Emily is now BUSY!!!!!

Really, Emily? Really? You mean to tell me that all this time- you were really saving three major tricks to unveil to me all in one week? For the past month, you've been rocking on all fours. Back and forth, back and forth. You seemed frustrated that you couldn't go where you wanted to go. Your siblings run around the house constantly and I know you want to play with them! You didn't want to be left in a room all alone while they have all the fun! You wanted in on the action! Well this week- you went from an immobile baby to a baby that is going to keep me on my toes for some time! You were in Mommy and Daddy's room and we were playing on the floor with Michael. He had a big yellow soccer ball in his lap and you wanted it. Just like that- you popped up on all fours and crawled over to Michael and took his ball. You didn't even do a beginners crawl- you looked like a pro and you were fast! We were screaming and laughing with excitement because you are so amazing! Matthew and Claire came in when they heard the commotion and then you crawled to them! Daddy and I couldn't believe it. None of your siblings took to crawling so easily and we both looked at each other knowing that you are going to keep us very busy little lady!

As if crawling wasn't enough to get used to- you started to pull up on things a few days later. And you just didn't pull up on the couch or easy things- you started pulling up on the kids bikes, the dishwasher, the toilet (ewwww), and the kitchen stools which aren't safe for you! Oh, man. You're starting to scare me with how easily you figure things out. The next day, I saw you cruising on the couch. Yes, holding onto the couch and walking. Seriously, Emily. Two days ago you weren't even crawling and now you think you can do anything!

I accidentally left the refrigerator a little ajar and you must have noticed because when I turned around- this is what I saw! I didn't have the heart to pull you out of there because you worked hard to get in there- so I let you play for a while. It was all fun until you pulled a glass bottle of dressing out and dropped it on the floor. I didn't want you to smash your toes so your refrigerator time was now officially over. You were soooo mad at me!

Emily, you're Baby #4. You are supposed to be predictable! No sense in setting the curve now! You're the last baby! Maybe you want to go out with a bang. Maybe you are in a hurry to be like your siblings. No matter the reason you are chipping away at these milestones so quickly- you sure are cute when you get into trouble . . . for now. Just slow down a little. Mommy needs to catch her breath!

The Whole World in his Hands

For a while now, Damien has been saying that he wanted to have a picture taken of him while holding all four of the kids. I thought it was a great idea! The problem is we loved the idea but kept putting off the picture- which is a problem with our fast growing babies! Well, today we attempted it and it was hysterical! First he got Claire in one arm and I handed Michael to him in the other. I then stuck Emily somewhere in the middle of them and made sure she was secure. Then I flopped Matthew half way on Claire and I stepped back as quickly as I could to take a picture! It was so hard because it was so funny!!! They were all screaming with discomfort and wiggling around trying to find leverage and it was awesome. I think I managed to get four pictures before I feared for Emily's life and rescued her. It was a lot harder than we had originally thought but Damien managed to do it!! Success!

A few minutes afterwards, Damien and I realized that this was probably the last time he could hold all of them at the same time. They are all growing up so fast and time is flying by. Even though the picture presents itself as some kind of silly challenge- I think it represents so much more. Damien is such a great dad. Seriously- he is a GREAT dad. He is able to juggle so much and still be a significantly strong and positive light in their lives. I couldn't be prouder of him. I LOVE this picture and hope to always remember the wonderful chaos that surrounded this priceless moment in time.

St. Joseph's Day

Saint Joseph's day is a BIG day in our family. To provide a bit of background information about it, my Dad's middle name is Joseph. When Michael was born and we called my parents from Paris to tell them we gave birth to a boy- I told my Dad then that we had given Michael the middle name of Joseph in his honor. Because of the natural middle name link that Michael and my Dad share and because of Michael's perilous and faith-filled beginnings- Michael and my Dad were instantly bonded. Soon, my Dad began to celebrate their saint day together. For Michael's first two years of life- my Dad would call and send his blessing to Michael on March 19th. By Michael's third birthday, it grew to something much bigger! My Dad hosted the first La Festa di San Guiseppe (Saint Joseph's Day) at my parents house. Each attendee was to bring an Italian dish of food and a monetary contribution that would be sent to a parish, Saint Joseph's of Malawi, in Africa. And can you believe that all of this was in the name of Michael? What an honor.

