Birthday Reflection

Sept 10, 2001

A day most think of in somber reflection remembering the tragedy that struck American soil in the early morning hours to follow. An event worth reflecting on without a doubt.

Yet I look back on that day with joy and tears for a different reason. It was the last birthday I spent with my grandfather. He turned 91 that day! I remember putting his socks on his feet that morning as he sat in his recliner. He hated to need the help with such a simple task. He was a bright capable man, without false pride. He would take those moments each morning while I sat at his feet and adorned them with shoes and socks to reflect on his life. That day he told me that getting old was the pits. "You don't want to try it" he would say. But then he spoke of how it wasn't all his later years that were hard. "Seventy was fine, even eight, but boy turning 90 is really what did it."

He was correct. I have few childhood memories of my grandfather as an "old man." Rather, he was a fun, active man. He was always out working in his yard, taking the dog for walks, bowling with my grandma and the guys in his league. Nothing really did stop him...except 90. So on that final birthday, at 91 we took it easy. It was really just a quite day at home for him and Irene. He ate his cooked prunes for breakfast, Campbell's Soup and crackers for lunch, and then to make it special I made salmon for dinner. I baked him a pie too, though for the life of me I can't remember what kind. Pecan? Blueberry? Whatever it was I know he enjoyed it. The labor that went into a good pie was never lost on Grandpa.

I hope that the principles he lived out will never be lost on me. He taught me the value of hard work, saving money (under the nightstand as well as in the bank), and the importance of giving generously to others, as an act of gratitude for all God has given us. He taught me that living a life guided by faith and ethics was always the right things. And my favorite lesson was that of love and commitment. He didn't just stay married to my grandmother for 60 years, he loved her through each year.

Grandpa, I am grateful that you didn't have to live to see today because at 98 years old you really would have been frustrated. God knew in His perfect timing when to take you home. Not that I haven't wished you were here a few times over the last 6 years. The empty chairs at my wedding day reminded me you were gone. The great grandkids you never got to meet would have LOVED knowing you, instead of your picture. And I can imagine the proud smile that would have been on your face the day I graduated from medical school. Know that I will not forget this day either, the one that God used to bring you into this world. I am grateful for you, your love, your lessons, and your legacy.

Happy Birthday! I love you

10 months and 3 Steps

I am proud, fasinated, in awe and afraid! My 10 month old son has taken his FIRST STEPS. It is hard to believe, but true. Our little man, who has been pushing himself up to a standing position for the last month (first time was Monday June 23rd - while Grandma Tori was here it witness it) has figured out he can step forward.

Dad was the first to notice it on July 4th while we were celebrating at the Fluitt's house. The story goes that Trev was looking up a ball, not paying much attention to his feet and then took a step to get closer.

confession: I didn't really believe it.

Then just one week later, again at the Fluitt's, he did it again, but this time he took 3 steps. HE was propelled forward by the desire to eat the hummus on my carrot. He LOVES hummus (but I am pretty sure he is allergic to it or something in it - evidenced by the red raised papules on his face this morning after consuming it.)

Tonight we finally caught it on camera. He took at least 3 steps to get to me. Though these pictures only show him standing still and then one step, you'll have to trust me that there were many.

Way to Go Little Buddy!

I thought it would be the BOY

We just returned from our first official Urgent Care visit for a laceration repair. In other words, we had to go get Bella's split chin put back together. Now the good news, no stitches, they just durabonded it. So much easier to hold her still for a little glue stick than sutures. The bad news, I thought I had a few more years before this started happening. You see it was always the BOYS in our family who got themselves cut open, not the girls. I couldn't believe it. How did it happen?

She had just started her swim lesson and was actually excited about it. Usually she protest, pouts and tells us she doesn't want to swim because it is scary and she is too little to swim. But today she wanted to be in the water. So much so that she was being "silly." And in her silliness as she was holding the side of the pool bouncing up and down until her chin came down on the gutter. And that was the end of swim lesson for today, and the next week until the wound heals.

I had flashbacks of my cousin Nathan splitting his chin in our pool when we were kids. My poor Aunt Eileen had to pile all 5 kids int he car to take him to get sutures.

Thanks goodness Grandma Tippy had come by the pool to say hello. I was more than able to handle the blood and react calmly to the injury, however I don't know if I could have carried Bella to the car while holding pressure on her chin and pushed Trev in the stroller all at once. I might be SuperMom, but I am not an octopus.

The wound itself is no more than 2cm wide, 1/2cm deep, but there is a bandaid the size of Texas over it. That is a good thing because bandaids-make-everything-better.

