Happy Half Birthday Matthew!

Can it be? Has it really been six months already? I can remember back to the first few weeks of Matthew's life- enjoying every day to the fullest, while also feeling like each week was such a huge milestone. It seemed like the weeks were long and a huge feat to overcome. So how is it that without realizing it, he is six months old? There has been much talk about what we call, "The Third Child Syndrome". Can the quick passing of half a year be attributed to this? Were we so busy with the other two kids and busy with keeping up with life's furious pace that we failed to realize we have had this beautiful little guy for so long? Whatever the case, I can't believe what a big boy Matthew is and I am looking forward to the next six months and all it has to offer!

At six months, Matthew is a very healthy, chubby baby. He is now 21 pounds and 27 1/2 inches long. While he still doesn't have any teeth, his little gums show serious signs of a tooth on the horizon. He is drooling, his gums are swollen, and he has that little spotty teething rash around his mouth. Yes, we should have a tooth or teeth soon, but I am going to enjoy the look of his gummy mouth because soon we will never see it like that again. One significant growth of this month was Matthew's hair. It has grown enough so that now it gets spiky in the bath and we can see a color emerging. While his hair still can't be specified blond, red, or brown (it changes colors in different lighting) it is fun to look at. Some people say it is strawberry blond, others say it is gingerbread. I have no formal opinion because every time I call it a certain color- it changes. So I have resigned to watch the technicolor Matthew hair show and wait it out! His big blue eyes are here to stay (as if there was ever a question about that). Matthew's skin has really tolerated the sun. While his skin is not as dark as mine, he does exhibit some olive coloring and despite keeping him in the shade and using sunblock- he has tan lines.


Physically, Matthew has grown a lot stronger and more dexterous this month. He is happy on his tummy, but once placed there- almost immediately rolls over. He has been pivoting a little on his tummy and moving backward a little bit. He loves to lay down on his back and bat at toys. He is controlled enough to reach up and grab something in front of him. He is very close to rolling over from his back to his tummy. He rolls over half way, but flips back onto his back. Again, due to the fact that he is held a great deal of the day and really should have more floor time, I am trying to make sure I find time to get him on the floor! Matthew is able to sit up for about 30 seconds or so before falling forward or to his side. Because of this, he has started to spend some time in his high chair and likes to play with spoons or smallish toys on the tray.


He still loves his pluggie (pacifier) and is able to take it out of his mouth and then put it back in. He is talking a lot more and starts to sing when I sing to him. He seems to really recognize people in our family and exhibits his excitement by kicking his legs incessantly! Matthew is now super aware of where Mommy is at all times. God forbid if someone else is holding him and I walk through the room! He sees me and starts to whine and I can't resist the feeling of being wanted so badly! He will watch me no matter what I am doing and will lean out of someones arms and bring both arms out to me so I will take him. He is a snuggler and when I hold him, he likes to nuzzle his head into my neck and chest and even gives me hugs. He has started to have a little stranger anxiety and if someone he doesn't know gets really close to his face (mostly if he realized he doesn't know them) he will start crying. Another thing Matthew does that my other two children didn't do is scream! I mentioned earlier about the "Third Child Syndrome" and I think that this fits into it as well. Matthew is a well tempered baby- an easy baby in my opinion. However, when he is upset or really needs something, he will cry/scream with such a loud and high pitched sound that you can't help but pay attention to him. Does he do this because he is the third child and at times I am preoccupied? My cousin just had her third baby and he is a screamer/squealer, too. Does the third child and every subsequent child after that need to find a way to get attention? Just a thought . . .

Matthew's personality is really starting to exhibit itself. Not only is he a smiley guy, but he is laughing and seems to understand humor. Don't laugh at me! I am serious. If I laugh, he knows to laugh. When I do a certain tango dance with him, he knows that we dip at the end. When I get to that part of the song, he smiles because he knows I am going to dip him. While I never expected Matthew to lack in the personality department (how could he with siblings like Michael and Claire), I just think it is cute to see his personality take such form!

On his six month birthday, Matthew had his first rice cereal and he loved it. There was no tongue thrusting, instead- he swallowed it completely. I anticipate that Matthew will be a good eater and we won't have any food issues.

Michael and Claire continue to LOVE having a baby brother. They are really helpful and help keep him occupied when I make dinner or take care of things around the house. In their eyes, every time Matthew can do something new- it is like a miracle. I heard Claire gasp when she watched Matthew eat a Gerber snack puff for first time. Michael has been known to find it fascinating when Matthew reaches out and touches him.

We are loving life with Matthew. We have had a very busy summer and Matthew has just rolled with the punches and let us enjoy ourselves. He's flown on numerous airplanes, taken many long car rides, and had to be patient a lot while I help the other kids. He is very adaptable and has handled all of this very well. And while I cheer and mourn (just a little bit) the fact that he is already half a year old and that he is in the last few weeks with a mouth with no teeth, there are many wondrous things on the horizon for this little guy and I can't wait to witness them. We love you little bear.

