Getting Back to Real Life

School is officially in session for two of my 3 kids. Summer weather is set to take a dip this weekend.  I'm working hard on getting back into the routine of real life.  No more lazy mornings turned into zoo tripping days or splash pad visits just because.  I think Labor Day Weekend we actually took our last outdoor dips in the swimming pool.  My blog even took a hiatus this summer.  Heck since Greyson was born I sort of dropped the ball.  But like I said...school is in session, life is beginning to return to a familiar rhythm and so too shall this blog.  I'm not quite sure how I'll catch us all the way up...but over the next few weeks that's my plan.  I have a few things on my mind to share and then I'm going to spend a week or two updating this place...without further ado...my random thoughts:

It's all finally clicking!
Something I noticed about me over the summer...or something I realized I guess (and I'm sure it's the same for many people as they add additional tiny people to their family) is that one at a time, each member of your family enters your life and as they enter there is a change.  At first it feels foreign.  This new baby instantly fits because you love them and have a fierce desire to care for them.  But the rest feels foreign.  The rhythms of the house change.  Leaving-the-house routines are uprooted.  What you need to leave the house and have a successful outing is different.  The sounds in your home at night are different.  Heck the simple act of bathing, feeding and putting little ones in bed changes.  Everything feels different.  New.  After bringing home Greyson it was no different than when we brought home the other two.  There was change.  But this summer, it all clicked.  Getting out the door with 3 kiddos no longer frightens me.  It exhausts me some days.  But most days it's no big deal.  Getting 3 kiddos dinner, baths and even finding time to play with 3 kiddos isn't near as daunting a task.  We're growing and grooving in a way at first I was never sure would happen!  Don't get me wrong. There are plenty of days when my head hits the pillow and I'm thankful to lay my tired body down and get some rest. And there are plenty of days when leaving looks like a circus, going out in public is a circus and the simple act of being in our house is a circus.  But, as a mother of 3 for now, it's finally all clicking.  Routines feel good.  Life feels comfortable and though we don't have our act completely together...as the saying goes...together we have it all.  So now God, that doesn't mean we need to mix things up and learn some hard life lesson this year ok??  I'm thankful and blessed and would love to feel like this for a little while longer if that is in Your plan.  Thanks.  Jess

Summertime was awesome!
We spent so much time this summer soaking up the fun.  I think I was finally able to embrace the beauty of staying home with my kids.  The first year after I quit, between pregnancy, house renos and bringing home a new baby...there wasn't much time for anything but surviving each day and hitting milestones.  This summer we just gloriously soaked up 3 months of sleeping in, playing with friends and making memories.  I wasn't an exhausted pregnant mom trying to muster enough motivation to swap laundry and get everyone dressed.  I was just me.  Enjoying snuggles on the couch.  Bucket list making and the amazing fun of checking off nearly every item off our list!

An exciting school year!
We just embarked on our first official year of real school for Owen and I'm nervous for my little boy.  But I know I need to let go.  He's strong and resilient.  He is going to do this and do it well because he likes doing well.  He also loves school.  But prayers for us as we navigate these waters would be great.  Owen's story isn't the simplest and our journey is truly just beginning.  I need strength to trust his teachers.  Patience as everyone learns and grows into these changes.  And more strength to be the parent Owen needs.  Last night as I watched him exhaustedly complete a math page just before bedtime I felt sad.  He's only 5.  We're asking him to give up TV time, playtime with his brother and simple freedoms of being a kid a.l.r.e.a.d.y. Ugh. But I want him to know homework is important. It's something we have to do.  But part of me feels like he's so little to start talking about this.  So like I said...prayers as I navigate the emotions I've got going on as well.  They are tremendous.

Also, as this is all taking place, Cooper began preschool.  He is loving it.  And doing great!  I LOVE that he is at our church preschool.  There is so much love there.  The familiar faces of church family are wonderful greetings and I'm so excited for him!  Also I never want Cooper to feel like his milestones are overshadowed by the things that encompass Owen's schooling.  Cooper will probably never have an IEP or deal with the same obstacles that Owen faced.  For that I am so very grateful.  But I need prayers to make sure that we always make him feel like we are as involved and concerned for him as we have been for Owen.  We absolutely are.  I just never want him to feel as though we aren't.  So praying folks who are still out there occasionally checking this blog?  I appreciate anything you send up to the big guy!

I think that's about it.  We have a wedding to celebrate this weekend and lots to do.  But this blog is being pushed back up in my priority list!  There are too many memories I don't want to miss!  Stay tuned.

