WAYBACK WEEKEND:Family Genes

I love the idea of flashback Fridays, however some weeks Fridays come and go and depending on my work week and kids schedule I just don’t seem to get the post written as much as I want to.  So I am going to add in Wayback Weekends, this will give me a few extra days to get the post written just in case I am running behind, which seems to be the norm these days.    So here we go with our first Wayback  weekend post.  WayBack Weekend: Family Genes

   This past week I took Brennan to his 18 month well check up appointment.  I laughed to myself when the nurse gave me his stats.  His weigh was 23lbs which was in the 10% ,his height was  in  the 15% and his head was 80% yup   you read it right 80%.    I remember  when Cody  was little   I was shocked and a little worried  at how big of difference his head size was  from his body size .  I remember after his 3 month appointment  the doctor said not to be to alarmed by the difference of his head size and that they would watch it and monitor it to make sure there was not a under lying medical condition causing his large melon.   The doctor explained that as long as the growth percentile  stayed consistent and did not get bigger that I need not to worry.   After each  check up  that followed  his  9 month, 12 month , 18 month appointments  and so on it was always the same.  His  body and height around 15% and head  at 80-90%.   His head was consistently Huge!!  What a relief!!    After Hailey was born she fell on the same growth chart As Cody, head weight 15%  and head size 90%    After the 3rd child I came to the realization while Steve and I may make  some cute kids they have exceptionally large heads!!!    I try to blame that  on Steve’s side of the genetic tree but when I look back at pictures I secretly  know they get it from me.   I laugh cause I constantly hear from everybody how much the kids look like Steve and I mumble under my breath,  “they sure do”  and think really I went through all the weight gain  and work of carrying these 3 joys of my life could one look like me!!!    What  concerns me more is while the kids look like Steve I worry that they will get certain hidden genetic traits of mine that  I hope to not pass  on to them such as my  genetically high cholesterol that my father was so kind to pass on to me.   For those of you who do not know  I have shockingly  high cholesterol, I am talking numbers in the 300.  I work out regularly, eat health but thanks to my father’s genes I have the type of cholesterol  that can only be lowered by medication!!   I pray I did not  pass that on to the kids.   Another wonderful  gene I hope I do not pass on to my children is several missing  adult teeth, another wonderful gift from my father’s side.  I am missing 5 adult teeth  which means I have an expensive smile, 3 fake teeth hidden inside that  are not cheap.   If I have not thanked you before Thanks Mom and Dad for paying for my smile.   I have one more baby tooth still hanging in their  but it is on its last root and which will entail a expensive implant when that finally falls out.  No worries though the money I get from the tooth fairy for a vintage tooth  should cover the implant price!!!!  I remember last year when Cody got his x-rays  from the dentist and they saw all his adult teeth, I sighed with relief thinking at least I won’t have to pay for fake teeth,  I am sure I will be paying for braces with  my extreme overbite and spacious front teeth I received from my mother, which I fear my children will have.   Wow I am  picture of health and beauty, thinking of all these traits I am surprised I was  able to find a husband with my missing tooth buck teeth smile.  I should pull out  a  picture from when I was pregnant with Hailey and one of my bridges fell out.  I was toothless and pregnant,  can we say redneck!!  Next time you are feeling down and need a laugh I will email you that  photo.  Thank God for a few good genes I received from my mom and dad that  the balance out those bad ones .  Thanks mom for my great light green eyes and slender legs and Dad thanks for the great hair and outgoing personality .    Don’t worry Cody and Hailey even if you get some of my bad genes I promise it will be alright, most of them can be fixed with medical and cosmetic intervention.   Look, I survived and turned out relatively  OK.   I recently have been bringing  the kids into work to do the hand off from when I go in and Steve gets done.  This past week a co-worker said to me  “Wow does your kid have some eyebrow”   referring to Cody.  At first I wanted to say  really why would you ever say anything like that to someone you “Dumbass” but instead I smiled and said in my sweet proud  voice  “yup he got them from me”      I do have to admit I am sooooo happy Hailey  did  not get my full Italian eyebrows!!!    So to my 3 beautiful children that our made up of both my good and bad genes, you will always be beautiful because you are mine but I promise to fix any of those not so great traits you received from me just like grandma and grandpa did for me!!!   So This week’s Wayback weekend Pictures are Cody’s and mine first grade school picture.  You will notice my spacious front teeth and full eyebrows and you will notice Cody and I have the same full eye brows and big heads.  I love  my big head full eyebrow son,  Have a great week!!  

