"I always knew a meeting would kill me...."

Page 1 of Patrick's journel for school. Apparently he took Tommy's comment very seriously. (Click to enlarge, I think.)

3 Month Cute

James thinks Wilson is funny.

"William, why are you so loud?"

"Because God gave me batteries so I can yell."

My days

- "Please get off the baby. Please get off the baby!" "GENTLE!" "Eeeeassy. Easy." If I had a nickel, a penny even for every time I say those words in a day I would be a rich woman.

- I would like to have some great blog posts, but my brain is turning to mush. My vocabulary has dropped to a grade school level, since I have to at least be able to keep up with my kids' homework. My days are spent holding, feeding or changing the baby, or running interference. William LOVES the baby. I mean REALLY loves the baby. He is always on top of him, kissing, hugging and just plain lovin' on him all day long. I think it is so amazing how much love he has for him and how he just wants to be with him all the time, but it is exhausting. James is a cutie, and it's hard not to kiss those cheeks. He is a beautiful, sweet and smiley baby almost all the time. But, he is not a fan of the car and/or carseat. He tells us by his wails. That boy can go from zero to screaming in no time flat, and to drive with a little one screaming is very hard. He is not the best sleeper, but that is mostly my fault. I need a better schedule (in EVERY area of my life) for him.

- I asked William if he wanted to do swim lessons. His response: "Then I can get my license back?" No idea where that came from. LOL That boy still cracks me up every day by his comments. He is like a Gregory in his singing and quoting movies - he only has to see/hear it one time and he knows it - and his sense of humor is Daddy's all the way. He is a nut.

- Emma is enjoying first grade, with more responsibilities and fun. She actually told me that she wished she could go to school on Saturday. I guess that's a pretty good sign. I love her new uniform and I think she looks absolutely adorable in that jumper. We are hoping that she will share a room with the baby when he is ready for a room, and I think she will be a great help with James. She is a huge help in the car when James starts screaming.

- In Spanish class, the kids filled out a little thing about themselves. Likes and dislikes or "me gusta" and "no me gusta." Patrick's came home with the usual in the likes - video games, Mario, etc. The dislikes: earthquakes, ticks, cancer. Sigh. I know he's growing up, I can see it in our conversations, and by an incident that happened at school. One of his friends was saying some things that upset him, not AT him, and he got concerned, so he brought it to the attention of the teacher. Big moment for him and proud moment for me. I can't believe he's so old!

- I keep hoping my house will clean itself, and the laundry fairies will visit me a little more frequently. I know things are going to take a bit longer to get used to. I know it, but I can't seem to handle it. Just have to keep going. So, if you don't hear from me in a while, I may need some rescuing. If you don't find me under the pile of Mount Neverest, try under the nearest bed, where I may be in the fetal position, sucking my thumb.

Just kidding about the thumb.

Well, maybe.

Slow down!

Patrick has had an evenful month. No, not activity-wise. Life issues-wise.

We first started with an earthquake, followed by a (over-hyped) hurricane. He was very worried about those things, and kept asking us lots of questions, especially in the evenings, about aftershocks, tornados, etc. He gets to school, and on the first day, he comes home and starts talking about cancer. His teacher is suffering from non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, so he has a permanent substitute at the start of his year. They are praying for her, and the talk of cancer has come up, and he informs me that some people die from cancer. Fast forward 2 days: Mommy is in bed with fever. His first comment to me: "I hope you don't have cancer, Mommy." My poor little man. The next day, he hears about the anniversary of 9/11, and sees a clip of some of the tribute shows coming on. More questions, and he makes the connection of why we are at war, and why his uncles are deployed. More worries, more questions. Oh, and did I mention that we had an elderly friend of the family pass away right before the baptism?

It's so hard! I had no idea that he was going to have to learn these things so quickly, and feel the weight of how scary some of these things are. I know my kids have to grow up, but not now. And not with such heavy issues. I am praying for and with him often, and my prayer is that we can get through this without too much worry, and we all stay safe.

First Day of School 2011-12

My big 3rd grader Patrick, and 1st grader Emma!

