Dance!

How sweet it is....

Another Valentines day has come and gone. Mackenzie enjoyed her first Valentines party. I was able to help out since my mom could stay with Mason while he was ( supposed to be) napping. Mack and I made heart shaped crayons to send along with her valentines for her classmates. 

Our crayon hearts.

My girl was the only one to write out all her own Valentine's.

Mack with a few friends at her class party

We celebrated at home in our usual way- little trinkets to show our love. Mack was pleased as punch at the invention of Silly Putty. Her chocolates didn't last the morning.  Mason was ready for some big boy sippy cups as we start to look toward the transition off of formula and the bottle onto whole milk. Grammy introduced him to yogurt melts and those are " must haves" for him.  Mike , having just gotten off of a double shift, surprised me with Hammons chocolates made by hand in Denver. As usual, the sweet card was my favorite part. He enjoyed his candies and an iPhone app card, too. Another valentines day passes and now we're thinking of birthdays!

Mackenzie's goodies

Mason's goodies

Mason's kazoo

Mack found Mike's kazoo and harmonica and wandered around the house alternating which one she'd play. Of course, this caught the attention of Mason. Check out his musical stylings:

Midnight meeting

Mason is no stranger to the midnight wakings and he doesn't like to endure them alone so, of course, that means I am no stranger to midnight wakings, either. Thankfully, they're happening less and less these days and I *hope* that means consistent sleeping through the night isn't far away. 

The thing is, I kinda don't mind a midnight date with my boy now and again. Last night, he woke at 2 am with, I presumed, teething pain. I carried him down stairs , flipped on a dim light and got a dose of Tylenol ready. In the mean time, Mason spied the freshly baked banana muffins I'd made a few hours prior for our playdate. I just couldn't help it. I caved and gave him one. The way he looked at me and smiled as he chomped down that muffin was just pure love and a conversation with no words. As he polished off two more midnight muffins, he chattered on , giggled at the cat and just all around had a great time. This ordinary moment- a late night date over banana muffins- will be one I treasure forever.

My sweet baby and a bleary eyed me

Nice to meet you....don't I know you?

I had the chance to meet two more March 2008 moms from my on line group.  I have known Chelsey and Tammi both virtually for 6 years in June ( when we all found out we were pregnant ) .  Chelsey is from Gaylord, Michigan but we never had the chance to meet up while we lived in Michigan, too. Coincidentilly, Tammi lives just ten minutes away in neighboring Brighton!  She and I actually have two kids the same age since she has 7 month old, Emmersyn.

Chelsey is here visiting family so it was the perfect time to organize a big meet up. We thought meeting at my house was the best idea since there are both baby and older kid toys and would provide a better chance to chat. With a 7 year old, three four ( almost five) year olds and two babies, this place was hoppin'! No toy went untouched , no puzzle undone, not a corner of the yard unexplored. The older kids played so well together and the babies had fun scooting around on the floor.

The four older kids having a blast

Mason and Emmersyn

The best part of the whole day was just sitting down and chatting over coffee with these two wonderful women whom I count as good friends and it being totally naturally...like we've known each other for years- because we have!  I look forward to meeting up with my best girl, Angie along with Chelsey and another March mama or two for playdates when we are in Michigan this spring.

We weren't fast enough with our cameras before Lucan and Mason
escaped the photo. Declan and Mack were trapped under babies or they
may have tried to split, too

The sign of a good photographer- willing to climb

Tammi and Chelsey are both professional ( and self taught ) photographers and their work is beautiful. We all had a good laugh at how the photos turn out when all the photographers are in the picture ( Declan and Mackenzie served as stand in photographers)

This is the best we got

This is among the not so good but it got a good laugh. Ellie insists
on being apart of EVERYTHING

I'm too far away!

Over the last 10 years, I've become pretty accustomed to being far away. Thanks to technology , I don't notice the distance as much as I would if this were 20 years ago and I had to spend my days like I did over long summer breaks as a kid, waiting for the mail carrier to bring a juicy, hand written letter from a pen pal.  Still, there are times when I just want to scream " I'm TOO far away!!!"   It's hard to be away when my mom had her appendix out or my sisters had their babies , a friend needs a hug and a cup of coffee , Grammy had emergency surgery to remove her gall bladder and Aunt Janet with her medical treatments.  No matter how quickly I can send a text or email or pick up the phone , it's just not as good as being there.  This is how I'm feeling right now as my dear friend ,Angie is on the brink of labor with their third baby and her husband, her partner in crime, is down and out with an illness. I just want to drive , settle her on the couch with her feet up ( and plate propped on her belly) and take care of all those normally easy things that are just exhausting when you're carrying a 39 week old baby around.  So since I can't do that, I'll lament the distance and think happy thoughts of the newborn snuggles she and Mike be enjoying and the looks on the faces of Hannah and Mia as they meet their new sister in just few days ( if not sooner. Hopefully not sooner! )

You're early!

Mack found the first Crocus of the ....winter? Seems those sunshiney buds are a bit confused by our spring like temps. Even the trees have started to bud. Like Angie said, " Go back to bed, plants!" We're due for some snow today and tomorrow so they'll be covered up under a nice blanket of it for some more winter time snoozing.