Best Day

You know those moments when life just works? We had one today and it was wonderful. Matt let me sleep in, which means intercepting the children before they see the whites of my eyes, fed them breakfast and then got all three of us out the door for me to go to the gym and the chickens to go see their favorite Miss DeAnna... the best part of Gilroy Health and Fitness. While we were gone, he went to the funeral of the patriarch of the Portuguese family who lived across the street from him growing up on Carla Way. I've heard millions of stories about Matt's adventures with the children in this family and I am glad he was able to pay his respects.

When he arrived home, Finley was napping (rare) for more than an hour (rarer) and I was out of the shower and well on my way to having my entire face done (mascara included) and my hair dry and this was all after shaving my legs (let's just say that years have gone by without all of these beauty practices being completed by me on the same day). Anyway, that's not the point of this post. Moving on...

We packed snacks, towels, suits and changes of clothes for the kiddies, an umbrella, two strollers, sunscreen, hats and sippy cups into the Pilot (thank God for our mini-SUV... there are days that I swear we should have gotten the mini-van) woke up a still sleeping Finn, and headed over the ant farm roads that lead to Capitola, our first trip there. Matt posted our plans on Facebook last night so we had plenty of recommendations from seasoned Capitola visitors and former dwellers, and we had a plan of attack. We parked in all day parking, fed the meter, loaded up the Graco and Maclaren and headed off to Pizza My Heart for some of the best pies I've ever tried, and believe me, I am a connoisseur. Mr. Tubach, UCSC graduate and all-around foodie, recommended the Big Sur, which I loved, especially for the giant roasted cloves of garlic, which made me long for the Swiss Hotel in Sonoma and reminisce about our wedding day almost five years ago. Matt loved the Pesto pizza and re-experienced it throughout the day. We sat on the beach, gave Finn a crust and ate our fill, while watching Logan chase seagulls and play in the sand. Since we'd made the mistake of leaving all the beach stuff in the Pilot because we weren't sure what we were doing, we trekked back to the 12 hour parking, lubed up the kids with sunscreen, dressed Logan in his trunks and Finley in her suit, and headed back down to the beach to set up camp and enjoy the day.

Today was Finley's first day at the beach and she wasn't quite sure what to make of it. I'm not sure if it was the utter expanse of the water, all the people, the woman parked in the sand next to us who SHOULD NOT, under any circumstance, have been in the bikini she was wearing or just the newness of it all, but she had her claws dug into my shoulder as I took her down to the water. She was not having it as I put her twinkle toes in the water. She did not enjoy the sound of the surf, and actually let out shrieks of terror any time the water rose around us. She had been more than happy to play in the sand as we ate our pizza... she actually put a giant handful in her mouth and was sporting a sand grill 50 cent would have been proud of before we went back to the car to change into swimming attire, but couple the suit with the water and our umbrella which broke loose from its sand post and hit her in the face while we were getting situated, the beach had ceased to be her friend.

Logan could hardly wait to use all his sand toys in the vast expanse of sand. He was more than content to just sit and play but as I was loosening Finley's grip from my hair and clothing, Matt convinced Logan to run through the waves. He was happy to do so. So while I never actually left our home base in the sand after our first venture to the waves, Finley was happy to sit in my lap and watch the people, I sat in the sand and watched my little boy have the time of his life. These are the conclusions I came to:

• I love my life. Not because of big things, status, or money. But because I have a husband who is a better father than I could have ever imagined him to be. I have two children who are their own people, and I actually like them.
• I have a son who makes me laugh, for real, with wild abandon on a daily basis.
• I have a daughter who can light up the world with her toothy smile.
• I have the chance to watch them grow up.
• For these things I am thankful.

So as I sat on the beach today, surrounded by hundreds of people enjoying the same sunshine, sand and water as I, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude that I am here in this moment and have this man who chose me over so many others 14 years ago and together, we have created two of the most amazing people I have ever met in our children.

And while I have just a few photographs (of Finley's sand grill) to commemorate the day, my mind is full of the images that I saw today. And if you could go inside my head you'd see the following: a blond-haired, blue-eyed boy laughing, with pure unbridled abandon, as his daddy chased him down to the water's edge, only to "save" him from the waves time and time again. You'd see the man I've loved for the last half of my life play with my son like a child, with no regard for anyone else around them sharing the secrets that are unspoken between a father and his son. You'd see my snaggle-toothed, round-faced cherub bundled up in beach towels snuggled at my breast with one hand entwined in my hair as she danced in her dreams, with all of us always at her reach. You'd see the waves gently crashing on the sand, feel the sunshine mixed with the ocean breeze and smell the seaweed on the summer air. And you'd know that in all my life, in all my wildest dreams, that there was no better day than this.

