7 Months Old

When Matthew first entered our lives- it seemed at times that it took great strength and patience to get through a week. Now, without much struggle- the months are flying by! When people ask me how old Matthew is, it pains me to say 7 months. It just sounds so old to me. I look at my little baby and can't believe he has been with us so long! The one thing I can take 100% comfort in is that all of us- Damien, Michael, Claire, and myself have not wasted a minute of his life. We enjoy every new milestone, mouth wide-open smile, hiccup, baby goos and coos, and sweet moments of his life.

This month, Matthew has developed a lot! He is sitting for long periods of time while playing with his toys. You can tell he feels pretty cool to be doing something so 'big boy'. While sitting he is able to watch Michael and Claire play and also likes to watch Mommy cook dinner and clean up the kitchen. He is using both hands more evenly this month. He used to only reach out and grab with his left, but he now uses his right almost as frequently. He is getting a bit more tummy time and has been pivoting, but gets tired of it and rolls over. He now will roll from his back to his tummy as well as from his tummy to his back. He is getting very quick and I have to be very careful if I am holding something because he will bat at it. Long gone are the days where I could hold a drink in my hand and enjoy it. Matthew either hits it or wants a taste! He is really bearing weight these days, too. He loves to stand (with assistance, obviously) and is even entertaining the idea of pulling himself up. He has grown a little more impatient with car rides as he now knows what it means when I put him in his carseat. He will hold onto me for dear life when I try and put him in there. Luckily, if Claire is in the car she will start to sing, 'Three Little Fishies" and he will become distracted. This new found impatience doesn't have the best timing as most of Matthew's morning is spent carpooling the kids to school. But as the kids have had to adjust to the new school routine, so will Matthew.

Matthew has really been a lot of fun this month. He is constantly smiling at things and people and hyper-aware of his surroundings. He understands peek-a-boo and likes to sing songs and tango. Since the kids were small, we have always done a tango dance to a song from the Wiggles. Although Matthew has never seen the Wiggles, he still loves the song and knows to put his hand out to tango with us! Matthew has always been a Mama's boy, but this month in particular, he is always watching where I am and wants to be with me if I am close to him. This makes it difficult when others are holding him and I am in the near vicinity. Sometimes I feel like I am MacGyver when I am trying to allude him! He has been doing this funny slapping thing when I hold him these days. He just slaps my shoulder over and over and I am not sure he even knows he is doing it but it sure is cute. He also has gotten into the arm squeezing this month- not so fun. This month he has been doing so much more with his hands. He reaches out for things, holds them, and knows how to mimic simple movements. If I say 'Bang Bang", he will usually do it. They kids find this fascinating and funny. One other thing that I can't forget to mention is that ever since he was about 4 months old, when people say hi to Matthew, he plays shy and puts his face into my neck. It is the sweetest thing! It is not that he is bashful, he just gets so excited that he has to retreat to my shoulder to compose himself before he engages again. I kind of hope he doesn't give this up for a while!

We traveled a lot this month and he was a champ. He is so used to napping on the go and just rolling with the punches. Whether we travel by car or airplane- he has never caused a problem and I am so thankful for this!

Matthew continues to love food and has gotten more tastes of things this month. Everyday, he eats rice cereal with a veggie or fruit and snacks on small pieces of things that we are eating. He feels cool at dinnertime when he joins us at the table in his highchair. He loves to drink water from his sippy cup and as I mentioned earlier, loves to steal drinks from our cups, too. When I put out some finger food for him on the tray of the high chair, he will reach out and grab one but hasn't figured out how to let go of it in his mouth. Instead, he puts his whole fist in his mouth and sucks and sucks until the food has disintegrated.

Matthew got 2 teeth this month! First came the lower left incisor and then the right. It is kind of cute to see the little white teeth glisten when he smiles! Lucky for me, he has only bitten me once thus far and I have faith that he will be a good little boy and not do it again (fat chance, huh!).

Life with Matthew is awesome. He enriches our lives and reminds us to ignore life's bigger stresses. There is nothing like the innocence of a little baby to remind you what life is really about. We love the feeling of being around our large families with Matthew, love being with him in church, and love the quiet moments after Damien and I put Michael and Claire down for the night when we have Matthew all to ourselves.

Kindergarten

Can it be? Is Michael really starting Kindergarten? I remember last January when we were applying for Kindergarten and having a hard time believing that we were at this point in our parenting- 'parents of a kindergartner'. Well, the time has come and Michael is ready for school. The new group of Kindergarten moms are awfully organized and have been having play groups with the kids all summer. Due to the fact that we were gone most of the summer, Michael missed most of them but was able to join the kids on the last playdate. It was crazy to see him running around with the kids he will be in school with for the next 9 years!

