I’m convinced Kiefer will never learn the days of the week because we are ALWAYS late to preschool and that’s the first thing they always do. No matter how hard I try, we can’t seem to leave the house before 9:06 a.m. and his school starts at 9:00! On Friday, we actually arrived right as the church bells were chiming. It was the first time in months! It’s my daily marathon to get Carter up, dressed, fed, pack his lunch out the door with Daddy-O to catch the bus and occasionally I have to load everyone up and take them with us to the bus stop if Daddy-O has a meeting. Then we race back at 8:00 a.m. and have to do it all over again for three other little people. It’s no wonder the days are a blur -for both me and Kiefer! 🙂
Gracias Guadalupe Gil!
On our fabulous vacation, I enjoyed the relaxed pace of life, the beauty of the tropical flowers, the sea breeze, the sand, the ocean, the sun…. such a treat to get away, spend time with good friends and create fun memories together with our families.
But I have to confess, one of the highlights for the trip for me was having a maid clean our condo each day! As silly as it sounds, it was truly like Christmas morning each day. We’d get up and go to the pool or the beach first thing and when we would wander back she would have magically been there to clean up after our crew and no matter what state we left things in, we would return to order and cleanliness. It was divine!
What’s more, she would leave fun little artistic treasures behind – a towel wrapped in the shape of a swan, or toilet paper coiffed into the shape of a tropical flower, then dipped in blue ink made to resemble pedals. The boyz would walk into the room with a hush and search out that day’s treasure like they would seek out Christmas stockings left by Santa. And each day they would say in their amazed, enthusiastic, pirate treasure-seeking voices, “She’s been here!!!” And they’d go to see what she’d done with their stuffed animals on their freshly made beds or what she had created with toilet paper that day.
It was a gift to me. Not just the entertainment value it brought the boyz, but I never realized how much I appreciate coming home to a clean house (or room) that I didn’t have to clean myself. A true vacation!
So I say, Gracias Guadalupe Gil! I appreciated you more than you know!!
Bucket list of a different sort
We had a fabulous vacation with some dear friends at the beach in February. We’ve decided after leaving the ice storm and missing the four degree temperatures that February is the best time to head south to defrost.
While we were there, we had a daily agenda of beach time, pool time, digging in the sand, catching an ice cream treat or two and more beach time.
One of my favorite memories was chasing the boyz on the way to the pool following Kiefer with a bucket on his head! He made countless people laugh as he dove and weaved past them and through the sun bathers lined up along the trail.
We bought this green bucket and shovel set at the local Walmart one of the first days there. And for ease of packing, we chose to pass it along to another family we saw at the pool as we were leaving. We encouraged them to pass it on when it was time for them to fly home, too. You don’t realize how attached kids get to sentimental objects like the sand bucket they played with for a week while on vacation. And they parted with some tears.
Now every once in a while, I’ll randomly mention, “I wonder what our bucket is doing on vacation at the beach?” Or “I wonder who is taking care of our bucket at the beach right now?” They still can get a bit sentimental about it and sad that we left it behind, but it’s fun to think about… that life goes on. Others go on vacation when we fly home and buckets stay behind, making other kids’ vacations special. At least I hope.
“I want to go to the Children’s Museum!”
A popular request around our house – especially during the winter months. It’s adorable that Griffin is now old enough (and vocal enough) to let me know he’d like to go explore at the museum. So last week, after a few days of repeated requests, we went. I still feel weird about going places without Carter while he’s at school, but I figure I took him to the TCM countless times so it’s the younger set’s turn now.
After playing at the water table and sand station Kiefer played at the toy train station and Griffin parked himself in the “Tractor Creepy” (the mini skid steer) He would not let anyone else have a turn boys and girls alike tried to succeed him, but to no avail. Finally I had to entice him with the promise of lunch.