Lake Chelan

Every other year, my family takes a trip to Lake Chelan. There is nothing like wading in the crystal blue water, eating ice cream cones that practically melt before you can eat them, basking in the old town feel of the city, and swirling down the water slides that sit high above the town on the side of a mountain. Yes, Lake Chelan has it all and it is the perfect place to relax and enjoy family while sharing tons of laughs and memories.

I have been going to Lake Chelan since I was a child. I camped for years during the summer in the Chelan State Park with my cousins, camped with my family in both the State and City Parks, and more recently, stayed in hotels (my dad hates camping) right on the lake. While I do miss the smell of the campfire and waking up on a cold pillow, I thoroughly enjoy the hotel atmosphere and don't miss the dirt and muck. For me, Chelan has gotten better and better since I introduced my kids to the fun it has to offer. They now have their own memories and ask me year long when we are going to go back! For Michael and Claire, this trip to Chelan was their third. For Matthew and my nephew Kyle, this was their first trip!

Chelan is a short 3 1/2 hours from my parent's house. To break up the trip, we sometimes stop in a quaint and cute German town called Leavenworth. The small town was built to look German and offers a lot of shopping and yummy snacks. We couldn't resist the taffy shop and of course, we had to frequent the authentic German coffee shop, Starbucks. The kids enjoyed the opportunity to stretch their legs and Matthew was equally happy to get out of his carseat, eat, and enjoy the scenery.

For the past two trips, we have stayed at a cute little hotel on the other side of a little bridge from the small downtown of Chelan. Unfortunately, they were remodeling and have started upgrading their rooms to draw more guests (and more money)! So, we opted instead to stay at Campbell's Resort which is right in the middle of town. I stayed there years ago with my Uncle Denny, Aunt Carol, and cousins Julie and Stefanie when I was 11 and we really enjoyed our stay there. This year, our family (13 people) occupied 4 rooms and used my Mom and Dad's room as the 'Party Room'. Okay, we basically snacked, played games, and fed the babies there- but that is about as much partying as we get these days! Their room was situated perfectly on the lake and it never got boring sitting on their balcony, watching the boats zig-zag on the water, while eating red licorice (a Chelan must!). At night, the starry sky was breath-taking and if you timed it right, you could watch the moon sneak behind the mountain only to return the next day.

The big variable of the trip were Matthew (5 1/2 months) and Kyle (9 months). Would having two babies throw off the rhythm of the trip, or would having them there enhance the trip? I am happy to report that both babies did great! They slept pretty well, and napped on the go. They even went down a few waterslides! When we booked the trip last year, both Jill and I were pregnant and we wondered how it would be once the boys arrived. I think everyone was happy they were with us. They looked adorable in their swim trunks, Kyle got to try his first ice cream, and both enjoyed the favorable weather and I think they relaxed, too.

One big sell for Chelan, next to the nostalgia of the small city, is the water park called SlideWaters. It is a smallish park, but so much fun! The babies and Michael and Claire started on the small kiddie slides. It didn't take long for my two crazies to want to go on the big slides and off they went. We first took them on a double tube ride which is no small feat! Up the sides of the slide we flew and all I could hear was Claire's giggling as I tried to see through her hair which was flying back in my face. Next to the double tube ride is a slide called the Purple Haze. I went on it a few years ago and remembered it to be a little rough and scary, but not too bad. Claire had absolutely no interest in it, but Michael begged and begged to go on. Michael knows that when we wants to push the envelope, he should ask me because Damien is more conservative when it comes to rides and scary-ish things. So, after seeing the hopeful glimmer in Michael's eyes and after talking to Damien about letting Michael go on it, he agreed. Up the hill we climbed to the entrance to the ride. The whole time in line, Michael was asking me if it was going to be scary. I said that it was a little scary, really dark, but a lot of fun. As I confidently answered Michael, I started to get nervous because I really didn't remember the ride much except that it is pitch black in the tube the whole way down. I was going to go first so that I could be at the bottom to catch him. I waved goodbye to Michael and told him to be brave. Off I went. Man- was it dark. Gees, the pace was fast and the water was rough. I was swished around and seriously couldn't see anything. The air in the tube was warm and I am embarrassed to say- I started hyperventilating. All I could think about was my Michael- who was so courageously handing his fear but was doing it because Mommy said it would be okay. And here I was- a grown woman freaking out! I pictured him crying, I thought of him choking on the water. I was now in a full blown panic and thought that maybe if I yelled loud enough up the tube to my brother-in-law Brian, he would hear me and spare Michael from the terrifying ride. As soon as I came up with this brilliant idea (not) I was splashed with overwhelming daylight and thrown into the pool of water. I knew that my splashing in the wading pool was the signal for Michael to go. Brian gave him a push and off he went. The ride only lasts about 45 seconds, but it seemed like an eternity. I pictured him coming out hysterically crying. I bit my nails and felt Damien and the rest of the family's eyes peering through me to the opening of the tube to see Michael come out. I brainstormed how I would handle Damien's anger as he held his frightened son and how it was all my fault. As soon as I began to formulate my plan, the tube spit Michael out into the water. "I'm coming Michael! Mommy's coming!" Once he wiped the water from his eyes, he yelled out, "That was awesome! I want to do it again!" All my worrying- thinking Michael couldn't handle it and I was the only one hyperventilating. In my eyes, this very moment propelled Michael to a new level in my mind. He is growing up and he did a great job at handling his fears. A lot better than I did! The whole day at the park was so fun, hysterical, and perfect. SlideWaters lived up to our expectations, again. Can't wait to go back in a few years!

