Easter!

It is Easter!  And as we celebrate that Christ is Risen, I can't help but think about all the blessings I have in my life. 

I'm thankful for my faith and for all the blessings God has given to me.  I'm thankful for the hard times that I've lived through, for they make me appreciate the good and to remember that I can turn to the Lord for guidance and help and know he's always there. 

I'm thankful for my family.  For the three little people I prayed and longed for for so many years.  For I realize now the plan for becoming a mom was not the plan I had in my head but the plan God had.  I'm so thankful he's in charge.

I'm thankful for my partner in this gift of life.  Jarrett is my everything, my soul mate, my best friend and so much more.  I'm thankful for his presence each and everyday.

And as we celebrate Easter, I can't help but think about how quickly this past year has gone.  How last year, we were filled with worry but also hope, that our littlest angel would get to be ours forever.  I remember the fear I carried each and everyday that my phone would ring and I'd be told Isabelle would be going to live with her birth family.  How I prayed for them to find peace and comfort knowing she was in a family that would love her wholly and fully, giving her all she needs and more.  I prayed for us that she would get to be ours forever, man I prayed so hard for that.  Reflecting on where we were last year at this time, reminds me to just be thankful for each and everyday.  We can't imagine our family without Isabelle, Gabriel, and Michael and thinking about each year makes me remember that I can never take for granted just how lucky, how blessed we are that God answered our prayers and brought us together to be a forever family.

Last Easter I wasn't able to share our photos but I'm thankful I get to this year.  Here's a few from our Easter morning 2012....

Isabelle was a little bored with it.

The boys made up for it though with their excitement.

Although she didn't mind holding the eggs, she preferred the milk.

And I remember last year Isabelle was small enough to actually fit inside her Easter basket (bag).

Oh and one more highlight from our Easter last year I wasn't able to share.... the boys actually "saw" the Easter bunny when he visited our house.  Here's the video where they share what they saw....

On this Easter I wish you and your family peace and happiness as we celebrate all the blessings in our lives.

Until next time,
Angie

Six is special

 This past Saturday Michael turned 6 and it seems with every birthday the kids have had since I’ve been their mother, I find myself asking,“How can it be?” “Wasn’t Michael just three the other day?” 

 

And while 5 is a special age because with it you officially move from pre-school to “real school” and graduate from little kid to just kid, six in itself is special too.  With three children I’m starting to see what Jarrett and my sister claim to have experienced as the “middle child”    While the oldest child gets to do all the new things (i.e. play a new sport, help feed the baby, test out the new toy), the youngest child gets all the attention (because she’s constantly into something she’s not supposed to be in or plain out, needs food, a drink, a diaper, her blanket, etc).  And then there is the middle child, the go-with-the-flow personality that seems content and happy to do pretty much anything.  In this past year, that is who I’ve seen Michael grow into.

This past year has been big for Michael.  Not only has he grown taller, smarter and funnier, but he’s also become more compassionate, loving and oh so protective of a certain tiny person that waddles around our house.  I’m so proud of Michael for so many reason and to name them all would make this post longer than anyone has time to read.  Perhaps what I’ve enjoyed most about watching Michael grow from 5 to 6 is that he has grown into an amazing little person and the best big brother. 

Before having Isabelle join our family, I wondered how Michael would adapt, how he’d learn to go from getting all of the attention to having to share it with two other people. I admit, I often thought about it (worried) at night, if he knew he was still just as special and loved just as much. Unlike Gabriel, because being the oldest I know you still get a lot of attention (okay maybe I’m speaking from personal experience), I didn’t know what it was like to be the middle child. And as I think back through what this past year has brought for us, I can only recall moments of pure happiness from Michael that he was now a big brother. 

 

Almost as if he was waiting for a new challenge, Michael looked forward to being a role model, a leader and the person to whom Isabelle could go to for help. As a tiny baby, Michael would carefully grab Isabelle’s hand and caress it. And each and every night as we tuck them into bed, he’d ask to give her a kiss and say, “I love you Isabelle” Now that she’s older and has taken on a dare-devilish stage, he follows her around the house giving her lesson after lesson about not touching that or don’t climb on that, “you’ll get hurt Isabelle, follow me instead.” It is so precious to hear. 

It has also been fun to watch Michael blossom at school as he interacts with his teacher and his friends.  This past week, I was able to go on my first field trip with Michael’s class to the farm.

notice Michael, top row right below the sunglasses on the watermelon

It was an experience in itself, I think my ears are still recovering from the noise on the school bus.  And while every parent wants their child to be socially accepted and to have a lot of friends, I have to say while making my heart ache a bit that he preferred to sit with his buddies, I couldn’t be happier that he has made such great friends.  He said, “Mom- you can sit behind me with the girls, okay?” It was really fun to observe him interacting with his peers and being a helper to the girls who were afraid to touch the baby goats.