We had just visited Kirkland on February 20th for Emily's baptism. Knowing that the two events (the baptism and the Festa) were so close together- we knew that only a few of us would fly up again for St. Joseph's Day. Michael, Emily, and I flew up together and were excited to be able to partake in the festivities! For the last few years, I have been pregnant and not allowed to fly but I was good to go this year! We came in Friday night and had a small gift exchange with my Dad and Michael. My Dad got Michael an authentic Saint Joseph's University basketball jersey (similar to the one he gave Michael when he was three) and a few Nintendo DS games. Michael was over the moon with his gifts and thanked his Grandpa. They of course shared a few words about the amazing Saint Joseph and we all got some sleep before the big set up the next morning.

Bright and early the next morning, we headed up to the parish social hall where the stark room was transformed into and Italian oasis. Lights, Italian flags, a moon, and a giant poster of Cicci (my Dad's Italian alter-ego) hung from the ceiling. Add a little mood lighting, checkered table cloths, a shrine for St. Joseph and a few other special touches and we were almost ready to receive the 200 guests who had planned on coming that night!

The food is always amazing as every guest brings an Italian dish. It is so delicious and a great way to try some new foods! Before we knew it- the room was flooded with guests who adhered to the red shirt uniform. St. Joseph's Day is the Italian equivalent for the Irish St. Patrick's Day. In Italy- St. Joe's day is also referred to as the Wearin' of the Red (or at least that is what my Dad says). There were a lot of surprises in store for everyone that night. My parents know how to throw a great party! There was live entertainment, a silent auction, a few skits, a raffle, and of course a lot of fun planned for the evening. The greatest part for me was that Michael was having the best time!

After grace has been said, my Dad called Michael up to the front and had him stand on a chair. He then proceeded to explain the real origin of the event. He explains that because of Michael- the lives of so many in Africa have been changed for the better. So far, the festas of the past have provided the African village with a well so they could have clean drinking water, and this year- we were trying to raise money so that they could run electricity to a library where up until now- the children must read and study by candlelight. It is so amazing that so few dollars on our part can literally change the quality of life for others. I was so proud of Michael as he stood up there with my Dad and proud of my Dad for recognizing the amazing spirit and gift that is Michael! My Dad, who is so incredibly amazing, means the world to me. To see my Dad think the same of Michael is equally as incredible.

Once the party was over and the room was cleaned up- we all went back to my parents with a sense of accomplishment. Everyone had so much fun tonight and we raised money for a wonderful cause. I had a great time in Kirkland with Michael and Emily. Michael, although completely exhausted by the end of the night, understood some more of the significance surrounding his birth. He kept telling me, "You mean because I fought to live- kids in Africa have water and light?" "Exactly, Michael." He was in awe of the change that can be made in places we cannot see. He knows that somewhere- some boy his age is able to read a book or drink water because of his beginnings. It's a big, big world out there- but with a little effort and some great fun, we were able to make a HUGE difference in the lives of many.

Sisterhood

Oh, these girls. They slay me. Claire waited so long and patiently for her little sister and it just makes me so happy to see Claire so happy! Whenever Claire can get Emily in her loving hands- she does. They are just so sweet together. Having grown up with four sisters of my own, I longed so badly for Claire to share in this sisterhood. And while I would've been okay if I had given birth to a boy instead of a girl, the breath I exhaled as Damien yelled, 'It's a Girl!' was largely due to my secret desire for Claire to have a sister. Just look at them! I can't imagine it any other way!

Claire is so maternal. I have no doubt that she will make a phenomenal mother some day. Her children will be so incredibly blessed to have her in their lives. She takes such great care of her siblings. It just makes me so proud. And let's not forget about what a wonderful role model Claire is for Emily! Clairey loves dressing like Emily and she loves that Emily just adores her. She shows her baby off to our family and friends whenever she can and you can just tell that deep in her bones- she feels for her baby sister. I know that some day- they will clash with each other. Yet, I have no doubt that in the future they will be each other's rock. I only hope she can feel the same way for Emily as I do about Jill, Gina, Laura, and Natalie. As sisters- you do go through a lot of ups and downs together. However, I wouldn't be who I am today without such amazing sisters who make me feel important, worthy of so much, and beautiful on the inside and out. Here's sending love to all of you sisters out there. You know who you are!

