The Popotte Family

Noah's 1st Hair Cut

2011-04-14T14:29:00.002-04:00

ONE

2011-04-04T23:12:00.000-04:00

St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T22:26:00.003-04:00

I have been blessed with some of the cutest half Irish boys on the planet!! I must really have been given the luck of the Irish since this is who I spend my days with......

Shades

2011-03-12T12:09:00.003-05:00

Big Brother #3

2011-03-03T09:02:00.003-05:00

We are happy & excited to share that we are due to add another addition to our growing family. Baby #4 is due to arrive August 14, 2011

Five on Friday

2011-02-11T16:19:00.002-05:00

Five on Friday is dedicated this week to my almost five year old, Elijah James. Here are five things he has taught or shown me over the past five years.....

1. Control, I am not in full control of time anymore. When I was pregnant and wait for him to be born my mother took this chance to tell me that this was the start of me not being in control any longer & of course as with most she was correct.

2. Love, I had never loved someone so instantly as I did the moment he was born. It amazes me that as time has continued on I have fallen in love with him more each day and with each sweet moment.

3. Perspective, Elijah makes me look at things often from a different perspective then I would not have always had. He always has a point of view he wants to share with me and everyone else and quiet often I really enjoy his point of view.

4. Education, Elijah has taught me tons more than I can even care to admit about dinosaurs. To be honest if someone needed a life line regarding a question about dinosaurs, call me I will know that answer which is so funny considering I don't even believe that they ever existed!

5. Time, Elijah has taught me that cleaning can wait and that sometime it is better to just go out and play.

Just a few pictures that make me smile.....

2011-01-22T02:24:00.000-05:00

Finally, a month later I am uploading and sorting the hundreds of photos from the holidays here are just a few that instantly made me smile!

Five on Friday

2011-01-21T09:13:00.003-05:00

I'm back and dedicated to my blog again. It seems that somewhere between my wedding anniversary and my birthday life just got really busy and getting a minute to blog was impossible but it is at the top of my to do list to at least blog twice a week if not more. So, with that on to the first FoF of 2011.....

1. To start the new year we had Noah baptized and washed away his original sin. It was an amazing mass and I will post more on that later. I think he is extremely lucky to have godparents (Michelle & Luigi) who would travel through a blizzard to accept this huge responsibility.

2. I turned 35 on the 8th of January and with the support of a baby sister, great girlfriends (two husbands), and LN I was able to celebrate exactly how I wanted out drinking and dancing my butt off!! I think that 35 is going to be a wonderful year for me.

3. Noah is getting so big and might actually be on the verge of taking a few steps the simple thought of this makes me want to take him out at the knees. Funny with Elijah I could not wait for him to walk, Samuel I was angry because some special blonde boy walked before him, & now Noah I am not looking forward to the trouble him walking is going to get the three of them into.

4. I hate the winter and Elijah loves it, every snow storm we have had he tries and tries to talk me into liking the snow. He can not wrap his mind around why I don't like it after all what is not to like there is snowmen, snowballs, snow angles, snow forts, sledding, hockey, ice skating, even after his list it does not make it any more appealing. How can one child love the beach and the snow both so equally?

5. I am reading for pleasure again and loving it! Once we moved downstairs we did not put the tv in our room so it has forced me to read and I am loving it. My current book is The Shack and it is simply amazing I actually have found that I have to give myself a page limit at night so I don't stay up reading all night. Thanks LN for the book it is a great one! Feel free to suggest a good book to me I just don't read sci-fi

There it is Five on Friday for the first time in 2011. I will be back blogging over the weekend because I can not let the holiday season go without sharing the memories with everyone!

Happy Holidays!!!!!

2010-12-19T22:38:00.002-05:00

Thankful...

2010-11-24T23:17:00.000-05:00

I am thankful for the invention on the telephone without it I would never survive the day.

I am thankful for scarfs the make me feel pulled together even when wearing yoga pants and flip flops.

I am thankful that my fat jeans still fit and that I have not gotten so fat that I need new fat jeans.

I am thankful that my husband still finds me attractive and loves me even if I am wearing my fat jeans.

I am thankful that my boys do not care what I dress them in and most days never give it a second thought.

I am thankful that I have friends that I can give a look to and they know exactly what I am thinking.

I am thankful for Facebook it makes me feel so much closer to those that are far away.

I am thankful for my dishwasher I think it is what makes my marriage a happy relationship.

I am thankful that my boys love music and often bust a move because they feel like it.

I am thankful for Nick Jr and that there is always something on tv for the boys if I need it.

I am thankful for the fact that Noah loves to play in the pack & play most days.

I am thankful that I have been able to breastfeed all three of my boys even if it ment I missed 14 months of cheese and ice cream, your welcome Samuel.

I am thankful for JetBlue direct flights without them I may never see my family and friends.

I am thankful for family traditions and keeping them and adding to them.

I am thankful that my husband works so damn hard and is an honest man.

I am thankful for Skype.

I am thankful that I have family I can call even in the middle of the night if I need them.

I am thankful that I have friendships that don't need daily or even monthly contact but are still special.

I am thankful for the people who love my boys and want to be a part of their lives!

I am thankful that my mother passed on the her love of reading.

I am thankful that my father passed on his love of travel.

I am thankful for my boys and that they make me be a better person and to strive for greatness.

I am thankful that GOD has blessed me with this amazing life that has had a few rough patches but for the most part everyday is DAMN GOOD!!!

This is a tiny list of what I am thankful for, I could go on and on but for now that's just a few.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Five on Friday

2010-11-19T00:53:00.000-05:00

Friday, YIPPPEEE it's Friday which means two days with my husband and boys! Have I ever mentioned how much I love my husband and how amazing he is, well he is & I think often and wonder how the hell did I get so lucky. So, this five on Friday is about being lucky and thankful.

1. I am lucky to have the support system of girlfriends near and far you know who you are, without all of these women I would never make it through the day.

2. I am lucky and thankful to have a husband who busts his ass everyday at work to provide for our family.

3. I am lucky that I have three healthy boys with fantastic and original personalities, if I do say so.

4. I am lucky to have two bathrooms because that middle man of mine Samuel flushed a ball down the toilet and now it is broken and may possibly need to be removed. I know that this is very funny and someday I will chuckle about it I am sure.

5. I am lucky that back in October 1995 Cookie waited over an hour for me to show up for our first date because if he had not then the list above would not even exist!

ANGRY!!!!!!

2010-11-16T12:24:00.000-05:00

That is how Noah must feel when I trap him in the exersaucer so I can get things done. If he would just stay still then I would not be forced to out him in there, why do they get so big so quick? Why did I never by that gate to go across the playroom into the living room?

RING RING RING.....

2010-11-15T22:33:00.003-05:00

BANANA PHONE....RING RING RING....BANANA PHOOOOONNNNNEEE!!!!!!!!!

---dedicated to Auntie Kiki the best singer of Banana Phone

The house that...

2010-11-14T22:24:00.000-05:00

The house that Elijah & Daddy built is very cool according to Elijah. Cookie surprised the boys with a project on Sunday afternoon of a small wooden house to build. Elijah was super excited and could not wait to start after nap. Samuel did not want to wait and nor was he really interested once the project started. Elijah loved it and even got to journey to the basement to finish hammering in some nails which was a good idea since Elijah with a hammer makes me a little nervous. He was so proud to show me his finished project and just thinks it is the coolest house ever & I do too!

Five on Friday

2010-11-12T14:46:00.002-05:00

There are a few simple things that I look forward to everyday and when they don't happen it really effects my day....so here they are.

1. My morning shower, everyday I take an extremely hot shower before Cookie leaves for work. I LOVE this part of my day and really do need it to function well.

2. My morning chat with Michelle and my mom, as soon as I see their number on the caller id I smile.

3. My ice coffee with coffee mate original creamer and five splenda (I like it sweet).

4. Mid afternoon phone call from Cookie, I love that he calls and checks to see how our day is going.

5. The silence that fills the house at 9pm when the boys are all finally asleep and Cookie is out walking the dog. At this moment I can actually hear myself breath and I love it!

Mission

2010-11-11T21:49:00.004-05:00

Noah started to really crawl this week and there is no stopping him. It is so much fun to watch him eye something and then get to it with such determination. The mission tonight was Samuel's cup which was located under the exersaucer. Well, mission accomplished he made it there and got!

Hop on Pop

2010-11-09T20:13:00.002-05:00

"New" Style

2010-11-08T22:05:00.002-05:00

Today was school picture day and also the day the Elijah decided to bust out in his "new" style. As everyone knows I LOVE his hair super short, the shorter the better but we have been crazy busy so he is over due on getting him hair cut. This morning while combing his hair he informed me that he had a new style that he would be sporting for picture day. I resisted the fight and let him express himself & off we went to school after a few practice runs with smiles. Here is a peak at his "new" style.

Happy Birthday Cookie!

2010-11-06T21:55:00.001-04:00

Thirty six years ago a woman gave birth to a baby boy who grew up to be my dream come true! Happy Birthday to the best husband, father, confidant, supporter, son, brother, and friend a person could ask for. Happy 36th Birthday Cookie!

Cookie and I have celebrated many birthdays together at this point in our lives and they are very different now than they once were. This year was a very low key year, I was in class all day and the boys have all been sick so we celebrated with some singing, cake, and a few homemade gifts.

Only four more years till the big 40....I better get planning the bash now!

Five on Friday

2010-11-05T00:25:00.000-04:00

I hope those that have logged on looking for my FoF don't fall off their chair when they see that I have actually posted for I believe the fifth time this week! So, here it is the first Friday in November I can not believe that it is already November where the HELL has the year gone? November marks the start of the busy season here in the Popotte house with birthday celebrations, anniversary, and holiday happenings from now till Memorial Day we will be busy. Anyways here are some well not some rather five random thoughts, ideas, or comments for Friday.

1. Election day was this past Tuesday, I LOVE to vote, I LOVE the power, the freedom, the excitement, the ideas of expressing what I want or think should change. I really would like to be more informed about local politics and know who is who and what they stand for and what they are doing day in and out. The next time I have a spare second I might investigate this a bit.