Wanted Dead or Alive

So, Logan had his first run-in with the law today. Well, the Oak Commons law. Seems he and his little friend, who we'll call "Aaron" (identity protected because he's a minor), were up to no good in our backyard and got caught. Details are sketchy. Truth is relative when there's an angry daddy and three and a half year old as the main subjects, but what I do know is the following:

Said 3.5 year old and his accomplice, "Aaron," were playing in our backyard last night;

• At some point, both boys decided that throwing rocks at the monster in the yard next to ours was a "great" idea;


• Seconds later, rocks were hurled with all the strength two midgets can muster at the supposed monster on the other side of the fence... great digs on a monster's salary, if I do say so myself;


• Not more than three minutes later, Logan's mommy, aka Me, caught the boys doing the above and hollered at them to stop.


• Both boys happily complied, moved on to the water and sand table, enjoyed Dino Nuggets for dinner, Otter Pops (grape and orange, if you're asking) for dessert, and finished the evening playing superheroes in our living room. The rock idea was never revisited.

Cut to this afternoon... our sociophobe recluse of a neighbor, James, the guy who called the City of Gilroy to complain about Matt's "mancave" (another story people on another day), sought out Matt when he got home from work. He approached Matt and told him that he'd seen Logan and the "dark-haired boy" in our backyard throwing rocks yesterday and at the time, had thought nothing of it, because he was so entrenched in his work. Then something hit the window that to his untrained ears sounded like a gunshot (which was not too far-fetched yesterday as there was an alleged gang-shooting at the KFC across the street from our neighborhood). He assessed his health (no gunshot wounds, thank God) and his property, only to discover that something had broken his window. He went out to his backyard, discovered a pile of rocks surrounding the area of the wounded window and concluded that our little felon-in-the-making and his sidekick had broken his window.

Needless to say, Logan spent A LOT of time up in his room while Mommy and Daddy decided what to do. Here's what it came to: Logan was informed that "Aaron" would be coming over with his Daddy and both boys were expected to apologize to Mr. James for breaking his window. They were then to go home and there would be no playdate today or for a few days to come. Logan happily complied and waited, subdued for his friend to come to save him.

We could hear "Aaron" coming from down the street. He was sobbing. He knew he was in trouble and I think the worst part of the whole thing for him was that his mother was not yet home from work but she'd heard about the whole thing and was not happy (to say the least). So, he was terrified, which put the appropriate level of fear into Logan. We trundled up to James' front porch and the boys hemmed and hawed about who would go first. In the end, my little man knocked bravely on the door, and when Mr. James answered, looked him in the eye, bravely proclaimed, "Mr. James, I'm sorry I braked [sic] your window. I will make a better choice next time." My heart swelled to its fullest and I was so very proud of him. His apology was genuine and honorable. Everything I could hope for him to be. When we got home, both Matt and I praised him for 'fessing up and told him that life is full of choices and sometimes we make the wrong ones, but only good things come from telling the truth and apologizing when he did something wrong. He seemed to understand to some extent, and it's a lesson I know we'll have to teach again. Just reminds me that I must also practice what I preach, and that if I want him to grow up to be good and honorable, that I must show him how to do that.

In the meantime, Matt will call our homeowner's insurance provider tomorrow and tell them that while he was mowing our lawn, he hit a rock and it broke our neighbor's window. Aaaah, the irony.

