A little piece of Heaven...

Almost 6 years ago Josh and I moved to Mississippi from New Orleans.  We bought a house and planted our feet in the ground and watched as our family grew.  While Nola will always be my home, Mississippi is now home too.  I may eventually tell people I live in Mississippi when they ask where we are from instead of my "New Orleans, but we have been in Mississippi 5 and half years now" response.....  Maybe.

Mississippi is going to be our home for the long haul though...pending any other unforeseen circumstances or natural disasters.  Josh has a great job, we have wonderful friends, and my parents moved up here by us and are five minutes away.  I do miss all my family in Nola, but life here is pretty good.  And so last month we purchased our second piece of property in Mississippi.  This is what I like to call our "little piece of heaven."

This second piece of property is about 25 minutes from our current home.  We have no plans to move our  here permanently, but instead to build a much smaller home on it for the weekends.  You see this piece of property is water front.  On a lake, that you can boat on, ski on, swim in and fish.

My parents always owned some type of waterfront piece of proptery, so I grew up on water.  Be it a bayou , a river or the Gulf of Mexico.  Their primary residence used to be on the Jordan River, that was until Katrina took that away from them.  No the land is still there, but they sold it, because the  heart ache was just too much to experience twice in one's life.  So we fully plan on sharing this "little piece of heaven" with them too.

The kids are excited.  I'm not sure if it's the waterfront location or the bunk room we promised them, with three built in bunk beds....one for each of them.

It's a big, scary step for Josh and I, but I'm sure it is one we will be so happy we took one day.

The kids and my husband, love to go out and see the property.  This is where our new sea wall is going to be.     Noah is already asking to go back and watch them fill it in with the cement.

One day in the not too distance future, we plan on putting something that looks a little like this on it.

Noah wants it to be green just like this one....Meredith is hoping for pink or blue.  

This will be the first framed photograph to go into our new little cottage on the lake

And I'm sure we will spend many a weekend and summer days our here at the lake, making memories we will cherish forever.  Thank you Joshua, for making this dream come true!

By definition of Homework......

I often forget how literal 3 year olds can be.  No, seriously I do, even with my 3 year old shadow talking to me constantly, I do.... I forget.  This week Noah had a homework assignment for his pre-school class.  Now before you all freak out, it was to decorate a collage about things he LOVES.  Very cute I know.  I have to say I'm getting to be a mighty fine collage maker.  This is the 5th one I've made in the last three years, I'm sure #6 is a week or so away.

Back to the story, his HOMEwork was to make a collage.  He got the assignment last Monday and had a whole week to do it.  It was due yesterday.  I completed it Sunday...I like to teach my kids procrastination.  See I can't even complete this story without going off topic multiple times....it's late....forgive me.  Yes, 8:44pm is late these days.

Okay trying agan....the HOMEwork was due Monday.  We completed it and I have to say it looked darn cute for pulling things together Sunday morning and printing pics right off my computer onto card stock.  I listed all the things Noah loved....well most of them...he's pretty loving.  He then colored it with his big sisters help.  And when it was done we talked about it so he would know what to tell his classmates about all the things he loves and then packed it neatly into his folder and schoolbag.  I was proud of my our work.  He seriously did color it, with a lot of help from his sister....at his request.

So off to school we went Monday with our collage.  As I walked him in, I saw all the kiddos laughing, smiling and holding their collages proudly.  I couldn't wait to hear about what everyone loved and what he told the class  about his when I picked him up later that day.

So imagine my surprise when he gets in the car that afternoon and I open his folder and see the collage that I had did we had did.  My first thought was.....what the hell....I mean come on Mrs. P, you could have at least kept it one day....I worked so damn hard!  I was perplexed.  His teacher last year had hung them all year and sent them home in a scrapbook at the end.  Surely his new teacher could keep them a night....right?

Hey Noah....did Mrs. P not want to keep your collage at school?

"Uh-huh"

Uh-huh she did or Uh-huh she did not.

"She did"

"She did want to?"

"Yeah....but I cwried"

You cried?

"Yeah I cwried because I didn't want to"

You didn't want to what?

"I didn't want to weave mine....so I cwried and her let me take it home."

Did any of the other kids take theirs home?  Or just you?

silence


Noah did the other kids hang theirs up or take them home?

"They hung dem...I taked mine home becuase I cwried"

Buddy, no we have to send it back....you have to leave it at school like your friends....we can't take it back home.