Tonight she is in bed! I'll get a picture of it tomorrow and post it for you.

April Showers bring May Hail Storms?

If you were to ask me what my biggest complain is about living in the desert of Southern California I would NOT say it is the traffic, or the smog, or the fast paced pushy people. No I would say that it is the HEAT. The thing I hate most about this time of year is the looming sense that THE HEAT is coming. As days start to get warmer the temperature climbs and you know that 80 leads to 90 to 100 to 110 degrees. So hot you can't get in the car and put the kids in their carseat because the seat will burn their little booties.
You can guess why everyone was a bit surprised last Thursday to see this in our yard. Not snow, but hail...the size of popcorn. During an uncharacteristic spring thunderstorm it suddenly started hailing so hard you could not talk over it. It lasted long enough to completely cover the ground where it stayed for almost 14 hours. Even more crazy is the fact that it only hailed in the 2 block radius surrounding our house. The rest of town was just wet, not white. Bella thought it was snow. I would have too. After all it is cold white stuff covering the ground. She went outside made snow angels, threw snow balls, and asked if Santa was coming soon.
She could hardly remember that 3 days earlier her and dad were sweating in 90 degree heat making this spiderweb. I can hardly believe it myself.
It is funny to think that one year ago this same weekend we had umbrellas and canopies in the backyard to protect us from the blazing sun during my graduation party. Glad it waited a year to hail on Memorail Day weekend.

The Best Cats on Earth

Audrey and Mousey with Bella

Orange, Mousey, Trevor and Bella
It was bad enough when Bella was dragging the cats around the house and treating them like stuffed animals. But now Trevor is mobile and he LOVES them too. Unfortunately when he gets his hands on them he just takes one big handful of cat. The cats are great and just try their best to get away. Then Trevor is left with a fistful of hair.

Firsts, the 2nd Time Around

Well it doesn't take a rocket scientist, or even a medical doctor to figure out that I don't post much. It is a hope, a desire, maybe even a goal...but it not a necessity and therefore happens VERY infrequently. However, I did want to get a few things down on virtual paper as the family historian.

Our adorable little Trevor has had a few firsts this week and I wanted to mention them.

• Rolling from back to front


• Eating Rice Cereal


• Bouncing in the Johnny Jumper


• Sleeping in his BIG sister's room (Padyn and Kate get credit for that one)


• Trying to put the cat in his mouth

These were all such big accomplishments when Bella achieved them. And though the awe is gone the second time around for me as the parent, they are still amazing accomplishments for such a little being. Except for the eating the cat. A first in this family, and STILL very funny everytime he tries to do it. One of these days I will even try to get a picture of the event. Just so you animal activsts are reassured, the cat is never harmed during the manuever, in fact she is usually purring.

Here are a few pictures of his accomplishments

Trevor pushing himslef up with the usual saliva drip

Getting solids for the first time from his sister..not sure if he disliked the food or the force feeding. Bella loved it though.

He does LOVE the jumper...I know it is hard to see here but her really does like it, you'll just have to trust me.

Welcome to the Family

I have propped on my lap our new little man! Trevor Thomas was born September 15th

He is as perfect as every newborn should be. A cute button nose, deep blue eyes, and a toothless smile that comes when least expected. He eats like a champ, sleeps like an amateur and poops like a pro!

His proud big sister Bella is great at kissing his head and tickling his toes. She does not like that his crying drowns out her music in the car or that mom helps her with one hand instead of two. She is becoming a baby expert though. As she reminded us at 4am "Eat, sleep and poop. That's what babies do mom."

The best part is that it happens despite me. I know I won't be getting "Mother of the Year" for a few reasons:

-it has taken me 3 weeks to announce his birth online (though my wonderful sister did it for me immedialtely) and there in no indication that a snail mail announcement will go out anytime soon.

-I have given him only 2 baths in over 3 weeks (and actually dad gave him one of them)

-he has no crib, no Pack&Play, and no bedroom. Therefore, you will find him most often sleeping in his bouncey seat...even at 3am, but he doesn't seem to mind.

-he stays in the same outfit, which most often consist of a onesie and maybe some socks, for about 24hrs before I change it (unless it gets bodily fluids on it, then of course I put him in a new outfit, but keep the same socks.

-despite the fact that he is growing out of his newborn diapers rapidly I will keep put them on him until the pack runs out because I can't stand the thought of wasting them.


So here we are trying to figure out how to be a family of 4. One day you may even see a picture of all 4 of us..but don't expect it to come in the form of a card around the holidays. I will figure out how to get that done after I master getting the kids and myself dressed before noon.