The Princess and the Frog

Usually I coordinate our Halloween costumes but this year Audrey found a dress she just had to own. I bought it to add to her collection of dress up clothes but she insisted on wearing it for Halloween. 

It's like a masquerade ball gown but she thought it was a princess gown. It looks very Anne Rice to me so I felt it was appropriate for her first Louisiana Halloween.

I didn't know what to make Hudson other than the frog prince to go along with her masquerade princess. Really felt like I phoned it in this year. But we had fun. 

The rain finally stopped long enough to have a hay ride and trick or treat. 

The kids loved the hay ride (Hud was esp stoked about the tractor) so I'm not sure why they looked so annoyed in all of the hay ride pics I took. 

Hudson was so into trick or treating this year. He had to carry his basket himself even though it was so heavy he was grunting and breathing heavy, and he was always quick to say Thank You! 

By bed time Audrey was whining and Hudson had some how come out of his diaper in his costume, no mess luckily. So we didn't make a late night of it. But we had a lot of fun, nonetheless. 

 Last Halloween as a family of four!

Just Like Dad

Recently the kids were able to play with the Centenary Ladies and Gents Soccer teams under the bright lights of Mayo Field. 

 My how we've come full circle.

Animals Galore!

I almost forgot to add this post due to other photos I had to edit. 

Barker had another soccer tourney so we tagged along. 

 Audrey asked to help clean the windows at a gas station.  Always the helpful one.

When we arrived at the hotel Hud screamed "Yay!"

 And they both crawled into Audrey's bed immediately.

 Hud just wanted to play on his bed.

The next day we hit up an Aquarium. Fun!

 I loved the sting rays. They were so friendly and desperate for affection that they'd try to jump out of the water in your direction. Audrey was NOT a fan of that but H and I LOVED it! You could reach in and pet them but none of us did for whatever reason.

 Audrey loved the jelly fish.

But the sea horses were here fav.

 They had big pregnant bellies.

 Male sea horses can carry babies. Ahem, Barker.

Then we hit the shark tunnel. My kid's reactions couldn't have been more different. So glad I had my camera out to document their faces, even if my camera and flash weren't ideal for taking pics in a dark shark tank. 

 Audrey was terrified yet amazed.

Hud just thought it was awesome.

 Her jaw was on the floor.

He was still just soaking it all in.

 She grew more nervous the closer they came.

He was more excited.

 Audrey was not a fan of being shark bait.

Hudson was repeating "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" and pointing by this point.

 I don't think she 100% believed me when I told her they couldn't get her through the glass behind her.

She liked the big tanks better.

 They had tunnels for the kids to crawl into in order to see the fish from another angle.

 Dared her to kiss a gator. She was so nervous. Ham.

The next day we hit up a zoo. It was really pretty but kind of a pain to navigate. It wasn't on a loop or two like most zoos, so that you're sure to see everything. But we did find a TRAIN!

 Huddie was in awe.

 We had lunch and played on the playground. Audrey liked the spider webs you could climb. Son preferred the pretend choo choo and truck, of course.

 They both enjoyed the petting zoo area. Hudson kissed a goat.

 I thought the sea lions and penguins were neat.

 Meat Pie got really excited over a sand cat that didn't look all that different from a house cat.

Then we rode the carousel. 

H was still pointing out that the train was right there waiting for us.

 Audrey of course picked the sea horse to ride.

 When the carousel started to move Hudson's face turned into pure joy! 

He was thrilled!

I don't think Audrey is going to out grow carousels anytime soon.

The truest thing I've come across lately

    This really is not just a chart about what people think but also about what they think is ok to say, even though it's none of their business. No one asked me if my 2nd was an accident. But people often ask me if baby #3 is. And it's usually strangers because those that really know us know we've always wanted a big family. We've never just wanted a boy and a girl. When I met Barker he said he had a feeling he'd have 4 daughters. I laughed (If you knew him back then you'd find that funny, too.) I replied "I always saw myself with 4 boys!" We weren't dating then, but once we were my vision of our family changed and I always pictured 2 of each. That's why the thought of having an emergency hysterectomy or losing my fertility after Huddie was so horrific to me. The guilt of possibly not being able to give him the family he had hoped for was overwhelming and people telling me to get over it and just be happy with what I got simply pissed me off further. I never said I wasn't happy. It was just that changing the vision we had for our family was not an easy, overnight task.

    But the above image made me laugh because just last night a total stranger, a man in his 50's, walked over, asked me how old my kids are, and when I'm due. Then he immediately said "Now you're done right? Or are you going for the 4th?" I didn't care to explain my medical history or age to a stranger so I just said "I think she's our last." And left it at that. Not like I'll ever see him again. He said "Oh I didn't ask the gender. Didn't want to be nosey." Ha! Then he goes on to say he and his wife stopped at 3 because she got too old, she was 40 when their 3rd was born. By the way- those were his exact words, not mine. I just said "Yes, for most of us it gets harder and riskier with each passing year." Then I realized I was going to have to be the one to walk away from this conversation. He never even told me his name, he just felt compelled to give me his opinion on my 3rd pregnancy. But what shocked me the most was that he was brave enough to refer to his wife as 'too old.' Ouch. 