Best news possible

The phone never rang last night, although I'd given up at 10, there was a faint glimmer of hope that maybe Dr. Bahtia would call super late. But no. So, at 8:40 this morning as we were packing up to leave for Logan's school, the phone rang and it was indeed, Dr. Bahtia's office. She had great news for us. Logan's platelets are fine! Best case scenario! Yes, he's still covered in spots, older ones fading, newer ones cropping up all over, but she thinks it's some kind of organic "invasion" possibly from a plant he came into contact with at Gilroy Gardens last Sunday. (Let's not even think about that and all the kids who are around those plants there every day!) So she perscribed a cream to rub into the spots (might as well bathe him in it) and said to call her tomorrow afternoon if he isn't "markedly improved." Hooray! Except for the fact that he still looks a little odd (spots on his eyelid and where his ear lobe meets his face to name a couple) he's just fine and all my visions of illnesses that I won't even jinx myself by mentioning are non-factors. Now, to get him cleared up by August 1 when Titi Meats and Uncle Screwtop get married! The countdown is on! We're all outfitted, practically... I just need shoes as does Logan and Matt needs his entire ensemble. I'm secretly hoping that Finn will be walking by August so she and her brother can toddle down the aisle together.
Super excited that school is out for Matt tomorrow as well! Summer vacay is underway!

Seconds Creeping By

So I've totally freaked myself out. Logan turned up with a weird rash yesterday that looks more like a bunch of broken blood vessels all over his body... and I do mean all over... think groin, armpits, eyelids. No, it's not chicken pox. Dr. Bahtia seems to think that it is partly heat rash, which is a bit strange since it's not been so hot here lately, but she is also concerned about the bigger spots on his body, so she sent him to our local hospital for STAT blood draw. Matt took him. They both survived. He was brave. And I am a puddle. The doctor's office should call first thing tomorrow, and guess who will be first on the call list in the morning, nicely being forceful, trying to figure out what is going on. At this point, as the spots continue to crop up, I am terrified that it is something far greater than anything that I can imagine, but at this point, all we can do is wait, and wait, and wait, and wait. 8 a.m. cannot come soon enough.

Stay tuned for results. I promise I won't make you wait.

Food!

Okay, okay, okay. I know I owe a TON for the month of April and I'm drafting that post as we speak, in bullet points, for the audience's benefit, but I just have to say that Finley ate two and a half jars of baby food and a bowl of oatmeal tonight for dinner, that's 2.5 jars plus fiber, and that was after two jars at Nana's house earlier today. On his best baby day Logan never even came close to that! And I kept waiting for her to be done, to turn her face away, to spit out food that she didn't want. Something to indicate that she was full, but instead she kept screeching at me to shovel more in. Faster. Clearly the child is no shrinking violet and she gets her appetite from her mommy, and maybe her daddy too.

She was 18 pounds at the pediatrician's yesterday... we'll see when she goes for her nine month check-up at the beginning of June... she may not be such a long drink of water. Maybe more like a large milkshake!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I am wrestler, hear me roar!

Let it be known that Logan Matthew Arner Corona, age 3 years, 4 months, is now unequivocally, unabashedly, all-consumingly, a wrestler of projected (by a completely unbiased source, wink wink) epic proportions.

Or at least he looks cute in his singlet and his wrestling shoes while posing for pictures at the Hawks practice yesterday.

Eat your heart out Cael Sanderson!

Six Month Check-Up

Finley had her six month check-up yesterday and all systems are a go! Dr. Eckels (sp?), Dr. Bahtia's fill-in while she is in India, thought Finn was a bit "skinny" till she plotted her measurements. She's 16 pounds, 8 ounces which puts her in the 50-75th percentile for girls her age (breast-fed and formula-fed babies, as well as babies who started on solid food much earlier than she did) and 27.5 inches, which puts her in the 95th percentile! A long drink of water! Watch out Holden... she's coming for you! :) She also survived two shots and another Rototek oral injection (which made her pink and spotty at her two month check-up) as did I.

Then it was off to the dentist for me where I got a filling. Cut to 10:00 p.m. last night when I was on the phone with the dentist thinking that something had gone terribly wrong and I needed a root canal or to be euthanized at the very least. So back to the dentist today where they assured me that everything was a-okay, after x-rays and a full exam. I'm to call the office on Monday if I'm not feeling "markedly better" and then they'll redo the filling. Yeah right. But seriously, this pain is worse than labor, in my opinion! I'm considering taking a Tylenol with codeine in it tonight before bed. I wasn't even able to enjoy my glass of wine with dinner and left it, 7/8 full, at the table when we departed tonight... along with more than half of my uneaten entree.


And on a lighter note, Logan peed in the dryer this afternoon. Not in front of, but in. Not sure what happened, as he does know the difference between the dryer and a toilet, but he took some dirty clothes up to the laundry room and when he came down announced that there was a big puddle "in front of the dryer." I thought he'd had an accident, but much to my chagrin, when I went to inspect the situation, there was a puddle in the dryer and not in front of it! I let him know that I wasn't too happy and I think he still thinks it's funny. It is, but yuck! Boys... do they really start being like this at such a young age?


