Mowgli The Man Cub

Matthew does not like the feeling of grass. He doesn't mind sitting on it- but HATES lying down on it or crawling on it. In an effort to avoid this feeling, he has changed the way he crawls on grass. He looks so silly and knows he is being silly when he crawls like this. I affectionately call him Mowgli the Man Cub. If you think back to The Jungle Book, Baloo the Bear tries to teach Mowgli how to crawl like a bear and it looks exactly like Matthew in this picture.

Matthew has started taking many more steps these days, however, once he falls, he crawls to his destination. After a good day of outdoor play, his little knees, feet, and toes are all scratched up. He never complains- but I feel bad for him. I sense that this 'scratchy-ness' has started to really bug him so I have found that he not only assumes the Mowgli crawl on the grass, but on the flagstone, too! He is so funny!

Easter

This year's Easter season seemed to be jam-packed full of fun events! It started in early March with an Easter Breakfast and Egg Hunt at Santa Clara University. Damien and I try and get back to campus as much as possible and this seemed like a great event to see some friends and also let the kids have a great time hunting for Easter eggs. They had the Easter Bunny come out for pictures and even this proved amusing when Matthew freaked out while having to get his picture taken with him. He freaked out in the same way he did with Santa, but louder! Of course, I loved it. It makes for a great memory of the event.

There are two times a year when I try and buy new outfits for the kids. One is Christmas and the other Easter. They don't have to be super matchy matchy, but I do like them to coordinate. This way I can get a good picture of them and then maybe when they look back on the pictures years from now- they will have thought that I had it together! This year (with all the dozens of events packed into March) the outfit buying seemed difficult. But in the end- I found them. Phew! I got their picture taken at The Picture People and amazingly, it turned out adorable! I was more than thrilled!

The plan this year for Easter was to join Damien's family at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn for an Easter brunch. For many many years Mark and Marlene have hosted this event at their home, but after the success of last year's brunch at the hotel, they decided to do it there again. We all thought that was great idea as it requires so much less work to have it there instead of at their home. It was a gorgeous Easter morning as the kids unwrapped piece after piece of 'breakfast chocolate'. Once they were totally sick, we dressed them in their Easter outfits and piled into the car for the hour ride to Sonoma. Matthew was exhausted so the car ride was the perfect chance for him to get in a long morning nap before the madness began!

The brunch was delicious, the weather was unbelievable, and it was great seeing everyone. We basically had to force feed Michael and Claire as they wanted to stay outside the whole time. But Matthew- in true form- didn't really leave my side . . . or my hip, rather. That's what makes him my little mama's boy! We had an Easter egg hunt and even a little chance for a photo opp with all the grand kids (9 in total, but Lani was due to deliver #10 within a week!). After the brunch, we all went swimming in the hotel's pool and enjoyed the day before we headed back home in time for the kids to get some sleep for school the next day.

This Easter was really nice. The thing I loved the most was that Michael really understood the real meaning of Easter. He knew that on Easter- Jesus rose from the dead. He understood the ultimate sacrifice He made for us and to see the look on his face Easter morning when he retold me Jesus' story was priceless. It was a wonderful day.

The Map of Ireland

I've been told many times while shopping, walking down the street, etc. that Michael wears the map of Ireland on his face. For some reason (and I think it is cute), people can't resist telling me how much they love his look, how Irish he looks, or how they love Michael's red hair. Then, a lot of the time the question will follow, 'Is he yours?'. Yes! He is ALL mine!

While on a shopping trip with my Mom, we found these adorable St. Patrick's Day t-shirts. Being that I am a sucker for every most every holiday- I had to buy the shirts! Michael fell in love with his t-shirt (pictured on top) and wears it quite frequently. He even wore it to soccer practice and all the boys started chiming in about it. After a few minutes of comments from his friends- he ran over to me looking worried and said, "Mom, do Irish girls really love me?" I said, "Of course they do and I'm sure they will when you're a little older!" Apparently, I gave him the right answer because he yelled SWEET! and ran over to tell his friends. I guess they were telling him that Irish girls don't love him and he felt he proved them wrong. Seriously- it was pure comedy!