2. Noah sleeps all night long and I love it! I did not realize how exhusted I was until he started sleeping all night long. I just wish my boobs would regulate and catch up to his sleeping pattern.

3. Elijah has his first virus of the season this week. He has had a fever off and on the past few days along with a cough but nothing else. I hate seeing him sick and wiped out but I am happy that it took a full two months of being in school before he caught something. Now the question at hand is did he share his tiny ugly germs with his brothers and hence will it distroy Noah's fabulous sleeping?

4. Cookie's birthday is tomorrow (Nov. 6th) and sadly I will be in class all day and unable to shower him with attention, love, and answer to his every need and want. He will be spending the day taking care of the boys and then off to Jack's 2nd birthday party which Elijah is already confused on why it is not for his dad as well.

5. I have class this weekend which I am super excited about I love going to school and actually thinking and sharing ideas and thoughts with other adults but beyond missing Cookie on his birthday I am also sad that I will not be able to take Elijah to church this week. I hope he isn't too disappointed he really enjoyed himself last week and we have been talking about it and GOD a ton this past week. I am working on teaching him the "Our Father" but for some reason he continually mixes it up with the words from the song "Grand Ole Flag". I am sure one day he will get it and make me proud!

10

2010-11-04T00:39:00.000-04:00

Ten years ago my life changed forever with one horrible phone call. Ten years ago a mother lost her son, a father lost his son, a beautiful amazing young woman lost her first love, many friends lost a friend, a sister lost her big brother, a brother lost his role model, and I lost faith! Ten years ago today a young man I had know most of my life died all because of a series of bad decisions and choices but how does not really matter what matters is that the past ten years have gone on without the laugh, comments, cockiness, and presence of a Matt. I smile when I think of him and still often get teary eyed. If you were lucky enough to have shared even one encounter with Matt you know what the world lost ten years ago. But in loosing him I gained a value of life and the day and what is here now. I gained the knowledge to appreciate everything thing and everybody and that even if it is a hard day it it's not as hard as it could be. I regained a trust in GOD and knowing that everything will be ok on the other end of a tragic event, even if it takes years for that to be the case. I know this because his mother amazes me and gets out of bed and functions everyday and that young woman who last her first love found a second love and is happy and living an amazing life with an amazing man.

So, today is a sad day because Matt is not here with us but I am choosing to celebrate him. I will celebrate his short life by visiting his grave, sharing a funny story with my boys about him, send a donation off to the Matthew K. Hunt scholarship fund, maybe make some cupcakes, and say a prayer for how lucky I am to have known such a confident young man and how blessed I am to have three healthy sons of my own.

Pop!

2010-11-03T21:54:00.003-04:00

Samuel is a boy after his mommma's heart and loves a sweet of any kind. Today I went up to put Noah in for his afternoon nap and told Samuel I would be right down. Well, before I could even get my boobs back in my bra from feeding Noah I heard the kitchen stool sliding across the floor. I listened closely and heard the tussle of wrappers and his feet scurry back to the living room where I had safely left him in front of the tv. I laid Noah down and returned downstairs to find Samuel with five lollipops, a candy bar, m&m's, and a piece of gum in his tiny fists. He instantly smiled at me and with a huge ear to ear smile in his ever so Samuel scratchy load voice said, "CANDY!". I am a sucker for an afro headed kid with a smile and I let him keep the pops and that made his day he was over the moon and eventually on a a sugar high that ended in a really hard crash.

Noah Kelly

2010-11-01T23:37:00.003-04:00

Just because I have been a blogging slacker and because he is simply too cute here are some pictures of the last month. In the last month a few big things have happened for Noah, he turned six months and was 19 pounds at his check up, he started food and is in love with eating, he is sitting all by himself, rolling all around, and crawling backwards. He also now was the fabulous skill of sleeping all night long thanks to the dedication of the entire household in listening to him scream for a few nights before he figured out how to go to sleep on his own. I am madly in love with this baby of mine. I smile at him all day and he smiles back. He loves to laugh which the boys think is just too funny for words & he loves to watch them do anything. I can tell there is a small glimmer of trouble in his eye and a year from now he is going to be causing craziness in the house just like his older brothers but in before that happens I am just going to squeeze him and kiss him all over!

Halloween 2010

2010-11-01T21:30:00.002-04:00

Halloween 2010 was full of parties, crafts, and candy. We have been celebrating Halloween all month long which makes me smile, I love Halloween! Heck, I LOVE any chance to dress up in any fashion. We had a great day that started with Cookie and the boys an their annual pumpkin carving. I love that Elijah and Samuel designed the face and Cookie then cuts it out with the assistance with a power hand saw. The boys were then lucky enough to watch a few Halloween shows while skipping nap. After a power snack/early dinner it was time to transform my boys into Spiderman and Venom. It was a freezing cold night so after several layers of clothing on went the costumes and out came the smiles. Elijah and Samuel LOVED being dressed up. I surprised them each with a glow stick because what kid doesn't love a glow stick and off they went plastic pumpkins in hand to go trick or treating with the world's best dad. Noah the cutest pumpkin and I a stayed home to give out candy. Over two hours later Cookie and two very tired boys returned home with tons of candy half of which they can not eat because it has nuts in it....too bad for them but good for me! It was an awesome Halloween season and I can not wait for next year!!!!

Catholic Confession and Changes

2010-10-31T22:00:00.000-04:00

Cookie and I have always talked a great game about raising the boys Catholic but have not really done too much about it other than baptizing them and the few Sundays we have gone to mass as a family. So, times are a changing and we are putting forth an effort now and are taking the boys to mass in shifts. This Sunday Elijah and I attended 10am mass. He was excited to go which was a good start. On the way over we talked a little bit about what was going to happen and what to expect. I explained to him that church was kind of like school and the priest was going to tell us stories, sing songs, and teach us about being Catholic like Mrs. Phillips teaches him at school.

We sat near the back of the church as to not bother anyone else incase Elijah was not well behaved but just the opposite he was great and wanted to sit closer so next week we will sit closer which is what I would rahter personally. Mass was going great he was following right along and paying close attention then a man entered the church about 20 minutes into mass and Elijah wanted to know if he was GOD, yup the fat bawled white guy is who Elijah thought was GOD. I answered no that it was not and then he wanted to know well where is GOD. Quickly I told him in his heart and above the clouds in heaven. Next question "have I been to heaven?" "No." "You sure?" "Yes, I am sure Elijah you have never been to heaven, sssshhh.". Elijah was clearly paying attention because during the reading of the Gossip the Jesus was mentioned and he got all excited and yelled out, "I know Jesus he told Noah to build the Ark, Mom!". The mass continued we sang, did sign of peace, received communion, prayed, and then Elijah that he has in fact been to heaven. You see when he goes on an airplane to "visit Grammie, Papa, and Shell I go about the clouds, heaven! Told Ya!" I softly reminded him no talking in chruch in hopes of not answering any more questions.

I really enjoyed my Sunday morning with Elijah and I was so thanful to have that time in church to sit and reflect on everything I am lucky and thankful to have. I am looking foward to next Sunday and what it has to offer.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-22T21:09:00.003-04:00

Jumping on the band wagon of wordless Wednesday....enjoy!

YUMMM

2010-09-14T15:32:00.004-04:00

Finally, after great debate and waiting I gave Noah his first bowl of yummy rice cereal. First I was putting it off because he wasn't ready, then I was putting it off because he has a cough, then I was putting it off because I could, but truth be told I think or rather I know I was putting it off because this is my last "first" meal. Well come to find out Cookie actually took this away from me and in an effort to get Noah to sleep through the night he took it upon himself to give him his "first" meal or rice cereal on Friday night while I was at school. Yup, read that line again I missed my last baby's "first" meal, the person who has been alive because of me since conception just like that got rice cereal from him daddy. Needless, to say it was not well received by me and I am pretending it did not happen especially since there are no pictures to prove it. So, today Noah got his second "first" bowl of cereal. He kind of liked it but was not longing to finish the bowl.

Five on Friday

2010-09-10T14:58:00.002-04:00

Five on Friday...what a week it has been. I feel like a wave of emotions have swept over the Popotte house. This week the five on Friday is all about preschool (of course.

1. I love how excited Elijah is to go to school and learn.

2. I am sad at how distraught Samuel is over leaving his brother for a few hours. I hope that this passes soon so that Samuel and I can have some quality time together.

3. I get excited to see what Elijah is going to bring home everyday and now I need to find somewhere to display these specail treasures and also a box to keep them in, do you keep everything?

4. I hate having to get the boys out of their carseats for a quick drop off and pick up why can't it just be ok to leave them in the car for a minute.

5. I have already checked the school calendar and I am sad that Elijah's birthday is a day off of school because it falls on President's Day.

1st Day of School

2010-09-09T00:03:00.002-04:00

Elijah has been longing and dreaming about this day all summer long, the 1st day of school! As much as he was waiting I was hoping the days would go backwards and summer would last for a few weeks longer not just so I could keep working on my tan but so I could keep my baby boy home and safe just a little bit longer. Sadly for me but happily for him Labor Day passed and fall arrived and today was the 1st day of school.

He was in such a great mood this morning got ready like a pro as if he had done this a hundred times. Cookie, Elijah, and myself had breakfast together while the little boys were still sleeping because they both think they are rock stars and are up all night. Over breakfast Elijah comforted me and told me that he knew I would miss him but he would be fine and having fun so don't worry. On that note we finished getting ready and piled into the minivan my beautiful family of five to drop Elijah off.

On the ride over I got a bit emotional it was almost as if I could see that last 4 1/2 years flash by and how did it happen so quickly. It seems like only yesterday we brought home our first beautiful baby boy and now he was off to school? Elijah was overly excited on the ride over and just could not wait to get there and see friends and meet some new ones, he is such his parents son. Drop off at school perfect, no issues, I got out of there with only a few tears and he did not even care that I was leaving, after all he did have Lucy with him.