And the crocodile tears started.....so did the hysterical crying and incomprehensible speech.  I finally got him to calm down enough to explain to me that...

"Momma it's HOME- WORK....I don't want it at school....I want it at HOME!"

I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that the crying  and negotiating went on for an hour over the homework.  I tried explaining that homework is sent home to do, but goes back to school.   He has still not mastered the definition of HOMEwork.  I promised to help him make another collage for at home...I also promised that one day we would get this one back.  But none of these promises pacified the little guy.  So I had to use the tough love approach when I explained the collage was going back to school and that he would get it later when all the other kids did.  Tears or no tears.  He finally accepted that.

He wanted the homework on that board up there apparently.  

Today I didn't send it back though.  I walked him in to talk with Mrs. P to see if Noah's version of the story was true.  Especially since I learned that his little friend Bella brought hers home too.  Well his story was true.  Apparently when she went to hang them, Noah started crying.  It took Mrs. P a minute to figure out why.  Once she did, she told him he could take it home, she didn't want to upset him.  After that he started a domino effect with the 3 year olds and they all wanted to bring theirs home....Mrs P, being the wonderful, sweet teacher she is, let them.  But this Mamma is a stickler for rules and tomorrow it's going back.

Yes, my Noah is very literal, poor little guy.

A year ago today.....hmm some things change....some things stay the same.

Occasionally on my blog I like to go back to the same month  in years past and read those posts.  It gives me a good perspective on where we have been and where we are going.  This month was super easy.  I had one post to read.  It pretty much summed up life back then.....come to think of it, it still pretty much sums up life today.  Except that little person isn't just spitting up anymore....now she is fussing right along with them.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 29, 2010

THREE!

It's been a while, what can I say, being the mother of three is a lot busier than I ever imagined.  Well three that are stepping stones and all under 4, because in some way or another they all still need the momma.  The one and only momma and no one else will do.


Let me describe three....so you can get the mental picture....


Three is standing at the back door trying to put the smallest in the car seat to get ready to get donuts, trying to answer the questions being spit out by the other two about can we leave now?  when are we going?  where are we going?  are we getting chocolate milk?  can I get sprinkles?  is the sky blue?  can  we get a pet dinosaur? can we take a trip to the moon?  all while consoling the crying.....scratch that....now screaming infant, who doesn't' really want to get in the car seat and go to get donuts.  Nope that infant would rather just be held all day at home, because she can't even eat the damn donuts.  So you finally console her and are about to buckle her, but at this point your 2 year old has grown so impatient he has unlocked the lock and deadbolt that you have constantly told him never to do and it is at that exact second that you remember that you forgot to turn off the alarm... the alarm whose speaker for the siren is located on the wall of the mud room that you are currently standing in with all three kids, approixamately 4 feet above you, in a room that is 6ft by 4ft and it is at that split second that you hear the door open and that tiny mudroom is instantly filled with the most awful, loudest, screeching noise you have ever heard.  The only thing louder is the wails from the infant who has projectile spit up all over you and your hair in fear, and is now using her tiny palms and fingers to grab on to you for dear life....screw that car seat.  The other two have now wrapped their entire little bodies around your two legs and aren't sure if they should cry or not....but surely they are beyond terrified and I am pretty sure the 2 year old has now shit in his diaper.  And you are frozen, because you are covered in spit up, and can't move due to the two kiddos who have firmly attached themselves to you and make it increasingly difficult to walk.  The alarm pad is 2 feet away....you are pretty sure you ear drums have blown and you now have a migraine from the noise at 7:30am....and you are thinking that at any moment someone is gonna throw you a break and scoop in and make it all better..... and then you realize you are the momma..... now the momma of three....and life is always going to be some sort of alarm just blaring in your ear waiting for you to fix it.....because the momma fixes everything....no breaks coming your way.


In the end we got the alarm turned off  and told the alarm company we didn't need any rescue vehicles, I explained to the tikes, who never realized we had such a cool feature before, what it was for.  I didn't use the whole it is to make sure intruders never enter the house speech....I went with the....it is to make sure that you guys never open a door to go outside without me knowing speech.  I'm a mom...of course I gave the latter explanation.  I then got the infant and myself cleaned....the infant who also had the shit scared out of her literally and it was all up her back....and then I reloaded everyone back into the car seats and headed to get doughnuts...eventually we were all sitting at the table enjoying our sprinkles and chocolate milk, it just took a hell of a lot longer than it would have taken with one tike or even two...but that's my life now....THREE!  Welcome to my new journey.  I promise I'm back...I think I've been missed, based on the various emails to please post on this blog again...well I've missed you too internets!

