Mostly Life

Really gross but, I admit, pretty funny

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 04:06:00 +0000

The smell of vomit is really disgusting. It's just all wrong. I've had more than my share of exposure to it this week. Poor little Abby had what was apparently a 12 hour bug or something. Or something just didn't sit right. But she threw up about six times in a row yesterday morning on the way to Amelia's PT. Needless to say we never made it to the PT appointment. But by the time we got home Abigail seemed much improved, with appetite back intact and bouncy and happy as a typical two year old.

But that's not the funny throw up story. The funny one happened tonight while Garrett and I were getting the kids ready for bed. Gabriel was brushing his teeth. He was kind of goofing around and I thought I heard him gag himself a little. Then Garrett says "Hey Gabe, show mommy what I taught you to do with your toothbrush." Gabe immediately shoves his toothbrush in the back of his throat, gags, and spews his dinner in a lumpy brown pile on the floor. Unperturbed by the vomit on his hands and the stray drop on his tubby little belly, he looks down and says, "Oh. Spilled. Gabe spilled."

Garrett was in stitches. I'm not sure if this sounds funny to any of you out there reading it, but it really was pretty hilarious. His little voice saying he'd spilled. The matter-of-factness of the vomit on the floor and Gabriel being completely unphased by it. Not to mention the fact that I turn to Garrett and exclaim, "You taught him to gag himself?" And Garrett's response, once he was able to stop laughing enough to answer: "Just a little. I didn't think he'd make himself throw up." Poor Gabe didn't get another teeth brushing for several minutes because I was so surprised and indignant and admittedly amused, and Garrett was completely useless in his hysterics.

All I want for Christmas is for tomorrow to be a throw-up free day!

Teddy bear photo shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:39:00 +0000

It started out pretty simply. I was taking a picture of Gabriel's Winnie the Pooh bear for a little project I'm brainstorming, and the kids thought it was great fun that a bear could have his own photo shoot. Pretty soon Amelia's pink bear was front and center, but Abigail couldn't let yellow bear sit on the sidelines so she got her time in the spotlight as well. It was all pretty cute, and I think I got a few good pictures to boot. Tell me what you think of Amelia's new stylin' glasses!

Smile!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:34:00 +0000

The kids are beginning to understand that when the camera comes out, they are supposed to smile. It only follows that smiling has now taken on a whole new character. They are smiling so hard their cheeks must feel numb! But it's cute to watch them test out their newfound skill. Here's Gabriel showing off one of his most adorable efforts:

Perhaps a bit forced, but still brings a smile to my face each time I see it.

Facing the storm

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:57:00 +0000

We've had some crazy weather this week. Nothing long lasting--as I write the sun is shining outside on a cold and calm afternoon. But we've had some snow, and some wild wind, and some fierce rain all within the past week to proclaim that winter is definitely upon us. Now, when we prepare to walk out the door it's not just shoes and socks and coat, but also mittens, hats, and possibly boots, accompanied by many thoughts voiced by budding opinionists about which mittens, hats, and boots should be chosen for the job. Sometimes just preparing to walk out the door is complicated enough to feel like the conditions are stormier inside than out.

There has been a feeling lately that things just keep getting harder and harder. Or maybe it's just that new things keep getting added to the already teetering stack. This week Amelia is getting eyeglasses. A couple weeks ago Sharon pointed out to me that Amelia's eyes were sometimes crossing. Garrett says he's been noticing it intermittently for even a couple months, so we took her to the opthalmologist and she was diagnosed with esotropia. She is far sighted and somehow the muscles in her eyes, in the constant trying to focus on things far and near and everywhere in between, malfunction to some extent so her right eye wanders to the middle. Hopefully glasses will correct the crossing. Even though she's far sighted she can see just fine, as long as her eyes are working properly, which they can't if they're crossing. So our little baby girl is going to get a gorgeous new look with pink frames, due to be ready tomorrow or early next week.

Amelia is adjusting well to the idea of glasses. She seems to like wearing the frames we got to bring home for a test run and I'm optimistic that pretty soon it will just be what she does, rather than it being a novelty. I pray that they actually correct the eye crossing problem. It makes me sad that she needs them at all. What kid deserves to have their eyes just stop working right? I think she'll look adorable in her new frames. But I wish she didn't need them.

It's been a tough fall, taking on some new challenges as parents and trying to maintain optimism and pragmatism when all you want to do it make things right for your kids but you can't. A few weeks ago Gabriel started some additional therapy to work on some behavioral and social issues he's been exhibiting. He is charming and goofy and cooperative and beautiful as ever, but he's getting frustrated and overwhelmed too and he doesn't know how to deal with that. And truth be told Garrett and I don't either much of the time. Gabriel's new therapist, Christine, is wonderful and she comes to our home three times a week and provides great support and insight. But I wish she didn't have to come either. And I wish Amelia didn't need phyical therapy. And I wish none of them ever needed speech therapy. I am incredibly grateful that all of these therapies are available for us and for them. I would not take them out of therapy for anything. But sometimes it would just be nice if we never needed it all to begin with. If we could just, for one moment, relax and not have something to worry about with our kids. If we could feel confident that though the world will throw stones, they have the armor to protect themselves from serious or permanent injury.

Worrying as a parent is like nothing I ever experienced before. I am not a worrier by nature. It comes fairly naturally to me to take things as they come and focus more on the "what we knows" than on the "what ifs." But I understand now what it means to genuinely care more about someone else than about yourself. To wish them good, even if if means wishing harm upon yourself. I understood that to a certain extent when I got married, but still only sometimes. Now I understand it as a way of being. If I could fix Amelia's crossing eye by adopting it as my own, I would in a second. No doubt. There's no question that her getting glasses right now is more painful for me and Garrett than for her, and I hope it remains that way for as long as she needs them. But in the end, ultimately, it's Amelia that's going through this new trial. As much as I can think about it and agonize over it and feel sad that she needs to experience this, I am not the one in her shoes. Amelia needs glasses, not mommy. It's about her and the world she lives in. I may take Amelia to PT twice a week, packing everyone in the car after prepping snacks and diapers and getting everyone's coat and mittens on, but it's Amelia that goes through the therapy. It's about her. It's about Abigail getting speech therapy and learning how to express herself. It's about Gabriel working with Christine and learning how to be frustrated without disengaging from the world around him. It's all about them. It's none about me.

