Creative Writing

I have been known to craft a story or two when asked to put pen to paper.  In Elementary School my tales mostly involved Ricky Schroeder, Punk Rockers and my besties.  In High School, I didn't write as much but one tale stands out for me.  We were doing some kind of (lame) state writing test.  There was some lame prompt about disappointing your parents.  So I did what I usually did, I made up a story.  It was an elaborate tale about crashing my father's beloved sports car, "his fifth child."  ALL LIES. 

I received a perfect score on the essay and thought nothing of it.  That is until my teacher decided to use it as an example for all of her English classes thus exposing my penchant for lying and uncontrollable addiction to run-on sentences to 33% of the Freshman class.  And that brings us to present day....  Mini-me.

Patrick and Mama Lou- December 2010

Several weeks ago I was reading one of Patrick's writing assignments.  The prompt was: I like the cold weather because.....   He wrote about hot chocolate and blankets and then went on and on about watching TV in his room.  How great it is that he can cuddle under the blankets and watch his very own TV.  Um, liar?  yes.  I asked him about it and may or may not have encouraged the creativity (even at the expense of my own embarrassment).  He continues to make up bits and pieces and sometimes complete stories for his schoolwork.  The week before Thanksgiving he wrote that one of his chores was raking leaves.  Yeah right. 

Now he has expanded to his own freestanding tales, featuring those around him.  So I present to you the untitled, unpublished, unedited edited (I left the run-on sentences for dramatic effect), unfinished first draft by Patrick.

A long time ago there was a village in the middle of the village there was a castle in the castle there was sum doors.  In one door two knights were standing beside two chairs in the chairs sitting was a keen and queen the king's name was King Keith the queen's name was Queen Lauren the two knights name was Knight Jack the other knight's name was Knight Patrick the next door had a princess and prince the prince's name was Prince Kevin and princess's name was Princess Lindsay the hunt dog's name was....

More to come, I'm sure.

Paralysis

Last night.....

I can't move. I'm sitting on the couch with a sweet sleeping baby affixed to my chest. I've been here for awhile. Lost in the moment that has likely rolled into enough moments to make an hour or two.

There are dishes to wash. Laundry to fold. Dogs to feed.  Muffins to make.  Movie night leftovers to tidy. But here I sit.


Her breathing is captivating. Her desire to sleep above my heart is fascinating. Her sighs, oh her sighs.
So here I sit.

I'm desperately in need of a shirt without a baby spit-up badge. I'm dying of thirst. I need to wash the make-up off my face and wash the spit-up out of my hair.  I'm sore. My body is once again contorted to make her comfortable.  The familiar pain in my neck returns.   But I can't move. I'm paralyzed.  So here I sit. 

Motherhood is nothing more than a series of delightful, self-inflicted discomforts.  Some physical (childbirth), some emotional (first day of school) but all wonderfully painful.  And for this I thank God.

I could sit here forever.

This is the story of a girl.

Despite my last pregnant post (blah, blah, blah, I'm being patient, come whenever you feel like it), I got really impatient (and worried, and anxious, and all that).  I went to see my doctor on Monday the 18th and got the standard "any day now" answer.  "All you need are a few good contractions."  Then he saw a look in my eyes and offered up the induction alternative.  "You name the day."  We named Wednesday, 10/20/2010.  Lauren's due date.

This gave us a day to get all of our ducks in a row.  Pack the boys up, spend hundreds of dollars at Costco, catch up on laundry, close our eyes for a minute or two.   It was the strangest feeling going to bed knowing that we would have a baby tomorrow.  Kevin slept, I spent the night having monstrous contractions. 

We were told to arrive at the hospital at 6:30 am.  We did.  We checked in and we waited.    For four and a half hours we watched the waddlers come in and out.  Pregnant lady after pregnant lady paraded through the lobby and up to Labor and Delivery.  Labor checks, non-stress tests.... everyone who took precedent over my need for pitocin.

Finally, 11:00 am rolled around and it was finally our turn to ride the ride!  The entire front desk staff cheered for us as we made our way upstairs. 

We made our way upstairs to wait some more.  By 6:45 that evening I was hooked up to this, that and the other thing and Lauren was on her way.  We forgot to tell our nurse that I progress very quickly.  My doc was there (not like Keith's delivery when the doctor ran in from the parking lot to catch the baby) but there was still a wave of urgency when I announced that there was pressure. 