It was hard to get a non-silly face of William.

And when James is around, William is all about kissing and loving him.

Twinkies!

Thank you, Grandma!

Earthquake!

We were enjoying our last week of summer by having a "picnic" in the basement as we watched a movie. It had just ended when I sent Patrick upstairs to get some socks on. James was sleeping in the basement, and I was in the kitchen with the other kids. I heard this thumping and told the kids to stop. It continued and I yelled a little louder for them to stop, thinking the kids were making a racket. William and Emma appeared in the kitchen and I thought maybe it was Patrick upstairs, and was just about to say something again when the noise got louder, and the whole house started shaking. Patrick came downstairs with eyes like saucers, and William and Emma came to me and held on. I kept thinking a truck wouldn't make a noise like that, or shake the whole house, and I know my neighbors can't do that! It lasted about 20 seconds, but seemed so much longer. We all kept saying "what in the world was that?!?" and ran outside. Our neighbors were all out there asking the same question and one man was so nonchallant about it. "It was an earthquake." Like, seriously, go back to your lives, citizens. I went in the house to call Tommy, and the phone rang as I picked it up. I had a quick conversation with my sister, and then the phones stopped working. Both of them: cell and land line. It was crazy. The kids were really shaken up, and hovered over my shoulder as I went on Facebook and tried to email Tommy (admittedly, I put the wrong subject line on his. I don't think I should have put "help" anywhere in the email I picked the wrong word and he kind of freaked out). Patrick was especially nervous, and would not leave my side. I still couldn't believe it. We had an earthquake in Virginia!

It registered at 5.8 (I think) and was a big deal on this east coast. I watched a bit of news with the kids and I think it made Patrick more nervous about things. He heard buzz words and hung on: aftershocks, nuclear factory, earthquake, and hurricane. I guess it's time to do some weather lessons. :) Actually, another lesson we need is an earthquake lesson. I had no clue what we should do, to be perfectly honest! Never thought we needed to learn about that. When I looked online, it reminded me of those old videos that showed what to do in case of a nuclear attack: get under your desk and hold on!

Patrick is 8!

Patrick enjoyed an afternoon of putt-putt with his cousins and friends. He chose 8 (for his birthday year) with the theme of Super Mario Brothers.

I love this picture of my nephew helping William.

I think everyone had a good time!

I think the boys are doing Mario poses. William is clutching Patrick's "noisy Mater" for dear life. He claimed that present almost immediately! I can't believe my oldest child is 8! I am so blessed with such amazing kids, and my Patrick is so smart and sweet.

Baptism

Triple baptism day.

I think we have a future priest! We have never had a white garment like this and it must be a sign!

Our first baptisms in the new church! My nephews were the altar servers, my godson is on the left.

Fr. Juan was so supportive during this tough pregnancy, and even told us that he feels that he has a connection with James, since he prayed so much for us. We were so happy to have him at the baptism!

Melanie and Kate (3 weeks), me and James (9 weeks), and Elena and Leah (10 weeks).

Godparents Theresa (my sister) and John (Tommy's brother), with Dad Reynolds as proxy, since John is deployed.

"I lost my 2"

All day Saturday we kept telling William that this was the last day he would be 2. Tommy told him that during the night there would be a big "POOF!" and he would be 3, and he told William not to break the bed. William was so cute in the morning when he told us that there WAS a big poof, and "I lost my 2, and found my 3!" (He says it so cute: fthlee) He did that all by himself! Such a cutie. I attempted to put a "noisy Finn" on his cake (from Cars 2) and he was so happy!

Conversation in Line

It was a long wait to get to Confession last night. Patrick was getting very impatient to get back to his PBJ sandwich. I am explaining to Patrick that we need to be patient, we need the graces to get to Heaven, and this isn't as hard as what Jesus did. I said I want to go to Heaven, and want him to get there too. It was one of mommy's lectures that I find myself trying really hard to get him to pay attention, fit a lot of good information in it. I am feeling like he is hearing me, and I am so serious.

Me: ....to get to Heaven.
Patrick: But you'll be there first, Mommy.

I could not hold in my laughter.