I was tagged

I was tagged by Carla - to post the 4th pic in our 4th file: 

Here it is, Jakob at the hospital last year when I was in labor with Sarah - he's playing with the gloves.

 

More pictures of the extended family!

Here is a picture of Mark with all the new women in his life (His birth Mom and sisters)!

Molly, Emily, Maddy, Chloe, Kate

Another good picture of Molly and Mark

Sarah 11 months and going going going!

Here she is, drinking and riding her "bike" - she can get on this by herself but can't push herself just yet, mostly she just bounces up and down and then flings herself off in some unsafe manner - much like her brother did on this and the same age! 

Here are a couple pics of Sarah from her preschool Christmas program:

Wearing her first tutu and ballet slippers (and has her hair up in a ponytail for the 1st time) and running around like a crazy kid, ringing bells!
Here she is being coached, by her teacher Laura, to "shake it" on the dance floor - which of course she did!

Another snow day

So, we were home again, with very little snow, but a lot of ice, enough to keep schools closed (well our neighborhood school was open part of the day - but in the district where I work it was closed, so the kids were home today). We are expecting another storm tomorrow, so we are home tomorrow again - I am wishing that the kids's daycare/preschool would stay open during snow days, I'm exhausted and they are ready to go back to their routine - or at least I'm ready for that! More than likely we'll be home all week and they'll head back next week for a couple days, then it's Christmas!
So, we took a walk to the Sellwood park today, with the double stroller and the sled. It was interesting pushing this stroller on icy sidewalks! I actually couldn't push it up a driveway into the park, b/c it was so icy, I kept sliding backwards, luckily there weren't any cars there! It was so funny, but a bit scary too - Jakob and Sarah were laughing as their stroller would go up the driveway and back down. I was hanging onto it for dear life. I would pay money to see that on video! Anyhow here are some pictures of the kids in the snow - Sarah's first pic in the snow and her first sledding trip. Oh, and Sarah is wearing 3 pairs of pants and 4 tops - she doesn't have a snow suit - so she isn't really that stout looking - she's chunky but not that chunky!! (Sarah will be 11 months tomorrow!)








Here is a frozen rainchain that we saw on the way to the park

You learn something new everyday!

So, after being home for 2 days in the snow with 2 little kids, I have learned a few things - some helpful and some not so helpful.

1. After putting on your 4 year old's long underwear, pants, snow suit, sweater, coat, scarf, hat, gloves and boots - don't say that you have to go potty, or else they remember that they do too!! So, I've learned to ask if he needs to go before we put all the layers on.

2. Don't wear black fleece when you have a snotty 10 1/2 month old - all I see on the fleece now is dried snot on the shoulders, chest and arms. Seriously, Sarah thinks I am her tissue!

3. On the subject of tissue, instead of bringing along tissue and having to search for it in your pocket with mittens or gloves on, I've started using our old receiving blankets as huge handkerchief's - sounds gross, but it works. Also, Sarah likes to chew on them - helps her teeth I guess - even grosser!

4. Try to wait to put the 4 layers on the toddler until they have pooped - although it is unpredictable, it sucks when it does happen. We've started waiting until after 11 am to go out now, as Sarah usually poops in the early am. That may be too much info for some of you - but so what, it's the truth!

5. When you tell your 4 year old that they can do snow angels anywhere, maybe be a bit more specific, like, maybe not in the driveway or in the street. 

6. When you don't have a sled that has a rope tie to go around an adults waist - I would like one, but they are all sold out at our neighborhood store - you can drill holes in the saucer and put rope thru it. Umm, no I didn't do this, I'm not that handy, but the man at the store told me I could and I said "Ok, sounds good." With no intention of doing it. That is sooo a job for Mark, I know I could do it, but I don't know where we have rope! I'm sounding really wimpy or girly here, but I don't have the motivation to do that right now!

7. A 4 year old is happy sledding whether it's on a downhill or just on the sidewalk. I didn't want to lug the saucer, stroller, kids etc. to the park for sledding, plus - again what do I do with Sarah, keep her in the stroller at the bottom of the hill or at the top? I could have carried her in the backpack, but the wind was so cold, she was much warmer in the stroller with the rain cover on. Anyhow, I told Jakob he could sled in our yard, very tiny hill and on the sidewalk, he was happy with that - it's a good warm up to the sledding we will do on Xmas eve at Mt. Hood. Plus, Sarah thought it was hysterical, I'm not sure if she was laughing at me trying to push Jakob or at Jakob's big grin.

8. I really love snow days with kids, every walk is an adventure. Jakob decided he likes to "street ski", meaning slide on the ice in the street. He did fall yesterday, right on his bottom, but now he knows what "CAREFUL STEPS" mean, when I yell at him!  

9. Somehow kids don't get cold! What the heck, Jakob is telling me he is hot while walking with a gust of wind in our face, and it being 22 degrees outside - meanwhile, I can't feel my fingers in my good snow mittens!

10. Feeding ducks after it has snowed is kind of funny, but sad too. Parts of the park's pond were frozen and watching the ducks and the geese try to race for the bread that we were throwing them, was really funny! We had a good laugh, but I did feel kind of bad! Shouldn't they have flown south? 

11. A kid will eat most any snow, seriously, I told Jakob to be careful about what snow he eats, no yellow or brown snow. So, with his critical thinking skills at an all time high, he started to lick the snow off of the car! All I could think about was that movie "A Christmas Story", where the kid gets his tongue stuck to a pole! This didn't happen, but I did have to explain that snow on the car or the hand rails to our porch isn't a good idea to eat, even though the snow in these spots don't have "pee or poop" on them - as Jakob told me!

