Thursday, December 23, 2010

It's almost here...

What a busy 3 weeks it ends up being between Alexa's birthday and Christmas. What have we been up to that's kept us busy? Well it is basketball season so Chris has had games to referee and then watch on tv when he gets home. We've had Kids Klub, Girl Scouts, and guitar lessons. Christmas shopping and baking. We attended a Toy for Tots Christmas party at the Hahn Center. It was very hard to get Jake to understand that the toys under the tree were not for him to help himself to. Liz enjoyed dancing to the music, while Alexa enjoyed hanging out with the musicians.

We also attended a Christmas party at the Blaine House. This is the first time we've been up there since Chris left office. He ran into many people who seemed glad to see him. But they are politicians so it can be hard to tell what's real and what's phony. The kids had a wonderful time! The theme was gingerbread houses and fairies. And the people that decorated the house did a super job. The fairy houses were just amazing - and my girls love fairy houses!

They fully enjoyed the snacks and were very careful with the fancy glasses of punch.

Alexa stalked to Governor until she could get her picture taken with him.

The only real incident ended up being when Jake accidentally broke the cover to a candy dish. He was reaching over the girls, who were petting the Baldacci's dogs, a chair and past a lamp. It crashed to the floor and he ran in the other direction crying. Of course Chris had been talking to the First Lady, who immediately got on the floor to start picking up pieces. And I ran after Jake, getting stopped by staffer to see what was the matter. Then she rushed to do the dirty work, which was pretty much done. Poor kid. But at least he's young enough to forget about it! Sadly, though they would have been wonderful pictures, there wasn't time...

But we did get these on the way out: a nice one of the kids plus a family shot, first one in 2 or 3 years.


Saturday, December 11, 2010

Alexa turns 7!


Although she's technically been 7 for a week now, as always better late than never (which as a mother to 3 seems to be my mantra!). 7 years ago Alexa came into this world after 22-23 hours of labor (up for debate but either way, still long!), weighing 7lbs and 20 inches long. She had the most beautiful reddish/brown hair with blond highlights. She was (and really still is) a good eater and sleeper and talker. Now in the first grade she is thriving and loves learning. She lost her 2 front teeth back in November and is awfully cute with the gap and the lisp.

Likes/loves: Taylor Swift, books, Scooby Doo, watching sports with her dad, science, bike riding, playing on the computer, American Girl dolls, playing "puppy" with Jake and Liz. She hates eating pizza if it has sauce on it. But will eat ketchup on just about everything. Often tries to act like she's the boss, which is sometimes cute, sometimes obnoxious. Can be very shy or very outgoing depending on the day.

For her birthday I decided to let her have her first "kids" party. We invited her entire class (huge at 10 total...right?), plus a few others and their siblings to swim at the Samoset. We did pizza and cake afterward. Pretty sure everyone had a great time! And I loved not having any cleanup.

November 2010

Another month has flown by in the blink of an eye. Or really in a partial blink depending on what day I'm thinking about it.

So what happened in November...

Alexa started guitar lessons. A folk-singing, music and art loving couple that lives in town offers them for free twice a month at the church right next to us. I keep getting hounded to buy a guitar but I think I will continue to let her borrow one of theirs until I see some progress. Right now she's good at getting it out of the box.

Jacob and Elizabeth stayed busy with school two days a week. And wrecking the house when they were home. Both got short speech screenings to see if they would need a full speech evaluations, which they did.

Chris and I had our associate dinner which included free childcare and good food. And awards. I got to watch Chris receive the General Manager's award, or at least listen to the roasting first. He had left the room to relieve the front desk clerk and missed the entire thing. Probably just as well...

My sister had her baby, Jaycee, on the 21st, almost exactly a week early. Dyani was glad because it meant she had plenty of room for dinner since there was no baby sitting on her stomach. We had Blake stay with us the 20th so he could get some rest and be well occupied. Jake and Liz were quite excited to wake up and find him at the house Sunday morning.

We hosted Thanksgiving here at our house for a total of 14 people. There were supposed to be 15 but Correy ended up sick. Although I could count baby Jaycee, but she didn't really do much beyond sleep and poop and just be cute.

We had Girl Scout meetings, basketball games, Realtor showings, bake sales, birthday parties, craft fairs, and school volunteer sessions to round out the month. Phew...

