Finally Feeling Four

Today my 4 year old announced she FINALLY felt 4. Her birthday was on Monday and all week she told me she didn't feel 4 yet. I told her that mama doesn't feel 36 either and it can some times take weeks to feel your new age. Lucky for her it only took 6 days to feel like a full fledged 4 year old.

She had a princess party last Sunday and a small family party on her birthday (Monday). The pictures say more than I could possible write about how her party went so here goes...

In Memory

My mother-in-law, Jean, passed away Tuesday. Today her family has gathered for a memorial service. Unfortunately, I was not able to make it due to little ones, colds and a very special birthday party for my oldest. My husband is in Florida celebrating his mother's wonderful life and my heart is with him and his family today.

Bring on the chaos

Oh how the holidays are fast approaching all of us! As for most, chaos ensues and as much planning as we may try there will be ups & downs this holiday season. I am lucky in that Thanksgiving isn't a big family holiday. My husband ALWAYS works (he leaves the day before) and the kids and I usually enjoy a dinner at my folks. Just the 5 of us! It's nice and we do all the foods but in many ways the only difference between a Sunday dinner at my parents and Thanksgiving is the menu. I am happy that this year I will get to enjoy all the food. I will not being doing my gestational diabetes test till some time in December (which could mean no fun Christmas food).

Speaking of gestational, everything is going well and I am feeling the flutters. I love this part where you can feel the baby but it isn't quite big enough to pack a punch. The second trimester is by far my favorite! The only downside is this one is giving me heart burn. I am chomping on the tums and hoping that if this baby is a boy he doesn't come out with the same amount of hair as his older sister, otherwise we will be getting our first haircut once he can hold up his head.

Ry at 5 weeks with bad hair and bad baby acne (her teenage years will be fun)!

After the fun Turkey feast we will be prepping for Ry 4th birthday. I am so excited because this year we are having a princess party at Studio J! We have never done a party outside of our home but with my pregnancy, Gs hectic schedule and holiday craze we felt it best to lower our stress and have it some place else. The only thing I need to bring is a CAKE! Love it. We are inviting all the girls from her preschool class and a few of her other friends. It should be fun and I am hoping for a good turnout. We will do a small family party on her actual birthday. I am even more excited for that... she will be getting my old dollhouse (my mom refurbished it) . I bought all the furniture (Fisher Price makes some plastic stuff that is fitting for a 4 year old) and my mom saved many of my old furniture that I am cleaning and hoping to give to her over time (depending on how well she handles the plastic). My old dollhouse was by far my most favorite gift I received. I got it for Christmas when I was five and I LOVED IT. I hope she gets as much enjoyment out of it as I did.

E is doing swell. With everything going on for Ry's birthday I realized I forgot my little man. I never made his 1 year birthday video. I hope to spend the next week (evenings, of course) working on it. I told myself I can't start Ry's video till I complete his. I can't believe I let it go for so long but it will be done!

To tie you over till I get E's video done, I give you my kids and an afternoon at Easton watching the train. It's riveting!

Thank you to my vet

Today we recognize those who have served our country. For me, I am blessed to be able to thank my husband who served during the Iraq War. Prior to the war officially being announced my husband began doing trips into Iraq on the C-141. He was a flight engineer and his unit was responsible (initially) for taking cargo into the war zone. We were just dating at the time but within weeks of his first trip for his reserve unit he was activated. I was quite frightened at the time on what it would mean... would he be gone for a year... would I ever see him...would our relationship survive. We made plans for him to move his personal items to my apartment (essentially moving in with me). We got his finances in order so we could pay all of his bills during his activation. We crossed the t's and dotted the i's.

Once he settled all his items we made a BIG decision to move forward in our relationship and began ring shopping! We knew where we wanted 'us' to go and we were going to move forward. His official active duty began in February 2003. His unit was responsible for leaving from Wright-Patt to Germany. From there they would fly down to Iraq during the night (drop off cargo) and pick-up wounded soldiers to take back to Germany. Then take soldiers from Germany back to the states (wounded). His unit was a flying hospital. I was so proud of the work he was doing and grateful that he was contributing in a positive way to help the men and women on the front line.