At 7:15 pm, Lauren Elizabeth Callahan made her way into the world.  Beautiful, perfect and assertive.  6 lbs 15 oz she was bigger than her brothers. She was undoubtedly our baby, a perfect cross between Patrick and Keith in her earliest hours.  We were instantly and hopelessly in love. 

At that moment our lives shifted.  Suddenly inconsequential things became monumental.  Her lips, her squeaks, a hiccup.....  Kevin stares at her the same way he stared at the boys.  And we were only ten feet outside the when the breathing checks started.  After less than 24 hours Lauren already had her Daddy-given nickname: Baby Lou.  I'm jolted awake to our new reality every time I hear him whisper her nickname.  For a split second I think he's talking to me (Mama Lou) and then I remember and smile to myself.

She's too little for so many things (as Keith points out on the half hour: Can Baby Lauren have gum? cereal? cinnamon rolls?  Can she crawl? swing? ride a bike?).  Still too little to really know who she is to the bottom of her being.  To know her the way I know my boys.  I sense her, I sense a beautiful spirit to match her beautiful features.  But I don't presume to know her beyond who she is today: a gorgeous snugly baby who screams like a girl.

And so her story begins.

An Open Letter To Our Baby

Dear Baby Lauren,
We're waiting for you.  We thought you wanted to come in September at barely 35 weeks.... we put a stop to that!  Then we thought you were waiting for Mama's half birthday, October 1. nope.  How about 10-4, you little Daddy's Girl? no, thanks.  10-6 Uncle Ben's Birthday? no chance.  And then we were to 10-10-10.  The date I coveted from the time I found out I was pregnant.  I never imagined (even early in the pregnancy) that 10-10-10 was even an option.  I figured you would come early like your brothers, surprising us all.  10-10-10 came and yes, there were contractions for hours but in the end? nothing. 

So, you pick the date.  This is your world, we just live in it. But in case you haven't heard, we are ready.  Ok, as Aunt Rachel pointed out yesterday your car seat isn't installed.  But other than the car seat, everything is ready for you.  Girl, you even have fancy headbands!  And Daddy fixed up your closet. You are set!

We can't wait to meet you.  Keep kicking and squirming.

Love,
Mama

**Photo by Amy Durham- Morgan James Photography**


To view our Maternity Photo Session
www.morganjamesphotography.net 
The password is lc100904

Something to look forward to

Kevin and Keith brought me a piece of Red Velvet Cake the other day.  Kevin wanted to buy me chocolate cake and Keith said, "no, I want that one!"  Smart boy. 

The second night of the Red Velvet Cake (good things are meant to be savored), Patrick returned to the kitchen wondering about dessert (i.e., the Red Velvet Cake).  I told him he good have one bite, albeit a big bite.  His big bite was the size of a cupcake, smart boy.  As he returned to cake to the refrigerator, this is what he told us, "When I'm a teenager I can get into my car and drive to the store to get my own Red Velvet Cake."

Other "when I am a teenager" proclamations have included planning and cooking meals, putting extra garlic on food and purchasing various food items. 

Yours for 5 EASY payments!

After a week of not doing being able to do much of anything (except incubate, as Kevin says), I figured that I would have accomplished something.  I'm not sure what I was expecting but my biggest accomplishment to date is falling in love with this sewing machine.  By the way, my mother never taught me to sew, and I have no idea what one does with a "serger".  Thanks to the Home Shopping Network (or as I like to call it HSN), I have to have this machine (and several other featured items).

Yesterday after the boys went to my sister's house, I resumed my post just in time for the great sewing event.  This amazing necessity won't last long at the Event Price of $699.95.  Free shipping and handling!

This whole experience is becoming incredibly surreal.  We're still hoping Baby Lauren will hold out for October.  Your guess is as good as mine though.

FIRE DRILL!

Last Thursday I started having mild contractions.  At 35 weeks and stress up to my eye balls, I wasn't surprised.  I took it easy on Saturday (thanks to my Angel of a Sister-in-Law taking the boys all day) but by Sunday things were "progressing".

