Came and went in a flash

Chris thinks that I exaggerate every. single. thing. I. say.  And that I'm dramatic.  I completely disagree with him and think he just has so little tolerance for anything above and beyond absolute basic facts that he can hardly even hear me when I speak because I'm so thorough in my story telling.

I can tell you I am not exaggerating when I say that the morning we had was like heaven on earth.  For reals.  It was a quiet.  Like, "Listen to that, honey.  Can you hear that?  It sounds like nothing." kind of quiet.  I drank cucumber water.  Chris ate granola while sitting in front of a fireplace.  I heard Chris's breathing change from relaxed to asleep during his massage as he laid on the table next to me.  We sat in our plush robes by the waterfall in the cool breeze outside when we were finished.  I mean, really.  Heaven on earth.

We had a nice lunch after.  We sat in silence, we talked, we laughed.  I reminded him how God damned funny I am.  He reminded me how God damned cute he is.  We reminded each other that days like this - together and having fun, WITHOUT the kids, is so important and we don't do it nearly often enough.  

We got home and the sitter left and the big kids got home from school and we did homework and Chris left to teach CPR and it was 100% back to reality but those 3 hours together were great.  I know that if we didn't have this reality to get thrown back into that I wouldn't appreciate such times nearly as much. 

If you need time away - with your partner or alone - then make it happen.  Doesn't have to be for hours at a time or to somewhere expensive.  Never underestimate an hour at Borders by yourself.  Make it happen and own it. 

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Balance

Balance.  I know I've written about it before but honestly, when you find it at home it brings a peace you can't even imagine. 

Chris works two jobs - fire and running his CPR business (www.lifesavercpr.net)!  He is busy 18 hours a day, and that's not a lie.  He is always 100% when he's home and with us and I admire him so much for that because when my plate is full I can't relax and take time for things unless everything is accomplished.  Chris's plate is always full and if he finished everything before taking time for us we'd never see him.  He's found balance in how to do it all and it amazes me.  He gets about 5 hours sleep a night so it's not without a price, but he does it.  Everyday.  And he never ever complains.  It's just not his nature but it seems unreal.  He just works so hard.  

It's because of all this that I feel I can't complain about anything either.  Wait!  Hol' up!  Did I just say I don't complain?  I know, there are 300 blog posts that pretty much prove otherwise but I don't complain to him.  I have to check myself before I open my mouth.  I can't justify complaining about not being able to find the right colored argyle sweater for William's school picture when Chris is dealing with taxes and bills and teaching and saving lives.  Ok, a little drama there, but really.  Anyway, in all of this we've found balance.  He does his thing, I do mine, we meet in the middle at least once every two days, and it works.  He's the best example of a worker for our kids and I bring in the balance of reminding him he needs to be sure to relax and enjoy the fruits of his labor often.  And I'm doing just that tomorrow. 

Tomorrow morning I have a sitter coming for Lauren and after we drop the big kids off at school we're going to be in the double suite at a nearby spa for a couples massage.  Here's our room:

I know, right?

I've told him I'm kidnapping him in the morning and the only requirement is for him to dismiss all other thoughts of work.  Tomorrow morning is for shutting the mind off and recharging.  Everyone needs it.  I feel a little silly, actually, because although I do have three kids who keep me busy, I am not so wiped that I need to be wisked away.  But I mean, c'mon.  That bed can't remain empty there and I wouldn't want Chris to be lonely sooooooo, I'm joining him.  Then we'll have lunch here:

where we will not have turkey, or pb and j, or a hot dog.  We will have something fabulous and expensive and scrumptious and fattening.  And someone else will do the dishes.

I love him and this is how I'm showing him.  He deserves this and so much more but given we have three anchors and it's a Thursday, this will have to do. 

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A short video of thanks

Penny power

It just struck me.  I looked at the kids today and thought, "What have you done for me lately?"  (cue the *oooh ooooooh ooh ooh yeah*).  I mean, really.  Just because I'm a SAHM doesn't mean that I am expected to do absolutely everything for them.  They are extremely capable in many ways.  Plus they both are in a place where they love the freedom, independence, and responsibility given to them.  Add that to the fact that they value a penny like it's freaking gold and I've got a great platform for beginning serious chores around here.  

