Thunder, Lightning, and Hail, OH MY!

Wow, the light show last night was nuts! We had just put Lukey Duke and Brooklyn to bed when my sister called and told us to go outside and check out the lightning... We stepped onto the back porch and it was the most active thunder and lightning storm I've ever seen here, centered right over our house! We'd only been out there watching the flashes of light for a moment when a HUGE clap of thunder brought Lukey running, full speed, from his bedroom crying his eyeballs out. We tried to explain that it was just light and sound and that it couldn't hurt him or come inside the house, but it didn't help.... The poor kid was petrified. So, needless to say, we tucked him into our bed with cartoons on the tube, his blankie and baby bear clutched in his arms, and hoped that he'd fall asleep... We headed back to the porch and had just stepped out onto the back porch when the skies opened up and dime-sized chunks of hail began pelting the yard, followed by a torrential downpour of rain for about 20 minutes. It was all over within about 45 minutes, but it was awesome. Us Californians don't get to see too much truly bad weather, so it's kind of a treat when it does happen here. I think Duke enjoyed getting a little Mommy and Daddy time sleeping in our bed and I'm sure there was no way we would have been able to talk him back into his own bed after all the crazy weather...

Daddy Dates

Luke got totally hooked up this weekend with tons of daddy time.

Matt took him to the Rivercats game Friday night which he thoroughly enjoyed even though it turned out to be the longest game in franchise history at 16 innings! They didn't make it home until around 12:30am but he was so excited that he woke up when we tried to take him out of his car seat and proceeded to tell me every detail of the night at about 100mph. He showed me the giant orange foam finger that daddy bought him, as well as the mini wooden bat and the squishy ball that he caught all by himself as they were tossing them out to fans from the field. It only took a second to wind him down once he got his story out and convince him that he could finish explaining it to me tomorrow, after some much needed sleep. We brushed his chompers, stripped him down to a pull-up and tucked him in, and I swear he was asleep before Matt and I had left his room.... Poor tuckered out little bean!

Then, Sunday afternoon Matt took him to Scandia to spend a little time with Uncle Justin and the batting cages. Knowing my husband, he probably had to buy $50 worth of tokens but Luke came home with quite the stash of goodies that he bought with all of their tickets. All in all, it was a great weekend....I've told him a few times, but I'm really proud of the Hub for spending so much quality time with Capt. Duke. He needs it and I think it reminds him that he doesn't have to share EVERYTHING with his sister.

On to the week ahead. We have back to back doctor and dentist appt for Luke and Brookie tomorrow, as Miss Carrie is closed so she can enjoy the graduation of her oldest son Taylor from high school. Not the funnest thing to do with our day off, but it really helps to be able to knock out a few appointments and limit the amount of time I have to take off from work. I'm running a little lean on PTO so I have to schedule things creatively for now...


Sorry about whipping out all of the old photos of Lukey Duke... Just feelin' a little sentimental today :)

Regrets

Only now that I have the pretty, pretty princess do I really fully regret not filling out the Duke's baby book. It's so sad to think that I have no written record of his milestones and achievements in babyland... It's like I did everything so backward with those two. I started this blog to keep a written record of the squirts but I sadly missed most of the Duke's firsts, and that makes me kinda weepy. I was in such a hurry to get through the C's (croup and colic)that I never stopped to document all of the amazing little things that I'll reminisce about when I'm old and wrinkly, or right now... If I hadn't been on heart meds that made me super drowsy for two months after his birth, if he hadn't had Colic which made him cranky and not sleep (which made us not sleep), if he hadn't had to deal with multiple bouts of Croup (which made us sleep even less)... If only....



SO, I'm diligently tracking Miss B's milestones and will eventually transfer them from my planner to the baby book... I've also started dating and collecting all of Lukey Duke's wonderfully artistic creations/drawings to be stowed away in his baby box along with my favorite preemie onesie, his hospital wrist band and my ultrasound pictures... God, it goes so damn fast! Please slow down... Let me enjoy my babies as babies for a while...

