Something's wrong with me.

I'd love to blame all my blunders on brain cell loss due to having children.  Perhaps that is why I've goofed up so much lately. Or maybe baby-brain is a myth and I am just a whack-job. The frightening thing is the sheer quantity of my missteps in roughly 2 months.  Fortunately, at the end of most of these stories, there is a "fortunately."

Here 'goes.

We lost/misplaced an invitation and I totally forgot about a birthday party Eliza was invited to. She completely missed it.  I felt terrible.  Fortunately, she was spontaneously invited to that friend's home on her actual birthday and enjoyed pizza, cake, and a play date.

Eliza missed a field trip because she was sick. However, due to her sick days and an unclear note home, I believed the field trip was the Monday that she returned back to school.  I sent her with a special lunch and much excitement and anticipation about her trip to the children's museum.  Well...she got the cold hard truth at school and shed quite a few tears.  Fortunately a class-mate told her it wasn't that fun anyway.  By pick-up time Eliza was doing swimmingly and hardly even mentioned the incident.  (Though it took me a while to forgive myself.)

On a hectic night I showed up with all my kids to piano lessons, which we had established the week prior, were cancelled.  Fortunately her plans had changed, she was there, we did two 1/2-lessons, and had more time for dinner between our other commitments.

I was feeling spontaneous one week-night and decided to surprise Daniel with a date to a movie.  It was the film's last night at the dollar theater and I knew he really wanted to see it.  I rushed and got a babysitter and arranged the whole night.  Go me!  We were even on time for a movie that started at 7:30.  Too bad it started at 7:00.  So to keep our date night we rented a redbox movie and bought two cartons of ice cream we'd never tried before.  Fortunately,I discovered a new favorite:  Blue Bunny Banana Split.  It is ice cream perfection.

I made the 20 minute trek Costco for two purposes. One, to rotate my tires (I remembered the car).  Two, to return some odd smelling ribs.  I forgot the ribs.  Nothing fortunate about this.

I was inspired by a friend to write Charlotte's birth story in full.  I wrote well over 2 heart felt pages and left the computer without thinking of saving it.  You guessed it.  Someone innocently restarted the computer and my document was gone. Does it really take 33 years to learn to save a document?  Poopy pants.

For Easter dinner I decided to make rolls. 2 batches.  Let's see if I can explain.  Mixed batch 1.  Set batch 1 in an oven with a little residual warmth from earlier baking.  Perfect for rising.  Then I mixed batch 2.  I pulled batch 1 out to form into crescent rolls.  Stuck batch 2 in the oven to rise.  Worked on the crescents.  Then it was time to preheat the...you guessed it...oven.  I turned it up to 350 and finished with the crescent-making.  Suddenly I jump to the smell of melting saran wrap!  Blast it all!  I baked my bowl of rising dough!!  I was supremely disappointed.  Fortunately, I did not dump it right away.  After I got the first batch in the oven I realized I could pull off the hard top and rescue the dough underneath.  Jeepers.  Still ended up with 2 dozen from that bowl.

I hope next month goes a little more smoothly.

If you have a similar story to share, please do.  Then I will feel like you are laughing with me, not at me. :)

Some fun moments

My boy just loves this baby.  He's very attentive and keeps a close eye (and ear) on her.

I just laughed when I saw this scene late one night.  And to think Abby is sometimes hesitant to share her queen bed with Eliza because Eliza gets in her way.  No kidding!

(Eliza's foot is actually on Abby's chest.)

Abby and Eliza both were on Destination Imagination (called D.I.) teams this year.  They are teams that work on a central challenge (building or acting or something else creative) and compete after a few months of practice.  Also part of the competition is an instant challenge that the receive and complete on the spot.  It's all child-driven.  Kids do all the work--ideas, script writing, costume making, set building, everything.  Judges are very strict about adult "interference" as they call it.   The kids in grades K-2 are non-competitive, whereas 3rd on up compete for 1st-3rd place and also a spot in the state competition.  

