On Turning 2!

Dearest Margot,

This letter is late, very late, but I didn't want to miss it.  You are two.  TWO.  You are getting so big, yet will always, always always be so baby.  Even at thirty.  I try and cherish your baby days, because you are determined not to be a baby, but to be as big as the bigs and do everything they do.

You my sweet girl are beautiful.  You are strong, you are independent.  You are shy and you are loving.  You are not a performer.  You do things when you want and how you want.  No amount of bribery will change that.  You love "Melmo" and "Tootie Mon-sa".  We celebrated your second birthday with your Sesame Street pals.  In true third child fashion, you have no pictures to prove it, because I cannot find the SD card with them.  At least that's my story because I know I took some.

And like always on your birthday I want to tell you your birth story....

On the morning of July 13th, 2010 I awoke bright and early to get a shower before headed to the hospital for your c-section.  Yours was planned, just like your big brothers.  We can thank your sister for that.  We arrived bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and since you were my third go round, I knew what to expect.  I knew what would happen and I was a little calmer than I had been in the past, although no less nervous.

After being there a couple hours I realized I was yet to be hooked up to an IV and I was wondering if this may delay the c-section.  See I was the first one there and first on the schedule, but I was right.  We couldn't deliver you until I had two bags of fluid in me.

Your c-section was my wildest adventure of the three.  And your sister's was no cake walk.  It took forever for anesthesia to get my spinal in to start the surgery and once it was in, it took forever for my OB to get back to the room.  At two different times during your delivery my blood pressure plummeted.  That is no pleasant feeling.  In fact it's pretty damn scary.  But eventually, in a day that seemed to take forever, you were born.  At 9:20am you arrived.  You were my biggest baby at 8lbs even.

You were quiet when you were first delivered.  I remember being extremely worried, and asking why you weren't crying...... and praying that you would start immediately.  Thankfully, my prayers were answered and you cried the sweetest, tiniest cry.  You were a bright pink, and everyone in the delivery room talked about your beautiful coloring.  Your cord was wrapped around your neck, but you were fine.

You spent a lot of time in the nursery.  To the point where I made your dad go and threaten their lives if they didn't bring you to me.  I also spent a lot of time in recovery.  I had some bleeding issues and lots of pain issues.  Eventually we made it to our room, Your dad helping to push me there and your Mimi pushing you the entire way.   I'm pretty sure that is not hospital policy, but at this point I was ready to go and waiting for transport was not an option, thankfully the nurse agreed.

We spent our two days in the hospital and then headed home, where your big brother and sister anxiously awaited your arrival.  You made our family complete.  Happy Birthday Baby Margot.

This was written in November 2012 - I'm so sorry.

Dearest Meredith....Six

It's once again your birthday.  I'm happy they keep coming, I just wish they didn't come so quickly.  Six.  It's such a big number.  You are soon headed out of kindergarten and into first grade, how did that happen?  Last night you came down at bed time and asked if you could sleep in my bed.  Even though a part of me knew that I should send you right back up to your room, so we could all get a good night sleep (you kick a lot), part of me knew the days of you wanting to sleep in my bed were becoming short lived.  I told you to jump on in and we snuggled up together.

In the past few months leading up to your sixth birthday you have done and achieved so much.  You ride your bike on two wheels now, you lost your two front teeth, you started reading independently, you write letters and notes that make sense and that I can read too.  You have become such a big helper around the house.  You are growing up.

I know it is cliche' about how quickly time passes, but it is so true.  I can remember sitting with you in our leather chair when you were three weeks old,  just us, sitting in the quiet and thinking....wow, three weeks have already passed, why is time flying? She will be in kindergarten before I know it.   And it was true, you went off to kindergarten in the blink of an eye.  And now that year has flown by too.

But I'm ready to embrace this new year....Six...and all the fun things that come with it.  The talks that we share, the giggles that happen before bed, and all the other things being a big girl brings too.  While part of  me will always miss the chubby fingers that once held on to me so tightly, part of me loves the firm hand nestled in mine of a confident little girl.

I love the girl you are growing up to be.  I am so proud of you.  You amaze me everyday, and while sometimes you try my patience, you mostly amaze me.  I often sit in awe of the fact that out of all the other moms out there, I was picked to be yours.

I love you Meredith.

And now for the story of your birth....as always...

Six years ago on April 8th we invited some friends over for a crawfish boil.  That same friend told me that night that crawfish were known to induce labor.  She was right.  At 6:30 am the next morning, my water broke.  I remember your dad asking if I was sure.  Which I am sure, had something to do with the joke I played on him an hour earlier claiming it did when it really hadn't.  I told him I was for real this time. And that even if it wasn't my water that had broke....something was very wrong down there and either way we needed to head to the hospital.