Unlike entering preschool, which made Michael nervous and apprehensive, Michael has welcomed this new change with flying colors. He was very excited to start school and take this new challenge head-on.

On the morning of August 23rd, his first day of Kindergarten was here! School starts an hour earlier than his preschool did so it makes the new school mornings a little slower and harder to get out the door. But on his first day, he popped right out of bed, put on his uniform, and welcomed a day full of new beginnings. All the kids looked so cute in their uniforms. Damien and I both went to Catholic school and wore uniforms, but it is a whole different experience to see your child in one. And from a parenting perspective, it has been so easy to just put the uniform on in the morning instead of fumbling through his drawers to see what he should wear!

When we got to school, most of the kids were standing near their parents. You could tell they were all excited, but unsure of the process. The teachers came out and told them to take a seat on the benches outside the classroom. When the teacher rings the bell in the morning, you give your mom and dad a quiet wave to say goodbye. We waited with Michael for a few minutes until the teachers came out. She rang the bell and Michael waved goodbye. And that was it! No sad tears, no nervous faces or anything. It was a smooth transition. We picked him up a few hours later and he was smiling. He told us how cool Kindergarten was and how it was nothing like preschool. And just like that, the school year is off to a good start.

The school wide theme this year is, "Keep The Faith". I think it is so appropriate for our family. From the day Michael was born until now, we have had to rely on our faith to get us through the difficult times. God has been with Michael and our family through many seemingly scary times. He has also been with us through the triumphant times. Faith is what has got us here to this very day- and I have faith in this school that it will guide my children through both an education and spiritual journey.

I thought I would be so sad to see Michael go to Kinder-garten. I thought that my heart would ache when I saw him in his uniform and making such a giant leap to a big boy school. But surprisingly- Michael's easy transition has put me at ease. I think another part of it is that he is still only going for 3 hours a day. I know it will be harder to send him off next year when he will be away from me for 7 hours. I truly feel blessed that I have been able to stay home with my kids. I feel spoiled in a way because I am aware of everything that happens in their day to day life. Staying home does make it a little harder to let them go because you are so used to having control over their day, solving all their problems, and being able to make sure they are alright. Luckily, Michael's teachers seem to be very sweet, sensitive, and nurturing.

Michael, we are so proud of you. You are a wonderful and charismatic boy who brings both happiness and color into most any situation. We are so proud of you that you were able to trust this new experience and make the most of it. While part of me is sad to have you away from me everyday, I know that Kindergarten will help mold and shape you into an even more well rounded and amazing little boy. You have come a long way and fought the odds to be with us and we will never be able to thank you enough for your bravery and fight. Welcome to Kindergarten! We know you'll do great!

Cool Kids

Time seems to have flown by since I had Matthew. I get through the days and make sure that the kids' needs are met, make sure they are happy and fed, and go to sleep. (Occasionally I pay attention to Damien, too!) I have watched them grow and change on a daily basis, but what is blowing my mind are the big changes in their personality and how they view the world around them.

Today, Michael came downstairs and asked for a comb. I told him there was one in the bathroom and I heard him go in there and shut the door. He was in there for a while, came out and turned off the light. At the time, I was feeding Matthew so I didn't look at him when he came out. Then Michael said, "How do I look?" Then there was a pause. "Do I look cool?" I looked up and saw Michael in all his splendor. He had a smug look on his face and was eagerly awaiting my response. "Wow, Michael. You look so cool!" I said. I bit my cheeks as not to laugh but I couldn't quite get over the whole outfit! He had wet his hair and combed it all forward. He was wearing two shirts, one longer than the other and to top it off- he had on a suede frayed cowboy vest. A white wrist band adorned his right wrist and he had on athletic shorts and sandals. In his mind, he looked cool and he had the confidence to prove it.

I wondered what went through his head as he got his outfit together. Was he thinking, 'You know what would make this outfit pop? A vest. But not any vest. It must be suede and scream- cool.' What was his thought process as he gathered up everything and why all the sudden was he searching for an outfit to make him seem cool? None of this really mattered at this point. I had to address him in this very moment- vest and all. I had to echo and affirm his coolness and make him feel good. He obviously had a vision and he felt he had pulled it off. What was even funnier, ehhem- I mean cooler, than the outfit is that he wanted me to take pictures of him doing what he called, 'cool poses'. Then he wanted me to shoot a video (which I won't post as not to totally blow his cover). I went with all of this, never bursting into the hysterical laughter which kept trying to come out.

