Today I'm thankful for...
1. The end of January! It means we survived this hard month of Bobby's general surgery rotation! He was on call last night so we got to see him today and he was home for dinner. He picked Lillian up from preschool, which is a special treat. He took the girls to the park in the nice weather. He stayed home so I could go to my Young Womens activity at church and he fell asleep with Lillian and Sydney in our bed. It's so nice to have Daddy home! Februrary isn't looking easy either, but if we survived this month we can survive next month, too!
2. Left-over birthday cake and dessert picnics. My mom made an amazingly delicious triple layer chocolate brownie fudge cake for my birthday (at my request...she spoiled me)! There was a lot left over- not because it wasn't good enough to eat, but because it was HUGE (and because I didn't invite enough friends to eat it with us). So tonight Lillian had a brilliant idea to have a dessert picnic, kind of like how we have a picnic dinner when Daddy is on call (see yesterday's post). Daddy was honored to be a guest at one of our picnics and we all enjoyed eating bite-size pieces of the delectable brownie cake.
3. Facebook. It's amazing to see how Facebook can be used to easily reach out to individuals who are experiencing an emotional tragedy, and how it can be used to mobilize and motivate groups of people to act. I'm grateful for this technology. It's a truly meaningful use of social networking, beyond mundane status updates and bad photos that family and friends tag you in.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Today I'm thankful for...
1. Miss Jodie. She's one of the preschool moms, and she's so nice!! She saw me in the parking lot at Lillian's school and offered to take Lillian into class for me so I didn't have to haul Liam and Sydney out of the car. It was pretty darn cold outside, so I took her up on her offer and was very grateful for it! Another preschool mom did the same thing for me right after Liam was born. I'm so lucky to know such wonderful preschool moms!
2. Speaking of preschool...I'm also thankful for Lillian's teacher Mrs. Magdavitz and her patience. I was about fifteen minutes late picking Lilly up today. I called ahead of time to let her know and so Lillian wouldn't feel forgotten. I was shopping with Mom about 15 miles way, and right when we were supposed to be leaving both Liam and Sydney decided it would be a good time to poop. Liam pooped straight out the top of his diaper, which required a time-consuming clean-up and clothing change. Sydney pooped in the little potty in the van (yay!!), which required a time-consuming cheering session to encourage the poop to come out. Mom was so grossed out by all the poop (and I don't blame her) that she had to go back inside the store to wash her hands. By the time we got on the road and through the traffic we were late getting to Lilly's school. But being the kind teacher that Mrs. M is, she just smiled when I came in. She had put Lilly to work setting out the purple play-dough on the activity table. Lillian had also set out all the Name Apples and lined them up in a neat row (each preschooler has a different colored paper apple with their name on it. When they arrive in the morning they are supposed to find their apple and put it in the basket). I was worried that Lillian would be upset that I was late, but she seemed happy to be a special helper. She's such a sweet girl and I'm glad her teacher was so nice about me being late. It won't become a habit, I promise!
3. Picnic dinners on the floor. It's become a tradition when Daddy is on call to eat our dinner on a "picnic" blanket on the floor. My mom is a good sport about it and joins us, and she even led the girls in a few rounds of "cheers" with their cups of milk. Good times!
4. Family and friends. I learned tonight that a friend from high school was killed in a car accident. She was best friends with another friend of mine. My heart goes out to her family and friends, especially to her husband. Hug your family and friends today. Tell them that you love them. You can never tell them enough.
1. Miss Jodie. She's one of the preschool moms, and she's so nice!! She saw me in the parking lot at Lillian's school and offered to take Lillian into class for me so I didn't have to haul Liam and Sydney out of the car. It was pretty darn cold outside, so I took her up on her offer and was very grateful for it! Another preschool mom did the same thing for me right after Liam was born. I'm so lucky to know such wonderful preschool moms!
2. Speaking of preschool...I'm also thankful for Lillian's teacher Mrs. Magdavitz and her patience. I was about fifteen minutes late picking Lilly up today. I called ahead of time to let her know and so Lillian wouldn't feel forgotten. I was shopping with Mom about 15 miles way, and right when we were supposed to be leaving both Liam and Sydney decided it would be a good time to poop. Liam pooped straight out the top of his diaper, which required a time-consuming clean-up and clothing change. Sydney pooped in the little potty in the van (yay!!), which required a time-consuming cheering session to encourage the poop to come out. Mom was so grossed out by all the poop (and I don't blame her) that she had to go back inside the store to wash her hands. By the time we got on the road and through the traffic we were late getting to Lilly's school. But being the kind teacher that Mrs. M is, she just smiled when I came in. She had put Lilly to work setting out the purple play-dough on the activity table. Lillian had also set out all the Name Apples and lined them up in a neat row (each preschooler has a different colored paper apple with their name on it. When they arrive in the morning they are supposed to find their apple and put it in the basket). I was worried that Lillian would be upset that I was late, but she seemed happy to be a special helper. She's such a sweet girl and I'm glad her teacher was so nice about me being late. It won't become a habit, I promise!
3. Picnic dinners on the floor. It's become a tradition when Daddy is on call to eat our dinner on a "picnic" blanket on the floor. My mom is a good sport about it and joins us, and she even led the girls in a few rounds of "cheers" with their cups of milk. Good times!
4. Family and friends. I learned tonight that a friend from high school was killed in a car accident. She was best friends with another friend of mine. My heart goes out to her family and friends, especially to her husband. Hug your family and friends today. Tell them that you love them. You can never tell them enough.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Seventh Heaven
Seven years ago today I woke up at my parents' house, put on a beautiful white dress, went to the Washington, DC Temple and married my best friend.
Today I woke up to Sydney climbing in bed with me, I put a cute white suit on Liam, we went to church, and his daddy gave him a precious baby blessing.
It was a lot of fun to having Liam's baby blessing on our anniversary. All day long I thought about how different our lives are now seven years later, yet how similar our day was today as it was in 2005. The biggest similarity is that we spent it with a lot of family. My parents were there, as well as Bobby's, and four of his sisters and their families, and two of his brothers and their families. Needless to say, the "Doran Clan" boosted the numbers at church today. :) Between uncles, father, grandfather and friends, Liam had quite a large (in numbers and in stature!) blessing circle around him. Afterwards Bobby showed him off to everyone in the congregation, and he held him up on the stand with him during the rest of Sacrament. Sydney kept asking, "Where's Baby Liam?" so I kept standing her up in my lap so she could see him sleeping in Daddy's arms. Then she would say, "My baby brudder!" So sweet and tender!
After church we all went to my parents' apartment for lunch. My mom was so kind and generous to make enough food to feed the crowd. The kids far outnumbered the adults 14 to 9, so it was a little crazy, but the cousins had a great time playing with each other and I don't think there was too much damage done to walls, floors or furniture. :)
Before church started this morning a neighbor friend took all three kids so Bobby and I could have a nice, quiet breakfast together. I made our favorite oatmeal bake...yum!
All in all, it was a great day and a great way to spend our anniversary. Seven years has given us a lot of adventures, fun times, growing experiences, and a beautiful family with three beautiful children whom we love very much. I truly am in my own seventh heaven.
Today I woke up to Sydney climbing in bed with me, I put a cute white suit on Liam, we went to church, and his daddy gave him a precious baby blessing.
It was a lot of fun to having Liam's baby blessing on our anniversary. All day long I thought about how different our lives are now seven years later, yet how similar our day was today as it was in 2005. The biggest similarity is that we spent it with a lot of family. My parents were there, as well as Bobby's, and four of his sisters and their families, and two of his brothers and their families. Needless to say, the "Doran Clan" boosted the numbers at church today. :) Between uncles, father, grandfather and friends, Liam had quite a large (in numbers and in stature!) blessing circle around him. Afterwards Bobby showed him off to everyone in the congregation, and he held him up on the stand with him during the rest of Sacrament. Sydney kept asking, "Where's Baby Liam?" so I kept standing her up in my lap so she could see him sleeping in Daddy's arms. Then she would say, "My baby brudder!" So sweet and tender!
After church we all went to my parents' apartment for lunch. My mom was so kind and generous to make enough food to feed the crowd. The kids far outnumbered the adults 14 to 9, so it was a little crazy, but the cousins had a great time playing with each other and I don't think there was too much damage done to walls, floors or furniture. :)
Before church started this morning a neighbor friend took all three kids so Bobby and I could have a nice, quiet breakfast together. I made our favorite oatmeal bake...yum!
All in all, it was a great day and a great way to spend our anniversary. Seven years has given us a lot of adventures, fun times, growing experiences, and a beautiful family with three beautiful children whom we love very much. I truly am in my own seventh heaven.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Today I'm thankful for...
1. The flashlight app on my Droid. I heard something fall out of the van and hit the pavement when I opened my door. I had no idea what it was and I couldn't see anything in the dark. I quickly pulled up my flashlight app and soon the whole parking lot was lit up! I discovered Sydney's sparkly pink water bottle had fallen out and rolled behind the tire of the SUV next to us. Using my "flashlight" I sprawled out on my belly [on the nasty pavement] and grabbed the cup. If you don't have a flashlight app, you should really get one. Bobby used his a few weeks ago at the movie theater (we went to see "Sherlock Holmes" which, by the way, was awesome)- some guy dropped his keys in the dark theater and couldn't find him. Bobby's flashlight app saved the day! It's also cool because it has different light settings- one that flashes like police car lights, another one that changes colors when you swipe the screen and yet another that changes the color and brightness of a light bulb when you swipe the right way. When not in use for practical reasons, the colorful, blinkie lights are always good entertainment. Anyways, you should really get the app. It's great.
2. All the moms and their daughters who spent their Saturday morning with me and the other young women church leaders. We served them breakfast and had a little "kick off the year" event, called New Beginnings. It was wonderful to have everyone together and to have some bonding time. I love the young women at church and I hope this year will be wonderful and happy for them!