We made our way to through the crowded cafeteria and I can’t shake the feeling that all eyes are on me. Maybe it’s my imagination, maybe it’s because I have three children dressed alike melting because they need lunch. But as we’re weaving our way through the gauntlet of chairs Kiefer’s crying and dodging ahead to places I can’t navigate with my double-wide double stroller so I’m barking commands, “No Kiefer, not there, we can’t get there, how ’bout over here?” to which I hear a loud, “Nooooooo!” echo through the cafeteria. More eyes penetrating the back of my head…. then just as I was hopeful the show would be over we make an even greater spectacle of ourselves as Griffin lunges out of his seat in the front of the stroller and attempts a triple lutz for the chair and nearly lands on his head but for his quick-handed mother who grabbed ahold of his matching rugby shirt and saves him an inch above the hard tile floor. A gasp was heard around the lunch room followed by a lull in the conversation. All I could do was smile at the hispanic lunch lady who was cleaning the table next to me and move my crying crew to the nearest seats. I’m really not that bad a mother, they just get really melty when they’re hungry. Next time I promise I’ll strap him in.
I juggled nursing Fletcher while dolling out sandwiches and scarfing down my own lunch. After I got some food in them, my delightful children returned. Last stop on our museum visit: The Carousel. On our way, we saw a sight we’ve never seen before – they were dusting the Chihuly using ropes and pulleys and rappelling gear. It was fascinating! I said outloud, “you take dusting to a new level.” But the guy didn’t really even crack a smile he just looked at me while I took his picture.
Finally, we made it to the Carousel and happily selected our noble steed. Except the fact the Griffin has decided he’s afraid of the Carousel. At first I tried to help him move past this phobia but then as we sat on the bench during our dizzying ride I couldn’t help but see things from his perspective and honestly, I saw things with new eyes. I can’t blame him for his concern- you see lots of teeth, scary smiling horses and fake eyeballs everywhere. So I held onto him a little more tightly as we settled into the bench.
It was another adventuresome day!
 |
| Griffin mesmerized by the sand table |
 |
| Kiefer and Griffin playing at the sand table |
 |
| Griffin aboard “Tractor Creepy” and not a chance of him sharing! |
 |
| First time Fletcher got out of the stroller at the Children’s Museum. Here he is enjoying the playscape area |
 |
| No, I’m not holding a two headed monster, they’re wearing matching rugby shirts! Look at poor pensive Griffin’s face on the carousel! |
 |
| I can kinda see why he’s scared… |
 |
| Ok, now I get it! |
 |
| Poor guy!! It’s almost over! |
 |
| At least Kiefer’s having fun! |
 |
| Poor Griffin! Someday it won’t be as scary! |
A Patchwork of Memories
What do you do with the baby clothes that have holes and are stained and loved through?
 |
|
Here’s the quilt!!! A patchwork of memories!!
|
I can’t part with them and don’t feel like they’re really of use to anyone else. No future daughter in law will ever really want to use them so I took a deep breath and got out my sewing scissors and cut them up into a bunch of pieces. Tonight I stayed up late and sewed them all together into a quilt for Fletcher. I started crying at my sewing machine as it was coming together…. memories of Carter wearing the formerly baby blue sleeper that has faded to pale white. All four boys wearing the lime green gown with the giraffe embroidery that Gigi gave me when I was on bedrest worried that my baby would be naked. The sleepless nights, dreamily nursing them as we rocked in the rocker in the predawn hours. Each scrap of fabric holds scraps of memories. The memories of motherhood.
They won’t remember the countless diaper changes when I unsnapped and snapped those outfits together so many times the snaps barely work anymore. How they’re all so soft from so much use. Folding and putting them away after countless loads of laundry. Or jamming their toes into the ends of my favorite ones even though they had outgrown them weeks previous but I just wanted them to wear it one last time… and poor Fletcher received hand-me-downs three times over some with holes in the toes! But I still loved using them all again. And I have new memories of him wearing them, too. All stitched together in my mind.
A legacy of Jay boys. The threads of the past stitching together the family that we have become. Messy at times like the back side of the quilt but the other side beautiful and unified, too.
I’m pleased with how the quilt came together. Even if it doesn’t mean much to him, a lot of love is poured into it. I keep thinking that when I’m old and gray and my grown men sons come to visit me in the nursing home they can cover me up with it and I’ll fondly remember holding and loving on my babies when they were small enough to wear those little jammies.