One person did have a hard time saying goodbye, Samuel. Poor misunderstood Sammy cried because we left his brother, cried because his best friend would be gone all morning, cried because it would be hours before we would go back to get him. For almost an hour Samuel cried, screamed, tried to run out the house because he missed Elijah. I never realized that he loved Elijah company so much since he is always trying to beat the crap out of him.

Pick up went fantastic and Samuel was over joyed to reunited with his brother and best friend. Elijah had a great day. When I asked him what he did he could not really reply when I asked what his favorite thing he did was he said "absolutely everything, school is awesome!" I asked who he sat next to in circle and he told me Lucy, "yeah and I couldn't help but kiss her she is just too pretty" God help me because thank goodness he has known Lucy his entire life otherwise I would have been wondering who this cheap preschool hussy was!

We ended a perfect 1st day of school with lunch at Friendly's and a long afternoon!

Outside

2010-09-07T11:50:00.000-04:00

As soon as Samuel's feet hit the floor in the morning he asks to do the same thing "outside" so as a result we spend an awful lot of time outside because if we don't he makes our lives HELL and it keeps him happy. Here are a few moments of our outside yard adventures since we can't spend all day in the pool.

Noah

2010-09-06T22:29:00.003-04:00

Number 3, I think what they say about the third is right you don't have as much time to write down all their stats, happenings, and every little thing or major thing because you are just too busy with life. Not that I am too busy for him but there does not seem to be a spare moment when I can find time to sit because someone needs something all the time. So, although it months and days late here is my 4 & 5 month post about my brownie Noah.

Back in August at his 4 month check up he weighed 15.7 pounds and 26 1/4 inches long which actually put him the smallest of the boys. This makes me smile and laugh because everyone always comments on how big he is quickly after they have complimented his mop of curls on top of his head. At his 4 month check up he actually rolled over for the first time which I was super excited about and now he has not stopped rolling! What he has stopped doing is sleeping. He was such an amazing sleeper but the last month has been awful simply awful and he is up every 2 to 3 hours if I am lucky and looking for a snack or a cuddle from his very very tired mommy. I really think it is time for him to get his own room and for Cookie and I to have our own room back and then maybe everyone will sleep better, if only we had time to work on the spare room.

Noah is just about sitting up on his own and is starting to creep around on the floor I think Cookie for both of these new skills because I never put him on the floor during the day it is simply not a safe place with two big brother. I am sure Noah will be crawling in no time and then my day will be even more fun! Noah loves sitting and playing in his exersaucer and loves to watch Elijah and Samuel do ANYTHING! A few other things he loves, being outside, his pacifier, and Pugsley. Noah, could watch Pugsley all day long he just smiles when he sees him.

We were just about to start solids but then Noah got a cold and has an horrible cough so we have been waiting for that to pass and once it does on the expanding his diet as Cookie says. Overall even with not sleeping well which is a very cruel joke from a baby who started sleeping all night at five weeks he is always super happy and he makes my world go round!

Summer

2010-09-05T23:31:00.000-04:00

The last month has been super busy enjoying our summer with friends and family. In addition to all the fun we have been having Samuel and I have been working on getting along better and I am happy to report that life is better with us and we are loving each other and spending more time hugging and playing and less time making each other cry.

We have had a great summer which is very different from what I thought it would be. I was a bit anxious with having a new baby, a two year old, and a four year old that we would be house bond and never do anything but it has been just the opposite. This summer we have traveled to Florida, had many beach days but never enough, several last minute pool playdates, and many mornings at the park. I hope the boys had a good summer, I hate to see it end I hate that we are going to be on a schedule because Elijah is going to school (blog about that later) & I hate that the cold weather is around the corner!

I am hoping that with summer coming to a close that I will have some more time to blog.

Dear Samuel,

2010-08-05T11:59:00.001-04:00

A letter to my Sammy....

Dear Samuel,

Today was one of the most challenging days for me as a mother and I am sure that does not come to a surprise to you. Over the past month I have really tried to change my approach and parenting to with you because I know that you need me to go about things differently with you. I have take the time to explain anything and everything to you, made sure to give you plenty of mommy time, included you in household chores that you like to do even if washing the counter off now takes 15 minutes instead of 2, and made sure that we have been outside running around even if it meant I had to reapply sunblock for the 5th or 6th time that day! All of these changes and attention to detail don't seem to matter and you are still challenging me constantly. I know you are two years old and want to explore and ask why but why the HELL do you need to constantly hit, punch, pinch, bit, or kick people especially Elijah and I all we do is love you!

I want to say I am sorry for today for yelling, not being nice, and not being a better mom. There is no reason to yell at a two year old it is never going to make it better & I know you don't even hear what I am saying when I do yell. I watched and listened to you struggle to go to sleep tonight and I sat there wondering why if I was so mean to him today does he still want me to be near him & I the answer made me cry my eyes out for the last five hours & it is because I am your mommy and you love me no matter what. Tomorrow is going to be a better day I know because I am going to make it that way. Please know that if one day you are sitting on a therapists coach talking about if your mom loves you know that I do & I would do anything for my middle man but please oh please just stop being so physical!!!!

Sammy I love you,

Mommy

SMILE!!

2010-07-31T23:53:00.006-04:00

Saturday evening Cookie and I decided to hit a new park with the boys & as always they loved it. It was so great to be able to share a park adventure with Cookie since I usually get to share it with my fellow mommas. The downside to having Cookie at the park is the boys get even more daring and he assists them in it so now I am fearful that this behavior is going to continue when I take them to the park this week. All that aside it was a blast and the boys simply loved it!

These pictures from our "adventure" as Elijah calls it & they make me smile!!!

Brown???

2010-07-31T21:15:00.003-04:00

Who's brown eyed, brown hair, brown skinned baby is this? MINE all MINE and he is as perfect as he is cute! But really how did I finally end up with a mocha baby?

Five on Friday

2010-07-30T14:25:00.003-04:00

Friday is here and I have started this post several times only to have to stop because my middle man, Sam was into some type of trouble or mischief so here are five things he has done this week that I wanted to pull my hair out!

-While washing his hands one day this week in the bathroom he was successful in flooding the bathroom so much to the fact that it came out into the hall way.

-He is ready to potty train, I don't think I am and therefore he is constantly running around the house NUDE but only so after I have already changed and dressed him.

-He was using the potty for the fifth time today and in an effort to get on the toilet because he refuses to use the little potty he stepped into the toilet which would be fine but he was wearing Elijah's sneakers so now all Elijah has for shoes are the dang rain boots!

-He hates for the day to end and last night put Cookie through the ringer with bed time and did not close his eyes and fall asleep till almost 11pm, that is a really long day!

-Finally, while having lunch today he was standing on the stool in an effort to see the GOD DAMN ice cream truck drive down the street and fell off the stool and brought the stool down on top of him & now he has a huge bruise on his head (he is ok).

Who knows what the next week will bring with Sammy but what I do know is as much as I don't like him I could not love him anymore than I do! Big Hugs and Kisses to my middle man Sammy!!!!

Adventures at Grammie & Papa's

2010-07-27T15:56:00.005-04:00

We had an amazing time away at Grammie & Papa's so good we had no time to blog. The month really passed quickly, well at least to us it did I am sure that Grammie & Papa might feel differently. The boys traveled great, adjusted to sleeping in different places well, loved visiting with everyone, & really had a great time! Here are a few pictures of the things we did most are just every day happenings that you miss out on when your family is 1500 miles away!

Samuel the Sandman

2010-07-26T21:02:00.005-04:00

I will let the pictures speak for themselves!

Five on Friday

2010-07-16T07:59:00.002-04:00

Blogging was not so successful while on our vacation but wanted to end with a Five on Friday!

1. My boys are all amazing travelers and have really done while sleeping in several different places.

2. Having 3 children really changes vacation and I am not leaving nearly the shade of brown that I was hoping but I do have a little bit of color.

3. My parents are saints and having 5 grandchildren and 2 string willed daughters stay with them for over a months time is more than words can say. I don't think that their house has been this messy or noise since 1994, thanks Grammie & Papa

4. I miss my husband & strangley Pugsley too. The boys and I are very excited to go home but really sad to leave. It really sucks when your heart is in two places!

5. I have my fingers crossed that the next 6 weeks in New England are going to be hot & sunny so that we can enjoy the pool and some beach days home with our peeps!

Thats it for now, hoping to be back on scheudle blogging this weekend!

Shout Out....

2010-06-30T07:35:00.004-04:00

Shout out to my favorite Georgia reader and you know who you are, sorry I have been so blog lacking but the last month has just been busy. I am going to catch up on the blog I hope over our next few weeks at Grammie & Papa's so as I back blog I will let everyone know so they can read it. ANYWAYS, moving on we are having a fantastic vacation in Florida. In the past two weeks we have spent time in Cape Coral with my family, been to visit my Grandpere in Orlando, and down to Naples to spend some time with the best Godmother the boys could ever have asked for. Here are a few pictures of our vacation.

Feeding Time!

2010-05-19T20:16:00.002-04:00

I was doing a quick clean up and asked the boys to play in their playroom, they listened but were much too quiet. I looked in to find them "feeding" their babies, now how do I explain this one to them?

Five on Friday

2010-05-14T00:09:00.000-04:00

Friday is here finally!!! I have found that I look forward to Friday because it means I have two days of Cookie home to help out with the boys and to have some family time. Here it is the five on Friday......

1. Noah had his one month check up even though he is 5 almost 6 weeks old & did fantastic & is 11lbs 12oz & 22 3/4inches!

2. I had my 6 week check up & did not get as clean a bill of health as Noah. It seems I over did it and have strained/pulled my ab muscles so now I am not "allowed" to pick up Samuel and I have to take it easy for the next few weeks. I will let you know how well that goes.

3. We booked our trip to Florida and I am overly excited. Cookie is going with us for part of it so we will have a mini family vacation. I can not wait to see my family & friends!

4. Samuel's birthday is only 2 weeks away & I can not believe that he is going to be two years old!!! We have decided to have his party as a kids only party and out at My Gym I hope he likes it and doesn't look back and thing his mother punked out and didn't have his party at home.

