Sabine

Sara and Marlin had their baby! It was a long awaited little one, and I am so happy for them! Sabine Ruth was born Sunday, and we were the first to go and see them in the hospital. She is precious, and I am looking forward to lots of playtime between Maeve and Sabine!

Cutie Pies!

I took this idea from my sister in law. The poor kids are cursed with my ginormous feet!

Naked girl has found her toes and is loving to play with them!

We did it!

Here is a treat! They can now make the bed for me. I just have to lower my standards a bit. It isn't Martha Stewart Living, but it is one less job for me to do!

Treks!

So I took my mangy pound puppy to the vet for his annual shots and checkup. I mentioned to the vet that he had a funny bump under his arm (leg/paw - whatever), and asked her to look at it. She did a quick look, took out a syringe and pulled a sample to check out under the microscope. She came back in, scheduled him for surgery and told me that he had an aggressive malignant tumor that would kill him if we didn't get it taken care of soon. Huh?
In about 3 minutes I went from happy dog owner, to stressed out dog owner. How much will this cost, is he going to die, do I have to take care of another sick thing in my home, etc....THEN she proceeded to tell me that unfortunately this kind of tumor doesn't respond well to chemotherapy. HUH??
I felt myself growing a bit faint. My mind was racing, and I started to wonder where to sign over my rights.
Long story short, he had the surgery a few days later, and is on the road to recovery. I had to keep the kids off of him, and him off the bed for a few days, but all is well. His biopsy came back well, and the vet is confident that she removed enough of the tissue to stop it from spreading in that particular area. She did mention that he has a 30% chance of getting it somewhere else on his body in his lifetime. Great....

Treks is sporting his post surgery t-shirt. He was pretty drugged up and uncomfortable for a while. (The t-shirt keeps him from scratching at the incision.)

Four Months Old

Today marks Maeves' 4 month birthday. It also marked her 4 month Dr appointment. We got all her latest stats, as well as another round of shots. Soooo much fun. I hate being the one in the room with my kids when they get that "why in the world is that lady slamming needles into my leg" look. I usually tear up a bit, and just try to whisper in their ears that I love them, and I only do this because that is what will hopefully keep them healthy.
The good thing is that at this age, they don't remember any of it, and its over as quick as it starts. Maeve did let out a pretty angry cry though.

4 month stats:
Height: 26 inches (96%)
Weight: 15 lbs (81%)
Head Circ: 16.5 inches (77%)

She has a slight amount of torticollis (huh?) meaning that her head tilts slightly to the left due to some muscle tightening. It's common, and she will outgrow it, and her case is very mild. I always just thought her ears were crooked....

Evening at the Park

We took a walk to the park last night. The kids crack me up. Between the constant chatter, the silly noises, silly faces and goofy actions I am constantly entertained. I am so blessed to be part of this family!

Rolling Over!

The title says it all!

Step 1 : Look really cute and happy

Step 2: Get tired of laying on back, and look to the side. Make sure that your body follows the movement of your head.

Step 3: Struggle really hard for a couple of seconds and get the rest of the way over. Now you can see even more than you did before!

Ta-da!!!

New Fav

Rich and I went out on a date last night, and I have to rave a bit about the restaurant we went to. Over by the park is East West Cafe, and although I have been before its been a really long time and last night was a good reminder why I used to go! Yummy!


Such healthy and delicious food! Rich had the Pasta Special which was good, and I had the Falafel Plate. It was a sort of sampling of a bunch of different types of foods that the place serves. Falafel cakes (which I am now a huge fan of), hummus (always been a fan), beet delite (beets with tahini, yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and walnuts - it was actually really good, and I love beets), tabbouleh (something that I am going to try to make at home now), tahini sauce (yummy), and whole wheat pitas to assemble it all in.

Falafel

Tabbouleh

I was so glad to order it, and after I had cleaned my plate, I could not have been happier. The inside of the restaurant was really nice and relaxing too. It was like a mental vacation, as Rich put it. The meal was more expensive than our normal date fare (free) but we have started a new budgeting system that allowed for it.
I know its not every ones type of food, but for Rich and I, it was a perfect and enjoyable night.

This week...

Its Sunday morning, and I have been up since the crack of dawn. Literally. Maeve woke up at 6am to nurse, and I couldn't get back to sleep after that. It's not a bad thing, I do love the mornings. It's quiet in the house, the day hasn't heated up yet, and my morning coffee is always calling my name.
This week has been long! It's been hot, and the kids are irritable like their mother. We are settling into the routine of preschool, and I really think that Cannon is enjoying his time with me. I have been busy working with my hands. Sewing has become my outlet that I can put time into and it keeps my semi-creative juices flowing. I wish that I was better at it (like some people I know - Elissa) but it's fun, and I learn something new each time that I try to make something. I have been making a lot of baby things lately for the list of people that I know who are pregnant. The list is REALLY long. I will post some pics of my latest things later.

This Weeks Update:
Brynn's second week of preschool - She has a Tuesday best friend named Grace, and a Friday best friend named Lily.
Cannon's second week of being top dog - Even though Brynn would kill me if she knew, I let Cannon play with her dollhouse while she is at school. We just make sure that it's all cleaned up before she comes home....ssshhh, don't tell her until she is older.
Maeve - I was working in the kitchen and Rich commented that Maeve really enjoyed being on her tummy...WHAT???? Apparently she has been practicing rolling over, and finally succeeded. I didn't even get to see it! Anyways, another milestone accomplished for our little one!
Angie - I just started reading The Mission of Motherhood. It appears to be a great book! (I have only read the first chapter at this point.) I also have the much discussed book "The Shack" on my pile to read. Can't wait to crack into that one. This weeks theme in my life - "This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!"
Rich - Work, work, work! This man is the sole provider for the family, and he really takes his job seriously. I can tell everyday when he comes home that his heart has been with us all day. He loves the kids (and me) and can't wait to be home with us. He recently had his annual review, and of course, his boss had nothing but wonderful things to say about him. I love hearing from the people that he works with that he is a honorable, dependable man of integrity (all the things that I already know!) With the review came a raise, and it couldn't have come at a better time. Our hospital bill from the latest pregnancy and birth was huge, and we weren't really sure how it was going to be paid. God is good! Our next financial goal is to save some money to replace the roof that is as old as the house...The joys of home ownership right?
And last but not least Treks - The dog is enjoying life as always. Plenty of dog food as well as table scraps. He is already eyeing Maeve with the knowledge that as soon as she starts eating with us at the table, his food intake will increase once again. The kids harass him, and try to dress him up. He spends most of the day sleeping, and the rest of the day running away and hiding from the kids. He has found a great spot under the crib in the back room. Smart puppy!

Well, I am off to shower, dress, and feed my family before church this morning. Maybe a refill on my coffee too....

"This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!"