"Binky"

I never used pacifiers for any of the girls. None of them ever seemed to care about them, & as long as they were nursing or had their bottle, they were happy. Well, a few months ago I came across a couple of pacifiers in the house & thought it would be cute to see Cate would do with one. She immediately reached for it & popped it in her mouth. She looked very satisfied with herself. I figured it was because she always saw her friend, Lizzie, from the gym, with one in her mouth, so now it was finally her turn to have the cool toy. ;-) It went from being super cute (come on, she looked like an adorable little Koala with it in her mouth), to then scary. "Mommy? Where Binky go? Binky!!!!" I threw them out (actually I tossed one & Ava tossed another). For a few days Cate randomly asked for Binky, but then she forgot about it. Until Saturday.

While I was at a photo shoot, Conrad loaded the girls in the car to take them to McDonalds. As he was about to strap Cate in, she ducked down, grabbed something from under the passenger seat & popped it in her mouth. He said she looked like a little ninja. She found "Binky". Uh oh!!

Grey's Anatomy in Seattle!

I met Julie 8 years ago at Sandia National Laboratories. She was interviewing for a position within our department (polymer aging at the time) & my boss wanted her to get a "real" perspective from me of what it was like to work at the labs. We laughed a lot & I just remembered thinking, "Wow! This girl is going places." She is. After completing her PhD last summer, she now attends medical school at Columbia University. She happened to be in town for a few days & I couldn't get enough of her. Despite all the years & distance between us, our friendship remains the same.

Highlights of the day:

*Getting lost (even using my Navigation System -I know, I know ;-)) while getting to the fabulous Cafe Ladro

*Watching Cate soak Julie up. Cate is pretty shy around strangers, yet within one minute she was letting Julie hold her, was eating Julie's scone & even danced for her.

*Pulling Bronwen & Ava out of school early so they could spend time with Julie. Bronwen asked me, "Mom, why do you want me to spend time with Julie so much?" Me, "Well, when you & Ava were very little, she was very special to me."

The truth is she was there when I first found out I would have trouble getting pregnant & the subsequent roller-coaster that went along with that & treatments (Who knew I'd have our 2 other babies without any trouble!). She deemed Bronwen with the name, "Skeletor," when I was pregnant. Julie & our other coworker, Tim, "What are you going to name her?" Me, "I don't know. I'll have to see what she looks like, then decide." Julie, "Well, you already have the picture [the ultrasound]. Skeletor!" Hahahaha! She came to my baby shower & gave Bronwen a cherry blanket & the book Guess How Much I Love You (still have both). She visited me in the hospital with both girls. She visited me at home with Ava & brought her the cutest sweater & hat. She was always there for me when I needed her. She is my friend.

Julie, thank you so much for spending time with me. I love you! :'-)

Happy Valentine's Day!

This year I got to go to not one, but two Valentine's Day parties!

Lesson number 27 in life: Always ask for forgiveness, not permission! I told Ava's kindergarten teacher that I wanted to help out in her classroom for their Valentine's Day party. I purposely did not ask if I could bring Cate. I just showed up with baby in tow. For the record, my friend, Sam, didn't go because she mistakenly asked if she could bring her baby. She was told it would be too crazy. It wasn't!!! Cate & I had a blast in Ava's classroom. While I was in charge of helping kids decorate a 100's worksheet, Cate was busy munching on snacks, playing with the computers & carrying around the dolls. At the end, she began visiting with Ava's friends, when they all decided to gather around her & "fluff her hair". I guess for good luck? Ava was very happy we were there & looked so cute when she put on her "100's Day" glasses. Miss Jenn thanked us for coming & we went back home for a few hours until Bronwen's class party.

Lesson number 27 still held. "Surprise! Yes, I'm here to help you & I brought tasty treats, so you can't turn me away when I have two children with me (Ava & Cate)." In my mind, this is how my greeting to Miss Moore, Bronwen's teacher went. Miss Moore is very strict, so I knew I was on unstable ground. I immediately got Ava to help me pass out the plates. I carried Cate, so she wouldn't get into anything. With plates passed out, I whispered over to Ava, "Ava, can you be my big helper & put a cookie on each plate while I pass out the oranges?" Ava, "Yes mommy!" And she did. Oh my gosh, that little girl is so adorable. She looked so serious as she made sure all of Bronwen's classmates got their cookie. And Bronwen, what a little doll. She held Cate & brought Ava over to her friends to introduce them to her little sisters. She truly is a little mother. We cleaned up just before the bell rang. To make the day even better, Bronwen's teacher told me that she was moving Bronwen up to 3rd grade reading. Yippee!

We got home & I made pork & rice. My lover came home right when dinner was ready. Did you know I have the world's best husband? I do. My Valentine & I snuggled & watched The Duggars. It was perfect.

A Funny Story

I just remembered the funniest story today & realized I never posted it. 3 years ago...

I was a few weeks pregnant with Cate & had the most terrible "morning" sickness (as in all day, wake up in the middle of the night because you are so nauseous sickness). Instead of sitting around & thinking about my misery, every day I would take the girls out on an adventure. On this particular day I took them to Heritage Park.

Bronwen & Ava swung for a while, played on the equipment, then we decided to go on a nature walk around the park. We cut through the huge field. About 3/4 across, Ava suddenly stopped walking & started wiping mud off of her shoes. Seeing that her hands were now full of mud, I told her, "Oh Ava, don't worry about your shoes. The mud will come off in the grass. Here, you can clean your hands off on my pants." She did. And as she did, I got a whiff of the mud. It was dog poop!!!

