Thursday morning boaters

Actual conversation between me and the boys in the car today. Me: "Did y'all have so much fun on the lake today?" Noah: "Me did!" John Michael: "I liked the raining part!"

I'm noting this conversation, verbatim, because it gave me so much joy to hear it. One, because Noah really does talk like this, now and it's so cute. I love that he refers to himself as me instead of I. Two, because John Michael liked the rain part of our boating adventure this morning the best. There are times when I feel so blessed to live in Austin, Texas. This morning, we got a babysitter for Aaron, Michael took a half-day and we took the big boys out on the boat on Lake Austin. The weather wasn't too hot. There was no one out there so we had smooth waters and easy launching. We had a beer at 10 am. We swam in the perfectly heated water. We had lunch at Ski Shores. Then the wind and white caps started. Then we got our lunch to-go so as to avoid getting caught in a storm. Then we got rained on in the boat trying to get back to the car and all kind of huddled together under the windshield, both of us with a boy on our lap. It was quite an adventure and actually very fun, despite the weather drama. Sometimes, okay, many times, with toddlers you kind of dread doing something that should be fun, because you know that at any point, someone could melt down, have a poo-splosion, get hurt, etc, but you know when you are saying "we need to do this more often" even when everyone winds up soaking wet, that it's a successful outing. Whereas I love my babies, John Michael and Noah are growing up. They both tooled around the boat like they were hot stuff. John Michael was in the front with his hand in the wind. Noah was laying down in the back, so comfortable that we thought he was going to fall asleep. I think about all three of them getting a little bigger and the fun we are going to have on the boat when they are true lake boys. Whereas Iowa was a wonderful place to grow up and I wish my boys could grow up in that culture where you don't even have to lock your doors, Austin, with its lakes, is not too shabby, either. Happy summer!

"Painting"

Another idea stolen from John Michael's preschool. Who knew that a bucket of water and an old paintbrush could lead to hours of fun? Yesterday, when the boys were fighting nonstop and driving me up a wall, I got out the paintbrushes and gave them each a pail of water and they "painted" the garage door, the driveway, the playhouse and the boat! Okay, now what do I do for the eleventy billion other hours to fill this summer? How do you entertain your kids on the cheap? Share your ideas here!

Memorial memories

Yes, that is an Aaron smile! He is smiling all the time, I swear he is the smilingest baby we've had. He loves Michael, who can get the biggest smiles out of him. I swear it's his Schmitz genes, but he was kind enough to say that Aaron sees me all the time, so his funny faces are more of a novelty. And, yes, that is a GIGANTIC canister of Tang you see with John Michael. We decided that we want Tang to be part of our lakehouse memories that the kids have. Tang is part of Michael's good memories from childhood (Mom would never let us have it, our neighbors the Watts' were so lucky!). Anyway, I think had my first sip of Tang since 1982. Alabama is part of my best childhood memories. My best friend Betsy's dad played Alabama in their "family truckster" one time and it's always made me happy thinking of it (seriously they had that car! So cool!) I love me some Alabama. We listened to a lot of Alabama this weekend, too. Of course, JM likes Roll On Eighteen Wheeler. What kind of memories do you want to make for your kids? Anyway, our lake weekend was SO nice. I'm trying to nestle myself in the happy memories from this weekend, because this morning my kids are TIRED and CRANKY! John Michael seriously, seriously poured his cereal out on the counter because he didn't want it. Seriously? Seriously???!!! Let the beatings begin! Okay, let the natural consequences begin. Guess who didn't get breakfast this morning. Ugggghhhhh, when is naptime?!!

Four years

John Michael turned FOUR on Friday. Whereas three seemed like no big deal, four seems extremely grown-up. We're getting way too close to kindergarten, people! By some miracle, Academy sold an ORANGE bike with training wheels

Sire spent much of the weekend racing at top speed down the driveway and back. Big hit! (And, don't worry about brain injuries to his Harvard-bound noggin, we did find him a helmet)

I won't lie. I cried when I saw him pedal away on his big boy bike.

To celebrate, we had a swim party at our neighborhood pool, which was super fun, thanks to Mr. Gattis, orange cupcakes and SANGRIA. He only wanted to invite the neighbor kids, so it was a small affair. JM is finally getting brave in the water. He swam all around with his friends. Thanks to my family, the party went smoothly despite the fact that I'm pretty sure I was nursing Aaron 75% of the two-hour party. P.S. It's not a party until someone poops in the pool and they shut the place down. P.P.S. We're pretty sure it wasn't Noah.

We love you, our sweet four year-old! Happy birthday!

