For Keeps

I'll come back another day to write about first day of school, Michael's 3rd month, pumpkin picking, and some other things I can't recall at the moment.  But I just stopped in to quickly jot down a story before I forget it.

In August, Aidan went to the E.R. to get a few stitches.  When we pulled into the hospital, he asked if we are going to bring Michael back there.  He apparently thought Michael was a loaner, and he would eventually have to be returned to the hospital.   I guess I never thought to explain to my 4 year old that Michael is now a permanent part of our family.  Luckily, he likes the baby and was happy to hear that we get to keep him.   He then asked if we can pick up another one while we were there!  No words for that one...

Flash forward to today, I tell Aidan that we have to take Michael to the doctor, and he flings himself to the floor in hysterics.  When I calm him down enough for him to explain to me what he's so upset about, he tells me (in between hyperventilating gasps) that he doesn't want to take Michael back.  Again with this?!?! Given his immediate and extreme reaction, it would appear that my poor son has been living in perpetual fear that, at any moment, we would be returning our baby boy!!!  Once again, I tell Aidan that Michael is ours to keep, and that he will live with us forever.  His entire face lit up, and he asked me if he could call daddy.  I dial the phone, hit speaker and hand it to him.  This is what I hear:

Aidan:  Hi, daddy!  Guess what?
Greg: Hey, Aidan, what's up?
Aidan: We're taking Michael to the doctor and he's getting shots.  Then we're taking him home forever.
Greg:  Oh yeah?  That's nice, buddy.
Aidan:  Can we take home a new baby sister, too?
Greg:  Let me talk to your mother.

Guess I still have some explaining to do....

So blessed

I have been so blessed throughout my entire life, and I find myself counting my blessings more and more as I get older and watch these amazing children grow. 

Michael is absolutely amazing.  As I lay here, he sleeps soundly in his little crib next to me looking so sweet.  I am actually getting choked up just looking him, and wonder how I got so lucky to have this perfect little baby. 

He just loves to be in his crib, all swaddled up.

This month, on August 8th, I went back to work.  Michael was only eight weeks old, and it was torture handing my infant off to a virtual stranger.  Although I know everyone at Julie's Story Book Nursery, and I adore the staff there, it was still hard to place my newborn baby in another person's arms.  I cried so hard, it took about a half-hour for me to calm down (the poor staff tried to console me, to no avail)!  Eight weeks at home with my son was not enough time--I wish I could keep him all to myself all day, every day.  But of course, I have no choice but to work.  I've done this twice before, and I know it will get a bit easier as he gets older (although I still wish I can stay home with Lexi and Aidan, too!).

A few days before I started work, Michael started sleeping through the night (so considerate!).  I put him in at 7pm and he would wake up the next morning at about 5:30ish, and it's been pretty consistent the entire month, although there have been a few nights here and there where he would wake up at 3:30--but I can definitely deal with that!  He's really on a perfect schedule.  He naps throughout the day, usually 1-2 hours in the morning and 2-3 hours in the afternoon.  He has such a wonderful disposition--he rarely cries and is smiling more and more.  He actually laughed out loud on Sunday, August 28th.  My mother was holding him, and Aunt Barbara was making silly faces and sounds that he just loved!  It happened to be the day of Hurricane Irene.  He is eating about 6-7 ounces, 5 times per day.   

On August 13th, Michael was 2 months old!

This summer has been pretty boring for Alexa and Aidan.  Usually we are busy going from amusement parks to game farms to festivals, etc.  But I have been leery to take Michael out in public places--afraid he would get sick, especially since there was a recent whooping cough outbreak on Long Island in Smithtown.  I know I probably overreacted, and didn't need to keep him cooped up in the house for the first two months of his life, but after the numerous health scares we had with Aidan, I wasn't about to take any chances.

But we did get to go to Venetian Shores with Denise, Mommy and Aunt Barbara, which the kids loved!

My gorgeous girl...

Follow the leader!

As I'm yelling at Aidan and Stephen to get off the fence, I'm snapping pictures because they look so darn cute.  And truth be told, I'm only yelling at them so the other parents think I'm actually disciplining my kid--who really cares if they hang on the net?

I'm trying to talk to them here, but they are engrossed with something on that damn iPad!  They are total addicts--always an iPad, iPod or iPhone in these kids' hands, it's ridiculous!
 

Alexa and Aidan have been taking swimming lessons at Saf-T-Swim for about 3 or four months now.  They finally received a ribbon!  Actually, Aidan received his first ribbon, and Alexa received her first TWO!  They are doing great, and super proud of them!  Unfortunately, I didn't know they were getting a ribbon, so I didn't bring my camera, but the cell phone pics aren't too bad.

They got to ring the bell together, and everyone cheered!!!

The instructors gave them their ribbons.  Alexa's instructor, Craig, is standing behind Aidan in this picture, and Aidan's instructor, Mike, is standing behind Lexi.

Showing off their ribbons!

 A day at the park, Marjorie Post Park.

My handsome boy...

Pretty girl...

Having fun...

Lexi, so proud that she can slide down the pole like a firefighter!

 

Aidan got his first stitches this month!  He kicked a snow shovel (not sure why), and the metal edge of the shovel designed to chop up the snow/ice actually chopped Aidan's foot!  He got a little cut, but it was deep enough to require a trip to E.R. at Good Samaritan Hospital.

