Updates

Just thought I'd post a few new pics and give some updates on the boys. Jack is almost ready to crawl! He gets himself up on all fours, rocks back and forth a few times, then launches himself backwards. It's a sight to see! He just hasn't yet figured out how to get all of his arms and legs moving in the right sequence...but he's learning fast.
Sean has been wearing his hearing aids all day for almost a week now. (For those of you who didn't know- Sean was diagnosed with mild conductive hearing loss in both ears. It's hard to tell at his age what caused it, and how permanent it is, but for now, he will wear hearing aids in both ears. They should help his speech as well as his hearing.) Aside from using one as a chew toy a few days ago, he's doing very well with them. He pays close attention to my mouth when I talk to him-I think he is finally hearing all of the syllables in words- and he is better able to pronounce words himself. But just because he can hear me now, doesn't mean he always listens...
We made a final decision on a school for Rex. I called the school that had the Monday deadline to let them know we would not be accepting their position. Now we just have to pray that he gets in to the other school- we won't find out until next month! Keep your fingers crossed!!!

Happy Birthday Rex!

Rex turned 5 years old on Tuesday. We had a Space-themed pizza party at his preschool to celebrate. Rex was so excited! The kids ate pizza on Space Shuttle plates, using Space Shuttle napkins, and then they enjoyed a Space Shuttle cake. When that was all over, they had Space goodie bags to take home. (I restrained my urge to purchase the Space Shuttle pinata and the inflatable Space Shuttle the kids could ride on- we were trying to keep this low-key). Sean was excited to come into the "big kids" room to join us for lunch. He devoured his pizza as though he had never eaten before! And Rex was very well behaved. We had been going through a little phase recently where he was very difficult to be around. But he seems to be past that now, and I couldn't be more relieved. I actually found myself using phrases like "I'll give you something to cry about," and "your face might freeze like that" when he would get into his whining, pouting, and angry moods. I started putting him to bed a little earlier (now 8:00 is "staying up late"), and that seems to have helped. Lord knows the child loves his sleep. I think it's in his sleep that he comes up with all of the profound questions he likes to stump me with- like "How does the Easter Bunny unlock the door?", and "Are Jesus and Santa friends? They are both always watching me." (Now there's food for thought. From a child's perspective, they are very similar- You can't see them, they are always watching you, you ask them for things, and they give them to you, they have 'magical' powers, and only religions that believe in one believe in the other. Interesting. )

Anyway-

Anyone who has talked to Rex recently knows that the boys loves space. It seems to me it was around this time last year that his obsession with space started. I figured it would last for a month or two, and then he would move on to the next obsession, but here we are a year later, and the boy still loves anything to do with stars, planets, rockets, and satellites. I'm not complaining. Not many five-year-olds are that interested in something that is actually educational. Maybe we have a future NASA employee on our hands. He can already look at the night sky and find Venus and Orion's Belt-maybe he will someday discover a new planet (one to replace Pluto!), or a new galaxy. But first, he'll have to go to school, and that has been our latest dilemma. The public schools around here leave a lot to be desired, so we have been going 'round and 'round trying to choose which private school to send him to for Kindergarten (Yes- only 6 more months until he starts Kindergarten!!!). I had no idea what an agonizing decision this would be. We've narrowed it down to two very good schools- each with an equal list of pros and cons. He will do fine at either school, so I shouldn't be so worried- but I'm not just choosing a school. I'm choosing where he will spend the majority of his waking childhood days. I'm choosing the group of children he will be friends with for the next several years. I'm choosing how much sleep he will get (one school starts earlier than the other- Michael feels choosing the later one is a no-brainer). In essence, the school I choose will have a huge impact on the person Rex turns out to be. (And I thought his obsessive tendencies only came from Michael...). I have until Monday to decide. It may come down to a coin toss.

So, let me end by wishing a Happy Birthday to my oldest child. I am so blessed to have you as a son. As your mother, I would love you no matter what you do or say. But you make it easy for me. You are such a sweet, funny, caring, and smart little boy. I look at you and my heart fills with pride. You have a unique perspective on the world, and you are always wanting to learn more. The truth is, I often find myself learning far more from you than you do from me. You keep me on my toes, that's for sure- but I wouldn't have it any other way.

