Making Merry in Minnesota

We got back from Minnesota on Saturday; we had a fantastic trip! However, my computer is in for repairs, and Brian's computer doesn't have photo re-sizing capability, so I'll have to post pics when I get my computer back (later this week hopefully). Stay tuned!

Things went so smoothly. We were a day ahead of that huge snowstorm, no one got sick, all 3 kids did incredibly well during the drive, we saw lots of family and friends. It always takes me a few days to re-adjust to normal life, but we're getting there.

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas. Happy New Year! (yes, I'm writing this on New Year's Eve. We've been to a party and now are relaxing for the evening.)

To the great northland

We're leaving for Minnesota tomorrow! We're driving. Normally, we like road trips. Connor and Isabel have proven to be super travelers (especially with the addition of the DVD player on which they watch movie after movie as the miles zip by). It's Lucas I'm concerned about. He's not a newborn who will sleep the whole trip, and not old enough to be entertained by hours of movies. Hopefully it goes smoothly!

I am excited to see my family - I haven't been to my parents' house in a year and a half! I've seen most of family members at various times since then, but it will be nice to be all in one place.

We'll be gone for 10 days, and I'm sure I'll have lots to blog about when we return. In the meantime, have a terrific Christmas everyone!

Isabel's first haircut

Isabel had her first haircut today. She did fantastic! We'd been talking about it for a few days, and she knew she would get to pick any lollipop from the basket when she was done (she chose pink of course). She got to choose between sitting in a truck chair, or the princess corner. Surprisingly she chose the truck chair! She'd seen Connor in it many times, and must have thought a haircut wasn't a haircut without the truck chair. She had an inch cut, and it really made her hair shinier and healthier.

Pics from before...

During...
and after the haircut...

We go to Cool Cuts 4 Kids, and they do a little first haircut book:

All in all a success! She's getting so big.

Christmas, part 1

We had Christmas tonight with Brian's family, as we are heading to Minnesota on Thursday. The kids got to pacify a bit of their Christmas fever! They got some fun gifts. Connor and Isabel got themed TV lounge chairs, blankets, pajamas and books (Cars for Connor, Princess for Isabel). Here they are trying them out - they're definitely ready for a movie night!

Connor enjoying his stuff, including his Lightning McQueen slippers...


Isabel enjoying her gifts, including a dress-up set with a purse, earrings, bracelets, rings and shoes. The earrings were a smash hit, she could not stop looking in the mirror!


Lucas enjoying his play blanket, music toy and teddy bear.
Thanks Paul, Kathy and Erin! Now that I've posted this I've got to tackle the daunting task of a packing list. I HATE packing, but not as much as I dislike unpacking.

Surgery re-cap

It's done! Lucas has been the biggest trooper ever, and did a fantastic job today. We got to the hospital at 9:15, and spent the morning getting his vitals, physical exam, etc. He looked so sweet in the little hospital gown. We handed him over to the nurse at 11:20, and she brought him back to the OR. They put him to sleep with gas, put in an IV and a breathing tube, and gave him an epidural - yup, just like a pregnancy woman gets. Brian and I got a pager in case anyone needed to reach us ASAP, and we grabbed a quick lunch and went back to the surgery waiting area. At 12:30 the surgeon came to tell us he did great. After he was stable enough, they brought us back to love him up. He had to wait a couple of hours to make sure everything was OK, and then were able to go home.

He has to keep a bandage on for four days, and will have a catheter in for a week (which we have to remove ourselves on the 7th day - gulp!). The surgeon warned it will look way worse than it feels in a few days. He's on steady Tylenol and Motrin for at least a couple of days to keep the pain at bay.

He was just a super baby, and is really sleepy tonight. We're happy to snuggle him all night!

The nurses all were in love with him; can't say I blame them :) Overall, it was as positive experience as it could be, considering our 6-month-old just had surgery. Here's to a quick recovery Lucas! We love you.

Woo-hoo!!! (or in other words, trials, tribulations, and great blessings)

In other news today, I got a great phone call from my brother, JJ. He graduated with a business degree 1 1/2 years ago, and shortly thereafter decided he wanted to go to law school for environmental law. He took the LSATs and got a solid score. However, after an unsuccessful round of law school apps last year, he took a job as a manager at a Walgreen's store. He felt disappointed, but decided to give it another go this year. And, he just found out he got accepted to the Vermont Law School, which has the #1 environmental law program in the country! We are so proud and excited for you!!!

