Delilah's aDORAble party!!

If you haven't known me for very long you may not be aware of this, but most of you should already know that the military insists on screwing up my life at any chance it gets.  Well, this year did not disappoint in that regard!  :-)  Russell had to go for his annual required training through the military reserves (AT or active training).  The commercials often boast that the reserves only require a "one weekend a month, plus 2 weeks a year" commitment.  I find this hilarious because more often than not, Russell's training is generally closer to 3 weeks.  But, in any case, this year he was scheduled to be gone over Delilah's birthday.  We originally scheduled her party for the first weekend in March (2 weeks after her actual birthday).  Well, once Russell FINALLY got his orders and booked his flights, we realized that he was not going to make it back in time for the planned party.  So, we had to move her party back an additional week - poor thing!

Her party was scheduled for the afternoon of March 10th.  Russell's cousin, Katie, came into town to help out with the kids,so that I was able to run around town finishing up last minute details.  They were predicting a little bit of snow.  Nothing major, I believe it was about 2-4."  I wasn't too worried because they had already over-predicted a couple of snowstorms this winter.  But, the snow started to fall...and fall...and fall.  I think all told, we got about 8" of snow.  It wasn't as bad by our house as some other areas got it.  There were white-out conditions and parts of the interstate closed.  We started receiving cancellations from party guests.  But, the party must go on!  I made this poor pumpkin wait long enough - I wasn't about to cancel it on her!  And honestly at her age, I think she would have been content if her party consisted of just Jameson and her.  :-)

Fortunately, we didn't have very far to drive.  We reserved the Saddlebrook community center for her party.  It's just over a mile North of our house.  A brave few still made it to her party, primarily it was people who lived out our way.   Delilah bounced her little heart out in the bounce house.  They also had out various toys, like a little basketball hoop, a slide, hula hoops, etc.  The kids all seemed to have a blast!  Then it was time to eat and to sing to the birthday girl.

Delilah's birthday shirt spells out three in Dora fabric.  It was made by my friend, Bryn of The Upper Room.

Please forgive me, I worked really hard on her favors and since a lot of Delilah's friends weren't able to come to get them...I'm posting a bunch of pictures here.  :-)

We had favor bags decorated like Backpack.

In each bag there was: a Dora party blower, napkin, stickers, PB&J uncrustables, Dora yogurt, Dora fruit snacks, mini banana (for Boots), string cheese decorated like Map and a wipe to clean their hands before they ate - because who knows what those little monkeys got into!

Map's face on the string cheese was drawn by none-other than my very talented husband.  Of course, AFTER we got to the party location, because that's how he rolls.  :-)

Delilah's cupcakes were baked by her Uncle Ben and decorated by his very talented fiancee, Brooke!

And if that wasn't enough, everyone got to go home with a cookie...Dora, Boots or an Explorer Star.  These were made by my very talented friend, Ashley of Sweet Bites.

...however, very few people waited until they got home to devour their cookies...

Delilah NEEDED a pink star...but, she wouldn't let me take a nice picture of her eating it!

Happy birthday, silly girl!

Delilah is 3!

Three years ago today, I didn't know it yet, but I had the distinct pleasure of meeting the most hilarious, spunky, brave, and stunningly beautiful little girl that I have ever known.  On that day, she changed my life, but in a way that was different that having my first baby.  I had a whole new set of challenges - and I mean so much more than learning how to juggle two sets of needs.  I had to figure out how to fight my maternal urge to shelter my little girl forever and to teach her how to be strong and independent.  I was giddy with the thought of dresses, Mary Jane shoes, and braiding hair.  My stomach knotted at the thought of PMS and broken hearts.  I fought back tears as I thought about shopping for prom dresses and a wedding dress.  And then my heart swelled as I thought about watching my little girl parent children of her own.  Yes, I did realize that I was getting way ahead of myself as I rocked my newborn baby to sleep, but there is just something about the bond between a mother and her daughter.  And in an instant, I could feel the lifelong bond.