So off to the hospital we went, where the nurse confirmed it was indeed my water that broke.  We arrived at the hospital about 7:30am.  You were born at 12:03am the next day.  Do the math...171/2 hours later.  My epidural didn't work....your labor was no picnic.  But I promise I still think you are totally worth it.

I remember being incredibly nervous during the c-section (which is normal), I remember hearing you come out screaming, and then I remember tears of joy falling down my own face.  I then remember them whisking you away and the anesthesiologist giving me something to knock me out for the rest of the procedure.  I remember waking up in recovery and asking Dr. B if I had, had a baby.  I remember him telling me yes and telling one of the nurses to please bring you in immediately.

I remember being so out of it when I held you for the first time, but I clearly remember thinking how perfect you were and how lucky I was to know you and love you.

I love you Meredith more than I ever thought possible to love someone.  I will forever cherish that moment that changed my life and who I am forever.

Happy Birthday my sweet girl.
(That video is of you when you were only a couple minutes old)

Momma

Happiest of Birthdays

Today I became another year older, another year wiser and thankful for another blessed day.  

33...wow is that middle aged?

The Bike Race

This year I asked Noah what he wanted to do for his birthday.  I had almost talked him into a party at the zoo, where everyone could ride the train and carousel and call it a day.  However my little Noah had much different and better plans.  First he started off by explaining he wanted a bike for his birthday.  Then he said he wanted a bike race with all of his friends at his house.  

So I immediately went into bike race planning mode.  My friend Blair planned a cute little cheerleader party for her 4 year old and had the cutest "tiger treats banner."  So I asked her to please help me get a banner for our bike race and she did.  Thank you so much Blair. I then decorated in various shades of his favorite color green!   

The morning of his birthday he got a brand new, orange bike and a new helmet.  He practiced riding his new bike with pedals as we set up for the party.

We put up his new banner and got lots of balloons and racing decorations.

We also hung racing pennants on the treehouse and swings.  The kids had a ball playing in there.

He wanted goody bags complete with his favorite things...bubbles, gum and tattoos.

All of his friends started arriving and they all brought their bikes and helmets for the big race.

And thankfully cousin Connor made the long trek for the party too!

After everyone said hello and played for a little while we all lined up on the starting line.  See the white line Josh came out early and drew.

All the kids lined up for the race.  The moms were all given checkered flags to wave.

On your Marks....Get Set.....Go!!!  Mrs. Katey waved the flag for the kids to start racing!

We made it clear that every child that crossed the finish line got a medal.  It wasn't a contest.

We told the kids to race under the banner and back into the driveway.

There Mimi and MeMaw handed out gold medals to everyone.

Noah was super excited that he and all his friends got them.  They were all #1!

After the race we sang Happy Birthday to the Birthday Boy!

Then we played some more with all of our friends!

This was a super easy birthday and a fun, cute idea!  I guess it's all a 4 year old really wants!  Happy Birthday Noah man!

To Noah on his 4th Birthday

Dearest Noah,

I'm not sure when you got to be so big.  I mean 4, how did that happen?  I've always said it and I truly mean it, but you my dear grow the fastest.  Maybe because your big sister always gets to experience the first at everything and because your baby sister is the baby and we make a big deal of all her new milestones.  You are just somewhere in the middle....you grow up each day and it's not always as obvious.  I know, that is why you are struggling with a little bit of that "middle child syndrome."  It's how you know that you don't always need to listen or cooperate.  It's like you have figured out the system.  You know that Margot has to have my attention and that I expect more out of Meredith because she is "older" and you well you just coast right on by.

However my boy....you are just that, my only boy.  Despite being stuck in the middle and sometimes glossed right over.  You have your Momma's heart.  You are my sweetest, most tender hearted child.  You are always in a good mood, always happy and rarely if ever do you get angry or upset.  Which is why when you do, I know you have a very strong opinion about whatever it is that has upset you.  You are like your dad that way.  The girls and I, we fly off the handle with every little thing.

Now that you are four you love trucks, airplanes, helicopters and all things that go.  You recently discovered your love for riding a bike.  We got a you a balance bike a couple of months ago and you are a pro on it.  For your birthday you got a big boy bike with training wheels and I bet in the next 6 months, if that long, you are ready for those training wheels to come off.  You love to play with your sister, and you still love your trains, but not nearly like you used too.  You have recently started playing the Wii a little, a ver little.  You still love sharks, and watching movies about trucks, lumberjacks, trains, cars and motorcycles.  You decided last week you might want to be a mechanic.  You got a "real" tool set for your birthday and have been working on all of your trucks and cars since.