The more time went by the more anxious I became because of all of the things I still needed to do.  The list was endless and the anxiety made the contractions even stronger.  Kevin got up and my parents came over.  And the contractions stopped.  heh.  We went to labor and delivery anyway.  I had a few contractions while we were there but the baby was fine and the progress from the evening had stalled.  Thankfully.

Now I am trying to delegate at home and at work.  I can stay on my feet for about 10 or 15 minutes at a time before the contractions start to get intense.  Kevin has been cooking, cleaning, driving and waiting on me all week.  I'm going a little lot crazy.  We made the baby a deal, wait until October (preferably the 10th) and we will buy you a yellow Corvette.  So far it is working so here I sit.

Thanks to Lauren, we are as prepared as we can possibly be for her arrival.  Possibly more prepared then when her brothers made surprisingly early entries into the world.  Next week may be a possibility but I am staying calm and quiet to encourage her to wait.  I think I'm the only pregnant woman on the block not trying to induce labor......

Learning a Lesson

greetings from vacation.... six miles from our house.....

Happy Belated Grandparents Day.  Here's a story that illustrates the joys of grandparenting:

Patrick:  You are so mean Mom.
Me: Good to know.  Why am I mean today?
Patrick:  You make me do chores and all that stuff.
Me: That's part of living in this house, we all pitch in and do our part.
Patrick: Well, I'm just going to go live with Grandpa, then I won't have to do chores.
Me: Don't you think Grandpa made me do chores when I was growing up in his house?
Patrick: Yes, but he learned his lesson.  Now he knows better.
Me: speechless.
Patrick: Maybe someday you will learn your lesson too.
Me: It will probably be the day your first child is born.

Keith 360

Ok.  I fixed it.  The blog is cured, partially at least.  You're welcome.



Next topic: Keith Fox.

HAVE YOU SEEN HIS GLASSES!    just when i thought he couldn't possibly be any cuter.  I haven't been brave enough to send him to school wearing them but he is doing a good job wearing them while he's at home (except when they get left in the Expedition and the radiator blows and it has to spend time in the shop.  ahem. this is why i sob.)

In other news, he can hear.  His speech isn't delayed enough to qualify him for services in Clovis Unified.  But he tested at a two-year old level.  We are hoping that preschool will help (no mommy to translate).  And we are working on exercises with him.  We are on the list for Children's Hospital (certainly not as convenient as going around the corner to school), but we won't hear from them for several months.

There you have it.  Two posts in one day.  And I fixed the blog. 

Buddies

Something is terribly wrong with my blog and I just don't have the energy to fix it (I did have the energy to make apple cinnamon bread last night, blog nesting just isn't it the cards).  But I'm blogging anyway because I fear that once the baby gets here some of these thoughts will be lost forever. 

Sometimes watching my boys is like watching a movie that I wrote on the back of my heart, a secret screen play that I never imagined watching.  Sure, they have their fights and scuffles (ask Kevin about the great "Pottery Barn chair stand-off") but they are so devoted to one another, so protective of each other and just really good buddies. 

Patrick was responding to a writing prompt at school: "My favorite person is......"  Who is his favorite person?  I thought it would be me (the person who according to other writing prompts cooks and takes out the trash), but no, it's Keith. 

Keith was responding a prompt at school: "A friend is....."  What is a friend?  "My brother."

I know I'm all gooey and emotional and pregnant but that is the sweetest thing.  When they are 16 and 13 and punching each other in the jaw, I will remember them when they were 6 and 3 and could sit side by side for hours on end playing Legos.  Now I'm crying..... I'm a mess.

To Patrick on his sixth birthday.

Dear Patrick,
This morning as I stood around the playground with the other moms, I was reminded of how much you have grown.    
Here are things that 6 year old Patrick can proudly do:
Whistle
Reach the milk from the top shelf
Buckle and unbuckle your new messenger bag :)
Ride in a boat and go tubing on the lake (without mom and dad)
Conquer big water slides
Swim and dive
Shoot baskets
Make Eggo waffles
Read and write books
Kill and dispose of spiders and pincher bugs

The list goes on and on. The more you conquer, the more you want to do.  Every fear you overcome, another one melts away, completely forgotten.

I cherish every moment I have with you.  You, the self-described: "Talker" can weave a story that seems so real, I am left to question where the lines are blurred.  Your imagination will serve you well throughout your life, never stop dreaming and planning. 