His activation was renewed after 1 year and he continued to serve another. During that time he would be home for a couple of weeks then gone for 1 to 2. He was home quite a bit (more than I initially thought) and through that time our relationship flourished. We became engaged in September 2003, bought our first house and got married July 2004, made plans to start our family.

My most fond memory is the night he called me from the plane over Turkey to tell me he was safe! It was his last trip into Iraq. I called his mom and told her the news and she was thrilled to know it was over (at least for Glenn).

Glenn: Thank you for everything you did during your time served as well as your entire military career. I couldn't be more proud!

My husband retired in 2006.

Pictures from Glenn's retirement ceremony:

BOO!

This year there were 2 new things for our trick-or-treating adventures. First, G was HOME! He hasn't been home since Ry's first trick-or-treat and she was all of 10 months old. That year the three of us sat outside and passed out candy. Second, we added a 2nd trick-or-treater... presenting Mr. Bumblebee. This is Ry's old costume and it is now missing it's head piece. I am sure I will find it by next Halloween! However, tubs won't be wearing it. I will finally deck him out in a BIG Boy outfit. I can't wait.
As usually my parents came over to pass out candy so we could go out as a family of four. E was insistent on pulling the wagon so I stayed between the Running Fairy and the Must Take My Time as I am Pulling a Wagon Bee so I could attempt to enjoy the adventure my children were having. Finally I told G to give the Bee a lollipop and he sat back for the rest of the ride. He didn't even want to get out to say Tick Teet with a lovely of Hank Oww afterward. Ry was kind enough to request a treat for her brother at every house (way to load up on the candy) and even put it in his basket. It was quite sweet.
Today (3 days after the fanfare) Ry and I did a trade-in on the candy. I loathe the treats and the persistence of an almost 4 year old begging all day for a treat. So I offered her a new barbie and she could keep 5 pieces (thank you to my friend Jeanne who told me of such offer...it worked wonders). So now we are down to five (only 1 a day). Ry had her treat at 8:30 this morning...

In Honor of The Girls

This pregnancy has been fairly typical of my other two in many ways. I am carrying the same, which means I currently look like a fat blob. I am not saying that to be negative it just happens to be the truth. My boobs tend to take over in my pregnancy and although my belly is growing below them, it does not grow at the same rapid pace as my girls.
The girls, ta-tas, my boobs, breasts, whatever you want to call them have a mind of their own. I can go up a zillion sizes while pregnant which suffice to say they each will become as big as my head.
My girls and I have had a love-hate relationship since I was told I needed to purchase my first bra the summer before 6th grade. Boy was I mad when my mother suggested I needed support and we needed to go shopping for one of those sling shots. When we went to the store I was completely mortified at the prospect of owning the two triangles hanging from a string. Why me? And why is there a man in the Ladies Only department. I attempted to hide underneath one of the racks when I spotted THE MAN. How could he come here and be a part of this traumatic day. Didn't he know that a little girl was getting her first bra. The indecency of him.
My mother struggled through the shopping experience and all the ones that followed through my formative years. I still freaked out when men were in the LADIES ONLY department of the store and prayed we wouldn't make eye contact (in fear they would know why I was there)!
My teenage years I was a busty girl and I had my sights on a reduction surgery as soon as I could afford one (having no idea what it might cost). I endured the nickname Maribrest in high school but once I arrived in college I was blessed with a new nickname having nothing to do with my enlarged mammary glands.
Through my twenties I got my weight down and ta-da my boobs shrank. I found the secret and kept myself in shape and within what I considered a normal bra size. Then pregnancy happened and the girls had a mind of their own along with the aches and pains of a growing bosom. This is my third go around at watching them have a mind of their own and you would think I would be okay with it. I would be but for some reason this time brings more pain than I recall with my previous pregnancies. I feel like they are out to prove something this time around. "Look at us, lets see how BIG we can get since this will be our last time to stretch ourselves to the limit!" I am honest fear of what they will look like post-pregnancy/nursing phase when they are at their height of insane size. They may each be the size of a watermelon if they had any say... and lets be honest they have all the say in the world.
I use to tease the girls when I nurse about how I could feed a family of four on what I produced alone. I have a feeling I may be looking at Duggar size this time around!
So as I move forward through this second trimester looking more top heavy and less pregnant I pledge to love the girls more than I have in years past. It maybe because they are causing me such pain in the month of October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month) that I have opted to take the higher road in this last growth spurt of my friends. I will cherish them and appreciate all they have done for me and my children.

