3 going on 16

We've been getting Irby to play in his room after he wakes up until 8 (usually he's up to go to the bathroom around 7-7:30). If you can't tell we grown-ups in this house really love to sleep! The babies still eat around 5, then go back to sleep till 8-8:30, and during the week, I just stay up, but on the weekends, I love to get back in bed. So, having the babies sleep in is great, but if Irby is up, they might as well all be. So, Irby has been great about playing in his room until the clock says '8.' I just have to share this story because it totally cracked me up and made me realize how fast my boys are growing up, even though they are all under 3.5. So, like usual on a Saturday, I fed the babies around 5, then got back in bed. Irby and I both woke up around 8 and looked at each other totally shocked that the house was still quiet (from the little Irby front that is). Usually we hear a little noise and just kind of doze...anyway, I came down into the playroom only to find little Irby fully dressed, eating a piece of pizza and drinking his milk. He told me he was hungry so decided to get his milk and eat lunch (which meal is which is sometimes confusing, especially if you're eating pizza for breakfast, I guess). He is too big for his own britches! Acting like he doesn't need his Mama to fix his breakfast!

10 Months

Watching airplanes land at Gravelly Point. They literally come about 50 yards over your head by the time they get to you, it's pretty amazing. That little white dot in the distance is Irby chasing the planes and jumping up trying to touch them. He LOVES doing this.

Swinging together. Griffin loving it above and Charlie happy as can be below.

I cannot believe how big my 2 little boys have gotten. They are crawling all over the place, pulling up, and even holding on with one hand and will transfer from table to couch standing. They love to talk. Mama, Dada, and Baba (brother, I think, at least they say it whenever Irby's in the room). Charlie loves to clap and Griffin is very quick to tell you how big he is (How big is Griff? SO BIG! - arms over head). They are such a joy, and I love seeing them interact, although they had their first fight over the weekend. We went on a bike ride, they were in the trailer, Griffin bit Charlie's hand and then Charlie pulled Griffin's hair!

Irby at the building museum in the house we built for him. If you are ever in DC, this is a wonderful place for kids, especially if you don't want to be outside because of heat or cold. Great indoor space to run, run, run and the 'Building Zone' with tons of blocks and cars and legos. Also, usually not crowded as it is not a normal tourist hot-spot.

Costco grocery cart. The only place big enough to fit all the kids AND groceries in the cart. Excuse the food all over the faces. We had an emergency lunch while shopping, and of course this mama forgot wipes and bibs. Can't remember everything, right? We buy produce in bulk these days. Don't know if I said, but we found out the allergic reaction they had last month was due to food allergies. Milk, Egg, Peanut and Tree-nuts. You have got to be kidding me. The Dr. says they will probably outgrow them all, but maybe not peanuts. That is extremely limiting when you are making meals. So, last week the fruits and veggies we went through (all 3 boys, and one nursing mother included) a box of cheerios, 4 pints of cherry tomatoes, 2 lbs of blueberries, 2 lbs of strawberries, and 8 sweet potatoes, and a huge bag frozen of mixed veggies (this is not including other non-produce food or dinner when I cook a normal meal). I am trying to figure out how to incorporate the foods they can have into everyone's diet, because a short order chef is not really on my list of things I have time (or energy!) to do these days. At least now we're all getting our veggies, and they really are doing great with eating food, at least the food they're not allergic to!

Charlie pulls up! Playing like he owns the place at the train table.

And not to be outdone, Griff follows shortly behind him.

Ditch the Pacie, Quick!

Look what Charlie did to his pacie. Those 8 little teeth are pretty sharp, and he was pretty mad! This was about 6 weeks ago....our boys don't use pacies except under the dire circumstance of Irby being out of town and both boys wanting to eat at 5am. Griffin woke up first, so I was feeding him and Charlie had the pacie. Well, when I went to get him to eat, this is what the pacie looked like. The bitten off part was no where to be found, I guess he swallowed it. Danger! So, this and the other pacie went straight in the trashcan. I hope you are all learning from my stupid mistakes!! Maybe I should change the name of this blog to "If You Are a Mom, Don't Do This."

The Beach!

These pictures are from our trip to Perdido in May. I am very late in putting them up! We had a great time, and loved getting to be with Irby's family. The trip was filled with lots of helping hands, good food and fun family time. Below, Uncle Pete showing Irby how to use to super-soaker.

Sandcastles!

Me and my sweet babies, Charlie (L) and Griff (R).

Ahnie and the baby boys.

Lulu and Whitt

Snuggling with my oldest and middle (Charlie) in the hammock.