He's All Set

I haven't blogged in just about two months to the day...and I could spend some time getting into the reasonings I think that has happened to me...but that is for another post. Right now, all the other updates that are in work are being put aside.  They are coming.  I am not letting myself off the hook.  I need to share our amazing summer and all the things the boys and I did together.  It was just that.  Amazing.  We had so much awesome fun. We seized the day.  Every day of this summer was chalk full of adventures if there were any at all to be had.  But again.  That is for another post.  Or several other posts actually.  Today is about Owen.  And his next big step.  Kindergarten.  He's ready.  Oh man is he ready.

His backpack is here...complete with his initials and a little baseball patch he picked out all on his own.  We got him a cool new lunch box too.  Also with his name embroidered on the front.   His school supplies got dropped off last night as we saw his classroom and met his teachers.  He has his own cubby with an elephant on top and his name underneath.  His school days are here.   They are really happening.  The real deal school days.  With lunch boxes and cafeterias and pencil boxes and crayons and libraries and teachers and...the list goes on.  And like I said...he is ready.   He has asked every day for a couple weeks now when school started.  Yesterday he asked all day when Grandma was coming so we could go visit his new school.  He is so darn excited he can't hardly sit still when he talks about it.

So why aren't I?  Usually his enthusiasm spills over and fills me up too.  But this?  I can't share with him.  All I keep thinking about is the pit in my stomach.  The what if's.  The things I can't even bring myself to type up because well...it hurts too much to think them out loud.  Doing so makes it hurt worse.  This little boy that I love more than life itself.  Who has been through hell and back learning to talk and whose journey learning is just beginning...who loves school and life more than any kid I know...what if all this changes him?  I guess I should say...how will all this change him?  And how is it that I've agreed to let someone else take care of him for so many hours in a day.  WHY do we do this??  There is so much trust in people I don't know at all.  It's scary.  And right now...that's the only place my head can go.  I know there will be amazing experiences and learning and growing and fun.  But for now I hurt for the baby I'm letting go.  The first of so many bittersweet changes that life throws our way as we learn to let our kids fly free.  Wow it is powerfully hard to do.

Most importantly though I just want Owen to know how loved he is.  How much I admire his beautiful spirit.  How much I'll miss the time at home we won't get to spend.  How proud I am of the kid he is becoming.  How his Dad and I will be there every.single.step of the way without fail.  We love you buddy.  Go rock Kindergarten little mister.  I already know you are going to so here goes nothing!!

Growing Up

Greyson is getting to be such a big boy so fast it's kind of making my head spin.

Here he is in his doorway bouncer, the backyard swing, and sitting up on his elbows like a big boy. Slow down time.  Slow down!

A checkup, strep throat and a few other randoms

These three are buddies already.  Greyson can't wait to get up and move with them...and I think they are just as excited for that stage too.  I on the other hand am not ready for any of that just yet because I need to invest in a pair of good solid running shoes first.  I'm taking recommendations now!

This is how we kept the boys entertained while we tried to finish up hanging things around the house recently!  They just want to do what Daddy's doing with Daddy's tools. Luckily for now their play tools do the trick ;)  The goggles are a nice touch!

Owen went to the doctor for his five year checkup a few Mondays back. He was 45 and a 1/2 inches tall and weighed 47 pounds.  He had to get a blood stick and two 5-year vaccinations.  He was a trooper and other than working on his VERY limited diet issues, he's a healthy little guy.  We celebrated with a stop for cookies after the visit and this Momma enjoyed one-on-one time with her oldest little guy more than he'll ever know!

Unfortunately, that very same night he came down with a case of strep that should go down in the record books. Who knows where it came from...but I think coupled with shots that gave him a bit of a fever and the aches, it was a double whamy.  He started throwing up at 11pm that night and for the next 2 days threw up about 7 more times.  Only after he complained of ear pain did I get him to the doctor thinking it was another ear infection and maybe a stomach bug.  Thankfully our office got him in super fast, it was a quick fix and we were on the road to recovery within less than 12 hours.  I've never been so glad to have him ask me for a cup of chocolate milk and crackers in my life! 

Once we got him sleeping again, Jeremy and I settled in for our first solid night of sleep in about a week...only to be woken up by a distinctly electrical burning smell.  I darted out of bed and began investigating.  I woke Jer and remember telling him that I thought the house was on fire because the smell was strong and awful.  We searched the house top to bottom and the boys rooms were fine, basement, garage, no smoke...just that smell. Panic began to set in that it was for sure a wall fire. On my way to grab my cell phone to call the fire department and begin gathering up the kids I happened to pass our dishwasher and for whatever reason noticed our lights on the front panel weren't on...but it was running. Not normal. After nearly burning my finger off trying to hit the cancel button I quickly realized that the dishwasher was causing the awful smell.  The front panel had shorted.  We had to kill the circuit to the dishwasher and this is what it looked like:

We are so lucky I smelled it and we caught it.  The what-if's that could have been make my stomach turn in knots.  Thank you God for sending down an angel to tap my shoulder.  I swear I woke up just in time and I instantly knew something wasn't right.  I have no doubt that was Your way of keeping us safe.  Our new dishwasher took a day to install, but thanks to Uncle Jonnie and Daddy...our kitchen is back in normal working order.  Talk about being thankful....this girl sure is right here!  And nothing like a little dish washing by hand to appreciate modern conveniences!

