November 3rd, 2004

Today was such a busy day that I'm going to recount all that we did to refresh my memory and then write....Jack woke up at 7. Tommy fed him at 8 and I got up with Mallie at 9. We showered, got ready and went up to Home Depot for the Kids' Workshop. Jack made a pirate ship. We came back home and Jack and I walked up to the St. Angela Craft Fair. When we came home, I started cleaning while Jack played outside and Tommy played with Mallie. Jack ate lunch and took a nap at the same time Mallie fell asleep. Tommy went to Calvary cemetary on a fact finding mission for his ancestry project. I listened to NPR and wrote an essay to submit to Weekend America. We left around 3:45 for Tommy Ferry's football game in Medina. After that, we stopped at Mike and Colleen's for chili and to let the kids play. The kids fell asleep on the carride home.....

Most grateful moment of the day: I had a moment while I was doing the dishes today. Tommy and Mallie were playing in the living room and Jack was playing in the backyard by himself. I was watching him play and I just felt so grateful that the day was going so smoothly. He's becoming so independant and when Tommy' s home to help with the baby I am able to get so much done. It just felt like the household was a well-oiled machine....even if only for 1/2 hour.

One thing I learned today: That it is daylight savings time tonight...thank goodness I learned that or we'd be an hour ahead all day tomorrow!

Best life tip of the day: Take time out to write. I am loving my blog because it gives me time to record things I would definately forget the next day. I also took extra time today to write an essay to submit about our family's kids' table at Thanksgiving. It was so great to jog my memory, use some writing skills I haven't used in so long and relive a great time through writing. It is therapeutic, but also important to gain a little control over your own memories and thoughts.

One moment I wish I could redo: I wish we would have taken Jack to one of Tommy's football games a long time ago. He was really nervous and scared when we got there today, as he is at high school games we've taken him to. He had his hat over his eyes and was clinging to me. But at one point, for whatever reason, his fear turned to cheering for Tommy and his team and just football in general. He wanted to get down and yell at the players. He kept yelling, 'Yea hutball!!! Yea hutball!!!!' He and Halle were running all over the place and he had the time of his life. He was a little nervous about seeing Tommy in his uniform at the end. I think it was a little intimidating. But overall, he loved it and I think he'll want to go to games in the future. I wish we had done this earlier though because football season is over for most teams, unless they've made the play offs.


Biggest laugh of the day: Jack was telling us that he wanted to go see Brendan and Ryan today in the car. So we asked him who Brendan and Ryan live with. He replied, 'Colleen' and I asked him 'Who else?'......But, before telling you his answer, I want to give some background on where it came from: Jack calls 'milk', 'nyup', for some reason. The word 'milk' and 'Mike' are pretty similar sounding. But Jack didn't answer 'Mike' (or 'Nyup') when I asked him who Brendan and Ryan live with. He wanted to give his uncle's full name, 'Michael'...which came out of his mouth sounding like 'Nyup-el'....which sounds exactly like the word 'nipple'. In short, Jack told us that Brendan and Ryan live with Aunt Colleen and Uncle Nipple. I think this one has a whole lot of milage.....

Best Tommy moment: Although very annoying at the time, Tommy decided to go out to Calvary cemetary this afternoon to take pictures of his ancestor's gravesites. He has gotten pretty serious about tracing our family trees and I know the reason he's doing it is for the kids to know where they came from. It's a very interesting project- even though it has inconveniences that go with it.

Best Jack moment of the day: While we were at Mike and Colleen's tonight, we heard the kids laughing downstairs together. When I was down to sneak a peak at what was so funny, I saw the three of them running around in circles "dancing' to Brendan's play piano. They were having so much fun together. The next time I checked on the boys, the three of them were each playing with a different toy, completely content and happy. Jack loves his big cousins and has such a great time with them.

Best Mallie moment of the day: Despite my anxiety about toting Mallie around in her carseat and going on long rides with her in the car (due to her crying!!!)- she did great today. She went along to all of our stops and on all of our cartrips without any problems. I had to sit in the backseat with her on the way to Medina....but she was perfectlyhappy, just watching me. She's getting much better about going along for the ride... PLUS! she went almost 12 hours without eating last night. She's starting to work up to more formula after being sick last week. The more she eats, the longer she goes between feedings!