5. Finally, I have to say I LOVE watching a sport game on tv with Cookie he watches every game as if it were the last game of the season and it just makes me smile!!

Muffin Man

2010-05-13T22:25:00.003-04:00

Do you know the Muffin Man? Well I do he lives on Patricia Lane & his name is Samuel Popotte! During Noah's afternoon nursing session there was an scary quiet from the kitchen, I called Samuel he answered but would not come to me so I knew he was safe but what was he up to....well he was helping himself to the muffins.

Evening Ride

2010-05-12T22:43:00.000-04:00

The boys wait all day long for Cookie to come from work & take them outside for their evening bike ride or whatever trouble they are going to get into. I take this time to get dinner together, use the bathroom, facebook, chat on the phone, or all of the above. I was happy I peaked my head out to tell them dinner was ready because they are so cute on their bikes!

Lies, Vandalism, & Stealing

2010-05-05T23:15:00.006-04:00

Lies, Vandalism,& Stealing are all things that Elijah has done in the past few days.

Lies....all of the sudden he is not telling the truth when asked simple questions like "did you drink all your milk?" or "did you let the dog outside?" I hope this ends soon because it is driving me crazy!

Vandalism...Elijah so nicely scratched the side of the minivan up. I was shocked to find him scratching a picture into the rear passenger side panel. When I asked him why he did it he responded, "I wanted to draw you a picture, do you like it?" I responded loudly & without swearing, "NO I DO NOT!" The following day Cookie had him assist in washing the van in hopes it would come out but it did not so this coming weekend he will be helping Cookie buff it out.

Stealing....after a field trip out with Cookie to the grocery store and Lowes Elijah excitedly pulled out a pack of pumpkin seeds and expressed how he could not wait to plant them. Cookie looked strangely puzzled and I asked about the seeds to find out that Cookie in fact did not buy them for Elijah, Elijah simply pocketed them. We began explaining that to him that he could not just take things from a store. Elijah firmly informed us that he did ask he was saying over and over to Cookie "Excuse Me!" but Elijah said Cookie was too busy talking to the man at the store to answer him so he just took them. Well after explain again that you can not just take things we have informed Elijah that he will be going back to the store to pay for the seeds.

I am hoping these three events are a stage that he is going to get out of QUICKLY!

Time Out

2010-05-03T23:04:00.001-04:00

Anyone who has been listening to me in the past few months knows that Samuel has been a handful to say the very least. However he is really good at something & that is time out. Amazingly if I tell him to go sit in time out he just goes, he may complain on his way there by asking "Why" a hundred times but once sitting in his chair he sits in it until you tell him to get up or he passes out! My plan now is to send him to time out about 10:30 every morning so he can get a brief nap and I can actually get a minute. Have I mentioned how cute he is & how much I love my almost 2 year old baby boy....well I do & more than anyone can even imagine!

Five on Friday

2010-04-30T23:02:00.002-04:00

Five on Friday is all about pride this week!

1. I am extremely proud of my husband & how hard he works to provide for our family, put up with my craziness, & how we have learned to support and depend on eachother!

2. I am very proud of Samuel's manners, for a little boy who is almost 2 years old I think he had amazing manners. I guess the fact that I have been drilling them into him all day everyday for the past 23 months has paid off.

3. I am very proud of Elijah and how he has taken on role of our oldest child. I think he has fallen perfectly into the role and is going to be as good if not better at than his mother and father are.

4. I am proud of Noah and that he is able to nurse while I scream at his brothers, that he sleeps at least 4 hours most nights, & that he decided to be born on the day he wanted and not one that was picked for him!

5. I am proud of myself and the fact that I survived taking all three boys out of the house on two different days and we even had a fun time while we were out!!

Easter Eggs

2010-04-28T23:05:00.003-04:00

I know it has almost been a month since Easter but I really wanted to make sure I got pictures up of our egg decorating adventure with the Cluett family. The night before Easter they were so nice to have us over to decorate eggs, Chinese food, banana splits, & great conversation and company. We had a great night just hanging out, they are an amazing family that always make you feel welcome and loved. Julie was confident that her labor trick of Chinese & banana spits was going to work and it did! Anyways here are a few pictures of the eggs that the boys had a blast decorating with the Cluett kids!

Clean baby!

2010-04-27T22:43:00.002-04:00

I love the smell of a clean baby, I mean honestly who doesn't. So after being home for almost three weeks I finally broke down and gave Noah his first bath. I have never given a baby their first bath, my mom has had the honor of giving both Elijah and Samuel their first bath. But I knew that Noah could not wait till June for his first bath so into the sink he went tonight & he LOVED it he was so happy & never made a whimper!!!! Success was had by all and now at least tonight while I endless nurse him all night long he will smell so clean!

Brother Love

2010-04-25T23:49:00.000-04:00

Saying that Samuel loves his baby brother Noah is an understatement. He is in crazy love for him & often reminds me of Lenny from the novel Mice & Men. Samuel wants to help constantly with Noah, bust out into song when he cries, offers to hold him nonstop, and loves to comb his hair. I am trilled that the love is there but I could handle it being brought down just a little, I hope over time that the fascination with Noah fades slightly. In the meantime here are a few photos of Noah and Sammy.

Five on Friday

2010-04-23T15:22:00.003-04:00

Here it is my first Five on Friday as a mom of three!!! Three of the most beautiful, energetic, funny, loving, & healthy boys on the planet!

1. Noah has brown eyes & some days this is really strange to me. It is really interesting to have a brown eyed baby looking up at me while nursing.

2. Samuel is CRAZY and slightly uncontrollable, in the past week he has let himself out of the house three times, knocked over a radiator cover, climbed up on the propane stove, poured a entire ice coffee on the sofa, and tossed various toys into the pack n play for Noah to play with.

3. Elijah is a huge help and loves being a big brother again. He keeps asking when Noah is going to be able to play, talk, walk, and eat just like him and Samuel.

4. Cookie went back to work this week and I am very proud to say I have had all three boys nap most days and at the same time as well as done the usual clean up and laundry, things are getting back to normal!

5. I miss my mom. We have been very lucky that our friends and family have been so helpful over the past almost three weeks but there is nothing like having your mom around to take care of you & there has not been a day that passed that I have not thought how much easier it would be to have her here to help at least take care of me. I guess this is part of being grown and mom can't come take care of you whenever you need her too.

So, there it is just in time to log off because Noah is waking up and it's chow time!
Here are some pictures of the boys that make my life amazing!!!

Caught!

2010-04-12T19:47:00.003-04:00

Caught red handed with a cupcake while Noah was holding mommy hostage on the sofa nursing! They are already ganging up on me, Lord help us!!!

Noah Kelly Popotte

2010-04-10T19:36:00.003-04:00

Just wanted to share a few pictures of the new love of my life, Noah Kelly who arrived on April 4th @ 8:44pm weighing in at 8lbs 5oz & 20 inches long. Of course like anything else in my life he has a very long story that goes along with his arrival that I will share but for now just enjoy his beautiful face!

Five on Friday

2010-04-02T22:36:00.003-04:00

Here it is Friday and still no baby so I blog again as a mother of two anxiously awaiting the arrival of the third cutest bundle on the planet!

1. The week has been full of baby preparations and appointments. We still have a few last things to get done but all the important ones have been checked off the list!

2. We made it a full 40 weeks AGAIN this time, I wonder why my body does not like to go into labor? I wonder what it is missing & why exactly these babies of mine like to stay put for so long?

3. Elijah is bursting at the seems for the baby to arrive, in fact it may actually have over shadowed the impending visit from the Easter bunny. Which I am happy to say the boys Easter baskets are all done and ready to be out out....HOORAY FOR ME!!!

4. In case anyone is wondering, still no name the list of girls is short but the boys list seems to get longer everyday. I hope that we are not "that" couple that leaves the hospital with a baby that has no name.

5. This weekend the weather is going to be beautiful which excites me greatly I am hoping that we are able to get the boys outside running around and a few family walks that help kick labor into action!

So there it is the FoF I hope next one comes from the hospital and not my livingroom!

Did you know....

2010-03-31T00:15:00.003-04:00

Did you know that fifty, yes fifty years ago the world welcomed one of the most amazing people into it, my mom!!! Happy Birthday to the world's greatest mother anyone could ever ask for. I am extremely blessed to have such a wonderful example of a mother, sister, wife, daughter, friend, and woman. She is someone who has always put others first and I hope that in the years to come she actually starts to put herself first because Lord knows she deserves it!

Happy Birthday Mom, I love you & wish we were there to celebrate with you but I am hoping to be busy birthing a baby!!!

Five on Friday

2010-03-26T22:16:00.003-04:00

I made a pledge to myself early in the week that I would make sure to get my five on Friday done and now here it is after ten o'clock at night and I am finally getting to it.....always procrastinate

1. Here we are week 39 where the HELL has the time gone? I can not believe that we will be a family of five in no time.

2. Samuel has had a real word explosion over the past few weeks which I am so happy about because it was getting a bot challenging trying to communicate but we are over the hump and he is chatting up a storm just like his bog brother and mom.

3. For the first time ever I Skyped this week. The boys and I skyped with Michelle one afternoon so she could see how big my belly was and get to see the boys. I am surprised to say I really liked it and hope to get the Kelly Family on board and be able to Skype with everyone from the hospital.

4. We still have no name for the baby and it seems like our list keeps getting longer and longer which I am not even sure how that is possible. I have starting praying that a name just comes to us, I hope my prayers are answered sooner rather than later.

5. Finally, Elijah is over the moon excited about the baby arriving I think he might actually me the most excited person on the planet right now. I think it is so sweet that he can not wait to meet the new little addition to our family. He has also added a new name to the list, Santa which I don't think he is going to make the final cut.

So there it is my five on Friday...please keep us in your thoughts over the next week that we go into labor and get to meet this new baby soon!

Spring

2010-03-19T22:33:00.000-04:00

We had a touch of spring this week and it really put a pep in my step! The boys and I took the every chance we had to be outside and enjoy the weather because as we all know it is going to change soon!