This is a simple yet important reminder to me to enjoy the current situation, because in the end, it all works out. Specifically, I need this reminder in the housing arena. Without doubt my biggest trial right now is our inability to sell our house. I never dreamed we'd be in this townhome 6 years later with 3 kids. Friend after friend has come and gone and moved into 2 or 3 houses in that time (and I am truly happy for each and every one of you!), and here we sit. I will fully admit I struggle with having a positive attitude about it.

However, for every trial I've gone through, when it's said and done, I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. For example, the couple of years shortly after I graduated from college were very interesting. I was making some big changes in my life, and most of my college friends had gotten married or moved on. It was a very lonely, transitioning time in my life. I spent most of my time working, serving in my singles ward, and volunteering (at one time I had 4 volunteer projects: at Minneapolis Children's Hospital, at the Minneapolis Ronald McDonald House, at Former MN Viking and current MN supreme court justice Alan Page's Education Foundation, and as a literacy tutor working with a 32-year-old, father of four, man who had a third-grade reading level). And when I wasn't working, serving or volunteering, I was running. I never had time to feel down, even though I did feel alone a lot.

And in the end, I would.not.trade.those.years.for.anything. Period. They were extremely formative years and I am grateful for them.

So, when I look back on experiences like this, I really need to try to remember to make the most of where we are and what we have, because in the end, I am sure I will remember good things from our time here in this house, and I KNOW I will be all the more grateful for a house. Seriously, a yard??? That would be the greatest blessing I can imagine right now, and I like to think I would NEVER take it for granted. I don't know when it's coming, but I've got to believe when it does come, then it will be the right time. And that, my friends, is where faith comes into play.

I'm sort of rambling, but I'm having a thinking night. I'd like to think someday I will have a new house, and I want to look back and remember being on this end of things and wondering when this most sought-after blessing will come. I guess it all comes down to "this too shall pass," and whenever a trial is over, it seems like I come out on the other end saying, "that really wasn't so bad."

Surgery is ON

Lucas's fever broke today, and the urologist feels there's no reason to postpone the surgery, so he'll have his surgery in the morning. We have to be at Children's at 9 a.m., and his surgery is scheduled for 11:30. The surgery itself is supposed to last 1 1/2 to 2 hours, and then he'll be in recovery for a few hours. So, in all, we should be at the hospital for about 6 hours.

I am starting to feel really anxious about it. He has to have general anesthesia. So, he can't eat all morning (he has to stop nursing at 7:30 a.m.). At least he's too little to remember all of this.

So please say a little prayer that things go smoothly for Lucas tomorrow!

Lucas is 6 months

Lucas is 6 months today! Seriously crazy. He had his 6-month appointment today, and the timing was good. Poor guy has had a fever for 3 days. He came down with a fever Saturday morning, and has had one since. It's been low-grade or moderate-grade the whole time - I haven't seen it go above 102.6. I went in to the appointment thinking he must have an ear infection or something. For the record, none of my children has ever had an ear infection. None of them has even ever been on an antibiotic for anything at all! They've never had more than a brief stomach bug or average cold. OK, Connor did have a very brief bout with Croup this fall, it lasted 1 night. I like to think this good health is due the fact they've never been in day care and/or that I've nursed them all for a year (give or take); or it might be good genes. Either way, we've (knock on wood) had really healthy kiddos.

But, the pediatrician (who, BTW, I think is the best pediatrician ever!), said his ears are clear, his chest is clear, he just has a fever and stuffy nose. The problem with this, however, is that he's supposed to have his surgery on Wednesday. I talked to the urology office today, and the surgeon said I should call tomorrow afternoon with an update on how he's dong and we'll go from there. So, as of tonight, I don't know if he's going to have his surgery or not. That's somewhat unsettling. But cleary we want to do what's best for Lucas. Stay tuned! If he doesn't have surgery and still has a fever on Thursday, the pediatrician wants to see him again.

Otherwise he's doing great. He is almost the exact same size as Connor at this age, only he's 4 ounces heavier, and the same length. He's 15 pounds 9 ounces (25th percent), 27 inches long (75th percent). We just have long, thin boys.