Poor Griff - ER #2

Well, after our weekend I was wishing that my hair had been burned off by a firework after what little Griffin had to go through! Thankfully he is doing great, but will have to have extensive allergy testing in the next few weeks. Charlie reacted to the food also, but threw up much sooner, so it wasn't in his system very long, and he didn't have the severe reaction that Griff did. Here he is feeling all better!

Here's what happened....9am-ate pancakes, 9.30-rash, but went away in 10 mins, 11-Charlie threw up all over inside of car and carseat, 11.30-Griff swelled up huge and wheezing, can't breathe, (we happened to be at Charlie's dermatologist, and he said go to ER, I said, oh, how about some Benadryl, and he said go to ER or I will drive you!), 11.45-Griff gets adrenaline, oxygen, epinephrine, and benadryl straight to the IV, 1-admitted to hospital (swelling better and he can breathe, but still on oxygen), monitored till 8 and he is fine (they are looking for secondary reaction), and we head home.

Charlie, Irby and his buddy Ansley checking on Griff in his hospital bed.

So, we had our friend Ansley for the morning. Her mom and I take each other's 3 year olds for one morning each week(she also has a 5 and a 2, her blog is Carpenter's Chaos listed to the right). Honestly I feel like I get such good deal with our swap. Irby and Ansley play so well together, and Ansley loves the babies, so it is like having entertainment for my 3 year old and a babysitter all in one! Having Ansley at the hospital with us sounds like it would have made things crazier, but it actually made it easier. Gave Irby a friend to pal around with, and a few hospital volunteers took them to the playroom down the hall, and I'm not sure Irby would have gone alone, so that was a HUGE help. And let's be honest, how hard is it to keep 3 year olds happy with 'Toy Story' and Oreos (thanks to some awesome nurses)!

Irby had ridden his bike to work that day, so he had to bike home, then drive out to the hospital (30 mins away) bc he needed a car to take the 3 well-kids home. They left around 5, and Griff and I stayed until about 8, and they let us go home, with Epi-pen and training under our belts, of course.

So, all you new (and old) parents out there, food allergies are a very serious thing! I didn't take them seriously enough, and I don't even want to think about what would have happened had we not been 3 blocks from the hospital. And just for your info...they ate some delicious Ricotta-Orange Pancakes (Everyday Food Magazine). We've been trying a different pancake recipe each week and last week, after our 9 month Dr. visit where he gave me the go ahead for most everything except nuts and milk, I decided that was fine for them to partake with us. Well, apparently eggs are the most common infant allergy, so that was likely it. Let's hope they outgrow it bc eggs are in everything!

Thank GOD Griffin is OK.

So the rest of our weekend was rounded out with a virus we all got at the hospital and also a case of mastitis for me! Can I just say I am married to Super Dad? Mr. Mom? I mean, he wasn't feeling too bad so he let me sleep and rest while he had some good time with all the boys. He wins a major award, I mean he always goes above and beyond, so this wasn't out of character, but he really served me hugely this weekend.

Happy 4th of July!!

Holiday Weekend, Off to a Great Start...

Which do you think happened to me today?

1. My hair got burned off by a firework

OR

2. Took Griffin to the ER after he went into anaphalactic (sp? but means he swelled up twice his size, bright red with hives, couldn't breathe and was vomiting all over every one and everything in sight) shock due to eating something he was allergic to, while keeping one of Irby's friends (i.e. - went to the ER and was admitted to the hospital with 4 kids under the age of 3).

I will keep you in suspense until I get the pictures off my phone, but let me know what you think.

A New Woman in Our Life...

Her name is Iris 2. When Irby got us a mini-van, he also got himself a mini-cooper (some have said 3-kid crisis?). See below, the teeny car between 2 trucks out front. Irby loves it, it's straight from New Zealand, right-hand drive and the teeniest thing you ever rode it. I would say she's smaller than some go-carts! Irby's first Iris was his car purchased in New Zealand for about 300USD which he drove all around the island while he was there for 6 months. Lots of fun to have, but I will say Iris 2 has sparked several conversations about the annoyance of possessions that cause you more work when it's just supposed to be fun. Just saying...

Irby III loves Iris 2 and has his own car seat in the back seat. I think we could all 5 actually ride in there once the babies are in forward facing seats. I've only ridden in it once because we have to have a babysitter for me to ride it in. I don't drive right-hand-drive stick-shifts and someone has to stay home with the babies since they don't fit in it yet. The best thing about it is you can squeeze into any parking space! It takes up about half the space of the mini-van. If you come visit us, Irby will take you for a spin!