Here are a few pics of my boys at the park please note their own personal styles, Elijah in rain boots on a 75 degree day & Samuel in a winter hat which he would not wear all winter long and now will not take it off......I choose to pick my battles & let them express themselves!

Story Time

2010-03-15T10:26:00.000-04:00

Everyone is our house loves to read! I think on an average day we read about six to ten stories a day to the boys. In addition to the books and stories that we read to them they also love to "read" to each other. I walked in on story time the other day while Samuel was reading one of his favorite stories to Pugsley. You can tell by the picture that Pugsley is not that into it but he is always a good sport.

Five on Friday

2010-03-12T22:09:00.002-05:00

Five on Friday...it was a really great week here in mommyland! I was lucky enough to meet up with many of my favorite mommies on various days of the week for various forms of play and entertainment. Once again I realized how lucky I am to be surrounded by such a variety of amazing women!

On to my five on Friday....

1. Spring is in the air we had a really nice week of weather and I found myself happy, smiling, and looking forward to afternoon walks with my three kids in a few months.

2. We are down to weekly appointments till we deliver & looks like things maybe actually moving in the right direction and we may actually have a chance at avoiding a c section. Please keep us in your prayers!

3. I miss my family like crazy! I wish that they lived down the street or even a few towns over. I have tons of things I need to get down and without a helping hand during the week I am not sure how it is all going to get down.

4. Next week is St Patrick's Day and brother Jay is making us cornbeef and cabbage I am super excited about first having the yummy meal and second that I don't have to cook!!!! I actually am secretly hope that I miss the meal and I am birthing a healthy holiday baby!

5. I have so much to get done this weekend, school papers, laundry, clean the house, get the boys Easter baskets & outfits, and spend sometime time with my hubby. I doubt all of this is going to get done.

Till next week....

That one person...

2010-03-10T08:40:00.004-05:00

We all have that one person in the world that makes our day that much easier or that we smile when we think of them...well for Samuel that is Uncle Jay! Samuel is obsessed with Uncle Jay and simply put thinks he is the best thing next to a chocolate chip cookie. If he had it his way he would just hang out with Uncle Jay all day and night and sadly for Uncle Jay this equals being constantly harassed by Samuel. Hey there are worse things in the world than being loved and worshiped by my favorite afro puff headed almost 2 year old!!

Baby Belly

2010-03-07T23:39:00.001-05:00

I know that there are a few inquiring minds out there that are wondering what the baby belly looks like so I finally snapped a few shots of it for ya. So, here it is 36 weeks & 3 days and as large as ever. It is amazing to believe that in less than a month we are going to meet and hold this baby in our arms. I am starting to get very excited and wondering constantly who is in there, boy or girl & what is their name? I guess at this point only time will tell.

Five on Friday

2010-03-05T22:35:00.003-05:00

Five on Friday...here we are again and it's Friday!!!

1. We are offically 36 weeks pregnant, only 4 more weeks to go or five if we end up in a c section. Cookie and I are really hoping for a vbac this time (again) and with that being put out there if everyone could keep us in your prayers that I don't have to get sliced open again that would be awesome, thanks!

2. Everyone is on the mend to being healthy! This week was a much happier week at the Popotte house and we even got to visit with a few friends, Kimberly & Carla.

3. Still nothing on the name front for baby #3 it is at the top of our list of things that we need todo to get ready for baby #3. Again feel free to toss any names out there that you think we might like, Cookie is looking for a J name for a boy.

4. Boy or Girl? I am still flip flopping on which most days I think girl, the chinese chart says girl, and most people in the universe think we will be only lucky if we get a girl. Uncle Jay says boy.....what do you say?

5. Elijah is over the moon excited and can not wait for the baby, he talks about it everyday and how hard it is to wait for it, he has tons of questions about it including the latest "How is the baby going to come out of your belly?" my reply was "I don't know" I really do not consider this a lie since I don't know because we are hoping for a vbac and not a c section!!!

Five on Friday

2010-02-26T05:42:00.001-05:00

Five on Friday from the house of illness. It has been a long long week and that does not even sum it up but I refuse to let the week pass without a five on Friday.

1. Children with high fevers stress me out! Samuel at one point this week had a fever of 104 & Elijah had a fever of 102.5 both of course on different days. I guess the fact that they were on different days is good because it got to stretch my worry and stress out that much more.

2. We have watch more tv and movies this week than a family should watch in a year & I feel really guilty about it. Samuel now asks for shows and of course he and Elijah never can seem to agree on what to watch.

3. Elijah cracks me up with the things that come out of his mouth, the latest was this week while getting out of the tub we were talking about swimming in the pool this summer and he firmly in true Elijah fashion told Cookie and I that he is "too old for the Cat pool!" translation is he is too big for the kiddy pool,,,,he cracks me up!!!

4. Baby #3 should be here in about 5 weeks & we still have no name. This week in my brief moments of sleep that I have had I am having nightmares over names and that people hate them or refuse to call them by the name that we pick. I know this is crazy but just another thing for me to focus on.

5. I have class this weekend which I am really looking forward to after being suck in the house with two really sick boys, does this make me a bad mommy?

Ok well there it is a five on Friday, I hope next week is full of healthy kids and a happy less stressed momma!!

Not a good day....

2010-02-23T22:16:00.000-05:00

Today was not a good day at all and that does not even really sum it up. Nothing special happened to make it that bad but nothing really happened to make it easy either. If you have been following on facebook you have heard the boys have been sick with the croup since Friday night. Our weekend sucked it was full of sick kids and sleepless nights. Monday Cookie went back to work and was about to escape the boys who want to both be held constantly, don't want to eat, hardly want to drink, and never want to sleep or watch the same movie!

The there was today....Elijah is on the mend I hope and Samuel seems to be getting worse I debated off and on if I should take him back to the doctor but finally decided to wait and see how he would be tomorrow. Well the all hell broke out, also know as Samuel crying NONSTOP for over an hour nothing at all would stop him from crying NOTHING!!!! He was a mess so in hopes of saving his life and my sanity we went for a drive so both boys could get a bit of a nap and I could get a minute. This is not my best mommy moment but a girl has to do what she needs to do I guess? Well after our hour plus ok two hour drive we got back to the house and guess what happened as soon as we got home....Samuel started crying again for at least another hour. Samuel cried until Cookie came home and at this point Cookie came home to find the three of us sitting on the floor crying. On a plus my husband must have known it was not a good day because he brought home flowers, thanks babe!!!!

So today I cried all day it seemed because after the boys finally went to bed I had an emotional meltdown of the days happenings, things that have happened, and the fate that awaits us in five weeks when baby #3 arrives! I hope that all this is just because I am pregnant and not because I am becoming an overly emotional person.

I hope the boys sleep soundly tonight and that tomorrow is a brighter day!!!

2/21/4

2010-02-21T10:26:00.003-05:00

Six years ago February 21st became on of my favorite days, for you see it was the day that Cookie FINALLY asked me to marry him. I had waited and dreamed about him asking me for a really long time and then to my surprise he actually did it! It was all I had hoped for but nothing I had pictured he really surprised me which is often hard to do. It was a Saturday afternoon & I had just worked overtime (oh how I would love some Verizon overtime pay right about now)and we were out doing errands for his mother when for some reason he pulled over at Jamaica Pond and had me get out of the Jeep because he wanted to question a dent in the back. As I was getting out of the car I was thinking "crap what did I hit" but to my surprise I turned around to find him as I had always dreamed down on one knee with a pretty little black box with the perfect ring inside for ME!!! I still smile ear to ear when I replay this day in my mind and I don't think he really knows that & I wish he did. From that simple little question my life with him has been one great thing after another with of course an occasional bump in the road to make it exciting!!

I reminded Cookie this morning of what today was and we both ask each other if we would do anything differently or change anything out how our lives has unfolded and amazingly we both answered, no. Our life is exactly as we would hope it would be which is a lot to say considering neither of us slept last night because the boys are so sick with the croup. So, although I often complain and go on about my husband and what he does and does not do that drive me crazy I love him more that I could love anyone and I am so happy that he popped the question to me that February afternoon!

LOVE YOU MUCH COOKIE!!!

Five on Friday

2010-02-19T21:22:00.002-05:00

Here we are Friday again & it has been a hell of a week!

1. Samuel has discovered the it is more exciting to climb out of his crib than to sleep in it so we will be transitioning to a bed far sooner than we hoped.

2. Samuel has also discovered a love of the potty and is no longer a big fan of his diaper and insists on using the potty the last few days. Strangely to my surprise he actually does pee on the potty when he asks to go, maybe he really is ready to potty train?

3. After great debate, discussion, and even a few sleepless nights Cookie and i decided on a preschool for Elijah and enrolled him for the fall. He will be going Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9-12 and I think we picked a perfect match and will be very happy!

4. At my check up today for Baby #3 everything looks great baby is still head down, only measuring 2 weeks ahead which is great for me, and had a healthy heartbeat of 152 which is the highest it has been. Only 6 more weeks till we find out boy or girl!!

5. My #5 for the week is a confession that 3 out of the 5 days this week I have napped when the boys napped and used Samuel's crib climbing as an excuse to hold him and nap with him. I have to admit I was a much happier mommy because I got an hour or so of shut eye.

ROAR Elijah is 4!!!!!!

2010-02-14T23:06:00.000-05:00

I can not explain where the last four years have gone but I can tell you who has made them simply amazing & that is my Elijah!!! We celebrated with his 2nd Annual & what will also be his last dinosaur bash, just as he requested! I think the day went pretty good and everyone seemed to have a good time. What I do know is Elijah had "the best birthday & most perfect party EVER" because this is what he told we while I tucked him into bed.

Thank you for everyone that came to celebrate and thank you to everyone who helped out especially Tanya who took the stress away from me and took all the pictures!

Five on Friday

2010-02-12T21:28:00.002-05:00

My five on Friday this week is all about my Elijah and celebrating him this weekend as he turns FOUR!!!

1. Hard to believe that four years ago in the midst of a blizzard we were beckoned to South Shore Hospital to start the induction of Elijah's birth...and then it took two days for it to happen!

