Eight Years Today

We have a very important day on Saturday.  Mark’s youngest brother is getting married.  
Every wedding it makes you reflect on your own.

Eight years ago today I got married.  I married a man who I had already known for years but looking back sometimes I wonder if I knew him at all.  I thought he’d be good with kids, but I didn’t know how deep his love would be for his family.  He is truly the very best daddy I know.  He has a special bond with each of our kids.  The way he tells Victoria she’s beautiful and the way he throws a ball to Christian every chance he gets yet cuddles him every chance he gets, reminds me how much he loves them and is changing them for the better. 

I didn’t know then how happy it would make me to cuddle beside him in bed and share our thoughts about…anything.

I didn’t know then we’d create such strong traditions together that we can practically read each other’s mind when we sit down at Lake Elmo Inn or are on our way to cut down the Christmas tree.

I didn’t know then how exciting telling him we’re expecting our third child would be. 

I didn’t know then how much I’d appreciate how handy he is.  I can tell him to fix or change this, that or the other thing and it just gets done. 

I didn’t know then how good he’d make me feel when two months before my due date I would cry over not having a the car seat yet and he’d have everyone loaded into the car in a matter of minutes and when we arrived at the store told me to go off and look at nursing bras and he would completely take care of the car seat stroller purchase.

I didn’t know then the love I’d feel sitting at our kitchen table each night as we ate dinner together.

I didn’t know then how special our Mexican vacation spot would be to us and only us.

I didn’t know then how much it would mean to me that he not only accepts my New Kids craziness but sits and listens to their new single with me.

I didn’t know then story time at our house would be so special.  That he’d be the reader or the listener for the night depending on what I want and have patience to spell each word so Christian can be the recorder of the things we’re each thankful for.

I didn’t know then how complicated yet full filling marriage would be. 

I didn't know then I'd fall in love more and more each year.

Eight + years in pics:

The lights of our lives:

This is what love looks like:

The family we've made.

Our 7th anniversary last year.

The year we met - 2001 

8 years ago today!

Our family of three

The fall before we got married.

Our first dance...8 years ago today!

Kissing after the ceremony.

Mr. & Mrs. Humphrey

The Christmas before our wedding.

Our brand new baby daughter.

Pre-engagement

2001

Our first Mexican getaway - 2008

Our brand new puppy.

Fall 2006

Super duper proud parents.

Our latest Mexican getaway as we anticipate Baby #3.

Looking forward to years of watching these two (soon to be three) thrive and grow.

8 is my lucky number.

Looking forward to what 2013 has in store for us.

Looking forward to many many more years of wedded bliss.

Love you Bunny!!

Terrible Horrible Day for Victoria

Today may have been a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, for my little first grader Victoria.
(That's a reference to this book.)

First she got to school to realize she forgot her tennis shoes.  Which meant clopping around in moon boots all day long.  She happened to see me in the hall and said, "YOU forgot my shoes!"  I informed her they are her shoes and she forgot them and told her it would be ok.  The teacher in me said, "Good lesson for her."  The mommy in my said, "Damn it.  That sucks."  She had already said she was 'scared' to go to school because she didn't get a Peek so she didn't have her spelling words.  After the anxiety issues we had last year, it gives me anxiety to think about her having anxiety.  I assured her there are far worse things than getting a word wrong on spelling pre-test day.  An hour into school my class and her class were in the hall both going to specialist.  She took one look at me, stopped dead in her tracks, this time with tears in her eyes and said, "And it's a GYM day!"  Double damn!  Boots on a gym day really suck!  She lived through gym and headed back to class and soon to lunch.  While I was eating I was notified there was trouble in the cafeteria.  Last week I gave her mandarin oranges.  I've seen many kids try to open those little containers and spill juice.  So I dumped the juice and put them into a small tupperware.  That worked great on day one.  The next day apparently they opened in the lunch box and it was a total pain to clean all the sticky little chunks out.  Back to today.  Victoria wanted steak in her lunch and asked me to make sure it was in a tight container.  I put it in a real glass pyrex that seals tight.
She went to open it at lunch and the whole thing flew out of her hand and the steak was all over the floor.  The nice lunch helper cleaned it up and told her to get a hot lunch.  She informed her "loudly" "My mom doesn't trust the lunch lady!"  Yes, it's true I no longer trust the PIN # system but good grief, no need to alert everyone on staff.  So she got her toasted cheese sandwich and sat down.  I went in to see her.  She was handling it well.

