Heart-stopping Moment

We know that life with kids is busy and hectic. We manage to contain the craziness. Yet on occassion that too can get away from us, and we are left with those few moments that 1) feel like an eternity and 2) make us feel like the worst parent on the planet.

Case in point: I was at Trader Joe's this morning, picking up a few items. Of course I had the whole crew with me - Keira buckled in her carseat in the front of the cart, Norah content to hold her plushie Sweetsong pony in the main part of the cart, and Ava walking next to me. We were just about done when I decided to pick up some pita chips and hummus for Mason (since that's one of his favorite snacks, and we haven't had it in a while). I was perusing the various kinds of pita chips. I knew I would end up getting the regular ones, but I wanted to check out the different flavors. After picking up a bag of cinnamon ones, then putting them back, that's when I heard it.


CRASH!!!


My back wasn't even turned away from them when it happened. Looking down, Ava was pinned under the cart screaming bloody murder, Keira's carseat had tumbled out but managed to land upright, and Norah was giggling, but still in the cart (sort-of). Apparently Ava had climbed on the side of the cart - but since TJ carts are a bit smaller than regular grocery store ones, and with the absense of my steady hand on the cart, her weight pulled it down.

There was a flurry of feet and hands, all helping me to right the cart and to make sure everyone was okay. I looked at Keira in her carseat, and she was sleeping! How she managed to sleep through that, I will never know. I guess it's a magical baby power. Norah was laughing and smiling. It was only Ava who was crying - and no wonder too, because the cart had fallen on her. She had a scrape on her leg and her elbow, but she didn't appear to have a concussion or a limp. An elderly TJ employee came by to offer some help - perhaps some lemonade for Ava or a package of frozen peas to put on her leg. Ava didn't want any of that (I think she was also a bit embarressed), but when the lady offered a balloon, well, what 4-year-old can resist that?

So balloons and stickers all around for everyone, we paid for our grocery items, and left. Of course I had my moment of feeling like the worst mommy in the world for not keeping my hands on the cart at ALL TIMES. But kids do bounce back - as evidence in the parking lot as Ava bounded towards the car chattering happily about her balloon.

Love that song and a Surprise

Tonight while I was feeding and rocking Keira right before I put her down for the evening, I decided to sing to her. I admit, I don't sing with my kids very often (usually because I think I am tone deaf, LOL!). But I thought a little song would be nice for her right before bed. I sang the Primary song "I Am a Child of God," and immediately her face lit up! She gave me the biggest smile, and cooed the whole time I sang. It just melted my heart.

She must either not mind my singing, or she must really like that song!


Ava also had a good evening - we found a special treat on our front porch. It was a giant chocolate chocolate-chip cookie, with a card addressed just to her. It was from her Sunbeam teachers, saying that they were glad she was in her class. She was very excited about the surprise treat, so here's a thank-you shout out to her teachers!

Smart in different ways

Since Ava now loves writing her name, we got her this dry-erase mat that has the alphabet you can trace on one side, and then pictures on the other side to play alphabet-related games. It's been helping her to write more than the two letters of her name, as well as practicing more control of a writing implement.

I got one for Norah as well, but for now she's just content to point out the letters and then just scribble over them. But, she knows her animals! She loves it when we pull out the animal flash cards - she can identify a kookabura, a howler monkey, and a manatee among other obscure animals. She also loves to play with her Noah's Ark felt book. She carries those felt animals around everywhere! I wouldn't be surprised if she became a vet, LOL!

It's fun to see how our girls learn and grow in different ways.

Crazy Coding!

You may notice that my blog has a new look. With the help of my husband (who knows html code waaaaaaaaaaay better than me), I was able to take the background that I created in Photoshop and customize my blog. He even helped me change the look of my header (from the dreaded all cap title to the dotted and thick border lines). The only drawback is that during the process the links to my friends' blogs were lost, so I need to add those back in.