Claire caught on to the whole photo shoot thing and asked if she could go upstairs and put on her coolest outfit. 'Of course' I told her. She came downstairs, confident in her choices and joined the photo opp. She had on her pink checkered Vans (courtesy of Natalie), her jeans with embroidered flowers on them, her olive green shirt complete with sequins and lace, and a clip snapped onto the front of her hair. It was so interesting to see their choices, both very cool- yet very different.

I went along with all of this and relished the moment where they didn't rely on me to make them feel cool and confident. They are getting older and are able to express themselves independent of me. They can dress themselves, do their own hair, and pick out clothes that express their likes and moods. I think I would've been a little bit sad knowing that they don't need me as much anymore if it weren't for Matthew who was in my arms through all of this. Earlier in the morning I had dressed him, put his diaper on, and if it weren't for me- he'd be a mess. So, while I will continue to embrace Michael and Claire's cool independence, I will enjoy the fact that Matthew is still completely dependent on me to exist! However, I don't know what I will do the day that Matthew walks downstairs in a suede vest! Remind me when Michael gets a little older to give it to Goodwill!

Broadway Baby

My Dad gave Claire a new CD Player for St. Claire's Day and she has been enjoying it ever since. She especially loves listening to my Annie and Beauty and the Beast (Broadway version) Cds because you can listen to them and the songs tell a story. Well, it was late afternoon and I told the kids they needed to go to their rooms for some quiet time (aka- time when you are away from mommy so she can find some sanity). I really don't care what they do during quiet time. When they were younger, this time was called 'Nap Time'. Now that they are older and only nap every once in a while, we call it 'Quiet/Rest Time'. They can read, put together puzzles, play with their toys, listen to music . . . I don't care as long as they stay in their rooms. Well, this particular afternoon, Claire chose to listen to Beauty and the Beast.

I stayed for the first song. We heard the narrator say, "Once upon a time, in a faraway land- a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was spoiled, selfish and unkind". And so the story went. The Cd continued to play, and I left Claire to play and clean her room to the music. About an hour or so later, I went upstairs to check on the kids. Michael was playing in his room with the door open, but Claire's door was closed. I knocked, but she didn't answer. So, I slowly opened the door and there was Claire sitting on her bed. At first she didn't see me, but as soon as she did, she startled and quickly stood up. The look on her face made me think she was hiding something, so naturally I asked her, "Claire- Are you hiding something? What did you do?" She said she wasn't hiding anything but the look on her face made me suspicious. I was going to ask her a follow-up question but something on her face caught me eye. "What is on your face?" I asked. It looked like she had smeared lip gloss on her cheek. I asked her if it was lip gloss, and she said no. And then it hit me. "Where you crying?" She shook her head no. "Claire, if you were crying- you can tell me." Again, she denied it. I heard the music and song that was playing was where the Beast 'dies' and then turns back into a human. "Oh, Clairey. Were you crying because you were sad that the Beast died?" Not a moment passed before she burst into tears. Big, sobbing tears. I picked her up and sat on her bed. As beautifully as the song played, so did this picture perfect moment. Claire in my arms, soothing my baby, telling her it would be okay while the music played on. It hurt my heart that she didn't want me to know she was crying, yet longed to be comforted. I was so happy that I walked in at that moment and was able to rescue her from her sadness.

Because I am with Matthew so much of the day, I do yearn to spend alone time with my older kids. Lucky for me, when I walked in on Claire that afternoon, Matthew was fast asleep. I had plenty of time to hold her and give her the support and love she needed. It felt so good- that I too, shed a tear or two. I love that music brought Claire to tears. I love that music was able to pull emotion from her heart. I love that in the end, she wasn't afraid to show this emotion to me.

As I held her, the song wound down, her emotions winding down with it. And as I held her, we listened together as the Cd played, "Certain as the sun, Rising in the East. Tale as old as time, Song as old as rhyme, Beauty and the Beast."

Jill is 30!

In the midst of our crazy summer and the million things going on, I forgot to write about my sister, Jill, turning 30! I especially can't believe I forgot since I made a mental note to broadcast it to the world after she was so excited when I turned 30. She even called me the night before I turned 30 to let me know that it was my last day in my 20s. I don't think Jill really cares how old I am or that I am 21 months older than her. I thought it was funny when she has the shot- she takes it. When we were kids, I always loved being the oldest. I got to drive first, graduate from high school first and move out of Mom and Dad's house first. Yet, as I have surpassed all of the 'seemingly cool' age milestones, it is her turn to watch me approach "The Hill" and then eventually go over it- FIRST. So, I guess I deserve all the phone calls the night before my birthday. It is just her way of getting me back!