Our trip was great! There were no snags with our ever-growing family, and we all felt satiated on day 4 when it was time to return home. Yes, Chelan lived up to its promise and the delicious ice cream at Pat & Mike's on the way out of town left us wanting more!

Three In The Bed

Matthew is so lucky to have a brother and a sister who love him so much. They think he is so cool! These great moments are what make the craziness of having 3 kids worth it!

Tastes of Summer

I am waiting to feed Matthew food until he is 6 months old. I waited with my other two, so I don't see why I wouldn't wait with Matthew, too. A lot of people start feeding their baby food when they are 4 months old, but I am more conservative when it comes to these kinds of milestones. If you think about it- there are only a few months in a baby's life when they only drink milk and I cherish these times!

When my other two kids were babies, I never felt the need to feed them early or even give them a taste of food. But since Matthew is so aware of his surroundings and seems interested in what we are all doing, I have found myself tempted and have given in! Last week as I was biting into a juicy apple while holding Matthew, I noticed that he was watching my hand was I bit the apple and returned it to the table. This went on the entire time I ate the apple and I decided that I would quench his curiosity. So I put the apple in his mouth. He ran the tongue over it and then started sucking . . . and sucking . . . and sucking. He brought his hands up to the apple and was pretty much attacking it! After a few minutes, I took the apple away and he had a total meltdown. Screaming and kicking, but I couldn't give it back because he had weakened it and I didn't want to have him break off a piece in this mouth. Then the next day, he watched me intently as I drank water from a glass. So I gave him a try and again, he loved it! When I went to take the glass away, he again screamed and screeched. At dinner the other night, we were eating watermelon and it was so sweet and good. He watched Michael and Claire eat their watermelon from start to finish. Damien thought we should give him a taste and I totally agreed! He sucked on watermelon for about five minutes straight- barely taking a moment to breathe!

Matthew is not a little baby. People comment all the time about his chubby arms and legs and how 'healthy' he looks. This little guy loves to eat! I will continue to give him tastes of food, but as far as eating cereal and food from a jar, he only needs to wait two more weeks. It should be fun to start foods since he really seems to enjoy trying new things!

4th of July

Because the 4th of July fell on a Wednes- day this year, we had nearly a full week of parties! We started last Saturday at Lani's In-Laws for their annual 4th of July celebration! The kids were really looking forward it this year and the Gullottas didn't disappoint! Their house is perched way up on top of a mountain and on a clear day you can see the all the way to San Francisco! The big sell for the kids is that their pool has a swirly slide (as they call it). The weather was perfect, the pool refreshing, and everyone seemed happy in the spirit of the 4th! It was fun to see the cousins play/swim together and we still can't believe how big Megan is getting. In between swimming and catching up with everyone there, we dined on their amazing pizzas! They have trays of fresh pizza dough which you form yourself and adorn with any of the multitude of toppings. Then they put it in their wood-fired pizza oven. I really do look forward to these pizzas every 4th! We had a great time and always appreciate being invited to their event!

On the actual 4th of July, most of the Swendsen family gathered down here in our neck of the woods. Damien and I wanted to make the holiday special so we made a few yummy touches for the party! Marlene and Mark have a bunch of Meyer lemon trees at their house- so when we visit, I always make sure to bring a bag home for decoration purposes and just to have lemons on hand if a recipe calls for them. But for this 4th of July, I wanted to use them in a recipe and I decided on Lemon Meringue Pie. At first I thought it was a great idea. But when I went to look in the Joy of Cooking for the recipe, they warned you that Meringue can be tricky! Two whole pages were devoted to the dos and don'ts and I must admit, I was a little nervous to make it! I hired Damien to by my sous-chef and appreciate that Heather took the kids to the pool for an hour so we could really concentrate on making it right! We followed the directions exactly and what do you know? The pie turned our beautifully. Sure it looked pretty, but I couldn't lose the visual from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation when the seemingly perfect turkey is anything but perfect! Lucky for us, it tasted as good as it looked!

