Allyson is on the move!

It's official...she is crawling like a crazy monkey--in fact she's coming this way! I have to sweep the floor at least three times a day because she will find the tiniest speck of...whatever on the floor. LOL! Say good-bye to the mini Lego's and the Barbie shoes for a while.

I will more than likely be posting even less now. It's very busy here. (But I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!)

Can I Tell You a Secret?

No! I am not pregnant again! But it has a little something to do with pregnancy. A friend of mine had a beautiful baby boy last week and I was just looking at some pictures of her family. The love in their eyes was overpowering. What a blessing! (Here comes the secret part...) I would LOVE another baby. I thought that I was cured of the aching womb syndrome after Allyson's traumatic birth. But I guess not. Gulp.

Lulu's fourth birthday

It was a great day! We started out with our traditional cake for breakfast. Don't ask me how it started, but it's kind of cute don't you think?? Then the kids gave her their gifts. Ryan gave her a Carebear and a pack of gum. A pack of gum you ask...in our house you have to be four to chew gum so this was a BIG DEAL! Emily gave her a Little Mermaid nightgown. She loved it of course! Zachary gave her some Web Kindz cards that she quickly opened and scanned through. Neil and I gave her a Wii Sing It game. She is such a little performer. It came with a microphone! The whole family played it for most of the morning. Later on we went to dinner at Lindsey's favorite restaurant...Bugaboo Creek. All of the kids behaved so well. It was nice. What was also really nice was that the place was practically empty due to the Patriots Game. So, in short, Lindsey had a terrific birthday! Here she is (above) chewing her piece of gum and making a wish in her pj's. :) I don't know how she managed to keep the gum in her mouth while she blew out the candle..but she did! What talent! I Love you Lindsey!

Looking back to four years ago...

Tomorrow is my dear sweet Lindsey Lulu's birthday. In her honor I would like to post her birth story. I love you Lulu! You have brought such life into our family! With you, we never know what will happen next. LOL! You are cherished sweet girl!


~Lindsey Ann~
January 20, 2004
1:21pm
8lbs 10oz 20.5inches

The phone rings just before 5:00am. It's the hospital letting us know that we are going to have our fourth baby today! "Please be here by 6:00am." they say. I look over at Neil who is half asleep rubbing his eyes and think... I hope that I make him proud today. Neil takes the phone to call his mother. Quickly, (as quick as a beached whale) I jump into the shower. As I massage my belly with a bar of Ivory, I try and enjoy my last hours of being pregnant. The plethora of emotions is amazing. I can't wait to meet my beautiful baby girl, yet I can't help but lament the fact that I will never be pregnant again.( I know mom, I've said THAT before!) I also worry... Will I be a good mom to all four of them? Will I still be able to be a good wife? Will I ever be alone again?

As I try to stretch the bath towel around my ever expanding body for the very last time, I can't help but think, "Where has this pregnancy gone?" The last few weeks have been very uncomfortable and stressful- to say the least. I wont miss being in pain, but I will miss feeling my baby's every move, even if she decided that my bladder was an excellent beanbag chair. Oh, and the special glow that only a pregnant woman has, my glow will be gone.

I write a little note to Ryan and Emily to put in their lunch boxes. Ryan doesn't like when I do this, but I just know that he will appreciate it today. I know Em's will share it with her teacher who will make her feel extra special today. "I love you very much," I write, with lots of X's and O's.

Its 5:30 and Zach (our two year old) wakes up. I give him his juice and change him. I tell him that Nana is coming over to watch a dinosaur movie with him. He seems excited. I tell him that I am going to the doctor's and Nana will take good care of him. My eyes fill up as I think that his life will never be the same. Not long after Neil exits the shower, Nana arrives. God bless her. She notices that Zach is having a hard time and gets the big dinosaur box out to play his favorite game. After a quick kiss and hug to Zachary, we are off!