The kids have their piggy bank with the save/spend/donate slots and William received an old school gumball machine from Nana  that takes pennies for his birthday.  A penny is a nice reward for doing something helpful for me around the house, don't you think?  What, you're too good to do something for a penny?  Yeah, me, too.  But not them.  Suckers!

This afternoon William put the silverware, the sippies, and the cups away for me.  He earned a penny.  He could choose whether to add it to his piggy bank or to spend it on a piece of gum from his gumball machine.  He chose gum and that's fine.  It was his penny to do with what he wanted.  He wanted to earn another to put into his piggy bank so I asked him to take the garbage around the house to the big garbage container.  He wasn't quite sure that was worth a penny.

A bag with a poopy diaper in it.  Is it worth a penny, buddy?  Is it?

Drew sorted the laundry.  All clothes that belonged to children in one basket, all clothes that belonged to daddy or me in another, and all towels or sheets in another.  She thought that was so great and was proud to earn a penny.  She, too, chose gum. 

My new life goal is to put myself out of work.  Today is day 1.  And it cost me 3 pennies.  Not bad. 

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Sharing is good. But not in all situations.

Did you see TLC's new show last night?  Sister Wives is fascinating.  Really, it is.  I think so, anyway.  Maybe it's because of my California State University earned Sociology degree, but any person who lives differently than I do I just can't get enough of.  In my next life I want to have some sister wives.  And then in my next life I want to be Amish.  I just think it's all so awesome. 

This guy, Kody (who desperately needs a haircut), has three wives and apparently is looking to bring one more into the family.  He has 13 children by the 3 wives.  They all look like mine, blonde with smiles.  They live this seemingly normal life but they raise each other's children and sleep with each other's husband.  Aside from that, it's normal.  WHA?!  

In thinking about how I feel about this I realize I am more territorial about my kids than I am my husband.  I wouldn't want anyone calling my kids their own and raising them with me.  To me that's crossing a line.  Calling my husband their own is crossing a line, too, but you know what I mean.  The whole raising kids thing is MY job and I take it very seriously.  I don't want anyone else's hands in that.  

It actually is comical.  I think about Chris having two additional wives.  I don't want to say that he can hardly handle one but if he had to listen to and pay attention to TWO more women it would kill him.  Like for reals.  

This show is now on my DVR list.  I love stupid reality and as I said, this just fascinates me.  Will you be watching?

 

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I have no idea why I do this to myself

As you know I have a love/hate relationship with the television as far as the kids are concerned.  If I had the patience and tolerance, I wouldn't even have a television available to the kids.  They don't need to be watching it and although it does have some redeeming value, I still wish it wasn't part of what they know as a normal thing to do.  BUT, since I'm selfish sometimes and busy and tired and want quiet without any effort on my part, the television is part of what they know as a normal thing to do.  Not everyday, certainly not for hours and hours, but it's part of normal.

A few times a month I impose this horrible thing upon myself and declare it a NO TV day.  It's kind of like going to the gym whereas at the end of the day I'm so so glad I did it but the during part is notsofun. Drew and William are starting to do separate things rather than always playing and doing activities together and that's nice, they have figured out how to give themselves breaks from each other.  He'll go to his room and she'll go to hers...  it usually lasts about 30 minutes at most but that's a nice thing to witness.  The rest of the day we play games together, they do things together in the backyard, whatever.  I make it clear that I am not their social director but it really does require a lot of more of me on those days. 

Soooo, today is one of those days.  It's NO TV Sunday.  Right now the kids have set up an obstacle course with the two hassocks and all the pillows from all the couches.  It's taken me 5 years to see fun rather than a mess in something like this.  After the fun has been had and the fighting starts - I give it less than an hour - we'll be off to do big Costco shopping.  That'll suck up an hour an a half of our day which is awesome.  Then we'll come home for another short period of time of mess fun before the fighting begins again. 

I can't promise an injury-free day or a yell-free day but I can promise that the tv will not be turned on.  At least not until eight zero zero tonight when they finally go to bed.

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Hallelujah and Amen

Drew and William are playing nicely together.  Can I get a Hallelujah and an Amen?  They are playing "mommy and daddy" and there is a lot of "Honey, can you come here, please?" and a lot of "Yes, Sweetie, I'll be right there."  Then all of a sudden Drew busts out with these ridiculous demands in a tone reserved only for loved ones when you're pissed and William quickly obliged and made things right and she settled down immediately.  Where in the world have they learned such things?  I have no idea.

