Henry's 3rd Birthday

I've said it before, but birthdays are a BIG deal in our house...or at least I try hard to make them a big deal. I think birthdays are important...I like taking at least one day a year to celebrate each special person in our family and we do it up right!

This year, Henry's birthday happened to fall on the day of a Titans pre-season game, and Barry and I decided he was old enough to go to his first game...it was the perfect opportunity.

I am SO VERY GLAD we did this, as it was one of the most memorable nights of my life to date. Henry was so wide-eyed and had so much fun...we all did...and I can't remember a time when I have been so proud of my sweet boy. He handled himself so well, and enjoyed it so much and I was so happy we had the opportunity to take him. It was a really special night.

(A little overwhelmed and very serious. When I first asked him,
"Are you having fun?" he answered, "no," and just sat there very quietly.)

(Starting to loosen up a little.)

(That's more like it! Starting to have a LOT of fun.)

(Heading home. Little guy lasted into the 3rd quarter and then quietly said,
"I want to go home." It was waaaaay past his bedtime.)

(Great memories.)

On Saturday, we had our close friends and family over for Henry's dinosaur birthday party. Six months ago, when I asked him what kind of party he wanted for his birthday, he said, "Dinosaurs!" and never wavered. Until last week. When he decided he wanted a fire truck party. TOO BAD, SO SAD, little dude. You're getting dinosaurs.

Really, I think we keep our parties small and basic, by today's standards. We limit the guest list to our close friends and family...usually around 15 people. And we don't go crazy with a theme. But it is still so.much.work. Every year I say I'm never doing this again, and every year I do. Because, really? I love it. I LOVE IT! There was a time when I thought I might never have children to do this for, and I am so, so grateful for my kids and for our good health and the ability to do this for them. So although I might be complaining when I'm baking the fourth batch of dino cookies at midnight two nights before the party, I'm really thanking God in my heart for the blessing of two birthday parties to plan and execute every year.

To say that Henry and Eleanor had a blast at this party would be a huge understatement. They are both getting to an age where they really love having their friends and family around and we are so blessed to have so many people in our lives who love them. I do sometimes regret that we don't live closer to my extended family, but we have so many people right here to celebrate with us and for that we are grateful.

The dino theme was a hit with everyone and so were the cake/cupcakes and cookies. My mom made her famous baked beans, I made an Asian slaw and Barry grilled brats for the adults and hot dogs for the kids. YUMMO!

It was a lot of work, and I'm not sorry it's over, but boy-oh-boy was it fun while it lasted.

We are blessed.

(Oh, and in true fashion, I spent the day after Henry's party beginning to plan Eleanor's next one...yet another reason I'm so thankful that my kids birthdays are almost exactly six months apart!)

Clover Lane

This is my new favorite blog.

This blogger has an opinion on EVERYTHING, and I don't always agree with her, but I can really relate to her desire to live a home-centered life with her family.

When Henry was born, we found ourselves drawn to a homebody lifestyle--all along, we'd thought that we would be the kind of people that would take their kids everywhere. We wanted our kids to be "flexible," we said. Well, it just didn't work out that way. Our kids have always thrived on routine and their schedule is important to us. Very few time have we skipped naptime or kept them out past their bedtime...only on very special occasions. Because we found that WE are the ones who needed to be flexible in order for our children to be happy, well-rested and well-behaved. I know every child is different, but ours are always at their best when we stick to their routine.

Beyond that, I have found that over time my goal as a mom has become to create a happy and steady homelife for our children. I really believe that so many kids and famililes are overscheduled these days, and while I know that in the coming years we will succumb to the intrusion of kids' activities (soccer, dance, piano, etc, etc, etc) my hope is really that we will keep it to a minimum. I want to give my kids time to relax and play and just be kids. I want family dinner to stay a priority. I want them to spend hours reading in their rooms or playing outside in the backyard. I want them to want to be at home.

This is a pretty unusual lifestyle, I'm finding. And I'm ok with that. And Sarah at Clover Lane has helped me get there. There is a lot of pressure in today's world to be "on the go" all the time, but her blog has given me reassurance that the kind of life I want for our family is possible. That the balance of home and school and activities can be achieved in a healthy way for our kids.

I'm glad I found it (but no, I don't want six kids!).

Fake-Out

Eleanor has been sick since Saturday and seems to be getting worse, so I kept her home from school today and made an appointment with the pedi. Henry wanted to stay home and go with us (he LOVES going to the doctor...weird kid), but I had his Granny come by and take him to school.