Silence is Golden

I can't believe I went 3 months without posting! CRAZY but summer was full of activities and vacations plus I was keeping a secret...
As many of you know we are expecting our third in March and it has taken most of the time away from blogging for me to get excited for this surprise. I feel my plate is pretty full with the two we have but after a few months of adjusting to the news my enthusiasm has caught up with my husband's... THANK GOODNESS. I am about 17 weeks or so (that is a conservative number as I am too busy to keep track, hello it is #3). I am looking forward to feeling the flutters soon and our next ultrasound at the end of the month.

A Day Late

Yesterday was our Fifth Anniversary!

July 2004

October 2005

August 2006

September 2007

Fall 2008

Spring 2009

I can't believe how much we have done in five short years. I love you and all the blessings you've given me. I am excited to see what the next five years will bring!

Meet My Godson

Last weekend my family drove down south for the Baptism of Ryan James! I was thrilled that my friends, the Lundy's asked me to be a part of their lives FOREVER or at least their son's. It was a wonderful weekend... okay minus all the items I forgot and the horrendous car ride. But we made it, had a good time visiting with our friends and their family. I hope to go down there again soon (once the ringing in my ears from Evan's screaming stops and I've fully recovered)!

Thank you again Lundy's and next time we will leave early.

Fireworks

It has been YEARS since I've seen any fireworks and this year I made plans to take the plunge and take the kiddies to see some. I was concerned as I didn't know how either of my children

would react. Ryleigh is known for her fears and Evan is still quite young. And to top it off, Glenn was leaving for work. So I made plans to meet up with my good friend, Jeanne and her family. I felt comfortable knowing I wouldn't be doing it alone. Saturday, we woke up and Glenn had a show at home for work. This meant there was a chance he would be home.

Last night, we packed the kids in the car (notice the WE, yup G was in town) and headed to Jeanne's house. We followed them over to her MIL to park and headed down toward the fireworks. My friend, Melissa and her clan (minus 1 - they didn't bring their 1 year old) met up with all of us. We decided to hit the elementary school playground before finding a spot to sit. We let them burn off some energy and about 45 minutes to an hour later we got a grassy spot to sit.

The kids got to play with sparklers (thanks Jeanne) and eat snacks (thanks Melissa) and WAIT. It felt like we waited forever and then finally they started. Ry was sitting in our double stroller with big eyes but only once did she cover her ears due to the noise (the finale). And Evan was a real trooper. The only thing he wanted was food. We (Melissa & I) were rationing off Cheerios in fear they would run out. 1/2 way through I put Evan in the double next to Ryleigh so Glenn & I could sit back and watch. Sam (Melissa & Mike's ball of energy) sat on our blanket and he completely cracked me up! He made it a real joy to watch especially since Ry wanted to stay in her cocoon in the stroller.

Overall it was a great night. I don't think we (Sharps, Lachers & Jeffers) will forget it since we all had first-timers with us. Driving home, I kept thinking of Ry's expressions as she watched... it was amazing!

Matt turns 1

Our friend, Matt turned one a week ago! His older bro, Sam is a friend of Ryleigh's (although friend may not be the right term since they act more like siblings...). Also Ryleigh's friend, Grace was there. Sam, Grace and Ry have known each other since before their first birthdays (same playgroup). And we all have one year old boys now too. It's nice to have a group of friends who match up well with age...

Ummm

Makes me wonder....

Addyson turns 1

A few weeks ago the Sharp clan traveled to Indiana to attend a first birthday for my 2nd cousin, Addyson. Her mom, Leigh-Ann and I are 1st cousins.

Friday night we were able to meet up with the Piasecki clan and walk the streets of Goshen, IN for their First Fridays. It was a nice way to get out some of the energy and enjoy some of the beautiful weather.

Saturday was the party and it was a nice easy going afternoon. Ry and E were well behaved although E does have a tendancy to scream at strangers and there were lots of them there but after a nap he had a nice disposition. It was a nice weekend and we hope to visit again soon.