FlashBack friday:; favorites

We started this week off with big tears at our house,   Hailey’s purple panda footed p.j ‘s  no longer  fit her.  You would have thought  she had to say good bye to her bestfriend…She cried and cried and cried some more.  It is sooo true when they say girls are more emotional than boys.  I try not to believe that stereotype but I saw it in full force that day.    I told her we would head to the carter’s store on my days off to see if we could find another pair of purple panda pajamas.   So we headed to Carters outlet to replace a pair of purple panda footed P.J.’s , unfortunately we could not replace the beloved pandas but we did find a pair of purple cupcake footed pajamas, and pair of girls rock silky Jammies.  Haily loves P.J’s.  While I was there I noticed they had there Xmas p’j’s in.  Carters is one of the few stores that I can find matching Xmas P.J’s in all 3 of the kids sizes.    What luck not only did we find purple footed P.J's we found green flannel Santa jammies.  So we both head to the register with smiles all around.  However when the clerk started to ring up the Xmas  jammies, I saw $25 come up.  I laughed , and asked her to double check the price.  No it was right.  They were originally $36.  And on sale for $25.   Really!!  I don’t even have $25 P.J’s.   I guess I will have to wait for a better sale.   What is even crazier is I actually thought about still buying them for  a brief moment.   Why because  you have to have Xmas's jammies and even better if they match your brother and sisters.  I remember growing up and always  putting on our new Xmas's jammies waiting for Santa to come, and feeling so excited and happy in our new Xmas jammies.  It was funny last year I showed the kids the jammies  about a month before Xmas and of course they wanted to wear them right away.  When I said no, they kept asking WHY!!!!  All I could say  was cause grandma never let me wear them before Xmas!!!   I Find it amazing how the little things as new Xmas jammies could mean so much to me growing up and till this day still stick in my mind, I want those simple joys for my own children.  I want them to be as excited as I was  waiting for Santa to come in their cute matching jammies.    I want Hailey to feel as special as I did in my new Christmas jammies.   I love having a daughter, I know I always said it did not matter  if I had a girl or not , but I must admit,  I would have missed buying  sparkly clothes  and  shiny glitter shoes.  I know there will come a day, that Hailey will no longer let me pick out her clothes but until than I am  all glitz.    It’s funny till this day I still remember one of my first sparkle shirts.  I think I would have worn that shirt everyday if my mom would have let me.  It said “spoiled rotton” in shiny rainbow letter.  And boy did I feel like "miss thing" in that shirt.  So I guess you know why little miss Hailey will be in sparkly shirts as long as she let me  pick her shirts and Cody will be in matching Xmas jammies with his little brother and sister as long as he can.  So Flashback Friday's this week is dedicated to my favorite wardrobe pieces as a child!!!  The first one is in my spoiled rotten shirt, boy this picture does not do that shirt any justice!!!!.  Check out my dad, that  shirt and hairstyle does  not do him any justice!!!

                                           Next a few of me and Jen in our Xmas jammies....sorry Meg could not find any pictures with you in them.  After the 3rd child  guess you just got the hand me downs!!!!!!