His development seems to be right where it should, no concern for autism at this time. We'll keep watching! He's such a loving little boy, and brings so much to our family.

Word art

I've made my first foray into vinyl lettering. If you haven't heard of it, it's all the craze. I went to an Uppercase Living party a few weeks ago, and my order arrived earlier this week. I just finished my projects with the lettering. The first is an acrylic box that looks like glass. I filled it with little green glass ornament balls, applied the "Deck the Halls" and holly berry vinyl lettering/graphics, and wrapped it all up with a gold ribbon. Love it love it love it!!!

My other project is a tile (a simple $1 tile from Lowe's), with vinyl letting that reads, "Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often." Brian asked if that's the official book club motto. Well, unofficially, it's my motto for all my friends and family!

Weaponry

I had a quick Connor Christmas shopping outing tonight at The Wizard's Chest, a super cool toy store in Cherry Creek. I found three gifts for Connor that he is going to LOVE. A Hoberman Sphere (he loves the one at our friends' house) a captain hook arm (he has been begging me to craft some sort of a hook for him to be Captain Hook), and a pirate sword, his very first weapon. Now, I'm not about to go out and buy a bunch of super-real looking guns, but I don't see any harm in a pirate sword. As long as he doesn't use it on his sister. He has become very into the Peter Pan/Captain Hook/pirate thing.

I feel like this year Connor's toys are becoming more "big boy" toys. Well, I guess he is going to be in kindergarten in August.

My sister and I had a conversation tonight about buying toys. I've never really enjoyed buying baby toys. I feel like it's often just buying for the sake of buying, and I never really know if they'll get played with. But as my kids get older and have more defined interests, it does make Christmas/birthday shopping a lot more fun, because the reactions get all that much better! As a mom, it totally puts a spring in my step to find gifts I know will be loved.

Guilty, Your Honor

Several of you have asked for an update on Brian's court appearance for his car accident, so I figured I better post on it.

He went to traffic court on November 8. If you've never been, here's how it works (at least in Colorado): you meet first with a district attorney, who tells you what you've been charged with, then asks you to explain what happened, then offers you a plea bargain. You take your plea bargain to the judge and then enter your plea.

When the DA asked Brian to explain what happened (driving home late, didn't expect a car to be stalled in the right lane of traffic, didn't see it in time, hit it), the DA said, "that same thing happened to me!" He offered to drop the 4-point ticket to a 2-point, $81 ticket. Brian took that to the judge, plead "guilty," and was done with it.

That should wrap up the accident saga. Oh, and our friends Jeff and Judi sold us the Honda Brian had been borrowing for a steal. That'll help us prolong adding a second car payment for now while we work through the outlandish medical bills we have from Brian's accident, not to mention having Lucas and Lucas's upcoming surgery. I cannot even seriously believe how much a few hours in the ER is worth!

Christmas card preview

My talented photographer friend Kristie is training her cousin in the 'biz, and asked if we'd be willing to be studio subjects. Uh, yes, because that will save me a serious headache trying to get shots ourselves this year, which was the plan. It was nearly impossible to get a good one of all three kiddos, but this works. Thank you Kristie! It took M&Ms, singing, dancing, jingling keys, jumping and and down, playing peek-a-boo, and various other tricks, but we got a shot. Whew! That's hard work!

They also snapped some individuals of each kid (OK, I could not decide which pic of Lucas I liked best, so he has 2 on here):

Gymnastics update

Isabel is halfway through her first gymnastics class, and Monday was parent observation day. Isabel is slowly warming up to gymnastics; she loves some aspects of it, and is not so into other parts (mainly being told what to do). They rotate between the beam, bars, floor and jumping stations each class. She definitely prefers floor and jumping. I can't even get her to sit on the beam, much less walk on it. So Brian, who was there for observation day and wanted something to observe, took matters into his own hands and placed her on the beam and helped her walk.

She was fine for a few moments, until she realized she'd been duped. Then, she REALLY let him (and all of us) have it. I mean, she really had a lovely little tantrum. The teacher, who is fantastic, is on to her tactics and knows she can be distracted with the hand stamps, which are usually reserved for the end of each class. They really are Isabel's favorite part of class.

She eventually got happy and did perform a few "tricks," including "jumping" over these colored cones, one of her favorite activities.