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

memory retention

Or rather, lack of. I had something to blog about it and of course it came to me in the wee hours of the night. And I was smooshed between two 3 year olds so unable to get my cell down and text a summary of it to myself. To try and keep a paper and pencil handy is just laughable. Any paper around here is promptly taken hostage by someone for their most recent "birthday card".

I finally managed to make it to a chiropractor after 7 or 8 months. Lots of adjusting to be done from head to toe. But boy, it's amazing to be able to turn my head so smoothly again. And the meds that the doctor called in for me seem to be working. No major headaches or heartburn in nearly a week!

Now if I could just keep the kids healthy. After a bout of bellyaching about bellyaches at the beginning of October, Alexa came down with a fever that just wouldn't give in to the meds last night. So of course she had to stay home today, can't send someone in with a fever of 101. And of course by 11:30 the fever was pretty much gone, although she's cranky, lethargic, doesn't want to drink or pee. But she does want to go to school and see all her friends because she misses them.

Potty training is still a no-go with Jacob. He'll get all upset when he's wet in underwear and will just hold it. Tried going back to prefolds - ha, he's just as likely to sit in those wet as he is a disposable. And at least the disposables won't burn my nose hairs off with their smell.

Elizabeth has been getting a bit mouthy. 3 going on 16 I say. I was told the other day to "zip it" and she included a zipping mouth shut gesture as she did it. Great...

Monday, October 11, 2010

Official school pictures - preschool

If only the folks doing the elementary school could be so efficient. These were back by the next day of school for Jake and Liz. According to the moms that stayed behind (I'm so not that mom!), Jake was all smiles while Liz didn't even want to look at the guy. Still, smile-less it still reflects her personality!


Soccer as a pack sport

This fall Alexa is enjoying her second year of soccer through the Waldoboro Rec Department. And Chris is enduring his second year as the coach. I find it amusing that Chris coaches soccer given how all I heard before she was old enough to play was that it's the dumbest sport ever.

Attempting to do some stretches, they weren't too keen on the wet grass.

It's a K-2 league and they play every Saturday through the end of October. An hour long practice before squaring off against their opponents. And it doesn't seem to matter what they do for drills and skills practice, once the whistles blow it's all about going for the ball.

Skill practice: passing back and forth till you get to the goal

Alexa seems to be kick prone. As in being kicked. After every game she's come home to tell me where she got hit (ankle, chin, head, wrist, stomach). But she just gets up and keeps going. I'm not really sure if the team has managed to score any goals yet or not. I think that if they stopped operating as a pack someone would have a better chance at kicking the ball rather than another player! But I suppose that comes with...practice.

And they're off...sort of reminds me of harness racing
It's important to be alert when on the sidelines viewing unless you want a ball in your lap.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

September review

One month of school down already. It just doesn't seem possible...

Besides everyone starting school this month and going apple picking (from which we still have at least 1 1/2 pecks left!) what did we do? A whole lot of hanging around the house really. It's hard to go far with Chris's schedule, school, and just one car. But the kids have had fun. Alexa's gotten everyone hooked on catching grasshoppers. We've had a few loose ones in the house, but at least it's not crickets! Soccer has also started for Chris (coach) and Alexa. That takes up a big chunk of our Saturday mornings. Only 4 weeks left of that, then it'll be basketball.

I also started working part-time at the Samoset Resort answering the phones. My position title is "considerate it done". This is because when you call I'm supposed to get done whatever you want as soon as you ask. Of course this would be much more effective with a little more training beyond "here is your phone, this is what you say, this is the list of extensions". But I am getting the hang of it and haven't had anyone complain about me or call back to yell at me for hanging up on them. Of course I'm having a hard time arriving on time, usually running 5-10 minutes late. My shift last Friday I ran right into the GM, late as usual. Later I answered the phone wrong (gasp...said guest services instead of considerate it done) and got harassed for both. Fortunately for me it turned out I was really 50 minutes early, scheduled for 9, not 8. My latte was good though!

The twins have been enjoying preschool. I got one call to go change messy pants. They are doing great on their work, although apparently Liz doesn't like to talk to the teacher. I guess that's good in some way. While they are at school I've been either hanging around the house, or visiting with friends, and even playing hostess! It's amazing how fast 2 1/2 hours can fly by.

Other big things that happened this month: I got elected as co-President of the PTO at my first meeting. Of course I volunteered - how hard can it be? Time will tell! I also joined the recreation committee and have been working on talking Chris into chairing it. He had said yes but now is saying he's going to quit. Why...not really sure. It's a great gig for him, doing something he knows and helping kids have more to do in town. We also celebrated by birthday - 32 years. 40 sure is creeping up fast.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Apple Picking!