3. Sydney and Lillian's "deer hunts" with Daddy. Last night we got home after dark, and during the drive Sydney wanted look for deer. She often makes this request when we drive through a particular part of Fairmount Park at night that is usually heavily populated with deer. Being the good dad that he is, Bobby drove around a little bit and pointed the headlights across a few fields, but we didn't see any deer. Sydney was so disappointed (and tired) that she was in tears by the time we got home. To make up for it, Bobby took the girls to Valley Forge National Park this morning (while I was at New Beginnings with Liam) to hunt for more deer. There are usually a ton of deer in the park. Unfortunately they didn't find a lot of deer today, but they did see one big group of about six deer. Both Lillian and Sydney were very excited to tell me about it when they got home, especially how they got to eat lots and lots of goldfish crackers (Sydney calls them "go-fish cackers") and gummy treats in the van while they searched.
4. Male bonding time. As I'm typing this, Bobby and Liam are laying on the couch together. Bobby is making [not so masculine] baby sounds and funny faces that are making Liam smile and squeal in delight. Bobby is smiling and laughing just as much. My boys are so cute!!
1. The flashlight app on my Droid. I heard something fall out of the van and hit the pavement when I opened my door. I had no idea what it was and I couldn't see anything in the dark. I quickly pulled up my flashlight app and soon the whole parking lot was lit up! I discovered Sydney's sparkly pink water bottle had fallen out and rolled behind the tire of the SUV next to us. Using my "flashlight" I sprawled out on my belly [on the nasty pavement] and grabbed the cup. If you don't have a flashlight app, you should really get one. Bobby used his a few weeks ago at the movie theater (we went to see "Sherlock Holmes" which, by the way, was awesome)- some guy dropped his keys in the dark theater and couldn't find him. Bobby's flashlight app saved the day! It's also cool because it has different light settings- one that flashes like police car lights, another one that changes colors when you swipe the screen and yet another that changes the color and brightness of a light bulb when you swipe the right way. When not in use for practical reasons, the colorful, blinkie lights are always good entertainment. Anyways, you should really get the app. It's great.
2. All the moms and their daughters who spent their Saturday morning with me and the other young women church leaders. We served them breakfast and had a little "kick off the year" event, called New Beginnings. It was wonderful to have everyone together and to have some bonding time. I love the young women at church and I hope this year will be wonderful and happy for them!
3. Sydney and Lillian's "deer hunts" with Daddy. Last night we got home after dark, and during the drive Sydney wanted look for deer. She often makes this request when we drive through a particular part of Fairmount Park at night that is usually heavily populated with deer. Being the good dad that he is, Bobby drove around a little bit and pointed the headlights across a few fields, but we didn't see any deer. Sydney was so disappointed (and tired) that she was in tears by the time we got home. To make up for it, Bobby took the girls to Valley Forge National Park this morning (while I was at New Beginnings with Liam) to hunt for more deer. There are usually a ton of deer in the park. Unfortunately they didn't find a lot of deer today, but they did see one big group of about six deer. Both Lillian and Sydney were very excited to tell me about it when they got home, especially how they got to eat lots and lots of goldfish crackers (Sydney calls them "go-fish cackers") and gummy treats in the van while they searched.
4. Male bonding time. As I'm typing this, Bobby and Liam are laying on the couch together. Bobby is making [not so masculine] baby sounds and funny faces that are making Liam smile and squeal in delight. Bobby is smiling and laughing just as much. My boys are so cute!!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Today I'm thankful for...
1. Training chopsticks for kids. I have a friend who worked in Korea for a few months and she brought back 2 pair of training chopsticks for the girls. They're really cute- they have bunnies on the top and little loops for kids' fingers to fit through to help them hold onto the chopsticks and open and close them easily. Lillian found a pair this morning and insisted on using them to eat her Cheerios (in milk, mind you). It was quite a difficult task, but I think she managed to grab a few before using her spoon. Sydney tried it out too, but quickly decided that a spoon was a better utensil for breakfast cereal. :) As for Liam, he still doesn't need any utensils to eat his meals. :)
2. Dave & Buster's. Last summer Bobby and I were invited to an event at Dave & Buster's held by his residency program for all in-coming interns. They gave each of us a Power Card, which we used on about 2 games each before we left. The cards were still loaded with tons of points, so we brought the kiddos this afternoon and let them play endless rounds of dumb-luck games that would spit out lots of tickets (which, of course, was their favorite part)! Two very nice ladies gave the girls a whole ton of tickets, which doubled the amount we had! We used up all the points on our cards then redeemed them for fun, cheep-o gifts in the rewards shop. Sydney immediately went for a Hello Kitty backpack, picked up four of them and, after she put one on herself, distributed the other three to me, Bobby, and Lillian. We only had enough points for one. With the few points left over Lillian picked out a kazoo and two sparkly bracelets. Compared to the Hello Kitty backpack, it may seem like Lillian got shafted in the deal, but she was absolutely thrilled about the kazoo, so we figured it was fair in the end. Besides, we keep telling the girls that they have to share the backpack. We're trying to be fair parents. :) Bobby and I hope that we get invited back (as out-going interns- WAHOO!!) so we can get more Power Cards to use with the kids! Family entertainment [paid by someone else] is the best!!
3. Sleep. Bobby is post call today. He left for the hospital at 4:30 am on Thursday and he came home at 10 am today. I think he got barely 1 hour of sleep last night. He only napped for 2 hours when he got home. Now he is passed out on the couch. We had plans to watch Downton Abbey together, but I don't have the heart to wake him up. The poor guy needs to sleep for a week straight. This month of general surgery has been killing him (and us), and I'm so glad that it's almost over. He only has one more day left...he'll be on call again, but at least he only has to go back one more time this month! Then he'll get to do ortho next month which he enjoys much more (even though it's just as demanding on his time). We've gotten through this month so far- I know we can survive the last couple of days.
1. Training chopsticks for kids. I have a friend who worked in Korea for a few months and she brought back 2 pair of training chopsticks for the girls. They're really cute- they have bunnies on the top and little loops for kids' fingers to fit through to help them hold onto the chopsticks and open and close them easily. Lillian found a pair this morning and insisted on using them to eat her Cheerios (in milk, mind you). It was quite a difficult task, but I think she managed to grab a few before using her spoon. Sydney tried it out too, but quickly decided that a spoon was a better utensil for breakfast cereal. :) As for Liam, he still doesn't need any utensils to eat his meals. :)
2. Dave & Buster's. Last summer Bobby and I were invited to an event at Dave & Buster's held by his residency program for all in-coming interns. They gave each of us a Power Card, which we used on about 2 games each before we left. The cards were still loaded with tons of points, so we brought the kiddos this afternoon and let them play endless rounds of dumb-luck games that would spit out lots of tickets (which, of course, was their favorite part)! Two very nice ladies gave the girls a whole ton of tickets, which doubled the amount we had! We used up all the points on our cards then redeemed them for fun, cheep-o gifts in the rewards shop. Sydney immediately went for a Hello Kitty backpack, picked up four of them and, after she put one on herself, distributed the other three to me, Bobby, and Lillian. We only had enough points for one. With the few points left over Lillian picked out a kazoo and two sparkly bracelets. Compared to the Hello Kitty backpack, it may seem like Lillian got shafted in the deal, but she was absolutely thrilled about the kazoo, so we figured it was fair in the end. Besides, we keep telling the girls that they have to share the backpack. We're trying to be fair parents. :) Bobby and I hope that we get invited back (as out-going interns- WAHOO!!) so we can get more Power Cards to use with the kids! Family entertainment [paid by someone else] is the best!!
3. Sleep. Bobby is post call today. He left for the hospital at 4:30 am on Thursday and he came home at 10 am today. I think he got barely 1 hour of sleep last night. He only napped for 2 hours when he got home. Now he is passed out on the couch. We had plans to watch Downton Abbey together, but I don't have the heart to wake him up. The poor guy needs to sleep for a week straight. This month of general surgery has been killing him (and us), and I'm so glad that it's almost over. He only has one more day left...he'll be on call again, but at least he only has to go back one more time this month! Then he'll get to do ortho next month which he enjoys much more (even though it's just as demanding on his time). We've gotten through this month so far- I know we can survive the last couple of days.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Phew, what a day
Today I'm thankful for...
1. The sound and smell of a Skil saw cutting wood. When I brought Lillian to school this morning we could hear the high-pitched whir of a saw blade spinning and we could smell sawdust in the air. It immediately reminded me of growing up in my dad's wood shop and it brought me back to the familiar sounds and smells of saws running and wood cutting. It's amazing how a simple noise or smell can conjure up such vivid memories and feelings of home and comfort.
2. My mom. I know I mention her a lot and I don't mean to sound repetitive, but I would've had an emotional breakdown today if it weren't for my mom. She saved me on multiple occasions. My toilet decided to overflow while I was trying to get out the door to bring Lil to school. My mom arrived as I was on my hands and knees in the bathroom (still in my pj's) trying to clean up the mess. My mom insisted on finishing the job so I could get Lillian to school (of course she went above and beyond and cleaned the entire bathroom while she was at it). While my mom was busy scrubbing my dirty bathroom for me, I was having fun with Lillian and her preschool friends. We got to go outside and play hopscotch and draw with chalk, we read stories about bears, we put together floor puzzles, and- for the third week in a row and much to my pleasure- we got to play with the sand table. :) When we got home, my mom entertained the girls and played along with all of their games, many of which required her to answer an imaginary phone every 30 seconds or to order food from Lillian and Sydney's kitchen store. My mom folded my laundry, put it away (and organized the clothes that were already in the drawers), she cleaned my kitchen and did my dishes and she changed all of Liam's poppy diapers and let him spit up on her. She corralled the girls during our picnic dinner (it's become a tradition when Daddy is on call) to get them to eat. Then, while I got my haircut she gave the girls a bath and got them ready for bed. They would've been running around all over the place until 10pm if it weren't for her help. Btw- the girls got their hair cut, too! It was Sydney's first time and she did great!! My mom didn't leave until 9pm. She stayed at my house for 13 hours to help out. She felt bad leaving me at the end of the day, and I felt bad that she had stayed so long. I hope she gets a good, long night's rest. I love her lots and I don't know what I would've done without her today. I think I'll start calling her "Saint Mom."
3. My sleeping children. Peace and quiet never sounded so good.
1. The sound and smell of a Skil saw cutting wood. When I brought Lillian to school this morning we could hear the high-pitched whir of a saw blade spinning and we could smell sawdust in the air. It immediately reminded me of growing up in my dad's wood shop and it brought me back to the familiar sounds and smells of saws running and wood cutting. It's amazing how a simple noise or smell can conjure up such vivid memories and feelings of home and comfort.
