I guess since the four pictured above are now five and Elijah is no longer the squishy faced baby it might be time to update our blog. All in due time, but not today.
Big news in the life of Elijah Ryan: he is riding a two wheal pedal bike at two and a half years old.
We were at the park yesterday and he asked Jude if he could ride his bike. Jude said yes and then he asked me. Well, when my boys choose to share I go with it almost every time. Elijah hopped on the bike and with Bennett bouncing on my hip, I grabbed onto Elijah's shirt and pushed him off. And really, truly off he went. I think it took three tries before he was off and pedaling. The grin on his face was priceless and both Jude and I caught the fever. Jude was so encouraging to Elijah and it was a very sweet time for me and my three adventurous boys.
This is a clip from the next day since I wasn't prepared with a camera for the "first time riding a two wheeler" photo opportunity.
Not to leave Jude out, two weeks ago his Dad (aka Father of the Year) took him on a Daddy Date to the skate park for the first time. Here is a short clip of one of his runs.
Then there is Bennett. He is riding a bike now too! Not true. But he is drooling an ungodly amount with two teeth sitting just under the surface. He is full of smiles and giggles and...not sleeping through the night.
What a lot of fun it is to have boys! I am so blessed and look forward to many adventures in our future.
It started like any other Tuesday of late. I took our boys to their Aiya's house (Tim's mom) for the day while I headed to SLO for appointments. I saw my OB first and found out I was 3 cm dialated. I was partially encouraged because at least my body was doing something, but I also kept any hopes of labor in check because I was at 3 cm for a month before our second son, Elijah, was born.
From the OB, I went to see my chiropractor. The right side of my pelvis and hips had been very painful for about 24 hours. She said I was very out and that hopefully aligning my pelvis would get things going. Again, I kept my expectations low. I kept reminding myself that God knew what was going on with my body and our baby. I could rest in that and not worry about what, where and when. That is much easier said than done for me after our birth experience with Elijah (accidental home birth, 911, ambulance ride, blah, blah, blah...).
I finished the errands I needed to run in SLO and headed home. I wasn't feeling very well and laid down for a nap. I am so thankful for all the Tuesdays when Aiya and Papa Carl have generously taken the boys for a full day for me to go to appointments and rest. I was especially thankful on this day.
For the last couple of weeks, I had been distracting myself with projects and activities and Tuesday would be no different. Tim's sister Linda had invited us to a Blue's baseball game that evening. We took the boys and had a great time eating candy and playing on the grass. I would say we watched a baseball game but I don't think we saw more than ten minutes with an almost four year old and a two year old.
We came home and I didn't feel great but I hadn't felt great for a month. It felt more like the state of my existence than the beginning of the end of this pregnancy. I went to bed at 11 pm and fell right to sleep. At 12:20 am, my water broke and I woke up in a panic. I told Tim and since he is a hard sleeper he mumbled at me. So I upped my volume as any crazy pregnant lady would do. He woke up wide eyed and adjusted to the fact that this was on like donkey kong. I was a bit panicked, but we managed to call Linda to stay at the house with the boys while we got all our goods in the car. She pulled in to the driveway and we backed out determined to get to the hospital.
Contractions started about 15 minutes into the drive and were anywhere from two to five minutes apart. I was white knuckled and anxious. All I wanted at this point was to get through the hospital doors. We got in a room and "settled" around 1:15 am. Our good friend and doula, Amy, arrived right behind us and we were so thankful to have her there.
I lose track of time around this point in his birth story, but to the best of my recollection contractions picked up significantly around 1:45 am. They started coming about one minute apart and ever increasing in intensity. My stud muffin of a husband, Tim, supported me literally and figuratively the entire time. He sat on the bed and I leaned my entire body weight onto him for the next hour and a half. It doesn't sound like the best way to labor, but it worked for me. I kept focused on relaxing and telling myself that the pain was productive and that I wanted to meet my son. Holy Smokes! It hurt.
Amy did an awesome job of reminding me to relax different parts of my body, especially my face, as the contractions intensified. She also read our needs so well. I became very internal, closed my eyes and didn't want much talking during contractions. She was such a blessing to both Tim & I. (A lot of the photos here were taken by her as well. I'll just go ahead and say it, "Amy rocks.")