Oh, Brother!

These guys are too cute. Too bad I don't get more pictures of them together. They really are at different places in their lives right now. Although Michael is a great big brother to Matthew and they love each other very much, Michael is really wanting independence in his life. Because of this- they really don't hang out too much these days. It is getting a little better since the weather is nice. Matthew will go out and play baseball, basketball, and soccer with Michael so I am hoping by the end of the summer- they will be tighter and have more in common. I love that I have two boys and two girls. They both have a friend for life and I couldn't thank God enough for that. Despite the even gender split- Michael plays a lot with Claire and Matthew plays a lot with Claire. Claire's age is right in the middle of the boys and they both love to play with her in different ways and for different reasons. She can play up with Michael and play down with Matthew. For the moment- she is willing to do both and loves the attention she gets from them.

Michael is out in the backyard all of the time. When he isn't there- he is playing his Nintendo DS or asking me or Damien to play with him. Because Matthew isn't on Michael's radar right now, I doesn't necessarily think of them as a twosome. I think of Claire and Emily as a little set because Claire is so interested in Emily and their future life together as sisters. Michael loves Matthew a lot but they have a little ways to go before they are joined at the hip. I do like to think of the future where they pal around together- getting into lots of trouble, I am sure! I know the time will come where Michael will need Matthew to back him up or Matthew will need his big brother for protection or good advice. There is a HUGE difference between the ages of 8 and 3 and I know that with time- the 5 1/2 year gap will only get smaller and mean less in terms of maturity. Oh, Brother. These two will have a great life with one another and are so lucky to have each other.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

Coming from the only person in our family who is not Irish- Happy St. Patrick's Day! This holiday is a funny one. Definitely one to be celebrated but NOT a holiday that brings a lot of fuss or hoopla when it is on it's way! They way I prep for this holiday is to buy the kids a fun St. Patrick's shirt, sometimes buy them hats/headbands, and buy ingredients at the store to make Irish Soda Bread. It's as simple as that!

The kids were thrilled to have a free dress day at school. I was a bit bummed to learn they couldn't wear hats because Michael was looking forward to donning his new Cat in the Hatish green and white striped hat. The night before school, I caught him putting it in his backpack but I looked the other way. What would happen if he put on for a little bit at school? I know, usually I am more rule conscience but come on. They can't wear fun hats to celebrate the day?

Apparently, since Damien was a young lad- he has been aiming to make it through ONE St. Patrick's Day without getting pinched. He always wears an obvious green item but someone always pinches him as a joke. He thought this year might be the year but Claire pinched him first thing in the morning (she didn't know the back story, either). So good luck in the future Damien- especially since a lot of people you know and love read this blog!

When my kids came home from school, they were upset that the leprechauns didn't come to our house, turn over our chairs, and dye food green. Apparently, a lot of families at their school know leprechauns and it is a shame that we don't. I tried to make it better by explaining that if leprechauns did visit- we would have to clean up all of the mess they made. Michael and Claire thought about this and agreed that it was okay they didn't visit us. It didn't stop Michael from taping a poster to our front door- hoping that some passing leprechaun would see it and come in our house and search his room for gold. It was pretty cute. Happy St. Patrick's Day to all of you- Irish or not!

Michael's Irish Jig 2010

I saw a little leprechaun;

He hopped upon my head.

He smiled and winked and tipped his hat,

And this is what he said:

Please don't touch my gold.

It tastes like cheese and mold.

And when you say, "I'll make a wish"

I'll make a Scottish dish.