2. My mom. I know I mention her a lot and I don't mean to sound repetitive, but I would've had an emotional breakdown today if it weren't for my mom. She saved me on multiple occasions. My toilet decided to overflow while I was trying to get out the door to bring Lil to school. My mom arrived as I was on my hands and knees in the bathroom (still in my pj's) trying to clean up the mess. My mom insisted on finishing the job so I could get Lillian to school (of course she went above and beyond and cleaned the entire bathroom while she was at it). While my mom was busy scrubbing my dirty bathroom for me, I was having fun with Lillian and her preschool friends. We got to go outside and play hopscotch and draw with chalk, we read stories about bears, we put together floor puzzles, and- for the third week in a row and much to my pleasure- we got to play with the sand table. :) When we got home, my mom entertained the girls and played along with all of their games, many of which required her to answer an imaginary phone every 30 seconds or to order food from Lillian and Sydney's kitchen store. My mom folded my laundry, put it away (and organized the clothes that were already in the drawers), she cleaned my kitchen and did my dishes and she changed all of Liam's poppy diapers and let him spit up on her. She corralled the girls during our picnic dinner (it's become a tradition when Daddy is on call) to get them to eat. Then, while I got my haircut she gave the girls a bath and got them ready for bed. They would've been running around all over the place until 10pm if it weren't for her help. Btw- the girls got their hair cut, too! It was Sydney's first time and she did great!! My mom didn't leave until 9pm. She stayed at my house for 13 hours to help out. She felt bad leaving me at the end of the day, and I felt bad that she had stayed so long. I hope she gets a good, long night's rest. I love her lots and I don't know what I would've done without her today. I think I'll start calling her "Saint Mom."
3. My sleeping children. Peace and quiet never sounded so good.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Starry Nights
Today I'm thankful for...
1. The YMCA and Melissa who teaches the best kickboxing class ever! It's been close to 3 months since I've been and it felt soo goood to go back! Even though I was getting my butt kicked during the class I couldn't help but smile the whole time because I was just so happy to be working out again. Now I'm sore all over!
2. "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." When Lilly asked me to sing it at bedtime she said, "I like that song at night because I LOVE watching the stars at night!" She has two framed Van Gogh paintings over her bed- "Starry Night over the Rhone" and her own water color rendition of "The Starry Night" that she painted at school.
3. My children's birth order. Tonight I decided that it's a good thing Lillian is the oldest, Sydney the middle and Liam the youngest. Lilly is the most emotional of the three and she demands a lot of individual attention. Sydney is very independent and Liam is so patient and chill. It would be very hard to get anything done if Lillian was the baby right now who needed all the attention all the time (like she did when she was born). I'm pretty lucky to have two younger kids who are pretty happy-go-lucky and content on their own- they let me tend to Lilly's needs fairly well. (Can you tell that we had kind of a rough night tonight? Poor Lillian is still adjusting to things, or maybe this is a long phase we're going through? I don't know, but we'll survive it somehow).
Here's my gratitude list from yesterday 1/24/12:
1. Reading "Goodnight Moon" with Sydney on the couch before nap time. She practically knows the whole story by heart and she could finish each sentence before I got to it. She kept asking where the "old lady whispering hush" went to at the end of the book, so I told her she went to her own bedroom to go night-night. Then we had to look at all the pages to see where the old lady was.
2. Lillian's plea to go to "Martha's Park" with the swings. It was 15 minutes before sunset, but we threw on our coats, got Liam in the carseat and we drove to the park for a last minute visit. G-pa arrived on his bike as we were leaving the house so he came with us, too. The girls had fun on the swings, going down the twisty slide, watching the pretty orange sunset, and taking turns going potty in the van on the little portable potty we keep stowed away for occasions such as that. :) After dark G-ma met up with us and G-pa pulled out his huge binoculars to do some Venus and Moon viewing. But the clouds refused to get out of the way, so Lilly and G-pa spied on residents in the high-rise apartment building about half a mile away instead. (just kidding) :) Before our fingers and noses got too cold we hurried home and had hot chocolate and popcorn at the girls' request. We'll have to try our night-sky viewing again, but it was a fun night.
3. The best news of the day- Bobby passed Step 3 Boards! YAY!! So glad to have that behind us!
1. The YMCA and Melissa who teaches the best kickboxing class ever! It's been close to 3 months since I've been and it felt soo goood to go back! Even though I was getting my butt kicked during the class I couldn't help but smile the whole time because I was just so happy to be working out again. Now I'm sore all over!
2. "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." When Lilly asked me to sing it at bedtime she said, "I like that song at night because I LOVE watching the stars at night!" She has two framed Van Gogh paintings over her bed- "Starry Night over the Rhone" and her own water color rendition of "The Starry Night" that she painted at school.
3. My children's birth order. Tonight I decided that it's a good thing Lillian is the oldest, Sydney the middle and Liam the youngest. Lilly is the most emotional of the three and she demands a lot of individual attention. Sydney is very independent and Liam is so patient and chill. It would be very hard to get anything done if Lillian was the baby right now who needed all the attention all the time (like she did when she was born). I'm pretty lucky to have two younger kids who are pretty happy-go-lucky and content on their own- they let me tend to Lilly's needs fairly well. (Can you tell that we had kind of a rough night tonight? Poor Lillian is still adjusting to things, or maybe this is a long phase we're going through? I don't know, but we'll survive it somehow).
Here's my gratitude list from yesterday 1/24/12:
1. Reading "Goodnight Moon" with Sydney on the couch before nap time. She practically knows the whole story by heart and she could finish each sentence before I got to it. She kept asking where the "old lady whispering hush" went to at the end of the book, so I told her she went to her own bedroom to go night-night. Then we had to look at all the pages to see where the old lady was.
2. Lillian's plea to go to "Martha's Park" with the swings. It was 15 minutes before sunset, but we threw on our coats, got Liam in the carseat and we drove to the park for a last minute visit. G-pa arrived on his bike as we were leaving the house so he came with us, too. The girls had fun on the swings, going down the twisty slide, watching the pretty orange sunset, and taking turns going potty in the van on the little portable potty we keep stowed away for occasions such as that. :) After dark G-ma met up with us and G-pa pulled out his huge binoculars to do some Venus and Moon viewing. But the clouds refused to get out of the way, so Lilly and G-pa spied on residents in the high-rise apartment building about half a mile away instead. (just kidding) :) Before our fingers and noses got too cold we hurried home and had hot chocolate and popcorn at the girls' request. We'll have to try our night-sky viewing again, but it was a fun night.
3. The best news of the day- Bobby passed Step 3 Boards! YAY!! So glad to have that behind us!
Monday, January 23, 2012
Good Times
I'm thankful for...
1. My birthday and everyone who made it so special!! So many family and friends wished me happy birthday all day long- it was great! My parents sneaked into our apartment while we were at church and they straightened things up, did my laundry, and set the table for my birthday dinner (complete with balloons)! Bobby made dinner, which we enjoyed with some friends, then my parents came back over with a delicious [very] chocolate brownie cake and some ice cream. On Friday Bobby and some friends took me out to dinner to Fat Salmon, a sushi restaurant in Old City that we recently discovered and really enjoy. My parents watched the kiddos and it was fun to go out. On Saturday morning Lillian and Sydney decided they didn't want to wait until my birthday to give me my birthday cards, so I got them a day early! They made the cards with Grandma and Grandpa during the week and they were works of art that will truly be treasured for a very long time. :) It was an awesome birthday weekend!
2. Pedicures. When Sydney woke up from her nap this afternoon she asked me to paint her fingernails and toenails. How can I say no to that request? So we pulled out my finger nail polish and sat on her bedroom floor and had a little pedicure party. She sat on her ladybug pillow as I reminded her to stop squirming so I wouldn't get polish all over her toes and fingers. She kept saying, "Thank you Mommy for my fingers and toes!" Her toes are now bright blue and her fingernails are sparkly. When Lillian got home Sydney proudly showed off her "pretties." Of course Lillian wanted a touch-up on her nails as well (her red polish has worn off- her nails have been neglected since her little brother was born). So we three girls pulled out the polish again. Lillian now has purple fingernails and sparkly blue toenails. My mani/pedi will have to wait, but I'm glad my girls are all sparkly and glam. There's just something about getting your nails done that makes a girl feel happy!
3. G-chat and my cute little niece Anna! We spent a long time watching 6-day old Anna make cute little scowly faces and sleep on her daddy's chest. She's adorable and I'm so glad she's part of our family! Lillian, Sydney, and Liam got to say hi to their new cousin, too. Lillian showed off her Razor-riding skills and Sydney showed Anna how to bounce on Rody. Liam shared some of his smiles (as well as some manly tuba sounds in his diaper, to which Anna responded with a little stinky toot...they're bonding already!). G-ma B was with us and she got to ooh-and-ah over her new granddaughter (whom she'll get to hold in just a couple weeks!!). We're so thankful for awesome technology and wonderful family who take the time to share their lives (and their family!) through the webcam.
1. My birthday and everyone who made it so special!! So many family and friends wished me happy birthday all day long- it was great! My parents sneaked into our apartment while we were at church and they straightened things up, did my laundry, and set the table for my birthday dinner (complete with balloons)! Bobby made dinner, which we enjoyed with some friends, then my parents came back over with a delicious [very] chocolate brownie cake and some ice cream. On Friday Bobby and some friends took me out to dinner to Fat Salmon, a sushi restaurant in Old City that we recently discovered and really enjoy. My parents watched the kiddos and it was fun to go out. On Saturday morning Lillian and Sydney decided they didn't want to wait until my birthday to give me my birthday cards, so I got them a day early! They made the cards with Grandma and Grandpa during the week and they were works of art that will truly be treasured for a very long time. :) It was an awesome birthday weekend!
2. Pedicures. When Sydney woke up from her nap this afternoon she asked me to paint her fingernails and toenails. How can I say no to that request? So we pulled out my finger nail polish and sat on her bedroom floor and had a little pedicure party. She sat on her ladybug pillow as I reminded her to stop squirming so I wouldn't get polish all over her toes and fingers. She kept saying, "Thank you Mommy for my fingers and toes!" Her toes are now bright blue and her fingernails are sparkly. When Lillian got home Sydney proudly showed off her "pretties." Of course Lillian wanted a touch-up on her nails as well (her red polish has worn off- her nails have been neglected since her little brother was born). So we three girls pulled out the polish again. Lillian now has purple fingernails and sparkly blue toenails. My mani/pedi will have to wait, but I'm glad my girls are all sparkly and glam. There's just something about getting your nails done that makes a girl feel happy!