Delilah is such an anomaly to me.  It is just amazing to me that she can be so different, yet so much the same.  Put her in a line-up with her brothers and some people would wonder if she was actually related to them.  She stands out with her light hair and sky blue eyes, compared to their dark hair and darker eyes.  But, put her with her cousins and she mixes right in - and she's not even related to half of them by blood!  She is just as head-strong, brave, and loud as Jameson is careful, sensitive, and laid-back.  But, they are two of the most loving individuals that I have ever met.  When Delilah was a baby, I was really sensitive to people comparing her to Jameson.  Jameson was a VERY easy-going baby.  I felt like people were saying that Delilah wasn't a "good" baby (for the record, ALL babies are good babies).  I would, however, say that Delilah was born a diva.  She was a fairly happy and easy going baby...unless she was upset about something.  Then she would screeeeeeeam at the top of her lungs.  We would laugh that she had two volumes - silent and top of her lungs.  She's still kind of like that.  :-)  My favorite story of when I was pregnant with her was that when I would brush my teeth, every time I would lean over the sink to spit or whatever, she would push back against the counter.  It makes a lot of sense now that I've met her!

I know I may be a bit biased, but I think that Delilah is brilliant!  She has so much personality that she can light up just about any room.  She can hold her own with the older kids so well that I often forget that she's "only" 3.  She's very excited to start preschool in the fall.  She already knows how to spell her name, she can recognize all of the letters and numbers.  She knows the days of the week.  She is working with Jameson on counting to 100.  She will go down any slide with no fear.  She loves to climb, run, and jump.  She can do a somersault.  She is a genius with comedic timing.  She is so nurturing, whether it's with a real baby, such as her brother or the babies we watch or when she's tucking one of her baby dolls under a blanket for a nap.   She can quote some of her favorite TV shows.  She likes to run very, very, VERY fast!  She likes spinning in a circle until she falls down.  You can see the pure joy in her when she gets so excited about something and she has such a zest for life that it's hard not to join in the fun when you're around her.  She is so incredibly beautiful, with her curly, dark blonde hair and clear blue eyes.  And my very favorite part, her angelic little voice - especially when she's saying something very thoughtful and deep...or something totally naughty (like "see ya, suckers!")

Happy 3rd birthday, Baby cakes!

Weekend Recap

Although I was desperately convince myself that the runny noses around our house was just allergies, however it seems that the daycare kiddos have caught it as well, so I’m thinking we actually have a full-blown cold on our hands.  Oh well, ‘tis the season! 

Nevertheless, we foraged on in respect to our weekend activities.  Friday afternoon, we had a visit from my Aunt Judy and her granddaughters (my second cousins, once removed…I think?).  They brought some treats for the kids (like they need any more!!), we had a nice chat, and the kids had a lot of fun playing.  It was so nice to catch up!!  And most importantly, I was reminded of a few potential babysitters available to me!  Delilah had so much fun that she was convinced that we were going to “Grandma Jude’s” house the following day!!  Haha!

On Saturday, we were having dinner at Papa Terry and Grandma Onie’s house to celebrate the October birthdays - Papa Terry, Aunt Erin and Aunt Nichole.  I had been asking the kids what we should get Papa Terry for his birthday.  Their answers included: a cat, cat food, foot to eat, and “whatever he would like.”  Obviously they were very helpful.  Well Friday night, Jameson decided that Papa Terry needed a chef hat because he already has a chef book (?).  So, Saturday morning we were off to find a chef hat.  Russell had drill again this weekend, so it was a solo trip for just the kids and I.  Then we also decided stop by Vic’s to get him some popcorn because he likes it.  While we were there Delilah went crashing into some of the big popcorn tins.  Who’s shocked?  Anyone?  Anyone?  Yeah, I didn’t think so.  She was fine, but there I was with 2 wild maniacs and a baby while the man behind the counter took FOREVER to get some curling ribbon and made a pitiful attempt at tying and curling it.  Oh well, we survived!  Once all of our errands were complete, the kids napped while we made the trek to Council Bluffs.

Once we arrived at Papa Terry’s house, the kids made a beeline for the playroom.  I even had to drag Jameson out to see Papa Terry wearing his chef hat!!  Russell joined us after drill and we all enjoyed one last meal off the grill for the year!  Then it came time for cake and ice cream.  Delilah wanted so badly to help go get the cake and ice cream, but when it came time to eat it, she was not interested in it at all.  She happily played all by herself in the playroom.  Jameson, on the other hand, made sure he got his plate.  So, after we stuffed ourselves and the kids played some weird game where they were evil unicorns, it was time to go.  As we’re packing up, Delilah is suddenly upset that she didn’t get a piece of cake.  So, Grandma Onie graciously wrapped up a piece of cake for her to take home (although she snuck some on the way home!). 

