, and we were willing to put forth the effort to make it happen.<br /><br /><br />In the years I played with Chiquita, we won several State Cup titles, competed in our Regional Cup twice, and had an impressive winning record. More importantly, I loved playing for this team because I didn't feel like an overachiever for working hard. We just expected it from one another, and we were successful in making each other better players.<br /><br /><br />In retrospect, I have never played for or coached a team with better team chemistry. We traveled quite a bit together to compete in tournaments, so I have a lot of great memories about our trips and our tournaments. When I graduated high school and knew our playing years together were over, I was sad to see it end.<br /><br /><br />Fast forward 12 or 13 years, and here I am with 3 little ones and one more on the way. Out of the blue, I got an email from one of my Chiquita teammates saying that she wanted to organize a team reunion. She found most of us on Facebook, and most people were available for a reunion on August 8th. We planned to bring our families and meet at a park in Cincinnati, so I organized a small babysitting support group to help me with the kids - to take them with me, that is. Unfortunately, James had a bachelor party to attend, so he was not available, which means I needed more hands than usual. My parents were happy to come along, and I invited Maria to come since she loves to hang out with the kids.<br /><br /><br />Being super pregnant, I was a little worried about how I would manage with the heat and keeping up with the kids, even with help. Nonetheless, I was anxious to see everyone, so I braved the heat and made the trip. It was, of course, the hottest day we've had all summer, and the kids were mostly high maintenance. Truman wanted to throw mulch on himself and anything else he saw. Jameson wanted to climb the 10 foot playground equipment and told me he "threw up" in an undisclosed location that I never found. He also made 2 back-to-back trips to the bathroom, and thankfully, my mom volunteered to take him on trip #2. Miss Amelia was on her best behavior but was more than ready to go when we finally decided it was time to take everyone home.<br /><br /><br />Despite all the commotion going on with the kids, I had a great time catching up with everyone. It was fun to see how everyone's lives had changed and meet husbands and children. I'm not gonna lie though - it made me feel old. Most of our soccer days are long over (although I'm sure there's a few diehards), so I felt like I was acknowledging having closed that chapter of my life. I don't think I've ever really admitted that to myself until right now, but I think I knew it long ago. Sure, I may go back to playing again in some old women's league, but I won't pretend it's anything like it was competing in my teenage and college years.<br /><br /><br />Here's a few pictures that offer a glimpse into my high school & college years competing in soccer.<br /><br /><br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 235px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372280373485851650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6Hh3-T2XVLyxK_oHKSa2bun8yjzSeuSO8Mg32PaiOFAhnMYfhiBD3qOQBdTUJtUbkpEH0oqe2-EpUsYsJk1qZpp-CaNaQbvL-L7PPASFNKiPLifcxSr6i6d0Jadic2i56T7N4hMUZQM/s320/Soccer_Chiquita_1.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 226px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372280390976809154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MC6TDDcyWl0j5fDULbkCoUPZY729wAGzfWRWNbx9kDpVzbfKZcHg_l0dq_xmEp_MtBeHZWd8IL19dR8DvfYWBgZHY4-MIPD_NemfqddAGU7almBVk_SzluvNuQ-KmrDE0g4Qo2ZfPEs/s320/Soccer_HS_1.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 247px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372280383392335922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgO_Ut-xCw5ok1E1DwPhzF2fRD4UudzxtA6QW2QoW7OpnK761vqKSDwxyD1QPeX8-paEGo-siseDA3tYahjme-4BUUY9u-4GPkOwU10P9UpWZ-QSkLSaYO2px3c4Obur7QsARZVSkFXIo/s320/Soccer_Chiquita_2.jpg" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmfTAfr5oJPBykH0cR8tGJbl0qCZOWx_3dpc3vBbBKjvvD9TuEzRzu50KVMgBZHN_lVlAZpZAno6CGbYAkgQ61g8vpJR7d1vLNBTIO0DomqgdPjkLP9q32s1sewNQHMFk5elarVkYfwgo/s1600-h/scanpic0042.