As a parent that's almost impossible to digest. How can all this--what I have spent the last two and a half years of my life pouring myself into--not be about me? It is wonderful and startling at the same time. It's parenting.

Faith anyone?

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:43:00 +0000

You can ask for it, seek it, practice it, gain it, or lose it. What you can't do, if you want to keep whatever portion of it you have, is leave it idle. I ran across some encouragement today. At least it was encouragement for me, and I think for anyone looking for a motivation to get into God's word more than they already do.

Romans 10:17
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

Paul is speaking of the reality that though Israel heard the message of Jesus and had knowledge that he was the fulfillment of prophecy, not all the Israelites believed in him as the Christ. They missed the message. They had the history as a people to look back on and know of the favor of God in their lives. They had every advantage in hearing the gospel and knowing it's truth. Yet still they did not all believe. The message fell on deaf ears. Why did they not hear?

So often I wonder how I can grow my faith in the face of trial, hardship, boredom, monotony, frustration, or temptation. How can I continue to grow in my relationship with him? Honestly, how much growing can a person do in a lifetime? When will enough be enough? How silly my questions are, how human. And how persistent.

Thank God I ask a God who answers.

The word of Christ. The foundation. Get in the Word, Carrington. Read His stories, His thoughts, His words. Read it over and over and you will get more and more out of it each time. That is the mystery of the word of God. My Bible never grows any longer, but each time I open it the message gets a little richer to my ears. Read the word of Christ. That is how your faith will grow.

Read the word of Christ.

My girls

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:48:00 +0000

I love watching my girls together. It's amazing. The way they fight with each other and then love on each other; share with each other and then steal a beloved toy a second later; the way they antagonize each other:

Mommy: Amelia, can you put that ornament back on the Christmas tree?

Amelia (walking obediently toward Christmas tree): Back on Krumpus tree.

Abigail: On Kismus tree.

Amelia (stopping mid-stride): No Krumpus tree.

Abigail: Kismus tree.

Amelia (eyebrows furrowing): No Krumpus tree!

Abigail (voice rising): Kismus tree!

Amelia (body tensing, ornament possibly thrown on the ground): No. Krumpus. Tree!

Abigail (running toward Amelia ready to manhandle her into replacing ornament): Kismus tree! Kismus tree!

And the battle wages on. And yet they love each other. I have never heard anything so sweet as my girls giggling together in the back of the van while we're out driving. It happens all the time. Or they'll try to wash each other's hair during bathtime or tell each other how to play with their dollhouse. They are bossy and uncivilized but so completely honest with each other, and devoted to one another. They fetch toys for each other when the other is upset. They've turned hugging into an extreme contact sport. They bite each other in the heat of battle, but they apologize and give hugs and kisses and move on. And it all just leaves me awestruck. Watching them grow, watching them be sisters--it captures my heart. What a privilege it is to be privy to the insider's view. Bite marks and all.

Raise your hands if you like finger painting!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:16:00 +0000

Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:00:00 +0000

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish each other with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. --Colossians 3:15-17 (emphasis mine)

In these moments that pile up and build on each other, that stretch and multilpy and form into this grand tapestry I call my life, I am grateful for many things. I am grateful for infinite chances to be grateful. To remind myself of all the things I am blessed with day in and day out, now and on into eternity. I am grateful that my blessings are not dependent on my gratefulnees, for I know I have far more to be thankful for than I even realize. I am grateful that God, in His infinite wisdom, saw that I am utterly inept to save myself, and so He sent his son to do the saving for me. And I am grateful for this life He has given me in which I get to learn, and relearn, and learn again of His richness and blessing, and I get to do it with my husband and kids and friends walking the journey with me.

I am grateful that the turkey I made turned out tasty and moist.

I am grateful that my kids are learning how to talk, and that their voices bring me satisfaction and their words bring me joy.

I am grateful that Garrett loves me. I am grateful that he is a good man who loves the Lord and is faithful to his promises.

I am grateful to live in a state that offers incredible early intervention services so my kids get the best possible therapeutic assistance.

I am grateful that Amelia loves to snuggle with me.

I am grateful that my kids helped decorate our Christmas tree this weekend. I am grateful that it's the time of year for Christmas trees.

I am grateful we had good friends with whom to spend Thanksgiving.

I am grateful I have wonderful parents who are willing to fly across the country to visit my family and build relationships with their growing grandchildren.

I am grateful for a beautiful home that keeps me warm, dry, and comfortable.

I am grateful that people who meet my kids compliment me on how well behaved they are. I don't know all the reasons why they are good kids, but by golly I am grateful to have good kids.

I will be grateful when I find my missing video camera.

I am grateful to have so many experiences worth capturing on video--to have moments so wonderful I know I'll want to relive them later.

I am grateful for life.

Here's hoping you and yours had a Thanksgiving weekend full of joy, love, and gratitude.

Happy cake!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:54:00 +0000

Yesterday was Garrett's birthday. We had a few busy evenings scheduled over the weekend so last Thursday I made him a steak dinner and a homemade carrot cake. Amelia, Abigail, and Gabriel loved watching me ice the cake and helped add the finishing touch by sprinkling roasted nuts on top. I coached them all to say "Happy birthday daddy!" when Garrett walked through the door, but somehow the sentiments were lost in translation. I did hear Amelia exclaim "Happy cake!" when he got home. I thought that was pretty appropriate, if not exactly what I had in mind.

Unfortunately our plans for Saturday night to get a babysitter and go out just the two of us didn't work out so well. The kids have been sick for almost a week now with coughing and some inconsistent fevers. Thankfully Garrett and I have not come down with anything yet and we were still planning on going out, but Saturday evening when the kids woke up from their nap I went in to find Abigail had thrown up all over herself and her bed and was clearly distraught about it. We thought it best to call off the sitter in an effort to keep from spreading the misery. As it happened, Garrett ended up enjoying his birthday dinner with Gabriel at McDonald's after Gabe threw a mighty fit over a not so obvious injustice and Garrett decided to just get him out of the house. Not exactly what we had planned, but then again life is hardly predictable with three two year olds all aiming monkey wrenches at our paths.

