My sister is here!

    Let the fun begin!

Charley hits the slopes...

As a mother/ parent your goal is to raise your children to have wings so they can soar. I never imagined that I, Sarah, would have a six year old son who would be soaring down a hill in downhill skis.

But I do! I have a 6 year old son who is participating in his THIRD year of ski lessons!

Typically, daddy brings him for his lessons. And I show up half way through with Henry to snap some pictures...easier on my heart to not see the whole lesson. I am not a skier so I don't trust the process.

However, Ed is out of town so my mom and I had to take him.

Normally, they ride this "magic carpet" up the hill.

However today....

Almost right off the bat Charley and his little friend headed over to the big lift. WHAT! We followed to take pictures. That is when I noticed what was happening...

Do you notice what I noticed...come on!  LOOK CLOSE! 

Let me show you again!

Do you get my shock at this point. The tears and panic erupted quickly. My mom assured me...there would be someone up top to help them off. Now you get it right...a 6 year old going up with his younger friend ...ALL. BY. THEMSELVES. Talk about give your mama a heart attack.

A little farther up from the picture below we noticed that a mitten dropped. This sent me into big time panic. Would the boys know to just let the mitten go. My mom claimed it wasn't them that dropped it. But I was sure it was Charley and he was going to turn around to watch it. But it wasn't them.

We survived the ski lesson without daddy. But boy will I be glad when dad is back to stand beside me and assure me that he is just fine. Because I need to come to terms with this sport...next year this little guy will begin his ski journey...

And when the day comes when Sydney hits the slopes..probably at the age of two...I am determined to take a lesson or 5 myself...so that we can take a ski vacation. My husband has a love of skiing. And sadly, he married a woman lacking the stamina and background. But I was assured during Charley's lesson this week, by an instructor, that it doesn't take too much strength and just some balance and skill, and I will be good to go down the easy runs. And for me...a day of easy slopes...will be satisfying. Day 2, 3, 4, and 5...can be spent sipping hot cocoa and Bailey's by the fire, getting a pedicure, enjoying my book, and soaking my sore feet in the hot tub. Colorado...you will be seeing us -- someday!

blessed.

blessed...

- my mom is here this week because my hardworking husband is doing his work thing in Florida right now. Thanks mom for all the help!

- my mom has the boys with her at our local grocery store where they were lured by little kid carts. I hope they were good shoppers for her. I wonder what new grocery item they will have worked their magic and convinced Grandma to splurge on.

- while they shop, my little peanut swings, and I get to blog. Heaven.

- My girl is such a content little baby. She hangs out on her playmat for good 30 minute chunks totally content. She only squawks when she wants to eat. And last night she slept, and so did I, from 9-2:45 and then 3:15-5:00am. NICE! Can't complain! And her little legs are chunking right up.

- My sister and fam are heading here for the weekend. Blessed.

- A friend that feels comfortable enough to drop her daughter off but then instead of dropping and running...stays to hang out here. So blessed to have such a good friend.

- Another friend has her mom here and we haven't communicated all week and I miss that - but I love knowing that both of us are totally wrapped up in our happy mom filled worlds.

- health - just have to say that we have had an amazing run this winter and I am hoping it continues.

What makes you feel blessed...

Your love...

"

Your love is better than ice cream

Better than anything else that I've tried."
Sarah McLachlan

GO...

Yesterday our little one was a trooper.
Out the door at 9 to bring Charley to school.
9:30-11:30 she participated in Henry's class.
12:00 we picked up Charley and headed to the ski hill.
1-3 she hung out in the front pack with mama, Grandma, and Henry while watching Charley ski!
And finally around 3:20 she arrived home to stretch, swing, and do her thing.
The busy day meant this little bean didn't settle until after 11...nursing almost constantly from 7:30-11.  Probably due to the fact that the normal warm chest she falls asleep on wasn't here.  Missing you daddy.
 But, once asleep  she slept until 4:45! Unfortunately, mama didn't get back to sleep after she ended her morning feed at 5:25. Henry wet his bed and then the Target shopping list decided that it was on my mind and kept me from falling back to sleep.

Way less of a busy day today- but Target is on the agenda because I don't want to be thinking about that list tonight.  

What's on your agenda for the day? Or what are you going to be eating for meals?  Or what are you wearing...do share something with my little wondering soul.

Sydney - 4 week

Henry and I took Sydney's picture today using a yummy pink blanket that my friend Jessie lent me.  If you are wondering who/what she is looking at...it would be her big brother Henry.  He was so proud of her tummy time strength.

I couldn't pick just one to share. 

4 weeks - and the nuk...

has landed...

Well kind of. I am still hesitating because she soothes herself really well without the nuk. When I give her the nuk she sucks and makes these little noises as she is so excited to get it. But then she can't hold onto it for very long. So I fear getting her attached, because the nights would be so much easier if she wasn't relying on us putting it back in. However, soothing her and having that be the pacifier...rather than my boob... would be kind of nice. So we'll just wait and see what happens with the nuk!

Weekend Joy!

This weekend Henry and Charley got to introduce their new baby sister to their Uncle Mike, Aunt Becca, and cousin Morgan. 