7/24/13 at 3:17 am
Just after 3 am, I started to feel the need to push. Amy called the nurse in and she (very casually) came in and checked me. She said that there was still a small cervical lip and left the room. Again, my eyes were still closed, but I was pretty annoyed with what I perceived as her "Yeah right, sweetie, you aren't having this baby yet" tone. I was also in a lot of pain and easily bothered this late in the game. About two minutes later, I could feel him coming and I yelled it again. Amy ran to alert the nurse and things moved in high gear in that hospital room. They tell me I pushed for about ten minutes before Bennett Mace made his grand appearance three hours and seventeen minutes into his due date, July 24, 2013. (Very punctual. I like that.) He weighed in at 8 lbs 8 oz and 19 inches long. He was 1 pound larger than our other two sons. I guess he already knows he is going to have to hold his own with his two big brothers.
I was so very thankful when it was over. It had been an anxiously awaited event for me, but it went wonderfully - just under three hours from water breaking to meeting baby. Making it to the hospital was a weighty burden on me for the month leading up to his birth, but by the grace of God we made it in plenty of time. Doctor Freeman delivered Bennett and she was wonderful. She was calming and so kind with a wonderful bedside manner. Another amazing gift from God that she was the one to deliver if our OB, Dr. Lickness couldn't be there. As I look back, I see God's hand in all of this and can see that He knew my heart and my fears and one by one carried me through them all showing Himself all-sufficient. Bennett Mace is such a sweet addition to our family. Bennett means "blessed". Mace means "gift of God". He truly is both to us. I already can't imagine life without him. Jude and Elijah dote on him constantly and are always asking to hold him. It is very sweet and more than I could have hoped for during this time. Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of new life. Blessed be your name.
Back in the fall I got it in my head that I would love a sizable china cabinet/hutch piece in our dining room. Unfortunately for me, when I get an idea in my head it usually sticks and doesn't wander too far. I began the search for something that would work for us. I started tearing out magazine pages, pinning photos on Pinterest and diligently searching Craigslist. I knew we couldn't do a new piece so I just kept my eyes open.
I found what I was looking for and thanks to my studly husband and his faithful friend with a big truck they brought it home in December. It was large but luckily came in two pieces.
Here is the original piece in all its pecan wood, daisy carved out glory. You may ask, "What did you see in this chunk?" I saw killer glass. I love the glass work and figured it was worth a try.
Let me tell you it was trying. I don't think it would have been as big of a deal if I wasn't pregnant, but alas I am very, very pregnant. Finding the time and energy to paint was not easy but if I am anything it is determined...at times.
It took two months to rid the piece of its stank smoke smell which I didn't realize was present until it was sitting in our garage. Once I was content with its odor I went to work on disassembling, sanding, priming, and painting. In the last month, Tim has graciously helped me put it all back together.
The only major change I made (thanks to the suggestion of Debra, my friend with an eye for design) was to cut the daisy lovelies out of the bottom cabinet doors and replace with chicken wire. I love how it turned out.
Another amazing task my hubby helped me with to complete the project was to repaint our dining room. When we moved into our home, I had made the unfortunate choice of painting the back wall a deep red. It left no room for flexibility in decor. I am not sad to see it go. I am also not sad to see clean walls after four years of spaghetti splatters and chair markings.
finished and installed but empty
comes with great storage
chicken wire > daisy woodwork
the original inspiration
Just wanted to share the project because I smile every time I look at it these days.
We, and by we I mean I, went back and forth on whether or not to find out the gender mid-pregnancy or wait until he or she was laying on my chest. Tim was set from the start to find out and at one point told me that he would find out and keep it a secret from me. That would drive me nuts. Over the last few months, I came around to finding out and so on Wednesday we had our 20 week ultrasound. We waited until Friday to find out.
We gave the gender ultrasound pictures, which were in a sealed envelope, to Linda, Tim's sister. I gave her a bag of pink balloons and blue balloons and sent her on her way. She filled the appropriate color with helium and sealed them in a box. After dinner, we found out together as a family. Jude understood right away and has been excitedly telling everyone that we are having a boy. Eli was focused on the balloons and could care less whether we are having a boy or a dinosaur.
If you would like to share in our big moment, here is the video. It is three minutes so hunker down.