He didn't nap today, but I heard him sing a little song while up in his room: "Mama, Mama, Mama. She loves me. She read me three books but I couldn't go to sleep." Since all was true in his music and it was so sweet, a nap for the day was forgotten. That all, of course, took place before the dryer incident.


Golf season is in full "swing," pardon the pun. If you're looking for a golf buddy, Matt would be happy to oblige!

The Mom Song

Big Girl Finn!

Rice cereal for Miss Finn today and she loved it!

Happy 6 month birthday tomorrow... we've made it six months!

February and Matt update

This month has come and gone quickly. Wow! Time flies! I apologize for the length of time between posts, but as I ranted about last time, work has been a little crazy for me. Needless to say, since people say that they actually read this thing (shocker!), this post is for Joel (thanks for the wireless internet... I LOVE it!) and Nana, two apparent fans.

Today is a quiet Friday at our house. Logan has a touch of the flu and as a result we've been laying low. The thing that struck me last night (or early this morning) is that when you have one kid and he's sick, all you worry about is making sure he's comfortable and doesn't wake up too much in the process of being sick in the middle of the night. Easy. Well, with two kids now, who don't share a room, but might as well do so, since they share two sides of the same wall, my worries were split between my poor baby boy who was vomiting profusely throughout the night (never thought I'd be able to do barf... amazing what kids teach you to handle!) and my sleeping baby Finn, who I wanted to continue to be a sleeping baby throughout the entire experience. But how to shush a sick preschooler? There's the rub. He obliged for the most part and slept with Mommy since his bedding was in the wash (note to self: pick up a back-up mattress pad today at Target), waking up to empty his stomach and then go back to sleep.

Okay, so where was I? Oh yes, this post is dedicated to Matt... for the most part. He's complained that he gets no love on this blog, so here goes. First of all... WRESTLING SEASON IS OVER!!!!! Sorry, babe, but I'm beyond excited to have another season behind us. He's home in the light hours, more awake when he's here, and just generally less stressed. :) Picture a huge smile on my face as I type this. It is getting more bearable and easy, and to his credit, his kids are really great, especially with Logan, who adores all of them. And Matt is a wonderful coach. The kids and I went to the final tournament of the season last week and although his last remaining athlete lost in the first round, it was such a tribute to see the parents of the kid being so thankful to Matt (and his family too) for all that he'd done for their son. And Logan got to play with a lot of the athletes who were at the tournament to support Alex even though they weren't wrestling. Just to see the way some of them look at him, listen to him, hang on every word he says is magic. I used to be that kid and I'd still drop anything to help my high school basketball coach, even though I'll be celebrating my fifteenth (ugh!) reunion next year. I forget that in this process he is not only a father and role model for our children, but for a lot of these athletes ("afletes" for those of you who watch "Real Housewives of Atlanta," you know who you are ;)) he is the closest thing to a father that they've ever had. And if that's not the role he plays in their lives, he is certainly a model for what a man should be, or what his girl athletes should look for in a potential partner. My heart swells with pride when I think about it. And I get to be married to him... and he is my "baby daddy!" Who could ask for anything more?

As for the other two VIPs in my life. Logan is continuing to thrive in preschool. His teachers are so sweet and one of them actually called me at work on Tuesday to report an "incident" that had occured on the playground that day. (Here's me thinking that it's my first call from the principal... I was wrong). Apparently Logan had a run-in with a pole and he lost the battle with a bump to show for it and Miss Sue just wanted to make sure we were aware of the situation. I thanked her kindly and then chuckled to myself for all the times we've watched Logan bump some body part only to bounce right back up and keep on going! He loves wrestling practice... one of two 3 year olds in the programs and is working out twice a week. He comes home tired and happy and Matt goes with him every time which is the only way I'd agree to sending him. He has his own wrestling shoes (too big) and singlet (also a bit on the big side) but Matt swears he holds his own with the bigger kids.

Finley will be six months on March 2 and she is as joyful as ever. She recently cut her first tooth (bottom center left to be exact) and is now working on sitting up like a big girl and rolling back and forth from tummy to back. She is bliss for the rest of us and adores her big brother. I worry about her neck snapping from her constant attemps to follow him as he moves throughout our house. He makes her laugh-- really laugh and cracks us up in the process too. His love for her is more than apparent too (a worry for me being the oldest child who was not too wild about sharing the spotlight with siblings) but I think he's much more mature than I in that regard. Thank goodness. Now, if I could just get eight straight hours of sleep once a week, I'd be thrilled.

