and then again...

...some days are just going to be like this.

We still love you, Jamie! Happy 3-week anniversary. Now, if you'll excuse me, Mr. McScreamy needs his pants changed.

eleanor turns 7

Sorry for the long absence! And lack of Jamie pictures...I have been a total slacker. But we really have just been enjoying the new guy and not worrying about really accomplishing anything else. It has been awesome, I tell you! Nothing like recovering from major surgery to force you to slow down and not worry about dirty dishes. It has been my happiest baby-adjustment ever. Hooray for c-sections, I guess!

But I am sorry to say that I am not here to post long overdue James pictures. I am here to turn some of the spotlight on to another kiddo who had a birthday just four short days after James was born. I must confess, I was worried about this. I fretted the whole pregnancy that these two would have to share a special day (when I wasn't fretting about James being born on Leap Day.) Luckily we dodged that bullet by a narrow margin, but I really wanted Eleanor's birthday to be special this year and not to be too overshadowed by Jamie's arrival.

Eleanor has grown up a lot in the last year. While she still suffers a little from almost-perfect-but-not-quite syndrome, she has handled the arrival of her new brother with only excitement and pure adoration. So we tried superhard to make her birthday special - we put up streamers, made a special breakfast, blew up balloons...all the bells and whistles.

Since Jared was already going to be home, he decided to surprise her by showing up at her cafeteria for lunch...with a Happy Meal. And since I was in no shape to bake a cake, we let her pick whatever kind of store bought cake her heart desired... a Dairy Queen ice cream cake, as it turns out. That, plus the requested mac and cheese with hot dogs for dinner, made for a complete evening. She loved her gifts, felt showered with attention, and went to bed a happy girl. And Jared and I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

She had her gymnastics class on her birthday. I know this is just a fanny shot, but I had to put in how much she loves it. Those are her new birthday spanky shorts!

Opening her gift from Eve. Do you love how it is wrapped in Costco toilet paper packaging?

With her hand-picked DQ cake. They even dotted the "i" in "Birthday" with a heart. I like those guys.

Eleanor, you are one sweet girl. Always so responsible, you seem so grown up for seven. You take such good care of Sam - I heard you helping him get undressed for his bath last night while I was nursing James - and I know you will do the same for your newest little brother. They are lucky to have you for a little mommy and Eve is lucky to have you for a friend. Thank you for always being our little ray of sunshine - your middle name was aptly chosen because you bring our family so much joy each and every day.

Love you, sweet Eleanor Joy!

introducing james kenneth

Our sweet James made his big debut last Friday, February 24, at 4:20 pm. Not feeling the pressure to break his big brother's record - thankfully! - James weighed in at 8 lb 12 oz and 21 inches long. And he is practically perfect in every way.

Despite an unexpected c-section and a gradual recovery (and a fridge that died the day we got home from the hospital and a child with an ear infection....deep breath!), I have never really felt happier in my life. I can look around me now and know that my whole family - all my sweet children - are here with me. I have the most giving, selfless husband and the world's most wonderful kids. What else could I ask for?

Welcome home, baby James!

dear james

Dear James,

How could we not all fall in love with you after seeing your chubby, grinning face on an ultrasound a few weeks ago? You have already won our hearts and we can't wait to meet you tomorrow. Hurry home to us soon!

love

Mommy

Your sister wrote this letter to you a few weeks ago:

Her b's and d's sometimes get turned around...she isn't really questioning your paternity, just your hair! Your siblings are already your biggest fans.

happy valentine's day

We love Valentine's in a major way around here. Hope you are all having a great one!

This year I seemed to channel all my nesting instincts into elaborate classroom valentines, hairdos, and heart-shaped pancakes (um, instead of washing baby clothes and figuring out which closet to stick them all in.)

I promise I didn't pressure my kids into these hipster, Pinterest-ripped-off valentines. They just thought the "I mustache you a question" gag was too funny to pass up. Which it kind of is...just try saying it out loud! It's hilarious!

We found the fun printable on this site (thanks, free printables!) and ordered our mustache molds from ebay. Eve wanted to customize hers to say something else:

On the back she wrote "Will you be my Valentine?" I'm sure her fellow 4th graders will appreciate the witty play on words!

Ah, Pinterest...how would I celebrate the holidays without you? Eleanor loved her hair.