Last week, the Me & Mommy class that Jude & I attend went on a field trip to the local recycling center and the local John Deere dealer. This was basically heaven for Jude & Elijah. They loved watching the big tractors at the recycling center as they smashed cardboard and moved green waste.
The tractor dealer was a massive success. Elijah crawled on almost every tractor and pushed and pulled all the levers and buttons he could find. It was so generous of the dealership to let our little ranchers-in-training crawl all over their brand new equipment. Jude's favorite was a John Deere tricycle that he monopolized for over 15 minutes inside the store.
Here is their reaction to the tractor moving a mountain of cardboard.
When we moved into our home almost 4 years ago, the appliances were included. Awesome. No complaints here...well, kind of. Our stove top has had a remarkable residue of baked on everything. I tried cleaning it, but would give up up or get interrupted by the need to build a train track.
Recently on Pintrest, I kept seeing the miracle workings of baking soda and some scrubbing so I decided to give it a try. To the point, it worked. But, it took me almost 2 hours by my estimations over the course of the day. My fingers and knuckles were sore, but it was worth it. There is no longer the remnants of someone else's cooking. Now any mess that is made will be entirely ours. I much prefer the mess I know and love.
The nastiness.
Secret Weapon: My little helper.
Yes, we lived with it for almost 4 years. I too am disgusted.
We are blessed. Our lives our full. And yet we are venturing into new territory. What is it? Oh, just the land of having more children than parents - yikes! Really though we are excited to be expecting our third rascal this summer.
It was really fun telling Jude & Eli the big news. Of course, Eli is clueless, but Jude is very excited. There have been a few times over the last six months when he has asked me if I would "grow a baby in my belly?". Please overlook my haggard appearance as this was day two of what ended up being a six day lock down of the plague incubating in our home. And...the fact that I can't speak with my words no good.
On Friday, the boys and I visited Tim at work. Since he works next to the airport, we almost always end up over there oohhhing and awwwwing over airplanes and helicopters (me especially). Friday was no different until a man in a truck drove by and offered to show us around. He took us to the helicopter repair hanger where Jude's eyes widened and jaw dropped. Then we followed him over to his hanger and he let Jude sit in his plane and pull on the controller. Of course, I didn't have my camera so I have no proof of our good fortune and exciting adventure.
As we walked into our garage still on a high from the unexpected treat, Jude picked up a piece of trash and said, "Uh oh, Kona". I didn't think much of it because I had already stopped keeping the recycling in the garage because of Kona's recent scavenger issues. Then I walked in the kitchen door and found this:
Oh, no you didn't.
I did, Mama. I know it was wrong, but I scavenged and it was delicious.
Are you kidding me? Did I mention that just one day earlier I had cleaned and mopped all the floors? I was not happy about Kona's escapades, but life goes on. I put on gloves and went to work cleaning it all up. Honestly, I am shamed to admit it, but I did let it damper my afternoon even though we'd just come off such a special airport adventure.
Fortunately for Kona she is a very good dog other than the times when she does things like this. In her defense, I only exercised her once this week and I have her on weight loss food that probably tastes worse than cardboard.
To say the least I will try to make sure the door from the garage to the kitchen is firmly closed when we leave from now on.
Also, note to self: There was a disproportionate amount of espresso grinds in the trash. Caffeine consumption may be at an all time high for the Whitacre household.
One day last week, the boys were finishing up their lunches as usual. Jude was downing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and Eli was body slamming a almond butter sandwich. On this particular day, Jude had opened up his sandwich and only eaten the side with all the peanut butter. He is usually a jelly guy, but I guess sometimes a kid just has to mix it up.
After a bit, Jude said he was full to the tippy top and wanted to ride his bike for a few minutes before nap time. Sounded fine to me, so I left Eli in his high chair and proceeded to help Jude put on his helmet in the backyard. Out of now where, I heard a crash.
I thought that Kona had done something but since the damage was likely already done, I finished up with Jude before heading back inside about a minute later. What I saw when I came in made me laugh out loud and grab the camera:
Tastes so good, Mama!
