Gems 2009

My mom doesn't seem to think Facebook is a good enough permanent record of how awesome my kids are.  She's probably right;  it's much easier to go back through my blog, and I can archive it on my computer.  So, here are some of my favorite moments I posted on Facebook over the past few years, starting with 2009.  I'm sure this isn't as interesting for you, dear readers, as a real update or an opinion piece, but I do want to hold on to these moments for my children's futures.

January 2009

Happy to be working on a 1000 piece puzzle instead of 24.

My husband appreciation shirt has been rendered unwearable by boy pee.

Bouncing a baby boy in his Beco Butterfly on a birth ball.

Being held captive by a snoozing boy.  Or is that captivated?

Both relieved and sad that Donovan now takes a paci.

Crying with hope.  (My friend Julie's son was born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia and was not expected to survive.  This was in response to the first update after his birth, which told us that he was doing better than expected.  He's three now.  http://thetuleys.blogspot.com/)

February 2009

Can't type my statu s beca use D keeps h itt ing the spa ce bar.

Who swapped out D for anti-sleep boy?

Very sad about the line of cars outside E's school with posters in the windows that say, "I teach here and got my pink slip."

March 2009

My baby boy officially exists.  (Got him his birth certificate at 5.5 months of age.)

Amazed that I went from 0 to 3 kids asleep in 60 seconds.  If only it had been a little earlier....

May 2009

Laugh for the day:  Kessa:  "When I was a little kid..."

I love co-sleeping, but I'm becoming less and less enamored with co-not-sleeping.

Just found Eliana filling in the online form to be contacted by an "Admissions Advisor" from American InterContinental University.

June 2009

I hope D will find a new, and less stinky, favorite food than goat cheese.

Cleaning house with a boy on my back.

Flabbergasted that D purposefully submerged his entire face in the bathtub, held it under for several seconds, and repeated this several times tonight.

July 2009

I think it's official - D talks!  None of my 3 kids' first words have been mama or dada, but all 3 have made me proud.  (Eliana:  book;  Kesenia:  Nana (Eliana);  Donovan:  Nehneh (nursies).)

Trying to figure out which shoulder houses the good angel and which shoulder houses the bad angel.

Just looked in the baby book and found out that at D's age, Kes was 3 lbs and 1.25" bigger than Donovan.  And y'all wonder why I look confused when you tell me how big he is.

Awesome thing about Elly #473:  She loves watching opera on TV, cries about the plot, but won't stop reading the subtitles to spare herself.

The UC Davis Human Lactation Center - love that they have to specify "human."

Grasping at D's infancy.

August 2009

It's absolutely stunning how much cooler - erm, *less hot* - 100 degrees feels when I'm not pregnant.

I need a shower, I have D's banana on my shirt, my girls are in jammies, D is pantsless, and I am going to Peet's right NOW.

Fell asleep at 8:30 with Donovan.  Kudos to Eliana:  "I noticed it was dark out so I looked at the clock, and it said 9:17 so I went to bed."

September 2009

Woke up this morning to Kessa telling Donovan, "You're my pride and joy!"

Which child do I take to 4 year old preschool today?  KESSA???  Doesn't Eliana still go to Beth Emek?  What do you mean she's in first grade?  Donovan's not turning one!  Stop denying me my denial!

A year ago just now, I had some good contractions and a sneezing fit, and when I sneezed in the middle of a good contraction, my water broke.  I thought, wow, we'll probably have this baby by dawn.  Ha!  Wrong, so wrong.  Contractions ramped up for a couple hours and then stopped, and thus began the waiting game.  And now you know, don't sneeze during contractions unless you're really in labor.

October 2009

Got home from a birth at 5:30 am and wondered briefly what my neighbors must think when I drive up to the house at all hours, park terribly, and stumble to my front door, then decided I don't care.

3.7 near Sunol = first earthquake Eliana has felt.

"Eliana, if I said you could take piano when you turn 7, but you'd have to choose a sport to give up, what would you choose?"  "No, Mom, I don't want to stop doing any of my activities."  *picks jaw up off floor*

Having Mommy guilt about my 3 days away at MANA after hearing Kessa cry out in her sleep and say, "Bye-bye, Mama!"  Heartbreaking.

November 2009

The house does not have feelings.  The house does not have feelings.  My kids needed to play at the park today, and the house does not have feelings.

Today, I'm thankful that my hair is Kessa's blankie.  Mmmmm, cuddles.  (Aw, she gave that up when I made her quit thumb-sucking.)

December 2009

Major milestone:  the day the kid reaches something higher than you thought he could reach, making an enormous mess, and you mutter to yourself while cleaning it up, though you are superbly thankful it wasn't something sharp or hot.

Apparently I didn't learn from yesterday's milestone.  Today, my shoes smell like eggnog.

Last night's Hanukkah:  sparse decorating, candlelighting, latkes, applesauce, broccoli, cake, and a $9 present that they all have to share... and they smothered me in gratefulness and love.  Three cheers for unspoiled children.

I wonder what causes a one year old to wake himself up in the middle of the night by hiccuping.

Eliana gave my brother a list of seven things to find, requiring him to check them off using stickers, and then wrote him a note saying, "Congragalations!  You figured out the scavenger hunt!"