She's pretty much infamous in her class - everyone knows when she loves something, and when she doesn't. :)

Mohawk madness

Brian decided to give Connor a little mohawk after a shower the other day, and then showed him how to "rock out." Connor really got into the spirit of things. You never know what's going to happen when Brian and Connor get going...

I spoke

Today was my advocacy speech at Children's. I'm relieved it's done, and I think it went great. I was one of 3 parents on the parent panel. There was also a mom who had a preemie baby who continues to have lots of health problems; the mom has taken on insurance fights, testified in front of the Legislature, is very involved with community organizations, etc. The other parent was a dad who, along with his wife, adopted a meth baby who ended up having severe CP. He has done a TON of advocacy.

I think our stories all worked together to highlight the many ways parents can advocate for their children's health care needs, and speak up for larger issues. The room was packed, and the audience was quite engaged. After we each shared our story, there was a question-answer session, and there were actually lots of questions.

I felt very comfortable speaking, and made a point about how the best way to speak up is to know your own talents and abilities and put those to good use, that it takes all levels working together. That seemed to be a very well received comment.

I must have done an OK job, because afterwards, the chair of Children's Family Advisory Council said she'd love for me to be on the Council, would I be interested in joining? I said send me an e-mail and we'll see :) (According to the Children's website, "The Family Advisory Council is composed of family members of patients and hospital staff to provide feedback, guidance and creativity for the hospital staff, ensuring that the voice of families is heard in decisions that can impact them. Over the years, The Family Advisory Council has offered valuable insights and advice on the design and delivery of services, including the new Children’s Hospital. The Family Advisory Council meets regularly and provides input to help ensure that patients and families have as good an experience at The Children’s Hospital as possible."

How do I get roped into these things? If I actually receive an e-mail, I'll make a decision.

Anyways, it was a great event, and I'm happy to have been a part of it.

The 'S' Factor

"S" is for spacey. A friend of mine, who is expecting her third child, recently asked if you get crazier with each pregnancy. I don't know if I got crazier, but I can sadly, but definitely, say I've gotten spacier. For years I gave my mom a hard time about being spacey and losing things, forgetting simple things, etc. My favorite was what I used to call the "where's my purse" game. My mom was the best at setting her purse somewhere, and within a few brief moments, panicking because she couldn't find it. It actually used to drive me nuts. Well, now, I've developed some understanding, and even some sympathy. If I'm losing it after three kids, imagine what five did to her!

Just the other day, I was talking to my brother. I had just gotten out of the shower when he called, and I told him I needed to set the phone down for a minute while I threw on a shirt. And, in that 10 seconds, I completely forgot that I was talking to him and started to clean the bathroom. After a few moments, I saw the phone sitting there and realized my brother was still on it. He was roaring with laughter when I explained that I forgot we'd been talking. It wasn't as funny to me - it's just another sad example of my failing brain function.

And I don't even know how many times a day I walk into a room for something, and upon arrival, I have absolutely no idea what I went there for. It sometimes drives me out of my ever-lovin' mind (what's left of it, anyway). And one more example: I was talking to someone last month about something that happens in November, and for some reason I started talking as though it was February, and November was months ago. Am I going crazy???

I don't think I've completely lost it. I do have moments of clarity from time to time, and I can remember long-term details with the best of them (like phone numbers from friends in high school!) But that short-term memory thing? Out the window, along with my single-digit-sized jeans and carefree days. Hope my kids inherited all the brain power I've lost.

On a side note, my advocacy speech is tomorrow (if I remember to show up). Brian helped me put the finishing touches on it last night, and today I bought a cute new pair of pants to wear, so I should be all set!

All the way from Vegas

My dear friend Wendie was in town this weekend. We were able to get together tonight for a girls' dinner, along with friends Brittany and Janae. Wendie and I met here in Denver 7 1/2 years ago (and subsequently met Brittany and Janae), and have had many great times. Then, in April, Wendie got married, and moved to Las Vegas in June, a few days after Lucas was born.

It was a crazy time when she left, so it was nice to have a relaxing dinner and catch up on all the craziness (or at least fill in the gaps not covered on blogs!) I believe the sign of a true friend is when you can pick up right where you left off, regardless of time and distance.

Great to see you Wendie! Miss ya!

A new bundle of joy to be thankful for

Welcome Nolan Edison Jones! My sister Kristina had a baby boy in the wee hours of this Thanksgiving morning. This is her first baby, and she had the exact same experience that I had with Connor. Apparently, the women in our family DO NOT dilate. It's crazy!