Sunday was just a day to relax at home – see the aforementioned cold.  :-)

Happy birthday to me!

Well it has come and gone, my thirtieth birthday and the last of the holiday/birthday landmine that happens at our house between Nov-April! Despite everyone’s ribbing, I’m feeling pretty good about turning 30. Honestly, I think I went through my “crisis” at 25. At that point, I was very unhappy with where I was in life. That was what pushed me to start grad school and find a new job. But, 5 years later, I am thrilled with where I am in life. I have my Masters, 2 kids that I adore, a wonderful job that allows me to work part-time, so I can be home with my kids more, and a new business that is gaining momentum! So, as if I wasn’t spoiled enough, I got a HUGE surprise for my birthday!

First of all, Russell picked me up from work Wednesday night and took me to Target under the guise that we needed to pick up diapers for Delilah. I was, however, a little suspicious because once we got the diapers, he asked me if I wanted to look at clothes…very out of character. :-) We get to the house and the first thing I notice is my friend, Kellie’s, car parked on the street. I think what I said was “What the heck?” and all I got in response from Russell was a smirk. I walk in the door and was greeted by my friends and family. I was surprised by the number of people that came out in the middle of the week!! Amazing! Jameson immediately grabbed my hand and pulled me over to see my cake, a beautiful, VEGAN (more on this in another blog), red velvet cake done by the very talented Ashley of Sweet Bites (seriously, check her out, she is amazing!!).

As if the party wasn’t enough of a surprise, Russell tells me to look at the calendar. He had crossed off all of the activities for the next few days and wrote “Washington DC, WOOT!” across Thursday-Monday. And then informed me that we would be leaving at 6 am, the next morning. Oh, you know, like 10 hours from the time he told me… But, amazingly, he talked to my boss and got me out of work, reschedule doctor and chiropractor appointments, got my Kid-Ability class covered, and arranged childcare! Amazing! Oh, oh AND he built my garden boxes (which is all I REALLY wanted for my birthday)!!

So, off we go to DC, on about 2 hours of sleep. I got to sleep on the first leg of the flight and Russell got to sleep on both. Once we arrived at DC, we hit the ground running. We stopped and grabbed lunch at this crazy deli, that also was like a convenience store – with a wine section- and you could rent things like laptops from them…maybe? It was weird, but the food was good! Then we walked over to the Metro station and figured that out. The plan was to go to the Air and Space museum, but *someone* (hint, not me) had to use the bathroom and couldn’t wait, so we made an impromptu stop at the Pentagon. Which, in case you were wondering, is the ONLY Metro stop without a bathroom. So, we stopped at the 9/11 memorial because it was near the bathrooms. After that adventure, we did make it through the Air & Space museum. The weather was perfect and the museum was not very crowded, so we were able to look at everything at our leisure. It was just about perfect! Then we went over to this cool part of town off the East Market stop for dinner. We were looking for this Asian Fusion restaurant, but passed this Thai place on the way and decided to stop there instead. It was NOT a mistake! Dinner was delicious!!!! Then we went back to the hotel to recharge for the next day.

Russell had contacted the office of our local Senator, Ben Nelson, for a personal tour of the Capitol on Friday. We show up and his staff started chatting with us. One guy asked what we were planning on seeing and mentioned the National Archives (pronouncing the “ch”), so that was our running joke for a while. We met the girl who was going to give us our tour (and I can’t, for the life of me, remember her name!). She took us down on the elevator and then we walked through some hallway, which was underground to a small tram (that I am kicking myself for not taking a picture of, but I thought for sure we would take it back). Anyway, that was pretty cool because most people don’t get to see the secret underground tram thingy! :-) She pretty much took us on the standard capitol tour, but she was very patient when we wanted to take our crazy pictures. We did get to see the Brumidi Corridors, is on the first floor of the Senate side of the Capitol building, which are murals painted to reflect great moments and people in United States history. The painting started in 1856 and includes depictions of Benjamin Franklin, John Fitch, Robert Fulton, and events such as the Cession of Louisiana. And apparently he’s psychic because also included is the Spirit of St. Louis, the Moon landing, and the Challenger shuttle crew. :-) After our personal tour, we headed back to the hotel…for surprise #2. Much to my surprise, Russell walked past our hotel room and knocked on the room next door, which was answered by my dear friend Danielle!! Danielle and her family (David, Briauna, and Ella) live in Maryland and came up to DC to see me for my birthday!! On Ella’s 2^nd birthday, might I add. The last time we saw them was our crazy trip to Maryland 4 years ago!!