I don't get it...

Either he is ready for warm weather and shorts, or he knows about an imminent flood that no one else heard about. Either way, Sean has a new and strange little quirk where he pulls up his pant legs and holds them up as he walks around the house. And he is so serious about it! I guess some things are just better left unquestioned.

He also loves the rainbow sunglasses I pulled out of the cabinet the other day. They make everything look blue, which makes him smile. And when Sean smiles, the world smiles with him.


And then there's Jack. Bubbly, smiley, giggly, Jack. You can tell he was born at 5:00 on a Friday. I call him my "happy hour baby." He's just so mellow.




I've been trying to get a video of his belly-laugh, but he's more interested in trying to put the camera in his mouth.

That's it for now- I'll try to get some pics of Rex up for his birthday.

Disney World

There is something truly magical about Disney World. It is quite possibly the happiest place on Earth. Ever since we took Rex there a few years ago when I was pregnant with Sean, I've wanted to go back. And once again, I left there with a thousand digital photos and more happy memories than my brain can store. And I'm ready to go back anytime! Since Michael and I do not like flying, we loaded up the minivan (yes, I confess, I have a minivan- but I swear- it's a really cool one!) and made a three day trip to Florida. We spent the first night in Florence, South Carolina, the next night in Jacksonville, Florida, and drove the last three hours to Orlando on the third day. I know what you're thinking...three small children in a car for three days. Yes, we are insane, but it was a means to an end. And really, Sean is the only one who doesn't like car trips. (Notice the look of death he is giving me in the picture.)

So every time he yanked off one of his shoes and chucked it at my head in a fit of anger, I just kept envisioning warm sunshine, Cinderella's castle, and Mickey-shaped ice cream sandwiches. It got me through. While technically we stayed at the Contemporary Resort (the one the monorail runs through), we were actually in a side wing off of the back of the bulding that was a major hike from the main hotel's lobby. We were a bit disappointed at first, but our room was huge, quiet, and had a great view of Bay Lake (and consequently a great view of the Light Boat Parade on the lake every night).

The Contemporary is great with young kids because the monorail is right there, and there is a walking path that takes you straight to the Magic Kingdom. We checked in on Saturday, and after getting some groceries for the week and getting our room in order, we headed to the Magic Kingdom in the evening to stroll around. Late January is considered the "off season" and the crowds were very light. We were able to get a walk-in table at the Crystal Palace for a "character dinner" that night (usually you have to make reservations weeks in advance), and the kids got to meet Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, and Piglet. The characters take turns going from table to table as you eat.

We did the same kind of thing at Chef Mickey's the next morning for breakfast. We met Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, and Donald during Mickey-shaped pancakes and waffles. Very cool. This year, we got Rex an autograph book, and he loved getting all the characters' signatures.

We headed over to the Magic Kingdom again that day, and the kids had loads of fun riding all the different rides. Rex loved riding Space Mountain, and both boys liked the Jungle Cruise, It's a Small World, Dumbo, and Peter Pan. Rex hid his head in my lap throughout Pirates of the Caribbean, but Sean loved it! Sean's favorite part of the day was the fireworks show at closing time.

On Monday, we went to the Animal Kingdom. On Kilimanjaro Safaris, you ride in a big jeep through the "savanna" to see all the animals in their natural habitats. I think I was more excited than the kids were! We were about 30 feet from giraffes, rhinos, elephants, and more. With no fences! We even had to stop at one point because a giraffe was in the middle of the path and he wouldn't budge. It was one of my favorite rides. We ate lunch at the Rainforest Cafe, which is a cool experience on its own and was a big hit with the kids. It's like eating in the middle of the jungle- complete with animatronic gorillas, cheetahs, tigers, etc. They even have occasional fake thunderstorms, and all the animals go crazy. The noise drowns out a crying, hungry baby very well. Ask me how I know...anyway- after a long, and much needed nap, we finished up the day back at the Magic Kingdom where the crowds were so light at the end of the evening, Sean and I got to ride the The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ride- five times in a row... we just stayed in our seat and when again, and again, and again... I'm still singing the Woozle song in my head. Sean loved it, though, and by that point I was willing to do anything to keep a smile on his face. Much like he doesn't like car rides in his car seat, he doesn't like being strapped into a stroller, either. I could spend lots of time elaborating on how his head would spin in circles and his whines would pierce eardrums as we pushed him through the park strapped in place against his will (getting both judgemental stares and looks of pity from fellow guests), but I'd rather focus on the good times we had. And I must say, all of his satanic behavior throughout the day was forgiven each time he enjoyed a new ride, and each night as you could see the pure delight on his face as he watched the fireworks. My heart swelled for him each time.

