Gimme Some Miracle Please-Don't-Grow...

Wow...what a week.  What a month!  Sitting down and recording my thoughts and events is FAR down on my priority list right now, but I keep jotting down things to remember to write about because so much has happened. For now I am going to focus on this week, though.

Partial family pic in his classroom during his open house

This was a momentous week for X-man...my biggest little man started pre-school this week.  Last fall when the buses started showing up in our neighborhood to pick up and drop off the plethora of kids living nearby, X-man started pleading to go to school.  I really hadn't given much thought to pre-school at that point and wasn't even sure that we would do it, but he was so adamant that he wanted some schoolin', so I started looking around a little.  We couldn't have found a better fit.  Sedgwick County Zoo has their own pre-school program and seeing as my children have practically been raised on their grounds, how could we go anywhere else?  Only 15 kids in a class and 2 WONDERFUL teachers that we adore already...it's a great fit.  We had orientation last week which he seemed to handle really well, but the real test would be the first day when I would drop him off and LEAVE him for 2 1/2 hours.  J and I made a big deal about packing up his backpack Monday night before his first day so he would be ready.  He enthusiastically stashed his crayons, paints and Ziploc full of a change of clothes (essential in a preschoolers bag) into his backpack and off he went to bed.  The next morning Gokey and I were up bright and early as is normal and X-man came prancing out in his PJ's wearing his backpack...so adorable.  The excitement was palpable and he couldn't wait!

Mrs. Neal and Ernie captivating their 3 year old audience
during open house.  X-man is right in the middle and
nearly a head taller than everyone else.

I thought I was doing a good job getting everyone ready to go.  All 3 kids were dressed, bags were packed, dogs were put away...but I am still struggling with knowing just how much time I need to get THREE out of the door and buckled into their respective seats!  By the time I was pulling out of the driveway I knew we were going to be late.  I felt HORRIBLE!  He was the last kid to school...I tried to snap a pic of my big man as we were walking in, but he was complaining about the sun in his eyes and I didn't want to hold him up any longer. It was only a couple of minutes and he didn't seem to notice, but it was a total mommy fail.  We walked through that door and he hung up his bag, found his name tag and then he about took off to dive into play when I called him back for some hugs and kisses, and he gladly obliged...and then dove into play.  I don't even think he knew I was gone after I left.  I really thought I would sob on this day...I have sobbed multiple times in the last 4 years when I have merely THOUGHT about this day, but his excitement was so thick it was contagious and all I could do is smile at his enthusiasm.  Gokey, Jilly and I walked off to enjoy a couple hours in the zoo without big brother...we missed him, and Gokey was sure he should be in school as well, sporting his backpack while hunting for hippos, but we all survived.

I wanna go to school too, Mom...

Guess I'll settle for hippo huntin'

Upon pick up X-man had pictures that he cut out and glued and colored all by himself...he was so proud of himself and couldn't wait to show it off.  We met J for lunch and the two of us prodded him for details and we got a few...many we kinda had to piece together to get a real picture of how it went, but it seemed to be a swimming success.

Then came Thursday...day 2 of school.  "I don't wanna go to school," was the sentiment I heard all morning.  Mrs. Costello, one of his fantastic teachers had warned us of this during orientation.  Kids are often full of excitement on that first day, but after that first day passes, there are often tears and hesitations that weren't there before...all normal, but still distressing to all parties.  He reluctantly got dressed and ate breakfast and we loaded up into the van (much sooner than we had on day one).  The whole way there he continued to tell me he didn't want to go, he just wanted to go home, he thought he might need a nap (at 8:30 a.m.).  We made it...on time...and by the time we made it to the front door of school he was all smiles.  He hung up his bag, found his name tag and dove right in again, despite several teary classmates who were also struggling on day 2.

Upon picking up my little champ, he was as high as a kite!  In an attempt to excite him about school that day I had told him that if he could tell me the name of one of his classmates when I picked him up that I would give him a special treat.  He immediately told me one of his new friends was Allie...I haven't checked into his accuracy, but it was good enough for me.  He skipped in circles all around me all the way out to the van in the parking lot.  On the way home he said he wanted to go to school tomorrow.  I told him he wouldn't have school until next week.