Once we got assembled, we decided to head over to the Natural History museum. The running joke was that we were looking for the Unnatural History museum or the Super Natural History museum. We continued our series of crazy pictures (I’m going to make a separate blog post with just pictures because that will be easier). Afterwards, we were going to figure out dinner, but first we had to wait for Russell’s pre-dinner snack of a hotdog and chips. Good grief! We decided to go to the Asian Fusion restaurant, for real this time. It was delicious!! It was happy hour, so the adult all had a drink – hey, none of use had to drive!! Danielle had them bring dessert and serenade Ella ("Ellen") and I for our birthdays! David went down the street, to the liquor store to buy a bottle of wine and some Captain Morgan. Which lead to some crazy shenanigans back at the hotel involving a birthday grope, Danielle jumping from bed to bed and ringing in my birthday in Eastern AND central time zones! It was a good night! :-)

Saturday was my actual birthday. It started off slow. We had breakfast and then headed over to the Metro station and waited as Danielle and Russell coordinated my 3^rd (and 4^th) birthday surprise(s). Once everything was synchronized, my fabulous, beautiful friend, Harper, and her son Liam came all the way from New Jersey to DC to see me!! So, we braved the rain to go to the American History museum. And there we met my wonderful, adorable friend Sarah. Thanks to the internet, I’ve been friends with Sarah for years, but I’ve never had the opportunity to meet her until now!! Sarah’s brother lives in DC and she was visiting him, but she made time for me on my birthday!

We were pretty much limited to the museum due to the rain…and so was everyone else. It was packed! I did a chance to chat with my friends while browsing what I coined “the junk drawer of the Smithsonian museums” (you know, all of the stuff that they don’t know what to do with :-) ). Anyway, we took some more funny pictures. Harper and Liam had to leave around 3 because she had a drive ahead of her with a little one (which ended up being waaaaaaaaaay longer than the drive up). Thanks again Harper for making the drive, it was a WONDERFUL surprise!! Then we decided that it was time for dinner. Russell and David suggested Chipolte (which breaks my traveling rule, but that’s okay for one meal out of 10+!!). After dinner, it was Sarah’s turn to leave. Sarah, Thank you for taking time from your visit with your brother to hang out with us. I’m so glad I got to finally meet you in person!! Then we headed back to the hotel and it was time for Danielle and family to leave. :-( *S* family, thank you sooooooooooooooo much for coming out to visit me. And Bri, thanks for taking a day off of school to make the trip. We made lots of memories, to last us until we are able arrange another meeting! ;-)

Then after my whirlwind of surprises, it was just Russell and I again. It was kind of weird for it to be just the two of us after being surrounded by so many!! It was still kind of drizzling, but the rain had let up quite a bit. We agreed that we still wanted to see the White House, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, etc. and there was really no better time to do it than this night. So, we made the trek, in the intermittent rain, under the big umbrella that we had purchased earlier that day. This was one of my favorite moments of the entire trip. From what I remember, we saw the White House, the WWII Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the FDR Memorial, and the Jefferson Memorial. Believe me, that was quite the walk!! But, it was nice to be snuggled up under the umbrella with Russell. The only disappointing thing was that the reflecting pool was drained for repairs. But, other than it was a pretty perfect evening!