This year (and every year for that matter), St. Patrick's Day falls on Marlene's birthday. This year was a big birthday for her and the whole family (even Damien's brother's family from England) came over for the big celebration. We had invited Marlene's friends and surrounding family to the party in an effort to celebrate her and have a great day! We served up a delicious lunch of fresh crepes, salads, and breads. Then we all headed outside to see a banner plane fly by with a special message for her.

The party was far from over. A pony arrived to take all the kids for a pony ride. Michael and Claire were all over it, but it took a little coaxing to get Matthew to ride the pony. It was his first time and he did great! Would you believe that we also talked Marlene into taking a ride on the pony? It was classic! After the pony rides, we all returned inside for a presentation for Marlene and enjoyed the rest of the day.

The same day we were celebrating St. Patrick's Day, my family was toasting to St. Joseph with their 4th Annual La Festa Di San Giuseppe. In record numbers, family and friends came out to participate in this amazing celebration while also raising money to help those less fortunate in Malawi, Africa. They raised more money than ever before this year and I am so proud of my family that they have found a way to bring family and friends together while also changing the lives of those across the world.

Michael and Claire Play Soccer

I have so many wonderful sports memories from when I was younger. To be truthful, most of them revolve around soccer. Saturday mornings meant getting in my uniform as soon as I woke up, walking out to the family room with a blanket, and nuzzling up to the television to watch The Gummy Bears, The Smurfs, or whatever was in the cartoon line-up that morning. I would sit there with Jill and wait until my Dad told us it was time to go. I loved it!


I really want my kids to enjoy whatever it is they want to do. I don't want to push them- but instead encourage them to try new things. We signed Michael and Claire up to play Spring Soccer. Michael was all for it, but Claire was a bit more apprehensive. Because they are getting older- this would be the first time that they weren't on the same team. Claire really didn't like this! As much as the two of them bicker, she really needs him. Michael gives her the support and courage she needs sometimes to try something new- especially if it is in a new environment. I was proud of Claire though- she decided she could do it!


Michael is on an 8 and under boy's team called The Mighty Dragons. A couple of his buddies from his Kindergarten class are on the team and he is having the best time! They practice once a week and have games on Saturdays and he enjoys getting outside and running around. He mostly plays defense and seems to take the job pretty seriously. He cracks me up! So intense, so focused. It is such a thrill to seem him running around out there and watching his thought process as he maneuvers himself through the game.


Claire is on a 6 and under coed team called The Strikers. She didn't know anyone on the team but really did a good job of adapting. On the first day, they had the kids sit in a circle in order to introduce them to one another. They were supposed to say their name and their favorite food. She said, "My name is Claire and my favorite food is Tunafish Casserole." I don't know why, but hearing her say that made me laugh hysterically. Something about meeting new friends for the first time and tunafish casserole didn't sound right. Claire is really starting to understand the game and has a lot of fun at her games. To put it nicely, their team doesn't generally do that well (although as a team- they are getting a lot better!). They get scored on a lot and it is hard sometimes for the kids to not get defeated. Claire was really intense the first game and ran her little heart out. Each time the other team scored, I noticed that she started crying. Not the crying where she needed my support, but she was just so frustrated when they got beat. But she wiped her tears and kept going. I was really proud of her and after the game tried to help her understand that winning isn't everything. But let's be real here, I am still trying to learn this lesson. They now win and lose games (although in this league they don't keep score) but she doesn't cry or get frustrated. She just know that she needs to try her very best and whatever else happens is out of her control.


I love seeing the kids play during their practices and their games. What I didn't anticipate is how much more difficult two practices and two games a week would be! To think of the many activities I had each week as a child and to think that my sisters were really involved, too- makes me wonder how my parents stayed sane? I suddenly understand why the color-coded calendar my parents taped on the side of the cabinet was a necessity. With all the different activities- you have to stay on top of it or it might take you over!