And just now as I sifted through almost six years of digital pictures to find pictures of each of them wearing these 0-3 month outfits I wept. I remember it ALL so vividly! I wrapped myself in the quilt and just let the tears flow. It didn’t help that Jim was playing Jim Brickman piano music on our new surround sound stereo… that music takes me back to 58th Street. How can time be going so quickly? I’m really trying to live in the moment. To enjoy the ride of parenthood. But it’s going so fast! They grow and change so rapidly. But you don’t recognize how quickly until you look back. Watching family movies or looking at pictures makes you realize how quickly it happens. And it’s all good. These are happy tears. My cup runneth over. I’m so incredibly thankful! Four healthy, vibrant, wildly adventuresome, sweet, boyz! But somewhere deep down inside – it aches.
 |
| Sweet little fuzzy bright eyed Carter – 1 month |
 |
| Brand new fresh baby Carter – this was his first night home |
 |
| Carter – his first night home. He didn’t sleep all night – this was in the morning I remember noticing how big his hands were when I took this picture |
 |
| Sweet baby Carter – one week old. This was when the outfit was still blue. |
 |
| But look how little he was – he was swimming in a 0-3 month outfit! |
 |
| So little! |
 |
| Carter in the giraffe sleeper. He and his blankie were so new |
 |
| At night he still looks like this! |
 |
| This was Carter wearing what he should have worn home from the hospital but he threw up all over it and he came home wearing a diaper and a hospital shirt! This was the sweetest little outfit that was from Carter’s (the store) and it had little lambs and said “If they could just stay little” He was 2 weeks old here and had nearly grown out of it! |
 |
| Here he is wearing the green giraffe gown kicking while watching his mobile. I called him my Kickie-poo! I swear he kicked like this while he was in utero! |
 |
| Always a blur! |
 |
| This was my first Mother’s day! I woke up and was surprised to see a present in his crib with him! These jammies were ones that Fletcher wore with holes in the feet but some of my favorites! (Now in the quilt!) |
 |
| Here I am on my first Mother’s day holding my baby Carter! |
 |
| Carter in the striped Jammies again |
 |
| Carter- probably 3 months here because his hair was falling out on top & long on the sides |
 |
| Sleeping baby Carter |
 |
| Carter LOVED the jumpy thing! Getting major air! (In the old kitchen!) |
 |
| These farmer jammies are in the quilt too… they didn’t survive past Kiefer |
 |
| Here’s sweet baby Kiefer the day we brought him home from the hospital! Wearing the outfit Jim went out and bought him while I was in the hospital |
 |
| Sweet baby Kiefer! This outfit is now in the quilt, too! |
 |
| I LOVE this picture of Carter & Kiefer! |
 |
| Sweet baby Kiefer |
 |
| Kiefer – 2 months |
 |
| Kiefer fell asleep while playing on the playmat. This was a novelty to me because Carter never slept! Here are those same striped jammies! (filled out a little differently!) |
 |
| Kiefer still looks like this when he sleeps, too! |
 |
| Sweet baby Kiefer! Had the charm even at a young age! |
 |
| His smile has always lit up the room! |
 |
| And he’s still DEVOTED to his thumb and his blankie |
 |
| Little Carter holing baby Kiefer |
 |
| Kiefer 8 months old! I love this picture!! |
 |
| Baby Griffin in the lime green giraffe gown! Just home from the hospital! I love this picture!! |
 |
| Carter & Kiefer holding baby Griffin (wearing the lime green gown!) |
 |
| Uncle Creepy holding week old baby Griffin…. his namesake. Russell ANDREW holding Griffin ANDREW! |
 |
| Playing in a fort built in the basement (Griffin in the striped jammies!) |
 |
| Griffin sleeping bottoms up |
 |
| 3 boys in a crib |
 |
| Griffin in the striped jammies… playing with his favorite toy of a lego piece & wearing a hat |
 |
| smiling Griffin showing off his two teeth |
 |
| Me holding Griffin while packing up our old house! |
 |
| Griffin in the pale blue jammies – maybe 2 months here |
 |
| Griffin being held by Grammy when we had her to our house for dinner two weeks before she died. |
 |
| Griffin with his blanket that Grammy gave him wearing the jammies Mimi gave him – these had holes in the feet for Fletcher and are now in the quilt. |
 |
| Sweet baby Griffin with his little tooth! 6 months old |
 |
| 6 month old Griffin in the striped jammies! |
 |
| So sweet! |
 |
| Griffin testing out the jumpy thing with big brother helpers! (Kiefer now wears the jammies Carter’s in and Griffin’s wearing the Thomas the Train ones… they cycle continues!) |
 |
| See, there was a hole in the toe already! |
 |
| Baby Fletcher in the hospital the day he came home |
 |
| Fletcher one week old swimming in the too big gown |
 |
| Sweet Fletcher! |
 |
| Fletcher |
 |
| When we were in Colorado, five week old Fletcher slept in a laundry basket so Griffin could be in the pack and play |
 |
| Fletcher wrapped like a burrito in Colorado |
 |
| Happy Fletcher! |
 |
| Fletcher in the jammies from Mimi I cropped out the toes that were poking through! |
|
| Here’s the quilt!!! A patchwork of memories!! |
Why can’t you just be a Normal Mom?