Highlights in February included a visit to Coyote Lake last weekend. Matt and Logan played warriors and hunted poor wildlife with sticks. Don't worry, no furry creatures were harmed in their attempts to throw stick spears. Finn and I went to our friend Sarah George's baby shower the weekend before and helped thirty other ladies welcome the idea of baby Neha Elizabeth, due in April. Hope she's not late. Speaking of babies, there has been an influx in our neighborhood, including baby Marley Mae, great-granddaughter of my Gram's best friend, Dorothy Tubach, who took care of my Gram at the end of her time here. Baby Marley was born on Friday, February 13, which was my Gram's birthday too, some eighty plus years ago. Gram always called any Friday the 13th her lucky day. It's the same for Marley now too! As an aside, Finley's second middle name, Jane, is for my Gram and my mom and a handful of other women on her side. We also got to hang out with my good friend Lori (a fellow banquet captain from my days at CordeValle) and her daughter Fiona and new baby Tristan at Pump It Up in Morgan Hill. Logan and Fiona played on the jump houses and ginormous slides for three hours and both napped really well. Hooray! That's always the goal.

Matt made me go to a Yokebar (http://www.yokebar.com/) class last night at the Morgan Hill TFL facility. I hated it and loved it. I might be hooked. I am beyond sore and can't wait to get back next Thursday. It's really fun for me to work out with Matt too. I get a little competitive when I can't do whatever it is that he's doing as well, but that's par for the course. I beat him 10-1 in a one on one basketball game when I still played regularly and I will never give him a rematch. Athletically he dominates me in everything, so I need one glimmer of victory to cling to. And I'll clutch it always! Who says I'm not competitive!?

Work, work, work

It seems never-ending, this thing I call a job outside the home. Today was the first day where I didn't do anything work-related since I've been back from maternity leave. Big milestones at our house in the last few weeks: Finn is now sleeping in her own big-girl crib in her own, unfinished, orange shebert colored nursery. It's been a bittersweet transition for me. So nice to have our own space back and not tip-toe around at night for fear of waking her up, but at the same time, sad, because it's the first step away from babyhood for her... already. I can't believe how quickly the time is going. We're trying to savor every moment with both of them, but it's an impossible undertaking. I've been feeling so guilty trying to balance work and my kids. I have to work outside the home, so we can pay our mortgage, but it's even more than that for me. I need to work for my own sanity, ego, whatever. I thought I had it all figured out too. I'd work three days and be home four. It has been the perfect arrangement. But in this economy with so many investment banks closing, skating by has not been an option. At this point, I'm working to keep my job. And it's an awful trade-off. I am so thankful that neither Matt nor myself has been affected in a negative way in all of this chaos. We still are employed. We have health coverage and a beautiful home. But like most families, we've definitely cinched our belts more tightly. And, in reality, I'm preparing myself for the worst... being laid-off, knowing that it's a real possibility. I'm trying to pull my weight and then some with work, just trying to stay under the radar long enough to wait all of this out. But it's a scary time for me. Trying to work without notice has taken its toll on our family as well. It has meant late nights away from my kids, and they definitely notice that I'm not around. And even on the days when I am "around" I haven't been entirely available because I've been so busy. So, guilt has set in. Tremendous guilt. I do know that I am lucky to have had the extended maternity leave with Finley and the fact that my schedule is a much more abbreviated version of a typical work week. But still, I just feel like I'm not doing anything in my life well: children, husband or work, and that's a bitter pill(s) to swallow. Thankfully, today has been a brief respite... obviously, as I'm writing about it. While Matt and Logan slept, Finley and I caught up on all the horrible T.V. that I've missed out over the last few weeks. I mean, at this point, I'm so tired/ busy, I can't even stay up to watch the best part of American Idol: the auditions! And, as Finn is in her BGR (Big Girl Room) now, and so is our computer which does not have a wireless card, blogging or checking email is out of the question past 7, when she goes down for her first round of sleep. Okay, enough wallowing, but seriously... can't wait till we're out of this and on a rebound!