Here is the cut...

Waiting to get stitched!  Aidan was a trooper--and this is one of those times I'm happy we have the iPad!

This month was a month of storms!  There was a rain/thunder storm earlier in the month, causing a tree to go down a couple of houses away from us--we had no power for the day.  Greg went outside to take a look, and couldn't find an umbrella--Alexa shared hers...

Then there was the kids' first hurricane, Hurricane Irene!  Greg went to the firehouse, so I was on my own with the kids.  I packed them up and headed to Aunt Denise's house.  The kids loved it, and were so excited to have their first sleepover!  It was a stressful night, since there were tornado watches in addition the hurricane watch.  But by morning, the storm was downgraded to a tropical storm (I learned that the difference between a hurricane and a tropical storm is only 4 mph!).  Although Denise and I never lost electric, most of the island had outages.  As I write this, my mother still doesn't have electric (day 3).  Once it was over, I was again reminded of how incredibly blessed I am, and how God seems to always answer my prayers to protect my family, my babies. 

Winnie the Pooh

I took Lexi and Aidan to see the movie Winnie the Pooh yesterday, and it totally sucked!  We actually wanted to see the Smurfs, but we went with our friend, Teri, and her sons, James and Connor, and they wanted to see Winnie the Pooh.  I guess we've all been spoiled by action packed, superior animation and 3-D effects, because this "timeless tale" with its drab color palette and old school animation was a total bore.  And my kids felt the same way, and wanted to leave half way through the movie.  Thank goodness it was only one hour long!  But at least we got to get some pictures by the fountain outside the movie theater at the Deer Park Tanger outlets.

 I love this one!

With James and Connor (who is being awfully shy!)

Making a wish!

Aidan made his wish, too!

Lexi gets into it and ends up spraying everyone

Of course, if there is a puddle, my kids will jump in it...

Aidan spots an even better puddle to get wet in...

 ....making a splash!

The kids had a better time playing with the water than they had at the movie!

Today, Greg and I had a rare night out.  My mother and Aunt Barbara offered to watch the kids, as they often offer.  However, this time, I actually took them up on their offer!!!  Michael was up every few hours throughout the night (as opposed to the 8-9 hours he was sleeping the prior 3 nights!), and he wanted to be held ALL DAY today!  My arms and shoulders are killing me!!!!  So when my mother called me to ask if Greg and I wanted a break, I jumped at it!

We went to the Lighthouse on the Bay restaurant by the Wellwood docks.  As usual, I wanted to sit inside and Greg wanted to sit inside.  We compromised and sat on the enclosed patio.  I think it's strange that we would go to a restaurant on the water, and NOT want to sit outside.  But Greg, always so negative, thinks about bugs, my hair blowing all over or frizzing up (he actually said this), no air conditioning, etc.  Is it normal to avoid experiencing life because you're afraid that it MIGHT be a negative experience?  Think about how much we have already miss, and will continue to miss....  I often wonder how I ended up with someone who is always so contrary to me, and said as much to Greg over dinner.  His usual reply, "Opposites attract."  Hmph...

Dentist time, wiggly teeth, and palettes...

On May 17th, 2011, we took Aidan and Alexa to the dentist for the first time.  It was an emergency visit because the day before, I discovered that Lexi had a wiggly tooth, and an adult tooth growing right behind it--and I freaked!  Dr. Miller was nice enough to squeeze us in on an emergency basis

Dr. Miller gave Alexa her first checkup, and she was loving it!  She got to check out all of her teeth in the mirror, and count them with the dentist.  This is not the greatest shot because I forgot my camera and had to take with my phone:

She lost her first tooth a few days later on May 22, 2011, but you can't really tell because her adult tooth was already in behind it. 

A few weeks later, she lost the second bottom middle tooth, and once again, the adult tooth was right behind it--so no weird, gappy smiles.  Today, we went back to Dr. Miller for Alexa's first teeth cleaning, and Aidan's first checkup.  I made them pose by the big tooth in the lobby, but they weren't happy about it.

Alexa was loving the visit, and excited for her chocolate flavored teeth cleaning!

I had to wrestle Aidan to the chair, but he did it, and the dentist was able to "count" his teeth!

So all went well, and no cavities for either child, YAY!!!!  All four of Lexi's permanent molars have "erupted", and her top two teeth are now wiggly.

Later on, Alexa broke into the school supplies and pulled out the new magic markers.  When I walked into the dining room, I see two sets of magic markers strewn about the table, and am about to yell at her for opening up the school supplies, but as I'm about to yell, she turns to me and says, "Mommy, I'm using both different palettes."  Looking at the packaging, I see that one set of markers is regular colors, and one is bright colors.  But not believing my five year old truly knows what a palette is,  I ask her what she means by palette and she tells me, "It's a set of colors." Well now I can't yell at her because I"m so impressed by her vocabulary! 

Finally, when I created the blog yesterday, and was searching for a picture of the kids to put under the heading, I realized that I don't have a picture of my three kids together.  Michael is now almost 7 weeks old--how do I not have a picture of these kids together yet!!!!????  So I call the kids together for a picture, and then I understood why I don't have a picture of the three of them together.

As good as it's gonna get for now!