"But, why?????" he whined.

Guess he's over his apprehension. :)



In baby news...Jilly is growing like a weed.  She is now 7 weeks old.  How in the heck did that happen?  It seems it was days ago she was taking her first sweet, soggy breaths in my arms and now she's smiling and cooing.  She is an entirely different baby than the boys were.  She is regularly sleeping 5-7 hour stretches at night and that is because she has an abundance of fat reserves to get her from one end of those stretches to the other.  At my 6 week check up with my midwife, she tipped the scales at 13 pounds 5 ounces!  She has gained nearly 5 pounds in just over 6 weeks and grown almost 3

Look at those muscles! :)

inches in that same span.  Apparently I am producing and excreting some sort of liquid Spam to get this kind of weight gain....haha.  This puts her around the 97th percentile for weight when my boys hovered around the 50th percentile at this age.  At a mere 7 weeks of age I slipped her into her first 3-6 month outfit and packed away the newborns and 0-3 month outfits that would no longer snap between her legs.  Any cures for growth out there?  It just goes so fast...

Fashionably Late...

I have to start this entry off with a big Siiiiigggggghhhhhhh of relief! :)  I was NOT prepared to go over my due date with this little girl.  I was convinced since big brothers had come early she would follow suit...as one of my friends suggested, "all good princesses make their people wait."  And wait we did.  Yesterday, July 21st I had hit my 41 week mark.  My blood pressure had been a little elevated at last week's appointment and I had some swelling which I had been free from the rest of the pregnancy to cause concern.  I was emotionally drained earlier in the week thinking that surely I would be pregnant for the rest of my life.  Deidre, my dear midwife had called me on Tuesday and gave me just the pep talk and kick in the rear I needed for a good attitude adjustment, and I was finally feeling strangely content yesterday morning.  I had my regularly scheduled appointment with Deidre at 11 a.m. yesterday morning where Deidre, in light of my over-ripeness and concern about blood pressure, was planning to do some membrane stripping (a very pleasant "encouragement of the cervix") to help get things going.  Upon performing the procedure she determined that conditions were extremely favorable and said she had no doubt that labor would ensue.  I left the appointment feeling very optimistic.

I joined my mom and step-dad who had been hanging with the boys while I had been at my appointment and we went off to lunch.  I had multiple, much more serious contractions in the next couple of hours and a little after 2 p.m. I loaded up the boys to head back home for naps.  My mom just couldn't stand being away from my side, just sure that this was the start of the real deal...she decided she really should come home with me, so that she could wrangle the boys if they should wake up prematurely and I could get a refreshing nap in case I needed extra energy for events surely to come.  It was on the drive across town that the contractions began falling into a regular pattern.  They were not hugely intense, but were coming pretty consistently every 5 minutes.  When my mom arrived at my house I attempted to nap...dozing between contractions only for them to rip me from my precious snooze continually.  After nearly an hour, I gave up.  J arrived home from work and I assumed my position on my exercise ball while timing contractions.  My mom (Gigi) alerted my aunt (Nana) that she might want to head over as things were continuing to progress.  I forced myself to eat a little around 6 p.m. as contractions continued to grow in intensity.  Just before 7 p.m. I had a contraction that reminded me what real pain was.  I called  Deidre to alert her to my condition.  She was at the Birth Inn (a facility specifically for the home birth away from home) at the moment and wanted to know whether she should just hang out there or head home for a while.  I was indecisive.  I wanted to labor in the comfort of my own home as long as possible, but she was adamant that the last thing I would want would be for my water to break on the 20 minute drive to the Birth Inn.  We decided together that she would grab a bite to eat, stay put and I would check back in at 8 p.m. to let her know what our plan was.  Minutes after I got off of the phone, J was begging me to just head over after I had multiple contractions on top of each other.  I told him I wanted to take a shower before we left, so he urged me to get that done ASAP.  So...I did. :)  Contractions continued and I got dressed as J loaded up enough luggage to supply us for a week for an event that would probably only carry us to the next morning.  We handed out hugs to Nana, Gigi and our precious little boys who were beside themselves with excitement.  Off we went.  Several minutes into our ride I mentioned to J that I hadn't had a contraction since we had left...feeding my anxiety that this was going to be another false alarm.  A mere seconds later I stated, "nevermind...there it is."  A mere seconds after that I felt a POP sensation and then the classic gush.  Deidre SO called it...my water broke. A contraction or two later I welled with tears as a wave of pain began.  Every pothole jarred my body, but as the pain subsided my tears only increased.  I somehow giggled between sobs that it had suddenly hit me that we were going to have another baby.

