The trouble with Facebook is...

...I never have time to blog anymore. I have come to realize that Facebook is quickly becoming my number one addiction, and my blog is suffering. Even worse, I have Facebook on my phone, so it is with me everywhere I go and Jon is about to divorce me because I can't stop checking it. What if there is a new status update? What if someone wrote on my wall? I have to know...NOW! So I am making a concentrated effort to pay as much attention to my blog as I do to a meaningless social networking site.
Here are some status updates on our family:

I have my last final on Tuesday and then I am off for one month. It will be nice to be able to focus on some projects around the house that have been pushed to the side since August. Also, I'll be working a lot so that will also be good.

We are looking forward to catching up with some family friends of ours who will be coming in this weekend and then some others who will be in next weekend...so that should be fun.

We have a bunch of parties next week that we are excited for. Jon's company party is on Monday night, Hannah's school party (which I'm helping with) is on Friday and my ER party is Friday night.

Hopefully, at some point in the next couple weeks, Jon and I will have a chance to do some Christmas shopping. We've purchased a couple things here and there, but "santa" is definitely not prepared.

Today Calah decided it would be beneficial to rub broccoli soup all over her feet. Not really sure why, but I thought that would be something I would like to remember for the future.

Calah is also starting to show interest in the potty. She says "pee-pee" and then asks to be put on the potty. She has gone pee-pee in the toilet once, and pooh-pooh twice (but on the floor). So, I'm thinking she's not quite ready, but will keep practicing because the moment I only have ONE child in diapers will be a cause for massive celebration.

Jacob is GIGANTIC. Today, at Dunkin Donuts, someone asked me if Calah and Jacob were twins. Kind of silly because Calah was sitting by herself, talking, and eating donuts, and Jacob was just drooling on himself...but nonetheless...twins.

We have been "enjoying" the snow here in Chicago...well...more like Jon has been enjoying the snow and I have been watching from the warm house and serving as the photographer. I really don't like snow. It's pretty to look at, but I hate getting all hot and itchy in a thousand layers, and my hair gets all staticky in my hat, and I always get snow down my boots. Just not really my thing.

Today Jacob grabbed a sprinkle munchkin out of my hand and had it in his mouth in 1.2 seconds AND as I type this, he is killing an ant with his bare hands. GIGANTOR BABY...ROAR!

Hannah wants a $200 life-size horse for Christmas that eats and talks and moves. When we told her that it was very expensive she said "that's OK, Santa can just get it". Is 4 too young to know the truth? Kidding!

Here are some pictures of the last week or so...

Strong Pie

So, maybe its because school is taking up every remaining brain cell, or because the weather is cold and uninspiring, or because I have an infant, a toddler, and a preschooler...all of whom happen to be awesome at whining...whatever the reason, I just haven't felt like writing lately. But Jon is starting to get restless (I think he feels better when I write...I'm like his expressive alter-ego). So, here I go, serving up a realistic slice of Strong pie:

It's December 3rd, and I can hardly believe that 2008 is almost over. It seems like it just began. The weeks fly by, mostly I think, because of school (I am 2 weeks away from finishing my first semester...1 down, 3 to go). The kids are doing well and have really adjusted to our babysitter, who is turing out to be great. Great for me as well, because having scheduled time each week outside the home is nothing short of a miracle for me. I guess I am discovering as I get older how restless I can be. Some days I really think that if I died and went to hell, that my job there would not be pushing that rock up the steep hill only to watch it fall back to the bottom again(can't remember that guy's name). Instead, I'm certain my job would entail some sort of childcare/babysitting duties where the children constantly whine and occasionally puke. Ok, maybe that's a little dramatic, but on the super long days, that is pretty close to how I feel. And there is no use in sugar-coating it. I know I love my kids...my husband knows I love my kids...and most importantly, God knows I love my kids...but the whole staying home thing...so not my bag baby.

Ok, so that was the crust of the pie...here is the filling:

Hannah Banana is one semster closer to being a kindergartner. Where does the time go? She is growing up so fast. She is learning all her letters and numbers and can usually pick out what letter starts any particular word by sound and sight. Yesterday she told me that she would like to take singing lessons, despite the fact that she might be nervous. She loves to dance and sing and most of all, is an amazing big sister.