Eleanor, Eve, and friend K who catches the bus with us on Tuesday mornings so her mom can get to work. I love these sweet girls! (Eve looks miniature next to her friend - they are in the same class. I apologize to my children for their inevitable shortness.)

Jared thoughtfully surprised me with a box of sugar-free dark chocolate bars from Sees. It's hard to shop for a girl on Valentine's Day when she is 38 weeks pregnant and can't eat anything delicious!

As for baby news, there is none yet. He is not coming today, saving us the obligation of naming him Valentino. Phew! But my doctor said I am looking surprisingly small considering my past history and is optimistic that it will be a smooth delivery, and not a C-section. I have another growth ultrasound scheduled for Thursday, so we'll see how big they estimate this guy to be. Really, how big can a baby grow on a steady diet of eggs and salad and wistful donut longing?

sock monkeys and other stuff

Yesterday was an awesome day. I had the greatest baby shower ever, thrown by the nicest friends. I would like to thank all the guests not only for their generous and thoughtful gifts, but also for suffering through a refreshment table full of food that I could eat. Not the usual shower fare of darling cake pops and sherbet-y drinks - instead, it was veggies and dips and fruit and water. And a few pita chips to humor those carb-addicted fiends! Everyone was very obliging about it all... and it was nice of my friends not put a table of muffins and brownies in front of me to test my resilience.

My living room is now stacked full of adorable things for the little guy. Especially this item:

Sam kindly modeled it on his huge head for me.

My friend's baby has the same hat and I have long adored it. So she found a lady in town who could knit a replica for our guy. So thoughtful, right? I can't wait to have a huge, baldy head to fit this cozy little hat on to.

I also loved the two friends that got together and made me about 8 different freezer meals to have on hand after the baby comes. And - even more amazing - they made me a gallon ziplock bag full of mix for the Cake Mix Pancakes that I have been dreaming about! I kind of wanted to cry when I saw it...but then I remembered grownups don't usually cry over pancakes. Not in public, anyway.

Later that afternoon, I was treated to a pedicure at a local spa. My first ever! I felt like a movie star...especially when I closed my eyes and couldn't see my sweat pants or my belly. The 19 year old cutie who did my toes really tried to entice me with her many glittery options. I was sorely tempted, I tell you. After all, I am blond and easily distracted by shiny things. But I went with some sensible french tips instead and now love gazing at my feet. Which have remarkably not swollen yet! Knock on wood.

Now that there is a mound of baby things in my living room, I really need to do something about our closet/bedroom situation and figure out where this little guy's HQ will be. Mostly, he will be a roamer for the first little while, snuggling in his car seat or pack and play where ever we happen to set it up - our room or the guest room. And when he starts sleeping decently, we will set up the real crib in Sam's room and the brothers can hang together. But in the meantime...where do I put his clothes? Do you know I have less than 3 weeks to figure this out?!

I'm still waiting for that famous nesting instinct to kick in, but I just may need to force it at this rate. I have a suspicion that carbs and nesting may be very related.

victorious!

Last night was our Young Women's New Beginnings program, the last big item on my "to do" check list. So now I am officially done! Free at last, free at last! The minute it ended, I turned to my friend and said, "Now I can have a baby!" That thought has sunk in a little bit more today, however, and I'm wondering if I can delay that inevitable a little while longer. I am just nowhere near ready. I dreamed last night I got the baby clothes out of the garage, but I just don't think I have it in me today. I think maybe I will get dressed, but that is as far as my ambitions will currently reach.

In the meantime, some pics of our Saturday activities from the past few weeks. Mostly just a good excuse to show some random pictures of the kids - they are pretty fun, those kiddos:

We went to a neighboring town's Chinese New Year parade last Saturday. This is Eleanor about to enter the Chinese dragon bounce house. I just love her intense game face - this bounce house is serious business.

Jared and Sam were invited to go with friends to a monster truck show a few weekends ago. This is not exactly Jared's first choice in weekend activities - he told Sam they were attending it ironically - but they had a really good time. As evidenced by Sam's manly facial expression here. And Jared's gushing about the motorcycle tricks. They came home reeking of exhaust fumes.

Eve next to her award winning bleach art (the blue one) at the district's art festival this year.

Jared took the girls to the park one Saturday when Sam was sick. While Sam and I napped on the couch, these three had a great time. I love these two girls. What would I do without those big sisters? Eve's zest for life and Eleanor's steadiness are really a great combination in this little sisterly relationship. I hope they are always friends.