4 Things...

...I am diggin' of late:

1) Grey's Anatomy
The most recent episodes have been good. Really good. And they needed to be or I was going to give it up altogether. I am hoping it will continue in its redemptive streak because it used to be such good TV drama--I mean seasons 1 and 2 are pretty amazing (and I own them on DVD if anyone wants to borrow them...and then discuss the fated love of Meredith and Derrick).

2) Harmon's
My new favorite luxury--curb-side pick-up. For some reason my grocery days the past few weeks have continually coincided with lovely spring blizzards. I usually shop with the little girls while Bentley is at school so that makes things easier but loading and unloading 2 children and all my groceries in the snow is no fun. So, I love Harmons for saving me that hassle. Oh, and they have incredible costumer service if one happens to drop her wedding ring down a cooling grate in the strawberry display over in produce. I hear they will help out right away and dismantle the thing to retreive it while she continues to shop...

3) No knead bread
My mother-in-law gave me the homemade recipe for this bread which tastes just like the yummy European style loaves they sell at the grocery store. We had some last night and it really is tasty. I am going to make some for tomorrow's dinner but start on it tonight since it takes about 14 hours to rise. I'll post the recipe if things work out right :)

4) This SNL skit
Watch it--it's so ugly you will be crying. Anything with Justin Timberlake in kitten heels and a leotard is bound to be funny...

Partying in Vegas

Surprise #2 and #3:

Getting settled in our hotel room

Lounging at the pool

After meeting up with the Allen family, we walked across the street to The Venetian for dinner at Grand Lux to celebrate both Ben's birthday and mine. When little Max was ready to head home to bed, Ben took off with him and we took Heidi back to our room to be our babysitter for the night.

Posing on the catwalk outside the LOVE theater
(on the way to dinner to avoid the crowds later in the night)

Dinner at Grand Lux

Olivia and her aunt Heidi

And then we were off to see LOVE...and what else is there to say except that I loved it! Such fun and familiar music, crazy costumes and set designs, incredible acrobatics and daredevil tricks, and of course some beautiful and artistic choreography. For those of you who know the show, my favorite songs/performances included the vibrant show opener to Get Back, Octopus's Garden, Something, and Here Comes the Sun. It is such a fabulous show and I have been wanting to see it for ages--my hubby must really know me well to gift me such an amazing surprise!

What a fun weekend! I am sad that we are already home but it was fun to see my kids this evening and take them to dinner at Settebello--one of our favorite spots downtown. So far it feels pretty good being 30 :)

Surprise!

I am catching a flight to Las Vegas in a few hours courtesy of my darling hubby and my impending 30th birthday!! Joseph, Olivia and I are heading south for the next 2 days while the kids go to Nanny's house. That is all I know so far. I have been informed that 2 more surprises await. I am so excited to feel the warm sun and see my little sis--Viva Las Vegas!

(the image is what I found inside "surprise envelope #1" last night...)

Mommies

While Bentley was at preschool today, Cares and I played "mommies and babies." Of course most of my "play" time was done with Olivia while Caroline bathed and dressed her baby dolls, and took one of them to visit the "doctor" (her black puppy) upstairs by the pool table. It was so much fun to watch her and listen to her as she mothered her babies. At one point she was washing her doll's head over and over and saying "you just have so much poop in your hair!"

It was a delightful morning with my 2 girls.

Just a Case of...

...mastitis--the arch enemy of nursing mothers. So so lame, but at least I got on antibiotics quickly and things are already feeling a little bit better. I think I am personally keeping my neighborhood pharmacy in business this month!

On Friday afternoon I was getting ready for a date night with my hubby and the kids were hanging out in the bathroom with me:

Bentley: Mom, what are you doing?
Me: Putting on some make-up.
Bentley: Why do you wear it?
Me: So I can look pretty for Daddy.
Bentley: But you already look pretty.

500 gold stars for Bentley. He made my day and I couldn't help but squeeze that little guy in a tight hug and shower him with kisses. Come to think of it, Joseph should get on that bandwagon too :)

Park Playdate

The kids and I met up with almost all of my sisters-in-law yesterday for a big cousin playdate:

Cares and Bea holding hands (my daughter is loving the big sis idea--even with little cousins!)

Tillie laughing over bubble time

Hmmmm, can you guess which child had way too late of a night and woke up grumpy?!

He did have some happier moments too...

All the "little" grandkids
(minus the babies who were sound asleep...we didn't want to disturb them :)

**Note to self: horizontal stripes on a postpartum body do not work...on the belly nor the top half
(man--the "ladies" are really out of control! Why do I always forget how much breastfeeding changes them?)

1 Month Old

...and still a very sleepy girl. If only she would sleep for longer stretches during the night--oh, how I wish! But other than that she has been quite an easy and content little baby. I love her in this pic--she is such a cuddle bear.

**well fancy that--after writing this post, miss Olivia decided to eat at 9:30 pm and then I didn't hear from her again until 2:30 am. She is such an obedient baby :)

Garage Picnic

The Set-up

The Posers

The Baby

Yesterday, after preschool, we had big plans for enjoying the lovely weather. After we ate our "picnic lunch," Olivia napped in her stroller, the big kids rode their bikes/big wheels and did side-walk chalk, and I worked on cleaning and clearing out the garage. Later in the evening, I prepared the chicken and vegetables for chopped chicken salad and when Joseph got home from work he and the kids headed outside again to BBQ and play in the yard. As we ate dinner, I noticed that Bentley's cheeks and nose were a little rosy from playing in the sunshine--my sweet little fair-skinned boy--next time I will remember the sunblock!

