2 tired kids...for different reasons

Sigh. Not gonna lie in that I had a crazy day at the office. I say my life is "never dull" and that's true on all fronts. As I was coming home tonigh Tim called..."can u stop and buy Motrin? CJ teeth are really bothering her." at that moment I knew it wasn't a happy home :) when I did walk in the door...Hannah looked exhausted, but said she wasn't . And CJ, well she was laughing but not in her normal way...it was more of a show like "mommy, I'm okay but not great..." Hannah decided to not sleep last night...well maybe not by choice but rather she had trouble. Caroline, on the hand hand, is teething like its her job. Feel bad for the little one bc she tried to put her entire hand in the mouth to naw away at it... And so as I entered the house tonight,I immediately went into mommy mode: cleaned up the kitchen, gave Caroline her medicine and got Hannah in her pjs. All while Tim looked at me with a grateful look. At leastl he managed to get dinner ready and for THAT I was grateful to him :) And as I write this, Caroline is out as is Hannah...since 7 pm and 8 pm respectively :) I hope both are in better mood tomorrow as its a big day: grandma's house and getting our new minivan. THAT story will be for another day...never thought I'd get a minivan but yet...

An open letter to my oldest...

Dear Hannah,
This past Sunday you turned four and truly I am in shock.  Not so much in that you are, indeed, four, but where has the time gone?!

I remember that day in early June 2007 when I actually found out I was expecting you...well, didn't know it was YOU at the time but soon I would.  I had soo many emotions that day from shock to happiness to anxiety to amazement to all that's in between.  You see my journey to get you wasn't expected...Mommy struggled to have a baby.  I was lucky though because, in the end, I had you...my beautiful, independent child.

And the journey of fertility problems and countless negative tests was worth it b/c I became a mom to you.

Fast forward to the day we found out you were YOU!  I convinced myself you were a boy b/c I just thought it was what we were "supposed" to have for the first child....but the tears and laughter that accompanied when the ultrasound tech said GIRL was proof that you were, indeed, meant to be Hannah Dianne Hartigan.  Grandma Dianne was there that day with us and so was Grandpa Bob...in spirit but I knew your Grandpa was shining down on us and you...afterall God gave us you (like the book I read you often).

Words cannot describe the day you were born...you didn't exactly come out as I expected but then again I learned LIFE was never to be expected again.  To hear your cries was the best sound in the word...that followed by your Daddy saying "Sarah! She's out and she looks to be 9 pounds!" LOL!  Only to discover you were just 7 pounds, 2 oz.  And all of it was pure love from me to you (and Daddy too).

Now that's not to say we weren't scared out of our minds to take you home and didn't know quite what to do when you'd cry for two hours straight, at night, when we wanted to go to bed.  BUT we learned and figured it out...all because we knew YOU were our precious, wonderful gift.

Earlier this week you turned four years old and I cried.  Yes, I did...not in front of you but in the shower after you went to bed that night.  I always knew I wanted children and to have you (AND your sister) is....well, I can't quite put into words...

I am so proud of you b/c you are thoughtful, kind, and most of all, 100 percent YOU! And you do know your manners! =)

I love you Hannah Dianne Hartigan and whatever the next 4, 10, 20, 30 years brings....I am so happy to have you as my child.

Love ALWAYS and FOREVER,
Mom

Notice the personality?!

Just an hour after she was born...and yes, I look tired! LOL!

Look at her...and notice the resemblence, even then, to her daddy!!

Hannah's first Christmas...in 2008

One year later....Christmas 2009

My Oldest Girl!!

Craziness

Okay not sure where time is going...seriously how many times have you heard that time flies when u have kids?! It's proving to be true... Tonight I caught a glimpse into future as I watched Hannah and Caroline play. As Hannah went upstairs to get something, Caroline cried and started to climb after. They have this bond already that makes me amazed and happy at same time. As Hannah came back down, Caroline clapped and happily walked over to her sister to resume play and whatever else. This Tuesday Tim and I will celebrate 8 years of marriage...wow again. We went out to dinner this weekend and it was nice to just be us for a moment. It's funny how much I love him him and that much more than when we first were married. I wouldn't change anything bc the life we lead is what defines us...

Time isn't endless...BUT...

