Sickness, sickness and now MORE sickness

For the past 2 weeks, we have been dealing with one illness after another. I guess it started with Natalie having the stomach bug, then Colin and Sadie getting a horrible cold that turned into an ear infection and RSV for Colin. He was miserable for a long time... our perfect baby that has been easy and content, was all of a sudden a mess, always cranky and fussy. Thankfully, the last couple days, he has gotten better and has begun to smile more be happy! Sadie, too, has gotten better and Natalie somehow seemed to have escaped the cold. HOWEVER, last night I got the stomach bug. It was awful. I don't' know how kids to it... kids seem to get the stomach bug more often than adults, but I sure how it is easier on them, then it is on us. In the midst of it all, I was looking for the light at the end of the tunnel, it hurt so bad. The nausea and vomiting ended last night, this morning I felt really out of it and had a huge headache, but by about 2ish, I was back feeling more like myself. Unfortunately, around 3ish... Nick started to not feel good. Now he is exactly where I was last night. Poor guy. I am just sitting here (cleaning and disinfecting the house of course) and praying that it stops with him. I don't have it in me to have this illness go through the rest of us. I don't do the stomach bug! I don't' know why, but it causes me such anxiety and nervousness - not to mention, that I don't want to clean it all up! So. I am doing lots of positive thinking and hoping, praying, wishing or whatever I need to do to be sure that the kids escape this illness and we can finally be a completely healthy household in the next 24 hrs!

Colin is 9 months old!

Our baby is 9 months old. I see this "birthday" as kind of a milestone... in that he has officially been outside of me for longer than we knew about him on the inside. It has been so fabulous getting to know him and figure out what a family of 5 feels like to us. He continues to be a very laid back baby. Just in the past week or so, he has figured out that he has a voice and wants to be heard. He is starting to talk more and more... lots of da,da,da and ba, ba,ba kind of stuff. Nick is trying to tell me that he is saying Daddy - I don't buy that, but it sure is fun to hear him talk. He is not anywhere close to crawling... he still just sits, although he is trying to scoot from that position. He gets himself rocking, but doesn't go anywhere. This past month has a been a big month for teeth... 4 new teeth this month, making the total 8. All my kids had 8 teeth at 8 months, I didn't think Colin was going to make that... but then last week he got 4 all in one week! What a trooper...
Unfortunately, he just got his 1st illness. The poor guy has been dealing with a horrible cold and ear infection. It has been a couple pretty miserable days for him. So out of character for him, but we are feeling blessed that he has been able to hold onto his health for this long!

This picture shows the life of a baby boy with 2 older sisters. Like the earrings?
This month, Colin, had his 1st bath where he sat on his own. He absolutely loves baths and sitting on his own was lots of fun. Usually, he shares bath time with a sister or two... so he is still usually in his seat (for safety), but this one bath was all for him!

Sadly for me, this month Colin has decided that his daddy is his favorite person. I thought I was going to be his favorite person forever. However, it is pretty cute to see how excited he is when Nick is around and it makes me laugh when Colin cries when Nick walks away from him. I think Nick is loving it!

Here's to another wonderful and adventurous month of watching our baby grow!

Colin's Dedication

On December 28th, we celebrated with our families and our church, Colin joining our family. The church that we go to, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Saratoga, uses this ceremony as an official welcoming of a child into a family and congregation. It asks the family to recognize and accept the responsibilities that we have in raising Colin and then ask the congregation and community to accept the role they play in raising all children. My father did a reading about the joys and wonder that all children hold. It is done so beautifully and was such a nice small ceremony.

This picture was taken when the minister was asking the girls about their "jobs" as Colin's big sisters... to play with him, to teach him to share, to look out for him and such... Colin appears bored with the idea, Natalie looks excited and agreeable and Sadie seems a bit skeptical. Oh how those expressions match their personalities.
Below is Colin with our minister, Linda Hoddy. This was right after the blessing. I love how Colin is taking her all in. What a sweet boy.

Watch out Nancy...

Here comes Natalie!

Natalie has just started taking Ice Skating Lessons and she is LOVING it! I might also add that I think she is very good. Although she had never been on skates before lesson #1 (unless you count the numerous hours that she has practiced on our wood floors!) and she did great. I, of course, am loving that she is having so much fun with skating. As a former ice skater myself, she has inspired me to bring my old skates out and share some ice time with her. It's such fun! Sadie starts lessons in a few more weeks and pretty soon we'll probably be a traveling trio of ice performers!

Pre -school or not to Pre-school?...That is the question.