 It was heart-warming to see him interact and play with everyone from his class as if they were all friends, no one excluded.  Those are qualities I want my children to embody and it makes me happy to see Michael share them with his world. 

 

 

When I think about Michael there are so many qualities that come to mind.  He’s our comedian, always making a joke, in fact, if you ask him how old he is, you’ll never get a straight answer.  This morning he said he was 26.  He’s our go-with-the flow boy.  He’s not about having all the attention, he’s about celebrating with others as they accomplish new things or are recognized.  He’s about celebrating with their victories.  He’s my challenger…. He loves to give me gray hairs as he’s always going to be the one to challenge me to think about things differently and that’s sometimes where he’s good at pushing my buttons.  Like the afternoon I told them they could play whatever he wanted as long as it was a good choice.  Michael interpreted that to mean he could grab the car keys and go try to drive the car out of the garage (not even joking a tiny bit).  Again, he makes me see the world differently than I do and for this stubborn mom who likes to be a bit bossy , that aint’ all bad. 

Finally, the quality that I think best describes Michael is unselfish.  In the days leading up to his birthday, we didn’t hype it up with all the pomp and circumstance that past birthdays have had.  We did not plan a big party, just a family dinner (again one of those sacrifices with having more time together) and we didn’t have loads of gifts.  Not once did Michael ask for lots of presents or for a big party.  In fact on Wednesday, at Kid Zone, his after school program, he made Jarrett and I a gift.  It was a gift that read, “Thank you Mom and Dad for being the bestest.  I love you…. Michael.”  And inside were the best homemade gifts any mom or dad could ask for.  In fact thinking about it, brings tears to my eyes… I recorded him showing me what he had made because I realize how special of a child I’ve been given and how I want to remember this forever….

 

Michael, I hope your 6^th year of life is full of all the things you wish for.  I hope you laugh, I hope you dance and I hope you feel more love than ever before.  Happy birthday my big boy…. Happy Birthday!

 

We love you soooooo much.

Mom and Dad

 

 

Wordless Wednesday

For those who follow blogs, many may know that certain days of the week can have themes for bloggers….

 Some people have:

• Monday Funday -  where they recount the fun they had over the weekend
• Tuesday Truthday--- where a blogger shares a true story about an embarrassing or unfortunate incident
• Words of Wisdom Wednesday- where they share a motivating or inspiring quote to get them through the rest of the week

Recently I decided I would join in and start Wordless Wednesday.  I settled upon this topic because sometimes the kids say or do something that leaves me speechless or unsure how to respond.  Often times it is the way they describe a situation, make an observation or even the way they act.

Take for example this week’s version of what I’m coining….

Wordless Wednesday…

On the way to school Gabriel and Michael were carrying on a conversation about what they were going to play on the playground during morning recess.  As I pulled into the drop off line at their school, Gabriel unbeknownst to all of us decided he was going to change topics.  He said, “Mom- wouldn’t it be great if the pit bull dog that bit Jack moved to Russia?  Having no idea where in the world his comment came from I said, “What Gabriel?  Why Russia?”  He responded, “Because Mom, if he went to Russia then he wouldn’t be able to bite anyone in the United States.”

And with that I had no idea how to response and thus Wordless Wednesday was born.

Until next time,

Angie

We start em young...

Another old post....

Some people start their kids in sports at a young age.  For other parents, they introduce the love of the arts.  For us, we also introduce our kids to something we think is important at a young age...

 

the art of work.

 Here's Isabelle getting a lesson in cleaning the floor from Daddy.

 "No Dollie, push it like this okay?" says daddy.

And Isabelle giving it all her might to push the cleaner around the floor.

 

 

Until next time,

angie

 

PS:  and in case anyone out there is taking me serious, please know, I'm just joking.  With a labor relations attorney as a husband, he has assured the kids there will be fair and just working conditions (when they are old enough to start working) around here. :-)

Mom's Water

July 2012- Isabelle 5 months

 

There must be something tastier about my water.  Since the boys have come to be with us, it isn't very often that I have my own water.  Often, I pour myself a tall glass of ice water and set it on the counter while I go about my morning. Usually when I come back it is completely gone, even though I've only had one or two sips.  I know immediately it is the boys who have decided to make my water a shared community water.  I've gotten use to it now and I lost my fear of sharing someone elses germs, moments after becoming a mom.