We had our first snow of the year the other day so the girls got to go outside for some sledding in the backyard. Speaking of sledding...Calah is obsessed with her hand-me-down pink princess snowboots. She wears them constantly, and even at the ripe age of nearly-2, she can put them on by herself (thank God). She is also talking constantly and is finally putting two words together. New phrases this week are: backpack, more juice, more songs, more milk, pop (lollipop), mama out, dada home, hannah school, Jake-jee baba. Although she talks constantly at home, she is still very shy and does not talk as much around others...so I have to keep reassuring people (grandpa) that she is not suffering a speech delay.

Jacob is, well, a boy for sure. He insists on taking part in risky behavior, such as sleeping with his face flat down into the mattress, sacrificing his body so that he can reach a particular toy, and fearlessly pulling himself up on vertical walls and unstable things with wheels. He injures himself daily. But it is all preparation for Jake Strong, future MVP of the NFL/MLS/NBA/MLB. He also gets these stubborn "tweets" (as my mom used to call them), tufts of hair that stick up on either side for no apparent reason...see below:

So that's about all from here...more Strong pie to come...

Sisters & Brothers

Wow...has it really been a week since my last post? I am really slacking on his whole blog thingy, aren't I? Even as I write this, the chairs sit upside down on the kitchen table, waiting for me to wash the floor so they can return to their rightful places, piles of laundry stretch as far as the eye can see, and many, many drawers of too-small clothes need to be organized. I should be doing all of that, but I have decided to conserve my physical energy for the ER tonight and catch up in blogland.

Today, Hannah put on a puppet show for Calah and Jacob...I was surprised that she knew how to do a puppet show because I've never done one for them, and I was even more surprised that Calah and Jacob actually sat and watched it. It was interesting to step back and watch the three of them entertain each other, and it made me excited for the relationships they're sure to have with one another as they grow older. It is my opinoin that siblings are one of the best blessings one can have.

Calah continues to love her blanket and now refers to him as "he"...well actually she refers to a very specific fringe on the blanket as "he". I think this is because she has always favored this particular fringe and likes to smell it...weird because it is very very dirty (no matter how much we clean it). So when I would put her to bed at night, she would have to find the fringe and I would always say "Where's your friend (referring to fringe), where is HE?" She still has her Na-Na, of course (promise we won't wait until 4 1/2 to invite the Na-Na fairy for a visit). But the problem is that is also what she calls Hannah. So I never know if she wants her Na-Na, or her sister. AND she is the world's best imitator. If Hannah is running, Calah is running. If Hannah is doing cartwheels, Calah is falling on her head, if Hannah is drawing, Calah wants a pen too. Even when we ask her what her name is, she says "Na-Na" (Hannah). Calah also loves to wear everyone's shoes:

One thing I've noticed lately is the difference between Jacob as a baby and the girls as babies. He is just full speed ahead...and Hannah was too, but in a different way. Hannah was always very very active, but still girly. Jacob just goes for it. He is pulling himself up on EVERYTHING. I can't leave him even for a second because when I come back he is eating a plant, pulling himself up on the TV stand, or someone is riding him like a horse (Calah). He is also SO LOUD. He doesn't cry often, but when he does...he screams. This is one of the reasons we haven't really let him cry at night yet, because I'm convinced he'll wake the other two up. He also laughs hysterically when I change his diaper (particularly when he goes #2). I think of the three, he will have the most injuries...and I think he will be a picky eater like Hannah. Wonderful.

Hannah continues to hold the title of "Mini-Me". I think I've still be unable to find something that she is more like Jon in...maybe sports, I hope. Otherwise, she is exactly like me. My parents have a video of me when I was 5 and it might as well be Hannah on that tape. She is extremely independent, talks like me, gets frustrated & bored like me, wants to be doing something CONSTANTLY like me, loves to eat out like me, loves candy like me, talks constantly, and loves to sing to "girl songs" in the car. Sometimes, if a good song is on, we drive around the block so we can listen to the whole thing. It is funny to me to hear her singing in the backseat...sometimes she knows the words and sometimes she doesn't. But, it always cracks me up (silently, of course, because I don't want her to stop). She is also very perceptive lately, and I've noticed that we have to be really careful about the conversations we have in front of her. Even when she doesn't appear to be listening...she definitely is. Oh, just thought of something...she totally has Jon's hair...

Crazies

Our kids....

Never....

Stop...

Moving...(background)

EVER!