Brand spankin' new...

We arrived unscathed (though a little damp) at the Birth Inn at 8:25 p.m...I changed into some dry clothes and J swayed me through contractions.  Deidre filled up the tub so that I could labor there and we filled the spaces between contractions with relaxed conversation.  As soon as that tub was full, I was in it.  Deidre and her assistant, Christy left us to labor quietly in the birth room on our own.  J was my champion coach and talked me from a ledge over and over again as contractions came closely and insanely intense.  At 9:33 p.m. a contraction began and there was such pressure I lost my composure and control and was able to squeak that I needed Deidre.  J called for her and she and Christy were immediately hovering.  She told me to gently bear down if I felt like I needed to and after a couple contractions checked to find I was at 9 cm.  At 9:40 I leaned back in the tub and began pushing with everything I had and after several good pushes (and a lot of horrible, guttural noises) Deidre said, "reach down and grab your baby!"  I grabbed that slimy little body and heaved her onto my chest and her sweet little cries rang through the room...Jilliann Josephine arrived at 9:47 p.m.  It was fast and furious...and beautiful.  The perfect birth.  She was nursing like a champ as soon as I was out of the tub and dried off and tipped the scales at 8 lbs 9 oz, 20 inches long.  Ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes...and blonde!

Already wrapped around her little finger

Perfectly perfect!

Deidre did her exam on Jilly, doted on me to make sure that we both looked good, finished up all of her paperwork and then she and Christy left us around 12:30 a.m. to enjoy a night just the three of us with instructions to lock the door behind us when we left in the morning.  We had very little sleep, but are still on a high.  We left the Birth Inn this morning at 7:00 a.m. and trekked back across town to introduce our new little bundle to our wild little men, Gigi and Nana.  The boys are absolutely enamored.  They have been pleading to hold her all day and as soon as they have had their turn then they are negotiating for their next turn.  At one point J took her to get a little snuggle time in and X-man told him, "Dad...3 more minutes and then it's my turn, OK?" :)  They are fantastic big brothers so far.  Oh...and I think Gigi and Nana are fans as well.

Daddy helping soothe Jilly during her exam

Pinkin' up!

It's a GIRL!

 

The proud BIG brothers!

 We are one happy little family of five...truly blessed!  Thank you to everyone for all of the well-wishing not only since her birth, but in the last long week or two when our patience was wearing thin.  Love to you all...

D-Day...Come and Gone

July 14th...my due date.  Here I sit, still VERY pregnant.  It's about 6:30 p.m. and I'm having no signs of real labor, so I doubt she will pop out on this day marking 40 LOOOOONNNNNGGGGG weeks of pregnancy.  I had a rough day on Monday after 5 days of teasing contractions and sleepless nights filled with even more, stronger contractions only to wake up full of baby on each of those mornings.  It was a woe is me day, but I got past it.  Tuesday was a new day with a new attitude.  I vowed that I was no longer going to read into any of the "signs" and just let her decide when she wants to come.  I have been assured by multiple sources that I cannot be pregnant forever.  It's reassuring, but I still have moments where I don't truly believe them, despite their credentials. :)

Picking up our supplies :)

The upside is that we are nesting and getting things done.  I say "we" because my lovely husband has been a busy bee as well.  Our basement was finished back in January, but we left the floor in the main toy room/family room undone because we weren't sure what we wanted to do with it.  There was a flooring sale at one of the local hardware stores last week, however, so we decided that we should go ahead and purchase what we wanted at 30% savings and then we could install it when it was convenient.  J gets a week of paternity leave after this baby finally decides to emerge from the comfort of her personal belly tub, so we thought that might be the perfect time for such a project to be tackled at a leisurely pace. I should have known better...we got home after making our purchase on Saturday morning and the man was down there clearing the room and removing trim as soon as we walked in the door.

