Lauren's First Fieldtrip

Our little Lauren left on her first fieldtrip ever today! Her class is at an indoor gym to play and eat lunch as a last hurrah before the official school year gets started. Needless to say it's been an emotional morning for this 8-month pregnant mom. I dropped her and Josh off at school and then realized I forgot my camera. I ran home to get it and got back to school just as the bus was pulling up. I met Lauren's class coming out of her room to board the bus. She was just so excited!

Then, of course, I followed her out to the bus.
And, on the bus.

And then I waited in my car, crying, until the bus pulled away!

I really wanted to go with her! There were other parents going, but the bus ride combined with a whole bunch of 3, 4, and 5 year olds playing in an indoor gym did not sound too appealing for this very pregnant lady. So, I had to 'cut the cord', let my baby girl spread her wings a little and worry myself sick until I know she's safely back! What am I going to do about college? I thought I didn't want my children going to either of the colleges in Northfield, but now both of them are lookin' good!!

Life

Life - noun - the general or universal condition of human existence.

I was reminded again yesterday of the overwhelming desire to fast-forward life to a time that is not so chaotic and irritating.

I had a teeth cleaning scheduled for the early afternoon and my mom graciously came up to watch the kids. My mom arrived and we took the kids upstairs to get them down for their naps. I went to open the bathroom door and it was locked. Lauren had locked the door and then shut it - no one was inside the bathroom. Since Josh is getting his eye teeth and in a whole lot of pain, I really needed to get him some ibuprophen - IN the bathroom! I tried to unlock it by sticking things in the little hole, but nothing was working. So, I had to unscrew the doorknob and take it off. This may not sound like a big deal, and in reality it wasn't. But I was so irritated with her and it didn't help that I was going to be late for my teeth cleaning. Generally I wouldn't care THAT much about being a little late, but when your husband is the dentist, it's a little embarrassing! Plus, it just added one more obstacle in the day. Anyways, the door got opened, the medicine got consumed, the kids got put to bed, and mommy got on her way.

As I was driving I was just so irritated with Lauren. And I felt guilty about this. After all, she is only three. How can she be expected to understand the events that were put into play by simply turning the funny looking switchy-thingy on the doorknob? But my irritation with her and the situation would not go away. I was flipping the channels on the radio and on the country station the song "You're Gonna Miss This" by Trace Atkins was playing. I have included the lyrics below, but basically the song is about enjoying the time that is now and not trying to "fast-forward" through life. I struggle with this every day. I always think that it will be so much better once the kids are in school. I KNOW this is not the case. It will always be busy and stressful, just in different forms. And then the mommy-guilt kicks in.......what kind of a mother wants to fast-forward through her child's life? There is also a movie that relates directly to this - "Click" starring Adam Sandler, who is dad and an architect who, whenever life gets difficult, he has a magic remote control that he can fast-forward through the difficult times. And, of course, he ends up fast-forwarding through his entire life. So, silly as it may seem, this turned out to be a very significant movie for both Brian and myself. A few months ago when we first saw it we were both in the "hurry up and get on with everything" mode. We do not want to fast-forward through our lives and miss out on Lauren, Josh, and Baby Kraby growing and learning. But it's such a hard balancing act. How is it possible to achieve all your goals and yet be able to enjoy the things around you and have a true appreciation of life? I guess it is all one day at a time......

So, I guess my mommy-mantra of the day is to get out of "the moment" and try and appreciate (notice how I did not say 'enjoy') all the little obstacles in life.

I know that when Lauren is graduating high school I will wish she was three and locking the bathroom door at a really inconvenient time all over again!
___________________________________________________________________

You're Gonna Miss This - by Trace Atkins

She was staring out the window of their SUV
Complaning, saying "I can't wait to turn 18"
She said "I'll make my own money, and I'll make my own rules"
Mamma put the car in park out there in front of the school
Then she kissed her head and said "I was just like you"

You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this

Before she knows it she's a brand new bride
In a one-bedroom apartment, and her daddy stops by
He tells her "It's a nice place"She says "It'll do for now"
Starts talking about babies and buying a house
Daddy shakes his head and says "Baby, just slow down"

Cause you're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this

Five years later there's a plumber workin' on the water heater
Dog's barkin', phone's ringin'
One kid's cryin', one kid's screamin'
And she keeps apologizin'
He says "They don't bother me. I've got 2 babies of my own. One's 36, one's 23.
Huh, it's hard to believe, but...

You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this"

No, I am NOT having twins!