3. G-chat and my cute little niece Anna! We spent a long time watching 6-day old Anna make cute little scowly faces and sleep on her daddy's chest. She's adorable and I'm so glad she's part of our family! Lillian, Sydney, and Liam got to say hi to their new cousin, too. Lillian showed off her Razor-riding skills and Sydney showed Anna how to bounce on Rody. Liam shared some of his smiles (as well as some manly tuba sounds in his diaper, to which Anna responded with a little stinky toot...they're bonding already!). G-ma B was with us and she got to ooh-and-ah over her new granddaughter (whom she'll get to hold in just a couple weeks!!). We're so thankful for awesome technology and wonderful family who take the time to share their lives (and their family!) through the webcam.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
My Thank You's
Today I'm thankful for...
1. The wonderful shopping trip that my mom took me on yesterday. My dad watched Sydney and Lillian was at school (then Bobby picked her up because he was post call) while Liam, my mom and I hit the mall so I could buy some much-needed clothing. My wardrobe is pretty pathetic overall, but it's doing much better now due to my mini shopping spree! And I can't wait to wear my new RED pea coat! Thanks for giving me a fun day of nothing but shopping!!
2. Sydney's angel face. Just look at how sweet she looks!
3. Liam's new bib. Auntie Audrey will be a stud magnet when she takes him out in public! :)
3. The sand table at Lillian's preschool. She held her own with 5 other boys digging in the sand, burying "treasure" and building sand mountains. That's my girl!
4. Story time with Lillian. She spent nearly an hour "reading" to her friends today. She read "Bad Dog Marley" (a favorite from Great Aunt Sharon, especially the part when Baby Louie says 'ba boo-boo, waddy!'), as well as "Blue Hat, Green Hat" by Sandra Boynton and "Amanda Pig." I have a cute video of her reading "Amanda Pig." I'll have to post that tomorrow.
5. The nice cashier at Target who rang up an un-marked clearance item for $4.98. It's a cute suit for Liam when he turns 12 months (it's never too early to buy off the clearance rack!)- it has a little vest and a clip-on tie! So adorable!!
1. The wonderful shopping trip that my mom took me on yesterday. My dad watched Sydney and Lillian was at school (then Bobby picked her up because he was post call) while Liam, my mom and I hit the mall so I could buy some much-needed clothing. My wardrobe is pretty pathetic overall, but it's doing much better now due to my mini shopping spree! And I can't wait to wear my new RED pea coat! Thanks for giving me a fun day of nothing but shopping!!
2. Sydney's angel face. Just look at how sweet she looks!
3. Liam's new bib. Auntie Audrey will be a stud magnet when she takes him out in public! :)
3. The sand table at Lillian's preschool. She held her own with 5 other boys digging in the sand, burying "treasure" and building sand mountains. That's my girl!
4. Story time with Lillian. She spent nearly an hour "reading" to her friends today. She read "Bad Dog Marley" (a favorite from Great Aunt Sharon, especially the part when Baby Louie says 'ba boo-boo, waddy!'), as well as "Blue Hat, Green Hat" by Sandra Boynton and "Amanda Pig." I have a cute video of her reading "Amanda Pig." I'll have to post that tomorrow.
5. The nice cashier at Target who rang up an un-marked clearance item for $4.98. It's a cute suit for Liam when he turns 12 months (it's never too early to buy off the clearance rack!)- it has a little vest and a clip-on tie! So adorable!!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
So much to be thankful for!
Today I'm thankful for...
1. My new niece Anna who was born this afternoon! I'm so thankful that she and her mom and her dad (my big bro!) are doing well. I'm so excited for their new little family and I can't wait to meet her in person!
2. A visit from my mother and sister-in-law. They took us out to lunch and surprised the girls with new winter hats and Liam with some cute little outfits. We love visits from BB! (she also brought us some yummy cheese from Di Bruno's- thank you!!) The cousins were so happy to see each other. Gabe kept saying hi to "Ill-ian" (which kind of sounded like "alien" sometimes) and he gave her a big hug. Evee was so cute- she sat by me during lunch and every time she looked at me she would wave and say, "Hi Aman-uh." I just love family!
My little moose and panda bear- thanks for the cute hats, BB!!
3. The stranger at PCOM who told me that I dropped my cell phone. I was carrying Liam in his car seat across campus toward the parking garage (we had just finished his 2-month well visit) and I didn't even hear it fall out of my pocket! I'm ever so grateful that she noticed it and picked it up right away. It was raining outside, so even if it laid on the ground for a while and I managed to find it later it probably would've been ruined by the water. Thank you, kind, observant lady! :)
4. Liam's 2-month well visit. This kid weighs 12 pounds, 15 ounces (by the way, that's more than half of Sydney's weight and she's 28 months old!) and he's 23 inches long! What a strapping young man! Miss Karen (who is my favorite nurse there because she wears neon colored Crocs and sometimes her hair is orange) spent five minutes talking and flirting with Liam while she weighed him and got his measurements. She got so many smiles and coo's out of him! He's such a charmer!!
5. The names that people here in Philadelphia call me. While getting on the elevator today (again, at PCOM), there was an employee getting off. When she saw me holding Liam she said, "Come on in here, Little Mama!" Little Mama? That was a first! The gate attendant at my parents' apartment complex likes to call me "Sugar." "Honey" and "Darlin'" are other pretty common names. People in Philly are just so friendly. :)
6. Sydney's life lessons. While I was feeding Liam this morning she so matter-of-factly informed me that, "Liam eat your milk!" Then she said, "Bats eat bugs!" I'm glad she cleared that up for me. I was confused, but now it's much clearer. :-D
7. Lillian's honesty. Last night for Family Home Evening we read a story in The Friend (a church children's magazine) about honesty. [Link to the story is here- download the PDF for the illustrations]. It's about a little boy who is questioned about starting a fire near his home. The little boy tells the police officer and his mom that he didn't do it. Evidence seems to point to the boy, so the police officer asks his mother if the boy tells the truth, to which the mom responds, "He has never lied to me. If he says he didn't start the fire, then he didn't do it." It turns out the boy was telling the truth and the police later figured out who actually started the fire. It was a great story about telling the truth and gaining trust. Tonight, while I was helping Sydney use the potty, Lillian rushed in and said, "Mommy, my drink spilled and made a mess!" She had knocked over her bright red kool-aid slushy drink and it left a mess in the fridge and on the floor. We cleaned it up together and I made a point to thank her for telling me right away and for being honest about what had happened. She's a smart girl (with a great memory) and she immediately tied it back to the story we read last night. She re-told me the story and said she's just like the boy that we read about who tells the truth. I'm so thankful for wonderful publications that help me teach good principles to my family and for a daughter who listens to them and is learning to embrace them.
1. My new niece Anna who was born this afternoon! I'm so thankful that she and her mom and her dad (my big bro!) are doing well. I'm so excited for their new little family and I can't wait to meet her in person!
2. A visit from my mother and sister-in-law. They took us out to lunch and surprised the girls with new winter hats and Liam with some cute little outfits. We love visits from BB! (she also brought us some yummy cheese from Di Bruno's- thank you!!) The cousins were so happy to see each other. Gabe kept saying hi to "Ill-ian" (which kind of sounded like "alien" sometimes) and he gave her a big hug. Evee was so cute- she sat by me during lunch and every time she looked at me she would wave and say, "Hi Aman-uh." I just love family!
My little moose and panda bear- thanks for the cute hats, BB!!3. The stranger at PCOM who told me that I dropped my cell phone. I was carrying Liam in his car seat across campus toward the parking garage (we had just finished his 2-month well visit) and I didn't even hear it fall out of my pocket! I'm ever so grateful that she noticed it and picked it up right away. It was raining outside, so even if it laid on the ground for a while and I managed to find it later it probably would've been ruined by the water. Thank you, kind, observant lady! :)
4. Liam's 2-month well visit. This kid weighs 12 pounds, 15 ounces (by the way, that's more than half of Sydney's weight and she's 28 months old!) and he's 23 inches long! What a strapping young man! Miss Karen (who is my favorite nurse there because she wears neon colored Crocs and sometimes her hair is orange) spent five minutes talking and flirting with Liam while she weighed him and got his measurements. She got so many smiles and coo's out of him! He's such a charmer!!
5. The names that people here in Philadelphia call me. While getting on the elevator today (again, at PCOM), there was an employee getting off. When she saw me holding Liam she said, "Come on in here, Little Mama!" Little Mama? That was a first! The gate attendant at my parents' apartment complex likes to call me "Sugar." "Honey" and "Darlin'" are other pretty common names. People in Philly are just so friendly. :)
6. Sydney's life lessons. While I was feeding Liam this morning she so matter-of-factly informed me that, "Liam eat your milk!" Then she said, "Bats eat bugs!" I'm glad she cleared that up for me. I was confused, but now it's much clearer. :-D
7. Lillian's honesty. Last night for Family Home Evening we read a story in The Friend (a church children's magazine) about honesty. [Link to the story is here- download the PDF for the illustrations]. It's about a little boy who is questioned about starting a fire near his home. The little boy tells the police officer and his mom that he didn't do it. Evidence seems to point to the boy, so the police officer asks his mother if the boy tells the truth, to which the mom responds, "He has never lied to me. If he says he didn't start the fire, then he didn't do it." It turns out the boy was telling the truth and the police later figured out who actually started the fire. It was a great story about telling the truth and gaining trust. Tonight, while I was helping Sydney use the potty, Lillian rushed in and said, "Mommy, my drink spilled and made a mess!" She had knocked over her bright red kool-aid slushy drink and it left a mess in the fridge and on the floor. We cleaned it up together and I made a point to thank her for telling me right away and for being honest about what had happened. She's a smart girl (with a great memory) and she immediately tied it back to the story we read last night. She re-told me the story and said she's just like the boy that we read about who tells the truth. I'm so thankful for wonderful publications that help me teach good principles to my family and for a daughter who listens to them and is learning to embrace them.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Happy MLK Jr. Day
Today I'm thankful for...
