Not Me Monday

I'm not completely sure how this game goes, but I thought this Monday's email might fit in well. This is NOT a true email exchange between me and our pediatrician today.

MDSubject: Ryan's nose-This message is being sent by Rita on behalf of Ryan.
Hi Dr. , While at a school fiesta on Friday, at the "Find it in the Frijoles" game, Ryan managed to stick two uncooked pinto beans up his right nostril. They came out quite easily, no trauma, no bleeding. He seems his usual self. However, I have the slight thought that he may have shoved a third in there and it may be really far back. He does not complain of pain, but if i ask him about it he says "ow" and points to the inside roof of his mouth. Any advice on what to do?

If Ryan seems to be able to breath normally out of the right nostril and there is no discharge that has developed from that nostril, then I doubt that there is another bean in his nose. If he starts developing discharge from that nostril (ususally green and smelly) or cannot breath out of that side of the nose then make an appointment for him to be seen so that we can take a look and see if there is another bean in the nose.

Big and Bigger

BIG...Read em and weep Grandpa, that's 4.5lbs!

BIGGER.....Now 8.5%tile!

Don't be jealous...

that your child is not in the same class as my second grader and that you are not the recipient of one of these for Mother's Day.




The inexperienced clay mom (me) came through with what ever mom wants as a gift from her child, a spoon rest (that's what those are). After encouraging the kids to glaze it as they were inspired by the shape, we got 4 fish, 4 balloons, 1 head, 2 baseball bats, numerous colorful expressions, and of course one lucky mom got a chicken drumstick.


And if that is not something to be jealous about, how about the very creative play that L and her best friend performed for us moms. Started off with two sweet little fairy kittens, a mom and her baby, on the swings in our backyard. Quickly progressed to the baby being obnoxious, the mom yelling, the baby attacking the mom then running away, the mom chasing the baby yelling more. Don't worry it has a happy ending. The baby gives up, gets put in a time-out and then the mom makes her admit her wicked ways and they hug and make up?!? My friend and I, though impressed with the choreography of the 10 min. performance, were left wondering about our mother-daughter relationships.

Happy Mother's Day!

PS. Go here if , you haven't already, you want to send that really funny Mom of The Year video to anyone, including yourself. http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/taf.html?p=moveon

Wine With the Whitts

Every party deserves a nice bottle of wine...

You know those virtual glasses of wine that are sent around the internet, well here is your chance to join in a virtual glass of wine with the Whitts while they enjoy the real thing!

This is for a bottle of Ridge Santa Cruz Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, but it does not go to any one auction winner but rather to the Whitts. Anyone who has ever wanted to share a bottle of wine with them, and share your prayers and wishes to ease this part of their journey, please join in. All money raised goes to Tuesday's Foundation and the wine goes to her parents.

Leave me a comment and I will include your name with the bottle of wine.

Click on the Tuesday Blog Party icon above to read more about this fundraiser and to make your donation which will go to the Tuesday Fiona Whitt Foundation and will support pediatric cancer research.

And, in the words of my friend Perri, who knows a lot about giving parties..."GIVE TILL IT FEELS GOOD!"

more is better?

Did I mention he likes pacies? What's that? Maybe if I took them, or at least one, out of his mouth then he'd talk and eat more...hmmm...

His Second Loop Around The Sun!

Our littlest one is TWO...

And it is bittersweet. So sweet because he is an adorable toddler, playful and just amazing to watch grow up with his two older siblings. He brings to our big kid family the tender/rough touch of toddlerhood and it is so much fun to watch L and M play all the baby games- blocks, trains, balls- with him that would otherwise be a long gone memory in this house if it weren't for little R (though the kids really do still enjoy playing these things, but would be inhibited to if it weren't for the excuse that they are "taking care" of R) .