**This post is dedicated to Jacob who, at 7 months, is already pulling himself up on all the furniture and attempting to "cruise"...I was hoping to get at least one child who liked to sit in one place for longer than 3 seconds. Will Jacob beat Hannah's 9 month walking record? Stay Tuned!**

**sigh**

**arms crossed, bottom lip protruding in pouty expression** deep sigh**inaudible grumbling to self**

This is how I've spent most of this historical November 5th day. Don't get me wrong, as an American, I am proud that there is now ample proof that we, as a country, have seemingly overcome the disgusting inequalties of the past...even if I've always believed that we have. But at second glance, it seems like maybe those prejudices are alive and well. Why didn't the African American community come out in record numbers to vote for Bill Clinton? Why has it taken this long to motivate people who are normally apathetic to the political process to use their right to vote and do something to change it? Why did it take an "African American" to inspire them to participate?

Because, in my opinion, racism, however transformed, is thriving. But now, we are not even allowed to talk about it. Was this an election about issues or race? Did we choose someone based on experience or ethnicity? On January 20, 2009, are we going to be inaugurating a leader or a symbol? The problem is...we don't know...

I hope when I look back on this blog in 10 years, I will feel silly for doubting the abilities of a highly-educated, articulate man with absolutely no foreign policy or military experience and a very limited legislative career. I hope I'll discover that during his term in power, he has delivered on the impossible promises that he has so frivolously tossed out to the masses that follow him, like guitar picks at a rock concert. Most of all, I hope I will find that his failure to defend the unborn did not have devastating consequences, and that he did not cheapen the "American dream" by handing it out at every street corner.

...and...I hope I'm in a better mood...

**sigh**

Perfect Halloween

I couldn't have been more pleased when I woke up on Halloween to a beautiful, 70 degree, Chicago day. When fall actually happens here...it is amazing. Most of the time we seem to go right from summer to winter in about a week flat. The leaves turn colors and then are quickly blown off the trees by miserable, icey-cold rain storms. This fall, however, has been perfect. Even today, November 5th, is a sunny, breezy, 75 degree day complete with singing birds, falling leaves and not a hint of the long winter that is inevitably right around the corner.

Most of my Halloweens as a kid were spent running from house to house in the dark, sometimes rain, in a costume covered up by a coat, hat, and gloves. I was so happy this year because we didn't even have to wear sweatshirts. It was a great day!

Blog vs. Personal Hygiene

I just want everyone to know that I decided that I should blog today over taking a shower...with 3 kids under 5...alone time is hard to come by. But I realized I haven't written anything in quite a while, so decided my time would be best spent journaling on the latest events in family life. Also, I couldn't let this day go by without praising God for one of His many miracles. On the side bar there is a link to what I call a "miracle in the making" (http://www.mycharmingkids.net/) It is a blog about a young mom who is pregnant with a son who, at 20 weeks, was diagnosed with severe heart abnormalities. She was told by the medical team that he would surely die in utero...but today, 19 weeks later, she is delivering a full term healthy baby boy. His APGAR scores were 9 & 9 and so far, the NICU team hasn't been able to find anything wrong with him. What makes this story so interesting is that she started a blog to document the journey and in doing so has acquired hundreds of followers who all have been praying for her and baby Stellan the entire time. It has been amazing to watch this story unfold. And what is making this the most interesting to me is that she has 3 other kids...hold on...ages 3, 2, & 1. Wow. That's crazy. Check it out!



The past couple weeks have really gone by in a blur.

The details:

• Grandma "with the glasses" came for a visit last week and it was wonderful to have her here! She played hours of GO FISH, had sleepovers with Hannah, and took care of the kids while I went to class.






• Jacob has mastered crawling and sitting (although he never stays sitting for long...don't know if this is because he falls over or just always wants to crawl.)



• Jacob has not mastered sleeping. Last night was officially awful with 1:00 am & 5:00 am feedings. At 7 months & 20 pounds...he is about to learn the art of self-soothing.


• Calah, at 21 months, is a perfect mix of snuggling and stubbornness.
• 
  Hannah is getting taller by the second. I swear she grew 3 inches this summer because all of her 4T pants are more like capris now. She is Sleeping Beauty for Halloween this year.



• Jon is excited because he has finally moved into his new office building 1 mile away. He has been riding his bike to work everyday and even rides it home and back again for lunch...that's 4 miles/day. I better start working out!



• School is going very well with its only downside being that I don't have the energy to keep up with blogging. I guess I never realized how much nurses actually have to know...I thought it was just learning how to torture people with needles!