This adorable little face just makes me happy.  That is all!

Coop is on the road to potty training...I think he's going ot pick it up quick, but in the mean time...diaper and pull up changes are somewhat interesting sometimes!  One such change there was a bit of thrashing around...not even a lot mind you.  And I am still baffled at what exactly happened...but he scrapped his nose open.  We're talking a pinhole-sized spot.  And it bled.  A LOT.  So much so a bandaid was required to stop the bleeding.  If there was diaper-change thrashing, imagine what this looked like...mayhem.

He is so good with his baby brother...and not grabbing his hands and singing right in his face was hard for him while he was sick!  Here he is post strep contagion....happy to be back in close proximity to Mr Grey again.

Play Dates!

We had some really fun play dates in May!!

First up, Ryder came for an afternoon visit.  Aunt Jackie and I ordered Jimmy Johns and the boys ran amuck in the yard.  Sand, dirt, bug bites, you name it.  Signs of a good day of play!

Next up, the Gillean boys came over for a visit.  The Gilleans are a fun bunch...and what's really interesting is that there are 3 boys...much like us.  All of which are close to each other in age.  Juan, Diego and now little Matias joined us for a rousing day of boy-filled awesomeness!  There were yummy snacks outside, lots of adult conversation for the Mommas of course hoses, sand, dirt and fun!  Diego found a tree frog and once found, didn't let it go!!  It was great for my boys to watch him play with that frog because unfortunately I'm not a critter picker-upper and neither is there Daddy.  Thanks for a fun afternoon boys.  We need to do it again soon :)

And finally we took off with our school friends for a Wednesday afternoon at Fairview Heights mall.  We headed there in search of a trampoline with bungees to bounce, but when that was closed we settled on a carousel ride, kiddie train ride and a stop for snacks at the food court.  Once again fun was had by all!

Some of our friends...Henry and Dorian.  Driton and Owen became good friends while in class together this year!  We are sad they aren't moving onto Kindergarten next year because they are just after the birthday cut off :(  Henry was in the class across the hall and we got to know his Oma Diane while waiting at pick up time at the end of the day.

More friends...Harrison (Henry's brother) and Dorian (Driton's brother).  Harrison is Cooper's age and they were instant buddies!  Dorian and Driton are twins and they are hard for me to tell apart!

The Kiddie Train

Carter also joined us but wasn't a fan of the train!  Carter and Owen were in class together Owen's first year at Early Childhood.  He and Owen enjoyed playing outside together on recess!  He moves onto a Kindergarten in the STL next year.  Hopefully this crew will continue to have play dates despite our school locations!  

Memorial Day Celebrating

Our Memorial Day weekend was perfectly awesome!  We celebrated and spent our weekend doing just what I think the people we spend the weekend begin thankful for envisioned us doing.  Friends, food, parading and swimming!  It was awesome :)

We kicked it off with some backyard relaxin'.

 And some Cooper-taken selfies.

 That night we camped out in the living room.  The boys had a ball!!

 Ice cream in the dino tent while we watched Walking With Dinosaurs.

The next day we got up and the Cincoski's came on over for a BBQ.  There was much mayhem...and amazing fun had.  Including these adorable kiddos snacking on red, white and blue cupcakes courtesy of Aunt Steff :)

We ended up playing in the yard, riding scooters and swinging till late into the afternoon.  We adults drank wine and wrangled kiddos till we were all too tired to do so!  The boys hopped in a much needed bath and this crew slept well!!  Thank you Uncle Bryan, Aunt Steff, Peyt and Lil' man Case.  Awesome times!!

 The next day we got up and headed on into Alton for the town's Memorial Day parade.  It was one of my favorite parades to date! 

 My niece is getting closer and closer to joining this crazy bunch...and I can't wait :)

Ryder and his main man Coop.  They are kindred spirits!

For the record, this kid LOVED the parade.  All of it. The people, the bands, the excitement.  Such a fun baby.  He loves wherever we adventure to and I absolutely adore this about him!

We left the parade, grabbed lunch and after a little down time, headed over to swim with the Cincoski's and left overs from the day before.  We left happy, sleepy and content for having spent a wonderful weekend with wonderful family and friends! Happy Memorial Day :)