She's 3!!!!!!!!!!!

To prepare for the big day, the Wednesday before, I took Emery for her first hair cut and pedicure. She had such a great girly day w/ mom (And Cruz and London) and felt like a such a big girl!



Thursday, February 9th, 2012 was so much fun. Poor Christopher worked from 6pm the night before, until 10:30 that morning. He was exhausted.. but as great daddy's do, he "napped" for 2 hours and we left for Great Wolf with Grandma and Grandpa Deccio. The drive was very quick luckily, and Emery was ecstatic when we walked in to kid heaven.

Before the Lodge, Emery had school, where she took Chocolate Chip cookies in to her friends, to celebrate turning 3 years old. She was given a crown and a sweet birthday card from her teachers, and after school we waited at home for daddy.. talking about the surprise we had for her and how excited she was to eat her flower cake.



We got there, threw on our suits and into the water we went. She had so much!!! WE had so much fun. Grandma and Grandpa came with, so that the whole weekend could be all about Emery, and we would have help w/ Cruz and London. (Who had fun in the water too!) We wanted to make sure that she knew how wonderful it was that this was the day she was born, and changed our lives forever. (Yes, I know she's only 3.. but we tell her this all the time.) After swimming, eating and putting jammies on, Emery finally got to have her flower cake.. and open presents. Lots of clothes, roller blades, a book, zuzu pet, a walking/barking dog, slippers and a new swim suit. She practiced her roller blades before going to bed. :)







The whole weekend was in the water.. other than to find fun treasures w/ her magic wand. She was sung to and got lots of treats from the lodge. Overall, definitely a wonderful family mini-vacation spot.





Its so hard to believe that she's already 3 years old. She's still cracking us up every day... well almost every day. ;) She's says, "Woah woah woah... this is the deal..." When she wants something.. Always wants to mother the babies.. She's awesome.

She's almost 3!!!

I was thinking today, about how three years ago I was laying on my couch on 130th ave, watching Sex and the City re-runs, praying to go into labor so I could get off bed rest and meet the baby girl I'd been dreaming about and wishing for, for so many years. (I'd only been on bed rest a week. My fluid was low and my doctor was out of town.) I can't believe how fast 3 years goes. I can remember staring at my belly, watching her move around in her very limited space, picturing her face and dreaming of holding her in my arms. Begging for the days to pass so I could just see her. So many people have told me that they knew they loved their babies while carrying them, but they didn't feel attached until a few weeks after their birth. I felt like I'd loved Emery from the second I knew she was growing inside of me. I was instantly so protective and I couldn't imagine loving her more... oh but I did!

In a short number of days, my beautiful baby girl will turn 3 years old. I've heard about and witnessed "3" being tougher than "2" and I think I'm prepared, but if the last few weeks are a prelude to this next year, I welcome it warmly. Emery has her moments, but she is a wonderful child. I am so incredibly proud to be her mom. She's gorgeous, but aside from that, her inquisitions amaze me, and her drive amazes me. Watching her grow from a baby to a little girl has been wonderful. I look forward to this year, as I honestly feel that I missed the last one. I won't get her 3rd year back, but I can make sure that this next one, and the ones after are as great as I can make them for her.

Great Wolf Lodge in 3 days! I can't wait to watch she and daddy flying down those slides. Christopher is the most amazing daddy and she has him wrapped around her little finger... just as she should. <3

Love my family so much.

Oh to be 3 again...

Today was so much fun! We took Emery to JJ Jump in Hazel Dell, where we go often, but usually I just have to watch her bounce and play alone... today, Chris came w/ and I got to be 3 years old again for a good 15 minutes. :) We jumped, and slid down slides and pushed each other down. It was a blast. There are so many days that I watch my baby girl adopt other moms to play w/ her at these play places because I have London and Cruz w/ me and I'm not able to leave the table. I'd be lying if I said I didn't get a tear or two from time to time, wishing it was me playing with her.. but today it was. I loved every second I had climbing up slides and bouncing around w/ her. She is so much fun and has the very best personality of any kid I've ever met. When she's in her element, there is nothing better than her.

