Austin Turns 2! (October 15, 2010)

I say it at every birthday my children have, "where did the time go?"  I guess the saying "time flies when your having fun" is true.  However something else I always say, "TIME PLEASE SLOW DOWN!"  Bits has become a full fledged toddler - into everything, running, jumping, climbing, talking non-stop, eating non-stop, and sometimes whining non-stop.  Some days he has time for cuddling but usually he just needs to play.   

Austin loves to help me clean.  He will take Clorox wipes and wipe down everything!  He helps with the laundry by putting it in the dryer.  Austin is a daddy's boy for sure - probably because daddy is sooo much fun and fun is what Austin likes to be having all the time!  We have dance parties and if I am not dancing he will say "dance mama."  I don't remember Logan still calling me Mama at 2.  He has been calling me mommy for so long, but not Austin.  I am Mama and I love it.   "Mama I tiristy, Mama I tired, Mama I eat, Mama I want up, Mama run."  When I sing he says "No no no sing."  I love hearing him talk.  He has a sweet little voice.  That sweet little voice is starting to say colors!  Usually he insists everything is blue, but he is branching out to red and green:)

Austin still could care less about TV or movies.  He will scream THOMAS! when he hears the music for Thomas and friends but that's it.    Austin is also really funny.  He makes me laugh all the time.  He has quite the personality.  He is also a great sleeper.  Going to bed at 7 and waking between 8 and 9 and taking at least an hour nap.  Austin loves his crib.  Of all things for him to climb out of, he has never tried.  He has seen Logan climb in and out, but he's just not into it YET!  I mention Logan doing it, because whatever Logan is doing, wearing, eating, drinking, or saying, Austin has to be doing the exact same thing.  They really are best friends.  I am so glad they are so close in age. 

Tomorrow Austin has his 2 year well check visit and Logan will be getting the flu shot as well.  Should make for an interesting morning followed by a loooong nap by all three of us.  Oh before I forget, Logan no longer has a ya-ya (paci).  It was waaaay past the time of when he should have had it anyway.  He was addicted - literally.  However this addiction is very bad for his baby teeth and in the end gave him a rash around his mouth.  So last Thursday the 21st, we explained that ya-ya gave him a bad boo-boo.  He went to bed without it, however put up a good fight.  Good thing we are tough (HA)!  We really didn't give in.  He asked for it all weekend, but by Sunday never mentioned it once.  Three days and it was gone.  He did ask, "why does bits have a ya-ya?"  It made me feel bad and I was going to take Austin's.  But we decided that Austin can have it at bedtime for a bit longer.  That is the only thing hard with them being so close.  If you take one you take both, but Austin is still younger.  I will post pictures of Austin's birthday weekend tomorrow after the dr. appt. 

A favorite picture of Austin at his birthday party opening gifts.  He would hug the gift and say "tank you!"  Sweet Sweet boy!

Telling My Mom

When I found out we were having our third baby, Brian and I talked about not telling anyone until after the first doctor appointment at least.  I must say the third time is a little easier to keep it a secret.  It is also something that was just ours for a little bit.  However, I really wanted to tell my mom.  I really had planned on telling her in person when she came home for the weekend from caring for my grandmother.  However during a recent phone conversation, I could hear it in her voice she needed a little sunshine.  So after talking for a few minutes I said "Mom, I'm pregnant."  She was so happy - she laughed and then cried and told me how happy she was.  At that moment all was right in the world.

***Written at the beginning of October, but waited until we share the news to post :)

Dinner Last Night

Little baby Harris mommy would like to thank you for the yummy meal of 2 bowls of Lucky Charms and Cool Ranch Doritos.  It was Delicious.  I promise I won't make you eat that for dinner when you are big enough to eat table food.  Your brothers ate were given peas and hot dogs wrapped in a crescent roll with cheese.  That is a favorite food around here, your daddy even loves Big Pigs in a Blanket.  You can try one when your big enough.  As for mommy I don't really like Big Pigs in a Blanket - or any pigs in a  blanket.  I really didn't enjoy preparing this for dinner.  I did enjoy the Lucky Charms and Doritos, I promise to eat better tomorrow:)

***Written at the end of Sept 2010, but waited until we announced the news to post:)

The Day We Found Out About You

Dear Baby,
On September 30, 2010 I took a pregnancy test and it was positive!  I already knew I was pregnant - I run to the bathroom more than I can count and I am starving.  Literally starving.  Then I eat and soon after I am hungry again.  The two tell-tale signs that I am pregnant.  So I stopped by CVS before picking up pizza with your brothers and bought an EPT test.  Daddy gave Logan and Austin their pizza and I went to the bathroom to come out seconds later exclaiming "We're having another baby!"  We were excited.  We decided not to tell anyone until I went to the doctor; our appt is on October 6, 2010.  Can't wait to see you during the ultra sound little peanut.