Today was a bit of an improvement from yesterday. The kids are still sick and feeling lousy in fits and spurts, but the weather was amazing and we thought it would be fun to get out for some fresh air. We've discovered a lovely park just a few miles from us with a great playground and lots of picturesque hiking trails, so we packed up the crew and spent the afternoon outside. It was beautiful!

Happy crazy birthday to the love of my life!

Luke 12:32

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:15:00 +0000

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom."

Little flock. How adeptly Jesus speaks to our need to be nurtured, cared for, watched over, protected. We pretend to be big strong individuals, autonomous, brave, untouchable. We are not. And yet he loves us still. He loves us because. He is pleased to give us the kingdom. I am pleased to take Gabriel and Abby and Amelia to the playground, knowing what is in store for them. How much more is our father pleased, delighted, overjoyed, satisfied, to offer us His very best. He stopped at nothing to give us this gift. He stops at nothing still.

(Gabriel taking our friend Olivia for a drive during Mt. Kisco's "Touch a Truck" community event)

Finally... apples!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:04:00 +0000

We finally made it to the apple orchard this year and came back with a half bushel of fresh from the tree appley goodness. My hunger has been satiated. I got the ingredients last week to make some lentil soup. I figured I'd plan a day this week to have a dinner menu of homemade lentil soup, corn bread, and apple pie from scratch. Garrett said he thought that sounds ambitious. I agree. I won't hold myself to it, but the thought is nice.

A lot of nice thoughts run through my mind these days, though I feel like I have time to get just about none of them done. I can hardly plan time to make a quick phone call during the day, much less anything more bold. Naptime has all but disappeared with the kids switching to toddler beds a couple weeks ago. Did I even mention that? Once they were climbing out of bed with reckless glee every day we decided to take the rails down. I actually bought crib tents to see if I could keep my little monkeys contained for a while longer, but it took about seven and a half seconds to confirm that crib tents were not going to be a safe alternative. As soon as the first tent was set up I had one kid getting trapped between the tent and the crib bars while trying to climb into the crib, and another trying to hang from the zipper on the inside. I'm lucky Garrett got the thing off in one piece so I could send it back for a refund. Transitioning to toddler beds has been a breeze at nighttime, but naps have been a whole different story. I've spent a few weeks being quite worked up and stressed about it because there are two things that are clear to me: 1) my kids still need naps; 2) my kids are not willing to stay in bed to get them. I've spent many naptimes policing the little runaways and taking them back to bed each time they escape, but I am slowly coming around to the idea that I may just have to let them run wild. I hate that because it means there's only about a 1% chance of a nap happening and about a 90% chance of someone getting hurt or something getting broken, or both. So far Abby has come out of "naptime" with mysterious scrapes, cuts, and bite marks; Garrett walked in to find about a gallon of water seeping into the carpet because they tipped over the mini basketball hoop that has water in the base to keep it steady; they have climbed on the window sill numerous times and pulled the window shade down to the floor; they pull out the cords to the clock and lights in their room; and they have started playing with the framed art pieces above their beds, which means we need to secure them to the wall in a much sturdier fashion if we don't want someone to bring a frame crashing down, glass and all. It's very hard for me to get any downtime when I am policing wayward toddlers. It is also very hard to get downtime when I am trying to ignore wayward toddlers who are swinging from the rafters in the next room. But, I am beginning to think that the latter is still better for my sanity in the long run. So I keep praying that one of these days the novelty of freedom will wear off and my kids will realize just how tired they really are. How can they not need a nap when I feel like I could fall asleep in five seconds if someone just offered me a pillow?

It's hard to believe it's already November. I feel like the fall has just begun and I am still adjusting to our new busy schedule. With the start of Amelia's PT and MOPS and the continuation of speech therapy it feels like we are constantly busy, and yet I am also constantly looking for things to do and ways for us to get out and about because this apartment just can't contain us all anymore. We've met a great new playmate this year. I've made friends with a woman named Kelsey whose daughter, Mackenzie, is two and a half and has a new baby sister due any day now. Kelsey and I have started getting together with some regularity and it's been great to have another home to go to and to have Mackenzie add a little socialization. Everyone makes comments about how we have a built in playdate at our house, which in some respects is true. I realize it's nice that my kids have playmates in each other and they have one another to interact with. But playing with and around siblings does not offer the same socialization as interacting with other kids. There are different skills to learn with kids from other families--lessons about sharing, respecting other people's space and toys and decisions, communication. I love having them around other kids and Kelsey loves that having my kids around means Mackenzie is learning how to accommodate and share with others. So far it seems to be a win win.

Speech therapy is going very well and Sharon is really pleased with how far the kiddos have come. They are quickly catching up with age appropriate communication skills and our house is full of chatter now. We are still working out some kinks, like generalizing what they learn in session to use in everyday life. And they are still inclined to make some very random mispronunciations that seem to originate from nowhere. A couple weeks ago I finally realized that Amelia has been trying to say pajamas. We use a lot of variations of that word--jammies, jammers, jam-jams, pjs. But her approximation was something like "sh-shems." Not real close. Since I was finally able to figure out what she was trying to say she has made some real progress, thankfully. We are still trying to figure out the word playground. They can say something close to "play" and an approximation of "ground." But when they clamber for the playground I hear three little voices insisting "keymond, keymond, keymond!" It's a little odd. But besides the hiccups here and there, they really are becoming quite verbose. They are saying please, thank you, and you're welcome, and they're learning to answer questions. They love talking about "Kenzie's house" and they're well into identifying colors and learning to count. Gabe can consistenly get to five, if you don't count his tendency to leave out the number four. We're making progress!