Sunday ended up being a perfect day for heading out to the orchard. Overcast and cool, but not uncomfortably so. I was excited to see how the kids would like it. I don't think we ever ended up making it last year. We'd gone two years ago with my dad and stepmom. Jake and Liz were a little over a year old and not yet walking so they got to ride in the stroller. I remember Alexa going overboard and picking lots and lots and lots of apples!

This year I took the kids solo as Chris had to work the night before and hadn't gotten much sleep due to soccer and a wedding. Of course he ended up not being able to sleep anyways because the realtor woke him when she came to show the building.

Most of the orchards are 45 minutes from us, as is most anything (or it feels that way). I ended up going to one that was just about a half hour away that I've always driven past but never stopped at, called Country Fair Farm. And I'm glad I did! They had a wagon ride to/from the trees. While you waited there was a little playground area, pumpkins to check out, and baby animals (pigs, pygmy goat, and lambs) to pet or feed. Once we arrived at the trees I set them loose with their bags.

Alexa originally tried to hand everyone 1/2 bushel bags. I told her that I didn't really need that many apples. Instead we ended up with a 1/2 bushel bag and 3 pecks.
I think that I picked maybe a dozen apples myself, the rest were all the kids. There were lots at just the right height for them to get themselves, but it was also fun to lift them for higher ones, or watch Alexa try to pick them up. Or watch them try and jump for them.


We stopped at dad's on the way home to pick up some canning supplies and his treasured KitchenAid mixer. I set to work the next day making some applesauce. We've still got 3 pecks left, to eventually be turned into other yummy treats or just munched as is!

picking apples, and eating them is quite tiring I've been told
showing off their haul but not their lovely faces!

Monday, September 13, 2010

1st day of school - preschool style

waiting for the bus with big sis

Last Tuesday was the first day of preschool for Jake and Liz. I spent the entire summer going back and forth about whether or not to send them, and if I did where they would go. I finally decided to just keep them close to home. Being a one car family makes it hard to go very far. So they are at the same one Alexa went to when she was 4. It's a church-based program, which is fine with me.

They spent the few days before fussing about how they didn't want to go. Day of had some rumbling, mostly from Liz who was complaining about a tummy ache. Jake, as always, had impeccable timing and had to have a stinky diaper changed right as we were heading out the door.

first day of school! One is their usual foolish self, the other wracked with nerves.

We were the last set of parents to arrive. We also went unarmed. Every other mom there had cameras - video and still. We helped them find their name tags to hang up on the wall. Jake quickly found some buses to play with. I took Liz to the bathroom then encouraged her to play. She found her way to a farmhouse that another little girl was playing with. We said our goodbyes, gathered our hugs and kisses, Chris headed for work and I came home to enjoy 2 1/2 hours of no kids.

When I went to get them it took a few minutes for them to realize I was there. Both came running over with big hugs and shouts of "mommy". Liz was ready to go, Jake wanted to stay and play with the cars some more. It took some persuading to dry his tears so we could find his bag and go home.

Their second day was Thursday. Drop off was once again smooth, while pickup was a little rougher due to no one wanting to come home. But I don't really blame them, it was hard for me to drag myself up the street to get them as I was fully enjoying my free time!

Single parent update

Here I am a week later. Obviously we survived the final days without Chris at home. Having Alexa in school from 8-3 helped a lot with our sanity. Of course evenings were their usual hectic self. But I'm finding they can be that way even with two adults on hand.

The twins and I squeezed in a beach day with my sister and her little boy on Friday. It was perfect weather and the water was wonderful. We stopped at my dad's for lunch and to visit, making it home with about 10 minutes to spare for the bus.

Saturday, the last day we spent at my mom's. We'd planned to just be there for a few hours. But Chris called to let me know that he managed to book a Cape Air flight that would have him arriving in Rockland just after 8pm. So we hung out longer to save an extra long trip. Of course I was woefully unprepared and managed to not have enough diapers. Liz was fine in undies but Jake is better off in a pullup. The only option was one of Alexa's overnight ones, which came up to his armpits. Then the only jeans were Liz's. It made for an interesting outfit, snug jeans with a gigantic pullup.

