I'm here

I'm still here.

Kyle left for the NFB convention for a week and...surprise, surprise...blogging didn't make the cut at the end of the day.

The day that Kyle left for his conference - early Sunday morning - I was pretty productive that day.  I decided not to be chained to the house and I took all three girls to mass on my own.  Um - I'm lucky it went well.  I rewarded them with a girls lunch at the Cheesecake factory.  On day 2-4 we got out everyday.  We did easy things like Target and the grocery story, and we played at home, and we made it.  Then it was the 4th of July.  That day was busy from the get go and we were completely exhausted by day's end.  Day 6 - was recovery day, we didn't leave the house or do anything...I think they ate all 3 meals in front of the tv.  And then it was the weekend again...but, unlike the beginning of the week, I was now worn down with the exhaustion of tending to 3 on your own all day.  I don't think I got out of my PJs for 3 days.  On the day Kyle was to come home, the girls were insufferable....I mean, of course they were - we hadn't left the house in days and we were all driving each other a little crazy.  Then they shoved plastic beads up their noses and a huge screaming fit of panic ensued from both.  Alls well that ends well and the beads came out fine.

And then Kyle got home and we all celebrated...but then he went to work the next morning and we resumed our girls day norms.

Kyle's been home for most of the week now, and things are back to our new normal.  The girls are good, I'm good, Kyle's good.

Madeline had her 1 month check up yesterday.  She weighed in at about 9lbs 4oz.  So, she's gained about a pound.  You can tell, her face is rounder and her ankles are slowly filling out.  She's battling baby acne pretty bad, but I think it's on the mend as well.

What else?  Have I mentioned that Elizabeth is 2 going on 12?  She can do so much stuff.  She talks and, like, understands us and such.  It's incredible and Kyle and I are constantly surprised by some exchange or phrase or concept that she brings up.  She's also far more strong willed and defiant than Abby ever was at that age.  She will routinely tell me "no" when I tell her to go to timeout.  Luckily, once I put her there - she stays and they are still an effective discipline for her - but that initial "NO." is all too common.  She's so two.

Oh, and we have frogs now.  Jen brought over 4 baby frogs for Abby to watch.  Long story short - I ended up buying them a tank and a box of tiny crickets to eat.  Craziness.  They're fun to watch, I'll admit.  I don't know how long we're going to keep them...but, for now, we have 4 frogs.  Abby's names for them change on a regular basis and they're all a little crazy anyway...I'll let you know if we settle on anything.

My mind is feeling disjointed at the moment.  We just made brownies, so maybe it's just that I can smell them.  I dunno.  Apologies for the random and scattered stream of consciousness update.  I figure it's better than nothing. ;)

my madeline

Kyle left for Orlando yesterday.  He'll be gone for the week while he stays busy at the NFB national convention down there.

So, it's me and the 3 girls most of the week.  I managed to get all three to mass yesterday, and then we went out to lunch together - it all went well, and I was happy for that.

Last night, after I got Abby and E in bed, I came downstairs and held Madeline.  She fell asleep on my shoulder - and as I listened to her little baby breaths in my neck and smelled her sweet baby smell, I felt myself bonding with her.  It was nearly tangible.  My heart swelled, a shot of endorphins or some hormone ran through me and I took a deep breath, smiled, and snuggled her closer.

Then I took a picture.  So that I could remember that sweet moment.