Let's put it to a vote, shall we?

I had set out to post a few more pictures from Cora's party, but as I was looking through them I realized that my husband managed to wear a shirt that I despise and one that will now be documented forever. It consumed me and I could think of nothing else as I began to post the pictures. He loves it. I hate it. I think it matches nothing, is tacky, strange and not quite as funny as he does (and by not quite as funny, I mean not funny in the slightest bit). I have kindly asked him to give it to a thrift store, which, mind you, is where it came from in the first place. I have begged him to burn it and threatened to stop going out into public with him when he has it on, yet here it is in all of its hideousness.

So I will post a few more pictures of Cora's party for record keeping purposes, but I need your opinion. Pay close attention to the first photo. You will see a ridiculous green shirt in the background. Yep, it is the one with the picture of the donkey that says "I'm a Smart One." Thoughts please? Am I crazy for hating it? Would you let your husband out of the house wearing it? Be honest. I can handle the truth.

Cora blowing out her candles on the most delicious cake. I seriously would have eaten half of it if I didn't have to worry about it going to my thighs the next day! As you can see in the picture above, Claire was also eager to get a piece.

Cora in her new Snow White outfit with her friend Regan.

Claire lying on a bed of nails. I know she looks like she is in agony, but she is actually smiling and was begging Mark to keep raising the nails!

Cora with one of her many presents.

Claire was a serious shopper!


Thanks for being a great photographer Mom!

Belated Birthday Blog

How's that for an alliteration! Life has been characteristically nuts lately, so my plan to post on Cora's birthday never quite materialized. Good thing she can't read!

Cora turned 4 on the 19th, but we held her party on the 20th. On her actual birthday we dropped Claire off with my sister and took Cora out on a birthday date. She was so excited to go on a date, she was telling anyone who would listen (and even those who wouldn't). We headed to get ice cream at Cold Stone first (one should always eat dessert first, especially if it is from Cold Stone!). Next we went to Toys-R-Us where Cora got a birthday crown and a balloon, and then was allowed to pick out one toy. Final stop on our date, I told Cora the best part of the date was that she got to help shop for party favors and supplies for her party (killing 2 birds with one stone!).

I think all of the undivided attention went to her head. When we got home and Mark called Cora in to get her PJs on this was her response, "Don't call me Cora, call me birthday girl."

A few other funny things that came out of her mouth that day:

Upon waking up and realizing she had officially turned 4, “Look at my legs mommy. Don't you notice. Now that I am 4 they are huge.”

"Now that I am 4 do I get to learn how to pee standing up?" (Don't ask. I have no idea?!!)

Next up was her party, which was held at the Discovery Center. I have virtually no pictures on my camera for a number of reasons. First, everything went wrong that day. For various reasons that justify their own blog, we ended up getting to her party late (lateness is a huge pet peeve of mine for the record) and so I was frazzled and unprepared. In my attempt to get the party started and get organized, I overlooked taking important pictures for historical purposes, ie. the cake. We also used our camera to take video instead of snapping pictures. If I was a technical wizard, which I am of course not, I would be able to get stills from the video. But it will be much easier to just get the pictures from my mom's camera.

So for now you get to see one picture of Cora at her party. She is pictured with Miss Fish, who has taken my daughters under her wing and loves them like they were her own grand kids (and who wouldn't like an extra "grandma" or two to spoil them?!). Please note that my stubborn daughter dressed herself for the party, refusing to put on the cute sundress I had picked out for her. She also did her own hair. I guess it could have been much worse!

The party was great. I loved having it at the Discovery Center because I didn't have to entertain, clean up or plan games! I think Cora had a blast too and she got some great gifts (thanks everyone!).

Now that all of the party madness is over, I am having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that I have a 4-year-old!!! So much changes in such a short amount of time. My how she has grown. Happy Birthday little lady!

Little Cora Bryn, 2 hours old. Weighing a healthy 8lbs, 9oz she entered the world @ 10:02 pm. She was very alert from the moment she was born. She looked nothing like a newborn and could already hold her head up (perhaps because she was born 3 weeks late!).

She was such a happy baby. And quite beautiful I think (might be a bit biased!).

Here she is at 9 months. She started walking soon after this and we haven't been able to keep up with her since!

And here she is on her 1st birthday.
And at 18 months.
On her 2nd birthday.
And as a 3-yr-old flower girl in her uncle Michael's wedding.

And finally, here she is today. Doesn't she look so grown up?

The Accidental Abercrombies

Oh where do I begin? I'm not sure what happened first. After enough blood, they all blend together. I'll start with the oldest family member and work my way down.

Mark: One swollen, purple very broken hand with a side of road rash on legs, face and arms. Victim of a down hill mountain bike course that will never be attempted again (that is not a statement, it is an order!).

His knuckles and the palm of his hand are starting to turn blue.

Cora: One swollen, purple very smashed thumb. Victim of a large metal concrete forming rod. (I didn't take pictures for 2 days, so most of the swelling is gone.)

Claire: One, wait scratch that, two swollen, purple very large bumps on the head. One deep and very bloody cut on the hand. Victim of her own two feet, a heavy glass figurine and a shattered glass mug. (Our digital was acting up, so all of the pictures of Claire’s goose eggs didn’t turn out!)