                                                      Have a great week

Flashback Friday; to do list

I currently have a list of thing I have been trying to get done, clean house, Clean closets, get out fall décor, go through Cody old clothes for B man,  cook some meals to freeze, blog more,  wean Bren!!!(I need help with this one)  It seems like my list keeps growing every week and nothing is coming off the list.  Some weeks being in charge of kids, home, work, life in general can be overwhelming.  Did I say some weeks I  meant MOST!!!  There are only so many hours of the day and when I find a few extra hours at night, I sleep instead of taking things off the list.  It is called survival.  I have so many ideas of topics I want to blog about ,things my children did that our important to them and to me, I want to always remember these things.  I want to be able to look back and read about our lives but I just can’t seem to find the time to get it all done and not drive myself crazy.  I think this is a common theme among women,  hence the new Sarah Jessica parker movie “I Don’t Know How She Does it”   I hope this movie makes fun of how women try to balance everything and not about  some perfect Women who can do it all!!!  We women feel  enough pressure as it is, we don’t need another movie to add to it.  Sometimes I feel like I am running around trying to get everything done, and I never  get anything accomplished and it just adds to the stress I feel.  However there are other days I try not to sweat the small things and  just enjoy my days off with my kids.  I guess like most moms I just need to find a happy balance.  When looking through my camera media card for flashback Fridays since I did not  have time to scan old photos or look on old disk.  I just grabbed the camera filled with over a 1000 photo.  Yes that is number #15 on the chore list, .  I actually found some cute  photos from 1 year ago today.  It was Brennan with the happiest prune face you ever did see and Hailey making a silly face.  Immediately I felt better looking at those photo’s. It’s funny how looking at your Childs smiling face and realizing how fast a year goes by that things will be ok. It seems like yesterday I was spoon feeding him those prunes.  Now he goes in to the fridge and grabs himself a piece of string cheese for me to open.  Where does the time go.   I am 100% sure last year at this time I had a list of chores waiting to be done.  Know what I can’t remember one of them.  So guess what a year from now I won’t remember all my list of things to do.   And that is a good thing, however I don’t want to forget my children ‘stories.     So guess what just got moved up to number one on my list of things to do, Photo Albums and blog.  It’s funny I had no idea what my flashback Friday post was going to be about this week.  I just started typing the first thing on my mind which was all the things I need to get done.  I Know blogging may not be for everyone but when you sit down with your thoughts it is amazing how things become clearer just by writing them out.   It really helps you put your thoughts into perspective, So next time you are stressed sit down with a pen, you might find it is truly helpful.  You may also create something your children will cherish years after you are gone.  Have a wonderful and safe week

Flashback Fridays; Growing up

This past week the kids started school.  Cody started 2nd grade and Hailey started Pre-k 4.  Both kids  are attending St.Lucy's this year.  It is hard to believe that I am a mom of a 2nd grader.  It seem just like yesterday that I was pregnant with Cody.  Where does time go!!!  What is even more bothersome is my niece Marissa started her  8th grade year this week also.  I can't believe my little Rissy has one more year till she is in high school.  Rissy was my first baby, I was still living at home when my sister Jen had Marissa.  My mom babysat Marissa every Monday.  So I spent alot of time with Rissy when she was little.  We took many naps together, played many games together and spent 8hrs together every Monday.  She was and still will be my first princess.  I would love shopping for Rissy. Glitter shoes, shirts, anything that sparkled  had Rissy's name on it.  Rissy has turned into a beautiful young lady.  I am so proud to call her my niece.  However what really makes Marissa  truly special is the way she treats Hailey.  Hailey and Marissa are BFF's just ask Hailey.  She will show you the BFF necklace that Marissa gave her.  When we picked out nail polish  for Marissa's birthday we had to buy Hailey the same color because BFF's must have the same nail color!!!  Every time we go to Aunt Jenny's house Marissa will sit down and play dolls with Hailey even though I am sure she would rather be texting her real BFF.  However Marissa never lets on she would rather be doing something else.  So to Marissa I am proud of the smart , beautiful, caring, kind young lady you have turned into.  Thanks for being a great role model to one little princess who looks up to her big cousin Rissa.  I would be thrilled if Hailey turned out just like her big cousin. .  So here are some of pictures of Marissa for Flashback Fridays

This is a picture when we took Marissa to the Milwaukee zoo, she was a little freaked out by the butterfly exhibit.  She held on to Steve for dear life

This is one of my favorite pictures.  Marissa lost her first tooth and was sooo excited she made a sign to wear letting everyone know she lost her first tooth and how!