How many times do we all say "where has the time gone??" And then we stop and realize it's just past us by and the year is almost over with. As I sit and write this, I think about that...It's October 11, 2011 and I literally am shocked that Halloween is in two plus weeks and then the crazy holiday season begins. Again. Tonight I sat and watched Hannah play with her Leapfrog...her Leapfrog! She was learning how to read simple words and pronunciation of them...really?!? It seems like just yesterday she was where Caroline is and learning how to walk (or run as seems to be the case...). And Caroline...my Sweet little Caroline. My baby. She is walking around everything. Saying simple words and loves baby dolls. Again, I think it seems like just yesterday she was born...but that first year has come and gone. This weekend also marked a milestone: 15 years ago I met Tim at our now hometown's annual festival in 1996. As I sat and watched the parade with my girls I thought back to that same day 15 years ago where I met a lanky engineering student with a wonderful smile and funny personality. And a cute tush too =) There was something about him that I liked and felt natural about it. And fast forward again and we've been married almost 8 years and have two daughters. All of it has made me realize that time isn't endless and it won't standstill no matter how hard we try. BUT life is what we make of it and those moments we have are the memories we take with us and reminisce about as time goes by. We remember through stories, through pictures and by timing going by....

Caroline at birth September 27, 2010

Caroline in VA Beach, VA September 2011

Caroline in September 2011

Hannah in September 2011

Hannah when she was 1 day old February 13, 2008

 

 

Tim and I circa 2011

 

Where to begin?!

Life...it is a journey! A lot has happened since my last post! Caroline is officially a one year old and Hannah is, well, chatting and independent as always. So....may be not much HAS passed???? LOL! In early September we went on vacation as a family a four plus my mom (Gramma Dianne). We traveled the 12+ hours to Virginia Beach, VA and it was WONDERFUL! VB is an incredibly family friendly place and I couldn't have asked for anything more. It turns out that Hannah loves the ocean and making sand surprises while Caroline likes to simply eat the sand and drink the salt water! And I loved every minute of it...even the part where I was washing out Caroline's mouth and eyes after ingesting sand and salt H2O @ once. Yup, the girl couldn't get enough of either... Now, let's fast forward to end of September and Caroline is 1. Wow, is all I have to say. It has been an incredible year full of ups and downs but, in the end, I wouldn't want it any other way. She is my baby girl and I feel incredibly blessed to have her. It hasn't been easy with two....I was foolish to think otherwise =) BUT in the end life has worked out just the way it was supposed to... And now we look to Halloween 2011 and I can't wait. Hannah plans to be either Snow White or the Little Mermaid (depends on the day) while Caroline will be my little Chicken, the same costume H wore in at her age. How fun it'll be!!!

Determined Caroline...

In one month Caroline will be one year old...and I think she is starting to break out of her shy and laid back stage. Yup, I may have another defiant one on my hands!

She hears the word NO often but her response usually is: stop for a second, look at me, whine a bit and then proceed on the course she has set out...with a determined look and a forceful crawl. As if she's telling herself "Nothing will stop be in getting up the stairs or to those wires!" LOL!

Of course she not only has me telling her NO but Hannah as well. In fact, it's funny to me how often I hear Hannah tell her sister NO when Caroline is on "Hannah's blankets" or "Hannah's toys" or "Hannah's pillow pet"....I hear "That's mine Caroline!" regularly.

But I wouldn't change it for the world b/c I know it's when I DON'T hear any noise that they're truly up to something...and that can be the scary part!

Bob Evans Round 2 and last...

I can't believe I decided to try Bob Evans by myself with a three year old and 10 month AGAIN. But, call it what you will, I did. And I WILL NEVER DO IT AGAIN. In fact, I left one of my best friend's a message tonight telling her to knock some sense into me if I ever mention trying to take the two girls out to dinner. Alone. Over the next year. Sigh.

It started with such promise. We arrived. The hostess seated us right away and took our order. I thought, "Wow, this is great. Fast service and the girls will be fine." Not so fast. Caroline's applesauce arrives as do biscuits...again, nice and prompt. That's where it all started to go SOUTH...

You see the waitress comes back with the girls food (pancakes) and says "Some other server took your salad by mistake for another customer so they have to remake it for you." Fine, not a problem. In fact, I thought it was probably better if it arrived a few minutes later b/c I could get Caroline and Hannah settled with food in front of them.

Tick Tock. Tick Tock. Waiting....15 minutes later still no salad. Now, you might ask what kind of salad did I order. It wasn't a fancy salad, rather a plain ol' wild fire chicken salad.... But apparently it was a bit too much for the restaurant to handle.

So, off I motion to the manager and told him to cancel my order as my children were done eating and it was time to leave. He proceeded to apologize and offered the salad as take out at no charge. I think he saw the semi-wild look in my eye (again) as Hannah and Caroline were both getting restless.

The salad-to-go came, I threw a tip down, paid for their dinner and raced to the car...all in time for Hannah to decide to throw a tantrum about not getting ice cream and Caroline to have a melt down b/c she was tired.

Just another day in the life. =/