What he says....My Noah

In regards to my white yukon....as reported by a teacher at school.

Noah, what does your car look like?

"My car.....it wooks wike a big, white unicorn!"

...........................................................................................

In regards to turning fast

"Mom just hurry and turn fast.....Dad hold on to your big head!"

.......................................................................................................................

In regards to the toaster

"No giddy.  you have to get your own....Mom giddy needs a pop tart!"

"Hold on giddy.....Momma has to cook it in da oven......not da oven.....da.......da pop tart oven!"

............................................................................................................................................

In regards to being corrected

"Mamma I just want to ask you one wittle ques-dun......"

"What?"

"Mamma I love you!"

Bath Time Fun!

Too get this much enjoyment out of the the small things in life....It's what it's all about.

Going to give the Bigs a run for their money.

You may remember that my Noah is the one who would normally sneak into my pantry in the wee hours of the morning to get black and white cookies.  Or whatever other snack he deemed appropriate at an ungodly hour.  

Well apparently his little sister has decided she is going to give him a run for the money.  After she was up, changed, fed and playing contently with some toys this am, I decided to sneak onto the computer to get a few work related things done.  And all at once I noticed that she was not chatting up her toys like she ususally does.  So I went looking for her.  She wasn't on the rug near all of her toys where I had left her.  

Instead I heard a rummaging sound coming from the pantry.  These days I have learned to keep my camera out and available, because with babies you have to act fast.  I grabbed it off the island when I saw this....

Notice the already open and eaten pack of gummy fruit snacks to her left.

For the record I hate gummy snacks.  They are sticky and cause cavities.  They are not filling, I'm sure they are full of sugar, even if they are also "made of real fruit."  They are the one snack that not only provides zero nutrition, but they leave your kids still hungry and wanting for another snack, even your 13 month old.  One pack just doesn't do it.  But obviously I buy them...

I buy them because I was not denied junk food ever.  I was also offered healthy options, although now I rarely take them.  I just tend to eat the junk food out of the sight of 6 little eyes.  Therefore I use the excuse that my gummy snack purchase help me teach my tkes, that moderation is key.  Really I'm just a huge sap.

Apparently Margot has missed the bus on the  moderation is key lesson.  Pack number two....showing her mad skills on opening it alone.

Mom...I'm not asking for help....I'm showing you I can do it by myself.   Not once did I cry or protest for you to come to the pantry to help me....but if you want to see how I do this, I will show you.
This is how you do it....Tear it off.

Dig right in and get one....See it's open.

When you finish your second bag....just go right in for your third....like my mom said they are NOT very filling.  It defintely takes more than one bag.

Yes...I did, I opened that one too and ate it before you got here....I know I'm so incredibly smart.  My big brother and sister have taught me so well.

 Mom, I had no idea that three packs were not okay....I didn't know I swear.  Noah said it was fine...Sorry mom.  But can I finish it now....I'd hate to waste it.

Thanks Mom, you're the best.  I'm not sure why Ta-ta and Noah say you are the meanest mom ever sometimes. I totally disagree with them.  Hmmm does that get me another pack after this one?

She literally ate three packs of gummy snacks while I snapped over 30 pictures.  When I finally picked her and her trash up and shut the pantry there were plenty of crocodile tears.  Luckily she is like her brother in other ways too and recovered and moved on quickly.  I guess I'm going to  have to start keeping a very close eye on the pantry again.

She's got spirit...yes she does!

Today she earned the spirit stick!  

The Overall Spirit Stick.

Not the one for her grade, but the one over-all the cheerleaders.  

Cheerleaders ranging from pre-k to 6th grade.

Approximately 40+ cheerleaders.

The coaches picked her. 

Yes, I'm bragging.  

Deal with it.  

This is my child who is so shy, she hides from her own shadow most days.

She earned it....

 for cheering the loudest, good participation, good listening and a big smile all practice.

She earned the spirit stick today!

And we were both very surprised.

The other moms around me noted how she lit up at her name being called.

Oh Mere, I knew you had it in you.  And I love seeing you do, what you love to do!

And I'm so very sad we have to give it back Wednesday too.  

But she is determined to earn it again!

Watch out world here comes Margot!