Thank goodness she ended up getting 100% on her spelling test after all.
I'm certain she won't forget her shoes tomorrow.  But what the hell is safe to pack in her lunch?!

Thank goodness she is actually extremely responsible for a six year old and this was just one day.

Day 6 of Recovery

Last night I went to bed really early.  Thank goodness because at about 1:30am I was woken by a loud thud.  I ran out of the bedroom without even grabbing my glasses to find Christian naked on the bathroom floor.  I kept asking him, "Are you ok?  What happened?"  He was sick and confused and exhausted.  Apparently he got up to go to the bathroom and ended up throwing up on the floor.  He took his pajamas off because he got sick and  it usually gets on himself.  By the time I went and got my glasses and Mark started to get him redressed and I took care of the mess on the rug I looked at him and realized he was pretty sick.  But throwing up is the WORST thing that can happened when you have your tonsils removed.  It can open the wounds and they'll need to be cauterized again and he'll need to be put under and kept over night.  After we got him taken care of he kept saying how bad his throat hurt.  I couldn't even get him to sip water or eat a popsicle.  He also had a fever.  It went from bad to worse.  He was sick for three hours.  We were both still awake at 5am.  Finally I got him to sleep in my arms with his little legs tucked up to his chest for some type of relief.  Victoria came in about 6:30 and I whispered find something quiet to keep yourself busy and the poor girl walked away and built a huge train track for an hour.  Christian didn't sleep much longer but I was exhausted.  We all had breakfast and I went and laid back down until 12:30.  I was in rough shape after being up so much.  Christian was ok for the rest of the day, didn't even rest.  We skipped one set of pain meds in the middle of the day.  We're hoping to start cutting back on his meds.  We're also hoping tomorrow goes well back at school and daycare.

32 Weeks

Chalkboard created by Liv

At 32 weeks Baby is over 5 pounds just as Christian is turning 5 years old.

Baby has regular sleep cycles and definitely responds to sounds such as your families voices.

Baby's black and white nursery is all ready and waiting.

Victoria read books all over the house making sure they are 'appropriate' for Baby and tucked them on the bookshelf.

Dear Baby #3

Dear Baby,
Last week we really had a scare.  On Monday, everything in my body and mind was telling me something was wrong with you.  I rushed to the doctor unexpectedly.  While I was driving there I was sobbing thinking about how I didn't want you to come out yet.  Even though you're five pounds now, you would still be 8 weeks early.  That's not safe.   I went to the doctor to have four tests completed over 3 hours only to find out you are safe and sound and tucked up in my nice and warm womb.  What a relief!  Your brother had surgery the following day and the doc thought stress may have triggered the labor like symptoms.  Ever since he's been home from the hospital I've been feeling great.  After that scare I am really treasuring this pregnancy.

I love when Christian talks to you.  You usually start moving when he cuddles up to my belly and talks to you.  I think you two love each other already.  Daddy talks about you all the time and loves to feel you move too.  Victoria talks about all the things she's going to teach you.

Next Tuesday is Daddy and my wedding anniversary.  We're going to get the rest of the things needed for your arrival.  I'm going to get the hospital bag packed and choose a couple outfits for your arrival home.  Since I still don't know if you're a boy or a girl I'm going to find something super girlie and cutsie and something stylish and boyish.  I am so excited to meet you!  I think about touching your little face and holding you in my arms so many times a day!  I even dream about you often.  Every dream I've ever had about you when I wake up I can remember how happy I was to have you.  I love planning the way our life will be once you're introduced to the family.

