3 months - picture slideshow

Christmas 2010

Christmas 2010 - flash slideshow

Cringe-worthy maternity photos

Parenting.com posted this pic along with another as Cringe-Worthy Maternity Photos. There were actually criticisms that a parenting site would make fun of others' family photos. What do you think?

The best invention EVER!!!

The Lamaze Baby Gym is the BEST INVENTION EVER! I actually made myself a cup of coffee and got to use TWO hands!! Thank you Grandma, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Bathtime!

My little turky under the tree!

Ready for Black Friday!

First time in a high chair!

Invasion...

I don't know what's wrong with me. I am so excited for Thanksgiving that I can barely nap! You don't understand, I hate to cook, I hate to clean, I want to decorate the whole house in Christmas and its not even turkey day yet, but most of all, it would be a sweet, sweet deal, if hubby came home and surprised me with the Bissell Steam and Sweep.


This is all I want for Christmas. But I want it now. It is not the top of the line steamer vac, its not even a shark! But it will do for what I need. I've been thinking of it for a week now, but with Black Friday coming I made myself wait...and I'm dying! What is wrong with me?! Gone are the days of mani's and pedi's, no expensive perfume or diamonds for this gal! I've been invaded by Martha Stewart!

Helping around the house!

What Are You Thankful For?

Here is Aidan at his first church Thanksgiving dinner!



That was his face when he saw the sweet potatoes, he takes after Mama...

And when he found out he wouldn't get any pumpkin pie he was not too happy...

The older peas were too cool to go, but Aidan, Daddy and I had a good time. I'm sitting here thinking about everything I'm thankful for. I am thankful for my family, though the colicky screaming is nerve-wrenching and the teenage hormones are making me pull my hair out. I am thankful for my husband, who is there for me when I need him. I pulled out the turkey a day late, and I still have a huge mess before the big day. I've been whining to put up our Christmas tree but keep getting a resounding "NO". But we have a messy house to live in, and a frozen turkey to eat, fussy children and crabby parents. I truly mean it when I say I thank God for all of it, what's not to love?

4 Ways Babies Are Like Fruitcakes

1. The minute they enter the room, they start getting passed around from person to person.
2. They're incredibly sweet - and consider yourself warned, also can be slightly sticky.
3. Eighteen years later, they're often still found just sitting around your house.
4. Everyone compliments everybody else's but secretly thinks they made the best one.

-Deborah Skolnik, Parenting Magazine

Team Daddy!

One of my precious boys!

I've never been so excited for Taco Bell!

I'm reading mommy-blogs today and they all seem to be about hysterical situations that make them the worst parent ever, at least, hysterical to us & worst to them.  Now that two of my boys are teenagers I can look back at my own situations and see that everything will be ok with Aidan.  What I thought were the most horrible moments in parenting really are hysterical to me now.

As a young mother to the oldest pea so many years ago I remember going grocery shopping, the baby was fussing horribly.  It was one of those times where we didn't have enough to pay for all the groceries on the belt.  Already mortified because this couldn't possibly happen to anyone else, I tried to rush out the store, but the baby's butt EXPLODED.  When I say he pooped, I mean, it was not just running out of the diaper, but running down MY body.  Running him to the public bathroom I realized that I had an unpacked diaper bag.  I had no changing pad, no extra clothes, not enough wipes in the WORLD to clean this child!  I had him on the floor, baby diarrhea in a puddle around us, both of us in tears, trying to sop up the poop with paper towels.  We rushed out of Jewel as fast as we could, both streaked in brown mess.  I thought I was the worst mother at the time, but now I look back and can laugh.  He did live through it, although I do credit that with the bath at home that resembled a scene from Silkwood. 

 

It doesn't get easier as they get older, either.  My middle pea is having a problem with cheese.  We've been supportive and have gotten rid of all the cheese in the house (by way of hiding it and eating it when he's not looking).  This doesn't sound like anything difficult, but I really think it would be easier to give up chocolate, I didn't realize what a staple cheese has been to our diet.  No more pizza, Cheetos, and tacos without cheese is just unthinkable!  We've been craving Taco Bell like crazy!  Tonight he went to his dad's to watch the Bears game so we raced to Taco Bell and it never tasted so good!  I'm feeling guilty about sneaking the cheese, but does it make me a bad mother?  Nah.  But I will be sure to hide the wrappers...

Family Parade

Tonight was game night, which was a blast, but poor Daddy Sweet Pea didn't get to enjoy it because of his allergies. Still waiting to see if Aidan develops any allergies, but I have a feeling that the time is coming very soon to find a new home for Milo.



I will be so heartbroken. He really is the best cat. People say that, but he has the coolest personality. Who else could rock the lion-cut and be the fearless hunder of spiders like he does?




I think Benny had a good time, its hard to tell sometimes with his hormonal attitude, but he did win at checkers (I really hate that game)... Benny and I danced with Aidan in my arms afterwards and I actually got a real smile out of him, he was really enjoying something. Puberty has been brutal in this house, it was so nice seeing my little boy again tonight.


Aidan has taken to falling asleep on my chest with just a binkie! I really hate having a bottle in his mouth to get him to sleep all the time (especially in the car) and I'm loving the peacefulness of him in my arms. Its too bad that it takes carrying him around the living room for about 10 minutes first, but he's so worth it...

Just chillin' while I put laundry away!

Wow!

So I'm catching up on old comments, Daddy Sweet Pea is reading a comment over my shoulder that reads, "Aren't we cute..." and immediately he says, "Who is Rick?!"

