Trip to Fripp

Well we just got back from our annual trip to Fripp Island, SC. The kids always have a great time and this year did not disappoint! The girls left on Friday the 4th and road with Tirzah and Larry (jeez you guys deserve a metal!!) they stopped halfway at a hotel to break up the trip. Unfortunately I had to work on Friday so we left about 9 am Saturday and drove straight through with Lucien in tow. The trip down wasn't so bad at all, we got in about 10pm.

The week was spent as it always is, relaxing, swimming, playing and talking with friends and family. It really is a nice change of pace to get away from town and not think about anything back home for a week. As you can see from the pics the girls had a great time and little Luc got his first experience at the beach and at the pool. The little man loves water. We also visited a lighthouse on nearby Hunting Island. LOTS of steps!

So now we are back, back to work, back to day camp for Isabelle, back to lazy summer days for Jenna and it wont be long before school starts up again. Man time flies!

I am here!!!!

Wow it has really been awhile!! Our computer situation has been so on again off again I haven't had time to post. So much has gone on I am just going to have to do a pitiful job summarizing it right here.

I am now officially back at work as of May 1st. Many people always marvel when I tell them I am a zookeeper and it is usually followed by, "I bet you have so much fun" or "don't you love your job?". Now don't get me wrong people, if I had to sit behind a desk all day I would probably scratch my eyes out and yes I do consider myself fortunate that I get to do something I love. But man if someone told me I never had to go back again, I don't think I would loose any sleep over it! I mean I would probably go back as a volunteer or something but if it's a choice between work or my kids...yeah, I would rather stay home. The schedule has been the hardest thing. With Adam back at work and me having to be in so early plus the kids are usually going to 3 different places now that school is out. Well I would probably make you tired just trying to explain it all.

The girls both turned a year older at the beginning of June. Isabelle was first my big 4 year old. She had a fabulous Mermaid party held at Aunt Tirzah's house. Everything was there that she specified: balloons, cake, a pool, presents and her family. What more could a little girl want? The pic is of Belle with the fishtank we got her. Jenna was next. Nine years old can you believe it??? She has enough attitude for a girl twice that age but hey, what did you expect, she's my little girl:) She had a pool party with all her friends. A great sun burnt day was had by all (note to self: you can never have too much sunscreen).

Lucien is growing like a weed, at his 4 month appointment the beginning of this month he was 13 lbs 8 oz. That is 25%, he is doing fine and really getting a personality. He loves to grab at everything and is really finding his voice. This is a picture of him trying avacado the other night....he was not amused. I think it was the texture more than the taste. Ah well, we are not pushing food on him too much at this point. More so just seeing what he thinks of it all. He is very interested in watching people eat.

Shake, Rattle and Roll!

Well spring has hit us full force. It has been a month since my last update and I can't believe that a month has already gone by so quickly. Yesterday we experienced our first earthquake(my first one anyway!) . About 5:30am I was up feeding and changing Lucien. I was sitting on the couch trying to get him to sleep when Kiwi (our bird) started to flap and jump around in his cage VERY loudly. I thought he was having a heart attack so I got up to go check on him and right about that time is when the shaking started. At first I passed it off as a big truck or an airplane but then it continued for about 30seconds and the only possible explanation was earthquake. Sure enough I had the news on and they seemed just as confused. It even woke Jenna up. It was centered in IL and registered 5.3. It was a pretty strange morning!

Last week I got in my first wreck. We are all OK but unfortunately my car didn't make it:( I was taking Jenna to school and getting off the expressway. One car was in front of me at the end of the ramp. I watched her brake lights go off and she started to move so I turned my head to check out the oncoming traffic. There was one car in the distance so I laid into my gas pedal and straight into the back of her SUV. Turns out she had stopped. Since her bumper was higher than mine, she crunched in the front of my car into the engine. It might not look that bad but due to the age of my car and the fact that the transmission was getting ready to go out in addition to many other issues, I knew that I would not be getting it fixed. Time to car shop. I wont go into the long drawn out details but basically every horror story I have heard about it was true. The haggling, the stress........ultimately I decided on an 05 Chevy Venture. It has passenger seating for 7!! It has been very hard to get exited about it due to the car payment I now have :(

Little Lucien is growing like a weed. Not gaining a tremendous amount but he really looks filled out. He is getting really active as well. Cooing and "talking" up a storm. He does however have eczema, who knows if it will carry on into adulthood or if allergies are exacerbating it. Only time will tell. We have a pretty good regime to deal with break outs but other than that it is all about prevention with hydra cortisone and special lotion, 100% cotton etc. Here are some recent shots of him and his beauifuls smile. Also he really likes to "study" Pepe.

The girls are doing well and enjoying the warmer weather. Jenna has finally had some decent weather here lately to play soccer. So many practices and games had to be canceled this spring. Enjoy the pics!