Tie

JM's class at school got us this onesie when Aaron was born. He looks like a little old man going to work! Love him

Survival mode is getting old

My friend Kim and I discussed one time that with infants it's usually around the time that you are pushed to the limit and can't take any more that God blesses you with a new stage. Well, God, if you are listening, I am at that point and ready for a new stage! I'm worn out. Aaron has been hard to get to sleep lately. Overnight, he is waking up every 2 hours! During the afternoon and early evening, he wants on the breast all the time. Aaron wants to be held all the time. If you put Aaron in his bed when seemingly tight asleep, he inevitably wakes up 5-10 minutes later. He's not crazy about a sling for far, sooooo, we now introduce swing sleep with a swaddle sack and a paci. Noah spent months sleeping in the swing during the day and he sleeps great, so I'm not worried about bad habits. I'm more concerned with survival. Swing worked this morning. Crossing fingers this will offer us some relief. Michael has had to totally take over for me lately and I feel bad. I know my main job is Aaron's Milk Maker right now and I'm excelling there. Actually, I am due a raise! in every other facet of parenting and running this household, I feel like I'm not contributing. I know someday I will miss holding sweet newborns all the time, but right now, my arms and breasts are worn out!

Mother's Day in Pictures

Breakfast in bed and new mug for the GALLON of coffee I need lately

Church and breakfast #2 at IHOP

Boys acting naughty at IHOP

They are lucky they're cute!

So happy and blessed. Wearing my first macaroni necklace JM made at school! Notice the color :)

Aaron is 1 month old!

Dear Aaron, How are you already a month old? These past four weeks since we've known you have gone by fast. You are a sweetie pie. Tonight we took you to the pool and you slept the whole time, even when Noah dripped wet all over you trying to give your head a "soft touch" (parentheses= sarcasm). When that happened, an observer next to us noted that you were definitely the third child! You go with the flow. You are generally happy. You are a good eater. You are a great nurser, but you will definitely take a bottle and don't care if you get breast milk or formula. You get breast milk all the time, but mama hates pumping, so the two times we've been out (thank you Nana and Poppa!), you've gotten a little formula mixed in there, too. You have embarrassing and endearing loud newborn poops. You are the best burper we've ever met. Seriously, up on the shoulder and a few taps and you burp with ease. So far you aren't too crazy about the pacifier. You like Mama, or rather Mama's milk. You and I have spent a LOT of time together these past few weeks. Some of my favorite memories include every day when you snuggle in and take nursing naps with me in our bed. You are a perfect little size. You like to be carried on our shoulders with your head up against ours. You are my best eater and weight-gainer of the three boys. You gained over a pound in a week and are probably about 9.5 lbs right now (at birth you were 7lb 14oz). You eat every 2-3 hours round the clock with one long stretch of 4-5 hours at night. Physically, you look a lot like your brothers (light hair/light eyes), but we think you have a lot more of Daddy's side in you. I even think that your skin smells like Daddy's. You have very little hair and the hair you do have is more light brown than blonde. You have no eyebrows and very short eyelashes. You have the cutest little wrinkles on your head and sometimes we see a dimple on your cheek. You have a cleft chin and a little cleft over your lip, as well. Um, and you STILL have your umbilical cord. I distinctively remember a nurse in the hospital saying it would fall off after a week, but it's still there and I love it. You are our baby and we want you to stay a baby.

Little one, we are so so glad you've come! We love you! Love, Mama

Surviving and thriving

We are surviving. By that, I mean in a 24 hour period, I have literally gone from saying "We have too many babies!" one minute to "I can do this" the next.  At the moment, keeping my head above water is a minute-to-minute thing.  I'm reminding myself to keep it simple.  I'm trying not to feel guilty about the fact that at 3:15am when I was feeding Aaron this morning, I couldn't get out of my head "Let's build a word!  Let's build it! Let's build it!" from Word World, because John Michael has been watching a lot of TV while I'm nursing (Noah, not so much.  He just does stuff to try to goad me on and get my attention like throwing Color Wonder marker caps at me while I'm nursing to see if I'll put him in time-out.  Serenity now!  Oye!  Why won't he watch TV?!  I digress).   Anyway, I'm trying to get us out of the house.  I'm trying to take deep breaths.   I'm trying to celebrate the small victories, like the fact that we're all fed and clothed.  I'm trying to feed myself and put on makeup, so I feel good about myself.  The key word here is TRY.  I'm definitely not walking around here looking like Glamourmama every day, but I'm trying to be clean and somewhat presentable.  Whereas I many times could and do very easily cry at the stressful nature of having three young children and how ridiculous I look say trying to take a toddler to the bathroom with a screaming baby in a carrier on one arm and another toddler who is running the other way and won't come, I am trying to stay in the moment and not take this too seriously and try to laugh.  Having an almost-4, an almost-2 and a newborn is completely redonkulous!  Just watch us try to go anywhere.  Really, I'm trying to be grateful for the good stuff, more than anything.

Last week, it was ear infections for JM and Noah.  This week, our weekly trip to the pediatrician was for Aaron, who has been sputtering and choking on his milk.  Anyway, he's fine.  So fine, actually, that he's gained more than a pound in a week.  Chunky chunkster!  He's up to 9lbs 5 oz.  Considering all he does is eat, especially the past few nights every two hours from 11-5 (ehem), I am thrilled that my hard work is at least paying off.  You may recall that I had serious weight-gain issues with John Michael (who would have thought considering he's so solid now!?).  Anyway, go Aaron!

This is Noah "hugging" Aaron.  He is fascinated by Aaron and would hug him all day if I would let him.

So sweet!

Anyway, the days and nights drag on, but it also goes fast.  Aaron will be a month old on Saturday!  How did that happen?!