Saturday, August 30, 2008

Three Years Ago

As I sit here at the keyboard tonight, exhausted from a day of birthday-party preparations, I find myself thinking back to August, 2005.

On this night in 2005, the last night of my pregnancy, I packed my bags for the hospital, and I went to bed. I felt my baby moving and kicking, and I dreamed about the new little son or daughter that I would meet in the morning. I awoke to stifling, humid air...the remnants of hurricane Katrina.

The morning of August 31st was a blur of doctors, nurses, IV's and medications. I heard Erin's first cries, and the doctor's announcement of "It's a girl!" I held my new daughter for the very first time, and gave her the first of many kisses on her soft cheeks. Dan and I were thrilled to call Beth and Amy and tell them about their new little sister.

But besides the overwhelming joy that accompanied Erin's birth, I can't help remembering something else about the days following her arrival. The levees in New Orleans had just burst, and the city was under water. I sat in my hospital bed, eyes glued to the television screen. Erin awoke every few hours for feedings, in typical newborn fashion, so the TV was on at all hours of the day and night. In particular, I remember focusing on the disconcerting news about hospitals that were being forced to evacuate. Newscasters told stories of mothers that were forced to leave without their infants. Desperately ill babies remained in the ICU while their mothers were evacuated, with plans to reunite moms and their newborns as soon as possible. I held tightly to my new baby, and tried to imagine what a terrible ordeal that would be. I spent those few postpartum days refusing to let Erin leave my side, and praying frequently for those mothers and babies in New Orleans.

And tonight, while we make preparations for Erin's third birthday party tomorrow, I wonder about all of those families that I heard about in the aftermath of the storm. They must also be readying their homes for their children's third birthday parties. Has any sense of normalcy returned to their lives? Are they celebrating these third birthdays in their own homes, or does chaos still remain in their lives? I hope that August 31st, 2008 finds them safe and happy, and that these 3-year-olds have not suffered too much in their first few years of life, because of that storm. Unfortunately, it appears that some of them may once again be preparing for an evacuation, as yet another storm heads their way.

And so, tonight, I hope that all of you can join me in saying some prayers for all of those babies that were born during the same week as my little Erin. I pray that tonight, those little boys and girls are safely tucked into their own beds, dreaming about cake, ice cream, presents and parties. I pray that this new storm spares the homes of those that were so affected by Katrina three years ago.

Someday, as Erin grows older, I'll tell her more about what happened in our country on the day she was born. And hopefully, as she celebrates each year of her life, she'll remember to take a brief moment to think about all of those other babies, who began their lives in the midst of such a chaotic time...and hopefully she'll say a quick prayer for their safety and happiness, too.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Off To A Good Start


Beth awoke yesterday morning feeling very nervous, informing us that she "didn't know how to be a first grader, yet". We assured her that all of her friends were probably having similar feelings, and that they would all learn more about their new classroom together. She seemed to perk up a bit when we arrived at the bus stop, and she saw her good friend Sarah. The girls were thrilled to see that their beloved bus driver, Anne, (the one that came to our house late one night last spring, to return Beth's forgotten backpack) would be bringing them to school again this year!

She returned from her half-day at noontime, bubbling over with excitement. She loved her new teacher, and it wasn't really scary at all! Mrs. S. even brought munchkins into class for all of the students. (Beth thought that maybe the teacher brought the box of donut treats for herself, but then felt bad for all the students because they all looked so scared...)The class took a long walk downtown with the teacher and teacher's aide, and seemed to spend most of the day playing and getting settled. All in all, it was a successful first outing.

Brian, on the other hand, is less-than-happy with these new arrangements. All summer, he has awakened for a brief feeding at 6am, and then returned to bed by 6:15, snoozing away until close to 9:00am. But this week, he has been shocked by the noise of his shades opening at 7:30 in the morning, followed by the sunshine hitting his face. Within minutes, he's up, dressed, and sitting in his high-chair eating cereal. He's then plopped into the stroller, and pushed around the block, protesting vehemently. Hopefully he'll soon adjust, but I think he greatly prefers the summertime schedule.