Matthew's First Step

It has happened. Matthew took his first step! As I mentioned in an earlier post, Matthew decided to take this 'giant leap' while we were in Costa Rica- but lucky for us, my Mom and Gina were there to witness the whole thing! Over the past few months, I have had so many people ask if Matthew was walking yet. A lot of people were surprised that he wasn't and even more people were surprised at my real lack of urgency to have him up and moving. I just knew that when the time was right for him- he would walk. Plus, do I really need another mobile child running around the house getting into mischief? I think not! But apparently, March 3rd, 2008, was the day for Matthew to strut his stuff!

My kids have all hit their developmental milestones within the normal range. Michael was on the longer side- taking his first step at 17 months (the day before I gave birth to Claire). Claire was probably right on target taking her first step at 11 1/2 months. Because Matthew is my third, I am so relaxed with when he chooses to hit his big milestones. I have placed no pressure around these steps, instead choosing to sit back and watch as he begins to fit into the big world around him.

When we returned from our trip, it was so wonderful to see him take a step. While he will always be my baby, it is so surreal to see your child taking steps toward independence. I know that this one step is just the beginning to Matthew walking around and getting himself what he needs. And while I rejoice in this new found skill, it also reminds me to cherish each and every babyish moment while he still has them.

Clairey Loses A Tooth!

I was sitting in Michael's room with Gina, Michael and Claire the morning I was going to be leaving for Costa Rica. We were all hanging out and having a good time when I looked over at Claire's mouth. See, Claire has always had these sweet two front teeth that completely touched one other making one of the cutest mouths I have ever seen in my life. But as she turned my way, I noticed that she had a considerable gap between them. I told Gina, "Look how much Claire is growing! Even her teeth are spreading." We both quickly mourned the gap between her two front teeth. Gina always loved Claire's teeth, too. I scooted closer to her to get a better look. It looked strange. How could this gap just appear over night? I reached out to touch her front right tooth and it was super loose. I thought, How could this be? Her front teeth weren't even loose? How could she be losing her top teeth when she hasn't even lost her bottom teeth?


I sat for a few seconds trying to make sense of this. My first clue to the puzzle was the mysterious way the crib had broken the night before. I went to put Matthew to sleep in the crib around 9pm and noticed that entire sliding portion of the crib was off, posing serious danger if he somehow got wedged in there. But how did that happen? I called Damien in and showed him the crib and he was dumbfounded. Cribs just don't break like this and certainly Matthew isn't capable of breaking his crib (at least not yet). Because we were leaving the next day, Damien needed to fix the crib so we could leave my Mom with a functional place to put Matthew to sleep. But where was all the hardware (screws, bolts) that fell off the crib? We searched high and low until I saw something shiny under Matthew's dresser. Damien got lower to investigate and sure enough- there were all screws and brackets tucked neatly in a pile. Hmmmmm. Something was up.


First clue- we have a broken crib. Second clue- Claire's front tooth is unusually loose. Third clue- The bandit (or bandits) that broke the crib tried to hide the evidence (screws). This called for a serious investigation. I asked Claire how her tooth got loose and she told me that she hit it on Matthew's dresser (which is right next to his crib). I asked her, Were you in Matthew's crib? She replied, "No." I left Claire and cornered Michael. "Hey Buddy, what happened to Matthew's crib? He told me that Claire was pulling on the sliding side. I asked him if she hit her mouth (because surely, if you hit your mouth hard enough to bust out your front tooth- someone would have noticed) but he had no real answer.


So, we have filed the case under "No Real Evidence to Support the New Gap in Claire's Teeth". As you have probably guessed, Claire lost her tooth while we were in Costa Rica. She lost it the day before we got home when Michael wrestled her to the ground and it just popped out. She wanted to wait for the tooth fairy to come until we came home (which I loved). I was a little nervous to see Claire with her new tooth- or lack there of. She woke up the next morning and came out to see me. She looked so big- a real big girl now. I was proud of her and happy that my Mom was here to help her though it. Now that I am more used to it, I love it. Clairey, Clairey. Such a character and now this only adds to her personality.

Costa Rica

What would you do if you were offered a free trip to an exotic location? 6 days, 5 nights away from the kids where all you could do was relax and take care of yourself? When I learned that Damien had qualified for his company's incentive trip, I was so excited! This year, the trip's location was Costa Rica. For all those in the company that qualified, you were given a free round trip flight to Costa Rica, a five night stay at an all inclusive five-star resort, and opportunities to do things that you might never get the chance to do again!