We are running a bit behind schedule and Neil insists on stopping at the store to get an energy drink. I am annoyed because I don't want to be late. Doh! Oh how I hate to be late...especially when I am having a baby. We arrive at the hospital. I am trying not to ruin this moment by being aggravated with Neil, but the steam is pouring out of my ears. Doh again!

When is this stupid elevator going to open? Neil is staring at the back of my head wondering what my problem is. I can't see him, but I just know he is rolling his eyes. Why can't I just relax and enjoy this time?

We sit down at "check in" ten minutes late. The woman is really nice and making chit chat. As she yaps I am thinking, "Maybe we can blame our tardiness on Miss Skinny Minny Chatty Pants?" Neil had better enjoy his energy drink.

The nurse gets us settled into our room fairly quickly. I am in my johnny feeling a slight breeze on my ever so sexy backside right about now. Neil is pacing already, probably from the flipping energy drink. (Okay, I really need to let it go!) I am getting myself prepared. There are advantages and disadvantages to having done this before. I know that I can handle it, but the thought of going through this again is intimidating to say the least.

The doctor comes in to check me. I am three centimeters. For the love of Pete! I have been three centimeters since conception! This is not my regular doctor, but one that I have seen here at the hospital for every one of my kids. He has a history of not being there when it counts. Let's see what happens this time. He decides to break my water and start the pitocin. So I am all hooked up here watching Good Morning America. I never watch TV during the day so it's kind of a nice treat, I guess.

Neil thinks that they should turn the pitocin up a bit because the contractions aren't really that powerful yet. Huh? Ummmmm...okay buddy, you just sit in the nice comfy chair over there and drink your drink okay?

The room is cold, I can't get comfortable. Neil agrees, and goes to find someone. When a nurse comes in, we ask if she can turn up the heat. A nurse comes in and tries, but it's not working right. During contractions I need to be able to focus, and I can't because I am so cold and Neil is dancing around the room to keep warm.

As the nurse exits to find someone to help with the heat, a contraction briskly takes over my chilled body. I find a speck on the floor to look at during my contractions and I am breathing as well as praying...that is what I do. I say one Our Father, and one Hail Mary. When I am done with the Our Father, I know that the worst is over. However, my husband has decided to dance on my flipping speck! Geesh! I make a hand gesture for him to move, apparently he doesn't see it. Frap, I am trying so hard to remain focused, but for some reason I can't stop laughing, even though the contraction is a doozy, and laughing is making it hurt even more. Neil is baffled. He has no idea what I am doing. He is looking at the monitor and can tell that I am contracting and he’s trying to decipher my hand gesture as well as figure out why I am laughing. Doh! This is the longest freaking' contraction of my four labor career! Isn't it weird, despite being in the worst pain in my life, I am laughing???? Laughing!

Poor Neil, wait a minute...poor me. The nurse brings in her other nurse friend in to see if she can get the radiator to work. Nurse friend bangs on the side a few times and says, "If this doesn't work, we'll have to get the plumber." (The plumber! Oh sure...just what I need to focus. "Hey Gus, What do ya think? Should I squat or lay down to deliver this baby?") No thank you!

Before the next contraction, I try to explain why I was laughing last time. He says "I got it. I will stay out of your way." So here comes another. Oh man! This is not going well. I am saying my Our Father, shivering, breathing, and listening to my husband dancing again, this time away from my speck. Tap tap tap tap tap tap. Man! Since when does my husband dance? He barely danced at our wedding! And what the heck is on the television?! "Husbands Who Cheat," Maury Povitch is on?!

Argggggggggggggggg!!! This is so painful. Focus Kelly focus..... I start to gesture again. This time I don't even know what the heck I am saying. Evidently waving a clenched hand in a circular motion isn't the universal sign for stop tapping your feet dumbass! Lately every sentence that I utter to Neil ends in that word, that’s not a good sign. I have always been so in control during labor. Why isn't this working? I calm down and gently explain that his toe tapping is really annoying me. In fact the lights and television are bothering me. (To be honest your breathing is bothering me buddy.)