Logan is still enjoying preschool tremendously and we're still reveling in the fact that neither of us have changed a Size 6 diaper since 1/1/09! His teachers say that he is smart and well-spoken (that which we knew) but also kind and so helpful. That makes me beyond happy. Of course, Matt and I have always known that beneath the animal exterior, Logan has a heart of gold and is a good boy, but there were times when he put that theory to the test! I'm learning though that boys are different than girls (duh!) and even though Matt and I have no one else to base our experience on, all of the boy-isms that he has are still a shock to the system sometimes. The child is a huge fan of dropping his trousers and marking his territory wherever he can which is cause for alarm for innocent bystanders, but keeps me laughing all the time. He's making new friends at school... mostly boys, which is apparently very important in the three year old world, and loves his teachers. Matt tells him, "Learn everything," on Tuesdays and Thursdays which I think is such a marvelous challenge and without constraints. And it seems like he does. He's already enrolled for next September (all that hype about "getting in" to preschool isn't so much hype) and he just amazes me with how big he's getting. I often look at him with such longing for the baby days. There is no baby left in him and it's a little sad for me. I try to remind myself to remember THIS moment, THIS day, but in all the flurry of activity, I wonder if that will be possible.



We spent yesterday in Pleasant Hill celebrating Megan's 27th birthday. Matt had a tournament so it was me and the kids along with Milly and Auntie Sal. It was wonderful. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. There is something about my sisters that makes me really be myself and live without abandon. It's not always been like this for us... "normal," but I am grateful for how our relationship has matured.

P.S. It's not 2/22 and I'm finally publishing this. Talk about BUSY! I promise to update later... maybe even tonight after the kiddies are in bed and I'm TiVoing through the Oscars.

Preschool, potties, parenting and perservering

It was my first week back at work after being off for four months, and while I was ready to return, it was also a little scary for me to think about sending Finley to daycare at such a young age. That being said, I know there are a lot of moms who have to send their kids at six weeks, so why complain? Still, a scary thought. Anyway, she survived her first week. Miss Wosa loves my kid, now kids, and I had no reservations about her taking care of Finn. However, we didn't do a very good job of prepping for daycare, even though my return to work was inevitable... mainly, we did not ever teach Finley how to drink out of a bottle. Last ditch efforts were made last Saturday and they did not go over well. The girl knows what she likes! I sent her on Monday feeling like a horrible mother, and when I called Miss Wosa at 11, my fears were confirmed. Miss Wosa was feeding Finley breast milk with a spoon because the child would not take a bottle. Dios mio! I raced home around 4 and much to my delight Miss Rosa told me that Finley relented and enjoyed 4 ounces from a bottle at 3 pm. Thank the Lord!

So, on to Tuesday and another big day for our family: Logan's first day of preschool. We've chosen to send him to a preschool in Morgan Hill instead of in Gilroy and we are loving St. John's! He's in the 2/3 class and his teachers are Miss Sue and Miss Virginia. Matt made special preschool waffles for breakfast that morning (a feat he replicated today as well) and Logan put on his Diego backpack and off we went. I dropped Finn off at Nana's for the day and the three of us drove to school. Matt looked like a tourist at Disneyland with his video camera capturing every moment and I was delighted that Logan had a cubby waiting for him when we got to his classroom. He couldn't even be bothered to really say any good-byes which we took as a great sign and off we went, both of us thinking that it wasn't too long ago that we were wondering if we were equipped to be parents. When I called him that afternoon to find out how his day was he reported that "Mr. Cole" ( a fellow classmate) wasn't very nice to him and he did a special project with the letter of the month... which just happens to be the letter "L!" Logan thinks his teachers chose the letter just for him. Ahhh bliss! Anyway, he loves school. Couldn't wait to go back today and thank goodness! Seems like all the pieces are falling into place.

Logan has also decided that he is a full-fledged big boy now and is potty training. Glory Hallelujah! He's really great at it and makes it to the potty 90% of the time. He's so cute sitting on the potty (looks so big when he's on it) and looks so grown-up in his big boy chonies. For daycare and school both, we've armed him with at least six new pairs of undies and two FULL changes of clothes and he's not had a wardrobe malfunction yet! I'm sure that the fact he gets an M & M every time he pees and five for the other is a huge contributing factor to his success, but considering that this kid told me three weeks ago he'd never go in the potty, I'll take any form of bribery at this point. We're so proud of him and can't wait till he's made the transition completely! Hooray! (See above about all the pieces falling into place.)