The party was fun! Small, yet lively. As of yesterday, Damien's sister, Ali, is living at Mark and Jocelyn's house (since they are abroad). Ali will be joined by her husband in their house after they get married in August. Because Ali's first full day living there was the 4th, not only was the 4th was a celebration for our country but also a celebration in honor of Ali's big move! We had a lot of fun. Water balloons, fireworks, BBQ, a plethora of Coke made in Mexico (it is so sweet because it is made with sugar cane), and good family fun. It was the first 4th of July we have spent down here in many years and it was a lot of fun. As always, we thought of Hellie -Damien's grandma, who's birthday was the 4th and from whom Michael got his red hair. We had a few pictures of her around the house and made sure to tell some great stories about her. We ended the night watching a firework show that was set off from a neighboring high school. It was awesome to see Matthew watching the big fireworks. He moved his eyes around and flailed his arms and legs as the colors erupted in the sky.

I couldn't help but think that my kid's memories of the 4th of July would be so much different from my own. When we were kids, the greatest thing about the holiday was saving up your money and then biking to the firework stand where you could buy your very own fireworks. Since fireworks are now banned in so many areas, my kids might never know the feeling of what it is like to light off your own fireworks. Sure, we almost caught ourselves on fire a few times, and sure, a bumblebee firework flew at me and burned a hole in my shirt, and yes- I did hold the roman candle as it spewed fire into the air, and really- I only caught my hair on fire once . . .

Maybe it is best that they won't really get up close and personal with them. Nevertheless, we had a great 4th and if my kids remember one thing from the 4th of July, I hope it is that holidays and 'special days' are best spent surrounded by the people you love. God Bless our Country and God Bless Hellie!

5 Months Old

As much as I like it that Matthew is growing older, it is so hard to say goodbye to the previous month. I want him to grow, but I know that with each new milestone I lose some of his babyness, if you will. Now Matthew is 5 months old. He's one month away from eating food, his two bottom teeth are really trying to come through his gums, he is growing increasingly aware of his surroundings (okay- he is nosey), and he is getting SO big. I love this age when your baby is able to entertain themselves and watch the world around them, but they aren't old enough to move around the house and cause havoc! Matthew loves taking in the world around him. He watches cars go by, watches his brother and sister whiz past him, and can even enjoy the view from his car seat! We are in a good place!

Matthew was sleeping great! I felt rested and had tons on energy to put into the other two kids! We were on a roll! And then it happened. Those two bottom teeth turned our world around. His poor gums!!! He is constantly rubbing his tongue on his gums and if you put your knuckle in his mouth, he bites down on it like a lion attacking meat! It is pretty funny to watch, but sad too that he is so bothered by the pain! My other two kids weren't really affected by teeth coming in. Claire drooled incessantly, but then one day I looked in her mouth and she had teeth! Matthew, on the other hand, is working constantly to relieve the pain in his gums and we all can't wait for these darn teeth to just come in already! Okay, you got me. I don't care so much about the teeth as much as I yearn for our sleep patterns to get back on their normal paths!

Matthew now laughs and giggles at us and is growing increasingly ticklish! He recognizes Mom and Dad and will lean towards us to be picked up. He can sit up independently for a while but then slowly falls forward like a flower in the hot sun. It is actually pretty cute. He decided he was no longer interested in rolling, but has showed some signs that he might be interested soon. He loves to play on his mat and bat at his toys. If you put a toy in front of his face, he can grab it and it will go immediately to his mouth. He loves standing with assistance. We always tell him he is a 'big boy' when he does it and you can tell he is awfully proud of himself when he does this. He is not a big crier, but when he is mad he screams. This scream might be called a screech because it is so high pitched and you can tell he means business! He loves to eat and is doing so every 3 hours or so. He still does the crawl-stroke motion on my arm and also loves to hold my finger. He loves his pluggie (pacifier) and can now take it out of his mouth and put it back in. He loves to be held (mostly because he is held most of the time) but has grown content to have floor time. He does welcome the break to stretch his legs and arms and just kick around. He also does this hilarious closed fist arm pumping move where it looks like is trying to fly, but he only does it with his left arm. Other notables is that Matthew is a spit-up machine! He is an efficient eater and only eats for about 5 minutes a feed, but apparently gets more than his fill!

In terms of his look, we are starting to figure Matthew out! He still has the one dimple in his left cheek and I really hope it stays there! His hair is growing longer and I definitely see a twinge of red in it, but it is nowhere near as red as Michael's hair. I think he will be strawberry blond but only time will tell. His eyes are still such a pretty blue and I think they will stay too. Claire's eyes were green by the time she was 5 months so we think his blue eyes are here for good! The consensus is that Matthew looks a lot like Claire. Their coloring is a little different, but there are serious similarities when you look at Claire's baby pictures.

The kids are growing more and more in love with Matthew (if that is even possible) and again continue to thank me for having him. Life is good. We are happy. The only thing that can make life better at this point is for those darn teeth to come in already so we can have some peace and quiet until the top two teeth decide to make their entrance! But for now, we will enjoy our toothless gummy 5 month old Matthew!