Bye Bye Bikes

My kids are sensitive little people. I absolutely love it. I remember a time in Kindergarten when Michael was crying after school. I asked him what was wrong and he told me that another boy had killed a baby snail. The boy's mom told me how lucky I was to have a child who felt so deeply. She told me, "Don't ever change it!" When it comes to life, feelings, big picture stuff- my kids feel so deeply. They have a special connection to things that I can't even understand. They are sad to give away toys, stuffed animals- basically anything that represents a memory. For Christmas, Santa brought them all new bikes! I joked that Claire and Michael looked like circus clowns riding their old bikes because they had to ride it hunched over with their knees way out to the side. Santa certainly new they needed bigger bikes! The older, rusty bikes had been laying in the backyard for a few months. It didn't bother me because the weather had been pretty bad and we weren't spending time out there. Well, as the sun started to come out more and more I knew I needed to clean the backyard. What to do with those small bikes we didn't need anymore. I thought about just bringing them to Goodwill without the kids knowing but when they figured out what I had done- they would've been devastated. So I decided to ask them what we should do with the bikes. Start tears, mini tantrums, and drama now!

Both Michael and Claire were so mad that I would even suggest giving away their old bikes. "We're not done with them!", "Save mine for Emily", "How can you even ask us to do this?" were a few of the quotes thrown my way. This was not going to be easy. I suggested that maybe they could lay the bikes out on the driveway with a FREE sign on them. Michael warmed up to the idea- but Claire was not going to budge. In the meantime, Michael rolled his little blue bike outside and laid it down carefully. He taped a cute little sign to it and said, 'Thanks. You've been a great bike.' Then he spent about ten seconds or so rubbing it and said goodbye again and walked backwards into the house- never losing sight of it. He then stood at the window and watched to see if anyone would take it. After Claire saw what a great thing her brother did- she too made a sign and hesitantly rolled her pink bike out to the driveway. She taped on her sign and said goodbye to her bike. She was crying but through her tears told me, 'Mom, I know this is the right thing for me to do. Some little girl doesn't have a bike and hopefully she will like mine.'

The kids went from watching TV to looking out the shutters to see if anyone had wanted their free bikes. No cigar. I started making dinner and noticed a truck outside my kitchen window. Then I saw a little boy rolling a blue bike . . . Michael's blue bike toward the truck. "Michael- hurry into the kitchen! Hurry!" The boy lifted the bike to his Dad who placed it in the truck. By this time, both kids hopped up on the counter and saw Michael's bike ready to be taken away! Michael's emotions were all over the place. He was excited for the boy but so sad to see HIS bike in a strangers truck. Just then, the boy came around the corner of our house wheeling Claire's bike! Claire was excited! He lifted it to his Dad and there sat Michael and Claire's bikes ready to go to a better place where some child would enjoy them! They were happy until the truck started to drive away. It was like a sad scene in a movie where in slow motion- someone waves goodbye from a train. They both burst into tears. I hugged them both and reminded them of the wonderful thing they had done. They gathered themselves, wiped their faces and Michael said, 'Let's go ride our big bikes!' Claire agreed and they ran off to the backyard together. Within a few minutes, I could hear them laughing and enjoying their BIG bikes. I know it was a hard moment for them but I hope they remember in the end how great it felt to do the right thing.

Mrs. President

Last year, I posted an article Michael wrote which detailed what he would do if he was President. Well, Claire brought home her own version of this First Grade assignment and I thought it was pretty good! Claire has been very worried about the people of Haiti and Chile who have faced some very sad times due to the large earthquakes which have devastated their homes, families, and lives. She prays for them every night at dinner and can't seem to handle the idea that there are moms and babies out there who don't have a roof over their head. I can't blame her. As an adult, it is a very scary thing to think about- I can't imagine how difficult it would be to think of this with the mind of a child. Claire wants to know what people are going to do about these poor people. It was not surprising to see that if she was President- she would take action and help the less fortunate out. I couldn't be prouder of my little girl.

If I was President, I would save my country and build houses for the people who don't have one. -President Claire Swendsen.

San Francisco

My camera hid out all morning in my purse. What a shame, too because we had a beautiful birthday celebration for Marlene (Damien's Mom) at the Beach Chalet in San Francisco! It was a wonderfully beautiful morning full of pink ballet themed fun! Damien's whole family was able to make it and toast to his Mom on a fabulous year. It was a huge group. Funny- I don't think any of us realize how big the family has gotten with the addition of all the grand kids. The older ones are getting bigger and more and more little ones seem to be popping up! It really was a nice birthday celebration- I am just sad I didn't capture it!


