Here Comes Santa Clause....

The kids were so excited. Matthew was practically dancing in place he was so excited.

Phoebe was also actually crazy enthusiastic about the whole thing. She doesn't get the whole Santa idea yet but she was amazed by the giant Christmas trees, huge statues and stuffed animals. She tried to vault over the little fences quite a few times to get to the fake snow and props. At one point she jumped off a fence to tackle a stuffed panda bear with growls and kisses.

Phoebe was her usual rambunctious self but perfectly happy up until the moment that she realized we actually expected her to sit on Santa's lap. But was perfectly happy again once she was off.

Poor Santa. He was quite stunned, amused and bewildered all at the same time. He actually chuckled when she tackled the panda bear. But I must admit he looked quite relieved by the time we on our way.

Cheery Christmas Elves

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Thanksgiving Fun...

This year we spent Thanksgiving with Kevin's Mom. So there was no replay of last years "Sanity or Bust Thanksgiving Extravaganza 2008".

I actually had Kevin almost convinced it was my Mom's turn to have us again because I thought it would be easier on me to do Thanksgiving with my side of the family with the new baby. He mulled it over for awhile trying to remember and a couple hours later he was struck by remembering the "Nothing but the Blood" incident and last years Thanksgiving came rushing back at him with renewed horror. I played innocent - " Oh. That's right. Last year we were at my Mom's when Desi was super crazy and inappropriate. Remember when she told us we were all demon possessed??? Good times..... good times....."

So off to the in-laws we went. Phoebe was a hellion half the time. Cute little ragamuffin the other half. She spent the entire night swinging between crying fits and hilarious giggles. Matty was thrilled to be at Grandma Sue's house. He played with toys and his Uncle Brendan and had tons of fun. When it came to dinner time he refused to eat any of the food and Grandma Sue miraculously produced a pack of salami that Matty joyfully devoured.

All in all, a pretty dang good Thanksgiving. Really, I feel so incredibly blessed it's unbelievable.

The Early Days of Beatrix....

Little Birdie is so amazing. She simply takes my breath away.

I have to admit that I'm shocked at how fabulously she's fitting into our everyday life. It's absolutely amazing how well the other kids have taken to her.

Baby Birdie has arrived!!!

Introducing to the world- Beatrix Shea Elizabeth

8 lbs 15 oz

21 inches long

Pure cuteness and perfection!!!

The c-section went surprisingly well. I was nervous as all hell and started shaking in the operating room before they could even give me my spinal block I was so nervous. But my Dr, the anesthesiologist and Kevin all kept me calm for the most part.

Every once in awhile you get the feeling like you're going to puke, can't breathe or like you're flat out going to panic. But as long as you remember to breathe and tell the anesthesiologist that you're about to puke he shoots you up with adrenaline and something for the nausea and it helps so much.

And once she was in my arms I never wanted to let go. She was so darling and perfect. A gorgeous combination of Matthew and Phoebe put together. I couldn't ask for her to be any more beautiful.

Newbie is Coming Today!!!!!!!

I positively can't sleep at all. I've been up and down all night. Just a bundle of nerves and excitement!!!

Dear God- I pray everything goes smoothly and that Newbie will be healthy and strong. Keep my nerves at bay and get me through the surgery. Comfort Matthew and Phoebe while I am gone and please Lord keep them safe. In Jesus Name- Amen.

Jeremiah 1:4-6

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.

Phoebe the Artiste...

Phoebe decided to express herself with a permanent marker while I was busy doing homework with the boys.

I've tried everything to get it off. Rubbing alchohol, bleach, toothpaste, Mr Clean Erasers etc. So far it's only faded to a brown.

I'm making Kevin paint over it -much to his unending delight.

Pumpkin Patch Fun '09

Crazy as it sounds, I actually have a favorite Pumpkin Patch.

It's just a little patch down the coast that has tons of charm and great atmosphere. No crazy jumpers or character cutouts.... but tractors to climb on, hay tunnels and lots of chickens to pet. I take the kids there at least two or three times every October just to run around and pick out lots of little gords and Indian corn as decorations.

We always have a blast. This year Phoebe earned herself a nickname from the pumpkin patch crew. She became known as The Wagon Jumper. She would attempt to randomly commandeer any and every wagon in her general vicinity. She made herself at home in wagons full of pumpkins and even other children. I was constantly dragging her out of someone else's wagon.

When she discovered the wagon parking area it was like she had hit Eureka. She tirelessly climbed from wagon to wagon for at least a half hour. The Pumpkin crew thought she was hilarious. I on the other hand wasn't quite so tickled that I had to keep dragging her out of random wagons and apologizing to all the people who's wagons she managed to stroll off with.

Tattling on Newbie already...

Matty crawled into the big bed this morning to cuddle. He snuggles up close to me... Then a few minutes later he starts complaining, "Mom- the new baby is kicking me from your tummy! Make her stop."

Seriously??? Tattling on Newbie in the womb?

Lovely.

The Early Morning Tweetings of my Phoebe Bird...

She continues to talk, grunt and growl in her very own little language. Her little growls just melt my heart. She's just too stinking sweet. I'll actually miss her little made up babbling when she does eventually start talking.