Wearing Auntie Mel's sunglasses.   Marissa could do no wrong back than and now in my eyes.  We don't call her St.  Marissa for nothing.  I can see Jen rolling her eyes right now!!

Spending the day with Aunt Mel!!

BFF's now and forever

Cousins are forever friends!!!

Flashback Friday; Simple Joys

Yesterday was a bad day at  work.  99.9% of the time I love my job, But 1% of the time I wish I had a different job.  Sometimes in this job you have to be part of someone's life in their most intimate moments of pain, grief and suffering.  It is something you never want to witness and it is something you will never forget.    And sometimes these moments happen to the nicest, sweetest caring people who do not deserve to have these moments and it makes it even worse, if that is even possible.  Yesterday I came home with a heavy heart and a question of why certain things happen to nice people.  I have no answer to that and my heart is still sad.  Someone asked me how do you do it?  Some days are easier than others, I get through it knowing that I did my best today to make someone else pain a little bit easier.  I wish I could make it go away,  I struggle to find the words to make things better, I think the hardest part is most the time there are no words to make things better.  I guess I just get peace knowing if  it was my family in the situation,  I treat them how I would want my own family treated.  A simple hug, and someone to hold them up and be strong for them at their most vulnerable moment.   Than I come home and hug my husband and kids and  sometimes cry a little.  Today I want you all to hug your loves and tell them you love them.  Never take for granted they know.  We all need to hear it.  I want you to look  around and enjoy the simple things in your life.  I wish it did not take other peoples sorrows to make you see the happiness in your own life but I know today I am especially thankful for my family and the simple pleasures I have been blessed with.  So this weeks flashback Fridays is filled with pictures of some of my  simple pleasures in life that I sometimes take for granted;
Spending time with cousins, summer nights catching lightning bugs, beach filled days jumping waves, smiling babies, swinging on first spring day, giggles, sweet kisses, and sweet children's face.   So here is to simple pleasures, take the time to enjoy them in your life and see how special they are

Flashback Fridays :Summer Vacations

As Summer is coming to a end and school starts, Summer can not be officially over until we take a family Summer Vacation.  In a few weeks with the van packed to the brim, we will be spending a week in Eagle River.  While I am not looking forward to the 5 hr drive with the kids, it brings me back to my childhood Vacation.  I have sooo many great memories growing up, going up North to the Cabins.  I remember driving up before Megan was born and Jenny and I laying the long way in the back seat and being so excited to get there.  I remember the  "green Cabin"  making Christmas ornaments at the craft house, the year we had bats in the dining room and could not use that room,  I remember swimming all day long and walking to the store and getting ice cream sandwiches at night.  One of my favorite memories was singing the You can't get to heaven song around the campfire and poking fun at everyone while eating gooey smores.   So as I am packing my whole house and getting crabby trying to get ready,  I know it will be worth it for the memories my kids will have.  So this weeks flashback Friday  is dedicated to up north  vacations of the past

Here is a picture of me up north when I was around 3 or 4

Here is another from our first trip up North with Kids.  We went to the Yogi bear park in Tomah WI with Cody and I was about 5 or 6 months pregnant with Hailey

Here are some pictures from last years adventure up North.  I had to included a year with some pictures of little B man

You will notice in this picture, Yes Hailey and Maren are in a bar.  We are from Wisconsin and it was a rainy day, so what else would we do.  Yup Hang out at the bar with the kids, drink a few drinks, place some video games and eat greasy bar food.  So here is to making memories.  Have a great week

