Visit With Gramma Mae

I think we all take the older generations for granted.

I am 34 and still feel 21...

will I always think I am young(er)?

These pictures are of Grandma Mae...

She is 94 and tries to converse, serve, walk about...

but she does need help.
What age does she think like?

She talks a bit loud and can't hear too well.

She is not as balanced as she once was, 

but I wonder if she feels younger than she really is...

It made me happy that little Liam could make her happy.

I hear that older people who have family around live longer and are healthier than people who are isolated or not close to family.

I think young people keep the older ones young as well...

Smiling so much has got to add years to one's life!

Grandma Mimi will be on her way back up to the cold tomorrow!

We can't wait to see you Gramma Mimi!!!

Want to babysit?????

Liam sleeps as well as the other two--you'd handle it great!

:-)

How about a trip to Wisconsin first?

Yes, you fit in the car and are very welcome to come with!

A Little Song...

Gabby sings and makes up stories all the time.

Yesterday she said an elephant is juicy because it shoots water out of its horn.  

And--

his head is on top of his head like a train!

And--

an elephant blows water out of a light (she was looking at a light)

And--

purse goes round and around and around...like a purse.

So she doesn't always make sense, but...

often very entertaining.

You should hear her "read" books!

Imagine all the fun she has making up people

and events and places by just looking at pictures!

I often laugh at what she comes up with!

Swimming and other fun!

How could you  not love this face????

or hanging out with this face?  :-)

Last weekend we hung out at the pool for the first time!

It truly was fun...

Owen rode the big slide for the first time,

Liam just hung out and even didn't mind getting dunked,

Gabby splashed and played...

ALL was fun until...

We got to the locker room:

Gabby pooped, Liam got tired and wanted nap...NOW,

and then to top it all off, 

Owen tripped on his shoe and sliced his toe open.

Blood everywhere.

We managed to get out quickly enough that I would do it again...

But another set of hands would be really nice!

Big and Little...trouble?

 She doesn't want help.

She wants help.

She wants TO help.

She doesn't want to help.

Middle child angst already evident...

 I am trying...to give her what she needs.

Especially since she's my only girl.

Maybe that's all the more reason to give her more than I think she needs...

Little guy, on the other hand, is easy.

He's fun.

 I can honestly say that I am enjoying him, all his warmth and squishiness.

His giggles, coos, snuggles, and yes, his itty bitty demands.

He's happy and not too serious.

He's entertaining and sweet.

He's so responsive and alert.

 and yes, he has a few of my facial expressions...

see the creased brow...already!  :-)

 And he actually works hard at tummy time.

He doesn't even cry...

My 61/2 year old still panics when things don't go his way,

when people don't do the right thing,

or when he makes a mistake...for the most part.

He always was like this.

Ask me about the spilled water when he was 1...

but Liam?

I have a feeling he's never going to take me seriously.

My goofball?

I'll smile now while it's still cute!

Popcorn toots and playtime...

 I've been back to work for three weeks now and I'm getting the hang of it.

I'm happy.  There is balance...somewhat...as much as can be expected...

But, I've learned that as soon as something seems routine,

it changes.
I can handle it...bring it on!
hmmmm

 I AM sick of this winter though.

Maybe because I was stuck inside recovering.

Maybe because I have cooped up kids!

They are crazy!

 But at least they have each other!

 Liam is my buddy though.

We hang out...

And now Owen is loving making Liam smile and giggle.

 And then there's Gabby...she puts plates on her brother's head...

 

He's rarely this serious!

"Mom, do I look pretty?" "Gabby, You ARE pretty!"

Caught at the beginning of a big smile...yep, two teeth on top gone!

So what does "popcorn toots" mean?

Well, one time when Momma had some gas, Owen said so seriously,

"It smells like popcorn."

First bath time together!

Since then, any strange smell is a "popcorn toot."

Pink boy with tan boy--can you guess who's who?

The other night I "dropped something" in their room 

when I was saying good night.

Owen asked, so seriously, "did you leave me a popcorn toot?"

I smile.

Newborn Pictures I haven't posted!

I can't think of anything to say...

but once again I have a full heart to give.

Amazing

oh yeah, and he's perfect!

:-)

Love and Smiles...

Owen said the other day that he wanted to "chub Liam's cheeks."

I smiled.  My son turned a noun into a verb.

But yes, I understand.

Liam has filled out, just like I expected.

Gabby and Owen took very little time as babies to fill out.

I'm telling you:  there is nothing like hugging a squishy baby.

"Comfort & Joy"

So warm, so cuddly.

So wonderful. So precious.

And now, I get the smiles and giggles and coos too!!!

"Hi Mom!"

Between snuggling and smiling, not much in the world could possibly be better.

Except for that my littlest one has given me a whole week of 7-9 hour stretches of sleep at night.