I cried on your first day of First Grade.  Not because I was sad but because you are my hopes and dreams.  As much as I would like to keep you close to me forever, I know that I have to send you off into the world because you are going to make this planet a better place.  I pray that your love, kindness and creativity will flourish and grow to your benefit and the benefit of others. 

 Baby Patrick 2005

Your brother and sister are very lucky to have a big brother who loves and cares for them the way you do.  When you think I'm not listening, I hear you talk to Keith like you are a Little Mommy, giving him comfort and direction.   It is amazing to witness such a huge heart tucked into such a small body!

I love you Knick-Knack.  I'm glad you love celebrating your birthday so much!  More fun to come tonight!!!!
We don't stop with forbidden McDonalds and colorful cupcakes!

I love you!
Mama

Two first days, one blog post

Here's Patrick, bright and early on his first day of the First Grade.  "King of Cool" 

The remanants of the first day of school breakfast. 

A big boy with a messenger bag.  Helpful hint: make sure your kid can open and close his bag before the first day of school.  We eventually figured it out but it wasn't pretty.  He was happy that he could still take his new bag.  I was happy that the bag was actually closed.

We came to school bearing bags of "suggested" classroom supplies.  I was happy to secure all of the items on the list.  The hitch?  The teacher didn't need all of the items on the list, including the glue that we made a special trip for GRRRR.  reverse process.

Patrick had a good first day (and second day).  He kept describing it as REALLY long.  We're working out our scheduling and routine, soon it will be smooth sailing. 


Keith has been.... behaviorally challenged the past few days.  I attribute it to his growing anticipation and anxiety about starting school.  He wanted to start on Monday with Patrick but he had to wait (impatiently).  Finally, the day arrived.  He picked out his own outfit, it happened to be the same shirt he picked to wear  to church....hmmm.  We've been having the it's preschool, not church conversation for months now.  As much as he wants to start school, he is clearly nervous about the big leap.

But he rallied and was perfectly happy.

And back to his old self within minutes.

I tried to tell his teachers that he isn't anything like Patrick.  They had to really see it to believe it. 

After one day they are charmed and convinced. We'll see what tomorrow brings.  I will say this, he had MUCH better behavior tonight than the past four days.  I even let him play with modeling clay, scissors and the garden hose. Three things he is usually not allowed to touch!  Here's to the corner...and turning it.

Oh, one more thing.  Keith was so excited that he got to play with Play-Dough at school.  I heard Patrick tell him, "You're lucky Keith, I didn't get to play with play-dough.  I had to do work all day."  Right work, in between the puppet shows, recess, and visits to the treasure box room with the Nintendo DS.  First grade is tough (and long)!

A Very Short Post

Acid reflux sucks.
  
Nap please.

I have a lot to say to you, but no time to say it.  Maybe later, be patient.

SO very pregnant

I am in the final week of my second trimester and I am oh so pregnant (and happy).  I know I'm pregnant because I got lost on my way back to work the other day.  Totally driving somewhere but it wasn't to the office.  I wasn't on the phone or texting or singing Billy Joel at the top of my lungs, I was DWP (Driving While Pregnant). 

Then I found myself sobbing after listening to an OnStar commercial!  It was the one where the little boy is locked in the car and the mom is holding it together until the car is unlocked and the baby is in her arms (I'm a little weepy now!!).  Then she starts to cry and I start to cry and I want OnStar in my car!

I know we are on the home stretch because I "get to" take my glucose test on Thursday.  Hopefully I will pass.  I'm really looking forward to the naps that will come with the third trimester.

Raising Kids in the Digital Age

Yesterday I was in the pool with the boys and Patrick asked if we could take a picture.  I told him that I didn't have my camera with me.  He told me that he was going to take a memory picture so say cheese.  Keith and I cheesed.  Patrick clicked away.  Then Keith asked, "Can I see the picture Patrick?"

Riveted

Summer is nearly half over!  I can believe it because we have done A LOT.  We are working our way through our summer fun list... Now we can check the Circus off the list.  Although Patrick and I seem to be having a bit of a disagreement about when to take things off our list/door.  As the planner and executor of the list I need to keep it manageable.  As the recipient of the fun, he is convinced that some things should be repeated and therefore stay on the list.  I took them down, he put them back up, I took them down.... I win.