Beth only has one more day of school this week, and then she can enjoy a four-day weekend. Next week she'll start full days, with lunch in the cafeteria for the first time! Erin and Amy have "orientation" next week, too. Hope you are all enjoying this gorgeous Fall-like weather!

Monday, August 25, 2008

Back To School!

-One more day to let the girls spend the morning lounging around the house, wearing their pajamas, cuddling up with picture books, and playing Hullabaloo until Brian wakes up.

-One more day for them to wear their bathing suits all morning long, even if we're not planning to go swimming.

-One more day to spend leisurely playing hide-and-go-seek in the backyard, to build fairy houses for hours on-end, and to swing "up to the clouds" on their swing set.

-One more day to eat lunch outside on a picnic blanket, where crumbs and spills don't matter one bit.

-One more day for Erin and Brian to nap as long as they want in the afternoon, without having to be woken up to rush to the bus-stop.


Tomorrow is Beth's first day of school. We're trying to enjoy this last slow-paced day, before we begin the daily rush, rush, rush to get four kids up, fed, dressed, and out the door by 7:50am. Beth is excited, but also a bit nervous about the changes ahead of her. Dan and I are sure that she will adjust well, and are so proud of all that she has accomplished this summer. I'll post some "first-day" pictures tomorrow!

Have a great year, Elizabeth Anne!! We love you!

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Brief Summary Of The Last Two Weeks

1. Rush home from work each evening in the hopes that I can catch some of the gymnastics competitions.

2. Stay up until well-past-midnight, because NBC insists on showing gymnastics events at the very end of their broadcast.

3. Collapse into bed, only to be woken up a few hours later by Brian's piercing screams.

4. Drag myself out of bed the next morning, resolved to skip that night's competition and opt for a full night's sleep instead.

5. Spend a groggy day with the kids, and then head off to work once again.

6. Repeat steps 1-5.

But since last night was the gymnastics closing gala, I can now look forward to a bit more sleep. While I am quite impressed with the speeds at which some of the track and field athletes can run, I am not dedicated enough to stay awake until midnight to watch them.

I have four years to catch up on my sleep. And next time, I'll bet that Beth will be by my side as we cheer on team USA.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Last Few Weeks Of Summer!





We've been trying to squeeze in a few more family day trips, before Beth heads back to school next week. We have been planning a trip to the zoo for a long time now, but unfortunately I wasn't feeling well all last week, so Dan took the girls by himself, while I stayed home with Brian. The plan was for both Brian and I to take a nap that afternoon, but unfortunately Brian was not in full agreement with that plan. However, the girls had a wonderful time, and Dan took a few pictures of their adventures. Erin had visited this zoo a few months ago with her cousin Alyssa, so she was able to act as tour guide for her big sisters.

Then, we took a trip down memory lane with Nana, visiting the small (and I do mean small) town on the ocean where Nana grew up. Time stopped about 50 years ago in this little seaside village, and I was amazed to see that the town library is still not automated. The circulation staff was happily stamping due dates on the book cards, and instead of the online catalog to which we've grown accustomed, there was an "old fashioned" card catalog. The girls loved seeing the quaint Children's Department, where I spent many happy hours as a little girl, on my summer vacations at my Grandparents' house. After a quick lunch at a ocean-side restaurant, where Brian was less-than-cooperative, we headed for the beach. All four kids enjoyed splashing in the crystal-clear water, jumping the waves, and digging in the sand. Brian has no fear of the water whatsoever, but seemed disappointed not to find any live crabs on which to munch.

And now, we're busy getting haircuts, school supplies, and back-to-school shoes. Amy and Erin have a few more weeks of vacation left, but Beth is counting down the days until she begins first grade!

Friday, August 15, 2008

Congratulations, Nastia!

Beth and I have enjoyed following the women's gymnastics competitions, and Beth is thrilled that one of her favorite athletes won gold last night. But, as a result of America's gold medal, I've been living in chaos this morning.

I have three little girls that absolutely refuse to take off their leotards.