Ho hum, Friday

Ho hum is good.

I took Drew to school at 8:30, then went back 20 minutes later to drop William off.  Came home and put Lauren down for a power nap.  After 45 minutes I'll get her up and we'll head to our weekly music class.  We'll rush back to get the kids at school at noon and by then Chris should be home.  We'll probably have lunch on the grass in the backyard.  Then I get to leave and go visit a friend who recently had her third baby - can't wait to hold that little girl!  Later I have a phone appointment with my rheumotologist regarding recent blood work.  Yes!  Now not only are you going to hear about how much my kids fight but you get to hear about my health woes, too.  Be SURE to pass this blog link around, it's gonna get exciting up in here!  We'll go to the Mesikan place for dinner and then be home to do our nightly routine of bath, stories, and bed. 

As I said, ho hum is good.

What you doin' today??

18 months and rocking it

Good intentions

I feel like in the last few years I've gone through a cleansing of sorts.  I only have and do things that really work for my family and for me.  I put us on the top of the list and things all fell into place.  I am lucky to be surrounded by loving people and I try my best to not offend anyone in the whole "No, that's not going to work for me anymore" process.  Do you know what I mean?  It's not selfishness, it's balance.  It's priorities.  I was never surrounded by bad people or negative things really but there were just a few things that I felt like I wanted to sort through and shed or enforce.  Anyway, we've found great balance in our house and it's made a tremendous difference in just feeling settled and happy. 

There is, however, one relationship I have that is really shitty.  Thank you notes.  UGH, gah.  We don't get along.  They hound me.  Then I rebel by not paying attention to them.  I mean I love them, I know how important they are, I know how meaningful they are to others, but because they nag me, I get all, "Yeah, well, then I'm just not going to DO you, then."  Isn't that mature of me?

Below is a picture of just a few of the thank you cards I've ordered over the last few years.  I find the perfect picture.  I add some generic words of thanks.  I order them.  They arrive and then sit on my kitchen counter for a month as they taunt me.  Then I get pissed at them and I put them in the cupboard where they die.  I'm not sure why I can't just sit and write a few sentences to each person who so generously thought of me (or us, or the kids) and send it off but the task seems too daunting.  Even if I vow to do only 5 each night, I just can't seem to do it.  What's that about?  It's just laziness because I really am ever so grateful to all who think of us.

I ordered 40 of each of these.  I still have 40 of each of these.

I am vowing to change that and this is my first step.  William's party was last week (I know, sorry I never mentioned it or didn't share it with you) and our friends and family were so generous and thoughtful.  They deserve thank you cards.  I didn't want to spend another $50 on cards that just sat so I took the WEEEEEENY way out.  I actually printed a message inside so that if it comes down to it, I can mail them as they are.  Mom will be horrified, I know, but I figure it's better than not sending anything at all.  Am I right?  I'm taking baby steps to get back into the thank you card game.

The front.  Thanks, Misty, for the picture!

I know.  Don't judge. 

Have you seen this blog?  I love it and I admire her.  I bet her thank you notes are beautifully handwritten and are sent for even the smallest of gestures.  I'll get there, too.  Someday.  I just need to put it on my list.  

Beautiful evening

I love Harry Connick, Jr.  I have since 1989.  Some know him as the When Harry Met Sally song guy, some know him as Leo on Will and Grace, some know him as the hometown hero whe Hurricane Katrina hit.  To me he's always been Harry Connnick, Jr., the brilliant musician.  I've seen him quite a few times in concert and he never disappoints.

Mom, Christy, and I went to see him last night at the most gorgeous venue, not 45 minutes from my house.  It was really one of the most beautiful evenings.  Thanks to mom and Christy for taking time off from school, doing sub plans, and making the drive to come do this with me.  Wouldn't have been the same with anyone else.

Him.

The venue

My attempt at being creative.  My wine glass on my program...

We got there a bit early and had drinks at the grill - this was our view.  Lovely.

Girls night out

PEACOAT!!!

Fall - what's in it for me? Lots.

According to the calendar we're officially two days from Fall.  The weather doesn't feel that way but here in the central valley it won't for another 6 weeks or more.  It's hard to not push the season into being by lighting the candles and shopping for Halloween costumes online.  Here are a few other things I look forward to...