Morgan anticipated meeting baby Sydney the whole ride here.  And unfortunately, a long drive had them arriving in the wee hours of the night (1 am to be exact).  And so their meeting would have to be delayed until the coffee was brewing and all the adults were walking zombies from driving all night or doing the night time feeding thing. 

The weekend was full of lazing around, Lego building, pancake eating, garbage can constructing (Ed's project this weekend did not involve his head being stuck into a 10 inch hold but rather making our kitchen garbage more snazzy). 

Here are a few pictures from our weekend with cousin Morgan.  And I do have to say this little girl was a different girl this visit when it came to getting her picture taken.  There was no running or turning away from the camera. 

Keepin' it real, folks.

Just being honest about our Friday so far...

Henry and I have been doing Target shops together for....well far too long. He is always a great shopper. Happy with his Target cookie. etc. etc.

Today, not so much. And annoyingly it is when I have Sydney to deal with too that we have a tough run.

Immediately upon entering Target he started crying about his tummy hurting.
We needed groceries so I was determined to get through. So we did a potty break but he only would go pee. We got a cup of water. I figured he had to poop, and prayed that was all because I didn't want to deal with vomit in Target. He cried the whole shopping excursion. Ugh.

I ran into a mom who's son I had when he was in 3rd grade. He is now 17. She laughed and said, "Been there. And I remember you so anxious to be home. How do you like it now?" HAHA!

Sydney cried at check out, don't they always.

Luckily, all those that stopped and turned to look at us during our outing had their heads tipped...so I did feel like they felt sorry for me. HA!

So we got out of Target and I forgot the buns to go with the hotdogs, the bread to go with the sandwich meat, etc. So I guess Ed will be stopping this evening on his way home from work for the other half of our list.

Arriving home with two crying kids I thought...wine or an entire row of Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies....that was my question!

Stepping into the house I got Sydney laying on her play mat and she was happily cooing again. I unloaded the groceries. Henry pooped. And then I stopped and looked around and saw this.

Let's play the game...Where's Sydney?

Oh wait! There she is surrounded by a package of toilet paper, library books thrown all over the room, and all sorts of other crap.

And this is only half of the clean laundry that has been mounting our sofa for the last three days. It will get folded today. It. will. Or maybe Uncle Mike will fold it when he gets here :)

And this is the kitchen table that I left be when we all bounded out the door to take Charley to school and hit up Target for half our grocery list.

And I realized...mom of three...juggling lots of busy-ness. Company coming this weekend....and poor Sydney is content but surrounded by chaos. Time to whip this place into shape.....

Or not.

At least it all struck me as funny this morning...I figure by 7 pm if it still looks like this.  THEN it will be time for crying.

Life these days...

So, Sydney wanted you all to know that her daddy can sport some sexy chest hair.  But really, I love Ed's smile here.  You can tell he just woke up with his slight bed head.  He is lounging next to his two boys...which you can't see...watching This Old House...their new favorite Saturday past time.  This shows you what one of us is doing these days...letting Miss Sydney snuggle on us while we put our feet up.  And when I am doing this I obviously can't download pictures and blog...hmmm...if you had to choose...blog or sit with this snuggler...what would you choose.

On another note regarding this sexy man with the chest hair.  It was his birthday on Monday.  Yes, he shares his birthday with the Valentine's holiday.  What a good sport to put up with our lame ol' birthday celebration for him this year.  We DID have some friends over on Saturday - that was delightful.  But on his actual birthday he offered to stay home an extra hour so I could get some extra sleep since she was up a bit Sunday night.  And he ended up picking up his sushi take out dinner because me dragging the baby carseat, and two boys, while balancing a platter of sushi just didn't sound smooth.  We'll make it up to him in the coming months. 

Love you Ed.  I love that I get to see you be a father to a daughter now.  A whole new experience that already has me falling in love with you all over again.

This is the shot from Target.  Someone said bring your camera.  So I did.  Along with the diaper bag filled with everything but the kitchen sink.  This is the proof that she handled Target just fine! 

I did get my first "Oh, look honey. (meaning look at the baby)" and the husband responding, "oh! 3!  She has her hands full."  comment.  I have heard mom's of three vent about this comment.  I am sure I will relate to their venting thoughts soon enough.  But at that moment - when they recognized I had three...one was sleeping peacefully and the other two were walking quietly beside me discussing the valentines they were clutching in their hands - I was so dang proud to be hands full and juggling it all! 

Sydney is starting to enjoy laying on her playmat and looking around.  The girl is so easy going.  If she starts to fuss in one place...all you have to do is pick her up and change her location or her position and she is once again captivated by all that surrounds her.  Joy.  and blessed.

The little girl swings like the best of them.  And looks adorable while swingin'...especially when she is sportin' this cute little onesie that my brother's girlfriend Liz whipped together for her.  LOVE it.  And next month I plan to master this sewing skill.  So any moms having a baby in April or later will possibly be gifted some handmade unique onesies...I am stating this so that I am made to learn this task.

And don't think these little boys aren't busy here.  They are busy retrieving diapers, offering fingers for the grabbing, and calling Miss Sydney "Syd Bug" these days. 

And yesterday I found myself standing at the base of a ski hill with Sydney strapped to me.  Henry was wandering close by with his little bag of pretzels.  And daddy and Charley were zipping and zooming.  More pictures of that to come...if any turned out. 

Smitten'

Smitten with this life as a mom of three.