Now, you have to understand.  It is HIM that sleeps that long. 

I still wake up waiting for him to need me.  Want me.

Or, I feel as though I have to do "just one more thing" before going to bed.

Then I end up staying up til 10 or so...on a school night! Yikes!

There is no shortage of arms to hold and love to give.

I've found new encouragement in telling myself that this is just a hard time in life,

but I really don't want it to pass TOO quickly.

I don't think we'll have any more babies. 

I love having a baby.

But, there's more to having a baby 

than just sitting around and squishing all his squishiness.

My body is not my own.

My time is rarely my own.

The demands of this part of my life make it hard,

but once again I'm in awe of the irony that I want this life.

I want to be a mother and caregiver and teacher and provider of so much.

I also know that I love working.

It's hard to be so many things and to do them well.

But I am actually thankful that I have not given up my role as school teacher.

This is just a hard time in life.

Not hard in an unhappy way.

Just complicated and busy.

But I am also convinced that we choose to fill our lives up with things

and activities and outings and clubs and meetings, etc...

If we don't like being so busy, take something out.

Say no once in awhile.

Remember what's important and what's the purpose of this life.

God gives and God takes away.

God gives me each day and what I do with it should always aim at his gift to me.

His gift of a day.

Today.

Tomorrow is not given yet.

Be careful of what you do with today.

Growing Boy!

So my precious third child is already getting the shaft!

Well, not really.

I just have really not been good about posting about him as I did with the other two.

But, between having sick kids, getting sick myself, and going back to work,

I have no energy to even email, let alone post pictures!

This little one is so loved!

Gabby is one of his biggest fans, but he has learned to be cautious when she comes around.

He gives her the look that pleads,

"please don't bonk my head or pinch my belly again!"

But what can he do?

He's two months!

And a big boy at two months he is!

Over 13 pounds and as chubby as I expected him to get!

I call him my squishy little bundly, my chubby goodness, my lovey-dovey little chubby boy.

It is the only time in life that one can get away with 

rubbing and pinching squishiness and call it love, true love!

This picture was when Grampa was up in the middle of January...

My little boy has grown soooo much just since then!

Gramma Mimi!  He's going to be so big by the time you come back!

And then there is my other "big boy."

Owen...my sweet boy.

Makes me laugh...

And yell and cry and get so stinking mad!

Kids...gotta love em, hey?

I sigh...

I smile...again.

:-)

Happy Birthday to me...belated

Well, I found some pants that fit and 

we used a gift card that we got from a Christmas gift-exchange 

(yeah for the dice game!).  

Fogo De Chau!  

oh yum...if you haven't been, find a good excuse to go!

So, the story is that Roger is MR. "Safety First" and

tends to be more cautious than me.

I'm not crazy nor am I a dare-devil, but it is on my bucket list to learn to fly an airplane.

For those of you who know me well and you did not know this, 

that's because it's always just been there in my mind and not something to really grasp.

So, now that you know these two things, it was just as much of a surprise to ME that Roger bought me a flying lesson for my birthday.

I am so excited!  I get to have a day lesson on land and then get up in an airplane.  I get to be at the controls (somewhat) and see what it's like.

Roger still doesn't think he'll let me go as far as getting a license and/or get my own airplane...

he said he wouldn't fly with me...nor would my kids.

But here's my argument:

NORMAL people fly airplanes everyday!

normal everyday people perform surgery EVERYDAY too!

Aren't I normal?  or at least capable of LEARNING, getting TRAINING, ETC...

Heck, maybe he'll let me become a doctor instead!  :-)

It's the salesman who goes to work everyday knowing he'll be rejected 86 times before an appointment is set and a sale may be possible...he's the NOT normal one.

:-)

So, I will learn to fly, but I will add it to my list of "dreams" to one day have a license and, if my salesman makes enough money one day...I just may have my own plane!

I just won't hold my breath...

Go Pack Go!

 So...there's this rivalry.  

Not just a Packer/Viking thing...

It's between Roger and Owen.

I don't know how, but I got myself a little die-hard

Packer Fan!  :-)

 So, when the Vikings beat the Packers in MN a week ago,

Roger thought about it for a day or two before

having "the talk" with me.

You see, I had gotten him a really nice, thoughtful gift

for our anniversary and Christmas in one because I missed both.

I ordered it online and so Roger knew what I'd spent.

 He had no idea what I had gotten him, but I had told him

he'd love it but was not expecting it.

You see, Roger is easy to please if you get him food or clothes...or a gift card for either.

But...I guess I didn't do well enough.  

"The Talk" was his request to return whatever I'd gotten him

(he still had no idea...),

and he asked if he could get tickets off Stubhub for him and Owen

to go to the game in Green Bay.

I said yes.