• My sister's housewarming party was a success...I think we had more fun with the blow-up arena than the kids!

My 30th Fall

My 30th Fall...

I love our street...

Well, my birthday came and then it went...and then I forgot that I had even turned 30. The big 3-0. My 20's are over now officially. Do I feel different? Do I feel older? Not really. I didn't really spend my twenties (at least the latter half) as most people do. I got married at 24, had Hannah by 25, Calah by 28 and Jacob 14 months later...so honestly, I don't really feel like my 20's were a carefree time of self-discovery as they are for so many people. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I've been feeling 30 for a while. The past 10 years were filled with abundant blessings...and I'm thankful...and looking forward to the next decade. 30 feels like a new time for me. I'm a little more confident in who I am and what I want...and since I know we're not having any more kids, I feel like we can finally focus 100% on the ones who are already here. Of course, finishing school is also part of the plan...

This weekend, we took the kids to Sonny Acres...a family tradition that I've been doing since I was Calah's age. They went on some rides, sat in the pumpkins, and then got cotton candy. The kids loved it of course. Hannah is old enough to remember it now and is always very excited to go there. Calah was having fun until she stepped in a broken pumpkin and got pumpkin guts all over her jeans. Then she was done. Unfortunately, this happened before we were able to get a group shot on the pumpkins...guess there's always next year! Jacob just chilled in his seat the whole time.

Pumpkin Pic sans Calah messy pants...

My action shot of the slide...shoot!

Hannah after eating cotton candy...

Calah didn't want cotton candy...she wanted my corn...

Updates in general...

Calah's new favorite thing to say is "JAKE-JEE" (her version on Jakey). It's so cute! She also loves to grab my purse and keys, put the purse over her shoulder and say "bye bye" and pretends to leave. But as she approaches the door, she remembers to come back and kiss me goodbye.

Hannah is getting older by the second. She is 4 going on 25 I think. Somewhere along the way she has learned out to ummm...stretch the truth, shall we say? Yesterday she broke our neighbors glass lawn ornament and when Jon asked her what happened, she said "Calah did it". Not quite sure what punishment should be...I just remember knowing from a very early age that the worst thing I could ever do was lie to my parents. I think I need to ask my dad what he did to scare me so much!

Hannah and Calah are on a 60/40 plan. 60% of the time they fight and 40% of the time, they love each other. When they love each other it's really adorable. One of their favorite things to do together is read. The other 60% of the time, I think it's their mission to drive me absolutely crazy. They have 3,654,999 toys...and yet...they are always fighting over just one of them.

I did not stage this picture...this is what they do every morning...(40% of the time)

Jacob is crawling and almost getting in a sitting position by himself. He will cross a room to get a toy...and good news...does not need to have surgery until he is closer to 12 months. The urologist was able to get a good exam on him and thinks that he will just need a normal circumcision with nothing more. Of course he'll still need to be put to sleep, but at least he'll be a little older then and weaned from a bottle which should make things easier.

That's about it...I promise to have an intellectual post soon...my brain is operating at maximum capacity right now with school so I don't have the mental energy to write lately. Or I'm just getting old!

Distractions

Uneventful post today...

Well, the past few days have been very busy. School, work, and kids haven't left much time for thinking of interesting things to write about. School has been going well. Thanks to all the support I get at home, I was able to get a 97% on my last test! Nursing school has been such a blessing for me...although I miss being home...I don't miss being home ALL THE TIME. I feel like my mind is actually working and I'm finally awake again. The kids are doing really well and adjusting to their new schedule, so that also makes things a little easier.

Here is Calah hiding under her crib, which she does every single time I tell her I'm going to change her diaper. She runs full speed away laughing at me and waits for me to come find her (and drag her out).

Tonight Jacob has an appointment with his Urologist to go over the surgery he will have in the next couple months. When he was born, they didn't circumcise him because they thought he had what is called a Hypospadius. This is when the opening of the urethra isn't centered where it should be. So, as normal protocol, they don't circumcise these babies so that they can use the foreskin to repair the problem when they are older. At his last appointment, the doctor felt that he didn't actually have a Hypospadius, and so will just need to be circumcised. But, they still need to use general anesthesia for this procedure (which is always scary). AND...I truly hate the fact that you can't feed them anything for 12 hours! That is so mean! Especially when you can't explain it to them. Poor Jacob...although I think its safe to say he won't starve to death...

Recent picture of the girls...