Today

shower, coffee, Smurfs
drive to Carrie's, kiss babies
drive to work, blah, blah, blah on radio
pump, blah, blah, blah
breakfast, pump
blah,blah,blah
lunch, pump
blah, blah, blah
run out of work like the building is on fire
blah, blah, blah on the radio, traffic
arrive at Carrie's house: FINALLY exhale!
hug/kiss babies, smile, hurry to the car to head home
make dinner, still smiling, read bedtime stories, feed baby, tuck munchkins into bed...

It has been ONE of those days.

Memorial Day: Bob, Brauts and Babies

We didn't do much. just hung out and played in the backyard and listened to a little Marley, but it was a blast! Some pictures of our relaxing Memorial Day... My lap was a little crowded in that first picture... But I love it and wouldn't trade it for a thing....

My husband's new babies

Matt's been on this gardening kick for the past few weeks and has completely re-done all of the landscaping in our front and back yard. It looks amazing and finally like we live here. Before, it only reflected the people who we bought the house from and their tastes. Now it reflects us... Down to my husband's new babies; 5 to be exact. He has always had a thing for Japanese Maple trees and I pretty much blew him off about it until he brought the first 2 home. They're gorgeous and I liked them so much I sent him back to Home Depot for 3 more! Picks of his hard work!

Shotgun Wedding

One of the lovely ladies that I work with went to Vegas last weekend, pulled the trigger, and got married by Elvis last weekend... It brought back memories of my own shotgun wedding almost four years ago.

After a few years of living together, it was clear to both Matt and I that we were going to get married but we weren't really in any hurry to actually do the deed. Cue unplanned pregnancy with Capt. Duke that pressed our hand. We always knew that we were going to get married and realized that now was as good a time as any. We planned a day and time at the courthouse, invited a few family members who were free and got married by a nice gentleman in a tie-dyed Bob Marley T-shirt who smiled through the entire short and sweet ceremony. It was just as meaningful as any other wedding minus the frills. We cried as we recited our vows, exchanged rings and had our first kiss as a married couple. It was beautiful and special and simple and a great memory.

Yes, if we hadn't been 8 months pregnant at the time, things may have gone a little differently, but it doesn't change the love behind the actions. The funny thing is, I bet if we hadn't been pregnant at the time, we'd probably still have done something small and intimate and gotten married in jeans and flip flops on the beach of Lake Tahoe, and that would have been perfect for us too.

My promise to my children

I promise:

** I will never compare you to each other. You are each your own individual being and you deserve the chance to shine on your own and not have to be in any one's shadow.

** I will always encourage you to do your best in everything that you do. Whether that be your relationships, your profession, or your family, I will encourage you to make everything you touch in this life sparkle.

** I will give you every opportunity for growth that I can provide and support you no matter what life path you choose. I knew in my soul that there was nothing more important to me on this planet than being a wife and a mother. That is my soul, my profession and my true calling.

** I promise to love you so completely that there will never be any doubt to the depth of that love. Nothing you could EVER do could make me not love you. You are my children; a part of me, plucked right out of my heart, and I will strive to make you realize that fact each and every day.

** I promise to be your rock. NOTHING will shake me. I will be there for you come hell or high water... I'll bring the rain boots!!!!

I love you Bean and Cookie!

4 Months Old

My girl is 4 months old... Craziness I tell 'ya! We had her 4 month shot/doctor's appt today with the new pediatrician and I think I love this woman.... She's funny and articulate and can speak English! Hallelujah!!! She growing right on track with where a breastfed baby should be at 4 months and she's hitting all of her developmental milestones on time or early. It was funny to listen to the doc ask me about her rolling over and attempting to communicate by cooing and smiling as she's rolling all over the exam table and laughing her head off... Here is the stats for Miss Brooklyn:

Weight: 12lbs 9oz. -- 45th Percentile
Height: 24.5in. -- 50th Percentile
Head Cir.: 41.25cm -- 60th Percentile

Then came the dreaded shots. She screamed at the nurse with her high-pitched shriek for a bit but was ok within minutes after nursing and getting her teething ring to chew on... Here's a clip of her rolling around on the bed... Sorry about the quality. It was shot with my POS cell phone. LUVS!!!

Cute munchkin pics!

Hope Kristen doesn't mind, but I have to post a few of new pictures of her adorable little man Carson. We work together and survived being pregnant at the same time last year... Check him out! He so reminds we of Lukey Duke when he was a baby...