It was nice to be at my parent's house this summer in August when Jill turned 30! Brian (her husband) treated 45 of her family and friends to a Seattle Mariner's game. They were slated to play the Boston Red Sox, so we knew Safeco Field would be sold out and rockin'! The birthday was surprise party of sorts. Meaning- Jill knew something was going on, but didn't know what and where. It was funny to kind of mess with her head. The plan was so go to a dinner in Seattle, followed by the baseball game. Her husband told her that she needed to bring her swimming suit and rollerblades. She was both nervous and apprehensive after his warning, but it was fun for the rest of us to watch her sweat a little bit. I had a hard time keeping it a secret as I was constantly sneaking away to do one of a million little touches for her party. It didn't help that the baptism for Matthew and Kyle was less than 24 hours after Jill's party. But it was one heck of a weekend!

We all met at FX McRory's in Seattle and waited for Jill to arrive. The funny thing was that she snuck in before we could say "Surprise" and instead, she said, "Surprise- I'm Here!". We all had a great time there and then walked over to the game. We had some fun things planned for the game and wanted to make sure we got there before she did. We had 8 poster boards, each with a letter that said, "Jill Is 30". Unfortunately, a few of the people holding the signs, didn't quite get the message. We also had 40 "Faces of Jill". We took a picture of her, made it life size, cut it out, and then glued it onto a tongue depressor. It actually looked quite real and we got many a laugh out of them. After an hour or so, a few of the faces became disfigured and people were coming up with many interesting things to do with the "Jill Face". Enough said. We passed around a new treat every inning to the guests and all of us were stuffed by game's end.

It was a late night as the game started at 7:05 p.m. Luckily, all of the kids that were in our group were troopers and made it through. Matthew enjoyed his first MLB ballgame and the game was a thriller and the stadium stayed packed until the last out. Somehow, Damien managed to ignore the boo's that filled the stadium when the giant video screen showed Barry Bonds finally hitting home run 755. All in all, Jill was happy and so were her family and friends. It was wonderful night for a wonderful sister, mother, wife, friend, and beautiful person. Unfortunately, our pathetic attempts at getting on the jumbotron failed (Jill faces, and all!). But it didn't matter. Being with my sister, my best friend, on her 30th birthday and seeing the positive and amazing impact she had on all who surrounded her that night- was as good as it gets. Happy 30th Birthday Jilly and here's to many, many more. Love you.

Teething Twosome

I had written a while back that I loved Matthew's gummy mouth. I loved that when he smiled, the light glistened off his little gums. I loved that when he chewed on my knuckle- I could barely feel it. I have always loved that when a baby has a mouth without teeth- you can be pretty certain that you have an itty bitty baby. Well- those days are gone. After months of drooling, gnawing on teethers, fists, and fingers-Matthew has his first tooth! He woke up the morning of August 11th, just shy of 6 1/2 months with extremely swollen and red gums. I felt bad for him and knew that the tooth was so ready to come in. The kids and I played with him in the morning and put him down for a nap. Somewhere between falling asleep and waking up, he sprouted his first tooth.

The funny thing about Matthew getting his first tooth is that at the same time as Matthew was working so hard to break his tooth through his gums, Michael is working on losing his first tooth. And would you believe that it is the same tooth in both my boys mouth? I suppose once you have a few kids, this losing and gaining teeth thing overlaps. I just find it funny that they were working on the same tooth at the same time! (In case you are wondering, it is the bottom right incisor). Michael is really excited that his tooth is loose. He tells anyone that will take the time to listen about this new experience. He has a hard time eating hard or sticky things as it puts a lot of pressure on his wiggly tooth. Everyday- it gets a little looser and I am actually looking forward to seeing him with a little black hole in his smile. He is looking forward to losing it too, as he thinks losing this tooth will make him able to whistle. Um, we'll see about that.

So there you have it. My little baby finally got his first tooth and my biggest baby is losing one. Needless to say, I am surrounded by the wonder of childhood and infancy and truly enjoying each and every new stage. Even if these stages overlap a bit!

Matthew's Baptism

On August 5th, Matthew was baptized! Our little family felt so blessed to see him welcomed into God's family! We had a private ceremony which was presided over by Fr. Art and it was wonderful. Fr. Art married us and has baptized all of our children so it felt great for him to be with us during this very important and holy moment.

The scheduling of this sacrament was a confusing one because we had to work with Fr. Art's schedule and also coordinate with my sister. We decided a while back that we would baptize the two cousins together since they are so close in age (3 1/2 months apart) and it just felt right. We know that when Kyle and Matthew look back on this special day, they will not only be thankful for all the family and friends who were there to witness their special moment but also appreciate the uniqueness of their receiving this sacrament together!