Today the caboose started Mother's Day Out.  It was a rough one.  I didn't cry when my big girl started Kindergarten.  I didn't cry when my mamma's boy started Pre-k 3.  But today I shed a tear as my caboose started Mother's Day Out.  It's a milestone.  She's growing up and I'm so not ready for this.  She is growing much faster then the other two did.  It's just not fair.  I miss those newborn days.

  I used my day to run to the grocery, run a few errands, then get a hair cut.  I didn't sit around the phone like I did when I first left Meredith at Mom's day out.  Nope, I'm a seasoned Mamma now, and I know she was in very capable and loving hands and she would be okay when I got back.  

First day of Pre-K 3

Yesterday my man started pre-school. He had been asking when it was his turn since last Tuesday when Meredith started.  Although when the day came he was a little unsure.  He realized he was not going to his old classroom with Mrs. Emily and all of his old friends.  Luckily he had 3 friends from last year in his new class and of course his Bella.  I don't know what he is going to do next year without sweet Bella.

Here he is ready for school.  Don't be fooled by his smile.  He was not happy about taking the picture at all.  And he hated the outfit.  "I wook funny!"  "Deez are church clothes!"  "Da kids are going to waugh at me!"

My husband put that thought in his head.  When he saw the precious outfit, I think he said.....'Really....I mean come on all the other kids are going to laugh."  But I kind of figured this was the last year I would be able to dress him as I saw fit.  Hell it was a lot longer than Meredith let me without all the fussing and fighting.  Oh well....here is my boy in what I think is an adorable "back to school outfit"....or as he thinks his "church clothes".

Before we went in, he wanted a picture with his momma.

He got to bring a friend with him to school on the first day to keep him company.  Of course he chose his shark.  I made him promise me he wouldn't let his shark bite anyone.

Noah and his best friend Bella.  We didn't get Mrs. Emily again, thankfully we got Bella!  It made back to school much easier.

Saying good-bye to Margot and Daddy.  Margot is into rocking chairs lately and she immediately found the only one in the classroom.

Here he is with Mrs. Paula.  He told me he liked Mrs. Paula, she had long hair and it was circle hair.  I said I know bud, it's curly like yours.  He said "No!  Mine is curly....hers is circles!"  Point taken and noted.  

Noah's first two days went well.  While there were a few tears about going initially, he was smiling from ear to ear when I picked him up.  He loves his pre-school and I do too.  He's just not real good with change and the unknown.  Today was much, much better.  He ran right into the room and only came back to give me a kiss when I said please.  Then he jumped right back into playing with his new friends.  Mrs. Paula reported that today he wanted to know where they were going and when all day.  He likes to know his schedule. He did complain on the way out that there was no rally or stretch and grow (PE) and that," Dat made it a weally bad day!"  Not to worry bud, those activities start back next week.  His favorite part of the day both days has been snack.  Of course.....bear cookies with icing and Oreos.  What's not to love about that!

A stroll down memory lane.  Here is Noah 2 years ago when he first started Mother' day out at his school.  Wow!  Margot starts Thursday....I'm amazed at how quickly time has passed.  Oh and Noah, apparently I did not document your first day last year.  Luckily I didn't document your sister's either, because that would make me a terrible mother for sure.  I'm guessing my hands were full with your newborn sister.  I'm sorry!  Hopefully Mrs. Paige has some photos to share of that day....please tell me you do paige!

Mimi's birthday

On Sunday we celebrated Mimi's birthday.  It was very low key, we went out Saturday night and then on Sunday Mimi and I cooked dinner and I made her a cake. I'm not a baker, cooking is more my specialty.  Happy Birthday Mimi our lives would not be so colorful, fun and fulfilled without you.  We love you to pieces!  

First days of Kindergarten

Last week on Tuesday, Meredith started Kindergarten.  Wow.  It's such a milestone year.  Everything I ever learned, I learned in Kindergarten.  It's the start of a crazy, big adventure.  It was one I was not ready for.  I mean where have the past five and half years gone?  Meredith was excited, however she really did not want to go.   She would have been perfectly content to stay home with me, Noah and Margot all day.  Unfortunately that's not a reality and off she went.  There were no tears from Meredith for her first day and actually none from me either.  Of course I still have two monkeys at home to keep me very occupied.  

She was very excited about her teacher this year and the fact that lots of her little friends are in the class....excuse me....lots of her big friends...I'm not allowed to call them little anymore.  A few of her friends were not in her class, but she told me that was okay because she plays with them on the playground.  To hear how big she sounds saying all of that is what amazes me the most.  The way she says things....it's bigger this year.  