Our last touristy day, we visited the Holocaust museum and Arlington. You know, the really uplifting stuff. :-) I had been to the Holocaust museum before, but Russell never had been. They had a crazy long wait, but fortunately they offer an open-ended ticket for military, State, and Government workers (something like that, anyway). And we were VERY lucky that Russell had his military ID on him!! Score! :-) It was strange because the only thing I remembered from my trip in 8^th grade was the room with the shoes and the reflecting room at the end. It’s amazing to me how differently you experience things with a little more maturity and then add parenthood to the mix. It was very moving (and disturbing). After lunch, we set out to find a vegan bakery for a DELICIOUS birthday cupcake. On our way, we discovered the Museum of Unnatural history. It was a funny little gift shop that sold things such as “unicorn tears” in order to fund a completely free, drop-in tutoring program called 826DC. Check it out, it’s pretty cool. Of course, we took a picture to send to the *S* family as this was our running joke at the Museum of Natural history. After that, we were on our way to Arlington. Amazingly enough, we made it to the Tomb of the Unknown Solider just in time for the changing of the guard. It was incredible to watch! Then we made our way over to JFK’s gravesite. After that, we walked over to the Marine Corps Memorial. And then our trip for all intents and purposes was over. I was sad to see it come to an end, but I COULD NOT wait to see my kids!!

Aside from nearly dying in the shuttle on the way to the airport the next morning, our trip was pretty uneventful. It seemed to take forever, but eventually we were back in Omaha, getting picked up by Kellie. I was sooooooooooo anxious to see the kids. We got home, ditched our stuff and quickly went over to Nana Sandy’s house to pick them up. They both had just woken up from their naps. We walked in and Russell quickly grabbed Delilah from Nana. At first she didn’t know how to react. I think she even reached back out for her Nana, but once she realized who we were she broke out in a huge smile and hugged us. Jameson came down the stairs and started yelling to us once he saw us. It felt so good to be a whole family again.

I couldn’t have picked a better birthday present. I had such a wonderful time!! A GIGANTIC thank you to everyone who helped Russell pull this off and those who made it extra special. Thanks to Papa Terry, Mama O, Nana Sandy, and Papa Bruce for watching the kids. Thanks to Staci for feeding the cats. Thanks to Ashley for my awesome cake. Thanks to Danielle, David, Briauna, Ella, Harper, Liam and Sarah for visiting me. Thanks to my Mom, Ione, and Sandy for helping out with the party. Thanks to Kellie for picking us up from the airport. Thanks to Ms. Minnie and Ms. Crystal for working with Russell and letting me out of work. And thanks to everyone who attended my party and sent me messages for my birthday! I appreciate each and every one of you. (I apologize if I forgot anyone, remember I wasn’t around for the behind the scenes stuff).

Oh wait, last but certainly not least, thanks to my AMAZING husband for out doing yourself and making this birthday extra special for me. Love you!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Jameson!

Whoa, I am the mother to a 3 year old. That doesn't even seem possible. Three years ago I gave birth to one of the most adorable babies I have ever seen. After a 2 year struggle to get and stay pregnant, I wasn't fully convinced that this tiny, perfect thing was for real until I was actually able to hold him in my arms. Even when the doctors started explaining his club foot to me, I didn't care. He was here and he was all mine!

It is so much fun to watch Jameson master each developmental stage. I know I am biased, but I swear he is incredibly smart. Even when there was some concern about his speaking (or more accurately, his LACK of speaking), I just knew that he was aware of what was going on, he just chose not to speak. The problem was that the kid was AWESOME at charades. :-)

But, as warned by many of my friends and family, once he started talking, I cannot get him to stop! Now I sit back and enjoy the crazy things he says to me. I love when I can tell by what he says that his little mind is thinking about something. We also are aware more and more each day that he is absorbing way more than he is letting on. Russell showed Jameson one time that when making a fist, you should put your thumb on the outside, so not to hurt it. And then, weeks, later Jameson started explaining it to me. He also found an ice tray one day and proceeded to tell me how you make ice!

My little buddy knows the alphabet, numbers, and colors. he can spell his name, Delilah's name, Mommy and Daddy. He loves spelling other words, but still needs help. He one time called the house phone and text "Mommmmmmmm" to Russell while I was putting D down for a nap - and that's ALL he did! He knows the difference between an electric and acoustic guitar and knows how to work the pedal and amp. (Rockstar in the making??) He FINALLY pooped in the potty, which is what was holding up official potty training. Now that we've passed that hurdle, I assume he's going to ROCK that as well!