6 weeks.....my love

Lucien is getting to be a big boy now. Wednesday, March 12, I took him to get his weight checked (as I do every week, I know I am paranoid) and he is 10 lbs. 10 oz. He is gaining right on target. I love everything about this little boy. The way he breathes, the cute faces he makes (particularly the "oooo" face), the way his right hand wiggles when he stretches, the snorts and grunts, when he gets exited he starts to kick both legs out in front of him. His beautiful smile and open mouthed "laugh". The way he looks up at me when he is eating and then the look of satisfaction when he is done and lays there gazing up at me. I love pretty much everything about him...............even his scales and bumps:)

Bumps, Rashes and Scales....OH MY!

So little Lucien has the trifecta of newborn skin irritations, cradle cap (head, forehead and ears!), infant acne, and prickly heat (all over his body). Little man looks rough. I am told by the doctor that prickly heat will go away by increase air flow around the skin, the cradle cap is a loosing battle (you just have to wait for it to go away or try and scrub the heck out of it....no thanks) and the infant acne is caused by my hormones so it is just a waiting game. It's sad because I really wanted to get professional pics made of him while he was still considered a newborn but it doesn't look like that is going to happen. I may go ahead and do it anyway because after all, like the doctor said, this IS what he looks like right now. I just don't want him to look back and think, "what did you all do to me!?". :)

Yesterday morning Isabelle wakes up and mildly complains that her face itches. By 11:00am it was full on spots all over her back, arms, and face. Large red blotches. So I call the doctor and they have me stopping the ammoxicilan she is on for an ear infection and giving her benedryl until it clears up. Well as of this morning it is even worse and she even looks a little swollen.......but breathing is just fine. I think the doctor is trying to rule out a reaction to the antibiotic but since it is even worse this morning I have no idea what that means. I will call the office when they open to find out, but it looks like we may be taking yet another trip to the doctors office. Between all the kids and me I have been to doctors offices more in the last couple of weeks than I have last year alone! Ah well, when it rains it pours!

Yesterday I also went out and started purchasing some toys for Lucien, he is really starting to get more alert at times and he will follow objects and stare at things intently. This is such a fun time!

Day at the zoo!

It looks like the end of winter is in sight! We got a break on Saturday and had some beautiful 60 degree and sunny weather! So I decided to pack the kids up and get them out of the house. We packed a picnic lunch and was having a great day until Isabelle realized she was tired and when Isabelle gets tired, you better watch out! She screamed from Gorilla Forest all the way to the entrance.........lucky me. She even stopped to pull down my pants at one point. Needless to say she fell right asleep once we got to the car. Lucien enjoyed his first real time outside as well. He definitly loves the great outdoors and slept the entire time. He looked so content. We really enjoyed the time outside though......on to 40's for the rest of the week.

1 month old! Etc.....

So yesterday Lucien was officially one month old. It seems like just last week we were bringing him home!! The time has flown by and I know it will be just a matter of time till my little man is walking and talking with his sisters. It does make me sad for a bit to know this is the last time I will be doing this. But all the more reason to capture every moment! Here are some updated pictures of what he looks like today. Poor thing has such awful infant acne! I haven't had his newborn pictures taken yet because of it. Hopefully it will clear up in the next week or so. That is what I was told anyway. So just in the last few days he is starting to have a little more wakeful time during the day. He is responding to Adam and I a lot more now, following our every move and smiling when we get down and talk to him. He seems very content. On the 25th he weighed in at 9 lbs. 13 oz. so he is growing well. He sleeps pretty well in the evenings. From about 8 or so till midnight he is a little fussy and hard to calm down but beyond that he is sleeping for 4-5 hour stretches.

So I mustered up the strength to try my hand at sewing again. It is really something I want to do more of but it really intimidates me for some reason. So online they sell these things called "Hooter Hiders". It is basically an apron that is a little wider on the sides and is used as a nursing cover when you are out in public. They go for $45 at the local breastfeeding shop and they are nothing more than a piece of hemmed fabric!! I knew I could do it so I found a pattern online and for $11 in supplies I made my own! I even lined it on the backside which is nicer than the original pattern. This is my first attempt. Hopefully it will get even better with each one I make. If you know anyone that wants one..........they make great gifts, wink, wink.

Update on the girls, last Sunday we went and painted pottery at "The Artist in You" at The Summit. I will just say that the girls had a blast but I would NEVER recommend going there to anyone unless you are loaded. Heck I think Louisville Stoneware is cheaper to go paint pottery at. But, like I said, the girls had a great time so I am going to chalk it up as a learning experience and get on with it. We pick the finished products up this Sunday so I will post a pic at that time. But they had a good time getting out of the house. We have had quite a few snow days, early release, delayed openings as far as school goes lately and I think the girls have felt caged up. We are ready for spring to get here so we can return to the great outdoors again. This is a pic of one of the early release days for an ice storm we had recently. What a perfect time for hot chocolate and marshmallows! Thank you mom for the cute hot cocoa sets!