"Honey, I thought you were going to wait on that."

This view from the top of the stairs is so much
more pleasant than the concrete that used to
be there!

"Yeah...I just thought I would clean up a little," he casually responded.

He then announced to me a little later that he would probably start on it in the morning and he thought he could knock it out in one day.  I, being the supportive wifey that I am, nodded and smiled.  I didn't think there was any way that he could finish it by himself in one day.  Once again my beast of a man proved me wrong.  He got up, ate a wholesome breakfast and got to work.  He was completely done by 6:30 pm that evening and it looks GREAT!  Love our "new" space.  It's obviously not finished.  We are planning on moving our entertainment center and TV from upstairs down into this space when we refinish those floors in the future and we do need some action on the walls since they are looking pretty barren.  But for now, it is a wonderful playroom for the boys and we are enjoying it to the fullest.












So...big projects have all been knocked out of the park for the moment, strawberry-banana bread (just another nesting must-do) is in the oven smelling mighty yummy and here we wait!  Patience is a virtue, I hear, and I think I am definitely being tested to the fullest.  Here's to hoping I don't have to test it much longer! :)

 
And for those of you who were unsure what 40 weeks of pregnancy looks like...here it is in all of it's glory! :)

The Final Countdown

Ding!  This turkey is DONE! :)  Yes, I am beyond ready to evict this kid from her oh-so-comfortable uterine home.  I will, of course, let her decide when the time is right, but I am officially offering firm words of encouragement to get a move on.  As my belly continues to expand my patience unfortunately is slimming.  I never really thought about it before I was pregnant, but when you get to the end it's a really weird moment in life when you know that something HUGE is about to happen, but you have zero clue when it will actually take place.  There's just that magic window between 37ish and 42ish weeks of pregnancy when it is supposed to occur, but that's kind of a big window when you are preparing to add another human being to your life.  And, not just any ordinary human being...one you created and relies on you for everything.  I have to give her a place to feel safe and secure, nourishment and a clean diaper here and there.  A little warning would be nice, but so far her lips are sealed...or I just can't hear her.

So...this is #3, and it's evident.  When #1 was baking I think we had everything prepared FAR in advance.  Hospital bags were packed several months ahead of my due date and items were purchased and waiting for him.  It gets a little harder to not procrastinate with the addition of each child.  I have had mental lists floating around in my head since the puking phase of this pregnancy lessened and I felt human enough to tackle them...however, they have been far from tackled until very recently.  I had several spurts of nesting fury kick in, only for them to cure things that are so far from necessary when it comes to bringing a baby home, but you can't argue with nesting. I found myself at the top of a ladder at 8 months of pregnancy making sure every last speck of dust were sucked and wiped from the tops of the kitchen cabinets and upper reaches of our vaulted living room.  Last week I decided that my world would fall apart if I didn't get my office/craft room organized after it had been sitting in it's perpetual state of confusion since January when we finished the basement.  Why, you ask?  Because my hormones told me it had to be done and I'm not messing with that!  On a more baby-prep front...her tiny clothes have been washed, itty bitty diapers are waiting to embrace her tiny tush, the car seat base has been installed in the truck which will be our getaway vehicle when the time is right and, yes...we FINALLY finished the nursery! :)

I always had big hopes for a precious nursery with the boys, but it never came to fruition.  Mostly because, when we moved in, X-man was already 6 months old and I couldn't ever find the time to make the picture in my head reality.  Gokey came quickly behind him and the room was already put together...we would have had to tear it apart, paint and put it back together again.  It didn't happen.  This time, we had to move both boys into the same room together, so I was able to cowboy-ify their room and make it what I wanted and then was left with an empty nursery to do with as I pleased!  I love it!  I find myself wandering in there in the middle of the day and plopping down in the rocking chair to daydream about snuggling with a newborn again...such a fleeting stage, and so sweet.