He called Uncle Mark; got a place to stay and a ride to the game from Appleton.

He went on Stubhub, found tickets...they ended up being in the same section as Uncle Mark!

My little boy LOVED it!  He watched the whole game, got a few drunk high-fives (but he just thought they were crazy fans:-), and stayed awake until the drive back to Appleton...after 11!

What an experience!

I'll return the other gift this week...

:-)

Liam-One month & growing!

December 4th, 2012

 5:06 a.m.

Liam Michael Reger was born!

Definitely not the way we "planned," but wonderful regardless.

He was already 41 weeks ripe but breech.  We found out by ultrasound just 12 hours before his actual birth that he was feet first.  This was news to me because he had been head down until this appointment.  For two weeks I had been trying to get labor to progress, but of course, "when the apple is ripe, it will fall."  So, when I found out he was breech, I did not want labor to begin.  But, of course, it did.  By  2:30 in the morning I realized this was going to be it.  I had been prepared about the possible scenarios of what would happen if he had not turned.  Either way, I had already prepared an appointment with the chiropractor, acupuncturist, Chinese medicine Dr., and an MD to try everything to get him to turn so he could be born "normally."  I did not make any of those appointments because another ultrasound at 4 in the morning revealed my little boy was TWO feet down and his head was in the traverse position.  Like I said, I'm glad I was prepared and knew what was about to happen.  My contractions were already 3-5 minutes apart, I was 95% effaced and dilated to a 6 or 7, so the operating team (already assembled) got me ready and our little boy made his appearance.

Because it was not part of my plan to go to a hospital, I was sent by the midwife to the Dr's she works with in these cases.  So, Roger got me to Hudson, WI (normally a 50 minute drive) in 35 minutes.

Of course I was tired but couldn't sleep...or didn't want to, but Roger took a minute to close his eyes.

Nanny couldn't wait too long to meet the little guy, 

so she brought the kids down to meet their brother.

Love...

Owen has shown no animosity or resentment at all.

Gabby is a bit questionable...

She's still the little princess, but she is not the little one anymore.

One other surprise visitor was Gramma Mimi!

So happy to welcome yet another "descendent"...

Gramma and Grampa couldn't stay away either!

They drove up Wednesday night, stayed at a hotel nearby, and spent some time with us.

They brought a gift made by a friend--a blankie just like Owen and Gabby's!

OK...so I asked for it...literally.  :-)

The little guy slept quite a bit, but it made his daddy smile 

when he opened his eyes for a bit.

I couldn't get enough of him...

The only time I let the nurses take him was when I finally took a shower and they needed to take his vitals.  They let him just sleep on me for the 4 days I was there.  What a blessing!

I doubt that would have been so peaceful had I been home right away like planned.

The nurses loved his dark hair and did fight to be the one to hold him when I called for help.

Finally home and kids just wanted to hold him...

Wonderful sleeper!

Gabby just wanted to hold him up....like this.

Another visit from Mimi...

Mimi even came to St. Paul with us when I had an appointment.

She was the baby-holder while I met with the midwife.

Unhappy?

Happy?

Whatever?  Ahhhh

Wide eyes...he looks even more "Reger" than Owen did.

We started calling him "Little Steve"

Speaking of...Little Liam's first trip out of the house 

was a Sunday to watch some football with Poppa Steve.

He got all dressed up and cute...

Then he very quickly grew out of this outfit.

I smile...sigh.

Something about Poppa Steve is just right for a lazy day watching football.

Christmas came and went like a blur.

My house was a disaster before it "happened,"

but, in the wake of our family's generosity, 

there was plenty for the kids to play with and make even more of a mess.

No worries...

Gramma Momma was there to TRY to pick up after the kids...

I tried to tell her not to do it the ENTIRE time she was  here,

but she's likes to stay busy...I guess.

Thanks, Mom, for all the help.

Very much appreciated!!

Gramma Momma and Taz had some fun with post-bath, fluffy head.

First trip to Church!

had to bundle up...it was COLD!

First trip to the chiropractor.

So relaxed...did not fuss one bit!

What hands she must have!

I was talking to Gramma Mimi one day when Liam got a bit fussy.

She said, "and I suppose you wouldn't dare put him on his belly."

I gave it a try.

He conked out in 30 seconds.

Now don't judge--I do put him "back to sleep" normally,

but this time I was awake and with him the whole time he was not on his back.

OK?  :-)

And he's strong enough to move his head from side to side...

One day, as I was sitting in my "perch" (attempting to just STOP doing so I could heal),

and watching NCIS re-runs on cable,

I took this picture of my "view."

So frustrated that I couldn't clean...

but then I looked and saw this "view."

Cleaning would happen in it's own time!

And it did...YESTERDAY!  

I feel much better...body and mind!

Another blessing's just begun...a life-long journey and adventure!