Fishies

Ahhhhh! Swimming in the summer. It's refreshing, it's exercise, but most of all it is fun! Michael and Claire started swimming lessons this week and they are loving it. It seems like the perfect time for them to be taking lessons because the 'boredom' of summer has set in. They were really used to the structure of a school day and had finally figured out what a weekend was and knew the days they would go to school (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays). And what happens? Summer vacation arrives. While I know they are thrilled with the break from school, they now find themselves wondering what to do. Thank Goodness for swimming lessons! They have swimming every weekday for the next month! It gives them an activity to look forward to while keeping them active and moving. And on a side note, I am loving sitting in the sun with Matthew and having some alone time together while the bigger kids are distracted with kicks and bubbles!
I still remember swimming lessons as a kid. I seem to remember that they were at the crack of dawn- but we didn't care because we loved swimming. If we had our way, we would be in the pool all day- wrinkled little fingers and toes. My mom used to call us 'Little Fishies" because we loved the water so much! Growing up in the Northwest, you don't swim year round. But when the summer hit, you'd make up for it! We'd swim in the lake, in the pool, in a kiddie pool, run through the sprinklers, and have water fights. Anything involving water sounded great! My kids are no different!

Both Michael and Claire have worn life jackets in the pool since they were about 2 or so. The life jackets are great for safety reasons, but life jackets also make it easier on the parents so you don't have to hold them the entire time they are swimming. While they have made life easier for us, Damien and I are worried that the kids will forget they aren't wearing them one day and jump into the deep end- or the shallow end for that matter and expect to float! That's why swim lessons are a must thi summer! So far, they are really enjoying the lessons. I get such a kick out of seeing them giggle in the water, splash each other when the teacher is not looking, and make memories together. They each have improved so much and we can see a glimmer of hope that they will soon be able to swim on their own (or at least doggie paddle to the side).

It's great that there is so much summer left and that means more swimming and playing outside in the sun! We are looking forward to Lake Chelan and watching our little fishies swim, swim, swim.

Father's Day

365 days. Each day different from the last and when added all together make one year. As a father, a year can be a very complicated journey. First, you have your life, your career, your purpose. Somewhere in between waking up and going to sleep, you not only need to find time to make yourself feel successful and satiated, but you need to make sure your family and your children are thriving. A big job. An important job. And I appreciate all Damien does to keep our family moving in the right direction.

We measure birthdays in years. Damien is 31 years old. We know how many years we have been married. It will be 8 years for us in August. But we don't measure parenthood this way. Funny how Mother's Day and Father's Day roll around and we don't acknowledge it in years. If we did celebrate in this way, Damien would be celebrating his 7th Father's Day. It would've been a big celebration for my Dad as he's chalked up 31 Father's Days! Maybe it is this way because to be a good parent, you have to be selfless. Instead of making life all about you, you are constantly deflecting the attention and the sleep to make sure your children get what they need- what they deserve.

This Father's day was especially wonderful because not only did I get to celebrate with Damien, but I got to celebrate with my Dad. We made the trip to see my family and we had so much fun. The day started off with Mass. I love being in church on 'significant' days. There is a feeling of true peace that comes over me and I am always more introspective about how great life really is. To glance to my right and see my Dad, the father of 5 girls, who has put in so much time and love into his family to ensure our happiness- was truly moving. Then to be able to turn to my right, all 3 of my kids being quiet in Mass (a miracle in itself), next to their Dad. It was a true gift to be 'sandwiched' by the amazing Dads in my life.

Damien as a Dad. Hmmmm. He truly deserves a day to have all attention on him. When we were dating, I knew that Damien would be a wonderful dad. The kind of Dad that goes the extra mile to make sure his kids were happy. The kind of Dad that is nurturing but also firm in his morals and beliefs. The kind of Dad whose outlook on life would make his children better people. The kind of Dad I wanted to be in my future children's life. And here we are! My three children are growing into the wonderful little people I knew Damien would help them to become.

Damien's first Father's Day back in 2001 was a confusing one. Sitting on a metal chair, next to an incubator, staring at this son. Probably not what any first time father would expect to be doing on his first Father's Day. Damien always talked about how he wanted to pick Michael up and just hug him. He wanted to engage with Michael, but he would have to wait for the following Father's Day to hug him, to squeeze him, and call Michael his own! Michael and Damien have a very special bond. Not only do they look alike, but the live alike. Whether this is because Michael has made a conscious decision to like the things Damien liked as a child or simply because they are two peas in a pod. Either way, the father/son bond these two share is infallible. It is solid and will only grow stronger as the years go on.


When Damien held Claire for the first time, not only was she a big healthy baby- but she was a girl nonetheless. I can remember the shirt he was wearing and how the tears streamed from his cheeks and blotted the front of his shirt. He LOVES Claire. It is tough at first for men to understand little girls. The drama, attitude, and hurt feelings. Boys tend to shirk off so much and little girls tend to feel it in their little hearts. Now much wiser to Claire's ways, Damien can find the humor in Claire's sensitivity. He loves the way she talks, her looks, her attitude and she loves him, too. When I was on bedrest with Matthew, Claire and Damien grew closer and I think it is absolutely wonderful. He is her #1 guy. The one she wants next to her on an airplane. The one she will turn to if she is truly frightened or unsure of something. She has him wrapped around her little finger and Damien won't deny it. It is very powerful to see Damien with a daughter. Being one of 5 girls, all I ever saw was my Dad with one of his girls. And because Claire looks like a Sacco, I see myself reflected in her when she is with Damien. I have always loved my Dad so much and I am so happy that Claire loves her Dad, too.