    So I've decided I'll just make things up to mess with strangers that think they know it all. I'll tell them the 3rd is a baby I'm carrying as a surrogate or that we're shooting for lucky #7. Just to see their faces and document just how much people will say to a total stranger. I guess you can't help what thoughts pop into your head because Anericans by and far seem to be programmed to think you have a boy and a girl then you're done. But I really have no idea why people think it's perfectly acceptable to give you their unsolicited opinion. I don't personally have a problem with anyone asking me if we're having a 4th but I'm not sure how I'm supposed to predict what our future holds anymore than I could say for certain a 3rd was in the cards. Isn't it always a situation of 'only time will tell'?     But I am not a fan of people scrunching up their noses to myself or my friends with 3 or more and saying 'you're done now, right?' as if they're the ones nursing these children at 2am, bathing them at night, dragging them to school and soccer or even home schooling. I just find it so very odd that people think it's so acceptable to insult your number of children to your face when they're not their responsibility. I wonder if it's like this all over the world, where the average number of off spring varies?

    I've also noticed that people have a strong opinion on how far apart your kids are in age, that varies by region. In Texas people never commented on my kids being 3 years apart. But in Louisiana people always asked then replied "Wow! You really spaced them out. When's the 3rd?" This was before I knew for sure we could have a 3rd and didn't know how long it would take to conceive. We were hoping to be pregnant by this December and I'm sure had it taken that long I'd have a lifetime of 'spaced them out comments' to answer to. Since it for once didn't take forever to conceive they'll be just over 2 years apart. People here keep commenting 'that's perfect!' but I never wanted them that close in age personally, but due to my age and previous medical issues I just couldn't wait as long as I'd preferred. Plus, we knew it might take a while to conceive. How does anyone ever know for sure? Even having a Dr. implanting it doesn't guarantee it will stick and your kids will be exactly as far apart as you personally preferred. 

    So basically I've come to realize that I'm the odd one, one that doesn't feel flabbergasted when someone wants just 1 baby or a 3rd baby, and doesn't feel that shaming them is the polite response. 

    But my heart really goes out to those at the top of the chart. Those married couples who have been taking out loans and sticking themselves with needles and praying and pleading with God to let them be pregnant, just to have random people bug them with the 'when are you having a baby' comments. A few weeks ago I read an article about the huge spike in 'selfish' Anericans choosing not to have kids. Choosing instead to have careers. To travel. To buy a vacation home before the age of 60. Oh the nerve! Apparently people are outraged because we need people to have babies to put them into the work force to pay into social programs for those who don't work. I believe the article was in Huffington Post. I wish I would've saved the link. But I doubt many of those 'childless by choice' people were offended by the article since those lucky ducks were off on vacation! ; )

    Oh! And a semi new phenomenon I've noticed.... Thinking it's ok to ask a stranger with twins or more if they did fertility drugs. Why do you care? Yes twins are way more common place now due to drugs but what does it matter? Is there a 1st place ribbon for identical twins born to moms that had no idea that could happen and a participant ribbon for those with fraternal twins or triplets due to drugs, IVF, etc. Sheesh! If you suspect they had to undergo fertility treatments to get their twins then it was probably a long, painful journey. So why bring it up? I'm grateful people just ask me about a 4th as if I have a crystal ball, instead of making me relive years of disappointment like some of those with multiples due to meds. 

    On the plus side, it seems like people really used to shame those they thought 'chose' to just have one child. I heard the word selfish a lot. Help for some via fertility meds hasn't always been around. And some people just want one kid. I have several friends with just one child and both the parents and the child are perfectly content, as are my friends with 3+ children. (Which I recently saw refered to as drowning.) I know people still bug those with just 1 kid but it doesn't seem to be worthy of the constant questions and public shaming like it was in the past. So yay for that. 

    But if we all just worried about ourselves then I'd have nothing to blog about and I'd be forced to get up and do my chores. And who wants that?

My Precious Pumpkins

Audrey had her first school field trip. When I got the permission slip I told Barker about it. I was so excited for her. Our conversation went a little something like this:

Me: Audrey has her first school field trip coming up!

B: Where to?

Me: The pumpkin patch!

B: The pumpkin patch at (insert name of the CHURCH here)?

Me: (Looking at the permission slip) Yep. That's the one.

B: I've stolen many a pumpkin from there.

Me: STOLEN?! From a CHURCH?!

B: What? It was like 15 years ago when I was a dumb kid. (Starts laughing) Didn't I ever tell you the story about Scott running with and then dropping the huge pumpkin? (laughs again) Have him tell you.

Me: I am so not prepared to raise your teenagers. (palm to forehead)

B: You knew what you were getting into when you agreed to marry me.

Me: Yes. But I didn't think you'd actually show up the day of our ceremony! 

The morning of the trip I couldn't get her car seat in or out of the car by myself (3rd row seat + pregnant belly + complicated Britax= not budging) and Barker couldn't be there to do it for me so I had to drive her to the pumpkin patch myself. I felt bad tagging along but she said she wanted me to stay, and I'd say probably half of the moms of her classmates were also in attendance and drove their own children as well. I wasn't like an overprotective helicopter mom. But I was the only one with a Huddie so my trip to the pumpkin patch was a bit different than the experience everyone else was able to have. Sigh.