I already went to school and ate lunch with her.  I was anxious.  I also stayed after to watch her on the playground and help in art.  This year her personality seems to be blossoming.  She's not the shy, quiet child I saw last year.  She was excited I was there,  She wanted to show me two very important things.  One the big slide and the other a big mushroom.  First, she climbed to the very top of the play structure to go down the very biggest slide.  Then she jumped right off and took me to see an "amazing mushroom" growing high up in one of the trees. I had no idea what she was talking about, but I did not picture a real mushroom.  Apparently it is all the rage with kindergarten girls on the playground.  The entire group was amazed by this mushroom.   After that she ran and played with lots of different friends and had a smile from ear to ear.  She didn't sit next to me, or hang out by me like some of her friends did.  She was too busy.  After art when it was time for me to leave I expected her to cry or get sad, instead she had a big smile, gave me a big kiss and said see you later alligator and marched right into line.

My baby is growing up...

Her new beautiful princess school bag for her big year.  She loves it...

And of course the "Meredith pose"

When we got to school we met up with her friend Grace, they are in the same class this year and wanted to walk in together.  I think both girls were very happy about that.  

We found her classroom.

And once we were inside she asked me in a whisper, to please help her find her cubby and seat.  There were tons of parents and children in the room it was very chaotic, and boy did it melt my heart for her to ask me for help.  And here she is ready to go.  After this I gave her a quick kiss and headed out the door.  It was a long first day and a long first week for me, but I survived and she loved it.

Before we headed out, I had to get one more superstar's picture.  Although this super star was sad and going to miss his big sister, he was very happy to be going home with his momma.

The Beach

Last year we missed it,  but this year we loaded up the crew and our neighbor Kennedy and headed back to the beach.  We made sand castles, caught crabs, boogie boarded, floated in boats, played games, watched movies, rode go carts and rides, played putt-putt, had ice cream, got air brush shirts and had a really good time.  Meredith learned to boogie board.  Noah got in the ocean a lot without freaking out.  Margot LOVED the ocean and would scream when we took her out.  We found some awesome seashells....the kind you buy!

We went again with our good friends and neighbors,  and had a blast.  The kids enjoyed it too.  Thankfully Kennedy agreed to come along and be a 3rd set of hands and watch Margot during naps.  We could not have done it without her.

Here are the tikes at the beach....it's the best we could do.

Here is the boat....the kids loved the boat....hell I loved the boat.

My how we have changed....this years pic and here is last years.

And that my friends is all I really got for you.  I guess the camera stayed in the camera bag the entire trip.  But the memories, they will last a lifetime!

Margot's First Birthday Party....better late then never

Okay this post is a whole lot of late, but here it is.  We celebrated Margot's first birthday party with a couple of celebrations this year.   First we had dinner and cake for her birthday at home.  I cooked her favorite meal and got her a cake and petit fors.  She loved them!

Here is my beautiful girl on her birthday.

She was very generous with her petit fors....for that her brother and sister were grateful.

but she did do her fair share of damage to them.

After cake we opened gifts and she got her very on wheels.....I think she was a tad disappointed it wasn't a power wheels.

That weekend we threw a big party to celebrate.  Because it is not everyday you get to celebrate your baby's first birthday.  We invited a few close friends and family to help us sing.

I did lots of decorating to turn Mimi's pool into a magical first birthday.  Margot's Aunt Lei Lei, Aunt Carrie and Mimi helped out a lot too!

Friends and family starting arriving and everyone jumped right in the pool.  There was lots of splashing, good food, laughter and plenty of Popsicles and balloons.  Even the birthday girl had fun swimming.

After an hour or so we made the birthday girl get out to sing.  She was not happy.  It was almost naptime and she had just spent a long time in the sun.  I know it's cliche' but...."It's my party and I'll cry if I want to!"

Josh explained to her that after we sang she was going to get to eat that cake.  This calmed her down a little.

After a little taste of the cake.....

she pushed me away and went back for more....

then she tried to take it away from Josh....

With that we put her on the ground with it and she got right to it....

After cake everyone swam again until the party was over.  Margot went down for a nap before her party ended and when she awoke we opened a few gifts with the few friends and family who hung around.

Although she was way more into the cupcakes then the gifts.

The caboose is one....I'm still trying to figure out where the year went.