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 216px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372281637476102498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmfTAfr5oJPBykH0cR8tGJbl0qCZOWx_3dpc3vBbBKjvvD9TuEzRzu50KVMgBZHN_lVlAZpZAno6CGbYAkgQ61g8vpJR7d1vLNBTIO0DomqgdPjkLP9q32s1sewNQHMFk5elarVkYfwgo/s320/scanpic0042.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8PbI_gTbZbjznHjl_-ADzWG0wXFpVsIQQvzG228BrIP91hQugFQzusOKb0_DucJsGmC7NlqnWmhyphenhyphenP-zvO5hhgWATQ2zW8eY5rIE-p8Tvchcs5NduqAZ4hAzc0X-qnwphzE7Pmegz6n4/s1600-h/scanpic0043.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 186px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372282795867086850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8PbI_gTbZbjznHjl_-ADzWG0wXFpVsIQQvzG228BrIP91hQugFQzusOKb0_DucJsGmC7NlqnWmhyphenhyphenP-zvO5hhgWATQ2zW8eY5rIE-p8Tvchcs5NduqAZ4hAzc0X-qnwphzE7Pmegz6n4/s320/scanpic0043.JPG" /></a></p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFp2eZkLA67azVWLIIi1D2Gqz3JWHwdMI5rvF1WBnJWc2fJJiqCEokhYEsEPp9NaQCw2A15Z-6iYkzWOt0duACmXZmouOwBVoc1yIZTVv3un6aAX4Getrnim7-NoUz-l_PrNJcJxmM3og/s1600-h/Soccer_Colgate_2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 209px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372287712228854258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFp2eZkLA67azVWLIIi1D2Gqz3JWHwdMI5rvF1WBnJWc2fJJiqCEokhYEsEPp9NaQCw2A15Z-6iYkzWOt0duACmXZmouOwBVoc1yIZTVv3un6aAX4Getrnim7-NoUz-l_PrNJcJxmM3og/s320/Soccer_Colgate_2.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgV4A05iGIqE1K-ZUwcPmze2exwR5NximGwbnkO3WYP5ajiBWv_jaAKIumSJ7__SM5Qy53B19lHm7Kr8Ilkaqoz30kwKECi83TJt160O7zoakxtnwGePTi-6I6Rrm2Dn9Ph2H5if4Cac/s1600-h/Soccer_Colgate_3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 211px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372287701378990082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgV4A05iGIqE1K-ZUwcPmze2exwR5NximGwbnkO3WYP5ajiBWv_jaAKIumSJ7__SM5Qy53B19lHm7Kr8Ilkaqoz30kwKECi83TJt160O7zoakxtnwGePTi-6I6Rrm2Dn9Ph2H5if4Cac/s320/Soccer_Colgate_3.jpg" /></a> <p></p><p></p><div><div><div><div><div><div><div></div><div></div><div>Pack on about 50 lbs, some swelling in the feet and hands and a huge pregnant belly and that's what I look like in the current chapter of my life. I miss being a competitive athlete, but I would not trade in this chapter of my life for any chapter of my past. I love being a wife & mom and hanging with my kiddos. There's always time for athletic competition and vanity later. In the next chapter, I'll be training for my Tae Kwon Do black belt and taking James up on that marathon training. After all, I have done a little running in my past.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-23637576056001469782009-07-11T00:59:00.012-04:002009-07-11T02:55:04.142-04:00Frida Kahlo Bedtime StoryTonight before bedtime, Jameson and I read <u>Frida</u> by Jonah Winter. It's a children's book about the Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Frida-English-Language-Jonah-Winter/dp/0590203207#reader">You can peek at the book at Amazon</a>, but, if you'd rather not, you can take my word that it's a neat, creative book about this artist that Jameson always likes.<br /><br /><br />After we were finished, Jameson asked me about her, and we talked about how "painting pictures was her job", and he thought that was pretty neat, commenting that he too would like painting to be his job. I told him that with his dad's artistic genes he could probably do that, and told him I would later show him some of the pictures that Frida painted.<br /><br /><br />He likes to see the pictures that his dad puts on his blog, so I thought tomorrow I could show him some pictures on my blog. Here's a couple of pictures of Frida, and a couple of links to websites that have images of her paintings.<br /><br /><a href="http://media.smithsonianmag.com/images/frida2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 376px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 520px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://media.smithsonianmag.com/images/frida2.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Mexican painter Frida Kahlo is remembered today for her personal struggle and extraordinary life story as much as for her vibrant and intimate artwork.