Damien with a new baby is adorable. He is so patient and sensitive- even when the times get tough! He is happy just staring at Matthew when he sleeps, talking to him when he is awake, and he loves watching him grow and develop. Now that Matthew is old enough to giggle, Damien is constantly messing around with Matthew. Testing his limits, seeing what makes Matthew happy and how to calm him if he is not. Damien loves to listen to Matthew 'talk' and I know that he can't wait for Matthew to get bigger so they can do really fun things together. Matthew didn't know what he was getting himself into when he was born. Lucky for Matthew, he was being born into a family with an amazing and loving Daddy.

To my own Dad- thanks for always being there for me. As I have gotten older and have been able to really see the world around me- I realize just how blessed I was to have you as my Dad. From spending lazy Sundays at a soccer field working on skills (you even brought your own cones) to hanging out on the deck and talking about the world around us. It may sound funny, but I am a better mother and woman for having you as a father. I know this Father's Day when we gave you the Italian flag of Avellino from your father's city, he was smiling down on you. He too would be proud of the amazing job you've done with your five girls.

And to Damien- when I watch you with the kids, I am constantly amazed by your stamina to sing songs, play princesses, build castles, and walk babies around in the middle of the night. I knew when I met you that you were special and would one day be a wonderful father. And as the Father's Days come and go- please know that I am so thankful for all you do to make our children's lives the best they can possibly be. Here's to many more Father's Days full of homemade t-shirts and so much more!

Ali's Getting Married!

I can still remember what it was like to be 20 years old and to know that Damien was 'the one'. It sounds so cliched, but I think that when you find the right person, you just want to get your life started together! Ali is only 22 years old, but when she met Kenny three years ago, she too had the feeling of completion. So as we prepare to witness Ali getting married this August, we also prepare for the slew of showers and parties that will be thrown in her honor!

Today we honored Ali at her first bridal shower and it was a lot of fun. She is marrying Kenny this August and we are so happy for her. A few pre-shower jitters (i.e. how to say thank you after opening gifts you registered for and worrying if you remember all your great aunt's names) but when it was all said and done- she did great! Matthew and Claire accompanied me to the shower and Claire had a ball dressing up for a 'big girl' party. She had been looking forward to this for weeks and was even more excited to learn that Michael wasn't coming. An 'all girls day'- she called it. Never mind that Matthew was the only boy there. Babies don't count! The shower was a lot of fun! We played the ever popular ring game where you wear a ring and if you say the word 'wedding' you lose it to the person who caught you saying it. That was a lot of fun for people that weren't sleep deprived! Lani took my ring within the first two minutes. Love you Lani! Both Damien and my family are so competitive at this game. Okay, fine. Not all of us are competitive with this game- mostly Lani and Gina. I swear, you can't beat them! It was a good Lani vs. Gina show-down when I got married and it was hilarious to see each other's strategy against each other! Funny that I don't remember who won in the end!

It was a lovely afternoon and Ali glowed as she opened her presents and cut the cake. It was really special to see Ali in this role- the center of attention. Ali has personality that is never ending and really never has a problem drawing attention to her! But this was different. She was so gracious to all who came and played the role of 'Bride-to-Be' as naturally as I have seen it played before. She looked beautiful, confident and for all those nay-sayers who say getting married young is a mistake, she proved them wrong and then some. I truly believe that Ali has met her perfect match with Kenny. I am genuinely excited to see her walk down the aisle in August, surrounded by family and friends who love her, in all her glory. Congrats Ali!

Rolie Polie

Today started out like any other day. Didn't get around to brushing my teeth until 10 a.m., hair in a ponytail, meeting the needs of my three kiddos. Like I mentioned in another post, I was bound and determined to give Matthew more tummy time this month. So, as promised- we have been spending a lot of time on the floor. During the past few days, I noticed that Matthew has been pushing his chest up off the floor and I thought that the first roll was close. Today when I put him on the floor, his head was high and bobbing around. I mimicked the roll for him a few times so that his body would get used to the feeling of flipping over. Then I laid him down to see what he would do and alas, my big boy rolled over! Yippee! The great part was that Michael and Claire were there to witness it. With cheers of delight, they ran around the room screaming about Matthew's first roll. These moments, when my children delight in the triumphs of their baby brother, are what make having three children so wonderful and rewarding! While the video below is not the video of his first roll, it was definitely one of his first 10!