We arrived to the airport just as Chris would have been arriving. I attempted to get there early but got a bit lost in the dark. I arrived to a very dark airport, turned out the flight had already arrived!

Monday, August 30, 2010

1st Grade

the final outfit!
This morning dawned the first day of first grade. I had reviewed our morning "to-do" list with Alexa last night so she knew what to expect. She first woke around 6, asking me if it was 7 yet. Finally after asking me every other minute I told her at 6:15 to go ahead and get up. I did have to explain that if she got up before 7 it was okay, it meant she'd have more time to play once she got her list done.

showing off the new backpack, that will hopefully be the last backpack being LL Bean!
And I'm glad we did because the bus came nearly 10 minutes early today! I did mange to get pictures and keep from crying too hard. I did well up as the bus pulled away and Liz mournfully said "I miss Lexy." And then again as we drove past Alexa's friend E and her brothers getting on the bus.
Next week we get to do another first day of school - for the twins!


tried to get all 3 but Jake always runs off just as the bus arrives!

Monday = 4 days in

A deep breath and a moment to pause before starting.

Sunday ended up being a lazy morning combined with a beach venture for the afternoon. It was a hot one and much more comfortable right on the ocean. Everyone got very sandy, very wet and thankfully, only a little red. Best of all - everyone wore themselves down. We came home and showered and then I got to work on dinner. L and D joined us for dinner and dessert.

Eventually bedtime rolled around. Alexa got her clothes picked out by me for the next day. She grumbled a bit about not being able to watch a movie but ended up being okay with the 30 minutes I allowed her before bed. She was out by 8pm.

Now if only everyone could have stayed out. As usual I'm not sure what time everyone started arriving, I just remember that Alexa was the first. Turns out she was scared someone was going to come inside and get her. Hopefully our chat reassured her that won't happen. Or that my bribe of everyone who stays in their own bed will get a lollipop with breakfast.

Monday - 1st day of school! I'll do that in it's own post. But it was another toasty one. The little ones and I just hung at home. They played and watched some tv while I tackled laundry. I managed to get them to take a nap, although they were out of bed 3 times in the first 30 minutes. I had to wake them to go get Alexa at school.

And from there we headed off to Penbay for Alexa's blood draw. It was a long wait, made even longer by the lab not understanding what the test was to be. They had to wait for a call from Dr. Lew. An hour later we were free. The kids did great and I decided to take them to dinner at the ClubHouse Grille. Smart choice because it was a better meal than fast food and cheaper thanks to the fact that two of the kids ate free. Home again, a bit of singing for the girls, teeth brushing and books. Now only the oldest child is left standing.

House status: Laundry - maybe 2 loads to fold/put away, 1 to wash. Dishes from lunch need doing. But the toy area is under control and the couch is free of everything. So far so good!

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Saturday = 2 days in

Today marks the second full day of solo parenting, unless I choose to count Friday. I did get to spend the entire afternoon and evening as solo parental unit while Chris rode the train south to Boston.

My thoughts so far...

Friday night made for easy bedtime. A long drive combined with heat, food, no naps, and a tiring bout of school shopping would make even the strongest person tired. I basically brushed teeth, replaced diapers as necessary, and tucked them into bed.

And sometime in the wee hours of the morning found myself with company. First to arrive was Jake. Then Liz. Who immediately ran into Alexa's room for some reason, which woke her up. And of course Liz had to be next to mom but next to Alexa, right where Jake was. Solution - just sleep on him! Eventually all were shifted and we slept till about 6:30.

Saturday: Yard sale day across the street. I ended up dropping $20 and got my money's worth for sure. I'm not sure how much Alexa ended up spending. She handed over quarter's like folks tossing candy out at a parade. We did come home with 1 thing that I took over. But out of all that I donated, I'm okay with that. Dinner was easy since they were having a benefit supper. $13 to feed all 4 of us. Of course mostly desserts were consumed but at least bellies were full. Once again everyone was tired after uncomfortable sleeping and playing all day. Our friend C spent a lot of the day here playing with the kids, which they loved. I was able to get some housework done plus get Alexa's clothes sorted out.

I started trying to write up a meal plan last night but didn't make it far. I may go searching for recipes today to find something more inspiring to eat than mac & cheese with hot dogs or chicken nuggets.

Only a week left to go!

the end of summer

Woo-hoo! Today is the final day of parental torture 7 days/week, 24 hours/day. And finally Alexa is somewhat excited about going back. Excited to see her friends and play but not so psyched for the math tests. Not sure if they even have math tests in 1st grade, but it's something that bothers her.