1. MLK Jr. Day of Service. Sydney, Lilly, Liam and I joined Grandma B at Lilly's school to participate in one of many service projects going on throughout the city. We assembled dream catcher craft kits to give to kids at the children's hospital.
2. Lillian's ballet performance. She was wearing her footsie pj's for bed (the ones with cupcakes all over them) with her green fairy wings and her tu-tu. She twirled and danced and pranced around as I nursed Liam on the couch. It was a wonderful performance! Sydney joined in for a few twirls as well. And then there were three or four encore performances before bedtime was finally announced. :) I really need to enroll Lillian in a ballet class . . . .
3. Leftovers. They make dinner so quick and easy.
4. Bobby's job. Although I often complain about how much money we don't have, I'm thankful for the money that we do have. It's a blessing to have an income, regardless of how big or small it is. When I was growing up we had an elderly neighbor who told my parents they were millionaires because they had a family of wonderful children. I keep reminding myself of that about my own family. :)
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Happy Sunday!
Today I'm thankful for...
1. Liam's 2-month birthday! He's growing so fast and time is flying. I better not blink or he'll be walking and talking before I know it. I love my little guy!! Also grateful for his two big sisters who love him lots and lots! And for his big, adorable smile and the cute little dimple in his left cheek!!
2. A husband who loves me, supports me, and honors our marriage. I'm thankful for the sacrifices he makes for our family, for the good example he is to our children, and for love and respect that he gives me.
3. My crock pot. And this yummy Thai Chicken recipe that cooked in it while I was at church. It was ready for us when we got home and it was delicious (and oh-so-EASY)!
4. A little book called "For the Strength of Youth." It describes principles and standards that youth (and the rest of us, for that matter) should live by in order to live righteously and make good decisions in our lives. I work closely with the young women (ages 12-17) at church and I sincerely hope and pray that they will choose to live by the standards in this book.
1. Liam's 2-month birthday! He's growing so fast and time is flying. I better not blink or he'll be walking and talking before I know it. I love my little guy!! Also grateful for his two big sisters who love him lots and lots! And for his big, adorable smile and the cute little dimple in his left cheek!!
2. A husband who loves me, supports me, and honors our marriage. I'm thankful for the sacrifices he makes for our family, for the good example he is to our children, and for love and respect that he gives me.
3. My crock pot. And this yummy Thai Chicken recipe that cooked in it while I was at church. It was ready for us when we got home and it was delicious (and oh-so-EASY)!
4. A little book called "For the Strength of Youth." It describes principles and standards that youth (and the rest of us, for that matter) should live by in order to live righteously and make good decisions in our lives. I work closely with the young women (ages 12-17) at church and I sincerely hope and pray that they will choose to live by the standards in this book.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Weather, Bells, and Dates
Today I'm thankful for...
1. The Weather Channel app on my phone. It makes it super easy to look up the weather for the day or the week. There are a lot of things in my life that revolve around the weather, like what I'm going to make for dinner (warm soup on a cold day or lighter fare on a cooler day?); my daily activities with the kiddos (nice enough for an afternoon at the park or stay inside and go to the library instead?); what I'm going to wear- even my mood is often influenced by the weather. The best thing about the app is that I can look up the weather in Nome, Alaska whenever I start to feel glum about the gray, bitter cold outside my door. Seeing -19 degrees F as the current temperature and -32 degrees F as the "feels like" temperature always makes me feel better about the weather I'm facing. I don't know how people live in places that cold, where the sun rises at 11:32 am and sets at 4:46 pm. Not only am I grateful for the app, but also for living in Philadelphia and not Nome, Alaska (even though that's where Balto lives, as Lillian always reminds me).
2. Scooter Bells. Lillian's Razor scooter has a bell that makes a high-pitched, ear-rattling DING (thank you, Uncle Alan). She likes to ding it when she zooms by. Grandpa just bought Sydney a princess bell for her Radio Flyer scooter. Hers makes more of a "ching, ching" noise- not so offensive to the ear drums. After Grandpa installed the bell, Sydney got on her scooter and started down the hallway with her hand on the bell and she said, "Now ME have bell too!!"
3. Daddy-Daughter dates. Bobby took Lillian ice skating today- just the two of them. It was Lillian's first time and she was thrilled! She said, "Daddy tied on my little skates! We both fell down on our butts! But Daddy got up first and then helped me up." After their ice-capades, Daddy and daughter hit Starbucks for some hot cocoa and warm caramel apple cider. I'm grateful for these bonding experiences between Bobby and Lillian. I hope she will always want to go on "dates" with her daddy, even when she gets older.
1. The Weather Channel app on my phone. It makes it super easy to look up the weather for the day or the week. There are a lot of things in my life that revolve around the weather, like what I'm going to make for dinner (warm soup on a cold day or lighter fare on a cooler day?); my daily activities with the kiddos (nice enough for an afternoon at the park or stay inside and go to the library instead?); what I'm going to wear- even my mood is often influenced by the weather. The best thing about the app is that I can look up the weather in Nome, Alaska whenever I start to feel glum about the gray, bitter cold outside my door. Seeing -19 degrees F as the current temperature and -32 degrees F as the "feels like" temperature always makes me feel better about the weather I'm facing. I don't know how people live in places that cold, where the sun rises at 11:32 am and sets at 4:46 pm. Not only am I grateful for the app, but also for living in Philadelphia and not Nome, Alaska (even though that's where Balto lives, as Lillian always reminds me).
2. Scooter Bells. Lillian's Razor scooter has a bell that makes a high-pitched, ear-rattling DING (thank you, Uncle Alan). She likes to ding it when she zooms by. Grandpa just bought Sydney a princess bell for her Radio Flyer scooter. Hers makes more of a "ching, ching" noise- not so offensive to the ear drums. After Grandpa installed the bell, Sydney got on her scooter and started down the hallway with her hand on the bell and she said, "Now ME have bell too!!"
3. Daddy-Daughter dates. Bobby took Lillian ice skating today- just the two of them. It was Lillian's first time and she was thrilled! She said, "Daddy tied on my little skates! We both fell down on our butts! But Daddy got up first and then helped me up." After their ice-capades, Daddy and daughter hit Starbucks for some hot cocoa and warm caramel apple cider. I'm grateful for these bonding experiences between Bobby and Lillian. I hope she will always want to go on "dates" with her daddy, even when she gets older.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Close Call
Today I'm Thankful For...
1. The brakes in my car. They prevented me from hitting a big boat-of-a-car on my way home from the store today. The young lady driving the old Buick decided to pull out from her parking spot on the side of the road without even looking to see me coming. It was a close call, and other than the box of diapers that went flying off the passenger seat next to me, no damage was done.
2. Our Please Touch Museum Pass. It was a bitterly cold, windy day so we went to the Please Touch for some warm, inside fun. The best thing about having a pass is that we can go an hour before the museum closes (when all the other kids are leaving) and not feel like we're wasting money on a short visit. The other fun thing about going at closing time is the "End of the Day Parade" with a very animated guy who dresses up in ridiculous costumes and bangs a drum around the museum with a trail of enthusiastic children. It's a little too much for the girls to handle, so we haven't actually participated in the parade yet, but it looks like so much fun! I wish they would join in so I could too! I'm thankful to live in a city with such great museums. I'm also so, so thankful that Bobby got to come with us!
3. This Gratitude Journal. It keeps me positive and it helps me recognize all the wonderful things around me and all the blessings in my life. Throughout the day I find myself looking for things to be thankful for so I can write about them. Since I started doing it my attitude has been better and I've been feeling great! I highly recommend anyone to do it. It will really help you feel more joy and happiness in your life.
1. The brakes in my car. They prevented me from hitting a big boat-of-a-car on my way home from the store today. The young lady driving the old Buick decided to pull out from her parking spot on the side of the road without even looking to see me coming. It was a close call, and other than the box of diapers that went flying off the passenger seat next to me, no damage was done.
2. Our Please Touch Museum Pass. It was a bitterly cold, windy day so we went to the Please Touch for some warm, inside fun. The best thing about having a pass is that we can go an hour before the museum closes (when all the other kids are leaving) and not feel like we're wasting money on a short visit. The other fun thing about going at closing time is the "End of the Day Parade" with a very animated guy who dresses up in ridiculous costumes and bangs a drum around the museum with a trail of enthusiastic children. It's a little too much for the girls to handle, so we haven't actually participated in the parade yet, but it looks like so much fun! I wish they would join in so I could too! I'm thankful to live in a city with such great museums. I'm also so, so thankful that Bobby got to come with us!
3. This Gratitude Journal. It keeps me positive and it helps me recognize all the wonderful things around me and all the blessings in my life. Throughout the day I find myself looking for things to be thankful for so I can write about them. Since I started doing it my attitude has been better and I've been feeling great! I highly recommend anyone to do it. It will really help you feel more joy and happiness in your life.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
What a Great Day
Today I'm thankful for...
1. The opportunity to help out in Lillian's preschool classroom this morning. My mom came over early and stayed with Sydney and Liam while I went to Lilly's school with her (thank you, Mom!). First I manned the math center and did geo-shapes with the kids, then during activity time I got to supervise the [very popular with the preschoolers] sand table! It was a lot of fun to see Lillian interact with her classmates and to watch little minds hard at work. After lunch I joined Lilly in the circle on the rug while her teacher read two stories about Martin Luther King, Jr, then we skipped out before nap time and ran some errands together. At home we did a gingerbread craft together with Grandma and Sydney to get ready for the gingerbread party she's having in class tomorrow. I'm so thankful for Lillian's teacher and all the fun things that she plans for the kids (and how she manages to keep 20 preschoolers occupied and disciplined for 6 1/2 hours a day...I don't know how she does it).
2. Baby Naked Time! To speed up bath time tonight, I challenged the girls to have a race to see who could get naked first. Lillian stripped in record time. Getting her diaper off slowed Sydney down a little bit, but she came in a close second. Before I knew it I had two stark-naked girls streaking through the house yelling, "naked baby! naked baby!" They like to wave their arms in the air and shake their bums back and forth when they say it. It was great. It was all I could do to contain myself from pinching their cute, naked bum cheeks. Then Sydney announced that she pee-ed on the floor. Oops! Naked time over!
