tummy time through the years

I think that having loads of kids just so you can giggle at their similarities and differences is a wrong motive.  But I bet its fun.  I am having a blast looking at only three throughout the years. I loved all three of their old-man-forehead stages.  I wish I could go back in time when I look at these and suckle their little cheeks.  Wait... I make the rules... I can still do this! It is 10 pm as I formulate this post so it's a bit late now but tomorrow they're mine.  All mine.  Watch out big kids, mama's comin' for  ya!

three months/ten years

A couple weeks ago Brooks turned three months on our tenth wedding anniversary.  We ate take-out teriyaki in our back yard on a blanket, the kids in wet swimsuits and Brooks in his bouncy seat.  It wasn't romantic in the traditional sense but it was perfect and far less stressful than lugging our three kids to a restaurant because we couldn't find a sitter...

Brooks is doing well at baby things.  This includes drooling, improving his tummy time performances, sleeping pretty soundly at night and being so gosh darn cute my face hurts.  Less than pleasant baby things include having some days of mystifying (short) nap habits, grunting loudly while nursing and not moving his bowels for 7 to 14 days at a time!

I savor these days.  Like the end of a chocolate milk shake, I suck on these baby cheeks noisily and without apology.

Would have posted some wedding pics but we're so old that we don't own the rights to publicly display our wedding photos! Yes, we were married before photog-on-every-corner-of-Facebook, digital age!  I am sure I could contact the lady we used and get her permission but I am lazy. If you want to peek at Marcus without a beard and the epitome of a child bride, come over and have a cup of coffee and you can look through them :)  You may also zerbert the baby while you are here.

the wee bairns hiking premier!

 Brooks takes a little spin in a Bumbo seat.

 Bradie has a new place to stick her tongue out through when doing silly face.

Yesterday was a beautiful day to descend into Robe Canyon along the Stillaguamish for Brooks' first hike.  He did great, all sweaty cozy in the Ergo.  Marcus said he just looked up and around for most of the hike down and felt asleep on the way back up.

Happy Summer! So excited to turn my TV on and leave it on for the next three weeks- love me some Summer Olympics! Cheerio!

SMH

If you are unaware "SMH" is an internetty abbreviation for "shaking my head".  I find myself sitting here blogging about a vacation that I will have much difficulty proving because of the abominable lack of photos I took.  Thus, SMH.   We traveled to Florida, saw family we haven't seen in a decade, visited the beach, celebrated a matriarch, and spent a day at Disney World and the following paltry images are all I have.  I hate to sound negative, but I am seriously annoyed with myself!!!  BUT the memories I have are numerous and humorous and wonderful.  

 Here's a little "keepin' it real" shot out on the lawn.

 Here we are waiting to board the ferry (fairy?) that takes you from the ticket booths and parking lots to the Magic Kingdom.

 Finally* in the park and eating some lunch.

 The Beauties of 2005.  Here's Bradie with second cousins Deyanna and Anastasia.  They are holding a map of Disney World... we were there, I swear!!!  These sweet gals just turned seven and were encouraging to Bradie's recent tooth loss... they had been there, done that  and bought the t-shirt already. So fun and precious to have these girls get to know one another.

 Uncle Herb and Aunt Kris have a lovely pool at their lovely home in Tampa.  We were abundantly blessed by their hospitality. We stayed in their motorhome (not a trailer or a camper, Uncle Herb insists :) ) and this pool was literally right outside the door.  We had plenty of laughs and good times.  I learned to play darts.  I learned that to excel at karaoke at any given time, one must "own" the song in order to "sell" the song.  If you're in doubt, just ask Uncle Herb to sing the song you want to hear :)

Here's a sweet shot of Brooks' first swim.  He loved it.  Florida is the perfect place to let a baby have his first dip in the pool since the air and the pool water are the exact same temperature.

*I put an asterisk here because of the high drama of the day.  First thing that morning, Bradie proceeding to throw up several times.  It was SO sad! I am confident still that it was due to overconsumption of pool water, but it was little dicey there for awhile whether or not we'd be able to go at all that day.  Beau rode along ahead with grandma and papa, and that gave my heart so much mama anxiety. Not that they couldn't care for my boy but I wanted us all to be together when we went into the  Magic Kingdom :(  Well they waited for us there (what an example of grace!)  and eventually we were able to load Bradie up and make the hour or so drive to Orlando. Phew! We made it... and then the rain began.  And it didn't stop.   See those happy people waiting for the ferry? A few minutes after that photo was taken we were in one of the worst thunder storms I have ever seen and those happy people were soaking wet.  Literally soaking wet.  We had an umbrella that we used to shield Brooks in the stroller but that didn't matter in the 60 FOOT walk to the bus stop after we got off the ferry!  The water was running over our feet.  Thunder rumbled crashed ONE second after the lightning flashed! Once it was so close that you could smell the lightning! Crazy doesn't begin to describe that storm.