The calm before the storm

We arrived and security told me where to park (Can you imagine why they now have security?) then they made us go into the chapel for story time and a LONG discussion about pumpkins, seeds, the fact that they're hollow and float, etc etc. You know, all kinds of stuff 4 and 5 year olds don't give a crap about after the first 3 minutes. I was shocked at how well behaved they were. Except for Hud. He wanted snacks some other kid brought and to not sit still to learn about the largest pumpkin ever grown. He's just 21 months so I didn't expect much else.

When we were finally able to go out to the pumpkin patch they gave us a huge run down of rules. All I remembered was 1. Don't pick up the pumpkins. 2. Don't sit on the pumpkins. 3. Don't crawl on the bales of hay. It was at this point that I started to stress sweat. I know my son. My not yet 2 year old son. My evil laugh when he's planning on doing something he knows he's not allowed to do son. I knew there was no way in hell he was going to go out there and just walk near the pumpkins and appreciate their beauty without picking one up. Sigh. So I did what boxers do before a fight when they pop their necks, get lose, get their mouth piece in and prepare for a fight. 

So we go out and Hud immediately begins picking them up and rearranging them.

At first I tried to carry him but that wasn't going to happen since none of the other kids were being carried. And he thinks he's one of the big kids. 

Then a field trip showed up from a local elementary school. There was a pumpkin you could throw bean bags through. But instead they threw the smallest pumpkins through the eye and nose holes. Guess throwing pumpkins wasn't on the no-no list. I looked down and Hud's eyes lit up. It clicked with him. Then he bolted. I was in hot pursuit knowing he had pumpkin chucking on his mind. Knees to chest. Knees to chest. I looked like a maniac. As usual.

Heaven help me.

By this point I'm pouring sweat and all of the other moms were staring at me and thinking 'I don't know how she's going to handle 3 kids.' and I'm dragging him kicking and screaming away from the hay bales he's wanting to climb on and frantically searching for Audrey because I know her teachers were keeping an eye on her but there were suddenly so many other kids near a busy road that I couldn't just not keep an eye out for her, too.

Then I remembered this was her field trip and even though my son was likely planning to use the bales of hay for a bonfire like the big kids, I needed to make sure she was having a good time. So I handed Hud off to my friend Megan who was lucky enough to just have 1 of her 3 with her (God bless you Megan) and grabbed my sweet girl. She was nice enough to let me snap a few pictures of her.

After the pumpkin patch we all went and had lunch, the kids played and I was able to breathe knowing Hudson was safely secured in a high chair.

 Exhale. 

 

First Day of School '13

I realized tonight that I never added a pic from the first day of school this year. Barker took my computer to the office so I have to take all photos with my phone. If I take them with my camera I have no computer to upload them to. Boo. So here we are... a month later.... finally uploading first day of school pics. And even worse, Barker lost his hard drive and had to have a new one installed. iPhoto is no longer included so I had to download a few other photo editing apps and I loathe them all. I need to be able to easily edit my pics because with 2 kids, 1 that happens to always be moving, I have to just try to get a pic, any pic, and not worry about it being centered or the lighting being perfect or red eyes, etc. Then I'd always just be able to fix the images later. Now I can't. Thanks Apple jerks. Consider yourself added to the long list of people I can't stand.

Oh and Audrey doesn't look like this. Like, at all. I kept taking a pic, looking at the pic, looking at her and for the life of me I can't figure out why she looks one way in person and another in the pic? I feel like I see myself like that, I get ready and think I look a certain way, then I see a pic of myself and I'm shocked that it's me in the picture. But I thought it was just me. I don't know why it was happening with her that morning. So odd and frustrating.

Anyway- this is a pic I took on the first day of school for her K4 class just after turning 5 years old. She was so ready to start school. And when she grows up she wants to be a ballet teacher. Her favorite color is yellow. And she's finally 40lbs! Growing up. 

Party at The Moppett Shoppe

    This afternoon Barker got stuck late at the shop so I took the kids to their second party of the day. This morning was Will's 5th birthday party. Both of mine quite enjoyed the monster truck theme. 

    But the second party was at The Moppett Shoppe. We were greeted at the door by Cinderella. Audrey became very shy. The Princess gave both kids a lollipop to put them at ease. 

     Then I told Audrey she could have her face painted but she declined. She was convinced her hair would just mess it up. So Huddie got up in the chair and had a dinosaur painted on his hand and arm. 

    He quite enjoyed making it Roaaaarrr! 

    Once inside we saw Belle, Snow White and Aurora as well, and Audrey eventually relaxed. The kids watched a cartoon as I chatted with a few other soccer moms. And as we left I snapped this pic of Audrey with Cinderella. 

    Then Cinderella asked Hudson if he'd like to sit for a quick picture. He sure did... just not with her. He totally ran and grabbed a fire truck and sat down to take a picture with it. Hysterical!