A mixed bag weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:37:00 +0000

This weekend had it's ups and downs. I've been wanting to go apple picking all season long and there have been a hundred reasons each weekend why it doesn't work out: the weather is crummy, other plans crop up, we're out of town. I've really been hoping for a fun family outing and we're running out of time. So yesterday I wanted to give it a go, even though the weather report was less than optimistic. We should have stayed home. It started raining before we ever left the parking lot of our apartment complex. We tried to make a go of it anyway but the orchard was just sloppy and wet. We walked through the pumpkin patch and Amelia picked out a soggy orange prize. Then we pretty much rose the white flag. I was really bummed but apple picking in the rain wasn't really what I had in mind when I pictured our cozy fall family outing. Please pray for good weather next weekend! It'll be out last chance. And I've so been looking forward to all the apple pie and applesauce and apple muffins just waiting to be made in my kitchen.

Today brightened my weekend a bit, because we got to spend an amazing day in New York City with some friends. God was sure smiling on us because he orchestrated a fantastic time for us. Our friends Kevin and Christie are in town for the weekend from North Carolina and we planned to meet them for lunch and hanging out in Central Park. And as it happened we got a random phone call from our college friend Hilary, who was in the city for just one night and wanted to hang out. It was perfect. We caught up with Kevin and Christie, played with the kids in the park, then met up with Hildary and had some dinner before we drove home with three incredibly sleepy two year olds. The weather could not have been more beautiful today. A complete turnaround from yesterday. The sun was out, fall colors were in full bloom, the temperature was warm, and the company couldn't be beat. It was fun to be in the city with the kids at an age where they can really enjoy the surroundings. The played at the playground and rode on the swings and played "chase" with Kevin and it was just fun to spend the day in the park. They are also at an age where naps are still a necessity on a regular basis, but if they miss one here and there the day doesn't have to fall apart. I was delighted that at dinner with Hilary the kids stayed in their seats and ate a tiny bit of food and didn't spill their waters. I have the best kids, the best family. I don't know what I'd do without any one of them.

I realize I have been a bit delinquent with my blog in some ways lately. I don't think I've even mentioned yet that a few weeks ago Amelia started physical therapy. We had her evaluated through Early Intervention, the same state program through which the kids receive speech therapy. Amelia was found to be pretty behind in her development with gross motor skills and her muscle tone is low, so she's getting PT now to hopefully help her gain some stability and grace. I take her to a special gym facility for her therapy twice a week, which means our schedule is a bit fuller this fall than it has been. Unlike with speech therapy, I don't get to be a part of the PT sessions. It's probably a good thing, since I always have Abigail and Gabriel with me and it's impossible for Rebecca, Amelia's therapist, to get anything done with all of us tagging along. It's hard to not be involved, but I'm also proud of Amelia for being willing to go off without her mama. Last Wednesday was the first time Amelia agreed to go off with Rebecca on her own. She's such a brave girl! We're still getting used to the new routine and it's too early to know if the therapy is going to help, but I have no reason to doubt it will. We're incredibly blessed to have these services available to us. God is good.

Dayton

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 20:28:00 +0000

So here is a slide show of our time in Dayton, when I finally had a moment to pull out the camera. My kids especially enjoyed playing outside and getting more acquainted with the dogs. We spent our entire trip staying with people who have big dogs. The girls were terrified at first, but by the end of the week Abby was throwing the ball in lively games of fetch and Amelia was at least tolerating the dogs' presence. Gabe seemed pretty laid back about the whole thing. They are all still talking about the puppies.

More going on than I have time to write about

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:46:00 +0000

Life has been hectic for the past couple weeks, as my absence from blogging probably indicates. The biggest news of late: my brother Wyatt got married! Garrett and the kids and I just got back yesterday from our road trip to Cincinnati to see Wyatt and Kalpana tie the knot last Saturday, October 10. It was a wonderful, extremely busy trip and an extraordinary wedding. I have to admit early on that I do not have a single picture from our time with my family. The schedule was so jam packed and I was so busy keeping track of my kids that I just did not have the time or extra hands to pick up my camera, so I'm hoping I can snag some good photos from other people. I just wish I had them now so I could share them as I explain our whirlwind in Ohio.

Garrett and I packed up the kids and headed out of town on Tuesday, Oct 6. The drive to Cincinnati from home is about 11 hours of driving, so we decided to leave in the evening in the hopes that the kids would sleep in the car a good portion of the first day. As it happened, the kids were amazing travelers for us. They road happily in the car until we stopped for dinner on Tuesday evening, then fell asleep soon after and we drove until midnight when we stopped at a motel for the night. The next day we were up and on the road around 9am and during the drive the kids played, watched videos, and slept until we arrived in Cincinnati shortly after 5pm. We could not have asked for a smoother trip.

In Cincinnati were were hosted by Carol and Paul, some close friends of Kalpana's parents. They were very accommodating and extremely helpful in making their home comfortable for all of us as well as my mom, who also stayed in their huge home. Carol was wonderful about having food prepared for the kids as we needed, which was a huge lifesaver since we sometimes were literally running from one activity to another. Festivities started in earnest on Thursday, when Garrett and Gabriel got to hang out with the guys, visiting the tux shop and going to lunch, while mom and I took Amelia and Abigail to a ladies lunch.

Kalpana is Hindu so much of the wedding weekend involved Hindu ceremonies and traditions, but my family has an Episcopal tradition and Wyatt wanted a Christian ceremony as well. He was not baptized as a baby and to get married in the Episcopal church you need to be baptized, so on Thursday afternoon Wyatt was baptized in a private ceremony at Kalpana's parent's home. After that we had the rehearsal for the Episcopal wedding ceremony, which took place at the Cincinnati zoo, and after the rehearsal was the rehearsal dinner downtown. We originally planned to take the kids with us to the rehearsal, but thank God Garrett decided to take them home instead. It was raining cats and dogs at the zoo and we all would have been miserable trying to keep the kids dry and happy. Kalpana's parents did an extraordinary job preparing to accommodate our family, and they provided babysitters to stay with the kids at Carol and Paul's during the evenings so Garrett and I could go to the evening events, so we made it the rehearsal dinner and enjoyed a very special and fun dinner without worrying about the kids.