The Beach Chalet, is a darling restaurant which hugs the beautiful San Francisco coast line. From our tables, we had an amazing view of the oh-so-blue water and the many runners and passers-by who were taking advantage of the sunny day. San Francisco has so much beauty to offer any visitor. Even on the walk back to the car we were able to let the kids run around in a park which we stumbled upon. It was full of colorful tulips and a breathtaking huge windmill! How cool is that? I am glad we took a little time to explore!


As Emily continues to get bigger and more durable, I hope we can take more day trips to fun places to explore and discover. I can think of a handful of places that I hope we can visit. We have never been to Yosemite (I am embarrassed to admit it) and hope to get there this summer. Emily should be walking by then so we will hopefully explore yet another interesting place as a fully mobile family then. We did need to get back to San Jose today, so we didn't stay much longer in San Francisco. I hope we can take one of the days during Spring Break to take the short forty-five minute drive north to explore and have some fun!

Golden Circle

I know we just got away for a few nights in Jamaica- but it is surprising how quickly we needed another night away! A great friend of mine at Santa Clara University invited Damien and me to be their guests at Golden Circle. I have mentioned on this blog before that it is a Black Tie event with pretty big time entertainment, a gorgeous dinner, with dancing late into the night. It is so much fun and it is even better that it benefits the University in such a big way! Around two thousand people attend the big party at the Fairmont hotel and it is exciting to see so many people dressed up and ready to have a great time! This year, they booked Huey Lewis and the News (Damien was so excited to see them) for the entertainment but we were surprised to hear just two days before the event that he had to cancel. Luckily, they were able to secure The Pointer Sisters (Damien was not so excited to see them)! Ali and Heather offered to watch the kids overnight so Damien and I headed just ten minutes away to the Fairmont Hotel for a full day of kid-less fun!

I thought the show was great! I recognized a lot of The Pointer Sister's songs and really thought they were talented! They have been performing for so long and I had a lot of respect for them. Damien, on the other hand, went to the bathroom mid-show and didn't come back for about twenty-five minutes. I think he thought they were a little too 'nails on a chalkboard' for him. After the show, we dined with friends and saw so many wonderful people from Santa Clara University. We really feel Santa Clara is a family we can always go back to. We have a lot of pride in the school (since we both went there and met there) and love supporting it when we can. We danced well into the night and just had an absolute blast. Of course, I loved seeing Damien in a tuxedo and I felt good in the dress I had bought at Macy's earlier in the day (nothing like the last minute). We settled into our hotel room for a night of uninterrupted sleep and it was amazing! I am so grateful we got to go to Golden Circle and would love to be able to have more friends join us in the future!!!

Emily = 9 Months

Oh, man. Another month has passed! This chubby beauty is now nine months old! That's three quarters of a year, an entire pregnancy worth of life, which means she is well on her way to being a one year old!!! Part of me cheers on this great accomplishment because it means that as a family, we are growing a bit older which makes life on the whole a lot easier. Another part of me is a bit sad because this means she is only getting bigger and that small, more feeble Emily is merely a memory now. I have thrown my hands up a bit when it comes to burying myself in sorrow over the rapid growth of my kids. I try and focus on the fact that I give 100% to them- eating and breathing every single experience that I can. I stay at home with them, I am present, I try and keep their life as family focused as possible and make sure they are happy and confident in themselves. If I try and fight their growth, I will only waste precious time. I have to accept that time is passing and instead of fighting against it, I want to grow with them. Because heck- I am not getting younger, either!

Emily is a healthy and happy nine month old. At her check-up she weighed in at 23 pounds 13 ounces (105%) and was 29 inches tall (90%). She is almost exactly the same size Claire and Matthew were at this age! In the last week of her ninth month, she started scooting. I imagine that any day now this little baby girl will be on the move and into more trouble than I can imagine! Emily LOVES to eat and is really feeling quite proud and a little cocky at mealtimes. She loves that I give her some of what we are eating and she eats it in a way that lets us all know that she got what she wanted! I am still giving her baby food mixed with oatmeal twice a day but she is loving being table fed. She still only has two teeth but she manages to eat almost everything! And how is she sleeping? Let's not even go there!