2. I struggle to think of what life was before Elijah in a wonderful sense he has taught me to be true to myself and what I believe in!

3. The past four years have been a learning and growing experience for both Cookie and I and even though we do not always agree on how to parent and raise the boys or know exactly what to do we always support each other and for that I am very thankful.

4. I still get emotional when I think about Elijah's birth and that amazing moment, there really is nothing in my life that compares to it...well a close second would be when he tells me I am his best friend and he loves me!

5. Finally, however sassy, fresh, talkative, stubborn, insane, persistent, or just simply crazy Elijah is I love him with all that I am and he makes me smile every single day!

Here are I am four years ago heading out to have my baby boy!!

New Do....

2010-02-09T15:28:00.002-05:00

So, as we do every six weeks or so the boys and I ventured out to get their hair cut. It was only a year ago that I was till holding Elijah in the chair with the promise of prizes or treats after. Well, times have changed they both sat perfectly still and while in the moment I was thrilled and happy as could be it may have actually been a bad thing. Poor Samuel's hair was butchered! The worst hair cut I have every seen, all I asked for was a trim and before I new it on the floor all his curls were sadly GONE! All day long I kept looking at him telling myself that everything was fine I was over reacting but then this morning came and everything was not alright his hair is awful! I know it will grow back and I will say once I sprayed it down today and added a little product in it, everything was better not good but better. Anyways it will be along time before Samuel has another hair cut we might actually be embracing the afro full on and then maybe even dreadlocks!

Samuel

2010-02-06T17:29:00.000-05:00

Here is my Samuel asking for fruit snacks for the 5000 time and pouting being told NO!!

Five on Friday

2010-02-05T21:37:00.002-05:00

Five on Friday....

1. Only 8 more weeks and baby #3 will be here, I can not believe in less then two months we have another baby in the house it seems like Samuel was just born.

2. Speaking of Samuel, my afro puff baby and I have been at odds for a few weeks now. Most of his day is spent looking, crying, longing for his daddy and hating his mother. Because of his mood & behavior most of my day is spent giving him the snacks he asks for and counting the minutes till nap, I hope this changes soon because it makes for a really long long day!!!

3. I can not believe that Elijah is turning 4 in a little over a week! This of course entails big planning for the 2nd annual dinosaur birthday bash, I am actually excited for it and what we have planned I think everyone is going to have a ROARING good time!

4. It has been almost a month since the earthquake that hit Haiti & I still can not watch the coverage, I get way too emotional over any second that I see of it. I think being married into my crazy haitian family of course makes me much more sentive. I am very proud to share that Cookie did a public service announcement for Comcast a few days after the earthquake hit and it has raised over $700!!!!

5. Over the past few weeks a few moms around me have shared some really difficult, emotional, and challenging moments with me and I was reminded I am EXTREMELY lucky & thankful that my boys healthy & happy (most days)!!!!

Face....

2010-02-03T21:04:00.005-05:00

This face use to be a sweet baby boy, when did he turn into a sassy preschooler?

Cooty Bug....

2010-02-02T21:43:00.000-05:00

Tuesday morning when Elijah got up the first thing he asked was, "when will Auntie Ellen be here?" I made the mistake of telling him Monday night that she would be coming to visit the next day. His morning consisted of him coming up with ideas of fun things that they could do together....he was so excited!!! He really has taken a wonderful liking to Ellen over the past six months and now is often asking when she is coming over or if he can go to visit, I LOVE this because sadly we really don't have any aunts or anyone for that matter who come over to just hang out with the boys.

After a morning of waiting Elijah and Auntie Ellen got done to his first task, The Cooty Bug Game. Ellen was awesome and explained the entire game and may have even let him win or at least given him an advantage here or there. Elijah had an awesome day of games, coloring, dinner, and hanging out with Auntie Ellen he even asked at bedtime when she was coming back to hangout with just him and daddy and I can go out....I love his thinking!!!!!

Baby #3

2010-02-01T22:37:00.002-05:00

The time is really ticking by and the arrival of baby #3 will be here before we know it. Most days I can not believe it is almost here, it feels like it was last week that we actually found out that we were pregnant so how can it be that another little Popotte will be coming to live with us? I think if I am honest I am in a bit of denial that it is even happening, not that I don't want it to happen but if I don't think about it than it will take longer to happen. Does this make sense?

I am feeling pretty good for the most part. I had a few weeks were the baby was breech and very high up which was making it so I was breathing like a fat pug even when I was sitting. Lucky for me Samuel at one point was also breech so I busted out the 17 steps to move your breech baby and got to work. Well, I am happy to report that I walked around for about ten days playing my ipod to my crotch and it worked the baby flipped. I am hoping that the baby stays in position which it more than likely will because it does not have much room in there anymore.

We have not done anything in preparation for the baby except discuss names over and over and over again! Needless to say we have not agreed or settled on anything & Elijah thinks we should name the Bob. One thing I can promise you is the baby's name will not be Bob or Spiderman Baby!!!

January 2010

2010-01-31T21:50:00.000-05:00

The entire month of January has passed and I NEVER blogged. I have many things that I wanted to blog about but just simply never took the time to do it. This makes me wonder how will I have time to blog when baby #3 arrives in about 2 months, never mind blog when will I have time to do anything? So, here is the update for the past month.....

My birthday was perfect! The night of my actual birthday we celebrated by eating pizza and cake with four of my favorite guys, Cookie, Elijah, Samuel, & brother Jay. I was then surprised with two awesome gifts, a snuggie from Jay and a kitchen aide mixer from Cookie and the boys....I could not have been happier!!!! Saturday night LN was so kind to come and babysit the boys so Cookie and I could have a really enjoyable night out of great food and bowling with some friends. Birthday weekend was perfect & I just hope being 34 is half as good!

We were lucky enough that Cookie had off MLK day so even though it had snowed we decided to venture into the Boston Children's Museum. We actually purchased a membership (gift from the in-laws) so we can go back a few more times as well as several other museums. The boys LOVED it and had a blast. It was so nice to take a day and actually spend it as a family and do something fun. In the hustle and bustle of holidays, birthdays, and everyday craziness it is hard to space the time to do something just because & I am glad that we did! It was a lot of fun and the boys did not want to leave when it was time so good thing we get to go back anytime we want!!

January has been very occupied with searching for preschools for Elijah. The hunt for a perfect preschool could be a blog all in it's self and I am sure that this will not be the only mention of it. We are looking for the perfect school that offers 3 half days, is affordable, education based, and will give him what he needs to go to kindergarten the next year. We have looked at about 5 schools in total & Elijah has been very excited to look at all of them and has really not wanted to leave them after our visits. He is more than ready head off to school next year, me on the other hand I am not really ready to let him go but at least I will have till September to get adjusted to the idea.

Along with the January ending and moving onto February comes party preparations for Elijah's birthday! He has requested another dinosaur party so we have been busy planning for his 4th birthday. I have a really hard time believing that he is going to be four!

OK well there is January in a small clip I promise February will be better!!!

Happy Birthday Five on Friday!!!

2010-01-08T15:14:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday to me & a Five on Friday!!!

1. Today I turn 34 & will be celebrating tomorrow night out to dinner with Cookie, thanks Ellen for babysitting!

2. I am hoping and have my fingers crossed tightly that my husband brings home a checkerboard cake from White's since last year I could not have cake because of Samuel's dairy allergy and for the simple fact that I love it!

3. Elijah and I have started planning his birthday party. Like his mother he has a lot of idea on how it should be done and what he wants & it looks like we will be having the 2nd annual dinosaur birthday bash!

4. Baby #3 has been moving like crazy if I had to guess I think he/she is doing jumping jacks multiple times during the day & night but it's favorite time to exercise is 3:16am, lucky me!!

5. I am getting nervous about how Samuel is going to react to the new baby and it makes me sad some days that he is possibly going to be the "middle" child and never had a chance to be the baby for very long. I hope we are able to balance this and we all come out OK!

The Third...

2010-01-07T22:20:00.003-05:00

The third Popotte baby will be welcomed into our family in less then 100 days & I can not even believe it!!! It seems like only a few days ago that I took a pregnancy test & to our surprised were pregnant AGAIN!!! Words can not express how wonderful it felt to not "try" to get pregnant and just be surprised with a tiny blessing & miracle. However this little miracle has given us a few ups and downs along the way and by no mean has been uneventful. It all started with multiple ultrasounds to get the correct measurements and pictures and the latest has been that I failed my one hour glucose test and as a result had to do a three hour fasting test. I am happy to report I passed the three hour with perfect numbers and we have nothing to worry about!

I am 28 weeks pregnant today & I am HUGE bigger than I was with either one of the boys so I can only imagine how big I will be come the end of March. I am still having heartburn, craving cran-rasberry juice, longing for a diet coke, and loving peanut m&ms! Cookie and I have not settled on a name yet but I think we are close in regards to a girl but not boy so if you have a suggestion offer it up!

Saturday Sledding!!!

2010-01-03T22:00:00.001-05:00

We were so lucky to have yet another snow fall so Cookie and I, more Cookie than me decided we should bundle the boys up and bust out the sleds Uncle Jay got them for Christmas. I hate the winter every part of it except for my birthday and Elijah's of course but I am trying to embrace the fun because Elijah really loves it. The boys loved the sledding outing. We walked around the family and everyone one of us took a fall or two, except Pugsley!

Thank you Uncle Jay for the awesome sleds it looks like we will be getting a lot of use this winter!!!

Happy New Year!!!!

2009-12-31T23:59:00.001-05:00

WOW, I can not believe that the decade is over. In the past ten years so much has changed in my life but so much has stayed the same. I have been so blessed over the past ten years to have married my best friend after a very long wait, had two beautiful healthy boys & one more baby on the way, made some amazing new friends because of my boys, and been surrounded by my friends and family through a lot!

To ring in the new year Cookie and I stayed home and enjoyed each other company. We worked on getting the soup ready for New Years Day and Cookie enjoyed some very large king crab legs that I surprised him with. I would say it was a perfect way to bring in what I am sure is going to be a wonderful new decade full of greatness!