Love,
Mommy

***I wrote this on Sept. 30, but waited until we announced the news to post it:)

You and Me Plus 3!!!

We are so excited to say that we will be welcoming our third baby sometime in May 2011!  The due date is May 30, 2011, so as of today I am nine weeks.  We are thrilled.  I have actually known since the last week in September.  I am going to post next what I wrote on the day I found out I was pregnant.  I have had it saved in the drafts until we were ready to share the news.  Week 5 and 6 I bled a lot.  So each day I would go and have blood work done and wait 24 looong hours for the results.  Well at the end of week 6 my hormone levels didn't double as they are supposed to every 48 hours.  I went from 20,000 to 27,000 in two days.  I was called in for an ultrasound and heard the best sound - the heartbeat.  I was given several pictures but warned to be cautious.  So kept the news to ourselves a bit longer.  Last Thursday, the 21st, I had another ultrasound and our sweet baby is doing great and even has little arms, legs, and a spine!  My next appt is Nov. 11. 

Me pregnant at 4 weeks; Sept 30, 2010

Weight 105 lbs

6 Weeks First ultrasound

 
Week 8 October 21, 2010 Ultrasound

Baby's heart rate at 8 weeks was 164 bpm...Sound's like a boy to me:)

Quiet Blog

The blog's been quiet - I have been quiet.  Spending my time thinking instead of saying.  We have lots going on - somethings great and somethings not so great.  Nothing I am really ready to share yet, but will soon when the time is right.  Recently a friend of mine said something that has really stuck out in my mind; she said "as much as we think we know about each other, there is so much we really don't know."  So true and things are very rarely as they seem.  It has been a time of change - something I am never good at.  You would think someone who moved nine times during elementary, middle,and high school that I would be VERY adaptable.  Just the opposite, I loath change.  Change is scary to me.  When I was teaching every day was different and you never knew when a new student would walk in.  That change didn't bother me.  I just welcomed my new baby into my classroom and we moved on.  Of course it was crazy gathering supplies and getting info together for the child's family and making the child feel welcome, but it was a good crazy.  Other than that and the change of having babies - change isn't welcomed often in my life.  As I prepare to open up, I need to remind family, friends, readers, that this blog is a journal of my little families life.  It is a journal of daily happenings, thoughts, and feelings.  Never is this blog intended to cause pain to others.  This is why I so often don't write about certain aspects of my life.  So as I go forth and am ready to share my thoughts and feelings, remember these are my thoughts and feelings.  There are things happening in and around my life that are out of my control but still have an impact on my life.  I never set out to publicly hurt others and I don't intend to start now. 

In other news my baby turns two next Friday.  Ahhhh!  Been planning his big Toy Story themed party!  AND the boys have decided at this point what they will be for Halloween - Logan insists on being Thomas the Tank Engine and Austin chose Spiderman (or as he says it piderman).  I bought the costumes today, but have a feeling they will be exchanged before Halloween.  Just want my babies to be happy; however secretly I really wanted them to be Tigger and Pooh (well I wanted to make them be that) and be happy.  Not going to happen they have little opinions now:) 

Rainbows

I can't remember the last time I saw a rainbow.  That was until this evening.  It rained and rained and rained today.  We really needed it.  I was running a bunch of errands and had just picked up dinner.  We were on our way home as the sky was getting dark and stormy looking again.  Logan says "look a rainbow!"  I looked out the side window and saw the biggest rainbow I had ever seen - ever.  It was huge.  You could see every color and was in a perfect arch with no beginning and no end.  Logan then asks me to "stop the car so I can get out and slide down the rainbow."  Moments like that take my breath away.  Such sweet, pure, innocence that make my heart skip.  They keep me going and remind me of how incredible blessed we are.  Life can be hard, hectic, busy, overwhelming all at once.  Then your babies see a rainbow and  in an instant life becomes wonderful, lovely, sweet.  I'll be looking for more rainbows from now on.