We are thrilled that Jill and Brian are Matthew's godparents and we feel honored and touched to be able to be Kyle's godparents. It was wonderful to be given the responsibility of guiding Kyle through his life with God and we know that Jill and Brian feel the same way. The ceremony/mass was great despite both the boys being tired and ready to nap. Matthew fell asleep half way through the mass and was surprised to be woken up to the holy water being poured over his head. His surprise only lasted a moment as he soon fell back to sleep once Father wiped off his head. Kyle did the best he could, despite being tired and hot from the temperature in the church. He quieted down once the baptismal candle was lit and in front of him. It proved to be a great distraction! We were so happy to have all three grandmother's read a reading and for Father to deliver us an introspective homily about eternity.

After the baptism, we all went over to Jill and Brian's house and had a wonderful time. The love we felt from our family and friends was immense and we can't thank everyone enough for making the effort to be there. Damien's parents and his brother Ryan left Yosemite late the night before, got home, packed, and turned around to go to the airport to share in Matthew's special day. We truly appreciate all everyone went through to support our family. Once everyone left the party, the boys played on the floor in their matching baptismal outfits and Jill and I let out a sigh of relief that we had finally done it (with an incredible amount of help from our Mom). The boys are baptized and it was a day that we won't soon forget.

8 Years Later

It has been eight years since I married Damien. In my heart, our wedding/marriage was so right, so perfect. I look back fondly on the memories and shake my head when I look back at pictures and see two young kids taking such a giant leap! Not only were we young, but so were our family and friends! In so many ways, it doesn't seem that long ago. But when I realize that Gina was still in high school, Seamus was 2 years old, and I didn't have any kids- I realize just how long ago that was!

I remember the night before the wedding so clearly. After the rehearsal dinner, everyone gathered at my parent's house and had a pre-wedding party. I remember chatting away with my sisters and girlfriends while the guys were out back shooting hoops. It was so wonderful to be surrounded by such an amazing group of people and for a few moments- they were able to shake my nerves down a bit. I remember the night winding down to a close, and knowing that I would have to say goodbye to Damien- only to see him again the next day when I walked down the aisle. I remember catching wind that Damien's friends were going to throw him into the lake that night as a prank and how I got so upset! Somehow, after crying about this and getting wound up, Gina ended up singing me to sleep. I remember getting up the next morning to a giant bouquet of red roses from my husband-to-be. I remember getting my hair done with my Mom and sisters and how I had cold cans of Coke on my eyes because they were red and puffy from the crying fit the night before. I remember when I first caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror once my hair and veil were done and how I thought, Now I look like a bride. Who could forget the limo pulling into the driveway and all my sisters, sister-in-laws, friends and family belting the song, Going to Chapel and I'm Gonna Get Married. I'll never forget how the feeling of being calm and cool went away and how the nerves began to set in.

I was calm most of the day, enjoying the fun surrounding this awesome day. We took pictures, laughed and listened to music in the Bride's room, and tried to avoid having the bride and groom cross paths. Soon the ceremony would start and the coordinator told us it was time. My bridesmaids left me and headed for the back of the church. It grew quiet and for the first time that day, I felt alone. I wanted to see Damien so bad and I just knew he felt the same way.

There was a knock at the door and my Dad came into the bridal room and saw me. He said, "How ya doin' kiddo? You look beautiful." I said I was okay. We walked around the perimeter of the church, arm in arm, so that Damien would have no chance of seeing me before the doors opened. I told my Dad I was nervous- he said I'd do great. All the basketball games he had watched me play in, all the pep talks he had given me, and here we were and I think both of us said about two words to each other. The wedding had started and I was just waiting for my cue. And there it was, and the doors opened, and there he was . . . waiting for me. It was literally a breath-taking moment. And the rest is history. Eight years of history- to be exact.

As we danced at the reception to The Way You Look Tonight, time stopped for a few minutes. We had waited for this day for a long time and we soaked up every ounce of it. We were married and ready to ride the roller coaster of life together. We had no way of knowing what our future would hold for us, but it is comical to look back and know what was in store for us (can you say peril in Paris?). All in all, our marriage has only gotten stronger since the day we promised our lives to each other. Three children, life in a foreign country, living in 5 different apartments/houses all in eight years is A LOT! While some times have been difficult, I am confident that neither Damien nor I would change a thing. God only gives you what you can handle. And handle we have.

So, Damien . . . here is to another eight years of happiness and roller coaster rides. I wouldn't want to experience life with anyone but you.

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!