Kristina and I both labored with our firsts for 16 or 17 hours and never dilated fully, even with pitocin. Then the babies went into distress with periods of dangerously low heart rates and oxygen levels. We both ended up with emergency C-sections, and found out our babies both had the cords wrapped around their necks - twice. Deja vu! (and my mom and other sister, Lara, both had problems going into labor and dilating). Clearly runs in the family. When my water broke with Connor and I was having heavy contractions, I was a zero (eventually made it to a 9 before the c-section). I never even remotely went into labor and never got past a zero with Isabel, even though I went past my due date. She came C-section. And I went into hard labor with Lucas, and was a zero. He came C-section, too.

Anyways, I am happy my new nephew is happy and healthy! And Lara, who is due in April, just found out on Monday that she's having a girl. So, in my family, with Lara's baby in April, there will be 4 boys and 3 girls. That's 7 babies in 5 years for my sisters and I. Busy, busy! Neither of my brothers is married yet, so they won't be contributing to the craziness for a while.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Look what I can do

Lucas had his first bite of food today, the standard rice cereal. He's been acting really interested in food when we eat; he reaches for it, opens his mouth, etc. He did really well eating for the first time, but seemed rather concerned by the whole process (as his expression shows).
It's so interesting having children who are a bit older, as they were totally fascinated that suddenly Lucas is eating baby food (especially Connor). I had to keep a close watch, as Connor tried to slip Lucas a bite every time I turned around.

Lucas also has started sitting up, and can go for several minutes before toppling over. It's amazing how each day he does so much better. Babies really are amazing, and I never tire of watching the whole process of developing, discovering new things and becoming who they are. And it goes so very, very quickly. It feels like he was just born!

The second coming

Our new home teachers came over yesterday, one of whom (Matt) is tall and has shoulder-length brown hair. As they walked up to our house, Connor all of a sudden became very quiet and subdued. He solemnly walked to the window, eyes wide with wonder, and watched them approach. As they were about to knock, he turned to me, with the most serious amazement a 4-year-old can muster, and said, "mom - Jesus is here! Jesus is at our house!"

I told them what Connor had just said, and Matt replied, "That's OK. My daughter thinks there are pictures of me all over the church."

I guess it's all in your perspective! I'm still laughing about it.

An early gift

I am lacking space, well, everywhere, but my entryway is a real problem. The closet is on the other side of the room, and shoe buildup is a problem. So, for an early Christmas gift, my parents bought us this cute bench. It just arrived yesterday, and has 2 huge drawers that fit tons of shoes. So, problem solved! Thank you mom and dad! The pillows on it are a placeholder until I get some new ones to match my new living room colors and that fit better.

My latest reads

I finished "A Thousand Splendid Suns" last night. The best way I can describe this book is that it is a beautifully written book about one of the saddest stories I have ever read. I will go as far to say I loved his book even though it was painfully heart-wrenching.

Written by the author of "The Kite Runner," which was also an amazing story, "A Thousand Splendid Suns" moved me in so many ways. This is one of those books that is a journey, and made me feel so many emotions. It left me drained and saying prayers of gratitude that I was born in this country. It has stuck with me ever since I read the last word.

It's the story of two women in Afghanistan who, despite very different upbringings, are brought together. It follows them through the Soviet invasion in 1979, through all the mujahadeen battles, into the Taliban reign. As I read, whenever I thought the story couldn't get sadder, it did. But, it wasn't done in a hopeless way, and did end on a happy note. I love this author and the glimpse into this foreign land and the excruciatingly difficult lives women lead there. His writing style is excellent: characters I feel like I know, just the right descriptions, perfect timing as the story moves along. I would recommend this book over and over again, but be prepared for an unbelievable reading experience.



This is our book club read for the month. I had high hopes for it, but was left saying "I don't get it."

It's the story of two American sisters living in Hong Kong in the 1960s, a time of great political turmoil in Hong Kong. Their father is a war photographer in neighboring Vietnam, and their mom is rather checked out. It's a coming of age story of the two sisters, who are totally different from one another. The main event of the story is when something tragic happens when they are exploring a market one afternoon with their Chinese nanny.