Merry Christmas!!!

2009-12-25T21:22:00.001-05:00

Finally, the morning we had been talking up had arrived! I think this was the first year I actually realized how much work and effort my parents put into making Christmas amazing and I was hoping that Cookie & I were able to do the same for Elijah and Samuel. Well, I think we came pretty close! Elijah's favorite gift was Spike the dinosaur & sadly Samuel hates him and cries whenever he is on but I am sure they will become friends soon. Samuel loved his vacuum and has been cleaning since opening it. Another big hit was the sleds that Uncle Jay got them and now everyone even me is hoping for some snow to test them out. It was an amazing day for the boys and I can not wait till next year when there will be one for Popotte kid opening gifts!

Visit with Santa!

2009-12-21T23:59:00.000-05:00

Since there are only a few days until the big guy, Santa arrives we decided to head down to visit him at The Bass Pro Shop. What are great choice to go there it was perfect, hardly a wait, plenty for the boys to look at & do, and a restaurant for us to eat at when it was all done. Elijah was very excited to visit him and tell him his wish list; bike, splaster, and a remote control dinosaur. Elijah has held strong to his list of three things so I hope Santa listens and brings them!

While we waited to sit on Santa's lap Elijah & Samuel wrote letters to him and colored some pictures. Once it was our turn Elijah rattled off his list and Samuel's and then was not in the mood for pictures at all but I did snap a few....take a look!

Kids, Cookies, & Craziness!!!

2009-12-18T20:35:00.001-05:00

Today was hopefully our 1st annual Christmas Cookie play date! Elijah, Samuel, & I had a few of our friends over to make and decorate cookies in hopes of having some fun, catching a few photos, and getting in the spirit. It worked we had a blast!!!! All together there were four moms (Kimberly, Keri, Tanya, & myself) and nine children (Emma, Ethan, Colin, Landon, Ashton, Lucy, Jack, Elijah, and Samuel). It was so much fun, the kids had blast and were much better than I thought they would be. Emma and Lucy became instant girlfriends, Elijah and Landon thought tools and dinosaurs were great for decorating cookies, Jack climbed on top of the table and stole some cookies, and Samuel was happy to get his hands on whatever sweet he can!

I hope we can do this again next year and maybe even a few more of our friends can join us!

Five on Friday....

2009-12-18T06:28:00.002-05:00

Here is the early morning edition of Five on Friday since Elijah decided to start his day at 5:15am because according to him he is just "way too excited about the holidays to sleep" this is after finally getting him to bed at 10:48pm last night. Anyways moving on to the five on Friday.............

1. I can not believe that Christmas is only a week away which mean that there is only two weeks left in 2009 and even more excitingly 3 weeks till my birthday!!!!!!!!!!!

2. Today is Cookie's last day of work before he is on vacation till the New Year. Yup you read it correct we are going to have him home with us for two weeks straight for the most part I think this will be good but then on the other hand him being home always screws with my schedule. On a positive note it will give me the chance to get some much needed lunch and dinner dates in with some fantastic ladies!

3. I have class this weekend which I am very excited about but who the hell did the schedule and made it so we had class the weekend before Thanksgiving and Christmas, my guess is it was a person who does not host Thanksgiving or leaves all their wrapping and even some shopping to the last minute like myself.

4. We are having a cookie playdate this morning and I am hopeful that is goes smoothly and the kids have a great time and actually want to decorate the cookies. It would be a big bust if they had no desire, fingers crossed it goes off without a hitch and it becomes an annual tradition.

5. Elijah has added a few more things to his list this week just as my mother had predicted and they are, a watch, lobster, ice skates for hockey, legos, remote control helicoptor for him and day, and most importantly a wife. Sadly Santa has closed the workshop and he will not be getting any of those additions but good thing his birthday is only 6 weeks later!

Well there is it another five on Friday on what is a freezing morning with no hopes of getting warmer today! I hope everyone has a fantastic week of holiday happiness!!!

Christmas Cards....

2009-12-16T20:32:00.003-05:00

Christmas cards make me say BAHUMMM BUGGGG!!!! I tried and tried and tried to get a decent picture of my two beautiful boys and nothing. For days I tried to get the "perfect" picture of the two of them to send to friends and family for the holiday season and nothing except everyday I went to the mail box and pulled out yet another perfect holiday card of someone else's children. I had reached my last straw and today was the deadline to get the pictures I was searching for so I enlisted the help of.....Uncle Jay! Together we tied the boys up in Christmas lights and shut all the house lights off....I just knew this was it & it was going to work! YEAH RIGHT....complete bust nothing first I had my camera on the wrong setting, then they would not stand still, then the wanted to run like crazy people with the lights. For over a half hour we tried to get something but as you may have guessed we did not except for a headache and two over stimulated boys.

I did however meet my deadline and order cards with pictures I already had....Happy Holidays!!!

'O Christmas Tree!!!!!

2009-12-12T23:59:00.002-05:00

We finally got around to getting our tree on Friday night which for all who are not local would have been the coldest night of the season so far. Cookie was home on the earlier side so once the boys got up from nap we bundled them up in their snow coats, hats, & gloves and ventured off to Lambert to get our annual Christmas tree. After the short drive across two looking at the lights Elijah was more than excited to get his Christmas tree, so we strapped Samuel into the stroller and away we went. Elijah and Samuel were so surprised at all the trees and Elijah commented more than once how hard it was to pick out a tree. This statement was very strange to me since I had no intentions of letting him picking out the tree, that's my job! While this year I let go a little more of my control and let Elijah pick out the tree. He has told us he picked out the perfect Christmas tree and it looks just like a dragon, I personally do not think it looks like a dragon at all but who am I.

After picking out the tree it was a bit down hill from there suddenly my child who only eats to survive was STARVING and then suddenly freezing to death!!! I brought him & Samuel back to the van but could not get him in fast enough because now he was complaining that he could not feel his fingers and his tears were burning his face and turning to ice!!! I have no idea where in God's name he gets his drama from but it makes me laugh! Finally, after what seemed like forever Cookie was back and we were headed home. We brought the tree up and successfully got it into the stand straight on the second try and without snapping at each other I was so proud of us.

Elijah was anxious to decorate but I explained that we would do it tomorrow and that the tree needed time to warm up before I could put the lights on it. Well, 5 am this morning Elijah was wide awake and ready to decorate the tree! Later, much later as in after nap we did decorate the tree where again I had to let go of my control and let him put this ornaments where he wanted. I love pulling out the ornaments every year and thinking about the friends and family that gave them to us at different milestones in our lives it makes me smile and even sometimes cry. We finished the tree with topping it with our new star that Elijah had the honor of placing and even though it was not exactly straight and the tree was not decorated exactly how I would have wanted I left it as is and took a minute to think about how lucky I am to have Cookie and our awesome boys to share this with!!!!

Maybe the I am getting a little bit of the holiday spirit in me!

Five on Friday!!!

2009-12-11T09:31:00.003-05:00

FIVE ON FRIDAY!!!!

1. This week two people I know lost someone very close to them and it has really hit home. One of them lost her mother after years of illness and the other lost their husband who was only 35 years old to a sudden heart attack. I can not imagine how you deal with either one of these losses, it makes my heart physically ache and me cry thinking of the emptiness that they must be feeling. What it has made me do is be much nicer to Cookie and appreciate my mom a little bit more if that is even possible!

2. We really need to get our house decorated for Christmas we have nothing up except Buddy our Elf. I just can not seem to get the spirt so if anyone wants to come over and decorate feel free to come on by!

3. Speaking on Christmas I am excited to say I was able to get Spike the dinosaur half off and he will be under the tree Christmas morning. I hope Elijah loves him and that the new baby is not scared to death of him.

4. Baby #3 has been moving like crazy and is now often waking me in the middle of the night because if it, I hope this does not mean he/she is going to be a night owl.

5. I need to get focused and get a decent photo for our Christmas card and send them out next week (I hope). See I told you I have no Christmas spirt I hope it shows up soon!!!

24

2009-12-10T23:35:00.002-05:00

I can not even believe it as I type it....we are 24 weeks along already with baby #3!!! I had a level two ultrasound today which would of been my sixth ultrasound of this pregnancy and more than I had with the boys combined. Finally, we got a clean bill of health & the baby looks perfect! I love it when anyone calls my kids perfect even if they are still in utero. I had a very tempting moment at my ultrasound to find out the gender of the baby I actually had to look away because the tech had to type it on the report which shows on the scream. I am proud to say I resisted but I did however count her key strokes which was 9 which is too long for boy, girl, female, or male. The 9 key strokes really confused me and I told her that and she smartly reminded me she could just tell me I didn't need to crack a code....but nope we won't be finding out until the Spring! Speaking of when the baby is due (April 1st) I noticed that the following weekend is Easter so with my luck I will end up in the hospital over Easter weekend and miss the boys, their baskets and egg hunt. So again I am faced with let nature take it's course and see when the baby wants to be born or schedule a date to work around the holiday.....I think I will be gambling and seeing if things might happen on their own!

A few other baby #3 updates, I still have awful heartburn, have a giant belly and look like I should deliver tomorrow, I am measuring 3 weeks ahead of schedule, crave cranberry juice, baked goods, and peanut m&m!!!!

Also we still have no name for baby #3 so please feel free to make any and all suggestions we are open to anything!

Back in the Saddle.....

2009-12-09T17:04:00.002-05:00

Here I am back to blogging, I often wonder how I stop and fall off track because I have so much stuff to share and hundreds of blogs already written in my head but just have not found the time to sit down and share. So I promised myself and a few others that this week I would blog at least 2-3 times and since it is already Wednesday I figured I should really get on it!

A brief recap of the past few weeks...

We were very lucky to spend Thanksgiving with my parents and sister Kiki it was a blast to have them here but I often felt that something was missing & it was, Shannon and her family were not able to make it and therefore left a bit of an emptiness for me. The boys had a wonderful time with Grammie, Papa, & Kiki and were sad for days after they left! Elijah asked me what he did wrong to make everyone he loves live so far away, try answering that question to a almost 4 year old.

