Some days, your dad and I are hanging on by a thread. In fact, yesterday, we referred to this particular week as us being in "survival mode." That's what the weekdays feel like. Between fast paced mornings, pulling teeth to get you dressed and out of the door in time for school, working all day, often through lunch, sneaking out of work a few minutes early to rush to piano lessons or a doctor's appointment, finding something to eat for dinner that you can't get from a drive through window, and the absolute worst, first grade homework. Then there's still bath time, laundry, dishes and fussing at you boys to go to sleep over and over and over again, til we threaten to put one or both of you outside. (Don't worry boys, we'd never really do that, at least not for the entire night.)
When I first began blogging about our family, I would jot down every single cute or funny detail about Jasper. I'd give the date, describe exactly what happened, and even have a picture from the moment. Yesterday, someone asked me if Bianca is sitting up on her own yet. My answer was, "I think so." The truth is, I don't even know. Bianca, your dad and I take turns passing you off back and forth to one another as one or both of us scramble(s) to get chores and tasks done. There are days where I strap you against me, in your little baby papoose just so that I can keep moving. And when we're not holding you, we have you propped on the dining room table in your Bumbo (Yes, Jeremy still calls it a bimbo three kids later), watching us as we struggle through spelling words and Reading with Jasper. I CAN say, however, that you fit perfectly into this family. You have a delightful personality, tolerating our fast paced lifestyle. And you're a late sleeper, which we love. You smile every time we smile at you. And you can sit calmly and contently in that Bumbo for quite a while before crying to get out.
I suppose these ARE the days I'll miss and wish "hadn't gone by so fast."
Kids, your Aunt Tristi told me the other day, "The days are long but the years are short." I can relate to that. I blinked and Jasper, you went from being this wide-eyed baby in my arms, to this smart, kind and (extremely) outgoing six-year-old. And Sam, you rarely spoke, and always seemed so serious... Well, when it comes to bed time, you won't stop talking and giggling with Jasper. I know for a fact that I fell asleep last night, well before the two of you. And those expressions. Even when I'm so angry at you, I can't help but laugh.
I live off of PJ's granitas, sometime getting two a day. In my spare time, ha, I make homemade costumes. Your dad and I both participate in so many school activities and school meetings, we can't even see straight. I'm honestly amazed that Mom actually still answers the phone when I call her for help. She's my hero.
You know what's pretty awesome though boys? After bath time, as I lift each one of you out of the tub, and wrap you like little burritos in your towels, you both still ask me to hold you like a baby. So I pick you up, as heavy as you have both become at ages 6 and 4, hold you in my arms, one at a time, and rock you like a baby as you look at the two of us in the mirror. I hope that when you both grow up, as adults, that you can still remember seeing me wrapping you, holding you, and rocking you back and forth in front of the bathroom mirror as we smile at one another while I call you my baby.
And Bianca. I'm 36 years old and I'm getting wrinkles. I think I know where they're coming from. It's because when I look at you and smile, you immediately smile back. So whenever I hold you or change you, I'm constantly smiling so that I can see you smile. I feel myself getting wrinkles from smiling so much, being with you. But that's OK, because as cheesy as this is to admit, when I see those little wrinkles, I think of you. I'm so grateful to have you as part of this family. And contrary to what may happen in the future, your brothers enjoy taking care of you and love you so much. They help me get you up each morning. They talk with you and play with you. Just tonight, they took turns holding you, fighting over who got to hold you first.
The truth is that I love being tired and stretched thin because it's for you, Jasper, Sam and Bianca. Jasper, I loved building your Mardi Gras float with you and Grandpa. I loved that you were so very proud of your tin man costume, oil can, ax and float. I'm sorry that we've been losing our patience with you on homework. Hopefully this medicine will help us all, so that you can get back on track with your school work, and we can have more enjoyable family week nights with much less frustration. Sam, the delight you showed when wearing your "Sam I am" costume to school for Dr. Seuss' birthday, made me smile so big. You proudly showed off your green eggs and ham prop to all of your friends, and it made that late week night in front of the sewing machine totally worth it. I'd do anything for you. All three of you.
I suppose that, when looking back at my life, these will be the best days. Seeing you grow. Watching you learn and discover the world around you. When skinned knees and bug bites were the biggest problems you had to face. I guess that what I'm trying to say is, simply this, you make us very happy. Even when we're angry with you, or when I'm screaming over Sam dropping iced tea all over the floor, or Bianca won't stop crying and I can't fix the bottle fast enough, there's nowhere else we'd rather be than with you. We'll take the good with the bad every time, for as long as you'll have us.
I worry a lot. I feel guilt that I can't do more for you. I almost had a breakdown this morning when I realized it was jeans day and we had already sent you in your regular school clothes. And now with you, Jasper, on medicine for your ADHD, I have a lot of guilt and doubt that I should be doing more for you when I just physically can't. Luckily, we are surrounded by doctor friends and great teachers, encouraging us that we're doing the right thing for you.