I’m planning a small kid party for Carter’s 6th birthday. This is our first venture into the kid party world. Carter wants a Buzz Lightyear birthday party. Ok. We can do that. So I’m planning party games grabbing aliens with “The Claw” and building a space ship out of a gigantic box we saved from Christmas as I have always love games, including casino games such as pokie mate and others. Then getting into the spirit of things, I decided I’d make myself a “Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl” costume. I bought a ball of red yarn at Walmart and Carter and I whipped up a bright red wig of yarn. I’m practicing so I can greet each guest at the door with a “YeeeeHaaawww! It’s Yeeeeewwww! It’s reeaaallllyy Yeeewwww!!”
 |
| Jessie The Yodeling Cowgirl |
When Jim came home from work that night he saw the mess of red wig hanging on the back of my chair and when I told him of my plans he nonchalantly turns to walk out of the room and asks, “Why can’t you just be a normal mom?”
game
Aspiring to be “normal” is like aspiring to look “fine.” Who wants to just be NORMAL? It’s so vanilla. I strive to be an exceptional mother. This is the most important job I’ll ever have. I’m giving it my all. Including making a space ship and wearing a red wig made out of yarn.
Just for the record, I did ask Carter if he wants me to dress up and do all this and he said yes. And Jim was just joking about the normal bit, he’s always the first to encourage and support me… I just don’t think he’ll be donning the Buzz Lightyear costume I dreamed up.
Why do they always say “Dada” first?
 |
| Fletcher & Daddy-O |
Albiet, we have a fantastic Daddy-O! There isn’t a better one out there… BUT each of our kids have said “Dada” as their first words… babbling, cooing and then out comes “Dada”. Forget labor pains, forget nearly 7 months of sleepless nights they ask for HIM by name.
That’s ok. We’ll give it to him for all that he does. But we know we have our own little secret language. Who else knows the difference between your hungry cries, your tired cries your I’m uncomfortable come get me cries. And you save those special smiles just for me… your mama. “Maaaammmmaaaa” We’ll have to work on that one.
 |
| Fletcher enjoying his cereal |
 |
| Isn’t real food so much fun? |
 |
| Fletcher gets wrapped up in his work… just hanging out on the blanket, I leave the room and come back and he’s wrapped himself up like a burrito! |
 |
| His 7 month picture… whole series…. |
 |
| On the verge of sitting up… he lasts for a second then topples over |
 |
| Too cute!! |
“I want to go to the Children’s Museum!”
A popular request around our house – especially during the winter months. It’s adorable that Griffin is now old enough (and vocal enough) to let me know he’d like to go explore at the museum. So last week, after a few days of repeated requests, we went. I still feel weird about going places without Carter while he’s at school, but I figure I took him to the TCM countless times so it’s the younger set’s turn now.
After playing at the water table and sand station Kiefer played at the toy train station and Griffin parked himself in the “Tractor Creepy” (the mini skid steer) He would not let anyone else have a turn boys and girls alike tried to succeed him, but to no avail. Finally I had to entice him with the promise of lunch.