Anyway, the circus was fun.  We took our balls of boy energy to Mimi's for breakfast before the circus. They could not sit still.  The circus was a whole other matter.  Keith sat like this (hands in his lap) for the first 45 minutes.

He was absolutely riveted by the show.  Then he remembered himself and turned it back on. 

He was having a great time watching the show.  Stealing popcorn from Dad and Patrick.

He loved every minute of it.

Especially the Baby Elephant!

And he is trying to convince Patrick to put together a trapeze act... or any act for that matter.

Happy times indeed!

Holding up my end of the bargain.

Welcome to the 25th week of my pregnancy.  Only 105 days left and our little family will convert to this artist's rendering....

OUR FAMILY- by Patrick

Last night at a birthday party I turned down cake and attributed it to my poundage.  I admitted to the moms that were trying to coerce me into eating cake that I have gained 30 lbs and needed to slow it down.  As they assessed me and shook their heads in disbelief, I couldn't help but wonder, "do I care that I am 30 lbs up  only 25 weeks in?"  I don't.  I haven't been the pillar of good nutrition or physical activity but I'm just doing my part!  The baby on the other hand has only gained a pound and a half.  Mom- 30 Baby- 1.5  I'm totally winning.

And my doctor didn't call CPS when he saw my stats last week.  He did make a verbal weight gain note for both of us though.  And he also told me that the reason I am having such bad tailbone pain is because I don't have enough junk in my trunk (my words, not his).  So there.

I'm grateful that it is summer and I can camp-out in maxi dresses (or muumuus as my mother called them).  And I am so grateful that I am feeling better.  I had a case of the vapors (i know 'sic') on Monday (my first in weeks) and woke up on Tuesday trying to figure out how I functioned for the first 15 weeks of my pregnancy.... oh that's right, I ate.

Thursday

My favorite day of the week is Thursday.  Thursday hints at the potential of Friday and the weekend still seems like a sprawling promise.  Thursday is the cusp of what might be.  And let's face it, Thursday is always the best night for television viewing (even if 99% of the tv we watch in the evening is recorded now and I couldn't tell you what program is on Thursday or any day for that matter).  So, I decided that this point of the summer is my Thursday.  Almost July 4th and still lots of potential for the remaining weeks.  At this very point, the summer holds lots of promise.

And, this little nester has accomplished a few things already!  I thought we would tick another major project off our list last weekend.  Floors for the baby's room!  Kevin kindly agreed to devote his weekend to laying floors in the nursery.  My pregnant self didn't see any other option so it was good of him to agree.

Here's the nursery/sweater drying room before.... AND THE BIG REVEAL!!!

Here's another angle....

Kevin fell ill halfway into the project (that's the hallway filled with nursery furniture).  He caught the stomach flu the boys had shared amongst themselves during the week.  He went down hard Saturday night, Sunday morning he forced himself to power through some more work to get to the halfway point.  Now we wait for days off.  Hopefully this is a one-day finish because there aren't many more open days in our summer full of potential.

Although I have had a few queasy days, I haven't gotten sick yet.  But really, I don't have time for that silliness... I have girl clothes to buy, scrapbooking to complete, day trips to plan.......  Please Lord, let me stay healthy.

The Joys of Literacy

Patrick can read.  For the moms who watch their kids go from early literacy to full on reading books cover to cover, you know what I'm talking about.  One day the light bulb turns on and it just keeps burning brighter and brighter.  Until one day, he reads something that you don't want him to read and you are wishing you could dial back the time machine that whisked you to this moment.....

So yesterday evening, I changed out of my work clothes and made the unfortunate decision to put on a tank top that Devre a friend bought me several years ago.  It is a pj top, not something I wear in public.  It happens to be screened and blinged with the word "Sexy."  I picked it because it is big and I thought it had a good chance of covering my belly (which it didn't).  Two seconds after going downstairs to get comfy, Patrick looks at my shirt and reads it out loud: "Sexy? What's that?"

Really?  Why me?

My own personal rainbow

Keith was sick yesterday.  It started around midnight when he came into my room saying something about the stuff in his mouth.  He was up every hour after that until the sun finally came up and he asked if he could go to VBS.  Um, no. 