Long Overdue

Friday morning we had our favorite twins come over for a visit. The kids played outside for a bit then the queen diva had a small meltdown and decided she needed some space so she went to her room. Andersen was done playing outside too so he came into play with the crazy amounts of toys on our first floor. I decided to check on the kids inside and heard the best laughter ever coming from Ry's room. Andersen, being a good friend, went in to cheer Ryleigh up and they were giggling like crazy. I love catching kids having such a good time with no care in the world.

Thanks for coming over! We need to do it again sooner rather than later.

Lots of good

Today was a really good day!

Ry had her last day at preschool. She was pretty excited for it to be over and have a summer of fun. Here she is with her favorite teacher, Mrs. Sullivan, giving her a goodbye hug.

Then this afternoon while Ry napped away the excitement of the day E took his first steps BY HIMSELF. He was walking between G & I and did a fantastic job. I am sure in the next few weeks he will be a drunken sailor in our backyard instead of the grass stain knee wearing crawler. I am so proud of both of my kids today for all their accomplishments!

Shhhhhh

Things are quiet and I don't have much to say... okay that's a total lie but honestly I am not sure what to write about since there are so many things swarming in my mind. I could chat up the spring cleaning (boring but necessary), my husband's absence (frequent and old news, hey he is a pilot), my procrastination (we've been there before) or I can talk about something that makes me uncomfortable (WINNER)!
Lately I haven't been a good mom... actually I am downright ugly horrible mom. Ryleigh and I have been have been having issues with one another. My sweet pea and I aren't seeing eye to eye on a number of things and her way of dealing with me is physical (hit, slap, kick...). And my response is to YELL LOUD. The last 2 nights I have yelled so loud I feel the next sound I will hear are Children's Services knocking at my door to remove my children from my home because no parent should ever yell at their children to the point it sounds as if a physical altercation is about to happen. I am not proud. I just wish I understood where is comes from, how I can let myself get so frustrated with someone so small and unable to truly defend herself.
I admit I have my 'normal' faults as a stay-at-home person... I don't play enough with my kids, I don't attempt to engage them enough in things to keep their minds growing, I don't always listen to them.... but we all falter there from time to time but the yelling...that's a completely different ball of wax.
There is a woman I know (SHAM) who I have watched yell at her children with no regret (or at least it appears that way) when she is discipline them. The kind of yelling you're embarrassed to witness. Now, I am in control in public, at times I may raise my voice, but never do I yell with the phenom I seem to have over the course of the last couple of days. I am worried that I am losing it...my composure, my confidence and the values that I've been trying to teach my children (that clearly I am not following). I don't want to be that other person who can lash out in public or private.
My hope about being public about my missteps in my 'behind closed doors' life is what I need to straighten up my act. Here's to keeping it cool and using my indoor voice.

Snot, snot & more snot

My little guy is snoring away. He never snores! He is so stuffy, high fever, ear infection, raspy breathing and just plain icky. He's on drugs but due to the amount of mucus he's got going he's regurgitated 2 of the 4 doses he's been given over the last 2 days. My hope is he takes a turn for the better so we can all go out and enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend!

Special Service Announcement

As you all know by now my old work pal (and her family) are the Ambassador Family for this year's March of Dimes Walk in Central Ohio. If you want to really learn something about them then watch this video.



Alisa & Adam's ability to be so open and honest with their journey with their premature children has always amazed me. To donate go here!

Completely Bummed

I was suppose to leave for NY today for a fantastic weekend of fun, friends, great weather, parties, pedis, pizza, no kids, no husband... oh the list goes on. However, the Sharp Clan has been stricken with the flu bug.
It started with nasty colds last weekend, then Evan had some vomit in his crib Sunday morning... then some blowouts during the week, then vomit again on Wednesday morning. However I decided to still move forward with the trip... then on my way to taking the kids to my folks Ry vomited all over herself, carseat, my car, etc. So after careful thought I have opted out of my fun filled weekend.
I am so bummed, but mommy-hood calls once again!!!

Continuing the Tradition

When I was a kid my mom would hide our Easter Baskets. Since having my own children I've continued that tradition into my home although my husband does not get it at all. I told him that all these years later is the one thing about Easter morning I remember and I loved it so much. Since my children are young I knew I would need to find easy spots for the kids baskets.

In the afternoon we went to visit my parents and Ryleigh had her own personal easter egg hunt. Poor Evan was stuck watching from the inside. Next year you will get to dodge the deer poop with your sister!