So with dim lights and no Maury, the next contraction quickly begins. Hey, this isn't so bad. I'm breathing, I'm praying, my speck is right there and all is well. Phew! That wasn't so bad. As it ends I look over to find Neil crouched in a ball on the floor between the wall and the bed. Oh my Lord! Am I that scary?!! I start to laugh again. Am I on a dang sitcom?

My labor is really getting hard now. Luckily the new nurse knows how to work the heat. I am at 7 centimeters and the contractions are coming every two minutes. The medication that I said that I didn't want is now become incredibly tempting. Should I? Yes, I will. No, I want to do this without medication. I am so cold, despite the heat kicking on and I just can't seem to get in the zone. The nurse brings me warm blankets. Oh my, what a difference that makes!

The doctor comes in to check on us. He says that he is amazed that I am not crying yet. Huh? I guess I will accept those touching words of encouragement and proceed with my labor.. The nurse dims the lights and I am starting to shake. (Hail Mary...at least I'm not singing "Old MacDonald" like my last labor.) My back is really hurting. I roll over and Neil presses on it for me. "More pressure," I say. "Don't move." "Harder please!" "Not there," "Over." I bet he wishes he were back in his corner. The poor guy is afraid to move.

After a few more contractions, I decide to ask for medication. This labor has been so intense and I am not dealing well despite the efforts of Neil, the nurse, the doctor, and an earthy crunchy mid-wife that keeps coming in to check on us. I seriously want to poke her in the eye. I think everyone in the room breaths a sigh of relief as the meds kick in.

I am finally relaxed. I am snoozing in between contractions trying to gain strength for the pushing stage. Ironically, just when I am ready to push, the doctor is no where to be found. Hmmm where have I seen this before? He's in the middle of a c-section. In strolls "Earthy Crunchy Midwife" again. Oy! I am in the middle of a contraction and she starts to talk to me. To her credit, she is incredibly encouraging, but I couldn't stomach the touchy feeliness. Immediately, our nurse reminds her that I don't like to be spoken to. (I think I scared them all.) Crunchy tells me to trust my body, and if I feel like pushing, to push. Well that's all I needed to hear. And with one glove on Crunch has to leap to catch Lindsey. Ironically, just as she comes out, in slides the panting doctor. Man! What a relief!

Oh my goodness! Looking at her made my heart melt on the spot. As she lay on my chest, her body molding into mine. I realize that I am no longer cold. The warmth in the room is almost overwhelming. She's just perfect. They clean her up and hand her to Neil. As I watch him tenderly holding his baby girl I realize why I fell in love with him. I doubt that I made Neil proud today, but judging by look of utter joy in his eyes, I am very certain that Lindsey has!

Did you know...

I love this drooly smile!

I am a bit embarrassed to admit this, but along with my family and friends and all of the usual things that one is thankful for there is one rather unusual thing that I am very very grateful for... Google. (Hee he) How did I get through life without it? Especially since my children ask the greatest questions. Questions that I would never in my wildest dreams come up with.

One day, out of the blue my oldest son Ryan asks me, "Do eyeballs grow?" "Excuse me?" I reply (trying to buy myself some time). He graciously repeats the question. At this point I know that he's got me on this one. I have two options here: Option 1: I can use the old stand by and suggest
that he look it up. Or I could admit (like I almost always do) that I have no idea but will find out for him. This is where my friend Google comes in.

If the baby has a weird rash...Google. If I need a snazzy meatloaf recipe...Google. Or if my youngest son Zachary asks me if spiders fart...Google! Where do they come up with these questions? (And no Neil the next time you fart in bed don't even try to blame a spider!)

I hope they always come to me with their questions...and I hope I am always blessed with the internet and Google!

Morning Madness

This was a little essay that I wrote for my children's school newsletter that I thought I would share. It just goes to show you that we are all human...





I can be a real grouch in the morning. Our two oldest children (as well as my poor husband) understand that I need a little time to perk up (coffee) before I can deal with the morning rush on school days. Our three youngest kids however, haven't figured this out yet. I shamefully proclaim this because I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. Now I sit here feeling terrible because I made Zachary (our kindergartner) feel badly. He even told me that I hurt his feelings! I gruffly apologized as he went out the door but that really doesn't count.