While the family was here I had another ultrasound for Baby #3 because it has not been so cooperative in it's position and we have not been able to get all of the vital info we need but this meant my sister and mom were both able to get a sneak peak at the baby. I was so excited to share this with them and let them hear the amazing sound of a baby's heartbeat and watch it wave and yawn from inside of me! Sadly, we were still not able to get all that we needed in the ultrasound so next step is a level 2 to make sure all is good! Also if we wanted to know the gender we could not even find out because baby is tight legged and crossed at the ankle no peaking for us!!!!

We are now in the midst of getting ready for Christmas and Buddy Santa's scout elf has come to stay with us and keep an eye on the boys and report back to the big guy. Elijah is very excited about Christmas and has kept his list very short:
*Bike
*Splaster
*Spike the Dinosaur
This child is 100% confident that all three of these things are going to be under the tree Christmas morning, this I struggle with because Spike the Dinosaur cost $129 & is really noisy. I have this awful feeling I am going to cave in and purchase the dinosaur after all who needs groceries the week of Christmas anyways!

Five on Friday!

2009-11-20T12:17:00.002-05:00

1. Cookie is off in LA visiting Elijah's Godfather Bill and Dave is meeting them out there tonight, he won't be back till late Monday night and strangely I miss him already!

2. Elijah has been working on the skill of drinking out of a cup without a lid or straw so the other night he commented on his own milk mustache and then informed everyone at the table the he was a "man"....I almost spit milk out my own nose.

3. I started my Teaching Literacy class last weekend and I was please to find out that my boys are right where they should be or even ahead when it comes to literacy.

4. My parents & Grandpa arrive tomorrow, Kiki comes on Monday night, and it makes me very sad that The Kepperling family will not be joining us for Thanksgiving....it is never the same when a Kelly Kid is missing.

5. We have reached 21 in our pregancy, I am feeling great and tons of movement from the baby. We have a repeat ultrasound on Tuesday and I am so tempted to find the sex out since Cookie and I have not come anywhere near a name decision.

An Afternoon Ride...

2009-11-19T15:46:00.002-05:00

This year for Cookie's birthday the boys and I got him a bike seat that he has been wanting since we had Elijah and since baby #3 will be here before we know it I figured it was time to get it. The intention is for Samuel to ride in it and Elijah to ride along side on his own bike that I think Santa might be leaving under the tree but Elijah had to try it out first to make sure it was safe for his little brother. The first ride out was a blast, father and son had a fantastic time but Elijah is very concerned that Cookie did not wear his helmet and so am I. I keep telling my husband it is all in the examples that we show!

My Favorite Superhero!!!!

2009-11-16T17:01:00.002-05:00

We knew at 33 I would fall in love with a superhero!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPA!!!!

2009-11-14T00:01:00.001-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPA!!!!!!

Today is the day the world's most original Papa was brought into this world! I am so happy to say that my boys have the best papa in the world and when it comes to his children and grandchildren there is nothing he would not do. This amazes me at times considering he is an only child and never really had to give anything up for anyone else. I want to take the chance to thank my father for a few gifts he has given me in life that he may not even know about, thank you for giving me the gift of gab that I have, my love for travel, my appreciation of music, and my guilty love of ice cream and little Debbie snacks! Thank you for introducing me boys to matchbox cars and always having a new one for them when you seen them, thank you for giving Elijah his first fishing experience, and thank you for getting down and playing with them even after you have worked hard all day. Daddy, overall thank you for being you and as much as we pick on you and jab you about certain things we love you for who you are and the entertainment and great stories you bring to our family!!!!

We love you Papa, Happy Birthday!!!!

FoF

2009-11-13T14:41:00.003-05:00

I am not really sure where the week has gone and I have not blogged about anything so here at the very least is Five on Friday!

1. We had our "big" ultrasound on Monday which was very exciting because finally Cookie was able to see the baby. Although baby #3 was being lazy and did not move very much and we were not able to get all the measurement we needed so we have to have a follow up in two weeks. A plus to the follow up is Grammie and Kiki will be here and get to go!

2. We are officially half way through our third pregnancy! I can not believe that we are already at this point and how different life is about to become in the Popotte house.

3. Elijah thinks we should name the baby, Spiderman Baby. This is top of our name selection so if you have suggestions please feel free to offer them.

4. We had a wonderful time celebrating Cookie's birthday last week with a nice family dinner out, some yummy cake, and we surprised him with a seat for his bike to ride around with Samuel. I think and hope he enjoyed his 35th birthday!

5. I start a new class this weekend which is on literacy and I am so excited about it!!! I can not wait to learn how to actually teach children to read, I am so happy I went back to school!!!

OK well time to do the afternoon clean up and get ready for the weekend!!

Five on Friday

2009-11-06T00:02:00.000-05:00

1. HAPPY BIRTHDAY COOKIE!!!!!!! My darling husband's birthday is today and we are so excited to celebrate him!

2. Elijah thinks that everyone should have a bounce house on thier birthday is is very upset that we did not order one for Cookie.

3. On Wednesday November 4th it has been 9 years since our friend Matt passed away, I can not believe how much time has passed and how much things have changed. What I find even more unbelievable is how his mother gets out of bed everday and functions, Joan Hunt is truely one of the most amazing women I know & I am very proud to call her my friend!!!!

4. We were exposed to the H1N1 this week and so far so good everyone is still healthy, I am praying we stay thay way PLEASE!!!!

5. Week 19 in the pregnancy & I can not believe it. We have our "big" ultrasound on Monday morning I will be breath and rest a little easier once we see a healthy baby! Oh and side note I can not get it out of my head that it's a girl, why???

Family Pictures

2009-11-01T21:56:00.000-05:00

Sunday we were lucky enough to have some family pictures taken with the sweetest woman, Molly! My girlfriend Carla had used here a few months ago and we were lucky enough that she had a cancellation this past weekend and was able to fit us in. We had a lot of fun but Samuel was not in the best of moods with the time change and he bumped his head after only about ten minutes of being there but I think we will get a few out of it. We are going to try again in the spring after the baby arrives, I am already looking forward to it!

Trick or Treat!

2009-10-31T21:37:00.000-04:00

The excitement that was in the air the days leading up to Halloween would have made you think that it was Christmas. I am happy to report that the boys love Halloween as much as I do & that Cookie has also learned to love it too!!! We had a busy day carving pumpkins and playing outside in the nice fall weather and then after nap time we headed out to trick or treat the neighborhood with Elijah & Samuel's friends Ava & Micheal. It was so much fun to walk around with Carla and Anthony and share the holiday with good friends, I think I might be getting corny as I get older and have more kids! Here are a few pictures of the evening, ENJOY!!!!

FoF

2009-10-30T16:32:00.002-04:00

Friday it is so here is my list....

1. I LOVE Halloween, always have & I thank my parents for that. Every year we could be whatever we wanted, we trick or treated for what seemed like hours, and then back to our house for a neighborhood Halloween party.....it was awesome & I hope the boys grow up to love it as much as I do!

2. I am still getting use to Samuel's new hair. Most mornings when I go in to get him I still pause and look at him & think I really do miss his afro.

3. My baby belly is really starting to get bigger and bigger. The baby is moving alot these days & I can not believe that I am already 18 weeks and almost half way there.

4. I think I am the only mom I know that did not enter her kids into the Gap photo contest.

5. It was fourteen years ago this week (26th) that Cookie and I had our first date. I wish we had a babysitter that lived close so we could have had a moment out for a decent meal to reflect and enjoy eachother, I miss going on dates with my husband!

Mommy confessions

2009-10-29T16:26:00.003-04:00

I have a few mommy confessions I need to get off my chest! Some of them seem to be on going and some have only happened once. Prior to becoming a mother I thought this job would be a piece of cake, I knew there would be some hard days but what I did not realize is there would be so many challenging days. So here is my list:
~My house house is never clean, no matter how hard I try I can never get it to stay clean!
~Elijah has a fresh streak in him that truel only comes out on me and I often feel responsible for it because I did not address it sooner!
~I am very nervous that baby #3 is going to be a girl and not going to be as beautiful as the boys, yes I think my boys are beautiful!
~Samuel and his climbing drive me crazy and I often put him in his chair and offer him a snack just to be able use the bathroom!
~Some days I am jealous that Cookie gets to go to work!
~Sometimes I use homework as an excuse to get out of the house to have some quiet time and a soup at Panera Bread!
~I long for the day we live near family that wants to be a part of the boys life and actually give us a helping hand!
~I find that I am sometime jealous of moms who do have family that can and will help them with no strings attached. It is REALLY hard to do this without any help, somedays
~Hardly ever do I sit an eat a meal I just seem to serve the entire time and that is getting old really quick.
~My boys survive on chicken nuggets, bagels, and Annie's Mac & Cheese!

I know that none of these things make me a bad mom but if I could fix just a few maybe I would be a slightly better mom for my boys!!!!!

Fall Frolics....

2009-10-27T16:05:00.002-04:00

In an effort to get the boys out and burn off some of their endless energy Uncle Jay was kind enough to build us a giant leaf pile! I was so excited to take them out and see what they did with it and how they liked it. Elijah loved it and could not get enough and did not want the fun to end when the rain started to fall. Samuel on the other hand kept a distance, ventured into the pile once & discovered he hated it and never returned. I wonder will he like the life pile more next year & how much bigger does the leaf pile need to be for three kids???

THAT IS MY HAT!!!

2009-10-26T14:30:00.003-04:00

Today while getting ready to go outside I was putting the boys coats and hats on, simply enough right???? Yeah well then I put the hat the Michelle made Elijah when he was a baby on Samuel and all hell broke out. Elijah instantly ripped the hat off his brother's head and put it on his own and FIRMLY informed Samuel that it was his hat not Sammy's! I never knew he had such a strong attachment but who could blame him it is beautiful and cashmere, he is so my son!!! I wonder if maybe over Christmas vacation on her lack of free time if Auntie Michelle might make Samuel a special winter hat too?????