3. Potty training. I'm trying really hard to be thankful for this one, because honestly, I think potty training is a pain. It's very time consuming. I'm thankful that Sydney has taken so well to using the big potty, even if it takes 15 minutes of me sitting in the bathroom with her before her "poops" come out. After she was in bed tonight she got up FIVE times to go tinkle. And yes, she went tinkle every.single.time- she wasn't just using it as an excuse to get out of bed. That's the problem when you're potty training- you can't say "just hold it!" or "I don't think you really have to go!" As the potty trainer you are obligated to put the potty trainee on the pot each and every time they say they have to go. It drives me nuts, but the process is worth the end product...no more stinky diapers piling up in the hallway waiting to go out to the trash and no more wipes! I must keep this positive image in my mind. Yes, I am thankful for potty training.
4. Liam. I'm so thankful for my little boy. He's a gem. And so patient. I just love him so much and want to hold him and cuddle him all day long.
1. The opportunity to help out in Lillian's preschool classroom this morning. My mom came over early and stayed with Sydney and Liam while I went to Lilly's school with her (thank you, Mom!). First I manned the math center and did geo-shapes with the kids, then during activity time I got to supervise the [very popular with the preschoolers] sand table! It was a lot of fun to see Lillian interact with her classmates and to watch little minds hard at work. After lunch I joined Lilly in the circle on the rug while her teacher read two stories about Martin Luther King, Jr, then we skipped out before nap time and ran some errands together. At home we did a gingerbread craft together with Grandma and Sydney to get ready for the gingerbread party she's having in class tomorrow. I'm so thankful for Lillian's teacher and all the fun things that she plans for the kids (and how she manages to keep 20 preschoolers occupied and disciplined for 6 1/2 hours a day...I don't know how she does it).
2. Baby Naked Time! To speed up bath time tonight, I challenged the girls to have a race to see who could get naked first. Lillian stripped in record time. Getting her diaper off slowed Sydney down a little bit, but she came in a close second. Before I knew it I had two stark-naked girls streaking through the house yelling, "naked baby! naked baby!" They like to wave their arms in the air and shake their bums back and forth when they say it. It was great. It was all I could do to contain myself from pinching their cute, naked bum cheeks. Then Sydney announced that she pee-ed on the floor. Oops! Naked time over!
3. Potty training. I'm trying really hard to be thankful for this one, because honestly, I think potty training is a pain. It's very time consuming. I'm thankful that Sydney has taken so well to using the big potty, even if it takes 15 minutes of me sitting in the bathroom with her before her "poops" come out. After she was in bed tonight she got up FIVE times to go tinkle. And yes, she went tinkle every.single.time- she wasn't just using it as an excuse to get out of bed. That's the problem when you're potty training- you can't say "just hold it!" or "I don't think you really have to go!" As the potty trainer you are obligated to put the potty trainee on the pot each and every time they say they have to go. It drives me nuts, but the process is worth the end product...no more stinky diapers piling up in the hallway waiting to go out to the trash and no more wipes! I must keep this positive image in my mind. Yes, I am thankful for potty training.
4. Liam. I'm so thankful for my little boy. He's a gem. And so patient. I just love him so much and want to hold him and cuddle him all day long.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
The Best Things in Life Are Free
Today I'm thankful for...
1. Bobby, who washes his cereal bowl and spoon at 5 am every morning after he has breakfast. That's just two less dirty dishes that I have to worry about during the day. :)
2. Books. I love books! I love reading stories to my kids. One of my favorite times of the day is our book time before bed time. I love that Lillian and Sydney love books, too. And I'm oh-so-grateful for our library and all of the FREE books it provides (as well as the very nice librarians who put up with Sydney running around in circles and taking books off all the shelves...Lillian has grown out of that phase, thank goodness. Although, I'm sure that by the time Sydney grows out of it Liam will be growing into it)!
3. Pandora Radio and the sound of Josh Groban's angelic voice filling the room.
4. My healthy family. Other than Liam's slight wheezing, my family is pretty healthy overall. I'm so grateful for this. This time of year can be tough with germs and babies. I'm constantly reminded of how blessed we have been with health when Bobby tells me about the patients he is caring for in the hospital. Just yesterday he said a 3 year-old coded in the ER. My heart goes out to the family and friends. It makes me want to hug my little ones a little tighter and hold them a little longer.
1. Bobby, who washes his cereal bowl and spoon at 5 am every morning after he has breakfast. That's just two less dirty dishes that I have to worry about during the day. :)
2. Books. I love books! I love reading stories to my kids. One of my favorite times of the day is our book time before bed time. I love that Lillian and Sydney love books, too. And I'm oh-so-grateful for our library and all of the FREE books it provides (as well as the very nice librarians who put up with Sydney running around in circles and taking books off all the shelves...Lillian has grown out of that phase, thank goodness. Although, I'm sure that by the time Sydney grows out of it Liam will be growing into it)!
3. Pandora Radio and the sound of Josh Groban's angelic voice filling the room.
4. My healthy family. Other than Liam's slight wheezing, my family is pretty healthy overall. I'm so grateful for this. This time of year can be tough with germs and babies. I'm constantly reminded of how blessed we have been with health when Bobby tells me about the patients he is caring for in the hospital. Just yesterday he said a 3 year-old coded in the ER. My heart goes out to the family and friends. It makes me want to hug my little ones a little tighter and hold them a little longer.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Doctors and Grandparents
Today I'm thankful for...
1. Medicine and Doctors. Liam has had congestion and cough for a couple of days. At 1 am last night his cough sounded pretty bad, so I fished out the stethoscope from the girls' toy chest (it's a cheapie, disposable kind from the hospital that Bobby brought home one day to add to their doctor kits). Bobby listened to Liam's breathing and heard some wheezing. He diagnosed him with RSV and prescribed an albuterol breathing treatment and recommended that I call the pediatrician on call. I have to admit that at first I thought he was being a little bit paranoid and I didn't feel like getting out of bed to do all of that. I was tired. He had to be up in 3 hours to be at the hospital, though, so I didn't feel it would be fair to ask him to do it. This morning I brought Liam in to see the pediatrician. He confirmed everything Bobby said last night- slight wheezing, probably RSV, give him breathing treatments. I'm grateful that Bobby is observant of our children's conditions and is knowledgeable on how to treat them. There have been numerous occasions when he has noticed something wasn't normal and we were able to start treating it right away. I'm also grateful for modern medicinesvand that we have access to them. With Lillian's asthma and Liam's RSV, their conditions could be much more serious without proper medication that we so easily have access to.
2. Grandma and Grandpa B (my parents). My dad decided to take a temporary job assignment in Philadelphia so he and my mom could live near us for a few months. Having them 10 minutes away has been wonderful. They rearrange their schedules to watch the kiddos so Bobby and I can spend time together, they bring me dinner and help me get the girls ready for bed when Bobby is on call, they fill their apartment with toys to keep the girls entertained...they do so much for us. My mom buys endless packs of gum to supply Sydney's addiction, she won't leave my apartment until all the dishes are cleaned and put away, she knows our family routine so well that she's always one step ahead of me when it comes to brushing the girls teeth or reading them bedtime stories or giving baths, she always gets me water when I'm nursing Liam, she takes Sydney for an entire day at a moment's notice (like today), she picks up Lillian from school every day and brings her home . . . in short, my mom's full time job is taking care of me and my kids and I don't know what I would do without her (and I don't know what I'll do when she leaves)! My dad rides his bike in sub-freezing temperatures to meet my mom (who has the car) at our house, he empties his pockets to make a "smooth lap" for the girls to sit on, he eats dinner with a grand-daughter in each lap, he lets Sydney play with the cochlear-implant magnet on his head, he holds Liam while he toots, he teaches Lillian about the solar system. I'm enjoying this time with my parents and watching their relationship with my children grow and deepen. I have a lot of friends who are living thousands of miles away from their families- I don't want to take this opportunity of having them live so close for granted.
3. Grandma BB and Grandpa D (Bobby's parents). We don't get to see them as much, but we feel so much love and support from them. The girls and Liam get cards and treats from them in the mail frequently. Just yesterday the girls got gift cards to Wendy's for a free frostie and some money to buy lunch. I'm looking forward to taking them out for this fun date together. Little things like that from grandparents are so much fun and it makes us feel so special and loved! I'm so grateful that my children have the opportunity to know both sets of grandparents...they're so spoiled! (and so are Mom and Dad!)
1. Medicine and Doctors. Liam has had congestion and cough for a couple of days. At 1 am last night his cough sounded pretty bad, so I fished out the stethoscope from the girls' toy chest (it's a cheapie, disposable kind from the hospital that Bobby brought home one day to add to their doctor kits). Bobby listened to Liam's breathing and heard some wheezing. He diagnosed him with RSV and prescribed an albuterol breathing treatment and recommended that I call the pediatrician on call. I have to admit that at first I thought he was being a little bit paranoid and I didn't feel like getting out of bed to do all of that. I was tired. He had to be up in 3 hours to be at the hospital, though, so I didn't feel it would be fair to ask him to do it. This morning I brought Liam in to see the pediatrician. He confirmed everything Bobby said last night- slight wheezing, probably RSV, give him breathing treatments. I'm grateful that Bobby is observant of our children's conditions and is knowledgeable on how to treat them. There have been numerous occasions when he has noticed something wasn't normal and we were able to start treating it right away. I'm also grateful for modern medicinesvand that we have access to them. With Lillian's asthma and Liam's RSV, their conditions could be much more serious without proper medication that we so easily have access to.
2. Grandma and Grandpa B (my parents). My dad decided to take a temporary job assignment in Philadelphia so he and my mom could live near us for a few months. Having them 10 minutes away has been wonderful. They rearrange their schedules to watch the kiddos so Bobby and I can spend time together, they bring me dinner and help me get the girls ready for bed when Bobby is on call, they fill their apartment with toys to keep the girls entertained...they do so much for us. My mom buys endless packs of gum to supply Sydney's addiction, she won't leave my apartment until all the dishes are cleaned and put away, she knows our family routine so well that she's always one step ahead of me when it comes to brushing the girls teeth or reading them bedtime stories or giving baths, she always gets me water when I'm nursing Liam, she takes Sydney for an entire day at a moment's notice (like today), she picks up Lillian from school every day and brings her home . . . in short, my mom's full time job is taking care of me and my kids and I don't know what I would do without her (and I don't know what I'll do when she leaves)! My dad rides his bike in sub-freezing temperatures to meet my mom (who has the car) at our house, he empties his pockets to make a "smooth lap" for the girls to sit on, he eats dinner with a grand-daughter in each lap, he lets Sydney play with the cochlear-implant magnet on his head, he holds Liam while he toots, he teaches Lillian about the solar system. I'm enjoying this time with my parents and watching their relationship with my children grow and deepen. I have a lot of friends who are living thousands of miles away from their families- I don't want to take this opportunity of having them live so close for granted.