Today my friends are throwing a Big Big Sister Shower for your sister.  We're so excited we can hardly stand it!  It's so exciting to have a party in your honor to celebrate your arrival.  You're getting so big you're maxing out my maternity clothes.  Everything is getting pretty tight.  Aunt Molly thinks you're going to weigh in at a good 8.5-9 pounds.  She actually knows if you're boy or girl.  Which means she already knows what your name is.  When she looks at you on an ultrasound I can tell she loves you already.  She loves your chubby cheeks and compares them to Christian's and your cute nose to Victoria's.

It's the beginning of February now.  Which means you'll arrive next month (unless you come really early).  Daddy looked up your birthstone last night and it will most likely be an aquamarine.  The other day I was at Target and diapers were on sale and I thought, "Why not?!"  And bought two huge boxes of Pampers.  Dragging those huge boxes into the house makes your arrival seem even closer!  Your nursery is ready for you.  Daddy did a great job.  I say less is more now, but I have a feeling once you arrive and I fall head over heels in love with you I'll be out shopping for accessories in no time flat.

I'm beginning to get things in order at school so I can stay home and care for you.  There's so much to do, it's overwhelming.  But when I think about feeing you and cuddling you and watching you and Christian together during the day while the house is quiet it makes me so happy.  It should be nice out when you arrive.  We'll walk to the park and go to the zoo.  Victoria will have to go to school for about 12 weeks after your arrival so it will just be you, Christian and me for a while.

Even though we're all very excited to meet you, stay put for at least another month.  Then you'll be strong and healthy when we meet.

I love you already,
Your Mommy

Notes from V's Teacher

We are beyond blesses with Victoria's first grade teacher.  This girl is amazing.  Since I am actually friends with her I know she is good at everything she does.  She's a great friend, a fantastic wife and a truly amazing teacher.  She's great about telling me little stories from first grade and she compliments Victoria to me nearly every single day.

Here's a note she sent home a couple weeks ago:

What parent wouldn't love to receive this?!

 On her report card for quarter 2 in the comment section she wrote:

Victoria continues to excel in the skills that are being taught in first grade.  She does a wonderful job completing her work on time and does a quality job.  She is a great listener, is kind to her peers and continues to make great choices in first grade.  she does a wonderful job expressing her ideas and thoughts clearly and demonstrates great listening skills.  You can be proud of her, she continues to shine in first grade!

That little girl makes us so proud.

It's especially nice her teacher takes the time to let us know how well she's doing!

Blast from the Past

I have an obsession with pictures and picture frames.

I want all my pictures displayed.

Every. Single. One.

You're probably thinking, "Yeah, your house is full of pictures!"

No, no, no.  I'd have ten times the pictures if Mark would let me.

He not a fan of clutter.

Me however, it I would say I love it, but it I don't feel pictures are clutter.

Ever.

What happens is I'll take some pictures down to decorate for Christmas, or a shower or whatever and I'll put them in a box.  Almost never does everything come back out from the box.  I'll put something different in its spot, possibly a new picture frame or something of the sort.

Then I end up with several boxes of pictures frames.  

I was decluttering the basement last week when I came across boxes and boxes of pictures and frames.

Some so old I don't think we ever even had them on display in this house.  We've lived here nearly 8 years.  Even though I know I can't put them back up I don't know what to do with the pictures.

Here are a couple Blasts from the Past that warm my heart but will never be on display again.

Mainly because moisture got in the frame and they stuck to the glass.

Mark and Jonathan in 2001 in our first apartment.

Jonnie came to spend the night.

He was four years old.

Even smaller than Christian is now.

Man, I loved that kid as my own.

Often times, Christian reminds me of Jonathan.

I loved how much Mark loved Jon and Jon loved Mark.

That's pretty much when I knew he'd be a good daddy

and it would be in my best interest to get married to him and create beautiful babies.

This one is from 1999.

My dad and I are in Hawaii.

I am 20 years old there.

Don't I look like a child???

If I didn't know for a fact the year and my age I wouldn't even believe it.

That was an amazing impromptu trip.

My dad loved me so much (that's not past tense - he actually still does) I wish I appreciated it more back then.  Now I can see his love all the time.  Especially when he's with my kids.

I love this picture of us!