Talking about hitting the ground running (literally)

So Dad was barely home for several hours before Dash1 had Coach Pitch practice. And then he turned around and had practice again on Saturday. Great Grandmother watched Dash2 so the rest of us could go and help out with practice. What a gorgeous day. We were even saying we were hot! Just wait till August :) After hitting the batting cages for a while the team headed to the field for some defensive practice. Shortly into it Dash1 and another boy were headed after the same ground ball and collided. Dash1 (pretty tall for his age - and a head taller than this teammate) ran into another little boy and his mouth hit the back of the little boys head as they tumbled to the ground. Dash1 got up screaming and we could see blood. Dad and I both made it to him about the same time. Dad kept him spitting the blood out. At first we thought he had just busted his lip. But time would tell us that the lip was fine...it never got swollen. However, his two front teeth are another story! They are very sore, blood has pooled and dried above them, and they are loose. Poor baby! I hate to see him hurt like this. And on top of that what do you do with a mouth injury on a Saturday afternoon?!? Well, fortunately I have a friend through Bunko whose husband is a local dentist. I called him and he advised us to do nothing. Basically we have to sit and wait. They may fall out (in that case they would not put them back in since they are baby teeth) or they may stiffen back up in about 6 weeks and be fine. As the night came he was feeling better and slept well. This morning the teeth look much better! His gums seemed to be pretty bruised but other than that maybe those baby teeth are going to hold in there a little while longer!

Surprise! Daddy! Welcome Home!

So, about the surprise I mentioned in an earlier post...our good family friend (also Dad's co-worker) asked me earlier in the week if I would be interested in riding the bus to the airport to welcome Dad home. I thought it was a fabulous idea and was really looking forward to it. I knew the kids would think such a big bus was super! However, after the week had passed I was tired. My mom and I and the three kiddos ended up going out of town for the day Thursday to see her mother (my grandmother). IT was a great day! She had never met Dash2. And she thought he was adorable! We ate lunch and hung around her house till early afternoon before heading home. And once we were home we went to the Globetrotters. I just was not up for packing up and heading out bright and early Friday morning and riding a bus. However, our friend suggested that he take Dash1 and Doll. GREAT! I knew they would love the big bus and the independence of a trip without me AND Dad would be super surprised! So, off they went on their adventure. Dad was beside himself! He could not believe they came to meet him at the airport. What a great welcome home!

It is great to have him home! Life runs very smoothly with him around. He is s great husband and a super father!

4 Months Old

Dash2 hit the 4 month milestone this past week. What an exciting time in his little life! He is laughing, rolling over, following you with his eyes, grabbing at toys above him, holding his head up great and getting stronger everyday!. We go to the Doctor tomorrow and I am sure he will start you on cereal. It is hard to believe the time to start "food" is right here on us. We are loving everything about having a baby in the house again and Dash1 and Doll could not be more proud of their little brother!

A little Spring Break treat...

With it being Spring Break I wanted the kids and I to do something special. I did not want the week to pass us by waiting for Dad to return and life to return to normal. But everything I imagined us doing for "fun" ended up being more than I could handle with three children...one of which needs to eat or nap every 1 1/2 hours! But, on Thursday night a good family friend treated us to the Globetrotters. We had a super time! Dash1 REALLY enjoyed himself. I think he was the perfect age. He was belly-laughing through the entire show!



Doll's first taste of cotton candy had her sold. I went in Friday morning to wake her up for their surprise (I'll post about that in a minute) and she drifted back to sleep after waking for a short second or two. I attempted to wake her again and she said (in a monotone, very sleepy voice) "I like cotton candy". It was so funny!



Thanks to my mom! She ended up traveling this way for her Spring Break. She was a big help around the house. More or less, it was just nice to have another adult to pass the time with, to help control three kids while running errands, and to help mealtime be successful! While she was here she also had the treat of watching her 4th grandson/5th grandchild, Dash2, roll over and begin to belly laugh. Such a good week!

Gotta love it!

After posting my last post Dash1 and Doll come whizzing by the computer desk saying "BUZZ" and "FLY, FLY". As I turn to see the commotion I reaize they have found themselves dressed as bugs. Yes, bugs. They have turned the head pillow cushions to our patio furniture into wings. I love to see them using their imaginations. And let me tell you...they have ALWAYS been good at that!

So, here are front and pack pics of my two BUGS...





Doll also brought me this bowl. She had caught a caterpillar (It had already passed) and felt it needed a warm bed. She is so cute. Yet another example of how she puts others before herself.



And with all these picture posts I could not leave out Dash2! Now he is a cutie! He will be 4 months Monday.

Doing it alone

This week is gonna be tough. I wish I did not see it this way. I wish it would just gradually GET tough, if you know what I mean. It almost seems worst KNOWING it will be tough! Daddy is in Baltimore for Spring Break. He took a group of about 25 students from BSU on a mission trip. They are staying in the city and helping with outreach for a local church plant, doing some light construction and painting, and basically loving the people of the neighborhood. He will have such a good week. It is so refreshing to get away and love on people who need it. And more importantly show them the TRUE LOVE they need. I always loved going on mission trips and look forward to the day I get to go again. And wouldn't it be great if we could go as a family?!?

Anyway, back to the basis of this post...this week is gonna be tough. It is my first attempt as a mother of three to do a week, alone, all day, every day. There is something different about those words. Because I do do it all during the day everyday. But throw in nights and no super Daddy to help...that is the difference. I had thought we might spend the week in my hometown with my family but that did not end up working out for logistical reasons. And as the week got closer, baseball practice, the cabinet guy, the sheet rock guy, etc. started setting plans for us, so it is best that we are just around here. My mom may come later in the week. We'll see. So, I am doing my best to keep my cool. To keep organized and well planned so that we do not have a week of shot nerves and tears. I started our day with a big plan for us to go have a picnic at a local state park...but halfway into those plans Doll emerges from Dash1's room in an old pair of his shorts, black socks, and an old pajama shirt (all too small for Dash1 and already stored neatly, mind you!)...Dash1 has pulled out the table air hockey/pinball machine...and Dash2 is ready to eat. WHAT!?! I am in the middle of planning a perfect picnic. What do you mean you would just rather play dress up in your brother's old clothes? What do you mean you would rather pull out a big game that makes loud noises? What do you mean you are hungry, didn't I just finish feeding you?. Here I go again. Daydreaming perfect plans (in my mind) only to realize this picnic is best served in our own back yard! Yes, they peacefully ate in their tree house as I fed Dash2. And it was...perfect. Why do I feel the need to do so much, to try and make it better, almost bigger than real life? When, after all, better is just us. Just the backyard. Just family time. Around our own sweet house.

So, today has reminded me to not focus on doing it big and doing it better. Just do it. Do it the best way I can. Do it and Dash1, Doll, and Dash2 will all be happy. So, as I finish this post, Dash2 is ready to eat and Dash1 and Doll are blissfully enjoying each other's company...all in our own sweet house!