Oh and how busy!

Happy Halloween! 

It seems that for the past week or two I have been non-stop!  And sick too, but that is very much beside the point as mommies do not get sick days.  We have had a birthday (see below), friends visit, visits with our pediatrician, a trip to the zoo, a Halloween party (two, actually!), oh so many things to keep us good and busy! 

The kids are very much excited for tonight- Maggie wore her Cinderella dress to school today for her class party and yesterday I dropped Lydia off to preschool dressed as a sweet little bunny rabbit.  I don't think either child has committed to a costume for this evening's festivities, but I do know that Jack will be a giraffe.  And a very cute one at that  ;)  Halloween is a very fun event in our neighborhood- all the families with small children group together and head out.  We had a party for them Wednesday afternoon after school with crafts, games, sandwiches and chili- such a fun afternoon visiting with friends and a great warm up to tonight.  

I'll post pictures later! 

Birthday Cake!

One year ago today, Part II

Jack Patrick Bray

3:01am

9lbs, 14oz/ 21" 

Happy Birthday my sweet baby boy!

One year ago today

Dearest Jack, 

One year ago today I was approximately 38 weeks pregnant with you.  It was Saturday, October 13, and your beloved grandmother had taken your two big sisters for the day so that your father and I could rest.  I had not been sleeping well and if I wasn't sleeping, well, then neither was your father.  I still had a little less than 1 week to go- I had been instructed to be at the hospital the morning of Friday, October 19, for my scheduled c-section.  Little did I know... 

One year ago today your grandmother presented me with a gift when she delivered your sisters back to us that afternoon- a beautiful gold picture frame holding a vintage drawing of a stork with a baby blue sack in his beak.  Just a short time before, for the first time in 3 pregnancies, I looked at my ripe belly and spoke to the person inside:  "It's okay, we are ready.  You can come out now."  Your cradle was waiting, blankets and onesies freshly washed; I was ready.  Little did I know you were such an obedient little guy, anxious to find out what all the riff raff was about out here.  Just a short 6 hours later...

One year ago today the contractions started.  And this time, instead of slowing down and spacing out, they did something different.  They became faster and more intense with each wave.  Phone calls were made to the doctor, to your grandparents, and I, for the first time in 3 pregnancies, looked at my ripe belly and said:  "It's time".  

One year ago today I was in labor.  

But it wasn't until very early the next morning that we would meet you... 

All aboard!

Lydia goes to preschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays each week, leaving her available to be my "very special helper" on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  She clearly loves this most important role she plays in my life on these days- and I put her to work doing things for me like help empty the dishwasher, help with grocery shopping, run diapers out to the trash, etc.  

I think she really enjoys this time, when she only has one sibling to compete with for my attention (Jack- and she adores him more than anything).  We play silly games with each other, turn up the music on our iTunes real loud and dance through the house- she always runs to get her Cinderella gown from her closet and dances like the princess she knows she really is.  

On a recent Friday morning she thought perhaps we needed to take a trip together.  While I was getting Jack down for his nap she built our train and off we went!  No particular destination, just the 2 of us enjoying the sights together... Do notice our fellow passengers please, seated in rows 3, 4, and 5- an elephant, a pretty little pink pig, and a little blue fish named Dori.  

Maggie

As I had said previously, Maggie loves to create!  Here are some pictures of her and another of her masterpieces she had worked on a few weekends ago:  

Lydia, the Artiste

Some may know that Maggie is a rather artistic person.  Her preschool teacher when she was 3 described her as a "creative soul".  She loves to create and it is always interesting for me to see the world through her eyes- like when she sees objects in the clouds, makes shadow puppets by the light of her nightlight, or the particular way she will eat her cinnamon toast so that it takes on the shape of a dog or a boot.  

Somebody else's creativity is in overdrive these days we are finding.  It seems Lydia has a fondness for painting and drawing too.  She will get down her water colors, paint brushes, fill herself a bowl of water and just have at it.  Here are some recent pictures of one of her latest creations- she is so proud of her handprints.  

I love it!

Another round of teeth

Poor Jack... just when he seems to catch a break from all these new shiny white teeth coming in, another round pops up and we are right back to where we started.  This picture is actually from 2 weeks ago when he was hit with a double whammy- a head cold and new teeth.  No bueno for sure and he looks very similar at this very moment. 

I am keeping him filled with Motrin, the teething rings are chilled, and the biscuits are at the ready.  These are his first molars and hopefully they won't take too long to make their appearance.  The waiting is agony for all involved and sleep is hard to come by once the sun sets.  

Any day now...