Abby's group did a spoof on the story of Cortez and Montezuma.  They came up with such a clever and very funny script.  I was so proud of my actress daughter!  She is quite a hit on stage!  I can't wait to see her future in acting.

Abby's team (3rd-5th grade)--full of great friends!

Eliza's team wrote a story about the best toy ever.  The kids were adorable and she had such a fun time practicing all season.  Here she is as an assistant toy maker.  As kindergartners, she and one other girl were the youngest on their team.

Here they are!

 And here's wee Charlotte!

We had a hard time forming a baby D.I. team.  So we just let her lie around.

(March 29, 7 weeks old)

Baby days

It's true, when there are bigger siblings around, babies are toys too.

Charlotte is sporting a new SPRING DRESS because it's crazy hot here!!  Today is 82 degrees!

Spring (or is this summer?) came 2 months early.  It is bizarre.

It was really cute to see Charlotte sleeping all stretched out--she's normally so bundled and swaddled.

Little girl on a big couch!

Playing Photographer

When you're so sleep deprived that an 11am photo shoot at JCPenney seems WAY too early, sometimes you have to take photography into your own hands.

I set up a white sheet on my bed, grabbed the boppy and some bows, and voila!  Thanks to Picasa's glow and soft focus, these turned out pretty cute!  Taken March 12, 4 1/2 weeks old.

These are my top three:

(Andrew's favorite)

The rest I did not edit, but they are worth seeing!

Is that a smile?

Does this pose make me look chubby?

Boppys are good.  Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Arms are too.

Updates...

Andrew earned his arrow of light!  What a cute boy scout!!

He had to lead the boys in the construction of this bridge.  

Then he ceremoniously crossed it. :)

 Abby just had her 3rd grade concert.  It was so great!  

She even auditioned and was accepted to be in a special quartet.  We were so proud of her!

Abby has had a lot of fun with some school projects.  She build this model of an old one-room school house.  Complete with portrait of Abraham Lincoln on the wall, slates and chalk on each desk, and a wood burning stove to keep the chillin's warm.

Now this is just funny. 

(March 8-one month old)

Posing with Charlotte.

(March 12)

Baby Charlotte

Some updates (ok, just pictures really) on our newest...

At my Stewart baby shower over Thanksgiving, Charlotte's Aunt Heidi had everyone write notes on diapers...notes that would encourage a late night diaper changer, or make her laugh.  Here's one from Debra (taken during her first sponge bath)--

 Big sister, for the first time!

Charlotte and her Mama on Valentine's day, her due date.

Waking up...

Around the house...

It seems like only yesterday...actually, this was yesterday.

And just a moment ago, a little tummy-time nap. 

(Hey, nurse said it's ok if we stick around baby.)

Charlotte Belle, 13 days old

We had a baby!

Well, our long awaited baby girl has arrived! 

Here I am, the night before delivery!

The morning of February 9th, we welcomed a sweet Charlotte Belle into our family.  

Charlotte because it's a beautiful name (and I knew a couple Charlotte's growing up who only made the name more endearing) and Belle because she is Daniel's beloved Grandma.  I also knew her before she died and she was a sweet, wonderful person.

Here's Dad with his fourth child!

Charlotte was born at 10:59 am and weighed 8 pounds even.  She's 20 inches long.  She is my "middlest" baby as Andrew weighed 7 lbs and the girls were at 8lbs 5oz and 8lbs 6oz.

Charlotte was delivered "all natural," yes, by choice.  Depending on when you start counting contractions labor lasted about an hour and a half or so.  Very similar to the timing of Eliza's birth.  

(Abby's was a whole two hours long.)

This makes three daughters!

Precious baby girl.

It was just too sweet when the kids came to visit.  They were so thrilled!  It wasn't long before they were calling dibs on holding their baby sister.

Eliza wanted to check out all of Charlotte's fingers and toes, so we took a few minutes to unbundle her.

The day after our baby was born, Grandma Stewart arrived to be our helper!  

She has been so kind and incredibly helpful!  What would we do without her!?

2 days old.

Grandma Stewart brought a gorgeous home-made quilt for her grandbaby.

4 of a kind. 

A lucky little sister.