3. Grandma BB and Grandpa D (Bobby's parents). We don't get to see them as much, but we feel so much love and support from them. The girls and Liam get cards and treats from them in the mail frequently. Just yesterday the girls got gift cards to Wendy's for a free frostie and some money to buy lunch. I'm looking forward to taking them out for this fun date together. Little things like that from grandparents are so much fun and it makes us feel so special and loved! I'm so grateful that my children have the opportunity to know both sets of grandparents...they're so spoiled! (and so are Mom and Dad!)
Monday, January 9, 2012
The Little Things
Today I'm thankful for...
1. The way Lillian talks with her hands and makes facial expressions when she's telling me something really important.
2. The way Liam holds tight to my thumb when he's nursing.
3. Sydney's love for Santa and Jesus. She still talks about sitting in Santa's lap (even though she was too scared to do it when we visited the Macy's Santa this Christmas). Today she noticed the picture of Christ that we have up on a shelf. She said, "I see Jesus up dare!" Then she turned to me and said, "I sit in Jesus lap? Jesus hold me? I love him!"
4. The bright, cold, crisp air outside.
5. Season 2 of Downton Abbey. I can't wait to watch it!! If you've never heard of it, you should check out Season 1...you'll get hooked!!
1. The way Lillian talks with her hands and makes facial expressions when she's telling me something really important.
2. The way Liam holds tight to my thumb when he's nursing.
3. Sydney's love for Santa and Jesus. She still talks about sitting in Santa's lap (even though she was too scared to do it when we visited the Macy's Santa this Christmas). Today she noticed the picture of Christ that we have up on a shelf. She said, "I see Jesus up dare!" Then she turned to me and said, "I sit in Jesus lap? Jesus hold me? I love him!"
4. The bright, cold, crisp air outside.
5. Season 2 of Downton Abbey. I can't wait to watch it!! If you've never heard of it, you should check out Season 1...you'll get hooked!!
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Lift Up Your Voice and Sing!
Today I'm thankful for...
1. A little girl named Ashley who sings her heart out at church every Sunday. I can always hear her singing the hymns above the rest of the congregation. If she doesn't know all the words, that doesn't stop her- she just hums and sings along as best she can! This sweet five year-old is a good example to me in that I should lift up my voice and sing a little louder and with as much confidence and enthusiasm as she does.
2. Speaking of singing...I'm also thankful for Lillian's rendition of "The First Noel." She is still singing Christmas songs around the house, and this one has been her favorite lately. Her version goes like this: "Noel, noel, noel, NOEL!!! Born is the King-dom rise and shine!" (Israel = rise and shine? I guess it's close enough?!) :)
3. The Hokey-Pokey. Sydney learned it in Nursery a few weeks ago and now she wants to sing it all the time! It's so cute to watch her shake her bum to "do the hokey pokey" and turn herself around, then ask to do it all over again!
Oh, how I love kids and their singing!
1. A little girl named Ashley who sings her heart out at church every Sunday. I can always hear her singing the hymns above the rest of the congregation. If she doesn't know all the words, that doesn't stop her- she just hums and sings along as best she can! This sweet five year-old is a good example to me in that I should lift up my voice and sing a little louder and with as much confidence and enthusiasm as she does.
2. Speaking of singing...I'm also thankful for Lillian's rendition of "The First Noel." She is still singing Christmas songs around the house, and this one has been her favorite lately. Her version goes like this: "Noel, noel, noel, NOEL!!! Born is the King-dom rise and shine!" (Israel = rise and shine? I guess it's close enough?!) :)
3. The Hokey-Pokey. Sydney learned it in Nursery a few weeks ago and now she wants to sing it all the time! It's so cute to watch her shake her bum to "do the hokey pokey" and turn herself around, then ask to do it all over again!
Oh, how I love kids and their singing!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
My Gratitude List
Today I'm thankful for:
1. Friends. I have such great friends. Two of them came to visit today. They played with the girls, coo-ed over Liam, and joined us for an afternoon trip to the zoo. They supplied the girls with a steady stream of pretzels to keep them happy, pushed the double stroller around everywhere and up the monster hill to see the cheetahs, and they even let Sydney and Lillian drag them into the barnyard at the children's zoo (with their nice boots on!) to brush the goats and the sheep. They're troopers! I'm so grateful that they decided to spend their day with us, especially with Bobby being on call. I'm also grateful for my wonderful neighbor friends who rescued me and Liam! I was down to only two diapers (probably not enough to get me through the night and definitely not enough to last through Sunday) and they went to Target for me and dropped off a pack of diapers. Thank you, thank you! To top it off, I got a surprise phone call from a friend who recently moved. She gave me hope and encouragement that we can and will survive residency. :)
2. Cell phones. Bobby left his home today. It made me realize how fortunate I am to be able to get a hold of my husband so easily, no matter where he is (as long as he actually has his phone with him...leaving it on the night stand does no good). Today he was restricted to using the phone in the on-call room. Lucky for me he wasn't super busy, and he had enough time to sing the girls some songs over the phone at bed time. I had the phone on speaker, set up on the dresser while the girls were in bed and I was holding Liam. Liam kept craning his neck and looking around as if he was trying to find the face that went along with the voice he could hear.
3. The wonderful, unseasonably warm and sunny weather that we're having. It felt so good to be outside and not need a coat!
1. Friends. I have such great friends. Two of them came to visit today. They played with the girls, coo-ed over Liam, and joined us for an afternoon trip to the zoo. They supplied the girls with a steady stream of pretzels to keep them happy, pushed the double stroller around everywhere and up the monster hill to see the cheetahs, and they even let Sydney and Lillian drag them into the barnyard at the children's zoo (with their nice boots on!) to brush the goats and the sheep. They're troopers! I'm so grateful that they decided to spend their day with us, especially with Bobby being on call. I'm also grateful for my wonderful neighbor friends who rescued me and Liam! I was down to only two diapers (probably not enough to get me through the night and definitely not enough to last through Sunday) and they went to Target for me and dropped off a pack of diapers. Thank you, thank you! To top it off, I got a surprise phone call from a friend who recently moved. She gave me hope and encouragement that we can and will survive residency. :)
2. Cell phones. Bobby left his home today. It made me realize how fortunate I am to be able to get a hold of my husband so easily, no matter where he is (as long as he actually has his phone with him...leaving it on the night stand does no good). Today he was restricted to using the phone in the on-call room. Lucky for me he wasn't super busy, and he had enough time to sing the girls some songs over the phone at bed time. I had the phone on speaker, set up on the dresser while the girls were in bed and I was holding Liam. Liam kept craning his neck and looking around as if he was trying to find the face that went along with the voice he could hear.
3. The wonderful, unseasonably warm and sunny weather that we're having. It felt so good to be outside and not need a coat!
Friday, January 6, 2012
Today I'm Thankful For...
1. Sunshine and warmer weather.
2. Miss Mills- She's the "food lady" at Lilly's school. She sets out the breakfast and serves the lunch to 20 preschoolers in the classroom. She goes above and beyond her duties, though, and I often see her playing puzzles with kids on the rug, cleaning the nap cots, or helping the teacher. She always gives Sydney a little juice box when we drop Lilly off in the morning (so Sydney loves Miss Mills, too! On the way to school she always says, "I dwink juice at Lilly's school! Ask Miss Mills!). She loves each of the kids and takes a personal interest in them. She even bought gifts for all of them for Christmas. Lillian usually can't remember what she learned at school, but she always knows what Miss Mills served for lunch. And there are quite a few things she prefers "Miss Mills' way" instead of the way I make them- like her mashed potatoes and the tator tots. Before Lillian started preschool I was worried about her eating "school food." But she seems to like it, and I know Miss Mills has a lot to do with it. After all, it always tastes better when it's served with love! :)
3. My friend Tana who's coming to visit tomorrow!!
2. Miss Mills- She's the "food lady" at Lilly's school. She sets out the breakfast and serves the lunch to 20 preschoolers in the classroom. She goes above and beyond her duties, though, and I often see her playing puzzles with kids on the rug, cleaning the nap cots, or helping the teacher. She always gives Sydney a little juice box when we drop Lilly off in the morning (so Sydney loves Miss Mills, too! On the way to school she always says, "I dwink juice at Lilly's school! Ask Miss Mills!). She loves each of the kids and takes a personal interest in them. She even bought gifts for all of them for Christmas. Lillian usually can't remember what she learned at school, but she always knows what Miss Mills served for lunch. And there are quite a few things she prefers "Miss Mills' way" instead of the way I make them- like her mashed potatoes and the tator tots. Before Lillian started preschool I was worried about her eating "school food." But she seems to like it, and I know Miss Mills has a lot to do with it. After all, it always tastes better when it's served with love! :)
3. My friend Tana who's coming to visit tomorrow!!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
My Kids
Today I'm thankful for my kids.
1. How Liam is able to fall asleep wherever I put him.
On the couch.
On the floor.
In the swing.
2. How Sydney is such fun playmate. And how I have the time to play with her, and the desire to play with her. Sometimes when my depression and anxiety kick in I get preoccupied with everyday stresses and I completely lose the desire to do anything fun with my kiddos. I would rather clean my dishes or fold my laundry. I play with them out of obligation, not out of joy. Wanting to play tea party or Mr. Potato Head or magnetic doll dress-up is such a wonderful feeling to have. It makes play so much more fun!
In the swing.
2. How Sydney is such fun playmate. And how I have the time to play with her, and the desire to play with her. Sometimes when my depression and anxiety kick in I get preoccupied with everyday stresses and I completely lose the desire to do anything fun with my kiddos. I would rather clean my dishes or fold my laundry. I play with them out of obligation, not out of joy. Wanting to play tea party or Mr. Potato Head or magnetic doll dress-up is such a wonderful feeling to have. It makes play so much more fun!