Friday festivities started early with a Hindu engagement ceremony that took up the morning, followed by lunch. It was my first real taste of the Indian aspect of the wedding and it was so interesting to watch the whole process. Hindu ceremonies, to the outside observer anyway, seem very ornate and intricate, and they are filled with tradition and symoblism. At the same tme, they have a more casual feel than a Western wedding ceremony in that people will come and go, ask questions, and move around. So I got to see almost all of what was going on, but when the kids started acting up no one minded me or Garrett getting up to walk them out of the room to go play in the foyer. In the afternoon my mom and I spent some time getting Mehndi--henna tattoos painted on our hands and feet so we were appropriately decorated for the wedding ceremony the next day. On Friday night there was an enormous Mehndi party. Basically it was a party to celebrate Wyatt and Kalpana, thrown by some more good friends of Kalpana's parents. It was a catered event with amazing Indian food, an Indian DJ, and Mehndi artists painting tattoos on anyone who wanted them. I have never seen decadence like that, but it was amazingly comfortable. Everyone seemed to have a great time and we spent a lot of time on the dance floor. I even saw my parents cutting a rug like I've never witnessed, so it was a lot of fun all around.

Saturday morning again started early with the Hindu wedding ceremony. It was held in downtown Cincinnati in a cavernous music hall. The decorations were magnificent though, with amazing colors and lavish decorations. They turned an ordinary hall into an awesome sight. Our whole family was dressed in our Indian best, me in my sari, Garrett and Gabriel in their kurtas, and the girls in their pavadais. Before the ceremony started Garrett and I were worried about how the kids would do. They hadn't been getting any naps since we arrived in Cincinnati and the pace of the events was wearing on them. Gabriel was already asking for home and spent most of the morning melting onto the floor in one tantrum after the other. But I guess the intrigue of the ceremony was enough to quiet him down. They were all pretty well behaved once we went into the wedding hall. In the beginning of the ceremony Wyatt's family walks with him into the hall and we are greeted by Kalpana's family. Then we participate in part of the early ceremony. After that was finished Garrett took the kids to be with some on-site babysitters so we could enjoy the rest of the ceremony. Watching Wyatt up on stage getting married was a little odd. Not that he was getting married, but that I knew he was getting married and yet it was in such a foreign environment that I didn't really make emotional sense of what was going on. The ceremony was stunning and I loved being a part of it, but it didn't really sink in that Wyatt was married until a little later on. There was a point in the Hindu cerememony when the groom ties a necklace around the bride's neck, sort of equivalent I think to bride and groom exchanging rings in a Christian ceremony. During the necklace tying, the groom' sister (that's me!) gets to tie the second and third knot in tne necklace, signifying welcoming the bride into the groom's family. That was pretty cool. I liked feeling a part of it. And I admit I liked getting to go on stage while I wore my amazing sari that Kalpana had bought in India. I'll have to go to more Indian weddings just so I have a reason to wear that beautiful outfit!

After going home to change we were back at the zoo for the Episcopal ceremony. Everything went really well for that as well. The weather cooperated and we had a beautiful evening. Gabriel refused to carry the ring pillow so Garrett got to be the world's oldest ring bearer, while he walked down the aisle holding hands with Gabe, who looked adorable in his tux dragging his Winnie the Pooh bear by the arm. The girls were not so keen on walking down the aisle. Amelia refused from the get go, and Abby walked partway but decided it wasn't such a hot idea, so I carried both of them. It was a bit challenging. The aisle was actually a bridge with slats, so I had to make sure my heels didn't catch in the cracks. And at the end of the aisle were three steps to climb before reaching the front of the ceremony. But thankfully we all made it unscathed, and the girls of course looked cute as could be. The guests got a second look at Amelia when we reached the spot in the cememony when I had to get up and do a reading. Amelia was not interested in staying in her seat, so I took her, along with her milk and snack cup, up to the podium to read a poem. After the ceremony I learned that in between verses the audience could hear Amelia guzzling her milk from her sippy cup. At least she wasn't crying! After a beautiful ceremony Garrett and I sent the kids home with a babysitter and we stayed to eat, drink to toasts, and again dance into the night. It was so much fun, and such a fitting celebration.

The one thing I have not yet had time to do it reflect much on the weekend and the wedding. It was such a whirlwind of a wedding with so much constantly going on. I was thrilled to be a part of it though and I'm very excited for Wyatt and Kalpana. I think they are so good for each other and I already feel like having her connected to our family has brought us all closer in some intangible but vital ways. I look forward to the future with her as a sister. Congratulations Wyatt and Kalpana!

Of course the wedding did not mark the end of our adventure. I couldn't travel to Ohio without visiting my friend Kim in Dayton, so on Sunday, after a morning brunch, and a mid-day visit with Garrett's cousin who also lives in Cincinnati, our family drove an hour to Dayton and stayed with Kim and her husband Kaz and daughter Jade for a couple days. It was a bit of a rough visit since we were on the tail end of an alreayd exhausting trip, but I am so glad we made it. Connecting with Kim is always a treat and it's so fun to see our kids together. We got some time at the park and lots of time around the house playing in the yard and throwing the ball for the dogs. I was sorry we couldn't stay longer, but it was clear that the kids were getting worn out and ready for some normalcy again, so Garrett and I packed up the car again and headed home on Tuesday evening. The kids traveled well once more. It was a bit rougher on the way home than the way there. Gabriel especially was taxed by our time away from home and was having more meltdowns and tantrums towards the end, but we all made it unscathed and we're back home, mostly unpacked and happy to be in familiar territory again.

And that just about does it. Maybe this was not the most exciting post--takes too much energy still to do much more than regurgitate what's been going on--but it has definitely been an exciting month! Now it's time for a nap. Anyone want to come over and babysit?

A Day Outside

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 04:38:00 +0000

The other day the kids and I spent a fun morning outside. We visited Muscoot Farm where we looked at pigs and goats and donkeys and chickens and played on a really cool old tractor. Then we came home and practiced climbing on the playground. I had my camera with me so I got a few fun pictures I thought I'd share. The kiddos are really active now. A whole day at home in the house just doesn't feel like an option anymore. I thought after Muscoot they might be slightly worn out, but as I drove into our parking lot Abby was pleading "no home, no home." They definitely have outside play on the mind. The weather has been cooperating, so so much the better. I'm not too excited for another long winter. These guys need some room to stretch their legs!