So...this is your official invitation, little Jilly Bean.  We are ready and waiting.  Though your Daddy won't admit it, you will have him so wrapped around your little finger...I can't wait to see him hold you for the first time.  And there are two little boys that have gone so unexpectedly baby crazy that we can't walk by an infant in the grocery store without them ooohing and aaahing and telling the world who we are expecting.  And then there's me...your Momma, who can't wait to feel you in my arms after all of these months of feeling you tumble in my belly.  C'mon out baby girl...and be easy on your mother when you make your way! :) 

Meet Our New Friends...

Myrtle always leads the way... :)

We live in one of many developments in this area that have little ponds in the midst of all of these houses.  Our little pond is pretty well hidden and is not very close to our house...needless to say these ponds attract many feathered guests.  We have lived in this house for 3 years and, though there have been infrequent visits by pairs or small groups of ducks or geese into the central part of the neighborhood, this year has brought something new.  We have noticed a pair of mallards (I am assuming they are the same pair each sighting, only because this behavior is out of the ordinary) that have spent a lot of time just hanging out in random yards since early spring this year.  They made their first visit to our yard a couple of weeks ago.  The boys get EXTREMELY excited about this!  I think they would really like to love on these little friends, but Mac and Myrtle (yes...we named them today) don't share these same sentiments!

Awwww...come back!

Until today, every sighting in our yard has been out front...usually just laying together in the middle of the yard soaking up the sun.  Today, the sun has been MIA and a nice steady drizzle has taken its place.  I happened to walk past the back door and glance out to see them both in a wet corner of our yard, splashing in the growing puddle back there, happy as mallards in muck! :)  Myrtle then waddled across the yard, Mac willingly following, just checking it all out.  I love that they made a visit, just hope that they don't decide to do so when the dogs are back there on a nicer day! :)

Feliz Cumpleanos, Mr. Gokey...

Dear Gokey,

I knew when I had kids that they would grow up, but it still seems to catch me by surprise when another year rolls around.  Today you join the ranks of the Terrible Two-year olds...though, I am pretty sure you have solidified your membership long before today! :)  So, in my annual tribute to my littlest man, let's take a little stroll down memory lane.

Ahhhh...two years ago today.  At this moment I was exhausted, I believe I was trying to sleep through contractions that just wouldn't go away.  They had started the evening before and I told your dad, though they weren't at all painful, that I just knew that this was it, so if there was anything else he needed in the hospital bag, he should pack it before bed.  We had a failed trip to the hospital in the middle of that night and we were sent home at 6 am because there was no progression, but I still knew I would be holding you in my arms before long.  Mother's intuition usually doesn't fail!  So...I was napping...kind of.  We had a short appointment with the OB later in the morning where there was a little progression and he commented that he would probably see us in the middle of that night...I still knew it would be sooner.  Around noon, Daddy came in and woke me up to eat some lunch.  He made me a sandwich and I sat on my Yoga ball at the table to eat.  That's when the real deal hit.  I forced my sandwich down between intense contractions, knowing this would be my last meal until you arrived.  After lunch, Dad helped me downstairs and filled our big bathtub so I could soak.  I sat in there a LONG time while he and your brother played outside the bathroom.  It was a comfort to hear X-man's giggles and squeals and I couldn't wait to add another unique laugh to my little brood.  After my super soak, Dad helped me out of the tub and I told him to call Grandpa Moose to come over and hang with X-man so we could go back to the hospital...I knew I wouldn't be turned away this time.  I was right!  I was admitted and after having to change rooms several times due to odd things like heavy machinery jackhammering and beeping right outside of my birthing suite window, we were finally settled in.  Aunt Adie and Nana came to keep us company, but mostly kept each other company as Dad and I walked up and down the hallways for a couple hours, only stopping to monitor your steady little heart beat.  Only took a couple of hours and a brief bout of pushing for your squirmy little body to slip into this bright, beautiful world!  Your daddy called it weeks ahead of time.  He knew you would be born on Cinco de Mayo because of all of the mexican food I ate during my pregnancy...he must have known what he was talking about! :)  You came out so alert, beautiful and HUNGRY!  There is truly nothing like the moment I got to hold you in my arms for the first time.  Though we had a room full of doctors, nurses and family who witnessed your arrival, for a few perfect minutes it was just me and you.

A boy and his dog...