When Jude went outside he left the jelly part of the sandwich sitting on his plate. Apparently, Little brother does not let food go to waste. I had put a tablecloth on our dining room table for the first time and there was a hot plate sitting in the middle (which ended up causing the crash sound). It wasn't more than two minutes (and all of five feet away) that I was outside with Jude. In that time, Eli managed to grab the table cloth, strategically pull Jude's plate over to him, get it onto his tray and begin demolishing Big Brothers leftovers.
Strategery
It was hilarious. He did not even bat an eye when I found him. He was in utter heaven. I imagine he was thinking, "Mom, can you believe this stuff? It is delicious. I had no idea something so sweet, gooey and fruity existed."
All I have to say is, "Good work, Son. Go get 'em".
December 8th! Really?!? Wow. I knew it had been a while since I had posted anything but didn't realized so much time had passed. I blame it entirely on lack of sleep...and laziness.
Almost three months later, I still don't have much to say, but I do have two growing boys.
Eli is nine months old and I cannot believe how fast his first year is going. He is a big boy at almost 30 inches long and 23 pounds. He is trying to crawl but that is a lot of mass to try to move. He adores music and shakes his thang at the slightest beat. If he is standing up, he really gets into it and we love his enthusiasm. He is quite the bundle of giggles and grins. You can see for yourself.
Jude is almost two and a half and talks non-stop. No, really. I mean it. He never stops talking. A few of my favorites thus far have been while he's talking to Tim & I he'll say, "Hey Guys, let's just hang out and talk." or "Hey Guys, what are you talking about?" if we are, God forbid, not including him in a conversation. He is a sponge and most of the time I love it. When I hear him walking around the house saying, "Oh, darn it!" for no reason or "Oh my gosh" in a full valley girl accent I don't like it as much because my ridiculousness is exposed before my eyes.
He is having a blast learning how to ride a balance bike. He is picking it up well and the other night stayed in the backyard riding until dark. He asks me daily to video him and then show it to him. When he watches it, he starts laughing and says, "There's Jude! Jude is riding fast!".
Our days are full and we spend as much of them as possible outside. We all thrive out in the fresh air, rain or shine. Here are few shots of our most recent shenanigans.
2011 has been a year of tremendous blessings in our home. First and foremost, Eli entered our family in a surprising, but healthy and exuberant manner. One week before his arrival, Tim successfully defended his Master's Thesis in Electrical Engineering and I got to be there for the presentation. It was such a blessing to sit like a (hugely pregnant) fly on the wall during what was the culmination of countless late nights and hard work. I am immensely proud of his perseverance and endurance.
In addition, 2011 has also been a year that has stretched us. It held unseasonably high expenses. Perhaps we should have seen the writing on the wall this time last year when our heater went out. I looked at Tim and said, "Can we call the Landlord?" Yeah...we bought the house a year and half earlier and of course the initial purchase insurance had expired six months prior.
Replacing the HVAC ended up being the beginning of a long line of unexpected debits - thank the Lord for savings. We are so thankful God had provided for us throughout the years and allowed us to save so that we could tread through the extras without fainting entirely as each bill arrived. Although, there were a few that did take my breath away. In the last month, we sat down to look at and then recreate our budget. A season of deliberate, mindful saving is before us.
With that said upon looking back over the last couple of years, we haven't been diligent stewards and have not paid sufficient attention to where we were spending money. It is no great shock to me that God is taking us through a period of evaluating our needs versus our wants.
Honestly, I am enjoying this time of reflection and reevaluation. Well, I enjoy it when it is easy. I don't enjoy it when I need to forgo an over priced coffee that I used to spoil myself with weekly or the adorable dress that is on super sale but I do not need or have specific reason to buy.
Life is full of seasons and that is my mantra lately in so many areas of our life whether feast or famine. Speaking of seasons, it is Christmas time and one of the most magical times of the year. (Did you enjoy that transition:) ) Like many of you, one of our festive Christmas outings is getting a tree. There is something so special about picking out a tree, dramatically driving it home without it flying off on the freeway and then trying to position it just right in the tree stand - "a little to the left, sweetie....no, back to the right...okay, now a bit forward...back to the left..."
Well, this year we headed to the tree farm with our budget in mind and were unsettled at the thought of spending anywhere from $50 to $80 on a tree especially when we will be traveling a lot this month. We walked around and took some photos, but couldn't bring ourselves to shell out the cash. I realize that we sound bah humbug but it is what it is.
