Memorial Day 2008

11 years ago, we bought our house and moved in at the beginning of May. Margaret was about to turn 1, and I was past my due date with E.J. We had our families over for a 1st birthday party/house warming. The following year, it made sense to have another Memorial day party to celebrate E.J.'s 1st birthday and Margaret's 2nd. Then came Charlie, then Emma... Fitz and I laughed this morning at how many of those early parties I was either hugely pregnant, or holding a very, very newborn baby.

I wish I had started these lined up cake pictures earlier, but I love the ones I have, and it is so fun to look back each year at how much they have all changed.

Birthday season

It's birthday season here in Fitzville. Now is the time that people all seem to ask me how old all the kids are. And my standard answer at the moment is "it depends which day you ask." Charlie just had his last week... Emma turned 7 today... Margaret will be 11 on Thursday, and E.J. will be 10 the following week.

We are all gearing up for the annual Memorial Day bash here on Monday. It's amazing to me that 11 years ago, we were celebrating Margaret's 1st birthday, and a new (to us) house. I was past my due date with E.J. It seems a lifetime ago. Each year, we added another baby, and another cake. Emma is the youngest of the birthday crew, and at 7 has the world in her hands.

There is something magical about 7. I can remember being younger, and thinking if i could pick a favorite age to be, it would definitely be 7. As a teacher, 7 year olds were my favorite as well. 7 is just old enough to be joining in the big kids games and really getting it. It's just young enough to still believe in everything. It's gap toothed smiles, and dirty knees... it's first one up in the morning and last one to drag up to bed, begging just one more drink. It's princesses and fairies and ballet dresses, It's best friends and secrets and playing dress up.

Happy birthday to my self proclaimed princess.

New Friend

While the rest of the crew (and a good number of neighborhood kids) had a loud, rambunctious, intense game of foursquare going in the driveway, Tommy sat in the middle of it all, completely oblivious, and playing with his 'new friend' for close to an hour. I love this boy.

Spring...

Haven't posted in a while. It seems that the day from this post has turned into a month of days like that. It's amazing how many major events have been all in a row, on top of the usual sports/school schedule we maintain. We had a daddy/daughter dance, the prom...
an Irish step recital...
a fencing competition...
a 50th Anniversary party where I saw a few of my many, many cousins I hadn't seen in years... and finally... someone turned 8! He saved up his First Communion/Birthday money, and ordered himself a surfboard... is anyone surprised?

Diagnosis...

EJ has been complaining of the occasional knee pain, usually after soccer or baseball. So at his physical today he brought it up with the doctor, who confirmed what I expected... osgood schlatters disease. A very complicated name for growing pains. Kaleigh has Osgood Schlatters, so I knew the symptoms.

In the car ride home, EJ was proud to announce his new diagnosis to all the siblings. Between his own difficulty in remembering exactly what it was, and not pronouncing it correctly, the conversation that followed was hilarious. The final diagnosis from the kids actually had me laughing so hard I almost drove the car off the road.

So it is now confirmed... EJ is suffering from Ostrich Bladder disease.

Time...

Today is... track, followed by 'Little Warriors', followed by fencing and irish step, followed by softball/baseball, followed by a Spring concert, followed by soccer.

Wouldn't it be great if time was relative? If you had a really busy schedule, you were just alotted more hours that day? Like a timer you could set... I would only set it for a few hours on Mondays.... but I would add a hefty amount to Sunday mornings, just because. Today I would like about 4 or 5 more hours. Even just one hour... to let me slow down a little for all the in-between times of getting the kids all here and there.


***Update... So I get a call as I am running around that the Doctor who Charlie and EJ are on the waiting list for has 2 openings for 3pm today, can I do that? Ummm, sure... just...one...more...stop.

I happened to glance down and notice the shirt I am wearing. Why did I not already know what shirt I was wearing? Because on days like today, it's pretty good that I make it out of the house dressed. I grab whatever is on the top of the pile and throw it on. Don't even ask what my hair looks like. But I obviously grabbed the right shirt...

First Communion Boy