That being said, it totally surprised me the other day when I was holding Isabelle and took a drink from my water.  As I put the cup up to my mouth and took a drink, I could tell her eyes were watching me the entire time.  Then as I started to lower the cup I saw that she following the cup down with her entire head.  She bent her head forward and before I could even realize what I was doing, I was sharing my cup of water with Isabelle.  

I didn't even know babies would be interested in drinking out of a cup. 

But interested was an understatement.  She LOVES drinking out of a cup and as soon as she got one gulp of water, she was face back down to get another drink.

I figured that around a 10 months we'd introduce a sippy cup to her.  To be honest, maybe that's even way off, I haven't gotten that far in the baby book.  So drink out of a cup at 5 months she did.

And now she LOVES sharing my water.  Every time I have a glass, and am holding her, she's face down and bent forward waiting for me to tip the glass to give her a sip.

Until next time,

Angie

Halloween 2012

Again one of my many draft posts from last year that I had to wait to share.... everyone celebrates Halloween in March right?

 

This year for Halloween, we were lucky enough to have MaeLyn still here with us and so she got to celebrate in the fun.  Since Halloween fell on a work night, Jarrett and I raced home, just in time to perfectly prepare a meal that perfectly resembled the food served at McDonald's. After our dinner out  oops I mean, homemade, organic and wholly nutritious fake McDonald's meal, we put the finishing touches on the costumes and headed around the neighborhood for some fun.

 Isabelle was a baby elephant and she LOVED pulling on the ears. 

 I of course had to get a classic photo of all three kids dressed up.  This is just one of about 25 I took, trying to get one where they all are smiling, looking at the camera and don't have their eyes open.  Because I failed to capture one photo where they are all doing the above mentioned things, I instead will post several pictures and let you pick which child looks the best in each. 


 This is what I got when I said,"Okay everyone smile and make sure to have your eyes open!"

And this is my final attempt.  After this, I just gave up and we went out trick-or-treating. 

Until next time,

angie

Belated St. Patrick’s Day

I’m a big fan of traditions and I guess that’s why I love holidays so much.  In a way a holiday is a tradition because we know it will come around each and every year.  And I love everything about them.  From planning weeks, okay maybe even months in advance to anticipating the moment when the actual day arrives.  I’ve thought about it before and I can’t decide what I enjoy more…. the actual holiday or anticipating the holiday for days and days before. 

Some people, ahem my husband, think I might celebrate too many holidays and are creating too much work for myself.  Case in point, the holiday from this past weekend.  St. Patrick’s day.  Although my family is only a wee-bit Irish, Jarrett’s not so much and the boy’s heritage not a drop Irish, we have celebrated St. Patrick’s day with the best O’Brien families out there.  The first year we had the boys, I wanted to celebrate every day and especially days that had even a tiny bit of holiday connected to them.  In researching St. Patrick’s day I came across a tradition one mom talked about where St. Patrick the Irish Leprechaun came to their house on St. Patrick’s morning and left her children a clover and some coins.  I thought, how fun.  I want to do something like that too.

So the first year, on St. Patrick’s Day the boys awoke to coins and a poem from the visiting little fellow (see here).  Last year, with the addition of Isabelle to our clan, the little Leprechaun left a few small coins and a tiny heart to share his love (here).   And so what happened this year you ask? 

Not much.  Actually, nothing.

It wasn’t that I forgot about it.  It was that I was persuaded not to continue with the tradition.  Nothing against my better half, but as we stood at the counter, me washing dishes and he sorting the mail at 10 p.m. on our wild and crazy Saturday night, we both looked at each other exhausted and wanting more than anything to just go to sleep.  Trying with every ounce of hope that we still have a strand of youth and energy in our bodies to stay up for Saturday Night Live,  we instead decided to waive the white flag, admit we are 30-something parents of three, and would rather get 30 minutes of extra sleep than to stay up and pretend we are still in our 20’s. 

As we got ready for bed, I said, “Oh Jarrett, I forgot St. Patrick is coming tonight?  I better get ready.”  To which he replied, “Please don’t have St. Patrick come.  You celebrate too many traditions and only create more work.  Let’s just go to sleep.”   And so with that, against my better judgment, I agreed and went to bed, thinking he’s probably right.  The kids won’t even notice.