Jack was pretty good about riding around in the stroller. I carried him in the Snugli a lot, also, but he is not exactly lightweight. My shoulders were KILLING me! But it was very convenient for taking him on rides.

We spent Tuesday at the Magic Kingdom, again, re-riding a lot of the rides, and finished up Tomorrowland with rides on Astro Orbiter, the Tomorrowland Motor Speedway, and Buzz Lightyear.

On Wednesday, we headed over to Epcot. Epcot has a ride called Mission:Space- and Rex was in his glory. This ride simulates a shuttle launch into space- complete with G-forces. It is one of those rides that has so many warnings posted about back/neck problems and heart complications that you practically need a doctor's note to ride it. They actually have the little barf-bags like you see on airplanes available for those who get motion sickness. Rex LOVED it! (I, on the other hand, gladly sat this one out). He also liked Test Track, which simulates the test-circuit for new vehicles at General Motors. My favorite ride was Soarin', which is kind of like an ultra cool IMAX theater where you are suspended forty feet in the air as you hang-glide over California. It was a little surreal to be "flying", but very cool.

Thursday we headed over to Hollywood Studios where the kids got to see Playhouse Disney Live featuring the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, the Little Einsteins, Handy Manny, and My Friends Tigger and Pooh. Sean flapped his arms the whole time!

We also rode the Toy Story ride (lots of fun!), and got to meet Lightening McQueen and Mater. It started to rain by mid afternoon, so we headed back to the hotel. It rained until about noon on Friday when we went to the Magic Kingdom for the last tie. It was so sad knowing it was our last day. We rode all of our favorite rides, watched the fireworks one last time, and then I took Sean and Jack back to the hotel while Michael took Rex back to Epcot for the extended hours (each park takes turns staying open late one night each week). On Saturday, we got all of our gear packed up and headed out for the next adventure, the Auto Train. Since Sean's displeasure during our ride down was still fresh in our minds, we knew this train ride back home would be well worth every last pricey penny we paid. And it was. The cabin was small. Very small. Smaller than our smallest bathroom small...but no seat belts were required. And given the fact we were able to keep all of our massive amount of luggage in the van (minus an overnight bag), it certainly beat flying. Upon boarding around 3:00, Michael and I took advantage of the wine tasting in the lounge car. We then relaxed in the cabin and watched the scenery go by for awhile, and at 5:00 headed to the dining car for a nice dinner. There was a movie showing in the lounge car later that evening, but we opted to watch our portable DVD player in our room instead. Then it was off to bed. It was not the best night's sleep I've ever had- sometimes the train would feel like it was going to bounce off the tracks-but it certainly beat 18 hours in the car with shoes being pelted at my head. We arrived in Lorton, VA at 7:30 the next morning. There was just enough time to drive home, stretch out, and relax a little bit before settling down to watch my beloved Steelers win the Super Bowl! What a wonderful ending to a wonderful week!

Catching Up....

I have tons of pictures I've been wanting to post- I just haven't had the chance! Here are some pics from the holidays. I love this picture of Sean looking out the window. It's as though he's waiting for Santa to come knock on the door.

We were lucky to have Grandma and Granddad Sutton here for opening presents on Christmas morning. The kids were so excited to see them, and Grandma brought us a yummy breakfast! Rex was very excited that Santa brought him the telescope he had been asking for, and Sean was glad to get some new trains to play with. Jack got a bumbo chair, and at the time he wasn't too sure about it, but has since come to love it!

