NYC!

Carter and I enjoyed a fantastic trip to NYC this past weekend.  Papa and Isaac stayed home and bonded over bottles and movies.  We got to visit Tia Tina, almost Uncle Andy and Oma.  Aunt Lorissa and 4 year old cousin Paul flew in for the fun as well.  Seems I am getting real good at planning things at the worst times.  Carter and I left Friday morning in the middle of a winter storm.  We drove through sleet, freezing rain and driving snow.  After 4 hours, we finally arrived in Albany, NY where we planned to take a 3 hour train ride into the city.  Yet Albany was blanketed in an inch of ice with trees down all over the place.  We walked into the train station with Carter saying "Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea!" with every step just to find out all trains to NYC had been canceled.  So we got back in the car to drive another 60 miles to Poughkeepsie to catch a commuter rail.  Carter was great.  When I told him the trains in Albany weren't working and we needed to go to another train station, he just looked at me and said "where's the new train station, mama?"  

We had a fantastic time once we got on the train and got to the city.  Carter was definitly a little Vermont boy in the big city.  I literally had to drag him down the street as he just stared wide eyed at everything.  We went to the Museum of Natural History, saw the big tree at Rockfeller Center, and topped that all off with a trip to FAO Schwartz.  Carter was in heaven.....

on the subway

the tree at Rockefellar Square
chasing birds at the Museum - who needs to go inside?
checking out the displays
Smiling Isaac in his red sox jammies
Carter's first pair of skis - thanks Opa and Oma!
HINT: if you want to see any photo larger, just click on it!

Carter's THREE!

So we had our hands full celebrating Carter's third birthday this weekend.  I've learned a lot about kids birthday celebrations.  First - I learned about the rule 'take your kids age and add one' - that's how many kids you should invite.  Not the 12 kids (plus all the adults!) I invited...  Second - don't plan your party in the middle of a winter storm warning.  (Unless you don't want the aforementioned 12 kids to actually show up).  We have had no snow for quite awhile and an hour before the party - it started dumping.  We had 6 brave kids show up - which turned out to be perfect.  Carter would not share his pinata hitting with anyone (except Malcolm, who didn't want to do it, and mama and papa).  Otherwise he did well and we had a good time.  All the websites also mention a 90 minute cap to the party.  They really do seem to know what they are talking about.  It was right about 91 minutes that Carter started to have his break down.  But everyone was soon gone and we were able to have an uneventful rest of the evening.  Carter also got his first pair of skis from Oma and Opa and has enjoyed walking around the living room in them.  Unfortunately we couldn't go outside and enjoy the new snow because it was 2 degrees the next morning.  In fact, it didn't get above 20 the next two days, so we've had a little cabin fever.  Then it swung the other way and now there is NO snow because it was 45 and raining this morning!

Isaac and I are enjoying a little quiet time this morning at the local bakery while Carter plays with his friends at Playcare.

 

Here we are with our 'babies' in our slings (Carter is carrying baby pooh in his).  He told me we weren't allowed to smile for the picture, hence the straight faces.... and yes, I am on my knees - Carter isn't that big yet!

Fun and Photos

Here's some photos from our recent Michigan trip.

Isaac's baptism
My grandmother and her 7 great grandkids
Carter and Skylar (my sister's boy)  The next 2 terrors to hit the Keller household

Carter seemed to know exactly what I needed today.  He just woke up from his nap with a brilliant laugh that brings a smile to anyones face.  Then he came down the stairs and said "I'm going to come running to you!  I haven't gotten my hug today!"  Then he gave me the biggest hug an almost 3 year old can give.

.....then he promptly ran to the tent we put up in the living room one recent rainy, cold day.  And he slipped and hit his head and started screaming..... but the hug was awesome.....