Jameson is also such a little lover. He'll give hugs and kisses all day. Whenever I hurt myself, he reassures me "You okay, Mommy." He is constantly hugging and kissing his sister (when he’s not pushing her down! Haha!) And my favorite, he'll be talking to you and will gingerly touch you on the face. If you slip up and say "shut up" he'll correct you "No, shut up is bad! We say be quiet" ...every time. :-)

He is also a little comedian. He loves making faces. He does the funniest things with his eyebrows. He likes to smack and shake his booty. He may also call you a "grey hippo" ...but, you'll have to talk to him to see what that actually sounds like.

My big boy is growing up right before our eyes. I know I’m going to blink and he’ll be graduating from high school!!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Jameson!

A Party Fit For Our Little Lady

Weekend Update

Yet another busy weekend in the *B* household! Friday was just a normal day to relax and get ready for the weekend's festivities! On Saturday, we spent the day with Papa Terry, Mama O, Uncle Tyler, Aunt Nichole, Hannah, and Justice. We went to the train show to see THOMAS!! It was crazy. There were miniature train displays set up everywhere. Jameson was in heaven! I think he dragged Papa Terry over the entire Qwest center! After looking at a fe things, I had the great idea to jump into the line to ride Thomas, since it was to the back of the building. I had D in the stroller, so I was in the way anyway. I was in line for a 1/2 an hour, but let me tell you - it was worth every second to see the look of pure joy on Jameson's face when he went around the track the one time on Thomas.

Thank you Papa Terry and Mama O for taking us!! Then we went to lunch at Micheal's in the Old Market. It was delicious...even though I had to share half my fajitas with Delilah!!

Sunday, we were back with everyone to celebrate Hannah's 5th birthday! It just doesn't seem like she can be that old! Hannah was so proud of her cupcakes. She had to show them to me a soon as I walked into the door! The kids had fun running around and playing under the table. Once again, I had to share my dinner (pizza, this time) with Delilah. I was not sharing fast enough and she let everyone know! She even finished Jameson's piece!! Then we ate Hannah's cupcakes - which were delicious! :-) Happy birthday, Hannah!

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. day, which is a holiday at my work. It's always a little bittersweet for me because it's the end of the holiday marathon which starts on Thanksgiving. We don't get another holiday until Memorial Day. But, luckily I have the cruise to hold me over! Until then, I can just keep wishing for snow days!! :-)

Weekend Recap

Geez, it's been a week already (again!). And THIS time it's because I have been super busy!



Let's start with Delilah. I receive emails weekly with a "your baby this week" -type updates. On Thursday, I got one that said "is your baby sitting up?" So, I wondered CAN my baby sit up? I had tried a week or so ago and she toppled over. She's been able to sit propped up for a little while now. But I decided to try to sit her up and guess what...

We have a sitter!!! She's still pretty wobbly, but she is loving this new perspective of life! Oh and notice her little faux-hawk she's sporting. I did that last Sunday after her bath and it stayed until her next bath. So, I did it after the next bath too and the one after that... :-) Basically this has been her new 'do this week!

I did REALLY well with weight watchers this week. It helps that I get a ton of points because I'm nursing. But, I have to cut back when we start D on solids in a few weeks (What?!?!). So anyway, I'm down 3 lbs!!! Woohoo!!

Jameson has been a mess the last few days. He may look an awful lot like his Daddy, but it seems that he inherited my allergies. Lucky boy! He has been a sneezing, coughing, mucusy mess! I think not feeling well plus the excitement last night threw him off today. On top of all that he refused to nap today. It seemed like everything I did was followed by banshee-like screaming from Jameson. But after about 20 minutes of me standing outside his door and ushering him back to bed, he's asleep. I can only hope that tomorrow will be a new day.

The major excitement in the *B* household is Russell's birthday. Today he turns the big 3-0! He was mad that he had to work this weekend. Too many people already had the weekend off, so he wasn't able to get it off. So, I planned a surprise party of him. I had everyone come over and they surprised him after work. It was a huge success! He was totally surprised! :-) I am very tired today, but it was definitely worth it!

A special thanks goes out to Russell's sister, Becca. She came over for most of the day to help me get ready. There's NO way I could have pulled it off without her!