My Little Butterflies

Michael's last day of preschool. Wow. Just two short years ago I remember walking hand in hand with Michael-coaxing every one of his steps toward the entrance to his new school. Both Damien and I knew that he was reluctant to start preschool. After three years of therapy, doctors appointments, numerous shots and tests- Michael was leery of new situations. No matter how much we told him that things would be okay, he was scared. We made it through the front door, out to the playground, and waited for the bell to ring. He clutched our hands and stood so close to us. When it came time to leave, he hesitantly joined his new classmates in line and gave us a sad goodbye wave. It tore Damien and my heart out but we knew we had to stay strong for Michael. So, although we smiled and appeared happy as we left Michael, behind our smiles- we were sadly waving goodbye, too.

We had a hard time deciding when to start Michael in preschool. Would we put him in school based on his April birth date or by his August due date? We decided on the latter because starting him a year later would only benefit him in the long run. So, there we were- dropping Michael off at school and entering a new place in our parenting. We were now parents of a school aged child. He had a great year in school. He grew socially and really thrived in the school environment. His teacher, Miss Donna, grew to love Michael so much because of his sweet demeanor and his willingness to trust her. We had informed her of Michael's past and she made it her mission to get him to trust her and feel safe. At conference time, she gushed to us about how much she enjoyed having Michael in her class. She told us that having a student like Michael and being able to make a difference in his young life is why she became a teacher. Because of her, we were able to find our own peace about letting our little boy go to school. We enjoyed seeing Michael gain confidence in school but before we knew it, the school year had gone by and it was summer. Just as we began to get comfortable with having Michael in school, we had to prepare ourselves to send our little Claire the following year.

When September arrived, Claire showed no hesitation at all about going to school. She was raring to go and was thrilled that she was now old enough to join her big brother and get out of the house! At the time, I was pregnant with Matthew so life was flying by very fast. No matter how busy I became, I still relished their school performances, brought snacks to school for their birthdays, accompanied them on field trips, and dropped them off and picked them up almost every day. We had gotten the hang of this and the repetition of drop off and pick up was kneaded into our everyday lives.

March turned to April, and April to May. Between projects and parties- time had passed so quickly. Before I knew it, I began to get paperwork that talked about the end of the school year. What? How could it be? Sure, I had signed Michael up for Kindergarten and had planned ahead for the coming year, but I hadn't taken the time to realize that he would no longer be in preschool. We'd have to say goodbye to Miss Donna and he'd have to adjust to a new teacher. All of these thoughts were so overwhelming to me. I realized then, that while I had prepared mentally for his transition to a new school, the true reality of it hadn't been absorbed. I had grown comfortable with their preschool. I had it all figured out. It was so nice to have both of the kids at the same school. It was great to be able to stand in the coat room and have both of them run to me with open arms. Yet, here we were- the last day of school. Michael's last day of preschool and it hit home.

Damien and I know that Michael finishing preschool isn't the end of the world. But when you cherish your little babies- it hurts a little when they gain more independence (i.e. kindergarten). Everyone wants the best for their kids, and we all hope that one day our children will be happy and independent while living their life to its fullest capacity. However, no parent will deny that it does feel good to know that your child needs you. This is especially true when your children are young and rely on you for most everything. Perhaps this 'desire to be needed' is why sending your kids off to school is so hard. Maybe this is the reason you see so many moms crying on their child's first day of kindergarten. As much as we want our children to gain independence, we also want them to hang onto us.

As I tried to process my feelings of sadness which came when thinking about Michael's change, I came up with this visual. Imagine if you will, that your child is a beautiful butterfly and you- the loving parent, are the cocoon which protects and keeps it safe. Beneath the layers of warmth and safety you provide- is a colorful and vibrant beauty which is growing and thriving. What a shame it would be if the cocoon stayed so tightly wrapped around this treasure that it was never seen by the outside world. Each milestone, each step toward independence are the silky threads of the cocoon that embraces the butterfly. As these opportunities for independence and growth approach, we as parents- must loosen one of these threads. We must let go and trust that while we are giving the butterfly more room to grow, it will not fly away from us. Our job is to give it enough room to flourish and become more beautiful. We cannot choose its design or color. Instead, we need to give the butterfly freedom to grow into it's own potential. We can, however, dream that when it's time to let go of the last remaining thread, we will see the butterfly dance freely, moving it's beautiful and unique wings through this world.

Spiderman Surprise

At the kids end of the year party, there was a face painter. Claire got some roses painted on her cheek, while Michael opted for the 'full face' Spiderman. Personally, I was surprised that he chose it because Michael is not one to get dirty or messy and this was the most extensive design the woman was offering. Click on the video below to see Michael get his first glimpse at his new face. The look on his face was priceless!

4 Months Old

Oh- where does the time go? My little Matthew is already 4 months old. I can't believe it! Lucky for me, I can honestly say that I have enjoyed each and every smile, cry, giggle, drool, and chubby finger. There has been a sort of calm that has come over me with my third child. I haven't had any anxiety with him and have been able to really enjoy Matthew to the fullest. It is a great feeling to be at ease and to enjoy the ride.