Um...

You...

Needless to say, Aidan was woken up from his deep baby slumber by my CACKLING!!!

Learning to bake...

I made the best Irish Soda Bread today! At least, to me it was the best because I've never eaten it before. The ingredients sounded awful so I have to admit (and don't tell my husband), I didn't try very hard, but it turned out pretty good, from what I could tell from the miniscule amount I was allowed to eat. After Daddy Sweet Pea got home he informed me that its not only for a "heritage" potluck for his new job but its also a CONTEST based on most or least ingredients, most fattening, best tasting and presentation. I made two loaves, one with raisins and one without. If you see a homeless person walking around Chicago tomorrow with a loaf pan, that would be the one without raisins that hubby didn't seem to like so much.

Meanwhile, sitting on the bed next to Daddy Sweet Pea, both laptops, Facebooking, hiding from Aidan who is sleeping in the carseat on top of the changing table...its taken so much to get him to sleep lately we're too afraid to stop him!

We have poop!

Finally a content baby, after two days of screaming and no sleep, not to mention how crabby HE was.  Even had a nice block of sleep from 10 to 3.  Now I have a full day of catching up on bottle-washing, putting clothes away.  Thank God I'm mobile!

Do suppositories soak thru your fingers?

I don't want to jinx myself, but I know I will.  He is FINALLY asleep.  Its 2:30 and Aidan has slept about an hour and a half today.  He is so stopped up, I've tried the corn syrup, changed formulas, and finally resorted to suppositories.  Couldn't help but wonder while I'm holding it, will it soak thru my fingers???

One-Liners and Poo Poo

I really miss blogging and I would love to get back into it but its not so easy. My mind doesn't think the way it used to, I've been on Facebook so long I can only think of one-liners and titles. I love reading other mom's blogs (mostly just the funny ones). They understand having an entire day speaking in terms like poo poo and ba-ba and PLEASE go to sleep/stop crying/don't throw up on Mama! I will admit though, that this is much easier than dealing with the teen and preteen PMS issues. Yes, they are both boys, but puberty really does suck. I thought I lucked out having boys, that I would miss out on the rolling eyes, slamming doors and "whatever"s.

I didn't.

They are just like me at their age. My mom is in heaven, and for the record, "Mommy, I apologize & now I know why you made the rule that no one was allowed to talk in the morning before school..."

Occasionally I do have an adult thought that requires more than anyone would be interested in reading on Facebook. Hopefully "witty" will make an appearance in my personality now and then. Please comment when it does, it makes me feel good...

:)

Catching Up...

So we decided to go thru the foot-high pile of parenting magazines - literally, a foot high. I thought, after two boys 14 & 12, that I knew everything there was to know. I've learned that you can buy diapers on Amazon.com, I CAN make meatloaf, and it's now ok to ignore a temper tantrum.

Really, I forgot how hard it was to take care of a newborn, I don't know how I did it working full-time the first two times around. I owe a lot to my mom, I've always known that, but now after spending day after day of getting puked and pooped on, going days without showers and nights too tired to get it over with, I really know what its like. But when I was working, I didn't get to enjoy the coos they make when they are fully awake, the way they stare at your face when they're eating, and the feeling that you get when they are crying and instantly calm down when you come into the bedroom when you come and get them. I did experience some of that before, but I didn't realize how you need to relish it, to put your exhaustion aside and memorize every fold on their tubby bodies, because it really does go by so fast. Doesn't anyone mention that?

Halloween 2010

Halloween is finally over, after a month of preparing for Aidan's first. He had about five different outfits and I did find another that he didn't get to wear, the very first thing I bought when I first found out I was pregnant! He did help answer the door for the trick or treaters, Daddy was dressed as a Bear's fan and Mommy was a baby. I even heard a little kid say, "there is a cute little baby and the mommy is a big baby!" Next year will be even more fun with him, we will finally go trick or treating, but for now we are so looking forward to his first Thanksgiving!

More Edward Hopman Photography

Edward Hopman Photography

Aidan Just Being Cute

Aidan and his Bubbies

Slideshow

Aidan and Papa

Slideshow

Hangin' with Mom & Dad

Slideshow

Aidan in the Hospital

Slideshow

Aidan's Nap

Video

Aidan's First Real Bath

Here's our handsome boy in his first video, his first real bath without his umbillical cord - he didn't make a peep! Mommy was happy to brush his hair, put lotion on him and get back his baby smell!

Around the House

Auntie Shannon, Uncle Xavier & Cousin Colin come for a visit!

Slideshow

Aidan with Grandma & Grandpa Darcy

Slideshow

Aidan Meets His Big Brothers

Aidan is born!

Aidan Joseph Henry Darcy was born on September 4th, at 2:26pm, weighing 5lb 8oz, 17 1/2" long. He was six weeks early but is healthy and strong! Mommy's water broke late the night before but Aidan wasn't tolerating the labor well so he was born by cesaraen. He was monitored in the hospital for five days but is now home and is doing great!

We also have other news, while waiting for Aidan to arrive, Mommy and Daddy got married by the hospital chaplain! Grandparents came in the middle of the night for a 4am ceremony bedside! Our ceremony will be postponed to spring, now Aidan will be included in the celebration!

Baby Shower 8/14/2010

Paula, Georgie and Melanie threw our baby shower on Saturday and we had a great time! There were family and friends and tons of food. We received almost everything we need and after of inventory of everything I think we have enough onesies to last until he's about five years old! It was great to spend time with our family and friends and we missed those of you who couldn't be there, we love you all!