Little climbers

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 02:42:00 +0000

Treating cribs and dressers like a jungle gym has become part of the regular bedtime routine. These pictures don't do it justice. I swear these kids could scale an inverted wall coated in vaseline (previously applied by them, of course). I talked to my mom today and she said that kids with early climbing skills go on to be strong readers. How's that for a silver lining? She said they'll be reading the encyclopedia by the time they're five. I'm not sure that sounds very exciting. But maybe they could read my blog! Maybe not as challening, but a lot more fun.

Vaseline

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:57:00 +0000

This is it. The beginning of the end. The end of naptime as I know it; the end of peace and quiet and keeping things in easy to reach places.

Gabriel got out of his crib during naptime today. Unlike the girls, who a while back got out of their cribs by using their dresser as a step stool, Gabriel got out on his own. No furniture to brace against, just plain old climbing skills. There was no crying or fussing when he landed on the floor, so that must not have been too traumatizing. I think the trauma was reserved completely for me and Garrett when we decided to open the door and let the animals out of their cages.

We knew someone had gotten out of bed. We could hear little hands playing with the door handle, which we have already baby proofed with knob covers to prevent escapes. So I anticipated a messy room when I opened the door. I expected strewn diapers, toys all over the place, clothing thrown on the floor. But I forgot about the ointments and creams on the changing table. Oh, how I forgot.

Vaseline. Everywhere.

I opened the door and three sets of eyes turn to me. Silence. Gabe is standing next to Abigail's crib. Abby and Amelia are still in bed, but the sheen on their faces says they have been partaking in the revelry. Amelia is covered in greasy vaseline and struggling to grip the fingernail clippers I keep in the basket on the changing table. Abigail and Gabriel have been smearing vaseline all over the slats on her crib. There is vaseline on the carpet, the toys, the furniture, the sheets, and their clothes. Clean diapers littered the floor. I should have taken a picture.

I got the kids in the tub and Garrett got to work cleaning the bedroom. There's a nice polished look to the kids' cribs now. Mostly what this episode has me thinking is that this may really be the turning point in my peaceful bedtime respites. I feel like I may as well move the furniture back the way it was before, when the girls learned how to get out of their own cribs. I liked the arrangement better that way, and if they're going to get out, what does it matter if it's one or all three? I'll need to make some adjustments in their room though. No more ointments or powders. I may have to pare down on the toy overload too. We just took three boxes of stuff to the Goodwill drop box this weekend and it feels like I need to fill fifteen more. This is a messy, messy age.

Any thoughts on whether I should make them sleep in helmets from now on?

Contentment

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:12:00 +0000

Sometimes the memories I like the best are ones that have a little fuzz around the edges. They're not snapshots, they're vague recollections. They are more emotionally recollected than intellectually. They rely on senses--a taste, a touch, a sound--to take me back to a place I once was. This past Labor Day weekend we had so much family time doing the types of things that fill hours and days but not record books. It was wonderful. Going for a morning walk and letting the kids wander by the creek that runs through town; splashing in the pool; exploring a new town--Stamford, CT--just for the sake of going somewhere we haven't been before; eating a picnic in the park. These are the moments I love. Tonight Garrett and I took the kids outside before bedtime for twenty minutes of walking barefoot around the complex, wandering wherever we wanted to wander. We walked hand in hand--that is, with Amelia in between. Gabriel and Abigail walked hand in hand in front of us. The kids wore pajamas, Abby and Amelia decked out in rocketships and trucks because girls can wear boy jammies too. I was happy. Completely content. Joyful in the most satisfying, settling way. I love that one glance at Abigail in Gabriel's blue pajamas makes me almost flow over with all feelings good and strong and lovely. Must this be what God feels when he looks at us? His beautiful and silly and wayward children? It doesn't matter what my kids do to aggravate me--all it takes is an instant of neediness and I'm at their service--how can I help you little one? How can I make you know you are loved beyond all measure? This afternoon, for at least the third time in a week, Gabriel removed his diaper during naptime and soiled his sheets. There are things I don't love about parenting toddlers. But truth be told, there are not many. The good just so exponentially outweighs the bad. And those moments when I am truly needed are satisfying to the core. Abby tripped on an invisible something today and face-planted on the hard floor, giving herself a bloody mouth and a puffy lip. Not five minutes later, Gabriel pulled the potted fern from the top of our tall bookshelf onto himself resulting in a scrape between the eyes, a mighty scare, and a carpet covered in dirt. The first thing they both wanted? Mommy. And oh, how wonderful that is. Amelia, though less accident prone today, is just as needy. I've taken to calling her my little cling-on lately. I think she thinks she can actually burrow into my skin and wear me like a blanket. Sometimes, when I am foolish enough to think there is anything more important than graciously and gratefully receiving such affection, I get annoyed at the little arms tugging and pulling at me. But when I am fortunate enough to remember how amazing it is to be desperately loved, I stop and soak it in. Is there anything better than being a mom?

I don't think so.

Three precious words

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:51:00 +0000

Last night for the first time Gabriel said those three little words that every parent longs to hear. We were all in the kids' bedroom, reading stories and getting ready for lights out. Garrett prompted Gabriel to say "I love you" and the little genius actually said it! Then he went around and, with Garrett's help, told everyone he loved them individually: "I love you Daddy. I love you Mommy. I love you Abby. I love you Mimi." (Mimi is the closest approximation any of them can yet make to saying Amelia). It was stunning. It brought tears to my eyes. If it's possible, it made me love my little boy even more, though I'm pretty sure such a feat would have to break some law of physics. I felt proud enough to pop.

I said it a few times last night, but in case it helps him if I put it in writing here it is: I love you too Gabriel. I love you too.