Back when we were agonizing over whether a third child was a wise decision for our family we thoroughly, for 2 years, weighed in what we thought were all the big considerations including but not limited to: parental stamina, resources, overpopulation, personal life goals and things we wanted to do in our grown-up (but not too grown-up) life time, and we really came up a wash. That nagging feeling that we were just not done pervaded and, obviously, we went for #3 as an unlikely one shot attempt the night before Rob left for a trip to India leaving it up to the higher power to make the final decision for us. And voila, upon Rob's return I had added a new row of empty picture frames under the rows already on the wall of Baby #1 and #2 to let him know what to expect in 8 months. What I didn't expect, or factor into my micro-analyzing during the deep consideration of #3, was what a wonderful experience having a baby in the home is for the older sibs. It so brings them to a kinder, gentler, nurturing level. They too take pride in the little achievements of R, just like his mom and dad do. It is endearing to watch their faces light up when he says a new word or hits a ball of the T.

A tiny bit bitter, because he is the last of our little ones and I just don't like endings of happy times. He marks the end of the child-bearing stage over here and after 2 years of letting that sink in I am seeing that we are almost at the end of the early childhood-rearing years too. Close to done, but certainly as not done done as I recently have been feeling. I need to slow myself down with how I sometimes perceive his age, which is older than he truly is. It really hit me on his birthday that he has only been on this earth for two years . When I think of it as nights of poor sleep, it seems like a long time, but when I think of it in the big picture of how much more life is ahead of him, how many more baby milestones have yet to be passed, two years is a minuscule fraction.

So more about the birthday boy...

Had I written this on his actual Bday I would have proven to be prompt, which I am not, but I would not have been able to tell you the leaps and bounds he has made since the the day after his birthday. Really, isn't it just amazing how they make huge developmental strides so suddenly sometimes? One day you're worrying that they are behind on something, then the next day they are doing just that thing. He went from sounds that had meaning only to us, to saying "I wan muk" ("I want milk" for those who are a few years out of deciphering toddler talk) in one day. Two had a wonderful start!

Good thing I chickened out, I mean postponed his 24 mos. check up until next week, so now I can report his progress with speech to the MD. This may offset the fact that per my calculations his weight is still at the 5% mark. Maybe next week he'll make leaps and bounds with eating.

Here's a little stroll down Memory Lane de Ryan:

First words: Ma, Da, oh no (said fast), Wii, Dunda aaaaa aaa (that would be to the tune of ACDC Thunderstruck, not because of our hard core love for rock, but because M's soccer team was named Thunder and that chorus was their practice theme song)

Favorite Things: anything that flies, trains, cars, blocks, sand, water, balls, paci, reading find-it books, sports (I should upload the video of him playing soccer at 12 mos when he could only crawl between the goals, too cute!)


Favorite Food: Ice cream, and ...

Happy Easter!

Hope you had a wonderful Easter Day! It was a really special day for us, one of those days when everything seems to go smoothly. The kids woke up super early and were super patient apparently just sitting staring at their Easter baskets and the backyard full of hidden eggs while Rob, Ryan and I slept in...for 45 minutes! Patience like they have never before displayed, and they had gotten themselves dressed in their Easter finest! After the bunny magic, a breakfast of hardboiled eggs and candy, we went to church were again, manners and patience were beyond expectation, long 1.5 hour service with hardly a peep, Ryan lasted 20 mins in the baby room, a record! So what do I attribute this burst of lovely children too? They have eagerly awaited Easter since Christmas, but the bigger reason is that we spent the two days before talking about the real meaning behind Easter and the events that it reminds us about. They are starting to really get it! I found a great kids article about the life of Jesus, edited out some harsher parts as I still believe they are too young to hear/understand all of it and I do not want this to ever cause fear but always strength in their lives...and it was on this Easter Day:)



Here are some of my favorite pix from the day. Every now and then I find a toy that I really love and these glittery water balls are the new it! Really fun and bouncy!



Here is a pic of Matt and Rob having an egg-war ( needs a more peaceful name). It is a Lithuanian tradition that makes cracking eggs even more fun. You pick your egg, find a partner and knock the tips together. The egg that does not crack is the winner. Cracked egg gets to be eaten.

Thank you aunties, and gran -mas, pas, for the Easter treats!