A few days later, we headed to see Aunt Mindi, Uncle Jeff, Trevor, and Morgan at their house in PA. Grandma Bernie and Uncle Paul met us there, and we did Christmas part II. The kids had so much fun playing together, and Sean had a blast with the air hockey game! Morgan seemed to like the princess outfit we picked out for her. I love shopping for girls! It is such a novelty! My nieces are doomed to always get pink presents from me. My niece Amanda came the next day with Derek and new baby Hillary. She is absolutely beautiful! I was so glad to get to meet her. And Derek is such a proud big brother! Uncle Jeff brought his police car home for lunch that day, and all the kids piled inside for some fun. I must say- that better be the only time I see my children in a police car! Once the holidays were over, and I finally got all the decorations packed away- it was time to get ready for Disney! Those pictures will get posted next!

Santa Baby

I can't believe I'm even taking the time to post this blog right now. I'm supposed to be baking, and cleaning, and shopping, and wrapping, oh- and taking care of three children. I asked for a cape for Christmas. But I just had to take a minute to share these pics of the boys as they anxiously wait for old St. Nick. Jack sported a festive Santa Suit today (thanks Aunt Mindi!) and looked adorable! The grandmas at the mall fussed all over him. Rex and Sean were entertained this afternoon by the huge box that our new dishwasher came in (yes, our old dishwasher sadly passed two days ago.) It sickens me to know that I have spent way too much money on toys this year when a large cardboard box is all any child really wants. I'll try to get some good Christmas morning pictures posted when the big day arrives. May you all have a very Merry Christmas!!

Two Months

Wow. Jack turned two months old on Wednesday. I can't believe how fast the time has gone. Here are some pictures of the little butterball. The first is from when he was one month old. At his one month doctor's appt., he weighed 13lbs and was over 23 inches long (off the charts for percentiles!). He is huge! He has almost grown out of the 3-6 month clothes! And he gives the best open-mouth, toothless smiles. He goes for his two month appt. next week. I also included a picture of Sean playing with Jack in his boucncy seat. I must admit- I was wrong. I thought for sure Sean was going to hate Jack for taking away some of his attention, but I was pleasantly surprised to see just how much Sean dotes on Jack. In fact, I can't leave them alone for fear that Sean with accidentally smother Jack to death by hugging him. It's really sweet. And Rex has been fantastic with helping me with Jack and with Sean. He's very good at gently bouncing Jack in his seat to soothe him while I cook dinner, and he helps to distract Sean with toys when he's heading for a meltdown. Neither one of them likes to hear Jack cry. Anytime Jack starts to fuss, Sean comes running to give him a hug, and Rex starts searching the house for a pacifier to plug into his mouth to quiet him down! Now that's teamwork!

Jack's Baptism

Okay-my mistake. I did this entry several weeks ago, but forgot to hit the "post" button, so it never posted. Well, better late than never!

On Sunday, November 16th, in the presence of family and friends, little Jack was baptized at the beautiful St. Mary's Church here in Annapolis. His cousin Amanda (my oldest niece, who happens to be nine months pregnant with baby #2!) and her husband Rich stood for him as Godparents. The weather was cold and windy, but we managed to have a nice day regardless. Jack looked so handsome in his Baptism outfit which was handmade by Grandma Sutton. She did a beautiful job! She has sewn outfits for each of the boys for their baptisms, so each has their own to hand down to their children. I hate to be biased, but Jack's outfit has been my favorite so far. His little jacket has his name embroidered on the inside along with his baptism date. It is precious. He also had a matching hat, but as you can see in the photo, he didn't care for that much. The ceremony was nice, and Rex and Sean were able to come up on the altar to watch. Afterwards, we had everyone back to the house for a small get-together. It was so nice to get to see everyone. We were even able to celebrate Michael's Aunt Dyanne's birthday- with one of Aunt Jean's famous coconut cakes! We look forward to seeing everyone again over the holidays.