Short & Sweet

Here is the little coat trick that Hannah has taught Calah.  It is funny that, while it doesn't generally take a long time to put on a kid's coat, it is SO NICE when they can do it themselves. One less thing to do it the morning, right? 

Fruits of my Life

Oh, where to start? It's been so long since my last blog that I don't even know if I still remember how to write things other than Nursing Diagnoses, Patient Care Plans, and of course, Facebook status updates.  Thanks to Uncle Sam and his generous tax return we were finally able to purchase the laptop we've been wanting.  So, now I have no excuse not to blog, at least that's what Jon keeps telling me.  The past month has gone by in a blur... I am thankful to God for keeping our family safe and healthy during this extremely busy time. Nursing school is definitely not easy, not on me, the kids, and especially not on Jon. They try to forewarn you that it's going to be difficult and that your "significant other" will have to do a lot of the extra work around the house...and that is most definitely true. It's funny because so many people that I'm in school with don't even have a job...let alone a spouse or kids. So, its definitely a challenge for us and things like this blog often are the first to be neglected. But, in the long run, I know this is the right decision...especially now, with the uncertainty of the financial world, it's nice to know that we are 1 year away from a solid second income.

So, what's new?

Hannah (My Love)

Hannah's 5th birthday is fast approaching and I just cannot believe that she is so old! FIVE! Five is like, grown up. Definitely not a baby anymore...or a toddler...or a preschooler. She will officially be a kid! We had our parent teacher conference a week ago with Mrs. Chase, Hannah's teacher. Let me just say that Mrs Chase has a special gift from God to be able to control 20 Hannah's at once :) I need her to come over and show me a couple things.
Mrs. Chase says Hannah's favorite thing to do is play in the loft with all the other kids. She says that Hannah is extremely social and a great communicator. She also said that Hannah has the "world by the tail, and an excitement for life and that she is certain that Hannah will grow up to be something amazing." I'm sure she says that about all the kids but I know that she is right about Hannah. She is going to do whatever she wants in her life...I know it. She is strong-willed at times, but what I like about that is that she is strong. I think maybe future president or secretary of state, or at the very least lawyer. She is an excellent debater. Especially in matters of snacks and/or bedtime. Last night she got out of bed just to tell us that her laundry basket was full and that would we mind doing her laundry?
Of her many talents, big sister ranks near the top. I recently learned that when I'm at school, it is Hannah who puts Calah down for her nap (minus the lifting into the crib thing). But she covers her up, gives her her blanket and animals, and makes sure her fan is on. And if Calah is upset when I'm leaving, Hannah holds her hand and makes her feel better. 60% of the time, I love seeing them together. The other 40%, well, they are driving me nuts with their fighting!  There is just no way to sugar coat it...they are siblings and the reality is they're gonna be fighting for years.  Now, its over ridiculous McDonald's toys.  In 5-7 years, its going to be over clothes, and in 10-15 years, I'm sure Hannah's crush with ask Calah out on a date and they won't talk for a month.  Wait, that was my life...

The other thing about Hannah lately is her obsession with dogs. She loves them...our babysitter even brings over a leash and they play dogs for hours on end...taking turns walking each other.

There is nothing Hannah wants more then a real life dog.  I think its gonna be one of those things that we consider when she is older and can actually help out.  At this point, I don't need another ounce of responsibility!

Calah (My Peace)

Calah turned 2 on January 23rd and we had a party for her the following weekend with my family and some friends. Jon made an Elmo cake and we had buffalo wings and watched the Superbowl. I call Calah snugglebug because she loves to cuddle. She is such a sweet little girl, typical second child, always wanting to be included in what's going on. Today, Jon was taking Hannah to school and Calah put on the saddest face ever and said "Daddy....take....me". Then she put on her coat (yes Hannah has taught her the coat trick where you flip it over your head and put it on, so she can do it herself), and then she put on Hannah's shoes and waited by the window for Daddy to come home. Yesterday, I had to go to the dentist to get one of my wisdom teeth pulled because it had become badly infected. All morning Calah was saying "UP A Mama" (means pick her up) and then she'd say "Mama...Dentist....Cared (scared)...cry...OK". Earlier that morning I had told the girls that I was going to the dentist and I was a little scared but that I would be OK. It's so funny how fast she is learning, and how much earlier she is learning certain things because of Hannah. She is such a sensitive little soul. When she gets in trouble (which isn't that often), if she gets a little spanking or her hand slapped, she starts this sad little pout and says "no hit me". It's very sad and hard to keep from melting into a puddle on the floor.

She is also very nurturing.  She loves to take care of her babies and wash the dishes and... ok this is a little gross...the other day I was going to the bathroom and she was in the room with me (of course).  After she finished picking up my stuff and putting it away, she came over, ripped off some toilet paper, and tried to wipe my back.  It was adorable. 

Jacob (My Joy)

I absolutely love having a boy.  He is an absolute sweetheart and also a little ham.  He just sits back, watches his crazy sisters, and occasionally joins their screaming matches.  Jacob's trademark is his HUGE cheesy smile.  He tilts his head back, squints up his eyes, and puts on a smile that spreads across his entire face.  Sometimes he even exhales through his nose when he's doing it.  It's hilarious and makes my every day.  