My new Lands' End peacoat.  I've always wanted a peacoat but have just never bought one.  This year I did and I can't wait to wear it.  I will look a bit different in mine than a size 4 black woman, however.

 

It gets darker earlier which means the kids are ready for bed earlier.  The clock still runs the house but it's nice to have kids want to get snuggly in their pj's at 6pm.

Pottery Barn catalog pictures

Gold Canyon candles - the best candle ever made.  This is mulled cider, the perfect fall scent.

Old Navy men's jeans.  For me, not for Chris

Dell Osso Farms

www.pumpkinmaze.com

Pumpkin apple bread.  PUMPKIN APPLE BREAD!!

Great recipes are meant to passed around & this one is the best I've ever tasted - moist, etc. Will make your whole house smell like autumn!!! *Chris's Aunt Missy passed this along to me a few years ago and I've made it every October and November ever since. It is requested by all I've shared it with!

I add about a cup of chopped walnuts to the batter cause I love walnuts w/apples & pumpkin & also sprinkle chopped walnuts on top of "topping".

I double the topping. I pour 1/2 batter into the loaf pan -sprinkle one serving of topping & pour rest of batter & then put second serving of topping on top of that - killer!

For topping:

1 Tbs all-purpose flour

5 Tbs sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 Tbs unsalted butter, softened (I use "salted" just cause I don't have "unsalted" in my house usually)

For bread:

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp salt

2 tsps baking soda

1 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1 (15-oz) can solid-pack pumpkin

3/4 cup vegetable oil (I use 3/4 cup butter instead - wonderful!!!)

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 Granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (2 cups)

MAKE THE TOPPING: Blend together flour, sugar, cinnamon. Melt the butter in the microwave and pour into the dry mixutre. Mix with a fork.

MAKE THE BREAD: Put a rack in the middle of oven and preheat oven to 350F. Butter two 9 X 5 inch loaf pans. (I just spray "PAM" into pans.)

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice into a medium bowl. Then add oil(or butter), sugar, and eggs in a large bowl. Add the pumpkin. Add flour mixture, stirring until well combined. Fold in apples (and walnuts if using nuts).

Divide batter between buttered loaf pans. Sprinkle half of topping evenly over each loaf. *Remember, if you double the topping, do batter, topping, batter, topping. So yummy to have that topping the middle, too.

Bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of bread comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.

Cool loves in pans on a rack for 45 minutes, then turn out onto rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.

This bread is meant to be SHARED!!! Make for your neighbors, your coworkers, your family. The only downside to this is it will be requested every year!


What are some of your fall favorites?

We're done. 'Til February.

Ok, I swear after this you won't hear about a birthday party until February.  Promise. 

William's birthday party was a sweet success.  The definition of success can be rather vague so I'll give you my definition:  friends, family, fun, no one got hurt, good food, happy birthday boy, kickass waterslide.  That actually just kind of sums up the day, really.

We had a lot of family, some of whom couldn't come and we missed every single one of them.  We had most of our beloved family friends, and we were joined by a lot of new friends from William's preschool class.  It was great to get to know the kids and their parents. 

Rather than write, I'll just post a picture summary of the day.  Thanks to all - especially mom, Grandma B, and Bill and Ellen - for all the help, and to everyone who spent your day with us.  It was really such an awesome time!

The awesome, dual-lane waterslide.  This was towards the end of the day when only a few kids were left.  It was steep and faaaaast.

Drew on the slide - first one down.  This is the first of 3 bathing suits she sported at the party, btw.

Playing with his buddy with the gift Uncle Cory gave him.  It's always a great idea to give a little 4 year old boy who has two sisters a bow and arrow for his birthday.

Lunch - a great spread

A few of the cuties taking a waterslide break to eat

Lauren wore a birthday dress in honor of her brother's birthday.  The real reason?  I know it won't fit her come March for her own and I didn't want it to never get worn.

More lunch fun.  Notice the beer bottle front and center?  Niiiiiiice.

Cupcake time!

Love the blue lips

Lauren and Nana (my mom).  Love this picture

Some of the Peters clan

Peters with Grandma Burns

How lucky are my kids to have 3 of their great grandparents and 3 of their grandparents at their house for their birthday parties?