Tim and I put our heads together and came up with a diy Christmas tree. It doesn't have pine needles or smell wonderful, but it was thought up with love and consideration for the season. Holidays (and everyday) are about making memories and investing in ways that last. I think I will always remember this year's "tree". The best part is that I honestly love how it turned out. I just might keep the branches around year round - tamed down anyways.
I don't think we ever properly introduced our second not-so-little bundle of joy. It has been a little over six months since he joined the Whitacre clan and I never got my act together enough to send out a baby announcement.
So, drumroll please...
We are so proud and thankful to announce the six monthaversary of the vivacious Elijah Ryan Whitacre. He was born on May 20, 2011 at 8:55pm. He weighed in at 7 pounds 9 ounces and 20.5 inches long. He sported a full head of dark hair and captured our hearts from day one.
Eli, as we call him, is a fun loving kid. He loves to laugh especially at Kona, Asia and most of all his big brother, Jude. He is pretty easy going and loves to be held. He likes to be tossed around and "rough-housed". When he is tired he sucks his thumb - adorable! He makes crazy sounds including a not so adored screeching/high pitched scream when he really wants some attention or when he gets very excited. He is sitting up, but doesn't do much purposeful rolling. Crawling...what's that? Most remarkably he has already had six hair cuts and he still has a mop of hair.
Six months later we can't imagine life without him.
Eli is a joy. Really, we are enjoying him immensely. He is a very happy and curious baby. He loves sounds, people and the outside. His favorite things are his big brother and his dog.
On the note of him liking sounds, he also loves to make sounds. At the beginning of October he was making these strange growling/talking noises that have since developed into what I would call a screaming witch sound. It can be a bit unnerving these days but he is content as can be and I think he might even think he sounds good. I don't want to burst his bubble just yet. Although, Jude has on occasion told him he is being too loud.
Lucky for you, I can't find a video of the witch call so here is a clip of our little dinosaur "talking" to his brother (or anyone who will listen).
I knew I hadn't written in quite some time, but recently visited our site and saw that the last post was Jude's dramatic morning. It is time to update that situation.
We saw a dermatologist in SLO and were told the growth was a pyogenic granuloma. It is a blood vessel that makes its way out of the skin's surface and becomes an outgrowth. It isn't anything of concern, but is problematic in a two year old because it will bleed incessantly with the slightest touch - duely noted and experienced. We were told we could try to hold him down and keep him perfectly still for an in office removal or as they suggested go to Stanford for a "conscious sedation" and have it removed while he is not fully present.
My wonderful sister-in-law works for a local, highly reputable dermatologist. She ran the options by the doctor and the doctor felt that she could very easily take it off locally and there was no need for Stanford. Thank goodness! We figured it was worth a try.
The morning of the appointment we talked to Jude about going to see the doctor and having his bump removed. He was glad it would be coming off as he would complain of it bothering him periodically. The best part was that his Auntie DeDa would be helping.
He sat on Daddy's lap and cried for about one minute when the numbing shot was given. Then we put a Curious George DVD, his favorite, in front of him and in about five minutes the doctor was done with the removal and cauterization. He is still boasting a red scar, but it is slowly diminishing. There is a twenty percent chance of it coming back, but it is very treatable.
Other than heart failure during the first incident, I think we have all come away in good shape. Jude is doing great and loving life - especially motorcycles, airplanes and helicopters.
Here is a more recent picture of Jude with chocolate (not blood) all over his smiling face.
I have been debating whether to write about this or not, but alas I have chosen to share the drama of last Tuesday morning. It actually started a little after midnight on Monday night.
We heard Jude start crying, which is fairly normal for him. I guess I fell asleep (the product of two and a half months of disjointed sleep) I woke up about an hour later and realized he was still crying off and on. This was surprising. Then I heard him ask for water. I woke Tim and asked him to get Jude water. He stumbled into the kitchen and went into Jude's completely dark room, handed him the water and came back to bed. A few minutes later, Jude was quiet and back asleep.
Tim left early on Tuesday morning to meet some guys for a morning Bible Study so when I heard Jude talking and calling for me at 6:30am I knew I was on duty. I was standing outside his door listening to him and realized that he was saying, "Mommy. Yucky. Wash." "Hmmm....this can't be good", I thought. It wasn't.