You are smart, you know how to figure things out and use logic and reasoning to get your answer.  You quickly put things together.  Your answers are always witty and accurate.  You have a solution to every problem and are always happy to share.  You still tell me you love me out of the blue....all the time.  I hope that never changes.  Most days you tell me how beautiful I am.  I love you my Noah Elliott.

And so today on your birthday like every birthday I want to tell you about the day you came into the world....

On the morning of Tuesday, November 19, 2006 I woke up at 4:30am to shower and get dressed before we headed to the hospital.  I was more than a tad nervous.  I knew that surgery was the only way to meet you and that my boy is the only reason I even went to the hospital that morning.  We arrived at the hospital at 5:45am and I was hoping I would be the first c-section of the day, unfortunately someone else had arrived at 5:30am so we were bumped to second. If you know your Momma, you will know that I was not happy about this.

I met your anesthesiologist, the OR nurses and of course Dr. B.  I was ready.  However in all the time I had spent waiting for my turn, I had talked your dad into having absolutely no more children and having a vasectomy the following week.  That's a procedure to make sure we would have no more babies.  About 9am, it was time to head back, I walked back to the OR with the nurse.  It was a little intimidating.  I'm not sure why they make you walk.  Or why your dad couldn't come with me.  I got back there and they prepped me and inserted my spinal on the first try.  I remember them sticking a big  piece of silver looking tape to my leg and I asked what it was,  and they told me it was to ground me.  At that point I decided questions were not a good idea.

After a few minutes I was ready to go and Dr. B came in.  He started asking if I was feeling anything and since the sheet was draped I can only imagine he was beginning the surgery.  A few seconds later your dad arrived.  He stayed by my head the whole time and gave me a play by play of what was happening.  I unfortunately could not see since I was strapped to the table and had a big sheet in front of me.

And at 9:53am you arrived.  You were a beautiful baby boy.  When they first delivered you, you were very quiet.  It seemed like way too long. I got very panicky, but no one else was.  I'm sure it was just a second or two and then you were screaming.  Not loud like your sister did, but more of a okay I'm here little yell.  You weren't mad.  You were just letting us know...hey I've arrived.

You were then cleaned up and whisked to the nursery.  You made a quick detour to the waiting room where everyone who was waiting on you got to have a peek.  You were beautiful.  I was then wheeled to recovery where on my high from your easy delivery and the medicine and seeing you I decided I wanted at least two more children.  After what seemed like an eternity I started getting antsy about getting to hold you, I watned them to bring you back.   I sent your dad to check on you and they assured us everything was fine, it would just be a few more minutes.  I think I gave them 10 more and then I made your dad go and get you.  And when I held you for the first time it was amazing.  I never knew I could love another child as much as I love you.

Happy Fourth Birthday my little man.  I love you to the moon and back and as long as all the train tracks in the world.

Love,
Momma

The Birthday Week

I am a huge fan of the birthday week.  I used to enjoy it as a kid.  You know going out to dinner on the night of your birthday.  Having your favorite meal cooked on a different night, celebrating at school with cupcakes and your friends, and then on the weekend the actual party.  Hmmm, maybe I grew up a bit spoiled.  But hello....it's the time to celebrate the birth of that person.  The reason they are here and happy and still able to celebrate with you.  So I do everything I can to celebrate the birthday week.  Unfortunately my little Noah's birthday fell on a Saturday.  So his party was that morning of his birthday.  Which meant no cake at school on his actual birthday, not to mention I didn't want to drag him out to eat after his exhausting day of being the host at his party.  And since I don't cook on the weekends, we went ahead and started celebrating early.

On Thursday night we all went to Gatti Town to celebrate, complete with a cake and Mimi and Poppa!

This is one silly crew I got here!

 Margot loved Gatti Town and ate more than her share of the free buffet for kids 3 and under.

Celebrating Wednesday before his birthday did throw him off a little.  He was unsure if he was actually 4 or not.  Either way he had a blast!

Finally big enough to ride the Bumper Cars.  And as you can see, we had the entire place to ourselves.

Margot really wanted to ride the bumper cars with her brother to celebrate, but instead she semi-sort of -settled for this.

And no night at Gatti Town would be complete without a round of bowling!

A strike for Meredith!

Then next morning Mimi and I met up with Noah to celebrate at school.  He was a little disappointed that Mrs. P was absent and missed his cake.  

The second cake of the birthday week!  A football, for my sports loving boy.

Noah and all his buddies celebrating!  And if you look behind them you see Miss Priss sitting at the table waiting patiently for her cake.

Happy Birthday my sweet boy!

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!  

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.