We have another snow day tomorrow, no school/work for the kids and myself, so I'm home with them again. Mark is on a very late flight home tonight! So, I should hopefully get the camera and take some pics of the kids in what is left of the snow.

Since Mark's been gone...

I've been horribly sick with a cold, home with 2 kids and it has been freezing outside! We made homemade (well with Rotisserie chicken) chicken soup, made peanut butter cookies, made a gumdrop christmas tree - thanks to help from Amber, had the kids's xmas show at preschool (no pics as Mark has the camera), Sarah wore a tutu for the first time and danced in the show, Jakob sang and did ballet like a champ, we've watched Charlie Brown's Christmas movie 3 times, Land before time movie twice, drove around to see the Xmas lights, had donuts and hot chocolate at the gelato shop (the donuts are made at this shop and they are great - I had Ginger, with Chocolate frosting, Jakob had "Fairy Princess", of course my son picks that one, it is a pink donut with pink frosting and LOTS of sprinkles - that's why he picked it), we then walked over to our littl xmas tree stand and bought a mini "Charlie Brown" Xmas tree to put on our porch and decorated it with lights, ate breakfast for dinner, and played in the snow all day today (Jakob is a pro at snow angels now), oh and Sarah did her first face plant in the snow (again no pics just video). Sarah was hysterical in the snow, mostly b/c I dressed her in a snow suit that was way to small for her, so she couldn't really move, once she fell, she was stuck. So, I changer her into her pajama suit with 3 layers under, her rain coat, a hat, gloves and snow boots, much better, but then she took the face plant. So, she ended up spending most of the time in the stroller with the cover on it, of course we did a lot of walking in the snow, no sledding as I didn't know how to handle both of them for that, maybe tomorrow I will plant Sarah in the stroller and help Jakob sled - I need to get a sled with a pull on it.

Also since Mark's been gone, Jakob has decided he is going to be a holly terror - backtalking, pouting, acting out - OMG - it's a miracle he is still in one piece. I don't hit my kids, but I have come so close this weekend. I can't wait until Mark gets home! I know he doesn't want to come home to a cranky crowd but, that's what we are right now! 

Tomorrow will be a snow day, no school because the snow we got today (about 3 inches) is actually sticking and it suppossed to be colder tomorrow - so you know Portland freaks when there is any snow on the ground (since it doesn't happen all that often) and schools are closed. Bummer for me as I don't normally work on Mondays - let's hope for a snowday on Tuesday too!

Anyhow, we have done a lot since Mark has been gone, it's been so hard being a single parent, with a cold, I don't know how single Moms do this everyday - especially if they live in a place where they have to stay inside everyday!

Counting the minutes until you come home Mark!

Finally!

Just a warning if you are a mother, female or just a hormonal/emotional person, this post might make you teary eyed! So long story short:

As most everybody knows, Mark is adopted and LOVES his adopted family and with their support, he was able to find his birth Mom, Molly. He contacted her in October and they have been emailing daily and have talked on the phone a few times. Mark found out that he has 4 half sisters and a bunch of aunts and uncles! Mark has always been interested in finding Molly and even wrote her a letter last year, but didn't send it until this October. I won't comment on Mark's feelings and why he didn't and then did send the letter, just know that a lot of thought went into it and that the time had to be right for him. Somehow, the universe was just right for the both of them at this very moment, and a very positive connection was made.
She responded a couple days after receiving the letter and they've been talking ever since. Mark totally has her sense of humor, a bit crazy, sarcastic and hysterical. He also has her thick/unruly hair (although you can't tell that she has unruly hair - it's beautiful) - everybody remembers what Mark's hair looks like when it's grown out! I think he has her eyebrows and eyes - and I think he shares that with his sisters too.  They are all gorgeous and excited to meet Mark also! I can't imagine Mark around 5 women. Mark's Mom, Kathy, sent him an album of kid pics to show Molly, I can't wait for the girls to see some of the Jr. High pics - look out Mark - you thought Ang and I could make fun of you - wait till you have a room of 5 women!! Really, Mark was cute in Jr. High, it's just the "business in front, party in the back" hairstyle that he had - too funny! I know he was very hip at the time, as was I with my ratted bangs but his is still way worse! I digress...so again, maybe you won't cry at this posting, hopefully you'll at least smile! After a couple months, Mark and Molly decided that they should meet, so he did that today!
Mark flew out to Omaha (where Molly and her girls live), to meet them for the first time. He got up at 4:45 this am, after a restless 4 and half hours sleep last night, and rushed off to the airport, only to have some delays! He and Molly had the longest day ever. I can only imagine what kind of emotions they were feeling in waitng to see each other and then the overwhelming emotions that must have been running thru the two of them as they met - aah - it gives me chills. I am so proud of Mark for doing this, it took a lot of courage, compassion and strength. And of course, I am so glad that Molly and her whole family have been so open and caring about this also. 

I truly believe things happen for a reason and I know Mark was given up for adoption and adopted by his family for many great reasons - whether it was God or the universe (whatever you believe in) who knew that it would be best to be brought up with his lovely and sometimes crazy family, or God knowing that if he wasn't given up, Molly's life would have been much harder, or whatever - there are so many reasons this happend. What I do know, is that if it hadn't been for this selfless act, I wouldn't have the amazing husband and father of my children, that I've got today! (Can you imagine the life I might be leading had I not met Mark, it would be so boring - or on the other hand I might be living as a single woman, livin' it up - hmm... one can dream!) KIDDING!

I know today December 11th, 2008 will be a very memorable day for Mark and Molly, I can only hope that this will finally bring some sense of closure and connection for the both of them!

Here are the first pics (taken so kindly by Molly's sister Barb) of them together, for the first time in 32 years:

Mark getting off of the plane