We made our way to through the crowded cafeteria and I can’t shake the feeling that all eyes are on me. Maybe it’s my imagination, maybe it’s because I have three children dressed alike melting because they need lunch. But as we’re weaving our way through the gauntlet of chairs Kiefer’s crying and dodging ahead to places I can’t navigate with my double-wide double stroller so I’m barking commands, “No Kiefer, not there, we can’t get there, how ’bout over here?” to which I hear a loud, “Nooooooo!” echo through the cafeteria. More eyes penetrating the back of my head…. then just as I was hopeful the show would be over we make an even greater spectacle of ourselves as Griffin lunges out of his seat in the front of the stroller and attempts a triple lutz for the chair and nearly lands on his head but for his quick-handed mother who grabbed ahold of his matching rugby shirt and saves him an inch above the hard tile floor. A gasp was heard around the lunch room followed by a lull in the conversation. All I could do was smile at the hispanic lunch lady who was cleaning the table next to me and move my crying crew to the nearest seats. I’m really not that bad a mother, they just get really melty when they’re hungry. Next time I promise I’ll strap him in.
I juggled nursing Fletcher while dolling out sandwiches and scarfing down my own lunch. After I got some food in them, my delightful children returned. Last stop on our museum visit: The Carousel. On our way, we saw a sight we’ve never seen before – they were dusting the Chihuly using ropes and pulleys and rappelling gear. It was fascinating! I said outloud, “you take dusting to a new level.” But the guy didn’t really even crack a smile he just looked at me while I took his picture.
Finally, we made it to the Carousel and happily selected our noble steed. Except the fact the Griffin has decided he’s afraid of the Carousel. At first I tried to help him move past this phobia but then as we sat on the bench during our dizzying ride I couldn’t help but see things from his perspective and honestly, I saw things with new eyes. I can’t blame him for his concern- you see lots of teeth, scary smiling horses and fake eyeballs everywhere. So I held onto him a little more tightly as we settled into the bench.
It was another adventuresome day!
 |
| He takes dusting to new heights! |
 |
| Griffin at the sand table |
 |
| Kiefer & Griffin moving sand |
 |
| Griffin monopolizing the “Tractor Creepy” |
 |
| Even Fletcher enjoyed himself in the 0-9 months area |
 |
| Ok, so maybe this is a little scary… |
 |
| I can’t blame him… |
 |
| Griffin tentatively checking things out as we whirled around on the carosel |
 |
| Kiefer enjoying his jumping horse! |
 |
| Me holding Fletcher and a tentative Griffin |
Pilates with Children – Not very Zen
Like so many others, I’m trying to start the new year off right by getting into an exercise routine. It’s always challenging to find the time – especially with four children. I used some Christmas money and bought a Pilates DVD complete with some 1lb. workout balls. The problem is that the boyz love balls, especially Griffin. I tried working out one Saturday morning while they were in the other room but they hear the TV and they come swarming in like ants to a picnic. Then Griffin tries stealing the balls and when he’s unsuccessful then he’s following me as I lift them crying, “I want ball! I want ball!” Carter tries to join me in the bends and stretches and aptly points out “Mom, you’re not doing it like she is.” To which I promptly reply (while attempting to do sit ups) that “That chick hasn’t had four babies!” Griffin finally gives up and settles into the couch for some entertainment while Kiefer joins me and Carter and tries to roll like a ball. Isn’t this supposed to be relaxing? Daddy-O said this deserved to be videoed. I think he meant for America’s funniest video -not the next Pilates How-To video! It’s more like how NOT-to!
We were having a conversation…
Carter came home yesterday and informed me he had to turn a yellow card at school, which means he got a warning. When I dug deeper, he got real quiet. It was literally like pulling teeth to get any information out of him. After spending some time alone thinking about it, he finally shared that he and a friend were arguing about something. “Arguing?” I asked, “Well….er, no, we were just having a conversation about something…” and then when we reviewed the class rules, I read, “#1 I will listen and follow directions…” and without missing a beat he says, “Yep, I’m going to do that tomorrow!” It’s not quite as effective having a stern conversation when you can’t keep a straight face!