Beautiful eyes

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:30:00 +0000

Urgent!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:07:00 +0000

Just a little while ago I put the kids down for their naps without a fuss. Ten minutes later Gabriel started crying--the kind of cry that made me wonder if his leg were caught in the crib bars or at least something legitimately upsetting had happened, like he dropped his bear on the floor and simply could not sleep without it. So I went back into their room to find out what was wrong. Gabe started pointing toward the door urgently exclaiming "Pee pee! Pee pee!" So I rolled my eyes and then took him to use the potty and he did it like a pro, complete with wiping and washing his hands. Ugh! So cute, right? And I'm proud of him for asking to go. That's actually the first time he's spontaneously requested to go to the potty (Amelia has been asking on a regular basis, and Abby is still taking her sweet time and observing). But during naptime? That's no good. I can see their wheels are already turning--they know it's a stall tactic. At least he actually had to go, instead of getting into the bathroom and just wanting to play with the water faucet. The potty adventures continue. I still don't consider myself to be potty training them. Does that mean they are potty training me?

Back at it

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:34:00 +0000

It has been a very busy August indeed! MOPS events (I am volunteering as part of the steering committee for this upcoming year of Mothers of Preschoolers, my moms' group), out of town guests, and my first experience with VBS have kept me running from here to there. I haven't even had any new pictures to post! But to my pure surprise and delight my mom, who is visiting now, spoiled me with a brand new camera and I am thrilled to be taking pictures again and exploring my new toy. I have vague ambitions of becoming somewhat of a hobbiest photographer. I'm not sure what that looks like, but I like taking pictures and looking at pictures, especially good ones, and I've got some great subjects to work with, so I've decided photography is my new thing. My first goal is to actually read the manual that came with my beautiful new camera. That will be a feat in itself, but I'm determined.

The summer has finally hit us in New York and we've had the AC running every day for some time. It's a bummer though to see the nights getting darker sooner though, and to realize what a very short summer it has been. I can't believe the fall has crept up so quickly! Getting ready for MOPS has me in tune with the school calendar so even though my kids are not in school I get a sense of the preparation going on around me as families gear up for another year. I think sometimes about what it will be like to send my kids off to school and it makes me see them as growing little kids. It's a very slow metamorphasis, this growing process. Sometimes my kids now do things that I only associate with little kids, not toddlers. Many times it's in their posture. Abby will sit on the floor leaning back on her arms, or lean with her elbows on a table, chin in hand. She looks like such a kid it almost always strikes me. These little guys are growing up.

We've been frequenting the pool a little more often and just this week Amelia and Abigail decided the water might actually be a fun place to play. Abby is still warming up to it, but she'll get in on her own terms and she likes to be held so she can splash and dip her feet. Gabriel just loves the water and requests pool outings on a regular basis. I've only dared take them on my own one time, and it actually went very well. They are good about sticking near the kiddie pool and during the week the pool area is quiet enough I feel like I can keep track of all three of them. Plus during the quiet times we have the lifeguard to help keep a close eye on them. I do like the feeling that I can take them on my own and we can enjoy some time. I don't spend the entire time stressing--I actually get to play with them and watch them get comfortable splashing and getting in and out and playing with the buckets and boats and balls. Gabe has mastered how to use a swim ring to help him stay afloat. It's so fun to watch! It's those little achievements that remind me that they are always growing, always observing, always learning. It's easy to forget that in the monotony of day to day, or the challenge of overcoming regression in the face of frustration. The kids are coming along well enough in their speech. Gabriel is showing the most strides on a daily basis in terms of imitation and spontaneous language, but they are all progressing. But in the moments of frustration, stress, fatigue, those achievements seems to disappear and we are back to tantrums, pointing and grunting, refusing to speak and general communication breakdown all around. Those moments are challenging. So I love it when I see other evidence that my kids are coming into themselves. It keeps me positive during the rough patches. A week ago my brother Cabell was here visiting for several days and we all went on a exploratory visit to Norwalk, CT just to get a change of scenery. We went on a walk during which Abigail stopped to smell the wildflowers and Gabriel stopped to collect rocks and put them in his pockets. Watching these ordinary things was pure delight to me. I don't want to take a single thing for granted.

Wheels!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:04:00 +0000

We've had a fun few days with some new and exciting toys. Amelia, Abigail, and Gabriel finally have their own set of wheels! These pictures aren't the greatest, but they do show the lastest addition to our toy collection and the latest cause of non-stop entertainment. On Sunday Garrett blessed me with an afternoon off, so I got several hours with which to run errands, play, and enjoy some peace and quiet. One of my errands was to go to Toys R Us to spend Nana's birthday money for the kids. She had picked out these riding toys and the kids absolutely LOVE them. They have insisted on sleeping with them for the past couple nights. I finally put the kibosh on that tonight after they ransacked their bedroom, from their cribs, at naptime today. They had their "bikes," as they like to call them, in bed with them and I think the things just kept them awake and wired and looking for trouble. Anyway, they may not get to sleep with them any longer, but I have a feeling the riding toys will be a hit for some time to come.

In addition to the inside riding toys, I also pulled out a couple tricycles for my kids to play with at the playground today. I mentioned in an earlier post that we had one tricycle, and Garrett and I found a second one on the side of the road a week or so ago. We have no room in our apartment to store these tricycles but I figured I would at least take them to the playground and leave them there. Hopefully they will stick around, and if they don't at least we can play with them until they get hoisted. It's better than leaving them in our apartment or car waiting to get some play time. Amelia absolutely loves the trikes, and Gabe is a big fan too. Abby enjoys a joy ride here and there but luckily she seems to be okay with forfeiting a turn so her siblings can take a ride, so having only two seems to be working out so far. It's been very fun letting them get their hand at mastering some new skills with the ride on toys. They really love it. In fact I've had a couple pretty easy days this week because the kids are completely absorbed in their new toys. I haven't had to do much in the way of entertaining. It's a nice break!

No major news in the potty training arena this week. Amelia and Gabriel have had a few more successes, and Abigail continues to show her interest when the others do. I have decided, at least for now, to take a very laid back approach to this potty training thing. I'm in no rush, so I'll just follow their lead and see where it takes me. It's pretty cool to see them taking the initiative on it really. I mean, you hear all this hype in the parent world about potty training--how it's horrible, or long, or time consuming, or takes a ton of planning and clock watching or whatever. I suppose it's like anything else. You can tie yourself in knots about how to do it "right" or you can just take it as it comes. I've come to the conlclusion that in general, parenting is best taken as it comes. I have enough on my plate without inviting more stress, and so far my kids seem pretty capable of letting me know what they need and when. So for now, I'm pretty proud of Amelia when she tells me she has to go potty and then she actually does it when I give her the opportunity, but I won't put any expectations on her that she has to progress at any certain pace. They'll get it when they're ready.