Fast forward two years now...it's hard to believe you were ever that tiny!  You are still a little guy for your age, but you don't let that hold you back.  Afterall, you have to keep up with your big brother!  You are definitely a Momma's boy, which I am absolutely OK with, and you have a snuggly, affectionate side like no other.  You are a talker and, though it doesn't always come out like you want it to, you have very little problem communicating.  You are quick to hand out "I love you's", "please's" and "thank you's" to my delight.  You have big brown eyes that I could almost fall into...people comment on them everywhere we go, but you don't seem to notice or care.  Just like your momma, you have developed a true love for animals.  You are a little wary of the larger livestock type animals, but if it is canine or feline, you are magnetically drawn.  Your very favorite furry friend, though, is our Stella dog.  You love her and she loves you and the time you have spent in your short 2 years climbing on, snuggling with and lovingly torturing her most definitely outweighs the amount of time you have spent in slumber (not that that means a lot).  Your very best friend, however, is your big brother...I hope that it is always like that.  There is nobody cooler than X-man and you will attempt to repeat anything he says, complete any acrobatic feat he performs and get into any trouble he suggests...I adore the two of you together.

You told me you were just resting...

On the flip side, you have a stubborn streak rivaling nothing I have ever experienced!  At a mere two years of age I seriously think you have mastered the eye roll, and I expect I will see that expression for many years to come.  The attitude that you can wear is almost humorous...it takes everything in me to remain stern when all I want to do is giggle at the little man that stands before me so defiant and a whopping 32 inches tall.  You are very emotional, and dramatic, but I love that about you...nobody can perfect the staggering fall to the floor, resting your forehead on the carpet in obvious distress like you have.  Your daddy may not be quite as dramatic, but one of the things I love about him is that he doesn't hold anything back...I hope you keep that quality as well.

I just helped your tearful little self into bed for a much needed nap and it took everything in me to make you stay there.  You don't know how much I wanted to spend the next couple of hours hugging you and reading you the same 14-word-total board books we have recited over the last couple of years.  But, alas, you must rest up for the celebrations to come.  I love you to pieces, little man.  Thank you for bringing your offerings of joy, chaos, laughter and love to this little family.  Happy Birthday!!!!

Such a little man...where did my baby go?

Luv,

Momma :)

A Weekend Without Kids...

We are very lucky.  We have never struggled trying to find a sitter for a night out or special event.  We literally have family members who might duke it out to determine who "gets" to take our boys so that J and I can have an outing.  We have never had to pay a sitter and for the most part when J and I make our departure, the boys don't even notice our absence because they love their temporary caretakers.  So...over a month ago I asked my Mom (Gigi) if she and my step-dad (Papa) would be willing to take the boys for a weekend before Little Miss Chip arrives.  Turns out they had already wondered if we might be up for that and were thrilled at the idea.  They picked the weekend and we delivered boys. :)  This past weekend was that weekend.  Gigi picked X-man and Gokey up around 2 pm on Friday and off they went...we were left with a quiet household and a few dogs.

Since X-man came along our identities have most definitely centered around the titles of "Mom" and "Dad".  Turns out we have a hard time straying from that, even when the little hoodlums aren't around! :)  J spent Friday afternoon mowing the lawn and I put a 2nd coat of paint on the boys' new bedroom.  This was a project that I started on Thursday despite everyone informing me that I was insane to try painting with two little "helpers" as my figure is slowly inching in on the affectionate phrase "as big as a house".  It actually went very smoothly and aside from X-man helping me for a few short minutes, they pretty much stayed out of my hair and I finished coat number one without any spilled paint.  When the boys left, my goal was to have the room completely finished and put back together again so that they could start fresh when they got back on Sunday.  I should mention that this is a great milestone because Gokey would be moving from the nursery into big brother's room to share, in prep for itty bitty sister's arrival.  I should also mention that I have experienced a great deal of anxiety about this transition.

