May-otic

Like my title? It's a play on chaotic, if you couldn't tell. Is May crazy in your house? It is always one of the busier months in our house. The next two weeks are extremely action-packed. Here's a bit of what we've had going on...

Brian and I have become opposites: I never stand up, and he never sits down. After he turned in the manuscript for his Broncos book, the publishers liked it so much they asked him to do the New Orleans Saints book, as well as 4 MLB book: Atlanta Braves, Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees. He is in the midst of the baseball books right now. That, along with his full-time job, is keeping him super busy. Then add on the fact that he's doing all of the grocery shopping for me, and tons of cleaning and laundry. Plus being superdad, taking kids on one-on-one dates: fishing with Connor, lunch and shopping for Princessy things with Isabel, and a lovely evening with Lucas just last night watching Cars and eating crackers and juice in Children's urgent care. More on that later. Brian is my hero right now. Grateful for him. Plus, I enjoy parenting with him. We are almost always on the same page, and he's a very hands-on, involved dad. He's keeping us all afloat right now, in many ways. Love him.

Melissa: I found out last week that my brother Nate and his wife Alli are for sure moving to Denver in August! Woop-woop! Nate will attend the University of Denver Law School, and Alli got a teaching job. I have not lived in the same state as anyone from my family is 11 years. We are all super excited. And it's looking like my other brother, JJ, will also be here for the fall semester doing a semester at practice; he'll be a 3rd year law student at Vermont Law School. Feeling the brotherly love!

A couple of weeks ago I was offered a freelance writing job, re-writing the Web site for one of the major hospitals in Denver. I am working about 10 hours a week during May and perhaps part of June. After a number of years of steady freelance work, the economy put a lull in things, and I hadn't had a contract job since the fall, which has been a mixed thing. So it's nice to get a little project in before baby arrives. It's rather a dreamy setup to work 10 hours a week from home.

I am about a month away from baby's arrival! Feeling huger than a whale. I sit to do pretty much anything, otherwise my spine feels like it's breaking in half. But the end is near. My appointments are weekly now, and it's almost time to start washing baby boy clothes. This pregnancy has been the fastest ever.

Last night I made these cupcakes. You must try them. The batter alone was like silk. The end result is amazing. I love the chocolate whipped cream frosting. It's delectable, not super sweet, perfectly moist, amazing.

Connor has 6 days left of school. Wow. He must be feeling it, because he's had a rough week or so. Last week he made 3 - count them 3 - trips to the principal's office for crazy behavior. Gulp. His teacher and Brian and I have really been working with him to focus and get through the remaining days, which includes some stellar bribes. He has been much more focused this week and seems to be back on track.

He is super excited to be signed up for swim lessons this summer!

Connor has been rather entertaining too. He is one of the more unique people I know. He's had lots of questions about his great Nanna, who isn't doing well. He's just trying to understand what is happening, but it comes across as humorous. After we saw her on Mother's Day, Connor asked me, "so who's been doing Nanna's hair?" I told him I'm not sure anyone has. Then at dinner one night he asked Brian if he knows that Great Nanna is dying. Brian said yes, he does, and that we are sad about that. Then Connor said, "but it's not the kind where you're really excited about something, it's the kind where you close your eyes forever."

This is not entertaining: on Saturday Connor came running excitedly into the living room carrying - are you ready for this? - a live prairie dog he had captured in a net in our backyard (the bunnies have been digging under our fence, and now and then a prairie dog finds its way into our backyard). All I could do was scream "Yuck! Gross! The plague! Disgusting! Germs! Sick! GET OUT!!!" He seemed baffled that I was not interested in his "cute" capture. I made him return the thing to the fence and put aside the net to be sterilized and then made him wash his hands about 50 times. Boys. Some people say God Bless Little Boys, I say God Bless their Mothers.

Connor said when he grows up he wants to be a scientist and an artist. He brought home this piece of artwork that was recently displayed; it's an African mask. He's very proud of it.

Connor has this thing about marriage, and wants to know why my single brother isn't married. I just told him he hasn't met the right girl yet. Connor said he knows of a first grade teacher at his school who isn't married, and he "better tell Uncle JJ about her." A matchmaker, he is.

Connor is looking forward to: taking a class at the hospital to prepare for baby's arrival; field day at school; his birthday (next week); the last day of school; summer break; baby brother's arrival.

Isabel finishes her first year of preschool this week. She also has her dance recital on Saturday, and this week has dance pictures, a tech rehearsal, a dress rehearsal, and one more regular class before the big show. She thinks the stage is about the greatest thing ever and can't wait to perform her dance. And her costume this time around is luscious.

Isabel has enjoyed an increased number of playdates as of late, with many offers of kind friends offering to take her to give me some quiet time while Lucas naps. She and I both appreciate and are grateful for these offers.

Do you ever dress your daughter and wish her outfit came in your size? I do, although I know it would never look as cute on me. I love this one-
She's all dolled up with hair and makeup b/c she had just had dance pictures.

Lucas gave us a scare yesterday. He had a high fever, chills and goosebumps all day, and also complained about leg pain right where his break had been. This increased throughout the day, to where he was screaming in pain and would not walk or move his leg at all. We became concerned, and when I called the nurse she thought we needed to get in asap. So Brian and Lucas headed to Children's urgent care. When they arrived Lucas had a fever of 103, and the nurse thought his leg looked swollen. We were all concerned that there was some virus or infection in his leg. But after X-rays, everything looked normal. So he was discharged with a diagnosis of a fever and sore knee. And today he is totally normal, no fever at all and running around like himself. Bizarre. We have had enough doctor visits this spring for sure.