I still want to change some things around, but I like the direction I'm taking. Who knew I would be able to understand html, let alone change it to suite my taste?

You'll be missed, Mr. Gomez!

Yesterday afternoon I was notified that one of my most favorite teachers in high school, Bob Gomez, had passed away that afternoon. In the back of my mind I always know that death is a part of life, but when it happens to those whom you have admired, it still comes as a shock.

Mr. Gomez was my high school's band director. And as I was on the color guard for four years, I spent quite a bit of my high school career with him, lol! We had practice with the band on Tuesday and Thursday evenings for about 2 - 3 hours, then 5th period was also mandatory practice. On occasion we even had Saturday practices. Not to mention all the band reviews and other sorts of activities we participated in. So yes, I think he was the teacher I saw the most!

The most vivid memories I have of Mr. Gomez are him threatening us with "F's" if we didn't get our butts out to the football field fast enough during 5th period, telling the guard to think of him in a Speedo in order to help us to smile throughout our performances (but that usually made us cringe!), or that he thought we should wear white go-go boots because that would stand out nicely against the green field.

Mr. Gomez was definitely one of a kind, and I'm sure that everyone at Cupertino High who passed through his music room will miss him.


Me and Mr. Gomez at my high school graduation. Man that seemed like a lifetime ago!

Fourth of July

Truly the Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. Who doesn't love grilling, eating outside, fireworks, and celebrating this free land that we live in? Good things all around.

While we didn't watch fireworks this year (Ava got terribly frightened by them last year and didn't want to see them again this year), we did celebrate with a picnic dinner at a local park. After dinner we had fun playing catch, frisbee, and watching the ducks in the ponds.

Ava being cute


Ava dancing with a fork - I think we kept a safe distance from her!


Norah being her cute self


She just loves to laugh!


It's rare to get the two of them together in a photo!


The girls and their dad


And me!


Keira was there too - although she likes to sleep through family functions.

Early Baby

In a complete surprise, our third baby girl decided to make her debut early! Keira Rhys was born Tuesday, May 5, at 9:07 pm. She was 6 lbs, 9 oz and 19 inches long. I think it's pretty interesting that all our girls had their own timetable - Ava was on time, Norah was a week late, and Keira was a week early.

I was having mild contractions all day on Tuesday. I didn't think anything of them since I had exprienced false labor with Norah. So I just went about my day - even going out to get a baby memory book for Keira.

After we all had our afternoon nap, my contractions were a bit stronger, but I still gave them no thought. But something did tell me that I should get the girls' overnight bags together - they would be staying with my parents while I was in the hospital.

I began making dinner, and noticed that my contractions were even stronger - but still not painful. Mason wasn't home yet (which surprised me, since he's usually home by then). Around 6:30 though, I got my sign that I really was in true labor - the mucous plug! I called Mason, but he wasn't answering his cell phone (I knew then he must be on his way home, since he can't answer his phone on his motorcycle, LOL!). I then called my mom, and she promptly came over.

Mason came home around 7 pm. I told him he needed to eat fast because I was in labor! It was still a bit surreal to me, since my due date was a week away. Mason mentioned that the reason why he was late was he was getting things together to work from home for the next few days - he had a feeling the baby was coming very, very soon.

We got to the hospital around 7:40 pm. At 8 pm they checked me, and I was dilated to 6 cm, with my water still intact. I chose to leave it that way since it acts as a cushion. At 8:40 my contractions were noticable stronger and getting more painful - they checked me and I was at 8 cm! Then 10 minutes later my contractions were very strong, and I was at 9 1/2 cm. The nurse paged the on-call OB, who then broke my water. I began pushing a few minutes later. Keira was then born at 9:07 pm. I didn't have an epidural or any other pain meds.

So onto some pics!

This is right after birth




Mason in the nursery with Keira


The hat Mason picked out for Keira. He said the nurses didn't like it, LOL!