Since September I have established a nice routine. I feed the baby at the crack of dawn and put her back to sleep. Then I attempt to get a few more winks before I whack the snooze button a few times. That's when I carefully sneak down stairs to have a nice cup of coffee... ALONE. Making my way down the stairs undetected is sometimes a challenge. I need to literally tip toe so that our three year old Lindsey doesn't hear me. She will sleep through thunderstorms and the smoke alarm but one false move and her big blue eyes instantly pop open ready to start the day.



When I begin my descent down the stairs, I am mindful of certain steps because they creek. (Along with my toes and knees.) There is an art to going down quietly. I need to skip the third step, then move to the left on the fifth one, otherwise they creek. (On really cold mornings all bets are off...they all make noise so I just make a break for it!) The solitude is what helps me start my day off nicely. I don't even need to finish the entire mug to feel at peace with the world. I simply need a few sips while slapping lunches and snacks together before everyone comes running at me to fix their hair, find a shoe, sign a permission slip...


Obviously things didn't go according to my routine today. The baby woke up several times last night so Neil (my husband) got up first. Trying to be thoughtful, he shut off the alarm so I could sleep later. He mistakenly decided to wake me at the same time that the kids got up. Disoriented and exhausted, I made my way to the kitchen to turn the monitor on so I could listen for Allyson (the baby). Next, I lined up the lunch boxes and proceeded to sluggishly organize snacks. As I began to make the coffee, I heard Lindsey on the baby monitor loudly opening the door to our room where the baby was sleeping. Not wanting her to wake the baby, I raced up there like a crazed lunatic. But instead of stopping her, I scared the poor love and she began to cry. Neil, who was sternly eyeballing me as if I was the wicked witch of New England, quickly came to Lindsey's rescue.


Next, Zachary decided that his pants were too loose and the new sneakers that he loved so very much in the store felt too tight and he didn't want to wear either of them. At that point any alternative that I offered wasn't working and that's when I began my mini rampage. Ryan and Emmy (our two oldest children) just kept their distance and Yes Mommed me, but Zach and Lindsey were distraught. I had no patience for their complaints and no solutions to offer them either. It was My Way Or The Highway!. To be perfectly honest...I lost my cool.


I have already snuggled with Lindsey and let her know that I was sorry, but Zachary is at school and I can't talk to him until 2:00. I wish there was an "I am sorry that I am a Mean Mom" hotline at the school. If I could call, it would go something like this:


"Hi Mrs. Lynn, it's Zachary's mom calling again.


Yes I realize this is the second call I've made this week but the baby is getting teeth and well...


Anyway, could you give Zachary a message for me?


Could you tell him that I am sorry that I made him wear the pants that he doesn't like today?


Oh and would you let him know that I am not going to throw away any Pokemon cards that I
find around the house because he didn’t put them away?


Also, Mrs. Lynn, can you kindly inform him that I will buy the real Apple Cinnamon Cheerios next timeI go shopping.


One more thing...could you please tell him that I love him?


Thank you."


Since there isn't a hotline, I need to try harder to roll with the punches in the morning. I just wish 2:00 would come faster! Do you think Zach's teacher would mind if I snuck in at rest time to snuggle?

Have you seen my...

It's a snow day here! I absolutely LOVE days like these. We all stay in our pj's for most of the morning and play games or snuggle while watching a movie, and then after lunch I gather up all of the snow pants, gloves, boots, hats and jackets and hand them out to the kids.

We have lots of other children in the neighborhood so it is a glorious sight. I am fairly well prepared for this day mainly because THE BIG SNOW STORM has been on the news non-stop for days now. Have you noticed that it's always a STORM now? We could be getting two inches of snow and they call it this. It's nuts. So everything is organized and ready to go for the kids. I left my husband in charge of his own stuff. I think I may have made a mistake...