</span><br /><br /><div align="right"><span style="font-size:78%;"><em>Frida Kahlo with Idol #11, Coyoacán, Mexico, ca. 1940</em> </span></div><div align="right"><a href="http://media.smithsonianmag.com/images/frida2.jpg"><span style="font-size:78%;">http://media.smithsonianmag.com/images/frida2.jpg</span></a><br /></div><br /><a href="http://media.smithsonianmag.com/images/frida_main_388.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 388px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 209px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://media.smithsonianmag.com/images/frida_main_388.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">An exhibition at the National Museum for Women in the Arts (NMWA), "Frida Kahlo: Public Image, Private Life. A Selection of Photographs and Letters," examines the dichotomy between Kahlo's self-cultivated public persona and the grim realities of her life.<br /><br /></span><div align="right"><em><span style="font-size:78%;">Frida Kahlo with Idol #11, Coyoacán, Mexico, ca. 1940<br /></span></em><a href="http://media.smithsonianmag.com/images/frida2.jpg"><span style="font-size:78%;">http://media.smithsonianmag.com/images/frida2.jpg</span></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></div><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left"><a href="http://www.fridakahlofans.com/paintingsenglish01.htm"><span style="font-size:85%;">http://www.fridakahlofans.com/paintingsenglish01.htm</span></a></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><a href="http://www.pbs.org/weta/fridakahlo/worksofart/index.html"><span style="font-size:85%;">http://www.pbs.org/weta/fridakahlo/worksofart/index.html</span></a><br /></div></u></u><u><u></u></u>Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-32537340693845172472009-06-21T22:24:00.003-04:002009-06-21T23:28:52.019-04:00Happy Father's DayAs James's first Father's Day as a stay-at-home dad, I must admit that this Father's Day will stick in my memory as a pivotal point in our family's history. Thinking back to several months ago when we made the decision to have James stay at home with kids, I was a bit uneasy that maybe we had made a decision that he would later feel he had been pressured into making. We agreed we would keep an open mind and we would re-evaluate our decision if we needed to in six months. We knew we were making a big decision for our family, and we hoped it was the right one.<br /><br />Well into James's first month at home with the kids, I cannot imagine doing a better job myself or our kids being any luckier than to get to stay home with their dad. Sadly, I have been working longer hours in June due to our system implementation, so my evenings with the kids have been short. On the other hand, I get a great sense of relief in knowing that they are with their dad. James is also kind enough to document their days at home with plenty of <a href="http://fallofjames.blogspot.com/">pictures and blog posts</a>.<br /><br />Any honest parent knows that both fathers and mothers play such an important role in child development. This year, James has done more than his half of the work, and I know our children are better for it. He is a patient teacher and disciplinarian. He knows how to engage and distract them. He is confident, loving, and nurturing. I could go on, but I already know that I am blessed. More importantly, my children could not have a better father.<br /><br />Happy Father's Day, James, and to any of you fathers out there making a difference in your kids' lives.Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729012166940454756.post-71121017963330800892009-06-20T23:58:00.002-04:002009-06-21T00:27:10.314-04:00Throwing TrumanI finally decided to do something with some of the videos from my camera that I had been keeping on disc for several months. This one dates back to January of this year, and we happened upon Truman's funny leg reflex when James was throwing him up in the air one day.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6_eUp1312uc&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6_eUp1312uc&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Hooliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17806376966050684334noreply@blogger.com0