I'm telling you that if one more person asks me if I'm having twins I'm going to lose it! For the record, I am not having twins. Yes, my stomach is huge. I am a short-ish person with a very short torso. There is no where for this baby to grow but out! I got asked by a person yesterday, ONCE AGAIN, if I was having twins. This person has asked me this question several times throughout my pregnancy. When I replied no, she actually asked if I was sure......ughhhh! Yes, there was a time when I thought maybe it was twins - like at 12-20 weeks along. I was SO sick and getting SO big SO fast! Then the 20-week ultrasound revealed that there is only one beautiful baby growing in my tummy. I am now 33 weeks along. I am over the illusion that there might be twins, yet everyone who doesn't know me well, but sees me often questions aloud whether there are multiple babies in my enormous tummy. NO!!!! And stop asking because it's giving me a complex!!!!!

The other thing I REALLY like is when people see me with Lauren and Josh and immediately gasp and say "Oh, you're going to be really busy." Thanks for the update. I know people generally mean well and that their reactions can't be helped in most cases, but come on! I feel the next question, though it has seldom been asked......"were they planned?" Yes, all of my children were planned. But does it really matter if they were planned so closely together or not? I had lunch with a friend of mine yesterday and she and her husband are on the "third baby fence," as she puts it. She is out of the baby mode and has had the sweet taste of freedom that comes with having children that have grown a few years and are able to do independent things, like put on their own coats.........I dream of such a time! So, is it better to wait until the craziness of the baby/toddler years is gone to jump back in the water or just stay submerged in the diapers and the waking up at night? Who knows. Everyone must choose their own path and then just hope and pray that path doesn't lead straight to the nuthouse!

On another note, I took Lauren and Josh to a store to do a little shopping this morning. I rarely take them both shopping because I usually can't concentrate on what I'm doing. But, they were both being exceptionally well-behaved this morning, so I decided to give it a whirl. We all did really good until the end. Lauren had a GIANT meltdown when we were in the checkout lane. I had brought a tape measure with me that she was holding and when she set it down to go arrange candy in the display, I made the mistake of giving it to Josh to keep him occupied. Way to go, MOM!! So, Lauren was literally howling, trying to steal the tape measure back from Josh, who started screaming his falcon squeal at the thought of having something taken by his sister. I must have really looked pathetic because the male clerk looked me in the eye and said, very sincerely, "You're doing a really good job"!! So, we left the store, Lauren STILL howling, Josh STILL squealing, and me feeling about three inches big!

Oh well, I guess we'll just have to try again next time.........

Lauren is 3!!

Lauren turned three at the end of July and we had a really great party! She had so much fun and is STILL singing Happy Birthday to herself. It was so great to see everyone that was able to make it. I just wanted to share some of the pictures from her day. We rented the bouncy castle as a huge energy burner for all the kids and it seemed to work. Her birthday party was on a Saturday and on Sunday the whole neighborhood got together to roast smores and the bouncy castle was definately a huge hit!

Lauren is very excited that she is three. She's very into numbers and how many is this or that and so to hold up three fingers and say "I'm three" with such authority and excitement is fun to see. She tells me that it's very fun to be three - there's just so much going on! School friends, neighborhood friends, toys, playing, imagination, letters, numbers, Barbies, princesses, the list goes on and on! There does not seem to be enough time in the day to get it all done.....

P.S. Notice on the picture of Lauren that the NFL Network is on the background. Daddy got busted trying to catch the latest Brett Favre updates DURING the birthday party. I guess you can take the Daddy out of the Packer fan, but can't take the Packer fan out of the Daddy - not even on his little girl's birthday. And NOW, thanks to Mr. Favre, we not only have to endure another season of Packer football, with the tantrums and such that go along with that, we ALSO have to watch the Jets. Thanks, Brett........

Newbie....

Okay, so I'm totally new in this whole blogging world. I thought it would be a neat idea to create a blog so that family and friends could check in when time/life permitted to see what we were up to. Lauren and Josh are growing so fast and with Baby Kraby #3 on the way QUICKLY, and my free time for much cherished phone conversations disappearing, this seemed like the perfect thing to do! I also feel bad that Brian's family is so far away and they all get to enjoy each other but don't really know what's going on with us. We have not been down to Milwaukee in a really long time, but have gotten together with everyone in Green Bay this past spring and early summer. Anyways, check in, don't check in, tell me I'm lame, whatever....... I'll just keep doin' what I'm doin'!