Emily's personality continues to develop and what a character she is! If you laugh at her, she will laugh back. If you grunt at her, she will grunt back. She is babbling like crazy, too. Ba-ba, ma-ma, ta-ta, ooohs, aaaahhs, are a few things we hear from her. She recognizes people's names now. It is cute to say, 'Where is Daddy?' and watch her search the entire room for him and give him a huge smile when she finds him! She is a really smiley baby. Emily is just so happy and content most of the time and she is just a real pleasure to be around. She is quite strong- this little one! (Does that sentence sound Star Warsey? Not my intention!) She loves to smack and grab faces. She loves to put her hand in your mouth (weird, I know) when she is trying to calm down and go to bed. Most babies rub their eyes when they are tired, but Emily likes to rub her ears. She is very tactile and loves to feel and grab everything. Did I mention she puts EVERYTHING in her mouth? I am going to go out there and say that she is going to be my craziest child yet. Not in a crazy/nutso kind of way, but the biggest risk taker and ball full of energy. We'll see if this happens!

Emily is doing great. She is learning so much, so fast. We know mobility is on the way for her and our lives will change for sure! She is so in love with her siblings and there is no doubt that their mobility and ability to do things is a huge motivator for her! We love Emily. Every last chubby roll of her! We are so thrilled that she is so healthy and once again thank God for blessing us with her. Happy 9 Months Emmy!

Rub-A-Dub-Dub Four Kids in a Tub

Here is the play by play on how all FOUR of my kids ended up in a bath that was only intended for TWO.

Mommy: "Matthew, Emily- do you guys want to take a bath? Do you want to go kick, kick, kick, splash, splash, splash?"

Emily kicks her legs uncontrollably which only means one thing . . . YES!

Matthew: "Yeah, bath time! It's naked baby time!"

I draw the water and prepare the two little ones for the bath. Emily CANNOT control herself! She just loves it. Matthew is excited but is now preoccupied with making sure he has the right toys for the bath!

Mommy: "Okay, it's ready!"

I place both kids in the bath and have to stay close to Emily who is now out of her little baby bathtub and in the big tub now! She is dangerous beyond measure so I have to really watch her because she is on a mission to submerge herself!

About five minutes go by when I hear a knock at the bathroom door.

Claire: "Oh my gosh! Emily is in the big bath now? I hate that she is growing older. It makes me so sad."

Mommy: "I know. She is growing up way too fast, just like you did!"

Claire: "Can I go in the bath with them? I have never taken a bath with Emily!"

Right now, that annoying micro-managing voice pops into my head and tells me to tell her no. If she came in, Emily would be even more crazy and dangerous. But then the other, 'Oh What the Heck' voice overpowers it and says to let Claire in. How many baths will they be able to take together in their lifetime? It might be a bit crazy in this pink tub, but the more the merrier.

Mommy: "Of course you can go in, Claire!"

She literally shrieks with excitement! I then chastise that micro-managing voice because it almost cost Claire a memory with her siblings! The three kids are in the bath having a great time and starting to get a bit hyper. Emily is doing her excited grunt and Matthew is so happy to be with his two sisters! It is now loud in here and I knew it was only a matter of time before Michael heard the commotion and came to check it out. Again, a knock at the door. It is Michael and he can't believe his eyes!

Michael: "Emily is out of her baby bathtub? (Sad sigh) Ohhhhhh. Can I go in with them?"

I look at the already full tub and before that silly rational voice talks to me I quickly answer . . .

Mommy: "Yes! Come on in, just be careful!"

Michael can't get his clothes off fast enough. He is so excited! He hops in next to Emily and Matthew and all three of the older kids start giggling.

Claire: "This is hilarious!"

Michael: "I know!"