So, this picture really describes who Sadie is to us. She is extremely silly, lots of fun, very dramatic and always singing, dancing and just being a hoot! Which is what makes this next decision so hard. See, Sadie started 2 day a week preschool this past September. Although Natalie did not go to preschool until she was 4, we had thought that Sadie would really enjoy preschool, so we signed her up. It is at the Y and meets 2 days a week for 2 1/2 hrs. My parents take her to and from school and in the ideal world... all would be good. But, here's the thing - Sadie does not like school. She was very excited about the idea of going last September, but once it actually arrived, she has not been much of a fan. Now, she doesn't throw fits and yell and scream, but she will openly tell us that she does not like it and would rather not go. Occasionally, she has given my mom a hard time about going, but they are usually able to work through it. Although there were tears in the beginning of school, the teacher tells me she no longer cries at school and doesn't ask for her mom or when it is time to go home, but she also told me that she spends most of the day in the shadow of the teacher's assistant and that she rarely ever smiles!
The class and teachers are the same that Natalie had back when she was 4 and I really like them all, but this class is just BIG - 21 kids and from what I hear, they are a very busy and very demanding bunch of kids. I hear from Sadie that there are a couple kids that do some naughty things end up getting in trouble and I think it is just too much for her. Even in the best of days, Sadie does not like loud noise and I think the environment of this class just doesn't match her. When we signed her up for this class, it was not because she needed it, but because we thought that she would enjoy it - something that was just for her. With that being said, she doesn't like it and is overwhelmed by it all, so is it fair for her to continue? However, can or should school ever be an option? So... what do I do?
Outside of setting a precedence, I can't think of a reason to keep her in preschool for the rest of the school year. Is that enough? Rather than just pulling her out, we are thinking of having a clear cut end for her. Like a planned ending - maybe at the months end or at February break?
Next year, Sadie will be going to full time preschool and rather than it being at the Y or at a center, it is going to be in someone's home with only 5 other children. For her... this will be better. Who's to say what the transition to Kindergarten will be like.

Why is parenting so difficult? Are there really "right" answers or do we just have to go with the ones that feel right, even if they don't make complete sense?

The NEW room gets furniture

That's right... it is a milestone! We've reached the point where furniture has been added to the new room. It was exhausting to shop for this stuff (we brought all 3 kids with us one day!!), but it is here and looks great. Nick is still working on the final touches of the room and on the hunt for the perfect new TV to add to the room. We are all thrilled about how great it came out. Check it out!

Happy New Year!

Happy 2009!

Another year has gone by... although it sounds cliqued, time flies by. This past year was full of excitements. I truly am in awe about the blessings that my family has. Of course, the greatest part of 2008 was the arrival of Colin and how he has made our family complete. It's been fun to watch the girls grow and learn... as well as watch our house grow too! I am sure that 2009 will hold many blessings and much happiness in the midst of trials and tribulations.

With the new year always comes the question of New Years Resolutions. Nick doesn't believe in making New Years Resolutions. He actually always has the same resolution every year - "Not to make any New Years Resolutions." Me, on the other hand, seizes the opportunity to have an excuse to make goals for myself. I realize that I have made similar resolutions over the years, but hey... it's a new year and a new chance. After all... new hope and change is coming!

It is kind of weird to be posting and sharing my resolutions, but I figure it is a way to make me accountable. Also, sometimes I feel like I am only blogging about our perfect world, when we all know that it isn't always perfect. (It is just the perfect and fun stuff we want to share and remember). So, posting these resolutions also show a sense of realness about me. Join me in making some resolutions...

1. I want to exercise on a regular basis. I want to be a in shape/ fit person. (Not training for a 1/2 marathon one week and a lazy blob the next).

2. I want to eat right and healthy. (That means dessert can not be a daily thing for me anymore!). In turn, I hope to lose some weight and feel good about my body!

3. Let my nails grow. That's right, I have the horrible habit of biting my nails. I have conquered this habit many times, but it comes backs and bites me (ha,ha). However, with children they watch and do what I do... I don't want them to have this habit.

4. I want to make the most of my days. Sometimes that means to go to bed at the same time as my kids, other times it may mean staying awake late to finish a project.

5. I want to read chapter books with Natalie.

6. Have an attitude of gratitude.

6. Be Happy!

Here is us with our good friends, the Colucciello's and the Kennedy's enjoying a delightful dinner out on New Years Eve! So fun to celebrate with great friends and good times as we brought in the new year... (well, almost... we stayed out until about 11:40pm!)

Best Friends

Kristin and I have been best friends since I moved to New Jersey in 8th grade... that's right - 17 years ago. Although we haven't lived close to one another since we graduated High School in 1995, we have remained very close. Over the years, our friendship has been through the trials and tribulatinos of High School days, our 1st loves, college struggles and fun, each of our weddings and then our marriages, pregnancy and parenthood. There is nothing quite like a best friend who really knows everything about you. We have the type of relationship where if we haven't talked in over 2 days, it seems wierd. There is a since of comfort and ease that we share... when we talk, there is no since of judging or competition that can come with friendship, we don't need to catch one another up on the latest in our lives... we already know that! Three are times our conversations are just about the everyday going ons of our lives, other times we are venting about the latest frustration or asking for advice. No matter what, we always seem to know that we are just a phone call away for whatever it is that we might need. It is just a true and pure friendship.

A few years ago, Kristin and her family moved to Georgia. The distance has not gotten in the way of our friendship, but we definitely don't see each other as much as we once were able to. However, this week, she and her family drove up from Georgia to New Jersey to visit her family. Colin and I made a day trip down to NJ for a visit. It was the 1st time that Kristin and Colin met one another.

Although short, it was such a great visit. Thank you Kristin for driving such a long distance and allowing us to share in your visit home!

Kristin and me with our babies!

We each have 3 kids... all about the same age difference (Kristin's are just closer together). Is this picture is Colin (8mo) and Connor (12 mo).

Kristin's others are Noah (5) and Owen (4).