Presents!  That kid made out.  Such generous and thoughtful friends we have...

Love him

Happy Birthday, buddy.  Now stop growing up so damn fast.  I can't stand it.

Thanks to Misty for taking most of these pictures.  You're awesome.

Sleep, where art thou? Washed away by a pill, I think.

I haven't written much about my random bizarre health issues here other than allude to the fact that they are hormone related.  It appears a little more than that may be going on and although thankfully it's nothing serious, it's a pain in the ass.  Well, not literally.  If I'm going to be literal I'd say it's a pain in my shoulders.  And a pain in my hips.  And a pain in my elbows.  I have inflammation throughout my body that has, at this point, an unknown cause.  My levels on all my bloodwork have come back time and time again extremely elevated.  The specific tests for Lupus and other autoimmune diseases have all be negative, thankfully.  Soo, this random inflammation has kept me achey and miserable somedays and just enough to make me cranky on others.  My rheumotologist put me on a 20-day regimen of Prednisone which I began on Tuesday.  Today is Friday. 

 Oh, and by the way?  It's Friday at 5:44am.  I could have written this post at 2:00am because I was awake then, too, but I was too considerate to let the glare of my laptop possibly wake up Chris.  Now I'm over it because I've been laying here awake for nearly 4 hours.  Sleep is my very best friend in the world so when I don't sleep, I know something is up.  Either I'm 9 months pregnant and am awake because it's hard to be like a manatee and be comfortable in a bed OR, apparently, I'm on Prednisone.  BUT!  Here I am, awake to the dark sound of the sprinklers outside, and I. don't. ache. one. bit.

Hmmmmm.  Now.  Would I rather feel a bit jittery, like I could bust out and do the Can-Can at any minute and not sleep or be achey.  The jury is still out  on that one.  I'll report back. 

That's me.  With no aches for the first time in 3 years.  At 2am.

We're not waiting, we're rocking it now

William's 4th birthday party is this weekend.  He's in two different classes during the week at school and I invited both.  That's a total of 28 kids.  Plus the siblings and parents that come along.  Then there are our core group of good friends that are a part of our family and then of course our family family.  Right now the number is at 52, that's if everyone who RSVP'd yes comes.  And that doesn't include the 21 people who chose not to RSVP but may come anyway.  So, I'm calling this William's Sweet Four party.  No need to wait until he's 16, we're blowing this mother out now.  For William's Sweet Four party we're rocking the neighborhood with Kidz Bob 18, a double waterslide, jeeps, play structure, big trampoline, and bikes.  I'm making a shitload of homemade cupcakes and frosting.  We're ordering Costco pizza (a bit ghetto but c'mon), Nana's potato salad, Auntie Jen's green salad, and an enormous plate of fruit kids can grab with their hands and run.  I don't do goody bags, I think I'm the only one I know of who doesn't.  The housecleaner came today, I made 3 double batches of frosting this morning, and all the fruit has been purchased.  Tomorrow is cupcake day and tomorrow night I expect that my mother-in-law and I will sit and frost them all.  
I love having a house full.  I love having a backyard full.  But seriously, this is out of control.  He's four.  FOUR.  I think it's awesome that people want to come play here and want to help him celebrate and I am really looking forward to William's Sweet Four party. 

FYI, it's the only time you'll see a preposition used at the end of a sentence in this blog.

  

I would...

have dinner in the sky.  How awesome would that be?

How may inches wide is a venti nonfat mocha??

I know I take all the conveniences of my life for granted and when I think about each of the things I use throughout the day that make my day easier and more comfortable, it's really amazing how many there are.  I have an egg slicer for nice thinly cut hard-boiled eggs for my salad, a remote control for my bedroom light so I don't have to get out of bed to shut the light off, and video screen baby monitor so that when the kids were infants I didn't have to wonder what was going on or if they were awake, I could press a button from where I sat and peek at them.  That's why this story is just so absolutely incredible to me.  I think it is to everyone who has read about it but if you really think about what it'd be like...  I'm not sure I'm that strong. 