This summer hasn't been the one I originally planned out. We did manage to make it to the beach a few more times than the previous summer. And some good outdoor time in the sandbox at the beginning of the summer. I had wanted to go do some more things locally but babysitting sort of prevented that due to lack of space in transportation. Plus I'm finding that my eldest has turned into a greedy monster - she just wants everything.

Camping, amusement parks, swimming, barbecues, sleepovers, movie nights, oh my. All rolling to an end. Tomorrow Alexa gets back onto the big yellow bus and heads to school from 8:15-3pm. And the little ones and I get to do whatever for a week. Then on the 7th they start preschool. So from 9-11:30 Tuesday/Thursday I will be all alone, or at least childless!

Friday, July 23, 2010

sometimes, just sometimes mother is right

A few posts back I made a comment on my mother thinking I was crazy. She just might have had a view into the future. Or personal experience. Because lately I think I am going crazy. Not so crazy that I'd hurt anyone/thing. But crazy enough that my doctor is now recommending a therapist and perhaps some meds if the therapist isn't enough. I knew kids could drive you to drink/use recreational drugs. I should have realized they could also drive you to legal prescribed drugs.

Some might say - oh, come on...it can't really be that bad can it? When you find yourself alternating between shooting flames/lightening bolts or crying over every little thing, you just might want to call your doctor.

The doctor gave me some advice. One was to decompress my responsibilities. The other was to learn to say no. Not just to say no, but to say no and mean it. I started to protest and say that I can say no. I guess that's where the "mean it" part comes in. Because I am a pushover. I will often do my best to avoid conflict by being wishy/washy. Or I cave if enough pressure is applied. Or I go all psycho-mama, which isn't pretty.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

the break

I've managed to go nearly 32 years without breaking any bones, although I've gotten plenty of sprains. My first major surgery wasn't till I was 28, my c-section with the twins.

My oldest however managed to do the first break at age 6. The end result of a playground accident while camping. Apparently dad wasn't quick enough to say "I don't think that's the smartest idea" or she was just too quick at leaping off.

We finished our family mini-vacation with a 2 hour trip to the ER. Loads of fun anytime, but especially fun with 2 little kids who haven't had lunch or napped. The dirty looks in the waiting room, the comments about them being careful (when sitting on Alexa's "bed" in the hallway). The heat. The irritability on the parts of all involved.

The diagnosis: greenstick fracture. Apparently kids bones are like new tree limbs. When enough pressure is applied one side will break, while the other bends.

We eventually escaped, some to go home, some to go to a work meeting. Our instructions were to ice, elevate, and call the orthopedic doctor in the morning.


That call resulted in an early morning appointment on Wednesday, despite my begging for one that day. I got my cousin to watch the twins and friend so that I didn't have to haul them along. We arrived the requested 15 minutes early to fill out paperwork. In no time at all we were done. The hardest part - picking out a cast color. She gets to spend the next 3 weeks in it. Then we go for an x-ray and hopefully that'll be it.


Or so we thought. I ended up having to make an emergency run back to the doctor that afternoon when Alexa's fingers started to swell. They ended up replacing it with a waterproof variety. I've yet to test it out after hearing all sorts of unpleasant things about odor and what it does to the skin underneath. We're saving the big test for Aunt D's pool on the 24th.

Becoming one with nature?

After much back and forth, saying yes and then no (and starting to feel a bit like a Katie Perry song), we finally made the big decision - to go camping over the 4th of July weekend. Our friends have been coming up the last few years and are always asking us to join them.

The decision probably would have been a lot easier if not for a few factors. One being the three night requirement for holiday weekends. I wasn't too sure I wanted to shell out $40-45 per night if it was going be torture. Plus Chris was stuck working the overnight shift on Friday and Saturday. So if we did stay the three nights I would have spent two of them by myself. Well...the only adult anyways.Saturday morning the kids and I headed out to the parade. Then we had lunch and ice cream before coming home again. It was on the way home that inspiration struck - perhaps with the weekend already under way they'd waive the nightly requirement.

They were willing to make it a two-night stay. And since we were going to be out that way and up late for fireworks anyways I said "let's do it!". I booked the site, handed out the credit card number, and then began the quickest packing job ever. I kept a running mental list and think I did fairly well at getting the basics. Chris arrived home from baseball, showered, and then we hit the road as a 2 car caravan, going the 45 min to the campground with a stop at McD's for dinner.

