How I roll.

Safety first.

Well that's how I roll now, as you may remember I didn't always. Like the last time I fell so hard on my blades that I cracked my tailbone then knocked myself unconscious and my neighbor had to wake me up, pull me up off the curb and take me home. Yeah, I don't do that anymore.

Luke and his love affair.

I'm not sure if I ever posted about Luke's love affair with his bottle. But I definitely have to get that in the book. Because they were quite a pair, Luke and his bottle that is (it started around ten months, prior to that...not so much). They would fall asleep in each others arm every night and nap time. Since they got such a late start I let him keep her till he was two, don't hate. Holding each other so close, drifting off to sleep.

And this is our lawn after we got home from Philadelphia (we were gone from Halloween to Christmas having baby Luke). The squirrles were so proud of all their work. I picture all of them up these oak trees cringing/sobbing while Chad and Owen destroy their harvest.

Mr. Luke. I've always loved this picture of him, he's just pulled out his NJ tube (he had several complications from his surgeries). Doesn't he look proud of himself. Little does he know that directly after taking this photo we are on our way to the ER. For six hours of him being strapped to a table that slides into a metal tube and turning 180 degrees, four different radiologists trying to get his tube replaced exactly. All while he is crying hysterically and Chad and I hold his hand and try ourselves not to sob uncontrollably.
But for the moment that this picture was taken he was the boss! It's been over four years since we went through all kinds of horribleness with Luke and I'm just barely now able to revisit some of it without tears. We had nine months of weekly ER visits, a nurse working at our house full-time, Luke vomiting thirty plus times a day. Too many medication cocktails to think about and trying desperately to keep his blood sugars up when all this boy wanted to do was puke.

To get through it we'd laugh and call him Luke-puke. Who could use vomit as a weapon. Man, that boy.

Before and after. Lily's first day of pre-school.

This is an after shot. She goes one day a week to a preschool program. She was pretty tuckered out. She slept for one hour there came home and napped for another three.

Just as I'm walking out the door, she can't wait for me to leave. None of my children have had that separation/crying when it's time to have babysitters, nursery etc. I'm going to go ahead and believe it's because their all such well adjusted people.

Lily with her sweet teacher Mrs. Gerald. It's so great to have one afternoon a week where I can do what I want (picture me snapping my fingers as I say that)!

Lillian turns two.

And it just isn't a party till your naked, right (this was at the end of our celebrations and Lily and chocolate = stains).

Making our balloon wishes, (if Lily could write she would have wished that she could be naked all the time). Instead she (daddy) wished for a happy baby all the time (Lily is getting that two year old attitude!) But I want it!!!!! Auugggghhh.

Two years ago at 11:23 pm our baby girl was born. Often times when things are good your either too busy or oblivious to notice how good things are. This is not the case, I've appreciated each day these past two years. Trials bring perspective and I'm so grateful for my family. I know how good we've got it right now. With my children all around, a husband whom adores me I have fulfillment.

Making my wish, Lily would love it if it came true. I wished for her to be able to eat cookies everyday. To which Chad replied, "Why would you wish for that! She can't have that."

To which I replied, "That's why it's a wish."

Opening her presents, brothers were just about as excited as she was, possibly more. She got a new baby (from papa/nana), a cozy coupe car, a grocery cart (from grandma), new boots and some annoying talking phone that I already despise.

For the celebrations I made one of Lily's favorite meals. Ginger/garlic marinated and grilled flank steak, and fresh pasta with my homemade pesto sauce (she has a mature palate). She's using utensils theses days and she's better at it than Luke!

Raising a cup to Lily.

Trying on her crown. You can't see all the stuff I put on that remind me of her this past year so I'll list them for you. Right in the center is a naked baby (since she has a passion for nudity). There is also an ipod to represent her love of dancing/music. A cat and dog because we can't see either and not play with them. A couple pairs of shoes and jewelry because this girl just knows how to work it!...gets that from me. And of course pics of different foods that she loves; chicken, cheese and cookies!

Happy birthday baby, we love you endlessly.

Lily learns to pray and what happens every Saturday morning.

This is just too cute to not document. Lily has started praying with us. Even though if at any point during the prayer she wants to drink, eat or just leave she feels free to do so. You go girl.

Okay so Chad and I are both night owls. Which hurts come Saturday morning when kids are up at seven in the am and we just went to bed at one am. But never fear! TV is here to save the day! In an effort to have my kids develop the ability to read, color, be creative, how to walk, ride bikes, run and various other skills they only get to play Wii on the weekends (if I didn't restrict it they would seriously never stop playing). Which is probably why there up so early, it's like Christmas to them. They come down turn it on and eat cereal in front of the the TV while Chaddy and I snooze till around nine. It's win win! They get to play their Super Smash brothers and Mario Cart to their hearts content and daddy and I don't go fly off into fits of rage over spilled milk.

Time to catch up.

This post is dedicated to Owie. Just love that boy. I thought of a funny story that I know I'll forget in years to come so I want to get it down before then. The above pic is Owen at a swim meet which he competed against kids two years older than him and came in second place! Go Owen, go Owen.

This is Owen when he was around 3 years old. We were at the Arboretum in Dallas and I was pregnant with Luke.

Here is Owen at our house on Shoreview Rd in Dallas. He used to love to stir stuff up and "help" me out in any possible way. He used to also love to wear mine and Chad's shoes around the house. I just love the chubby fingers in this picture because there long gone now. So sad.

Here is Owen when he was a month old, looking so manly. Okay now for a trip down memory lane. After Luke came home from the hospital in Philadelphia he slept in the pack n play for a couple of weeks. We knew it was time to make the switch for Owen to get a big bed and Luke to have Owen's old crib. So we got a nice queen size bed for Owen and set the crib all up for Mr. Luker. Well at this point Owen was still napping and would stay in his crib when we put him into it.
He couldn't believe his freedom! He was drunk on his own power that at will he could get out of bed! Wow! Look at me mom! I'm getting right out of bed that you just put me in! Ha! Yay!!! Well a couple of nights of this and Chad and I were sick and tired of putting Owen to bed twenty thousand times. So I devised an evil plan to punish the child. You see Owen had a special blanket that he oh so adored and slept with, played with, took everywhere, etc. So one night when I put him in bed I told him that if you get out of bed I'm going to take your blanket away. Okay.

Well approximately two seconds after the door to his room closed we heard the pitter patter of feet and the crack of the door. I went to his door and swiped the blanket from his hands, put him back to bed and off I went with blankie. Well, lets just say that Owen came and cried and cried and cried at the door (which I was standing on the other side). Till daddy came down the hall and told me how cruel I was being and made me give it back. So we did and Owie stopped getting out of bed. And I still feel kinda bad about taking babies blanket one night in January of 2005. Sorry Owie, love you tons.

Currently...

Eating Sprinkles red velvet and cream cheese cupcakes. And loving it!

This is the current state of Lily, nude. She is determined to be naked and do unspeakable things all over my lovely home. (note; daughter has been removed from position of favorite child to that of least favorite child.)

Chad's birthday was Sunday and I wanted to make him a glorious chocolate cake. Instead I made him this blob of ultra rich chocolate. Now we know that it is possible to use too much cream combined with chocolate.

She still holds the position of cutest child though.

So pursuant to Lily's wishes we're (me) trying to potty train her. Not going so great today considering I had a pretty rough day myself (on my daily roller blade route I managed to fall squarely on my bum while going so fast that I knocked myself unconscious and a neighbor driving by woke me up and brought me home. Probably looked super funny but hurts like hell! Who knew your tailbone was involved in so many minor movements. And the best news...they recognized me at the ER! Ha.)