This morning Neil was pacing around the house looking bewildered. "Hun," he asks scratching his head, "Have you seen my boots?" Two minutes later "Kel, have you seen my keys?" Then shortly after that, "Where is my coffee mug?" I love him to death, but holy macaroni! As if I don't have enough to keep track of?
Lucky for him his boots were where he left them, keys in his pocket and mug next to the sink. I think he's just overcome by my first thing in the morning beauty and can't think straight. LOL! I wish!

I love that man! I wish he had a snow day too!

Go Pats!!!

My sweet husband is a HUGE football fan!!
Me.....not so much. Needless to say, we are going to his sister's house for dinner and games, followed by the BIG GAME. The New England Patriots are playing....ummmmmm yeah I dunno the name of the other team. Lindsey said the Yankees LOL! I am embarrassed that I really don't know and frankly don't really care. What is wrong with me?

I am looking forward to spending time with some nice people and watching my MIL enjoy the baby. That's it. Oh and not having to make dinner. YAY!

Beautiful Day!

Today's weather was unusually warm and since I have been couped up in the house for what seems to be months (only weeks) with sick children, I was very eager to go for a nice long walk with the girls.

Before Neil left for work I enthusiastically skipped to the garage to dig out the double jogging stroller. As I raised the door I realized that this wasn't going to be an easy job. I needed to move the trash barrels, a cozy coupe car, two scooters, a bike, the snow blower, sleds, and three hula hoops. Surprisingly,this amazing discovery didn't dampen my spirits. After I shoved all of the stuff back into the garage (why do we even call it a garage? In the thirteen years that we've been here, I have never seen our car in there?) I realized that I needed to move the mini van over in the driveway because I can't fit the wide carriage by. After thinking about it for a moment,I decided to move it after Neil went to work so he wouldn't be late.

Once Neil left, it was clear that Allyson (the baby) was in no mood to go for a nice long walk. I surrendered to her whines by nursing her and she quickly dozed off. The poor sweet girl has had a terrible time with this cold and is completely off of her schedule. I am also convinced that she has BSPS --boogie sucker panic syndrome. Every time I come near her with that syringe thingy to clear her nose she goes nutty. I feel so badly for the poor love, but she can't breathe unless I help her.

(This is turning into a much longer story than I had planned, but I am going with it.)

While Ally slept, Lindsey did a little art project and I caught up on emails. It seemed like forever for the baby to wake up. She very rarely takes long naps but of course she is sleeping like my father in law on Thanksgiving. I could hear her snoring on the monitor and while I was happy for my darling child, Lindsey and I were ready to go!

I decided to go out to move the car and be prepared for the "awakening." I packed a little bag of toys, a blanket, and a juice box for our journey. Lucky for us all, Allyson woke up as chipper as can be.

Our walks are like therapy for me. I love to exercise! It lifts me and makes me a better mom and wife (I think?). We sometimes walk for hours just laughing and chatting away. To be perfectly honest, half of the time I have absolutely no idea what Lindsey is saying to me. I just "Um hum," her as I breathe the fresh air and enjoy the change of scenery. For all I know I could have promised her cheese curls for lunch!

Unfortunately for me, Lindsey wasn't enjoying today's walk as much as Allyson and I, and after a quick twenty minutes she declared she was cold and wanted to go home. I reluctantly headed back. It's okay though because it's going to be even warmer tomorrow and maybe I'll convince Lindsey to stay out longer in exchange for cheese curls for lunch.

(Mom, I am just kidding.)

Kissing Cousins

Happy New Year everyone! The kids went back to school today, and boy did I miss them. We had such a nice Christmas and a warm and cozy vacation. As you can see, my niece Kayli came over for Christmas dinner (she brought her parents and her baby sister Mady too LOL!) My parents, my brothers and their spouses all came. It was fabulous!! Lindsey and Kay got along really well. Lindsey adores having friends over and was "out of her mind" excited to share her new toys with her cousin. The two of them enjoyed their time together.

Sorry that this entry is a short one, but I really wanted to pop in before homework time to send you my warmest wishes!