We got checked in and then got to work on the tent. Our friends ended up being just three sites down from us. Which was good and bad. Good because they were close. Bad because the twins, Jake in particular, felt he could dart from site to site without telling anyone. One minute he was there, the next he was gone. The best was when he tried to go into the tent of the site before ours. That's when some older lady from NH spoke harshly with me about keeping "him out of our site". I know it's not proper camping etiquette to cut through sites and enter others' tents. But he's a little boy on his first camping trip.

The fireworks were a big hit. The look of wonder on the faces of the twins made staying out that late totally worth it. Getting settled back at the tent was a bit of work. Alexa slept with our friends kids, and Chris worked, so it was just me and the twins. They had no interest in sleeping in their own bags so we spread them out to make one bed. Then they each cuddled up under an arm, Liz wiggling away, Jake first asking to go home and then later muttering under his breath. Eventually all was silent until sunrise.

We had breakfast with our friends and then went our separate ways. Chris to sleep, the friends to hike, me back home with the kids to get the extra sleeping bag, sleeping mats, coffee mugs and a few other forgotten cooking/eating items (plus a shower for myself). When we got back we had lunch, just hanging out at the site till everyone else came back/got up. The kids had fun wandering around the little woods near us, gathering sticks and leaves for the fire. Eventually we ended up at the pool while the dads went golfing.

The pool. It was pure nastiness for adults but joy for kids. The water had to be at least 80 degrees or more. It was more refreshing to get out of the pool and feel some cool breezes than to actually be in the pool. Not for kids though, to them it was heaven. After 2 hours I had had enough and judging by grumpiness so had the twins. We did the playground for a bit before heading back to our tent to change. Then we took a ride to see if a short nap would come about.
Night 2: Involved us doing hot dogs and burgers for dinner. Then the moms got to head out to the movies (and AC) while the dads (and friend) had smores/bedtime duty. We were all settled down and snoozing by 11pm, spread out on the mats with sleeping bags all over. At some point it started to rain but it didn't seem to bother anyone.

I was the first to rise and hike to the bathroom. Eventually everyone else woke on their own, except Chris. Then it was time to get breakfast under way. We decided to eat at our friends' site but do some cooking at ours. We ended up with a feast of bacon, sausage, eggs, pancakes, juice, coffee, and donuts. Then it was back to our site and time to start the packing process to be out by 11am. Which we were!
Injury report: All kids managed to sustain some sort of injury. Jake took a tumble down the office stairs and got some road rash on his face. Liz decided to let go while swinging and got some road rash on the back. Alexa did the best job however. While I was in the shower she thought she'd show off for dad. Showing off involved leaping off the playground platform which had to be at least 5 feet high. As usual she was her "graceful" self and according to Chris, managed to catch her foot on the bar and fell, rather than jumping, to the ground. She was screaming about her wrist. We got her some ice and I called the doctor while Chris showered. We headed over the ER for an x-ray. Chris and the x-ray tech said it was a sprain, the doctor referred to it as a greenstick fracture.
So we ended our trip with a bang/crash! But it was a successful trip and we are definitely up for camping in the future.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

3!

It's hard to believe that Jake and Liz are already three. They are the age that Alexa was when I found out I was pregnant. They are of an age that preschool attendance is encouraged. They are just 2 years shy of kindergarten.

When Alexa turned three it seemed to have taken forever. Time has been going by much faster this time around.

look who is 3!
We'll be having a celebration of their birth and Alexa's (a few months early on her part) this weekend. A gathering of our families and a few friends that we've become close to since relocating to the midcoast. A summer birthday is a good reason for a BBQ and it makes it harder to have an excuse based on bad weather for not wanting to travel!

back on St. Patrick's Day
They will go for their well-child check up next week which will give us exact stats regarding height and weight. I believe Jake is 30-32 lbs while Liz would be lucky to be pushing 30.