I was already sick as it was, & this put me over the top. We went to the bathroom, where I proceeded to wash our hands & her shoes, using all the soap in the dispenser. I. Could. Not. Stop. Gagging. "Ava! [GAG]! Put your hands [GAG] under the water [GAG! GAG! GAG! BELCH!]!" It was hideous! We made it out of the bathroom & to the car. Everything stunk so bad I had to put her shoes in the trunk. When we got home, we literally stripped down in the laundry room (it opens into our garage) & took a hot bath.

As gross as it was, every time I think about it, I can't help laugh. I told Ava to wipe poop on me! LOL!

Ocean Shores

I was talking with Ava when she came home from school on Thursday & I asked her if she wanted to go somewhere. She said, "Ooh ya!" A few years ago we went to Ocean Shores, so I got online to see if there were any deals for the weekend. There were! I called The Quinault Beach & Casino Resort & booked our room. I sent Conrad a text that we were going away for the weekend!

The weather couldn't have been better! Blue skies all around, wind (for our kite) & warm temperatures. We stopped at Taco Bell on the way, where out of the blue I just felt so proud of our family. The girls had us cracking up, retelling stories of how they were pretending to be zombies at the gym (ha!), Cate was laughing along just because it was the cool thing to do, & I don't know how to describe it, but I could feel the closeness. Yes, the touching moment at Taco Bell, hee-hee! Anyway, as luck would have it, our room was ready an hour before check in, so we were able to unpack & head to the beach.

The beach..... Last year Ava begged me to get her a kite. I got one, but the wind suddenly disappeared (albeit we were in our neighborhood) & we never got the kite out again. Yesterday though, the kite got to soar to unprecedented heights! Conrad taught Ava & Bronwen how to fly it themselves & Cate got to as well, using brute force (she grabbed the strings while Bronwen was flying it & refused to let go until I got her -who can blame her- it looked so fun).

After "digging tidal pools," & finding some pretty sea shells, we were ready to head back. All of a sudden though, 4 women with horses began heading our way! I guess they saw the girls & thought they'd like to see the horses up close. Bronwen & Ava were very happy & stroked the horses, but Cate did one pat & thought that was enough. :-) We talked for a little while & then decided it was time to head back to the hotel. We walked back, took warm showers & got into our coziest pj's & sat by the fire Conrad made. We ate the lovely food he brought from the restaurant downstairs. For dessert we munched on Oreos & watched Cars. Cate fell asleep with her sisters & we were out soon after.

This morning we woke up at 6. It was still dark outside. We could see the lights from fishing boats. Conrad got the fire going again & we had coffee while Bronwen & Ava had hot chocolate. Cate enjoyed her bottle filled with warm milk. It was perfect~ I love my family so much.

Naps

Lately Cate has been trying to go without taking a nap during the day. I always lay her down with her bottle at 1 p.m., but if I hear her cute voice 30 min later (yesterday it was, "I wuv you mommy!"), I have to go & get her. I mean imagine if someone put you in a cage (the crib) & made you go to bed when you weren't sleepy -crazy! :-) It's funny because I used to treasure the down time. I would work on my website, check emails, browse facebook, while Ava would work on puzzles, play with play-doh (which I always end up regretting), or do something else.

With Cate awake though, the three of us have been doing activities together. It's funny because these extra hours actually make me more relaxed & happy than vegging on the computer. We'll play Barbies or the Wii & I feel like I'm getting to really know my kids more.

I've noticed there's a difference between staying home with your children & just keeping them alive versus staying home with your children & enjoying them.

My Baby Turns 2!

Cate is the most adorable creature who has ever lived. Of course this is because she has two equally adorable sisters to copy from.

I have told several of my friends this before, but I'll say it here. I never realized how much I wanted a third baby until I became pregnant with Cate. And now that she's here, forget it. :-) She brings so much fun & magic in our lives, I can say I wouldn't be the same person without her.

Do you know this baby holds your face close to hers with her two little hands, looks you in the eyes & says, "I yuv you."

When we get Ava from school she literally runs up to her & hugs her while exclaiming, "Aya!!!" (not a typo)

When we get Bronwen from school she reaches out her tiny hands & says, "Hi Bronween!!" & touches her face.

She runs on her tiptoes like a little fairy.

She loves her "Dora ones" (underwear, t-shirt, shoes, books, the show).

She is mixture of Bronwen & Ava. She loves to be clean & neat & organized like Bronwen, but loves pretending to be an animal & loves every toy Ava loves.

She says, "Tuckaweeee!!" when she wants to be picked up.

She draws spiders (little squiggles) & then shouts, "Eeeek!"

She climbs into Ava or Bronwen's bed (whoever's room we're in first), when it's night-night time, but then protests when Conrad & I leave the room.

She makes a diamond with her hands when we sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

She LOVES Queen & will literally sing along with it. "We will, we will quock quock!" Hahahaha! And, she asks for Johnny Cash. "Cash?"

She will dance to anything!

She is completely POTTY TRAINED!!!!! I know, unreal! Though sometimes I still hear the dreaded, "Mama, poo-poo pants." Ha!

She is our little gift from heaven, & with three little angels, now I understand why somebody coined that phase.

Happy birthday my little love. I love you so much & am blessed to be your mama.