We got a little bit of snow today.. nothing to "blog" about, but Emery woke up from her nap to huge snow flakes. "MOM!!! MOM!!! It's a surprise! Its snowing! We can go out in it, and we can make a snow man, and we need to give him a nose yike me and eyes and a bottom!" LOL ooookay honey! Chris, Emery, London and I went out in the snow while Cruz was sleeping and she and daddy made a mini snowman, and she threw snowballs at mommy. It was adorable and so worth the cold. I absolutely adore that kid. She's amazing. Absolutely Amazing.

Blessed

It's way too late.. I should definitely be sleeping, but my mind is going. A friend from high school lives in Las Vegas w/ her fiancé and 4 daughters. The youngest was diagnosed w/ a heart abnormality very early in pregnancy and it was known that she would have surgeries immediately. I want to say that around 4-6 days after birth she had her first open heart surgery and just had her second yesterday. 2 open heart surgeries in less that 9 months. I don't remember her birthday exactly. She's been posting updates and photos on Facebook and I can't help but feel sick to my stomach. How blessed am I? How incredibly blessed are Chris and I to not only have the three children that we do, but they are all perfectly healthy? How did we get so lucky? I can not begin to imagine what it must feel like to hand your precious baby over to a team of doctors, to be sedated and sawed into. The thought literally makes me sick. I feel for Rachelle and her fiancé more than I can express. As sorry and I am for them though, I wish and pray to never ever know what they are going through. My only ask in this life is for my children to remain as healthy as they are today.

It makes me think about how often I get frustrated w/ my kids. How easily it is for me to sit down and shake my head or raise my voice to Emery... and not that this will change it, because tomorrow morning when I'm exhausted and she's whining for something, I will probably do the same, but I am the luckiest girl I know. My kids are wonderful, amazing, HEALTHY and stole my heart the second I knew I was carrying them. There is nothing like this. Motherhood. Nothing.

Thoughts, hopes and prayers for Rachelle and her family tonight and everything forward. God Bless you Baby Cora.

Poop and stuff...

So the night before last, I have all 3 in the bath, pulling one out to dry & dress at a time. London is done, I have Cruz on the floor, (who is like trying to dress a rabid animal) and emery starts jumping up & down that she has to poop. I ask her to hold on just a sec til I have his jammies on. She says she can't wait so I let him free and take her to the potty. Explosion. She says shes done so I proceed to "clean up" except she's not done.... My hand (covered w/ a wipe but still) is full. Two babies are trying everything they can to get into the toilet and I'm at a loss. Set the wipe down, move children... Repeat. I had to close them into the master closet (it's in the bathroom) to get the job done due to their determination. Not only did I earn AND treat myself to a handful of oreos, but also a giant coffee in the morning.

Today, Cruz and London had their 9 month well check. Though it was a "well" check, they both have pink eye and London has a bit of a cold. (Emery also has pink eye!) Everything else looked good physically. They are way ahead in mobility than even "to date" 9 month old babies. I wasn't surprised... they keep me running all day long. She was surprised by how many words London has. (Mama, Dada, Dog, Hi and Hot) and how well Cruz can stand. (Only about 5 seconds at a time, but he's very steady.)

London is 14lbs. 15oz and 26 inches tall. 3rd percentile in weight, 5th for height and 5th for head circumference.
Cruz is 15lbs. 13oz. and 26 1/4 inches tall. Under the 3rd percentile for weight, 5th for height and 5th for head. She was a little concerned about his growth. He IS growing, so he's okay, but she really wants him to put on a little more. Eat fattier foods, and more of them. Suggested I add more calories to my diet and drink more water. I was afraid she was going to suggest supplementing w/ a fatty formula, but she didn't. That made me happy. Avocado and butter it is! :)