My Birthday

We celebrated my birthday with my last day of work and a drive to Houston to see family.

Donuts at work
Donuts at work
More donuts from the Deaf Ed department to say farewell and happy birthday
More donuts from the Deaf Ed department to say farewell and happy birthday
Birthday necklace from Elise
Birthday necklace from Elise
Made it to Houston
Made it to Houston
Cousins
Cousins
Jack hanging out with Aunt Claire and his cousin Tyler
Jack hanging out with Aunt Claire and his cousin Tyler
Jack hanging out with Uncle James and cousin Tyler
Jack hanging out with Uncle James and cousin Tyler
swimming in the freezing pool
swimming in the freezing pool
Jack there is something on your nose
Jack there is something on your nose
Pizza by the pool
Pizza by the pool
Jack finally meets Candice :)
Jack finally meets Candice 🙂
friends
friends
Tyler and Jack
Tyler and Jack
Flower Girl Reunion
Flower Girl Reunion
Trying some zucchini cake
Trying some zucchini cake
Early mornings with cousins
Early mornings with cousins
All the cousins
All the cousins
Night night Jack
Night night Jack

Wedding

One of my cousin’s got married and we had a great time…

Jack and David hanging out at the rehearsal dinner; they are one month apart
Jack and David hanging out at the rehearsal dinner; they are one month apart
Lovely food and a toddler tantrum from one of my nieces :)
Lovely food and a toddler tantrum from one of my nieces 🙂
Jack loving on his Mamaw and the rest of us at the rehearsal dinner
Jack loving on his Mamaw and the rest of us at the rehearsal dinner
Some of the 10 flower girls practicing
Some of the 10 flower girls practicing
Flower Girls :)
Flower Girls 🙂
My brother in the glasses officiating the wedding and my cousin waiting for his bride; my aunt and mom did the readings
My brother in the glasses officiating the wedding and my cousin waiting for his bride; my aunt and mom did the readings
Braided hair and all dressed up
Braided hair and all dressed up
The McClellans
The McClellans

My Spring Break

Reading for book club and work
Reading for book club and work
Doing some editing work
Doing some editing work
Watching these guys doing their favorite things
Watching these guys doing their favorite things
Coaxing Maggie to let Jack play with his toys
Coaxing Maggie to let Jack play with his toys
The clothes master (her self-proclaimed title) ready for preschool, lunch duty at Elise's school, and happy Jack
The clothes master (her self-proclaimed title) ready for preschool, lunch duty at Elise’s school, and happy Jack
Jack working on standing!
Jack working on standing!
Ready for Rodeo Day
Ready for Rodeo Day
Helping with chores
Helping with chores
Open House
Open House
Family Friday lunch
Family Friday lunch
A little fun for me - delicious breakfast with Scott
A little fun for me – delicious breakfast with Scott
A little fun for me - My first CauseBox and finding a pair of heels for $16 for my cousin's wedding
A little fun for me – My first CauseBox and finding a pair of heels for $16 for my cousin’s wedding
Made Vietnamese food - Saigon Meatballs
Made Vietnamese food – Saigon Meatballs
Girls relaxing with some books
Girls relaxing with some books

Pulling her close

Elise loves her baby brother Jack. It was love at first sight.

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She quickly noticed his dark hair, and said, “I hope it stays dark like mine.”

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Now school has started, and whether it’s the fact that Jack’s hair is lightening or that Elise has seen so many homogenous families at her school, she sadly said to me, “Jack is going to look like you. I am the only one who looks like me.” And I remembered the wise words of a counselor (who noted how we good we are at talking but not always just sitting with Elise in her emotions), and I just said, “Yeah,” and put my arm around her and pulled her close and she snuggled in.

I’m sure the topic will resurface but for now that’s what she needed – to be pulled close by the ones that love her. So as someone who likes to fill silence with words, it is good for me to remember to pause and show my love because all my kids to feel my love as much as they need to hear it.

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Crazy Week

Last week’s craziness started with a phone call from my husband saying he had lost his keys and couldn’t pick up our 4 year old. I had exactly 45 minutes before the school closed to pick her up and thankfully I made it. Then Elise came home with hurting gums which ended being something stuck in her gum like a splinter. Our beta fish indigo died – many tears were shed by the girls. Maggie’s been on breathing treatments for two weeks trying to get rid of her cough/bronchitis. And that was all by Tuesday.

Goodbye Indigo
Goodbye Indigo

And Jack has decided that being a baby is not for him. He’s rolling over and scooting across the ground like an inch worm, so it’s looking like we will have a super early crawler. But it’s okay with us if he slows down since he’s just 3 months old.

Sleeping on his tummy
Sleeping on his tummy
Playing with toys
Playing with toys
3 months
3 months

Then Thursday, I had a hemangioma removed from my nose and then the spot cauterized. I didn’t realize I would wear a foam pack for 72 hours. Luckily, I only had to make through one day of work and had the weekend to recover. Hoping this coming week is much less exciting.

L to R: Thursday, Friday, Saturday
L to R: Thursday, Friday, Saturday

The kids

The girls are going to be flower girls in March in my cousins wedding. I found these on major clearance at Macy's so we are saving them.
The girls are going to be flower girls in March in my cousins wedding. I found these on major clearance at Macy’s so we are saving them.
The Mag in three different cheetah prints
The Mag in three different cheetah prints
Maggie and Jack
Maggie and Jack
Elise and Jack
Elise and Jack
My three :)
My three 🙂

First Days of School

Elise on her first day of second grade
Elise on her first day of second grade
Maggie on her first day of preschool (one more year until kindergarten)
Maggie on her first day of preschool (one more year until kindergarten)
Me and my awesome paraprofessional - ready to teach some 3 and 4 year olds with hearing impairments
Me and my awesome paraprofessional – ready to teach some 3 and 4 year olds with hearing impairments