The Undie Waddle...

Somehow as my belly has gotten bigger and rounder, I have slowly lost my ability to keep my preggo undies on. The curve of my belly actually seems to encourage them to slowly inch their way down.

Today I found myself crossing the baseball field at Elijah's school while pushing the double stroller when my preggo undies decided to rebel and start working their way down. I'm wearing one of my favorite maternity dresses and absolutely surrounded by other parents and little kids so there is no freaking way possible I can pull them back up to a more secure location.

I try to continue walking as if nothing is wrong..... but in the meantime I am clutching my thighs together with all my might to try to keep those undies from completely falling off but they are still sinking lower and lower down my thighs.

Things are getting dicey and I realize I need to act soon or else I'll be losing my undies in in the middle of the baseball field.

I ever so slyly throw Phoebe's toy over towards the baseball dugout so I would have a reason to take cover by the dugout and hopefully get a sliver of privacy. I duck into my little makeshift shield of half stroller- half dugout and yank those damn preggo panties back up where they belong.

I start patting myself on the back for a job well done........... until I look behind me and realize that my undie waddle/ adjustment had been quietly observed and laughed at by two Dad volunteers/p.e. teachers standing behind the equipment locker.

Seriously.... Kill me now.

Elijah Doodle turns 7 in Pirate style...

It was a doozy of a day. Pure madness that probably equalled out to the most over the top fun child's birthday party ever. My Mom got a jumper that had an obstacle course , basketball hoop, and slide all inside. Then she got an additional giant slide. Pinata's, treasure chests, pin the patch on the pirate, cupcakes, pizza and prizes galore. It was utterly insane and the kids loved every second of it.

The Babbles of Phoebe Bird

Bunny Nose

Apparently Elijah told Matty that picking your nose would give you a bloody nose. Somehow Matty's brain translated "bloody nose" into bunny nose.

Quite frankly Matty seems delighted at the prospect of having a brand new bunny nose. So delighted that he is suddenly trying to pick his nose constantly.

We've all tried to rectify this mistake by correcting him but Matty is violently adamant that he will sprout a lovely squiggly bunny nose and that a bloody nose would be just gross.

I think this is going to have to be one of those live and let learn sort of situations. Until he gets his first real bloody nose he's just simply not going to believe us. Elijah's word is golden and should not be opposed.

Little Ears...

The kids and I were heading into Target and I took a moment to stop and tell the boys that I expected them to stick close to the cart and to always listen to me in the store.

Matty stops me and very seriously says- "You know Mommy... We have very small ears and we can't always listen and obey because our ears are just too small for it to all fit."

Elijah agreed with him quite vigorously and I couldn't help but crack up.

30 weeks pregnant.... 10 to go....

This pregnancy has been a total whirlwind. I'm sincerely shocked by how quickly this has all flown by so far.

In any given day I range from feeling excited to apprehensive about how our newest little addition will fit into our family. I can't help but get a little jittery from time to time about being so outnumbered. But above all other feelings and thoughts I just feel incredibly blessed.

My Little Rascals....

The Jump Rope...

Phoebe has become obsessed with Matty's old bumblebee jump rope. She has been playing with it constantly and refuses to put it down. Yesterday she somehow managed to tie herself to the kitchen chair.

The day before that she sat on Eli's stomach pinning him to the ground while trying to tie his hands together.

This morning both the kids were up by 6 am and Phoebe spent over two hours chasing Matty with the jump rope to try and hog tie him.

You can only imagine the fun shrieking that ensued.

24 hour pee tests and Gummy Worms Galore....

Yesterday was my 25 week/26 week pregnancy check up. At the last minute my sitter canceled on me so lucky, lucky me got to bring Matthew and Phoebe to my Dr.'s appointment.

I packed my diaper bag full of banana's, cheesesticks and capri-suns, hoping to God it would keep the kids happy while we spent our time waiting. As a precautionary measure I stashed a bag of gummy worms in the bottom of my bag in case things got really ugly and I needed to bribe them to stay in the examining room.

Phoebe started crying immediately upon arrival. For about five minutes she sobbed on the floor..... until she realized she had an audience. Then she started getting flirty with smiles and batting her eyes at some unsuspecting old ladies.... which quickly deteriorated into her trying to escape the waiting room to race up and down the halls. At one point almost setting off the fire alarm exit.

I finally get called in. Phoebe is intrigued by all the shut doors everywhere and starts trying to open as many as possible. She busts into someone's office and I apologize while she kicks and screams and I haul her little pudgy behind away. The nurse tries to take my blood pressure while Phoebe continues to try to escape from my grasp. She keeps trying to run to the examining room doors and I keep trying to drag her back completely terrified that she is going to randomly bust in on someone's annual pap smear.

We eventually get moved into the small examining room. The kids are antsy and really don't want to be cooped up in there. Phoebe especially starts getting crafty and trying to sneak towards the door to escape.

I get desperate and pull out my secret weapon- gummy worms. I start tossing the kids each a gummy worm one at a time. Keeping them occupied with books and gummy worms worked a small miracle.