I loved the idea of this story, but didn't think any of it - the characters, story, etc. - was well developed at all. The author was way too into listing things (she's be describing the jungle, and then list like 8 species of plants in the jungle). I got lost in her many lists. And when the story ended, I felt like I just didn't get the whole story. It was an OK read, interesting subject matter, just not presented well.

Men's work

For being a writer, Brian's not too shabby when it comes to fixing cars. OK, not the real involved fixes, but he has learned how to fix brakes and rotors, change oil, replace shocks, replace the starter, change tires. Some good overall fix-it skills that save us some serious cash. And seriously, there are some things that if you don't know your stuff, you can get taken for a ride. And cars are clearly one of these.

This morning Brian replaced the brakes, and had a very eager little assistant. Connor helped take the tires on and off. A very productive (and cute) father/son activity, until Connor discovered one of the tools was the perfect hook for a Captain Hook arm and got lost in Neverland (where he's been spending lots of time). Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of that.

Lucas is 5 months

Lucas is 5 months today. I'm trying to capture a pic each month to see how he has changed; I didn't do that with the other two. Better late than never I guess!

He is really starting to interact with his environment, and especially loves his saucer. He is fascinated by his brother and sister, and I imagine he will have fun keeping up with them in the coming months as he gets mobile. He's grabbing at EVERYTHING, and can stand by himself while holding on to something for a few seconds. And he, too, has those huge make-your-heart-melt blue eyes. Love him!!!

Zoo Day

On Friday my mother-in-law and I took the kiddos to the zoo. It was a warm, sunny day (in the low 70s). I realized we had not been to the zoo in quite some time (I refuse to go when I'm pregnant; the smells literally make me gag.) We had a great time. The kids agreed their favorites were the fish, snakes, monkeys, and elephants (which were having their baths when we were there). I didn't get many pics, but managed to grab some on the merry-go-round and sitting on an ox-and-cart statue. Thanks Kathy for a fun day!

My latest find

I've been searching Craigslist for snow gear for the kids (snow jacket and pants/snowsuits). I feel like we need several winter outerwear ensembles here. Lots of winter days here are mild and therefore require a sweatshirt or fleece, but we also get our share of snow days. Plus. we are headed to the great northland for winter (my parents house in way northern Minnesota), and the kids will surely need snow gear there.

I found Isabel a Columbia jacket and snowpants in perfect condition for a mere $25! Loving it!

Say what?

I've been asked to speak at an "Advocacy Lunch & Learn" event at The Children's Hospital later this month. I will be part of a parent panel, along with two or three other parents, to discuss the importance of parents advocating for their children's health care needs and how public policy/legislative decisions related to children's health matter to families. As many of you know, Connor has been diagnosed with mild autism. When my friend and former co-worker at Children's asked me to participate, I first thought, "there must be parents who have done a lot more than me." But, the point they want to get across is that if everyone does their part, no matter how big or small, collectively this makes a big difference. So, I've been mulling this over for the past week or two and need to start getting my thoughts on paper. I need to speak for about 10 minutes about Connor's story and what we have done, and then be prepared for a question and answer session. I really don't mind public speaking, and have done a fair amount in previous jobs, as long as I am comfortable with what I am saying. I'm not the best impromptu speaker.

When Connor was first diagnosed, Brian and I decided our job, as his parents, was to understand who Connor is and give him what he needs to be the best person possible. And really, isn't that the job of all parents, no matter what the situation may be? A few things we've done, including a few points I've been asked to mention:

- Got Connor tested and into early intervention (speech therapy)
- Were willing to share our story with Channel 4 as part of Early Intervention Awareness Day. Anchor Molly Hughes came to our home for the interview, which aired on Channel 4 in April 2006.
- Were willing to have Connor's story featured on The Children's Hospital website (click on "about Children's" and then on "stories of getting better," and find Connor's story; this was done over a year ago, before the actual autism diagnosis)
- I have written stories on autism for publications at Children's
- We work with Connor's teacher and therapists at school to make sure his needs/our goals are being met
- Joined Children's Advocacy Network, and respond to legislative alerts when issues are of importance to me
- Participated in a research study (today in fact) where doctors and researchers are studying physical features in kiddos with autism spectrum diagnoses.