What Austin is Saying

Austin is a talker.  As a matter of fact he woke up last night at 3am saying

"I thirty (thirsty), I wanna dink (drink)." He said that over and over until I got up and got him a drink.  He sure was thirty!  He is teething, remember he is a slow teether; so the five teeth he is getting all at once usually happen to an under one year old baby and he is almost two.  So nightly we hear "owie owie owie" :( Poor boy.  Tylenol (well not Tylenol, the Walgreens brand of Tylenol, since Tylenol was recalled) is administered to him at bed time, but it doesn't help much.  He is in pain.  You can see the tips of the teeth coming in breaking the skin, its bad.  He's not happy at all and he lets us know it all day long.  His favorite words come from having an older brother "mine, my mommy, my daddy, my toy, my choo choo, my car, my shoe, my dink" everything is his.  I know its the age, but I also know a certain three year old instigates the screaming of "mine!"  Its fun to hear Austin talk in sentences but not so much when he is saying stuff like "no, not me" when I am trying to dress him or do anything he doesn't like.  Oh being an almost two year old is hard.  Its hard to tell if its the teeth coming in or just one of those months that are difficult on him and us.  Maybe October will be better, no matter what it will be a celebration month as our baby turns 2!

Austin can say
Mi for Mimi
Ryry for Ryan
Juju for Julie
Papa for Papa
Ke for Kevin
Meke for Mike
MaMa for Grandma
PaPa for Grandpa
Mommy (thats me:)
Daddy (B)
Kota (Dakota)
Go Cat (Carly) - who I have recently found napping with Austin and I about lost it.
What is funny is he won't or can't say Logan.  He doesn't call him anything now that I think of it.  He calls himself Bits:)

What Logan is Saying

I need to keep the video recorder out close by, because Logan is cracking us up with what he is saying...

My mom to Logan "Look there is an orange car"
Logan: "DUH!"
It was hysterical.  Though I don't want him to be disrespectful, but that he knows how to use the word "Duh"
Later that day at the grocery store...
Me to the boys "Oh I bet that is yummy"
Logan responds "Duh mom"
When did he become 12?
Logan was acting wild and I said "Logan you are out of control"  He sees my mom and says "Mimi I am out of control!"
Today I was trying to brush his hair and Logan says "Mom please keep your hands to yourself!"
Logan has also been talking about babies lately.  Yesterday we were sitting together and he says "mom I want a baby, a baby sister."  Now that is music to my ears:)

Blog Journal Day 30

Day 30 (August 30, 2010) Topic:  A Dream for the future
First I made it.  Never have I written so many posts in a one month span.  Never have I participated in or completed a blog journal (linking up to others blog journals).  It has been fun to share and to read other's daily journal.  I have to admit it has made me a bit crazy though.  Trying to find the time isn't always easy, especially by 9 pm when I just want to lay in bed and stare at trashy TV (ahem, Real Housewives).  So honestly, I am glad I did it but I am really glad its over!  


As far as a dream for the future...


When I was growing up I wanted to be teacher.  After several years of college I full filled that dream and became a teacher.  I absolutely loved my job.  It was everything I dreamed it would be and even more.  I can honestly say I was a great teacher.  Its in my blood.  My grandma Mullen laid the foundation for my dream.  She was a teacher; when my dad would pick us up we often visited my grandma at her school.  Then we would go to her house and play school ALL WEEKEND. Seriously, all weekend.  My grandparents had a basement set up like a little school for me.  I remember it so vividly.  I would be "correcting papers" Friday night on their couch:) It made me so happy.  My grandma still goes in and subs every now and then and I think it is wonderful.  I only hope to be as good of a teacher as she was/is and love it as much as she did/does.  My Aunt Tracey is wonderful teacher and I also aspire to have the degrees and knowledge she does.  My grandpa was on the school board and there are others on the Mullen side that are teachers and even some principals.  On my mom's side there are several teachers as well.  So like I said its in my blood.  So as for a career dream, I would really like to become a principal when the time is right.  I am currently working on my master's degree in reading and literacy; I will complete the program in December 2011.  Brian and I have already discussed me continuing on with my education and getting a specialist degree in leadership working towards that goal as a principal.


After I became teacher I had a new dream.  I wanted to get married to a wonderful man and have a family.  Well that happened very quicklyy.  After I had babies I had a new dream...I wanted to stay home with those babies. I now stay home.  I am living the dream.  They are simple dreams but they are mine.  Financially, I hope we can continue to make it work and when we can no longer, I will go back to my original dream of teaching.  Above all I would like to see my family in Meadville more often, continue to make spending  time with family and friends here a priority, I would like to have another healthy baby, I pray my children have live long happy, healthy lives and that I grow old with my husband.