The Dr. comes in to examine me and Matty is very intent on wanting to see everything and understand everything so he moves in close. I give Matty the gummy worm pack with instructions to give Phoebe one gummy worm at a time to keep her busy.

Matty was so cute about hearing the baby's heartbeat and wanting to know what the Dr. was doing. The Dr even showed Matty how to use listen to his own heart.

By the time I was allowed to sit back up and look down at my kiddos I am startled to see Phoebe clutching all the gummy worms in her little fists. The Dr. leaned down and asked Phoebe if he could have a gummy worm. With a big toothy grin Phoebe hands him a half eaten, heavily drooled on piece of gummy worm.

That's when my Dr tells me that I'm going to have to do a 24 hour pee test before my next Dr's appointment because my blood pressure was up higher than usual. Hmmmmm.... wonder how that could possibly be? ;0)

By the end of our visit I'm pretty sure everyone in the office sighed with relief when we walked out the door.

Phoebe's toothbrush and the Peeing Bandit

Today I discovered Phoebe's toothbrush drenched in pee. It was utterly disgusting.

I don't know how it happened... I don't know why it happened.... And at this point I'm suffering from weepy pregnancy hormones and could care less about the why's, when's or how's for fear I'll end up sobbing over the loss of her beloved Winnie the Pooh toothbrush.

But one thing is very, very clear to me- Phoebe will be getting a brand new toothbrush today. Preferably something that will drive Matty wild with jealousy. ;0)

Country House Bliss...

We had a blast up at the country house.

Matty was in heaven and was absolutely over the moon about all the deer and wildlife right outside our front door. He spent a huge majority of his time toting around water guns and playing with the hockey table while Phoebe tried to chase down his pucks.

Phoebe was enthralled with the spa-tub bath. She spent most of her time plotting to escape towards the tub where she she could crawl in and turn on the water by herself. Thankfully it has a super tricky plug so there was no way in the world she could actually plug it up by herself.

The lake was awesome as always. Seriously one of my favorite places on earth. Matty tried his darn hardest to swim like a fish- complete with swishing his tail and pretending to flap his fins.

Phoebe had no fear of the water. She practically tried to drown herself within the first day and was downright gleeful about it. She would charge into the water with a wild abandon. She would actually push away from us in the water because she was trying to swim by herself. She dunked herself at least three times and seemed more delighted each time she went under.

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Poor little Phoebe got stung by a bee for the first time while we were at the country house. At first it looked like she was having an allergic reaction and her little hand swelled up to twice it's normal size. But thankfully it was all better after a couple doses of Benadryl and a night of sleep.

All in all we had a kick arse time. Besides little Phoebe's bee sting, I couldn't have been any happier with how well it all went.

And We're Off...

Off to the country house that is.

I'm super stoked and have been looking forward to this trip for months. I've packed all the bags and am literally just waiting for Kevin to get home from work and then we'll hit the road!!!

I can't wait to be at the lake... soaking in some sunshine and just relaxing with Kevin and the kiddos.

A big hooray for summer fun!!!

Doh....

This morning we went to Target. I needed a new mop head because my current mop head is literally as dead as can be.

The kids and I pick up some fun looking Elmo bath bubbles, new shampoo and baby hair detangler for Phoebe's curls.

We continue on for three aisles when I find that I have stepped in some watermelon smelling goop and am slipping and sliding all over the place, desperately trying not to hit the dust in the middle of the aisle.

I find myself surrounded by Target people clucking their tongues and trying to clean up this mysterious trail of goop that was suddenly everywhere.

Much to my mortification I discovered that the leakage was Phoebe's Elmo bubbles that somehow managed to split open. I had literally trailed a massive slime trail through three entire aisles. They had to close down all three aisles to fully mop it all up.

I was horrified. I'm just grateful that they didn't try to ban me and my rugrats from the store. At least not yet anyways. ;0)

Poor Phoebe Bird...

She's been a teething fool these past few weeks.

She's only had her six front teeth for a crazy long time. Now after months of no appearance, all her other teeth suddenly have decided to get in on the action. She brought in six teeth simultaneously in the past two-three weeks. And now I've discovered another two coming in.

When will the teething madness end??!!! She's just so miserable and weepy all the time and I am getting really, really worn down by the constant crying.

I totally cheated and drank a big old fat cup of coffee this morning because otherwise, I don't think I would have made it through the day.

Three little Rugrats and a Day at the Beach...

Last Thursday the kids and I woke up to gorgeous skies and warm weather so I decided it was the perfect sort of day to declare a beach day. It really was a picture perfect sort of day.

The kids had a great time digging in the sand and getting fabulously dirty.

Phoebe went wild with the waves. She was literally throwing herself into the water every chance she got. The higher the waves and rougher the water the more delighted she was. She was literally cackling like a little maniac and would laugh even harder if/when she got knocked down. I tried to get some pictures of her in the waves but I just didn't have any spare hands because I was having to swoop her up every two seconds to keep her from getting trounced by the waves.

Elijah was thrilled to play in the water with me and Phoebe, while Matty ran away from the waves every time they came near his little toes.

All in all it really was an awesome day with my little chickadees.