Fast forward to Sunday morning and our typical rustling in the closet, the slamming of the bathroom doors and the sound of water pouring out of the shower… yep it must be 5:50 a.m. (darn me for setting the boy’s clock 10 minutes fast thinking they’ll go to bed earlier, not realizing that means they get up 10 minutes earlier in the morning) the boys are awake!  A few minutes later Isabelle joins her older leaders, and echoes from her room and the monitor 10 inches from my head… “Mommy time to get up…. (mommy thought… maybe she’ll go back to sleep, boys please be quiet)… Mommy, I said I’m ready to wake up (mommy thought… please Isabelle, just five more minutes, please play with the toys in your crib….) MOMMY I’m NOT SURE IF YOU HEARD ME BUT I’M AWAKE COME AND GET ME NOW!!!!!”  I roll out of bed, shuffle still half asleep to Isabelle’s room, pull her out of her crib and shuffle back, still determined to go back to sleep, toward our room.  Immediately the bathroom door opens and out pops my two little people dress in all green.  In unison they shout, “HAPPY St. PATRICKS DAY MOM!”  “good morning” I manage to respond with my 2% operating brain power, while also realizing my dream of going back to sleep is quickly fading away.  Walking past them on my determined path back to my bed, I hear Gabriel turn to Michael and say, “Let’s go see what St. Patrick left for us.”  And with that, I was wide awake.

Yep, Mom, big mistake.  Add it to your  growing list of mommy errors.  Big mistake.  Why would you not have St. Patrick visit?  Why was your precious sleep so important?  Turning around, my mind now operating at as full power as it can at 5:55 on a Sunday morning, I said, “boys have you picked up your bathroom?”  trying to buy time to see if there was anything I could do to salvage the situation and the soon-to-be disappointment.  “Yes mom, it’s already picked up, look.”  Of course, the one morning they don’t need reminding.  Again, that’s what I get.  Realizing that there was nothing I could do I just pretended all was well and went on with the morning.

The boys spent a few minutes looking for their coins and I was finally able to distract them with the mentioning of breakfast.  We went on about the day as if it was any other day and while I carried a load of guilt it wasn’t until yesterday that it really sank in.  On our way to school yesterday, backing out of the garage, Michael said, “Mom, why didn’t St. Patrick leave us anything?”  and Gabriel chimed in, “Yeah Mom, why didn’t we he visit us.”  And that’s when I realized I had to right my wrong and an idea popped into my mind.  I said, “Boys how do you know he didn’t visit you?”  “Have you looked in your room lately, you have stuff all over the place.”  Continuing on with my brilliant plan I said, “Maybe he did visit you and you just didn’t notice because you haven’t picked up your room lately.  I bet if you pick it up and have it clean you might find that indeed he did come.”  I paused wondering if they would buy into my story.  Within moments Gabriel said, “Mom- I think you’re right.  I bet he did come and it is just under all the stuff.”   Hearing Gabriel’s support, Michael jumped on the bandwagon also and chirped, “Yes, I bet it is under all the pillows and sheets from my bed that are on the floor.”  And with that my idea had been sold.  The entire way to school the boys talked about how crazy it was that they thought St. Patrick didn’t come because they didn’t see the coins or a note and that if they had a cleaner room they would have found it.  Michael joked, “Gabriel isn’t it funny that the leprechaun probably got lost under all my sheets on the floor and he probably didn’t know how to get out?”  Driving, I smirked with pride and a teeny bit of guilt that I had to tell such story but thankful that the boys bought in and our tradition can live on longer. 

After dropping the boys off at school I called Jarrett to tell him what had just transpired and that I would be letting St. Patrick visit our house before the end of the day.  Realizing the boys have become just as excited and in love with traditions as their mom, he gave in, and agreed it was a good idea to let St. Patrick back into our home. 

I’ve come to realize that some of the best memories of my youth come from believing in the traditions and magic of Santa, the Easter Bunny and even the Tooth fairy. And now as a parent, I feel like I get to relive some of those special times from my youth through the eyes of my own children.  I know we tell our children not to lie and to always be honest, but I have to believe God and the Universe is forgiving when it comes to bending the truth with these special traditions created only with love and fun at its core.  And if that means more love and special memories will be created by having a silly tradition of a visiting Leprechaun, than I’m going to buy into it completely.    Who can’t use more love and happiness in their lives?

Until next time,

Angie

PS:  In case you’re wondering,  the boys found their gifts left by St. Patrick this morning.  At 5:50 a.m. the closet door slammed into the wall, the light in the hallway turned on but instead of a shower faucet pouring out water, I heard the sound of two little voices cheerily announce on their way from their room to ours, “Mom- we found St. Patrick’s present look!!!!”  “He left us a green heart and .40 cents”  “I knew he wouldn’t forget us”  “Yay!  St. Patrick came!”

My heart overflows with happiness.