On with our day...we finished up our mundane tasks, got cleaned up and went out on the town...to Red Lobster! Yes...we are exciting folks.  Had dinner, took a jaunt over to the mall to pick up a few things and then settled on a trip to Side Pockets, a local pool hall for an evening of friendly competition.  Well, the word competition should be used lightly...I really was not much competition at all.  We had a great time bantering, flirting and throwing back a few Cokes (the soft-drink, not the powder).  I think I pulled off one win out of the seven games we played...that was because J scratched on the eight ball.  Go me!  Then we very excitedly headed home for a FULL NIGHT OF SLEEP!

One of the things that I reveled in the most in our Kid Free Weekend was the element of spontaneity.  The ONLY thing we had planned and scheduled far in advance was a couple's massage at a local salon for Saturday morning.  So, we slept in (until nearly 8...never in a million years would I have ever thought I would have called that sleeping in), puttered around, got showered and dressed and went to breakfast.  We were seated around 9 a.m. with just over an hour to spare until our massage.  At 9:10 my phone rang and it was an unfamiliar number.  I answered despite the roar of the breakfast crowd surrounding me to hear a receptionist at our chosen salon ask, "are you on your way to your appointment or do we need to reschedule?"  Huh?  I politely informed her that I had scheduled the appointment for 10:15.  She informed me that they had it scheduled at 9 and then put me on hold.  I walked outside as I sat on hold, trying to disguise the steam spilling from my ears in my fuming state.  A manager got on the phone and said something to the effect of, "I don't know if you just wrote it down wrong or what, but the 10:15 appointment we have scheduled has been there for weeks."  I not as politely informed her that I had called nearly 5 weeks ago to schedule the appointment and put it on my electronic calendar while I was on the phone with the person who screwed up, and KNOW that it was at 10:15 because I had to make a special slot for it since my calendar only goes by half hour increments.  GRRRRRRRR (I was tempted to roar into the phone).  She then back-pedaled a little and apologized and said she felt bad about the "miscommunication" (whatever) and would send some compensation by mail to be used in the salon at our convenience.  Yeah...thanks.  I sullenly made my way back to my poor husband who had been so excited to experience his FIRST professional massage and broke the news and then like a silly, hormonal pregnant chick had to choke back tears as I did so.  He, of course, wasn't phased...gave me a pep-talk and we enjoyed the rest of our breakfast and a necessary grocery trip afterward (I know you are extremely jealous of our exciting lifestyle now). :)

The rest of our weekend seemed to fly by.  We finished up what we needed to on the boys room, moved the furniture back in (J had to do a little handy modifying to make things fit like we needed it to after a near panic attack from me before he once again saved the day) and then admired our great masterpiece.  Since we had a big breakfast, we had skipped lunch so we went to an early dinner and then came home and relaxed in front of a couple of movies, I fell asleep on my honey's lap during the second one and then we retired for the night.  Got up, went to church where I thanked God that we were child-free that morning as there seemed to be something in the air that caused mass chaos among all of the children present that morning and for once, it wasn't mine causing the trouble.  We hung around a little and visited afterward without someone yelling for a cookie or crying because he spilled his lemonade for the 3rd time...and then I REALLY missed them.  We went to lunch on the way to Papa and Gigi's and spent most of it gushing about how excited we were to pick up the boys.

X-man and Papa posing with the biggest fish of
the day...X-man caught this one ALL BY
 HIMSELF! :) 

When we arrived to pick up the boys, I walked into the kitchen to find Gokey sitting at the bar eating lunch.  It took him a few seconds to realize I was there, but when he did I got the biggest grin and exclamation of, "MOMMY," as he leaned in for a big, gooey kiss.  I was barely inside the door when X-man grabbed my hand and started leading me to the basement to show me what they had been up to.  It was as I was heading down the stairs I heard Gokey yell to my mom, "I done now," eager to give up lunch so we could do some snuggling.  We hung around for a while, looked at the pictures that were snapped over the weekend and listened to their adventures before we headed home.  They both passed out on the 30 minute drive across town and contentment settled in as we pulled into our Home Sweet Home. There have been a few "reprogramming" issues in the 24 hours since, but we are settling back in.  I am also proud to say that the boys did great for their first night in their new room!  Took a little while for them to settle in and decide to sleep instead of party, but then they slept through the night without even a whisper.

Time away is always good, but it also always seems to serve as a great reminder that time together is far better... :)