I stare at all four of my beautiful babies. How did I get here? How did they get so big that they barely fit in the bathtub together? I get misty thinking about how life isn't going to always be this simple. I think about how they are not always going to be together. My mind drifts to Michael going off to college and I think about how Emily will only be in the fourth grade! I think about how precious these years are- how we will not always have these beautiful kids at our fingertips. I hold Emily's chubby arm and grab more firmly when I think about the fact that I can feel and touch all of them right now. Their lives are unfolding right in front of me and what a gift it is to watch this beautiful show. Thank God I didn't think purely out of logic a few minutes ago. Thank God I let them all cram in like anchovies into this little bathtub. We are making a memory that we will keep forever. I make a mental note to stop micro-managing life. I think about the opportunity I have to let them do things that are more fun than logical and how I need to make sure that fun beats logical more and more. I love my kids. I am so insanely proud of them. They love each other. What a gift it was to be pregnant (no matter how difficult) and be able to create what I see in front of me.

Through my tears I stare at Emily and say,

Mommy: "Kick, kick, kick, splash, splash splash!"

And before I know it, the older three kids are repeating it, too. Kick, kick,kick, splash, splash, splash. Through our laughter- I am reminded that these little moments are what make life so incredibly special. Michael, Claire, Matthew, Emily . . . I love you with all my heart.
Love, Mommy

Angels Baseball

Michael is so happy to be playing baseball. It has finally clicked in his cute little head that when Spring comes- he gets to play baseball! This year he was drafted to the Angels! Well, drafted is a strong word as they didn't try out for teams but were placed on teams with their friends. Michael loves that he was put on the Angels, but Damien wasn't overly excited since they are another California baseball team and Damien is a SF Giants fan. I told him to get over it- and he did :). Damien is also going to help coach Michael's team this year which makes Michael so happy! It should be a great father/son bonding opportunity for them!

This year, Michael has an amazing head coach who gets that the best way to teach these boys is through basic fundamentals. He makes them do things the right way and I love this approach. It reminds me a lot of how my Dad taught me to play sports- so naturally, I am all for it! So far, Michael has had a handful of practices and one game. He is having an absolute blast and it makes me happy to see him so happy! The coach is rotating the kids through different positions to give them all experience. Michael played third base his last game and did great! He fielded grounders, seemed to have good presence and knew where the force outs would be, and even tagged out two guys as they came his way. The most hilarious part of the game was when a player on the other team was running from second to third and he saw Michael at third with the ball. The kid panicked and ran into left field to avoid Michael. Michael looked puzzled and knew the kid was running the wrong way but decided to chase him down anyway. He chased the little boy for about twenty-five seconds or so and they got so far away they looked like little ants out there! Michael finally tagged him out and ran back to the diamond looking awfully satisfied as we all held our stomachs which hurt after laughing so hard!!! It was a classic moment!

I know I probably sound like a broken record when talking about Michael and his beginnings but I can't help it. For so many days back in Paris, I silently grieved the potential limitations Michael might face. No matter how positive I tried to be, the reality and starkness of the situation would creep in. They told us so many things that could go wrong and how all of these medical interventions would probably affect the health and well-being of my little boy. To see him out there so strong, so healthy just makes my heart swell with pride. I am so thankful for Michael. A whole, healthy, amazing little guy who runs the bases and jumps for joy when he tags an opponent out. What a miracle he is. What a wonderful chance at life God gave him. We are so blessed. Maybe it was just happenstance that he was placed on the Angels, but it makes me smile a bit when I see him running around out there and I don't doubt for a minute that God gave him his own set of invisible wings.

2 Peas in a Pod

There is something special about the relationship between Claire and Matthew. He just loves her, she can't help but be nurturing to him. It is really sweet. Matthew brings Claire books when she gets home from school and most of the time- she just happily reads to him. They do a lot of imaginary play together. I think they work because Claire loves to play the Mom/Caretaker/Helper role and Matthew happily obliges because he likes being taken care of. Matthew's dynamic with Michael is great, just very different. They play swords, soccer, baseball, wrestle, and are just rough with each other. Claire and Matthew focus more on the fun, non-competitive things in life and it really seems to work for them. Plus Matthew is game for just about anything which often leads him to playing Littlest Pet Shop or finding himself in a Disney Princess dress (a la Claire)! Once Claire gets home, I can hear Matthew yell, "Cwaire!" over and over until he gets her attention. I hope they continue to stay close and it will be fun to see if she still feels the need to take care of him as they grow older!

***Gotta love that Michael was able to get an eyeball in this picture!