It's been interesting to me to transition from employee to parent (and consultant) at Children's. On a side note, Lucas has to have surgery there next month to correct his hypospadius, a disorder in which the urethra opens on the underside of the penis, not at the tip. It's a common, minor procedure, but he has to have general anesthesia for the surgery. Not looking forward to that. But Children's really is a special place, the kind of place you don't want to have to use, but are grateful for it when you do. And the brand-new Children's just opened in September, and it is beautiful!

Anyways... I'm hoping I can put some coherent thoughts together and be a good contributer to the advocacy event! And then there's the whole "what to wear" dilemma...

So what do you do all day?

A question my husband (innocently and nicely) asked me the other day, in an attempt to understand what it's like to be an at-home mom. I think I replied something like, "I don't even know, but I can assure you it doesn't involve sitting down." And my mom (who has 5 children) says she knows life was crazy raising young children, and she doesn't know how she got it all done. Today was just one of those busy mom days, so I thought I would document my day so someday when I wonder what it was like having little ones and how the days flew by, I can have a glimpse back. Today, I:

Woke up at 6:30
Fed Lucas
Took a moment to snuggle my three kiddos
Made and fed kids breakfast
Cleaned the kitchen
Vacuumed and dusted
Bathed Lucas
Got Isabel and Lucas dressed (Connor dresses himself thankfully)
Helped brush little teeth
Did kids' hair
Got myself preschool-drop-off presentable
Brought Connor to school
Showered and got myself ready
Brought Isabel (and Lucas) to gymnastics class (which is already going MUCH better - yay!)
Came home, unloaded the dishwasher, cleaned the kitchen/dining room floor
Picked up Connor from school
Made and fed kids lunch
Cleaned up the kitchen
Put the two youngest ones down for naps
Did 2 hours of work on my freelance projects
Got the nappers up, did some laundry
Ran to the grocery store
Cooked dinner for a girl I visit teach who just had a premature baby
Delivered dinner
Came home, fed dinner to my family
Started to clean the kitchen
Did Family Home Evening
Bathed Connor and Isabel, put them to bed
Entertained Lucas for an hour, then put him to bed
Folded laundry
Finished cleaning the kitchen at 9:30
Now I'm taking a moment to relax for a bit before I wake up and it starts all over again!

And this doesn't even count all the nursings/diaper changes/answering all of Connor's questions and other things that happen throughout the day...

I know all you moms have days just like this every day too (some of you probably do way more!). Sometimes, though, with the glaring absence of job reviews, raises, promotions, etc., I think it's important to take inventory of all we do. Don't you just once in a while wish, though, that if someone asks "what did you do all day?" you could say, "watched movies, ate ice cream and took a nap!"

My mom and I, and friends and I, often talk about seasons of life and how there's never a happy medium. Sometimes I long for a quiet moment alone. Someday that's mostly what I'll have, and I'll probably long for the crazy days when my hands and schedule were full as can be. So I guess the moral is to try to enjoy what you have, because it's sure to change before you even know what hit you.

You gotta fight for your right

I wanted to share this update on the insurance situation from Brian's accident. The car Brian crashed, the Saturn, was 12 years old and had just turned 200,000 miles. So, we were not expecting to get a ton of money for it. However, we were less than thrilled when our agent came to us a while back and said they determined the car to be worth $1180. Minus our $500 deductible, we would net $680. Brian did some research on prices of similar cars and went back to our agent, who reviewed the numbers, and came back to us again with the same offer. Brian pushed one more time and did a bunch more research that he sent to our agent. So, last week, we got an e-mail saying they had changed the numbers and we are getting - drumroll please - $1198! That's after our deductible! Guess it pays to do your homework and fight for yourself. Gotta love a happy insurance story!

Happy Halloween 2007

The Halloween fun is coming to an end! The kids are just starting to come down from the sugar high of the evening. Up until a few moments ago they were playing "Peter Pan and Tinkerbell," while they were supposed to be sleeping.

We had a great Halloween. I made "spiders in spider webs" for dinner to get in the spirit of things.
And here are the kids before...




During...

And after the fun...


Quite a haul! Isabel was more interested in "sampling" all the candy. She'd try one, get bored halfway through, and want a new piece. We had to put an end to that quickly, as she was quickly compiling a mound of half-eaten treats. Of course, we have to raid the buckets for all peanutty candies (Connor has a peanut allergy). Once it's was all clear, it was a free-for-all!

Hope everyone had a fantastic night!