As soon as the first swell of excitement rushed over me, I realized that this trip was going to be a reality. The first thing I thought was that if I wanted to go, I had to leave the kids. At the time- Matthew was still breastfeeding and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to wean him in time. However, once I introduced cow's milk- he had NO problem at all! First problem- check. The next problem was figuring out who would be able to watch my kids for nearly a week! My mom accepted the opportunity gracefully and my second problem was now over. Now- it was my turn to overcome my fears of traveling to another country without them and finding time to take care of myself and my marriage.

Damien kept saying that this was going to be our second honeymoon. Over eight years ago, we traveled newly married to Maui, Hawaii at the fresh age of 23. We were taking a giant leap in our lives at such a young age but it felt so right. Now, with many more life experiences, we were on our way to take some time to relax and enjoy one another. No middle of the night bottle feeds, no driving carpools, no making breakfast, lunch and dinner. This trip sounded AMAZING!

My Mom and my sister Gina flew in on Friday. Now that my re-enforcements were in place- nothing was stopping me from getting out of here for almost a week! Lucky for us, we packed early so we could enjoy their company and have the opportunity to transition the hectic schedule to my Mom and Gina. I wanted to make the goodbye quick as I knew that if I drew it out, I would blubber all over them and make them anxious. I quickly kissed them goodbye and told them I'd be back soon with a special gift. And just like that- we were on our way!

We left on a Continental flight at 11pm and flew across the country to Newark, New Jersey. Since you can't fly directly into Liberia, Costa Rica- we wanted to fly the route with the fewest stops which would allow us to get some sleep along the way. Because I was seriously sleep deprived, I passed out for most all of the six hours. We had a two hour layover in Newark and then hopped on another six hour flight which brought us into Liberia. The airport was small and somewhat primitive. As we walked off the flight, the heat hit us immediately! It was exciting to know that we would be able to enjoy this heat and just relax for the next week! We piled onto a bus with some of Damien's workmates and started the hour and a half ride to La Paradisus Playa Conchal Resort. The drive was amazing. To see such a different culture as we passed through, a different way of life- was really amazing. One thing that really stuck out was the way each house was designed. Because of the overwhelming presence of termites in Costa Rica, most every house is made of concrete. But the really interesting thing about each house was that all of them had a front patio with rocking chairs on it. When you drove by, there were usually people sitting out there, relaxing, and spending time with family. Maybe we have a thing or two to learn from them . . .

We pulled up to our hotel and it was breathtaking. When I had imagined what this resort would look like, I pictured a hotel right on the beach with oceanfront views. But this was not the case. The rooms were spaced out over this very lush and beautiful property. At first I was a little disappointed, but once we understood the lay of the land, I realized it was perfect. They had golf carts everywhere ready to take you to any part of the resort. This allowed you to go to the beach, the restaurants, or the Spa, and then return to the peacefulness of your room amongst the gorgeous foliage. It was so relaxing and really helped us to slow down and enjoy each other.

On the first day, we explored the property and then joined his company for a welcome dinner. It was nice to match the faces to the names that I hear on a daily basis. It was a traditional Costa Rican dinner with entertainment. During dinner, I had to keep shaking my head to realize that I was in Central America! (And also to realize that I didn't have kids hanging on me!) We turned in relatively early in order to start the next day bright and early. Because we were so close the equator, it got pitch black at 6pm. So turning in early wasn't a really big deal.


We woke up early the next morning, got breakfast, and then met in the main lobby with a group we would join to take Surfing Lessons! We all piled into another bus and drove 20 minutes to a small town that apparently was the best place to surf. When I was a junior in college, we played in a tournament in Hawaii and on the last day, our coach brought us all to the beach and signed us up for surfing lessons. While I had some success then, I was really looking forward to taking lessons again because I really wanted to ride some waves! Damien and I changed into our surf shirts (provided by the instructor) and headed to the beach. The instructor taught us what to do and then we were off to try it on our own! It was awesome. While Damien was a total natural (he is really good at skateboarding and snowboarding), I had to work harder to stay balanced. After a good thirty minutes of practicing- I had it down! Damien and I caught the same wave a few times and were able to surf the wave and reach out and touch each other's hand. It was awesome! Definitely something I will never forget for the rest of my life!