Aside from the worry, the survival mode and downright being tired all the time, I want you three to know that we wouldn't change things for the world. I can positively speak for your dad too, when I say that you make us feel both complete and proud. With all that said, I have so much to catch up on from the last 7 months.
Here we go...
We welcomed our third (and final) baby, Bianca Grace Starr on Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at 12:15 p.m. Bianca weighed 8 lbs., 5 oz. and was 20.25 in. long. Bianca's "Nanny" joined us in the delivery room, which was AWESOME. Recovery was pretty easy and the boys were very excited to meet their sister. Our girl had plenty of visitors, including grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
Jeremy described her birth as surreal, and I have to agree. Having come from this immensely sad and heavy loss of losing Mike earlier in the year, to this perfect, tiny child wearing bows in every color of the rainbow, we both want to pinch ourselves sometimes to make sure this is all really happening.
We celebrated Jasper's 6th birthday on August 12th at home with family and our neighbors. Jasper started first grade back in August too, with Mrs. Mouton as his teacher. I can't say enough about how wonderful a teacher she is. I can see and feel her genuine interest in our son. Have I mentioned how much I love St. Francis?
We took newborn pictures when Bianca was just shy of two weeks old. Bianca wore her Granny's St. Christopher medal.
Here are some "first day of school" pictures. Jasper started a few days early, but Sam came along for the fun!
Bianca was baptized on her one-month birthday. Father T baptized her and we had a very nice reception at St. Joseph's Hall. Her Nanny and Parran were smitten to say the least.
I talked Mom and the aunts into coming to SFX City Park Night. It was hot and chaotic, but we all had fun! I love that they're always up for anything, just like when I was a kid.
The boys thought it would be fun to pinch her nose and say, "HONK!" Maybe I should've waited a few more years to show them Karate Kid. (9/17/17)
Bianca gave me her first smile sometime around week 7, right before I had to go back to work.
All three of my boys are so in love!
We snuck in a trip to Dallas to visit the Eggerts before I went back to work. We had to leave Bianca home because Amelia was just getting over whooping cough. But the boys loved their first time at Lego Land!
Ahh, tailgating. It's always so good to come home each Fall,
and spend time with Justin and all of our other old friends.
As busy as we were this fall, every once in a while, we'd get a quiet Sunday, when the Saints were playing away and there were no birthday parties scheduled. These are some of my favorite days.
Halloween was hectic and costumes were down to the wire. But I got it done, and we had a blast! The boys wanted to be transformers so I saved Amazon boxes since summer and spent more than I want to admit on colored duct tape. But the boys were so proud to show off their costumes. Granted, Jasper couldn't walk too well in his giant Boulder shoes, and Sam was over his Bumblebee car after about a minute. But we won several costume contests and enjoyed all of the Halloween festivities. Bianca decided to match her voodoo parents, and be a voodoo doll for her first Halloween. She was a much "cuter" version than her parents.
We went on our first weekend camping trip with the tiger scouts. Cub scouts has been quite an experience, one that I am ready to put past me, at least as the den leader. I'm pretty sure that the 12 rowdiest kids in first grade are what make up our Tiger Scout Den. But the trips have been fun, and I love that we can all do things as a family with the cub scouts.
We celebrated Sam's 4th birthday at Lafreniere Park and it was a super hero theme. Grandpa assisted in building an awesome phone booth prop for the super heroes to change behind. Too bad none of these kids even know what a phone booth is...
Here are a few pics from our cub scout canoeing trip. Granny took Bianca so that we could go canoeing for a few hours in Mandeville. Daddy caught a baby crawfish for the boys.
I was really pleased with our streetcar family photos this year. Nikki did a wonderful job and the props and background were authentic New Orleans!
Shortly after our family photos, the holidays were here!
Sam's Teddy Bear Breakfast - PK3
Bianca at 4 months old.
The scouts were invited to the Superdome to participate in the National Anthem at the New Orleans Bowl, 12/6/17. I got to spend time with my boy on the field!
Sam's Christmas Concert - the cutest reindeer in the bunch!
Jasper's first grade nativity play. He was a shepherd, the one that couldn't stop yawning. I'm sure you've read about that one in the Bible...
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
We tried having a New Year's Party but between the flu and the cold, not many people came over to celebrate with us. But the ones that did made our night so much fun. We played silly games and rang in the New Year with plenty of Prosecco and laughs! Love spending time with the Giarrusso's!
Well, if I add anymore pictures to this post, I may crash the page. With that said, I promise not to wait as long as last time to post all about Mardi Gras, St. Paddy's Day and Easter. I'm sure that all parents can relate though, these days go by so fast.