We are so eager for green grass to return but the sunshine and pleasant air will do for now. At least all of the snow has finally melted away from the shady corners of our yard :)

Saturday

First spring day at the park: Joseph took Beans and Cares and cousin Maddie while Cec and I went to a wedding shower for our cousin and his finacee.

And Olivia had a bath in the late evening--that was her big event of the day but I know in her heart she wished she could have been trying out the big twisty slides with her brother and sister. All in due time little girl :)

She looks deliciously sweet during her baths--and always makes the best faces...

Sleep and Shows

After preschool yesterday I dropped the big kids off at my mom's house for a sleepover and for playtime at both her house and then over to Nanny's house today. They should be back home by dinner time tonight which I am getting excited for--I miss their crazy, loud, busy, silly, happy and cuddly little bodies buzzing around the house. But believe me, I made the most of their time with their grandmas--meaning I have slept and slept and slept!

Yesterday, when I got home from taking the kids, I left Olivia slumbering away in her carseat and I went straight to the couch and took a 70 minute nap. This morning, after feeding the tiny maid at 5:15 and then 7:45, we both slept in until 10:30. Heavenly, I tell you, simply heavenly. And now, I just woke up from a 2 hour nap with the babe swaddled up laying right beside me in bed. Who knew I could pack in so much sleep? It has been fabulous (and I will be forever grateful for these days of rest--thank you Bobbi and Ruth Ann!)

On to an unrelated topic, I have watched way too many shows both on TV and from Hollywood Video since Olivia arrived. This is how I entertain myself while feeding the baby and most importantly, how I keep from falling asleep while feeding her between the hours of 10:00 pm and 8:00 am (plus the TV adds the perfect amount of light for seeing what I am doing without waking the baby up too much--my big sis taught me that invaluable trick many years ago...) Anyway, I am obsessed with HGTV and TLC. I dreamt last night that Joseph and I were out on a double date and we ran into my parents so I introduced them to the people with us and said "these are our great friends Jon and Kate." You TLC watching peeps will know what I am talking about :)

And these are the movies we have rented or watched on TV in the last 3 weeks:

1) The Secret Life of Bees
2) Nights in Rodanthe
3) High School Musical 3
4) Australia
5) Nacho Libre

Can you guess which one Joseph chose? Ha--the poor guy tries to hang out with me in the evenings and watch all my awesome movies and shows but at 10:00 pm he is usually fast asleep on the couch beside me. And I promise he was at Sunday dinner at his mom's house with the kids when I watched HSM3--I wouldn't put him through that (but I secretly loved it :)

Due Date

Oh how grateful (and lucky) I feel to see this day come and go and know that my baby girl has already been here in the world, safe and cuddled in my arms for 3 weeks. I am finally feeling like my body is mostly healed and our schedules are getting back to normal--and that I am really, really tired from middle of the night feedings. Last night I asked Joseph when we would feel like we were getting enough sleep again and we decided that we shouldn't plan on it for about a year (and pray that it will be sooner :) How is it than whenever Olivia has a good night with a long sleep stretch, one of the older kids just happens to interrupt our slumbers by falling out of bed, waking-up from a bad dream, needing to go pee, or suddenly needing more water in the middle of the night? (believe me, all of these things have actually happened in the last 10 days or so...)

Best thing about not being pregnant:
I can hold my laptop comfortably on my lap again (meaning the belly isn't usurping all the space anymore) How I do love my MacBook--even if it is a hand-me-down from my hubby...

Worst thing about not being pregnant anymore:
My feet get really cold (something that never happens when I am pregnant and always over heated! oh--and I hardly ever wear socks unless I am heading out of the house so I am constantly barefooted...may be part of the problem...)

Kindergarten Looms

My little Bentley is not so little anymore. He will be in Kindergarten this coming fall--I'll have a child in elementary school! I am so excited for him--I know he will love it.

So, here lies the dilemma: Bentley was chosen through a lottery to attend the new charter school right near our house. I didn't really think his name would get chosen so we have just been planning on going to the local elementary school. And then, on Friday, I was informed that he got in. Now I am wondering which place will be best for him.

Charter school pros:
1) Not on a year round schedule
2) Limited class size
3) Specialized curriculum
4) Great reputation

Charter school cons:
1) Bentley's neighborhood/church friends aren't attending (as far as I know anyway...)
2) Dress code (isn't that silly that I even care? But I do think dressing my kids is fun)

Both schools are wanting registration materials turned in within the next week. Part of me wants to just register at both and then decide later--so I don't really have to deal with it just yet :) I'd appreciate any input you lovely readers have--for or against the whole charter school idea. Click here for a short little article about the school and here for the school's webpage, if you feel so inclined.

2 Weeks Old

Olivia saw her doctor for the first time today and he informed me that she is indeed "just perfect" (just like I thought :) My tiny girl has actually grown a lot in 2 weeks--she is now just over 21 inches long (2 inches added in 2 weeks!) and weighs 8 lbs and 1 oz. So, she is still a little featherweight but she nurses like a champ so I'll see if I can fatten her up in the coming weeks.

I took all 3 kids to the appointment today and Bentley and Caroline were quite fascinated with the whole process of checking Olivia. Our fabulous pediatrician let both of them check her eyes after he had and then listen to her heart with his stethoscope (he is the father of 4--almost 5--and so amazing with kids. Yay for good doctors!)

And that was what we did today. When we got home I fed all 3 kiddos and then laid all of us down for some much needed napping. It felt so so good to catch 30 minutes of sleep.

Diaper Bags

It's that time again--time for a more mom friendly bag. I really want to just keep using a purse but I forgot how much gear I need to tote around for a newborn (it has been a while since I had one :) So, I am in the market for a new diaper bag. And I like these 2:















What do you think? Any other suggestions--do you know of a bag that I just really have to have?