Claire's trail of blood.

"All better."
Her head looks nothing like that. The picture turned out quite strange, but you get the gist.

And to think, it is only Wednesday. I'm putting 911 on speed dial!

Um, is there a support group for this kind of addiction?

Maybe Mothers Against Dracula? Or how about Vampires Anonymous? Anything? Anyone?

I finally gave in to the craze and our book club began reading Twilight. I read the first book in 3 days, went immediately out to buy the second book and finished that in less than 24 hours, all 600 pages of it (no worries, no children were neglected while I was devouring the book). I was going to try to pace myself and save the third book for July, so the wait for the fourth wouldn't be so long. But I am addicted. Obsessed rather! I am on my way now to pick up Eclipse. I need help.

Oh and another thing, I am in love with a vampire. A stone-cold, bloodsucking vampire. I tried to explain the whole lusting after a fictional monster to my husband, but he just can't comprehend. He is of course just a human, so that does not surprise me!

Well, I am off to bury my nose in another book and then sulk for a month and a half until the new book comes out.

"Mommy, something is wrong with Suzy!"

Cora has never really been attached to a stuffed animal. Suzy is the only one she has ever slept with. Mark and I think she grew fond of it because it was given to her the day Mark had his seizure. Because it was the first time I had ever called 911, I am not sure if the number of patrol cars that responded along with the ambulance was normal, or if they recognized Mark's name. Regardless, 4 units showed up and one of them went in search of Cora (if you haven't heard this story, read this first: You don't know what you've got until...).

The deputy that found her gave her Suzy. For the first few hours that day and the following few weeks, she would not put that bear down. Eventually that faded, although occasionally she still asks to sleep with Suzy.

After witnessing Suzy's tortured appearance post Claire encounter, I am grateful she did not remain attached. Cora walked into the playroom and I heard her calmly say, "Mommy, something is wrong with Suzy." See the before and after photos below.

This is Suzy (and her best friend Lisa) before being attacked by my small monster.

R.I.P. Suzy!

We Didn't Start the Fire

Picture this. It is 2:45am. Your children are peacefully dreaming, tucked securely into bed. Your husband is out of town. The smoke detectors start blaring. The children begin screaming as you sprint to their rooms, scoop them up and then search for a nonexistent fire. Heart still racing, you locate the faulty smoke alarm. It is at the very top of the vaulted living room ceiling, 20 feet above you (guesstimating the height, but you get the picture). You drag the 100lb ladder (again, guesstimating) from the garage while wailing children cling to your legs. It is one of those fancy I-can-be-50-different-types-of-ladder ladders with numerous levers and safety buttons to bypass before adjustment is allowed. One particularly stubborn safety button is jammed. It is now 3:15am. Alarms are still blaring. Children are hysterical and screaming for daddy. Mommy is also screaming for daddy. You get the ladder extended and climb precariously to the top rung. The small children below you begin shaking the ladder and you fear for your life. You have visions of lying in a bloody heap on the ground for days while your children eat from the garbage and wait for help. You brace yourself against the ceiling and begin dissecting the smoke alarm. You stare in amazement after discovering that even without batteries, a smoke alarm still creates the same ear-piecing noise. You yank the entire unit from the ceiling and angrily chuck it to the floor, fully intent on stomping it to bits once you are on solid ground. The house is suddenly quiet. It is now 3:45am. You tuck the children back in bed and kiss their tear stained cheeks. Exhausted, you flop into bed. But sleep does not come. You spend the next few hours using your nose to take the place of the smoke detector you just destroyed, certain that the one night you do not have properly functioning alarms is the night a fire will ravage your house and harm your children. You make a mental note to never allow your husband to go out of town again and lie in bed waiting for the sun to rise.


(You may think this next picture is unrelated, but I am including it for 2 reasons. First, because it shows the ladder in pieces in the background and second, because it brought some much needed humor to my morning after a rather rough night!)

Meet my future son-in-law

This is Davis (isn't he just so cute you want to squeeze him!). According to Cora's preschool teachers, Cora and Davis are inseparable. Last week was preschool graduation (she doesn't graduate until next year) and their end of the year picnic. While trying to chase Claire around (shocking, right?) I left Cora unsupervised for a few minutes. I returned to find Cora and Davis taking pictures of each other. Here is Cora's picture of Davis:
And here is Davis' picture of Cora:
When I took the camera away to take a picture of them together, they informed me they were getting married. But, not anytime soon because, "we are just children." Then they told me in unison, as if they had already made all of the arrangements, that they would be moving to Las Vegas after they were married. Good to know.
In case you were wondering why Cora keeps sticking out her belly in pictures, it is because I have a friend who is about to have a baby any day now and Cora is mimicking her.

And here are a few more pictures from the picnic. The first is of all of her teachers. If I haven't said it before I will say it now, I LOVE HER PRESCHOOL! Not only are they amazing with Cora and great teachers, but they are just such admirable women. We are so lucky that Cora was accepted there!
And finally, a picture of Cora leaping up onto the playground.
Only four more weeks of Cora asking when she can see Davis again and then summer session starts!