(See the laundry baskets full of clothes waiting to be folded in both of the pictures? Guess what I wasn't doing while I was busy playing with Syd. In fact, I don't think I ever got around to doing it. That's what tomorrow is for, right?) :)3. How Lillian finally fell asleep tonight. She's been having a hard time lately. It usually starts when it's time to brush teeth. She puts up a big fight. I threaten with various punishments and restrictions. She finally gets into bed, but then starts to cry saying she can't fall asleep. Tonight I tried a different approach and told her that she didn't have to fall asleep, she just had to lay down and be quiet and stay in bed. We said a prayer together asking Heavenly Father to help her feel comfortable and to go to sleep. About 30 seconds after we said the prayer, her bed-side fan miraculously turned on- it had refused to work (as it often does) when she tried turning it on when she got into bed. I smiled and said, "See?! Heavenly Father heard your prayer already!!" :) Within five minutes she was sleeping peacefully.
Gosh, I love watching my kids sleep.
I just have to add more. . .
I'm also thankful for:
4. Dear friends who I can have long conversations with on the phone no matter how long it's been since the last time we talked or how far apart we live. And how, for a moment, it feels like they live next door again.
5. Lipton's Herbal Orange Tea. So soothing and warm on a cold day!
6. My "laundry room." It's just a partitioned off area in the basement, but I love it. It hides the piles of clothes waiting to be washed and it's right next to where the kids play. The girls can bake me a cake in their kitchen set and Liam can bounce in his bouncy chair while I throw laundry in the washer or the dryer- it's great! There might be lots (LOTS) of things that drive me nuts about this apartment, but I really do like the laundry arrangement.
Gosh, I love watching my kids sleep.I just have to add more. . .
I'm also thankful for:
4. Dear friends who I can have long conversations with on the phone no matter how long it's been since the last time we talked or how far apart we live. And how, for a moment, it feels like they live next door again.
5. Lipton's Herbal Orange Tea. So soothing and warm on a cold day!
6. My "laundry room." It's just a partitioned off area in the basement, but I love it. It hides the piles of clothes waiting to be washed and it's right next to where the kids play. The girls can bake me a cake in their kitchen set and Liam can bounce in his bouncy chair while I throw laundry in the washer or the dryer- it's great! There might be lots (LOTS) of things that drive me nuts about this apartment, but I really do like the laundry arrangement.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Today I'm Thankful For...
1. The "gym floor" in our apartment. 15 degrees was too cold to ride scooters outside so we rolled up the rug and let the girls ride down the hallway into the living room area. When Lillian saw the wood floor exposed she exclaimed, "It's gym time!" (also grateful to Uncle Alan and Aunt Aimee for getting Lil her scooter for Christmas, which prompted Mommy and Daddy to get a 3-wheelie scooter for Syd as well- they LOVE riding them!)
2. Good advice. And Thomas S. Monson, who is full of good advice like this: "be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly. Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family." More is here.
3. The 6 1/2 hours of [mostly] uninterrupted sleep that I got last night!!
2. Good advice. And Thomas S. Monson, who is full of good advice like this: "be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly. Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family." More is here.
3. The 6 1/2 hours of [mostly] uninterrupted sleep that I got last night!!
A Good Book is a Girl's Best Friend...
A group of great ladies recently responded to one of my FB posts asking for good book suggestions. Now I have a lot of reading to do (the bold titles are ones I've already read)! If you have any more suggestions, fiction or non-fiction, please let me know!!
Book List
Book List
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
These is my words
Sarah's Quilt
The Star Garden
Rapunzel's Revenge by Hale
Calamity Jack by Hale
The Princess Academy
Ender's Game
The Maze Runner (trilogy)
The Giver, Gathering Blue, and The Messenger by Lois Lowry
Books of Bayern series (Goose Girl, Enna Burning, River Secrets, and Forest Born)
Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
The Help
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
Bossypants by Tina Fey
The Forgotten Garden
Pillars of the Earth
Molokai
Last Lecture
The Girls from Ames
Phillippa Gregory
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Blind Your Ponies by Stanley West Gordon
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde,
In the Garden of Beasts
Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
Red Princess Series by Lisa See
River of times series by Lisa Bergren
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Pathfinder by Orson Scott card
Water for Elephants
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl who Played with Fire
The Girl who kicked the Hornets Nest
Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich (18 books in the series)
My Sister's Keeper
Twilight Series
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Eat, Pray, Love
Bridgett Jones' Diary
Stones Into Schools
Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cuxin
Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich (18 books in the series)
My Sister's Keeper
Twilight Series
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Eat, Pray, Love
Bridgett Jones' Diary
Stones Into Schools
Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cuxin
Author List
Anne Perry
Emily Griffin
Jane green and Jennifer Werner
Nicholas sparks
Shannon Hale
Sharon Shinn
Dresden Files
Marr and Armstrong
Melissa Marr
Jim Butcher
Sharon Shinn
Kelley Armstrong
Karen White
Malcome Gladwell
Malcome Gladwell
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Today I'm Thankful For...
1. Lillian's teacher asking how she's been doing. At our parent-teacher conference before Christmas I told her that Lillian has been having a hard time since Liam was born- more temper tantrums, emotional episodes, more clingy, being stubborn, disagreeable...all that fun stuff. Her behavior hasn't changed at school, but I'm grateful that her teacher cares about her enough to think about her outside of the classroom and to ask me how she's feeling.
2. Sydney's creative vocabulary. She calls blueberries boo-boo-blerries. I love hearing her say it so much that I try to get her to say it by holding a blueberry in front of her and asking, "Sydney, what's this??" She says, "Boo-boo-blerry!" then gives me her look that says, "duh, Mom."
3. Pretzels and Nutella. What a delicious combination!
4. Liam's chunkiness. He has fat rolls on his legs and he's already in some of his 3 month outfits! I tried to fit him into a cute 0-3 month church suit my mom bought him for Christmas and I couldn't stretch the shirt across his big belly to button it! After worrying so much about Lilly and Sydney's weight it's awesome to have a big kid!
5. My parents for enduring a hotdog and mac 'n cheese dinner with me and the girls tonight so they could help me while Bobby is on call; my dad for teaching Lillian about the stars, the planets, the sun, and the moon; my mom for washing and putting away all of my dishes so I can go to bed tonight not feeling stressed about waking up in the morning to a dirty kitchen.
6. Bobby who sang Lillian a lullaby over the phone and talked to her to calm her down and help her fall asleep. I know Lilly misses her daddy when he's on call, and I think that's often why she acts a bit on the difficult side. I'm grateful that Bobby is willing to take the time to give her the love and attention that she needs.
2. Sydney's creative vocabulary. She calls blueberries boo-boo-blerries. I love hearing her say it so much that I try to get her to say it by holding a blueberry in front of her and asking, "Sydney, what's this??" She says, "Boo-boo-blerry!" then gives me her look that says, "duh, Mom."
3. Pretzels and Nutella. What a delicious combination!
4. Liam's chunkiness. He has fat rolls on his legs and he's already in some of his 3 month outfits! I tried to fit him into a cute 0-3 month church suit my mom bought him for Christmas and I couldn't stretch the shirt across his big belly to button it! After worrying so much about Lilly and Sydney's weight it's awesome to have a big kid!
5. My parents for enduring a hotdog and mac 'n cheese dinner with me and the girls tonight so they could help me while Bobby is on call; my dad for teaching Lillian about the stars, the planets, the sun, and the moon; my mom for washing and putting away all of my dishes so I can go to bed tonight not feeling stressed about waking up in the morning to a dirty kitchen.
6. Bobby who sang Lillian a lullaby over the phone and talked to her to calm her down and help her fall asleep. I know Lilly misses her daddy when he's on call, and I think that's often why she acts a bit on the difficult side. I'm grateful that Bobby is willing to take the time to give her the love and attention that she needs.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Gratitude Attitude
2012 is going to be tough. I'm not trying to be pessimistic, just realistic. The second half of Bobby's intern year is looking difficult with two months of general surgery and another month of ortho, both of which are very demanding. Then ortho PGY-2 starts this summer, which everyone says is harder than intern year. Bobby will have at least one two-month away rotation in the summer. He won't be too far away, but the program will be putting him up in a one bedroom apartment- not too sure how convenient that will be for a family of five. In 2012 we're also looking at another move. Thankfully it won't be far, just a mile or two across the county line (into a much better school district for Lillian who will be starting kindergarten in September!!) but it still means packing and hauling and trying to fit our stuff into another small apartment.
So to try and keep a positive outlook on the year I've decided to keep a "Gratitude Journal" in which I'll write three things I'm thankful for each day. Here's my first entry:
I'm thankful for...
1. All the things I have to look forward to in 2012- Bobby finishing intern year and starting ortho which he loves; Lillian starting kindergarten; my brother and sister-in-law's baby being born (can't wait to meet my niece!); and who knows what else the year will bring!
2. How excited Lillian and Sydney are to get out of bed and start their day in the morning. Too often I'm complaining about how early it is and how I wish they would just learn how to sleep in so I could sleep longer, but I should appreciate their energy and enthusiasm. As soon as their eyes pop open they get themselves out of bed and say "I'm ready for breakfast!" I wish I could do that.
3. The baked ziti I made three months ago and put in my freezer to save for a night when I needed a quick dinner. It came in handy tonight. :)
So to try and keep a positive outlook on the year I've decided to keep a "Gratitude Journal" in which I'll write three things I'm thankful for each day. Here's my first entry:
I'm thankful for...
1. All the things I have to look forward to in 2012- Bobby finishing intern year and starting ortho which he loves; Lillian starting kindergarten; my brother and sister-in-law's baby being born (can't wait to meet my niece!); and who knows what else the year will bring!
2. How excited Lillian and Sydney are to get out of bed and start their day in the morning. Too often I'm complaining about how early it is and how I wish they would just learn how to sleep in so I could sleep longer, but I should appreciate their energy and enthusiasm. As soon as their eyes pop open they get themselves out of bed and say "I'm ready for breakfast!" I wish I could do that.
3. The baked ziti I made three months ago and put in my freezer to save for a night when I needed a quick dinner. It came in handy tonight. :)
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