Matthew is growing up so fast! At this 4 month check up, he weighed in at a hearty 17 lbs. 2 oz. He moved from the 70th percentile in height in weight to the 90th percentile in each category. I have a feeling that he is going to continue to 'chub-up' just like Claire did. He got four shots (immunizations) and they knocked him out! He handled them well, and then slept a lot. Unfortunately, in the middle of the night he started burning up. It was the first time he has had a fever and I felt so bad. Luckily, the Tylenol brought it right down.

We have a very smiley boy on our hands. Yes, he will cry if he is hungry, hurt, or tired- but for the most part he is very content and happy. He has really started to engage with me by focusing on what I am saying, anticipating things, and smiling when he is happy. He started to drool last month and now is working on getting his two bottom teeth. Matthew likes to chew on his closed fists, which is great because it calms him. He eats about every 3 hours all day and night and has developed the cutest little ritual. While he is breastfeeding, he constantly pets my arm. It kind of looks like he is doing the crawl-stoke as he brings his soft little hand up into the air and then back down to mine. It is so sweet and I cherish our quiet time together where I feel so insanely in love with him and bonded.

Matthew has great head control due to the fact that he loves watching Michael and Claire run all over the place. He has yet to roll over but a lot of that is my fault. He doesn't get much floor time due to the fact that he is carried most of the day or in the car running errands/carpool. I promise to try and focus on giving him more floor/tummy time this month.

His hair is coming in a little more, but still no definite answer about his hair color. However, his eyes are an undeniably sparkling blue. He still has only one dimple in his left cheek and it is adorable! He is talking a lot more, smiling a lot, and this month- he gave us his first giggle! He is really letting his personality shine through and we are all more in love with this little guy!

Memorial Day

A 3 Day Weekend. It doesn't get much better than that! One less day in the work week, I get to spend an extra day with my husband, and everyone feels refreshed! I love it! We had a pretty full weekend planned and we were ready to get to it. It started off on Friday night when Michael insisted (and we happily agreed) to see Seamus in San Jose before he was dropped off at his Dad's house. So, we met Eric and Seamus at In-n-Out so Michael could converse with 'The Captain'. We had a great time with them and satiated Michael's need for Seamus time.

Saturday morning, we headed to a birthday party at Pump It Up for Michael's preschool friend, Joshua. As expected, the kids had an absolute blast! Matthew had gotten his 4 month shots the day before and he was up fevering much of the night. So, needless to say, Mommy and Matthew were really tired. But no rest for the weary! Next up was meeting Brook Staebell and her fiancé Chad, at Mondo Burrito for lunch. It was great to see each other and catch up on each other's lives. I played basketball with Brook at SCU but she lives in Colorado, so we rarely get a chance to see each other.

From lunch, we rushed home to get ready for my friend Kristine's wedding in Los Gatos. She and her husband had already gotten married in Australia, so she had a commitment ceremony here in America. It was a beautiful ceremony and on top of being able to see her with her new hubby, I was able to see a lot of my old college friends. We had the best time at the reception, which was held at a beautiful winery in downtown Los Gatos. In between great conversation and wonderful food, Michael and Claire (mostly Michael with his zany dancing) stole the show on the dance floor. It was so hilarious to watch him in action. I have no idea where he learned those moves! And to think that when he was born, his therapists said he had limited flexibility! He was practically bending over backwards! Damien and I were seriously laughing so hard we were crying. It was great to see my friends Kristine, Jaime, Brook, and Keri. My college memories with them are priceless and it was great to all be together again. It was an unreal feeling to be back together again and to see them talking and dancing with my children was really neat!

On Sunday, we went to Mass and then headed north to Lani's house for Ryan's Birthday BBQ. It was a great day and it was really nice to hang out with the family. The food was outstanding and there were many laughs as we played Guitar Hero 2 (if you haven't tried it, you need to) which is a game that is compatible with PS2 and Xbox 360. Damien was the funniest of all because he really got into it and for a moment, I think he thought he was a bona fide rock star. The night was closed by a few games of Texas Hold 'Em on a custom made poker table that Eric made (very Martha Stewart of him!).

On Memorial Day, we hung out at Mark and Marlene's house and had a lazy day (which was much needed). We took the kids to a local fair and then headed back to the house for a Food Networkish BBQ that Ryan made. Ribs, Italian Chicken, Sausage, Lemon Salsa Salmon, and watermelon filled us up! It was a great weekend and we headed home to reality.

We met a gentleman the next day who was at our house to inspect our home. While talking, we learned that his son was stationed in Iraq as a gunner. He kept staring at Michael and said that it feels like it was yesterday that his son was that small. He told us that there was a picture taken of his son when he was 3 years old and wearing a child-size Marine costume. He told us when he gets pictures of his son now, it is still his same face - except now; there is an emptiness in his eyes. His son is on a one year tour of duty and has seen some really terrible things while being stationed abroad. Up until this point, I hadn't really put a face with the soldiers who are fighting for our country. But to see the pain and anxiety on this father's face was enough for me to feel his loss and his continued hope that his son will return in November. It was the day after Memorial Day, but it was more of a Memorial Day than ever before. Let's remember to keep all of those fighting to protect us and our families in our prayers. I think they really need it.