Family and Balance

Time marches on.  Another month goes by - a rather exciting one giving us a new president, a family trip to Michigan and a relaxing Thanksgiving at home.  Isaac is approaching 3 months (still only sleeping a 4 hour, then 2 hour chunks at night...) and Carter will be 3 next week.  Lars and I had our first "date night" since Isaac was born, courteous of Grandma Anne (thank you!)  We went with some friends to eat pizza and watch some ski movies at the Stowe Mountain Film Festival.  I think I was trying to relive my ski bum days.  Somehow trying to remind myself that I have not always been an exhausted mom, spending my days cooking, cleaning and trying to fulfill the needs of two needy boys.  There was a time before kids (BK) where I was able to travel at a moments notice, sleep in until noon, and read a book without pictures.  Even now, I'm typing this post with Isaac asleep on my lap - always a mom.  Kids first, then you. It's my new way of living.  It is funny how three years ago, I dreamed of the day we would have a family, and now I dream of the days BK.  Don't get me wrong, I love my boys so much it hurts.  But I have to make sure I don't forget who am.  Balance is so hard to achieve.  I am awed by all the mothers and fathers that have gone before me and look for inspiration from them.  I follow my brother and sister-in-law closely as well.  If anyone is seeking balance, I know they are.  Marc - thanks for your posts and know that it is helpful to hear your stories.  If anyone wants to check out www.caringbridge.org/visit/meredithwhitman please do.  My sister-in-law Meredith has been recovering from surgery from a brain tumor.  I was excited to receive a phone call from her and her family this week - the first time I'd heard her voice on the phone since the whole ordeal started in February.  Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

As we start a new month, I am striving to seek balance, love my family and rediscover the parts of me that I pushed aside.  While I am a mother, I am also a wife and, at the heart of it, I am Susan.  I need to find her again....

        Before kids.....

The Plague (or Laughter is the best medicine)

Well, the plague has officially descended upon our house in the form of boogers and more boogers, and the occasional high fever.  Carter has had the worst cold of his short little life, and is just sleeping through the night again after 6 nights (!) of waking up every two hours yelling out "boogers!"  Our one saving grace is he has learned how to blow his nose (albeit weakly).  We stooped a few times to spraying water in his nose with the booger snatcher, which he was NOT fond of.  I kept trying to tell him "we need to get the boogers out! You don't want them in there, do you?"  When he saw what we were going to do, he covered his nose and yelled "I love my boogers!" over and over. Needless to say, we do not.  Now that he is better, the fever has struck mama (for the second time this month!) I think we need to eat more kale or something.

I also wanted to post some photos taken by Carter, our aspiring photographer.  Whenever I take pictures he wants to as well, so here's his photos!  We could tell Carter was getting better once his laughter came back.  Let me tell you, that laugh can make even the worst situations better.  

Much love.

SMILE!!

Week 6 and blessed with our first real smiles! What a relief to see after 6 weeks of mere grimaces and cries and contented looks.  Now if we could just coordinate our nap schedules....

I think he looks just like Lars - any one else think so?

Sticks and stones....

I feel as if I am finally emerging out of my cloud from the past 5 1/2 weeks.  Isaac slept for almost 4 hours in a row last night, then woke up for a quick nurse, then was back asleep for another 3 hours.  If it weren't for his nasty boogers, it may have been even longer! Carter is really starting to take to his little brother as well.  He still is extremely needy and wants to be on my lap all the time, but he is always asking where Isaac is as well.  Carter and I started a movement class together this past week.  I thought this could be our "special time" for just the two of us to do something together and Papa would take Isaac.  But once we got into the car, the first thing Carter said was "Where's Isaac?  I want him to come with us!" Ahhhhh, you can't say I'm not trying.  But it has been very sweet to see Carter give little kisses to Isaac's nose and tiny hugs.

I also took 5 hours off on my own today and went out with my friend Maggie and talked about all sorts of things not related to diapers, breastmilk or naps.  It was refreshing to reenter some semblance of adulthood.  I'm also looking forward to the first time that Lars and I will be off together for an afternoon or evening together so we can start to reconnect.  Seems all our conversation revolve around "yep, last diaper change was 1 hour ago, nursed 2 hours ago, here you take him and I'll play with this guy, can you make some mac 'n cheese?"

We had a little bit of a crazy week - Lars woke up on Sunday morning with excruciating back pain, so we had a family trip to the ER at 3 am.  Needless to say, I no longer have the trump card of saying "you think you know pain? You've never been through labor!"  The doctor had the gall to tell me he's heard kidney stones are worse than labor.  It was strange to be on the other side of the drive to the hospital - Lars in the passenger seat muttering "breathe..... breathe....." He has since recovered and trying to stay hydrated.