Elizabeth: She is Liz, Lizzy-B, Bug or B-bug. I often find myself telling people who are amazed at what she does that her theory seems to be "whatever Alexa can do, I can do better". She will copy a lot of what her big sister does but definitely adds her own flair and personality to it. When she's mad she lets you know it with a lot of pouting and drama. She's prone to take herself to her room to cry by herself. She loves to cuddle, especially with her mama, burrowing one hand into the armpit, which seems to be her comfort zone. She's into playing sports - soccer and baseball. Clothing of choice any day would be a skirt or dress, even if long layers have to go underneath. She loves puppies, ponies, and just about anything princess. Favorite foods - mac & cheese, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, yogurt, cheerios, kix, blueberries, strawberries, watermelon and almost any soda. We recently put some new tires on Alexa's old Dora bike and Liz has taken to it like a duck on water. I wouldn't be all that surprised if she ditches the training wheels by the end of the summer. Favorite tv shows: Martha Speaks, Scooby Doo, Spongebob, any Barbie movies.

Jacob: He is Jake, Jay, J-Bird, or Bird. Has a love for cars, toy and real. We've had to start locking our vehicles just to keep him out. Loves to do things with his sisters, even if it means being dressed up by them. Although he does a pretty good job of dolling himself up. He loves riding his red trike and refusing to get on the 2 wheeler with training wheels. He is the book reader of the two of them, happy to be read to or just look at by himself. He has come a long way in the last year with his communication and mobility thanks to weekly speech sessions and some occupational therapy. When he's on the playground he'll go on the little slide and will swing himself, hopping off if you try to push him. Favorite foods: hot dogs, mac & cheese, bananas, apples, blueberries, strawberries, marshmallows, chicken nuggets, yogurt, nearly any kind of cracker/cookie. He does not like to drink milk by the cup except the occasional chocolate. He is very fond of cupboard raiding and has managed to bust any locks I put on them (or the fridge). Not afraid to grab a chair, drag it to a counter and use it to climb for what he seeks. He loves Mickey Mouse wherever his picture might be. Favorite tv shows: Mickey Mouse clubhouse, Martha Speaks, Spongebob, Scooby Doo.

They are their own persons that's for sure. But they are an interesting duo and work/play together quite well when they want to. They may be heading off to preschool come fall but that will depend on whether or not I can get them toilet trained.

Jacob's milestones

  • weight/length @ 7: 55.6lbs, 48.75"
  • weight/length @ 5: 42lbs, 43.5"
  • weight/length @ 4: 36 lbs, 39+"
  • weight/length@ 3: 32lbs, 36.5 inches
  • weight/length @ 2 years: 26lbs, 33.5 inches
  • weight/length @ 1 year: 18lbs, 29 inches
  • walking: 11/17/08
  • standing: 3/31/08
  • crawling: army, 2/5/08
  • first time rolling: 9/30/07, belly to back
  • first smile: 9/7/07
  • birth date/time: 7/8/07, 12:49am
  • birth length: 19.5 inches
  • birth weight: 6lbs, 1oz

Elizabeth's milestones

  • weight/length @7: 53lbs, 47.75"
  • weight/length @ 5: 40 lbs, 42.25"
  • weight/length @ 4: 34lbs, 38"
  • weight/length 3 years: 28lbs, 35.5 inches
  • weight/length 2 years: 24lbs, 6oz 33 inches
  • weight/length 1 year: 18lbs, 1oz 27.5 inches
  • walking: 9/1/08
  • standing: 4/4/08
  • crawling: army 3/16/08
  • sitting alone: 2/29/08
  • first time rolling: 11/23/07, back to belly
  • first smile: 9/7/07
  • birth date/time: 7/8/07, 12:50am
  • birth length: 18.75 inches
  • birth weight: 5lbs, 8oz

Alexa's milestones

  • weight/height @ 10 (really 10.8): 186, 5'3"
  • weight/height @ 8.4 years: 113 lbs, 55.5 inches
  • weight/height @ 5 years: 61lbs, 4oz 45.25 inches
  • weight/length @ 4 years: 49lbs, 42 inches
  • weight/length @ 3 years: 38lbs, 38 inches
  • weight/length @ 2 years: 32lbs, 8oz 35.75 inches
  • weight/length @ 1 year: 22lbs, 3 oz 29.5 inches
  • 1st day of preschool: 9/3/08
  • solo somersault: 3/4/08
  • whistling: 3/2/08
  • potty training: 10/7/05
  • walking: 12/21/04
  • standing: 8/23/04
  • crawling: 8/21/04, only a week, then became a butt scoot
  • first wave: 7/27/04
  • rolling: 5/2/04, belly to back
  • sleeping thru the night: 3/1/04
  • first smile: 1/20/04
  • birth date/time: 12/4/03, 10:41pm
  • birth length: 20 inches
  • birth weight: 7lbs