The 33 Chilean miners trapped 2,300 feet underground since Aug. 5 are living a life nobody's ever experienced — the previous record for surviving in a collapsed mine is 25 days. The men, age 19 to 63, will remain in their cramped, broiling quarters until Christmas, Chilean officials estimate. As they try to stay healthy, occupied and optimistic, here are some details on their "incredible" day-to-day life in 4,500 square feet of "hell":




1. Everything they're sent is less than 3.2 inches wide


The miners' life lines are three narrow boreholes extending down from the surface to their chamber. All rations and supplies — 5 liters of water a day each; 2,000 calories worth of food, including nutrition shakes, bread, fruit, and ham; toiletries; lightweight, fungus-resistant clothing; batteries; medicine; etc. — are lowered in 3.19-inch-wide tubes called "doves." The packages are sent 24 hours a day.






2. The miners have a personal trainer


Starting this week, the personal trainer is leading the men through a one-hour daily workout, via a closed-circuit video feed. This is important to keep them in good spirits, says Chilean health minister Jaime Mañalich, but also because when the miners are rescued, they'll need 35-inch waists, or smaller, to make it out the 2,300-foot hole being dug for them. Most Americans would need the exercise: The average U.S. man has a 39.7-inch waist.






3. They will still have to work


Another reason the miners have to stay in shape: When their escape route's pilot hole breaks through, they'll need to start working to clear away up to 4,000 tons of rock and rubble, in constantly rotating shifts.






4. They have an iPod


The iPod is hooked up to speakers, to encourage communal listening. But since they don't have electricity, they send it up to be recharged. They also have TV and movies piped down to them on fiber optic cable and projected on an improvised screen. (Watch the miners cheer on their national soccer team)






5. Gambling is encouraged


Early on in their ordeal, the miners created a makeshift casino out of a table and dirty red cloth. The games include dominoes and poker. From a video they made, it looks like the miners are "whiling away the afternoon in some darkened gambling dive," says David Jones in Britain's Daily Mail.






6. They're staying in close touch with their families


The miners' family members, some of them living in their own improvised camps near the rescue site, got to see their loved ones 24 days after the collapse, in a 45-minute video the miners recorded on a tiny video camera sent through the borehole. The video included a tour of the shelter and personal messages to family members. Later, a phone system was set up so the miners could speak directly to their relations above.






7. The miners are getting pep talks from the Alive survivors


Four Uruguayan ex-rugby players who made it through ten weeks in the snowy Andes following a 1972 plane crash — a saga recounted in the film Alive (1993) — traveled to the mine in early September to encourage the miners and their families. "They are much luckier than we were because they didn't have to make the terrible decision to eat their friends," noted crash survivor Jose Luis Inciarte, 62.






8. Even underground, day is bright and night is dark


On the advice of NASA doctors and engineers, the miners have created a lighted "day" area and a perpetually dark "night" area, using the two spots to create some semblance of a regular day. A schedule is important for mental well-being amid all the uncertainty, NASA experts say, and Vitamin D supplements will help alleviate the sun deprivation.






9. They're allowed to smoke


Last week, Chilean authorities decided that the chamber's air ventilation system could handle lighted cigarettes, so they started sending down two packs of smokes a day. Previously, the miners had been using nicotine patches to cope with their addictions.

This article can be found here.

6 words

Sometimes when I'm driving I compose haikus in my head about the day or about how I'm feeling or whatever.  You know haikus - 5/7/5?  Is that weird?  Oh, well.  So when I heard about this project I just loved it.  It's a word nerd kind of thing but I really do think that creativity is pushed to a new level when such limitations are given.

The Six Word Memoir is something the people at Smith Magazine began.  They've even published a few books on the topic and with entries from submissions they've received.  You can find one of the books here.  You can also go online here and submit your own six word memoir or read what other people have written.  Now, memoir to me implies that it's a piece of writing to summarize one's life but in this case it can be that, or even just the day or the moment. 

If you had to write your six word memoir what would it say??

Mine would say:  No idea why I'm so lucky.

September 13, 2006

Time has never gone faster than since I've had kids.  I just can't believe that it was 4 years ago today that I birthed a 10 pound bouncing baby boy.  He's an emotional hot mess and such a sweet, sweet love.  I absolutely could not love him one single bit more than I already do.

September 13, 2006

September 13, 2007 - age 1

September 13, 2008 - age 2

September 13, 2009 - age 3

September 13, 2010 - age 4 today!

Once a snuggle bug...

always a snuggle bug.