Brotherly love

Funny as it is to believe as much as I begged ,pleaded and  maybe even shed a few tears to have a 3^rd child, when I found out I was pregnant something unexpected happened,  I panicked.   Actually I went into a full blown panic attack.  I know it sounds crazy, till this day I still can’t explain it.  It was something I wanted so bad, I felt terrible for feeling scared of having another baby again.  I am thankful for my close friends that calmed me down during several sobbing phone calls.   Thanks for not calling me crazy , even know I am sure you thought it.  I guess as much as I wanted another baby there was the stress of so many unknowns.  How will this change the dynamics of what I know as our family, will this put too much stress on my marriage, will it be possible to work full time and raise 3 children, the worries were many.   If I was not stressed enough, when I told Cody he cried.  Not the reaction I was expecting.  However till this day he denies crying and tells me all the time he prayed for Brennan and that is how we got another baby.  He can keep thinking that as long as he wants!!!    In the mist of this stress the one thought that calmed me down was thinking  maybe I would have another girl and Hailey would  have a sister.  I have two wonderful sisters and can’t imagine not having them.  I wanted Hailey to have that.  So I kept thinking and  hoping I was having another girl  and I was at peace with being pregnant again.  For those of you that do not know we did not find out the sex of  Cody or Hailey before they were born.   However having one of each I decide with this baby to find out the sex so I could get rid of stuff I did not need to hang on to.  SO I could “de-clutter”.   Can hear my hubby laughing at that word “de-clutter”  He does not think that is ever possible for me to do.  So we decide to find out during that ultrasound if we were having a little Brennan or a Mackenzie.    Well much to my surprise my little baby sister was now a little brother.    After seeing that beautiful baby boy growing inside of me I no longer feared what was to come.  I was immediately in awe of this gift from God .  I could not wait to for what was  to come and the unknown chaos that would soon be my new normal .    However part of me grieved a little for the little sister I had created in my mind for Hailey.   Maybe it was because I never had a brother, I guess I did not get that whole dynamic of a brother/sister  relationship.  All I knew about having brothers was I never knew anything about football,Lego's and star wars because there were no brothers in our house. I also thought it would be cool to have a big brother to meet all his hot friends and enlarge my dating pool!!!  What else would a brother be good for.  I wanted that sister for Hailey so bad.  Hailey also cried when we told her we were having a boy.  She kept saying I wanted a sister.    However as Hailey , Cody and Brennan have grown I have realized there was nothing to grieve.  The dynamic of their relationships has  awed me on more occasions than I can count.  In typically big brother form Cody is Hailey’s protector.  As much as those two fight someday.  Cody is the first one to take care of Hailey and comfort her.  As  you know  night times at our house to say it nicely is crazy when I am not there.  When I stop home  for my dinner break, about half the time Hailey melts down completely when I have to leave.   As much as I hate to see her like that, it amazes me when I have to go it is her “CO-CO” she wants.  That is her nickname for Cody,  She only calls him that when she needs him.  Before I leave she will say “I need Co-Co to sit by me on the couch and watch a movie with me”  As much as Cody likes to torture his little sister he never refuse to sit by her when she is upset.  He always takes care of her and calms her down as much as she can be.  I am so proud of my Cody boy.

 He also does things for Hailey just because they are important to her.  This month Hailey had a princess play date at our house with all her princess friends.   He helped out and organized a game of pillow musical chairs for all her friends.  He happily chased all the princess around the back yard in Princess Tag.  He genuinely wanted her princess party to be fun because he knew how excited she was to have it.   I have no doubt in my mind he will always be there making sure she is OK and hopefully kicking any boys butt that causes her tears!.

  It’s funny cause up until about a year and half ago, they would sleep together every night.  I know Cody will  never admit it but he need her there as much as she wanted to sleep with him.  I have to admit it broke my heart a little bit the day that he said he wanted his room to be his own and Hailey needed to sleep in her own bed.  Don’t worry she has found a little brother to share a bed with and boy does that little brother love his big sis.

 He thinks she is the funniest thing around.  He is the only one that enjoys Hailey nonstop chatter.  He smiles every time she walks into the room.  He loves watching her dance shows as she skips and turns around the living room.  One of his favorite show is Jake and the Never land pirates because it is her favorite show.  Hailey absolutely adores Brennan, sometimes a little too much.  On numerous occasion she squeezes his little chubby arms and tells him how much she loves him.  The only problem is she squeezes him a little too hard and  has left a few bruises!    We are still working on that.   I know the relationship between them will continue to grow as Brennan gets older.   I know there will be a time when Hailey wishes she could trade her two brother for two sister who she can swap clothes with or complain about  friends and boyfriends to but  I think those days will be few and far between due to the fact she has two brothers that she adores and that adore her back.