So, it is no secret that I am not the most brave person when it comes to animals, especially reptiles. I was worried that there were going to be a lot of snakes in Costa Rica but lucky for me, they really aren't prevalent there. What were prevalent were wild iguanas! You would be walking and suddenly a 16 inch iguana would walk out in front of you. The picture to the right was of me walking around in the town. I just happened to glance down- and alas . . . there was a freakin' iguana! Ahhhhhhhh!

The following day, we went on an excursion arranged by his company to one of the many canopies in the Costa Rican jungle. This adventure tour promised to be amazing and we couldn't wait to go. It was again, an hour and a half bus ride to the middle of a jungle (situated beneath a volcano) and we were given options on what activities we wanted to partake in. First, we chose to take an inner tube ride down Level 3 rapids. Seriously, it was if Disneyland had taken hold of this particular river and made it the one of the most incredible rides of your life! We had to wear helmets (the rapids were no joke) and you had to wear tennis shoes to push off of rocks and to save yourself from cascading right into giant boulders! Between the swells of rapids, we drifted peacefully down the brisk river and relaxed while enjoying the sight of monkeys in the trees (they were so cute!). The tour guides thought it would be funny to scare the girl riders by putting frogs on our shoulders. Those of you that know me well, know that I was not too pleased by this! After we finished the 90 minute ride, we took a little bus back to the tour center and had lunch with the rest of our group.


From there, we took a 30 minute horse ride (my horse was a total bully) to a waterfall and were allowed to jump off and swim in the clear blue water. It was so cool! Damien and I both jumped and then at the end, we jumped together which was incredible. We rode back to the center and then got ready for our last adventure of the day. We had heard before we came that we were going to be able to ride zip-lines through the jungle. Between the two of us- I am more of the dare devil . I was so excited for it, but Damien was more apprehensive. Too late to back out, we took a safety course and off we went. The first zip line was relatively easy. Damien opted to go before me every time because I think if he went after me and saw what he was going to do- he would've been too nervous. I think there were a total of 10 or 11 zip lines and as we proceeded through them, they increased in difficulty and were more frightening. It was amazing to zip line over a gorge that was seriously 500 feet deep and then wait on a tiny platform to attempt the next one. I LOVED it and I think Damien really liked it. I would totally do it again, but Damien said that once was enough for him.

The rest of the trip we just relaxed and enjoyed the moments of peace and quiet (we knew what we were going to go back to!). We laid out by the pool, relaxed next to the ocean, took a shopping trip into town to by some goodies, ate tons of food (when the resort is all inclusive you have to go for it!) and then got ready for the black-tie dinner on the last night. It was nice to meet so many of the people that Damien works with, but we also kept a lot of distance from the group to truly take advantage of the trip! I have said this to a few of you, but I was really looking forward to this trip to get in touch with Damien and really reflect on our marriage/love and what it has done for us. What I didn't expect was to really get in touch with myself. It was amazing to sit in the sun and have full fluid thoughts going through my mind. There were no interruptions from my little kiddos, I could really think about things and get some great perspective on my life. This trip was something that kind of fell into our laps (well, actually Damien worked his tail off for it) but the trip was just what we needed.

When we came back, my Mom (and Gina) had everything under control. I know that it was hectic while we were gone to keep up with school, ballet, and soccer schedules- but it was all done beautifully. The only things that had changed when we returned was that Claire had lost her front tooth and my little Matthew had taken his first step. A lot of people wondered if that bothered me that I missed his first step- but it really didn't. What a gift for my Mom to be the recipient of that! She, nor I, will ever forget that! Both Damien and I are blessed to have had such an amazing time in Costa Rica. Had it not been for his company, we would have most definitely have not planned something like this for us. I had a hard time being away from the kids, but I am a better mother and wife for getting away and taking care of myself.