Finley had her four month check-up today, which meant weighing, measuring, Rotatek and two shots. Alas, she's lost about a pound since 12/26 which causes some concern for Dr. Bahtia and means that I will be bringing her in to be weighed once a week till told otherwise, but still she's a healthy 14 pounds, 7 ounces which puts her in the 75th percentile for weight. She's 25.75 inches which puts her in the 90th percentile for height! (BIG smile here for tall mommy) and I'm glad we have a relatively long drink of water for a baby rather than an Oompa-Loompa. She also had the Rotatek oral vaccine which caused a chicken pox like rash last time she had a dosage, but the doctor is not convinced that was the cause. Fingers crossed she doesn't grow spots again. She took her two shots like a champ and promptly fell asleep. They're both napping now, dare I say it? It's the little things.

Matt is frantically trying to figure out how to fully fund his wrestling program for next year as the District just cut all sports programs to save money with their unbalanced budget. Hooray for California and their inability to place priority on education. What are we telling our kids? He's selling raffle tickets as a fundraiser for a chance to win a skybox at the Warriors game. Let us know if you're interested. He'd appreciate any level of support.

I am still circling and trying to make heads or tails of work. It seems like I never left and yet there are so many things that have been neglected for so long. Basically my day is spent racing out the door, racing to work, racing to pump, racing to "work," then caffeine and/ or food, the pump again, the "work" some more all to be out the door and headed back to the South Bay by 3:30 so to pick up at 5:30. Whee!

Milly is off to Thailand for a stretch with pneumonia. Hopefully she won't go into any nightclubs.

Happy 2009!

As I was walking our dogs last night I was reflecting on the year that has passed, too quickly, in my eyes and what is ahead for us in the year 2009. So much has happened since we rang in 2008 that it's hard to even remember it all.

I do remember celebrating 2008's beginning with our good friends Jay and Amy Aspiras, and their kids last year. We had so much to be excited about, learning a new Corona would be joining our family just five days before the start of 2008. It seems like yesterday that we had Logan dressed in a "button" shirt with "spikies" in his hair on New Year's Eve 2008. He was crying hysterically and most of you know why.

As we begin 2009 we are now parents of two, contemplating daycare and preschool and watching our rugrats grow up faster than we can believe possible. They are beautiful, happy, healthy and bright. Upcoming highlights for next week include my return to work after a four month hiatus. Thanks Finn! Logan will begin preschool at St. John's in Morgan Hill, and dare I say it, might even be potty trained in the next few weeks. Fingers and toes crossed on this one folks. Finley and Logan are both recovering from nasty colds that left them leveled, although Logan was sick pre-Santa and Finn waited till after our visit from Jolly Old St. Nick and our families to come down with an ear infection so severe that it required two shots of fast-acting antibiotics and a one pound weight loss for her. By no means is she an anorexic baby at all but that was the scariest part of her illness, that and the projectile vomiting at 3 am that left me and Matt covered in baby puke. I remember when getting sick was just a way of preventing hangovers!

We rang in the New Year with a hot fudge sundae at Denny's around 8 last night. I was in bed before 11 and Matt and the dogs were the only souls awake in the house to actually see the ball drop on 2009. I figure the rest of us made it till the East Coast hit midnight, same difference. We spent today together which was nice. Logan announced last night while in the bath tub that he needed to go "poo-poo" and then did so, and this morning while both parents were indisposed made it to the toilet by himself to pee. After being so adamently against potty-training for so long, Matt and I are praying that this might be the real thing. He wants to be a big boy so badly, and with big boy chonies on, he looks the part. Hopefully our size 6 diaper buying days are over, for a bit at least.... Again, here's where we look for fingers crossed!

Meanwhile, I am struggling with the reality that as of next Monday, I'll be dropping my four month old off at daycare while I return to work. It's really a bag of mixed emotions for me since I'm excited to go back and grateful to have a job to go back to, but I am dreading the thought of being away from her. Couple that with the fact that she's not wild about bottles at all and well, my anxiety level is unusually high. I spoke with Miss "Wosa" today and she assured me that Finley would be just fine and my return to work would be harder for me than her, and yes, she'll eat from a bottle if she gets hungry enough.

Logan starts preschool on Tuesday! Stay tuned for pictures of our big boy at our front door as we send him off!