So we waited it out in the covered bus stop. And eventually the rain slowed down... a little.  We still weren't even through the gates! After getting through we decided to purchase some ponchos.  After that  highway robbery was complete, we strolled down main street, hungry and bewildered.  By now it was already 2:30 pm.  Things got better after lunch and me ducking into the nursing room for a spell... oh yeah, did I mention that we were toting a two month old and all his paraphernalia, all nicely dampened by the deluge?  Blech.

But even after all that, I must say that Disney knows how to get it done.  It is a wonderful place and I can appreciate the excellence with which things are done.  It reminds me a bit of Malibu and that makes me smile and feel nostalgic :)

My goals for another Disney trip are to spend at least two days in the park and to utilize the Fast Pass option at the very beginning of the day.  To use Fast Pass, you zip your ticket through a machine near a ride and spits out a receipt that tells you to return later at an assigned time (often it is much much later) and wait only a few minutes before riding the ride. After waiting to ride Big Thunder Mountain, the coaster malfunctioned and we were given a Fast Pass for any ride at any time. It was frustrating (and hard to explain to a four and six year old) BUT we used our passes to zip through the Space Mountain line! It would also be nice to stay on site at a resort to minimize travel and parking time.  So so much fun.

We stayed for the fireworks. A hassle in a way (the two month old still hanging on!), but also totally worth it.  Felt like a kid again.  Maybe all this explains my lack of pictures? ;)

two month olds

Beau, Bradie, and Brooks. Bradie and Brooks are like twins on delay! Such sweet, sweet babies they were and are.

I have used the phrase "feeling human again" before on this blog with regards to postpartum conditions and I am proud (and relieved) to say that I am in deed.  It is nice.  It was hard to revert back to baby zone after four years and with two high functioning "big kids" but I feel the adjustment has been made and now I am finally enjoying the new speed of life.  Thankfully I have a sort of temperament that lends to going with the flow and feeling peaceful about staying home.  Although I  am looking forward to the days where Brooks can be up for more than 90 minutes before needing to nap, I try to enjoy this "sweet baby" stage as much as possible :)

These two older siblings are pretty much over the moon about their little brother.  Bradie is such a big helper (really. I don't need to use air quotes here. Thank you, Lord) Beau really does like his baby brother but I am not sure he knows how to show it as he seems to lack the maternal nature that Bradie already understands.  "Death Prevention Patrol" is easier than when Bradie was two and a half but I still find myself yelling reminding Beau that Brooks can see him better when his face is NOT two inches away!

A fun little first- Brooks meets his cousins on his first trek down the the Gig.  Here's the Lofdahl/Merrifield circle- I think we should make them pose like this even when they have arm pit hair and attitudes :) We also met some of the other May Babies- 2nd cousins Peyson and Penelope who are so so cute!

 Here he is.  He is so blasted cute! Oh Brooksinator... I wish there were people that love you ;)  Brooks is a pretty good baby, sleeping and eating well just like his predecessors which is such a relief to me after the somewhat ominous "wild card" talk that I heard here and there at the birth center.  There's a funny (and probably pretty accurate) notion that the third baby is the wild card and you must throw all expectations out the window that are based on your other children... but isn't it that way with all kids? I think its more about trying to fit a new personality into an established family dynamic.  But I think this content little charmer is going to fit in just fine :) He looks a tad like his big sister too.

 Speaking of Bradie... she danced in her first ballet recital in June!  Here we are all made up/bunned up with the obligatory button down shirt before the big show.  I know she's my kid and all, but she is so beautiful I can hardly stand it.

 You have to click to enlarge this one.  She danced so well.  She was focused and not the least bit phased by the 75+ audience crowded into the YMCA studio.

Holy cow! Blogger is totally different! I had to like hover over stuff to see how to post pics and write.  I am a bad, bad blogger. I don't even think I should shame the name blogger, I am a lame wannabe who owns a blog.  I am that guy who lets his old Corvette get moldy outside...

Anyway, shalom! We welcomed our baby BOY 22 days ago... Brooks Abram Merrifield (Abram was Marcus' grandpa's middle name) born 5/3 at 11:14 am and was 11.5 pounds and 20.5 inches long!  He came into the world after about 7 hours of labor and 20 minutes of pushing- what a crazy train that is, natural labor, I mean! But I am so so thankful for the experience... and look how serene I look in this picture.  I really did feel quite serene actually.  My friend Marcus there was a perfect partner as these 10 years he's come to know me so well that he knows exactly what I need in times of, uh, stress.  Which is an understated cheerleader and someone who I can hold onto but won't touch me too much :)  I couldn't have made it through without him.  He's a champ and is so supportive and he himself is blessed by witnessing the births of his children.

 Here's the little-ish guy at one week old.  He already looks so different! I forget how fast they change at this stage.

Right before the birth of our little boy we were blessed to have completed a short sale on our home! I have been SO excited to post about this, but didn't want to write anything until the deal was done.  We now live in a great neighborhood a few miles away and love where we are at, renting and feeling quite peaceful about that.  Our kids have a giant back yard to play in, we have parking and storage, and no sex offenders living close by... WIN WIN WIN!

Lots to be thankful for!