Through the whole thing he was bubbly and engaging.  Perfect manners too, sort of hilarious at 2:30 am.  If it weren't for the bodily fluids, you would have never known that he was sick.  The upside to being sick: 1) the boy who loves his pjs gets to wear 4 different sets in one day; 2) watching movies on Mom's computer; 3) all day access to your chosen friend (yesterday it was Pluto, until Pluto was a victim of bodily fluids and had to take a bath with BaaBaa); and 4) the barf bowl (as pictured above).

He went to VBS today and is with Grandpa this afternoon.  I think it was a cootie acquired from finger sucking.  Whatever it was he's my little rainbow, even when he is puking all over my shoes.

For the love of sweet corn

We made the papers!  The boys and I braved the sweet corn crowd at Fresno State's market to feed Patrick's NEED for sweet corn.  The Fresno Bee was there to capture the experience.  You can see me and Keith waiting in line in the background of the picture.  I'm surprised the photographer didn't use the shots of Patrick methodically choosing his corn.  Here's the link to the story in the Bee: Sweet Corn Shoppers.

Luckily we got there early to secure our ears because they sold out by afternoon.  A great day yesterday! 

Pink Lint In My Dryer

It's a brave new world at our house.  PINK!  We sorted through girl clothes and boy clothes all weekend.  Unpacked, packed, washed, folded and sigh, done for now.  Can you see the boys fighting with swords in the background of this picture?  This is still a boy house through and through.

Here I am in all my pregnant glory.  Patrick was taking this picture for me, hence the 5 year old angle. 
UPDATES!  We are over halfway through the pregnancy.  The baby is growing and moving a lot these days.  Patrick and Kevin have both felt the baby kick.  Keith is a little too obsessed with his own baby to wait for mine to kick.  What?  You haven't heard?  Keith has a baby in his belly too.  His is a boy though.   

My baby is the size of a spaghetti squash!  We're so proud!  complaints: I have a serious case of preggo brain.  Excuse me if I can't remember your name or where I parked my car.  I am still fighting pregnancy headaches but they are coming every other day now instead of every day (Bonus).  And despite what my belly might tell you, this baby is riding low and probably will be for another few weeks.  I just have a big belly.  Little Spaghetti  Squash doesn't move above my belly button, the rest is just me.  On the upside, I finally have energy.  The last couple of weeks I have felt more like me.  One night Kevin couldn't believe that I was not only awake (and vertical) past 10 pm but I had also done laundry, made banana bread and changed sheets. 

Names?  Patrick's latest list includes: K-love and Calli.  Our list has stayed pretty short with Lauren, Erin and Caitlin.  Girl names are hard!

The boys are getting used to the idea of a new baby.  Keith has committed to stop sucking his finger before the baby gets here.  And he will be the chief table manners officer for the baby.  He even offered to hold the baby during dinners, "I hold baby in my yap and feed her."

In the meantime, we are set to enjoy the best summer ever while we wait for our new sister.

The Final Countdown

I've been planning our summer in my head for the last two months.  I just haven't had the time or energy to really plan (the boys are signed up for swim lessons and VBS, that's about as far as I got).  At some point, my mind planning turned into Internet planning and I found this really cute idea by Meg at whatever...    This seemed right up our alley.  I started a list, Patrick added on, I deleted a lot of my things and we set out to implement our Things to Do This Summer list.  We love it.

We found super cute font for our list!

Patrick cut the list out with the "fun" scissors

Then he glued mounted each one on a bright summer color he chose.

The garage door before.....

Sticking the list to the door.....

After.....

I love this list. He was so excited about dominoes we already checked that off the list.  Most of these are his.... you can probably find mine. 

Learn to play dominoes

Go To the train museum

Make S’mores

Drink Icees 7-11

Collect shells at the beach

Paint on real canvas

Finish Harry Potter

Play Nerf Gun wars

Ride without training wheels

Practice Math Facts

Practice First Grade words

Play basketball

Pick berries

Make popsicles

Tent Camping

Build Lego masterpieces

Take cooking classes

Go to the zoo

Practice front flips

Teach Keith his colors

Climb trees with Robby

Play with play dough

Practice sharing with Keith

Eat sushi outside

Picnic in the park

Go to the Circus