If only I could be so patient with their language acquisition skills. Sometimes it seems to take so long for them to really talk! They are doing great, don't get me wrong. They each have a lot of words in their repertoires and their receptive language is clearly improving. But I'm still impatient to really see that exposion of language that everyone seems to think is right around the corner. I see hints of it. Gabriel especially seems very astute at picking up nuances and inflections. The other day Amelia got into the elevator in our apartment building by herself and traveled to another floor (long story). But while she was gone and Gabe and Abby and I were waiting for Garrett to find her and bring her back, I was asking the little ones where Amelia was and Gabriel looks at me and lifts his arms in a questioning shrug and says "where?" I said "I don't know" and he looks down and says "don't know" in his cute little baby voice. So he's getting it. They are all getting it. I just wish it could all happen a little faster, especially in the moments of frustration that still seem all too frequent when someone wants something and is about to have a tantrum about it and I can't elicit a single request. Seems like, when your world consists of stuffed animals and crackers and milk and diaper changes that it wouldn't be too hard to convey what you want. But I suppose that is a simplistic view of my kids' world. Perhaps what they wish to convey is that there is so much more to their world than stuffed animals and crackers and milk and diaper changes. I still have so much to learn.

Unexpected developments

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 01:33:00 +0000

So just last night I was on the phone with my friend Kim, whose daughter just started potty training over the weekend. I swear my kids must have been eavesdropping because this afternoon and evening was a virtual potty bananza! We've had a child size potty in our hall bathroom since around Christmastime and the kids sit on it from time to time, but we've never pushed them to use it. Amelia in the past few weeks has started consistently asking for diaper changes. Abigail asks for one every once in a while, and Gabriel just likes to say "poo poo." But tonight all three of them jumped on the potty bandwagon. Amelia actually asked to sit on the potty after their bath so she did, and she peed! Very exciting! And pretty cute. It couldn't have been easier.

Then, after dinner when we were heading toward diaper changes and pajamas, Abby asked to sit on the potty. She camped out there for a while, and a couple times even said "pee pee" and stood up to check if anything was in the potty. Nothing was there, but I have to give her kudos for wanting to make it happen. While Abby was lounging on the little potty, Amelia decided she wanted to go again. The normal toilet was the only unoccupied potty in the bathroom, so I held Amelia over the big potty and she went again, for the second time in one day! I was so excited! Then of course Gabriel wanted to get in on the action, so he asked to sit on the big potty too. And he actually used it! I couldn't believe it. Even though he was more interested in unrolling the toilet paper than giving himself a reason to need it, I was still impressed and pleased with their newfound interest in all things potty. Although I admit I am a bit stricken with anxiety at the idea of potty training all three kids at one time. The good thing is I think once one kid starts, the other two will be dying to try it too. Nothing like peer pressure to motivate change. The bad thing is potty training is a lot of work! And three at once is a lot to juggle. It was hard enough this evening keeping everyone's hands and faces out of the toilet while trying to hold Amelia and Gabriel so they didn't end up taking a swim in the toilet bowl. Everyone was peering into the bowl, captivated by this new and intriguing process. I'm not planning on any grand new program to get them potty trained all of a sudden, but I figure there's no reason to fight it. I just hope I can survive it.

Celebration

noreply@blogger.com (Carrington) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 01:01:00 +0000

One more big happy birthday to my toddling two year olds! This weekend we had Amelia, Abigail, and Gabriel's birthday party. I admit that Garrett and I were not totally organized. We thought we were. We tried to be. But we certainly underestimated the complications of getting all the necessities from our apartment to the playground across the parking lot. And the length of the lines at Party City on Saturday morning. And a cooler would have been a handy item to have. But I have to say, at least in my opinion, it was still a complete success. Our guests were gracious in the face of our last minute bumblings, the weather was fantastic, and it seemed that everyone had a nice time. It felt really good to throw a party that people seemed to enjoy. Or maybe what felt good was seeing that we really do have friends to invite to enjoy the special milestones in life with, and it was nice to have confirmation that Garrett and I are indeed making friends and making a home here in Mount Kisco. Not that I have really felt like that's not happening, but building a life somewhere new always takes time. It was really satisfying to connect with friends and neighbors and realize just how fortunate we are to be in social networks with some wonderful people, and recognize so much potential for rich friendships in the people God has introduced into our lives.

The kids got some amazing and very generous gifts, so I'm thinking it's time for me to do some serious house cleaning and toy swapping. It's neat to see them all moving into more "grown up" play, engaging in toys that involve pretend play and imagination (like baby dolls and doll houses), as well as play that involves more motor skills (like Gabe's new set of golf clubs). They also got some great puzzles and books and crayola art supplies. They're really moving away from the baby toys where texture and lights and visual stimulation are the name of the game. They still enjoy those toys, but they are getting much more interested in their choo choo trains and trucks and dolls and farmhouse with barnyard animals. And their tricycle! I got them a hand me down tricycle a couple months ago and they barely fit on the thing, but they are crazy about it. Most of the time I keep it in Garrett's and my bedroom because it's been known to cause more than one battle over whose turn it is. I hang on to it because I know how they love to play with it and I'm telling myself it is a great toy with which to learn taking turns, since we only have one. I'm not sure if that's more optimism that is called for at this point, given that we live in an aparment where we hardly have room for one tricycle, much less three. Not to mention it would take a journey the likes of a pilgrimage to mecca just to get all three kids with trikes outside to an area where they can safely ride them. But I maintain my insistence on hanging on to the thing, if only to assuage my own feelings of regret that we don't have a backyard in which to pile lots of riding toys where I can set the kids loose to figure them out. Right now I should probably focus on a few more practical things, like getting the no longer used toys out of this little apartment so we do have room for the new ones coming in!

Gosh I love being a mom. So much work, and all of it so worthwhile. Happy birthday little munchkins!