Road Trip

In the great American tradition of the summer road trip, we headed south this weekend to J's family's favorite lake, Bull Shoals. Just south of the Missouri border in Arkansas, it really is an unspoiled, lovely lake. We saw our cousins and Nana and Mike. The kiddos were, for the most part, great in the car, though we had several breakdowns. There was, as to be expected, some family drama, but overall, only one walk out during dinner, so I consider that a success. Jack rode on the innertube with his cousins and Daddy, we were all so proud. No fear. The twinnies took a boat ride and given the rather high heat index, a very cautious dip in the lake. J had a great time driving (or piloting? Not fluent in lake lingo) the boat the second day, Caroline was his second in command. J was a trooper and barbequed for the family both nights and hosted the second night. He also drove all the way home, practically, which was a rest for me. All in all, a good escape for a few days. We're back to the grind today.

Father's Day

Those who know me well know that I have a theory, developed in part by our former nanny, that videogames have ruined our generation of men. I say it halfway kidding and halfway not, but really out of frustration of the boatload of work that comes with motherhood. All in all, my kids have a great, great dad. He plays, reads books, comes home, earns a living, laughs and cries with them. We have our disputes, yes, but I am deeply grateful that I and my kids have J as our partner and dad. Great blessings abound. In memory of my own great dad, I am slightly sad this Father's Day, but because he missed seeing his grandkids, which would have been a great joy, particularly Jack. He wanted Emily to be a boy so badly he painted the nursery blue and painted footballs all over her crib. (Not to worry, she ended up being the favorite.)
We have had a busy couple of weeks. Jack has gone back to nursery school and though I believe we are developing a summer cold, has done much better going and enjoying school this time around. The twins reached the 6 month mark! CAN HARDLY BELIEVE IT. The baby angels sleep from 8-11 p.m., when they take their last feeding and then rock sold from 11 p.m. to 5:30 or so. Life is getting better readers. Our great Grandma visited very briefly on a trip out west, but got to meet the twins, which was a great treat and a joy.
In the pictures, J reads to Brooke and Jack, Jack and J at the zoo, Great Grandma and Jack and my favorite shots....Brooke sleeping in her bed, she always sleeps on her side like this, too cute...and Caroline sleeping in her stroller. It's off to the pool on this hot Friday!

Good Friends & Good Times

Our dear friend Harriet visited us this weekend while J was away at an overnight golf tournament. We were thrilled! We spent a lot of time admiring Jack and the twins and getting reacquainted.
What else is going on? More of the same.....thinking about business options for me, J practices law, the kiddies grow and are adorable. I am in month 3 of staying home and I do enjoy it, though it is a VERY different lifestyle. It is a mere hiatus, but hard to think about the right career with little ones. There must be a flexible and challenging option somewhere. I am not happy unless obsessing about something!
In pictures, Auntie Harriet with the twinnies, Brookie and Caroline get a little exercise, Jack in the sculpture garden near our house, Brookie on the back porch in her hat. The midnight and last feeding of the night approaches....bonne nuit....

Time Honored Traditions

Or, "How to entertain small children on a Sunday." I don't know about other parts of the world, but around here, we are big into feeding the ducks. Any ducks, with stale bread. We think it's great fun and the kids think it is hilarious. I don't know why. Nonetheless, we all do it and enjoy it.

These pictures are a few weeks old, but Daddy and Jack feed ducks, a rare sighting of Mommy and Jack feeding the ducks, Brooke with Daddy in the morning, Caroline during the 'witching' hour (Miss C cries from 5-6 p.m. every night. Yes, EVERY NIGHT. It could be a little colic. We don't know. The only thing that stops her is if I walk her around the kitchen. You understand that this is difficult as I fix dinner and tend to two other children. Sigh.) and Brooke with her favorite teether, Daddy's finger.

This is my second attempt at a posting, I was writing on how we are all fine and healthy, calmly enjoying the night. Then Jack turned off my computer by flipping the power switch. And we start all over again. Patience, grasshopper, patience. The business of gathering lobbying clients continues, today was a Springfield trip. It's right there, I can virtually see the potential.....just need one of these guys to send a contract! Do not despair, the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Illinois. Maybe not for long, but for today at least. Happy Wednesday. Our friend and Brooke's godmother Harriet visits tomorrow. We are overcome with joy!

Blooming Where We're Planted

As Jack is currently screaming over the monitor about the injustice of having to take a nap on a Saturday, it is hard to believe that just yesterday we were calmly and peacefully observers in one of the great public parks of the country, Forest Park. As a reluctant midwesterner, (I swear, I tried to branch out to the coasts, no one has ever hired me) I sometimes forget about what a wonderful place we call home. Yes, it has some setbacks and is miles, miles, miles away from the ocean, but it does have great friends, great families, common sense, lack of pretention and gorgeous park settings going for it. After a very long visit by Grandma, Jack and I drove her to the airport and stopped off for lunch in the park. A lovely time was had by all.

FIVE MONTHS OLD

This week we mark the twins' 5 month birthday. They are rolling over, smiling and....gasp...yes, readers, I do believe we are teething. Our friend Kyle told us about these herbal drops he gave his daughters when Jack was little, I'll have to go out and find the voodoo drops later!

I am happy to report a healthy week, but sad to report that our toliet learning is going slowly. The good news is that it appears to be progressing, just not in the clean, sanitary ways I had hoped. Motherhood is nothing if not messy.

Our business opportunities do not seem to be panning out this week, a mixture of lack of time for research and client contact. A big excise tax fight is brewing in Illinois, I have made my presence known, here's hoping that I get a call back. Fighting back fears that leaving corporate America was a terrible, terrible idea. Oh, why, oh why, can't we have it all, all at once? And the work-life balance teeter-totter topples again.

In pictures, the entire family + Nana visit the Zoo, no, I didn't take pictures of any of the animals, I don't know why. Jack holds Brooke's hand in the car (seriously cute), the twins in their double snap n' go, Jack makes 'pancakes' in the sandbox, and Jack has the best seat in the house to see the elephants. Happy, happy Friday.

Mother's Day 2009

It is naptime for the children this Mother's Day, after a fight to get Jack down, Brooke is sleeping in her swing and Princess Caroline is practically holding open her eyelids with her fingers on my lap. And crying from time to time. Such is the life of a 4-month-old.

After a terrible month of colds and flus, I am happy to report that we are all in good health. Jack is taking the month of May off from his class, but we have decided to send him back in June and hope for the best. In a recent visit to the pediatrician, she suggested that we should assist Jack in claiming a new identity besides being my "baby," and that will help him get a bit more used to being a big brother. And so, we are lauding the benefits of being a big boy, getting to go to school, having your own bed, getting to wear a watch, sitting on the potty. We have also promised Jack a goldfish when he decides to give up his diapers. At least we are moving in that direction.

Having been mothered myself by an unconventional mother, I sometimes struggle in my new mommy role. Despite the difficulty that some days present, I truly have joy each and every day, something that I did not have before having a family. And so, we reach this day with great gratitude and renewed belief that dreams can come true.

Our Nana is featured in two pictures with Jack, reading Peter Rabbit before bed and then just today at brunch, smiling at Jack trying on her new summer hat. The mother-in-law relationship is touchy sometimes, but I think that the universe decided that I had enough managing with mother figures already and gave me a great one. She helps me more than anyone else with the kids and I am very thankful that she lives so close. Brooke (green) and Caroline (pink) model their dresses (they got dressed up for dinner with Grandpa Clyde). Dreaded tummy time is also featured. We are headed to the zoo post-nap, so will have more photos to share later.