Poor Jakey...came down with a nasty cold about a month ago which turned into RSV Bronchiolitis. He was so sick...fever, nasty cough, not sleeping, and then he started to wheeze and he was breathing 60 times a minute. (average for a baby is 20-30). We took him to the MD and he was given a nebulizer and instructions for use at home. He seemed to get better in a couple days, but then a week later was wheezing again with no apparent cold symptoms. So back to the doctor he went. He was diagnosed with Reactive Airway Disease which can be a precursor to asthma, but they typically don't diagnose asthma until childhood. Most babies have some form of reactive airway...and most get over it by the time they reach preschool. So, they put him on an inhaled steroid for 4-6 weeks and then they are just going to monitor him for the rest of the year to see how he does. Some babies do wheeze with upper respiratory infections, so we'll just have to wait and see if anything else triggers wheezing like season changes, or animals, etc...

But through it all, he is always so happy....he has the best little personality. He is always laughing and trying to talk to his sisters and be involved with what they are doing. He can stand alone for a short period of time, but isn't walking yet. When I try to encourage him to, he seems like he'd rather crawl...it's faster. I can't believe that in a short month, he will be 1 year already. For some reason, our kids are not big fans of baby food and go right from formula/cereal to finger foods. He is eating pancakes, toast, bananas, peas, carrots, cheerios, and fruit puffs. As soon as I get it on his tray his gigantic hands can't get it to his mouth fast enough. And then he just looks at us and gives us the enormous cheesy grin.  

As for sleeping...well...Jacob is stubborn and will not give up his 4-5 am feeding. Of course he doesn't need it and of course we could stop giving it to him, but at this point, I give up! :) If we let him cry he SCREAMS and wakes up the other two...and it doesn't seem to work. He cries for an hour and doesn't go back to sleep. So it just seems easier at this point to take 15 minutes, feed him, and go back to sleep. Jon wholeheartedly disagrees and I'm sure he is right...it's funny the battles you choose not to fight anymore when children outnumber adults.  

Jon (My Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control)

Ok so obviously I had trouble picking just one for Jon, probably because I couldn't decide which one best described his value in my life.  And mostly because I have not done a good job lately of showing him how much I appreciate everything he has done for our family during these past few difficult months.  I was thinking I might write a book called:

 The Best Ways to Test the Strength of your Marriage:  If you get thru this, you'll be together forever.  

Chapter 1: Get Pregnant a Month after your Wedding

Chapter 2: Have 3 Children in 4 Years

Chapter 3: Attempt to Complete Nursing School with 3 Children still under Age 5

Chapter 4: Go Actual Years without having Complete, Uninterrupted Conversations 

So anyway, Jon is the reason I have not checked into the mental hospital yet.  Here's why~

Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness:  Generally speaking, most people only get one of these traits.  Jon somehow inherited them all.  

Faithfulness:  Ok, if I was married to me, I'd be gone a long time ago.

Self Control:  In nearly 6 years of marriage and 8 years of being together, I still haven't found how to make him mad.  (If anyone knows, please tell me, its exasperating).  

So, here's the part where I usually make some sort of empty promise to keep up with my blog........................................................................................................................................

The End

So Much Snow, So Little Time

So, I realized that its been a month since I've written anything at all...I thought being on break from school would afford me more time to update this thing, but it was not to be. What I did end up doing was a lot of working. With the "economy" slow...and a babysitter who wants to work, I took full advantage of having a job where I can work as much or as little as I want. After this week, I'll be back to one shift a week because school starts up bright and early tomorrow morning. One crazy thing that happened in during the last shift I worked: a 34 year old female with a full blown heart attack...INSANE. That never happens. Mostly, it's the 48-60 year old while males. And we didn't even catch it at first because it was so unusual. But it was determined after multiple EKGs and a trip to the cath lab that she had a fully occluded coronary artery...at 34! She was a smoker (be warned if you smoke), and was overweight as well...but not obese...and NO family history. Very interesting case...and she did survive...almost forgot that part!

In other news, there is about a foot of snow sitting on my back patio furniture. It has been never-ending here...snowing at least a couple of inches every few days. We have already surpassed our average 36 inch yearly snowfall and it's only the middle of January. So much for global warming. At least in Chicago anyway.

January 23rd...Calah Grace turns 2~

The kids are all doing well. Growing and playing and fighting and laughing...Calah will be 2 next week. I feel kind of bad because I was probably planning Hannah's second birthday for months. Not so with Calah. But I guess when they're little its more for you then for them anyway because they don't really know the difference. But she has been singing "Happy Birthday" lately and blowing out imaginary candles so I better get on board with the whole thing :) She also knows how old she is and is putting 2 and 3 words together now. New phrases: chocolate milk, mall choo-choo, Jakey-pants, Jakey no light! (That's from when I tell Jacob not to "go to the light" when he is falling asleep in the car), no-nut (donut).

I have such a love-hate relationship with age 2. It is so wonderful because they really start coming out with their personalities and talking with you and making you laugh...but in a instant...they can turn on you! Calah is pretty easy-going for the most part, but if she wants something, she will absolutely not back down. But she continues to be the calmest of the three. Today she just laid on the couch with me for 1/2 hour...no TV...just me and her...so relaxing :) Of the three she is most like Jon...calm, nurturing, patient (for the most part), shy, and talks only when she is good and ready. But for some reason, she prefers me. Such a mommy's girl. I still can't figure out what's so interesting about me...but she won't leave my side.

Anyhow...will write more on the other kids in another post, but wanted to dedicate this one to Calah because of her birthday.

Some recent pics:

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!**