Fifteen minutes after she dropped him off they called me to say that he was crying in the corner because his ear hurt.

Now, I will say that I have never been called to pick him up from school. He has been sick quite a bit, but I'm always cautious about keeping them home whenever they are sick or showing any signs of illness.

My first instinct was that he wasn't really sick at all, but I remembered that he skipped breakfast this morning because he said he felt bad...and I already had an appointment for E, so I went to school and picked him up.

Little bugger is PERFECTLY HEALTHY. After the doctor examined him he asked for his medicine, and when we told him he didn't get any because he wasn't sick, he said, "I feel better, can I go back to school now?"

Our pedi laughed at him and I told her that just wasn't helpful.


I wanted to wring his little neck!!!!!!!

I took him back, but in hindsight I should have made him come home with me to discourage this kind of thing in the future.

(Eleanor has a wicked URI, but no ear infection, thank goodness!!).

Pinterest

Are you on Pinterest?

I get so many great cooking/baking ideas there.

I created this new board to keep track of all the recipes I've tried and loved!
Check it out!

Surgery & Such

These past two weeks have been tough. On June 12 I underwent breast reduction surgery, something I have needed and wanted to do for many, many years. I'm hopeful it will rid me of some of the upper back and neck pain I've lived with for years, and will also allow me to lead a more active lifestyle.

The recovery has been hard on me and the whole family, but I am still glad I did it. I know the results will be worth all this in the long run.

The weekend before my surgery, we were blessed to be able to spend some family time at the pool. We wanted to make that happen, because the kids love, love, love it, and I am banned from the pool until four weeks post-op.

That Monday, the day before my surgery, we had a HUGE surprise delivered for the kids. Henry had no idea it was coming and I'm  pretty sure he felt like he'd hit the preschool jackpot. We were so excited to do this for them and I know they will get years of enjoyment from it. The newness has not worn off and they both stand at the back door begging to go out and play every, single day. I can't even begin to count the amount of time Barry has spent pushing them on those swings and guiding them down that slide since that thing was built (not by us!).  Well worth the money.

Life at the Lancaster house certainly hasn't stopped while I've been out of commission. We are so very, very lucky to have Granny Margaret and Granny Diane, who are ALWAYS ready to help us in times like these.  I certainly would not have been able to have this surgery if I wasn't able to count on their unconditional love and support.

The kids have loved having Granny Margaret staying with us the past couple of weeks. Every night Henry gets his pajamas on and then says to my mom, "Let's talk about the camper" or "Let's talk about your house," and off they go to lie in her bed together where she obliges him with stories until her voice goes hoarse. He soaks it all in and begs for more. These are the priceless moments that make such sweet memories.

We have tried to keep the kids as engaged as we can, despite the fact that I haven't felt like getting out and doing much. They have spent some time at Granny Diane's, continued to go to MDO, and on the days when they are home we have watched a lot of tv and played with a lot of Play-Doh. And on the weekends, they have reveled in extra time with Dad.

Is there anything cuter than bare baby butts?

I think not.

And just for good measure, because she's growing up way too fast, a couple of my favorite recent shots of E. I want to remember her like this always...with her beautiful, big, brown eyes, her little rosebud lips and her chunky baby thighs. Perfection.

(More from her first day of "school.")

Where have I been?

Recovering from breast reduction surgery. Ugh. I'm so thankful to have a lot of help from both my Mom and mother-in-law, but this has been a very slow recoveryand it has taken all my energy to help care for the kids and heal.

Hoping to be back in a few days to catch up on the past couple of weeks because, while I have been out of commission, the kids most certainly have not. Lots of fun photos to catch up on.

What a busy week!

This week we are getting a glimpse of what life will likely be like in the coming years, with soccer and ballet and piano and so forth and so on.

Henry's swim class has been fun for all of us...Henry and Dad are enjoying their time in the pool and Eleanor is enjoying her time playing in the instructor's yard. I'm telling you, that child plays like it's her job. She is very serious about milking every last minute of playtime out of every day.

(Mulit-tasking. Who says you can't snack and play at the same time?)

("Put me in, coach!")

I'm hoping to get a few more photos of Henry in the pool tomorrow. I've been too busy chasing Sister around.

Lately Eleanor has been doing everything with her eyes closed...eating, walking, whatever...everything's more fun with your eyes closed. Didn't you know that? She also likes to walk backwards from one room to another, laughing at herself. I'm pretty sure this kid didn't get her personality from me.