I have nearly had six heart attacks, watching Beth doing front handspring vaults over the couch, and practicing beam routines and leaps on the back of the couches.

I have spent half the morning hanging Beth's gymnastics medals around her neck, calling out... "and the gold medal is awarded to Elizabeth, from the United States of America!", and then humming the National Anthem while Beth stands stoically with her hand over her heart.

And now, I find myself counting down the hours and minutes until Beth's gym practice this evening, so that she can practice her skills without ruining our furniture.

2020 Olympics, here we come!

We'll Cross That Bridge When We Come To It.

BETH: "Mommy, I've been getting a little worried about something. When I go to the Olympics to win a gold medal like Nastia, how will I get from here to the airport? Do I take a cab, or will someone drive me there?"

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Back again

My apologies for the lack of posts lately. After a week of dragging myself to and from work with a fever, headache and throbbing ear, I finally decided to seek some medical attention. I'm on antibiotics now, and will hopefully start feeling better soon. I have a whole new appreciation of Brian's pain, now that I, too, have double ear infections!

I do have some pictures to post and will hopefully put them up within the next 24 hours!

Friday, August 08, 2008

The Real Reason For My Infrequent Blog Entries This Week...

It's true that I've been working a lot more hours lately, since all the regular library staff members are on vacation. But, I can't blame my cyberspace absence on work alone.

Have you read the book The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle? If not, I highly recommend that you read it this summer. And if you do, I'll bet that you will also have trouble putting the book down...you might find yourself neglecting your online friends as well.

Happy Reading!

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Pretty In Pink

Those of you that know me well are aware of my obsession with the sport of gymnastics. As a former competitive gymnast, I spent my younger days flipping around the local gymnastics academy, perfecting my skills and having a blast. Even after my competitive days were over, I continued to follow the sport closely, and eagerly awaited my monthly issue of International Gymnast.

So, when Beth was born, I began counting down the days until she would be old enough to begin her own gymnastics classes. Shortly after she began to walk, we headed to the gym, and she's been active in the sport ever since. Of course, when Amy began walking, she joined her sister in the gym, and attended weekly classes for a couple of years. I enjoyed sitting in the waiting room and watching my daughters jumping and flipping, strengthening their bodies and just having a wonderful time.

But last Winter, Amy informed me that she really didn't like gymnastics. She wanted to be a ballerina.

I encouraged her to wait a bit longer before making a decision, but she continued to voice a desire to dance. So this summer, she began a beginner ballet class at a local dance studio. I'm hopelessly unfamiliar with this world of tutus and ballet shoes, but Amy feels completely at home in the studio.

Tonight, her dance school held an open house, and sign-ups for Fall dance classes. So after dinner, the two of us headed out for an evening together. Amy wore an ear-to-ear smile as she showed me her dance room, and she did a few dance moves while holding on to the bar. We signed her up for a tap/ballet combo class. And then came the moment of glory.

She got to chose her tap shoes. Her eyes were wide with amazement as she looked up and down at the rows of shoes, trying to decide which ones to purchase. Finally, she saw them.

Pink, sparkling tap shoes, with pink silk ribbons tied onto the tops of the shoes. She pointed to the shoes and stared up at the saleslady. As the shoes were tied onto her feet, her smile grew wider, and she was literally shaking with excitement. "Are they really mine"? she asked. When I assured her that they truly were her very own tap shoes, she jumped up out of the chair. She shuffled her feet on the hard floor, enjoying the loud noise emanating from the shoes. We somehow convinced her to take the shoes off before walking out to the car, but when we arrived home she immediately put the shoes back on, and did some tap dancing on the kitchen floor, while her sisters watched in amazement.

"This is the happiest day of my life", she informed all of us.

She's now tucked in bed, with the sparkling pink tap shoes on the floor beside her. I'm sure she'll probably spend more time looking at the shoes than she will spend sleeping tonight, but that's okay.

If a beautiful pair of tap shoes can make her this happy, then it seems to be money well spent. I may not appreciate this world of dance, but Amy certainly does.

Even so, I've already signed Erin up for Fall gymnastics. I'm sure she'll love it.