I opened his door and greeted him as I turned on the light. To my utter shock, his face, hands and pajamas were covered in blood. Yes, you read that correctly - B L O O D. There was blood on his bed sheet and bloody hand prints on the crib railing. I took a deep breathe and kept in mind that he was standing and talking happily, but my stomach was in my chest and my eyes were filling with tears. I tried to keep my voice calm and steady for Jude and told him we needed to clean him up. First things first, I called Tim and asked him to come home asap.
Let's back up a bit...in late June, Jude got a red spot on the left side of his jaw back near his ear. It began to stick out a bit and then by the end of July had significantly increased. In mid-July the doctor told me to watch to see if it grew. Boy, did it! In three weeks it tripled in size. I am pretty sure it will be diagnosed as a Hemangioma when we see the dermatologist.
Back to Tuesday morning. Jude's red "bump" as he calls it had either burst in the night or he had picked it and broken it open. However it happened, it was quite a bit of blood for a twenty two month old. I took a picture of Jude before I "cleaned" him up because I wasn't sure what the doctor would need to know and I am not great with blood or anything medical for that matter.
Enough Said
Holy Cow
Tim then walked in the door as Jude was beginning to eat some banana bread (good sign that he was hungry and wanted food pronto). As we were discussing what to do, Jude stood up and said "Wow" and acted like he was dizzy. I flipped at the thought of him being light headed so we all got in van and started driving to the ER.
At the end of our street, we paused and looked at each other. After our recent ER experience, we wanted to stop and think about what was best and what was necessary. We decided to make our first stop Tim's sister Linda's house. She works at a dermatologists office so we figured she'd have some insight into what we should do. At this point I should stop to say that this is the story from my perspective and not Tim's. I'm pretty sure he knew Jude was fine once he saw him eating the banana bread.
Linda cleaned him up and stopped the bleeding and we all returned home. Jude watched some Curious George while I gained my sanity and Tim eventually left for an appointment. We saw the doctor later that day and will be pursing further diagnosis through a possible CT scan.
I was hoping the hemangioma would shrink with all the blood loss, but it hasn't. It looks worse than before. Jude is just fine and up to all his antics, jokes and silly faces. Though he does touch his "bump" and ask me to cut it off. Maybe someday, Kiddo, but it ain't gonna be Mommy.
Jude, you are a courageous little man and we love you so much.
Every year, the Whitacres and Friends meet in Big Sur for a summer campout. Last year, Jude and I were in Austin, Texas visiting my BFF since elementary school so we didn't make it. Thus, 2011 was our inauguration into camping with kids. Let me just say that it is a whole new world for us. We had a great time and Jude especially thrived (during the daylight hours). On that note, I think it took us the same number of days to recover from camping as the number of days we actually camped.
The best part about this annual trip is the people. Tim's brother Brian and his family fly out from Tennessee and friends come from far and wide to enjoy their company. Jude got to hang out with his cousin Rose (Brian's ten month old daughter), as well as the other adorable and "same as cousins" kiddos Edie (5), Clara (2), Emery (21 months), and Everette (8 months).
We look forward to and plan for this trip every year and it has without fail been a very special time each summer. This year we lucked out on a river site which as a huge blessing of white noise for the kids while they slept.
Our days were spent playing with the kids in the dirt, water, tents or the back of the van. We sat, ate, slept, walked, talked and mostly enjoyed a slower pace of life for a few days. Of course, we managed a few trips to the camp store for ice cream before dinner.
Jude's favorite activities included throwing rocks into the river, wading in the river and jumping off tree roots. Eli's favorite activities included watching the wind in the trees and being held all the time.
I think the thing I will remember most about the 2011 Big Sur campout is the fact that we got yelled at by our neighbors on the first night because Jude was screaming bloody murder and we couldn't calm him down. It was epic! Eli slept through it so I don't know why the neighbors couldn't:) I'll have you know the consecutive three nights were much better - Praise the Lord.
Here's to many more Big Sur campouts over the years and to watching our kids grow up together (which means we'll be growing old together)...
We had a moment - Jude, myself and...the Garbage Man.
Tuesday morning at Casa de Whitacre is garbage day. Jude loves listening for the truck and then finding me to tell me it is close. We then run out the front door and sit in front of our neighbor's house to watch the truck make its way around the court. We watch it lift the garbage cans, dump them out and put them back down. The best part of all is when the Garbage Man stops to wave at Jude and honk his horn.
We have been doing this for many, many weeks now. Honestly, I am not a huge fan of garbage trucks but seeing the joy in Jude's face is priceless. I'll follow garbage trucks around town to see Jude light up like that. Don't worry. You'll get to see it too. I am posting a clip below.
Well, this Tuesday we proceeded with our normal routine. After the Garbage Man finished his pickups in the court he turned onto our street and then backed up (on the wrong side of the street) to come alongside where we were cheering on the sidewalk. He said hello. Jude was speechless and wide eyed. Then he said he had something for Jude and pulled out a toy yellow garbage truck! It was the coolest thing ever.
Honestly, it was so sweet of him to have thought of Jude and brought the truck with him. We will definitely continue to run out to the sidewalk on garbage truck day (as if I have a choice).
Thank you, Garbage Man! You made our day.
This is a clip of Jude's pure delight in garbage trucks. It was taken during a recent camping trip when the garbage truck made its rounds through the campgrounds.
We Kimmel kids were blessed to grow up on Kimwood Ranch in Potter Valley, California. It is now Kimmel Vineyards and continues to be one of (if not the) my favorite places on earth. I remember spending my summers running wild through fields, playing in the creek, swimming in the pool and imaging up all kinds of games and adventures with my brother, Ryan. It was the childhood I would love to now be able to give our boys.
Every year we return to The Ranch (as we affectionately call it) over the Fourth of July. This year, we spent most of our days down by the creek with Jude. He had so much fun and Grandpa even found him a turtle! I am so happy he is getting to experience some of what I love even if it is only for a few days a year. Though, I am foreseeing a future of week long "Grandpa Camp" in his future with lots of tractor rides, hikes, swimming, turtle hunts and so much more.
This year included my Nana Lillian giving Jude a haircut, which she hasn't done since my brother was little. I have seen so many photos of Nana cutting my brother's hair that it was a sentimental moment for me. Plus, I really miss my brother. He flies an F-18 for the US Navy and is currently deployed. Speaking of which, my brother's dog, Buddy, was in tow and Jude really loves him.
To top it all off, Jude got to gobble up the famous "NanaCakes" which were so delicious. We always put in a special order when we go up there. They are the best pancakes ever.
Kona was in seventh heaven with room to run and so many wild animals to chase.
Before hitting the ranch this year, we were able to meet up with my best friend from childhood, Mellissa, and her kids in Santa Rosa. We now live states away from each other so this was a true treat for us. The best part was that she got to meet and hold Eli in the first few weeks of his life. She was able to do the same with Jude and it has been so cool.
I have to admit that I didn't spend much time thinking about how Jude would respond to Eli when they were first introduced. One thing I knew for sure, I was going to cry when they met. I would tear up when I did take the time to stop and think about it.
It went better than I ever could have hoped. My mom brought Jude to the hospital and he was holding a bouquet of roses from our yard. He melted the hearts of all the nurses as he strutted down the hospital hallway to visit us. He absolutely melted my heart too when he wanted to sit on the bed with me and talk. At first, he didn't see Eli who was lying beside me. I pointed to him and reminded him that we had been talking about a baby brother and that now he had arrived. Jude looked at him and got really quiet for a while clearly processing what now lay before him - a baby brother. Then he wanted to kiss him and hold him. It was amazing.
I know they won't always want to kiss and cuddle each other and that the transition is still in its infancy. With that said, I am thankful the initial introduction will always be a sweet memory for Tim and I. We are thrilled to have brothers so close in age and look forward to seeing their similarities and differences as they grow together (as we all grow together).
I found a few photos of the boys that are similar and thought it would be fun to see them all in one place.
This is my mom holding Jude a few days after he was born:
This is my mom holding Eli when he was three days old:
This is Eli at six weeks:
And this is Jude at six weeks:
I wouldn't say they are duplicates, but they are definitely brothers! And...isn't my Mamasita the cutest thing you've ever seen? She's an amazing Nani and the boys love to snuggle with her (obviously).
