Anyone there? I know it's been 3 months since my last post. I'm sorry. I do have some legitimate excuses, however. A) I just had a baby (I can milk that one for about a year, right?) B) My computer totally crashed in March. It just clicked when I turned it on. The computer guys at Barr said, "Yeah we just threw the hard drive in the garbage." Nice. and 3) it's been too dang nice outside to want to be inside blogging - plus, I've been out of the groove of it.
So A) was my excuse for the first month and a half, and B was my excuse until earlier this week and 3) was my excuse just this week I guess. So, yeah, we got a new computer!!! Praise the Lord! I will admit that I wasn't computer-less this entire time. We were using Scott's old work laptop. I don't want to say it was slow, but you just had to remember to feed the hampster. I have never been so frustrated with a computer. I would try to type e-mails and it would take a few seconds for the words to appear after I typed them. I tried downloading some pictures once. It took 15 minutes to get 3 pictures onto the computer. It was not fun. Stabbing hot pokers into your eyes was more fun than that was. So we got a refurbished 17" Dell. Saaaweeet! I have been in heaven since it arrived. It probably seems all the sweeter given the torture I had been in previously.
I'm sure you're on the edge of your seat wondering what I've been up to all this time. I would be. Let's see. March was pure hell. Scott had a ginormous deadline at work that month. He was working from 7:00 am until 10:00 pm most days of the month. He even worked the weekends. And then, immediately after his meeting to present his final project, he went on a 5-day fishing trip. Being at home every day with 3 children, one of them a newborn who was up a couple times a night, the other two going stir crazy....was not fun. No, I didn't dismember him upon his return. I had agreed to it long before we knew of the deadline thing. But I was never so glad to have him home! And I've been so grateful ever since then that I have a husband who is present and engaged in his family. April was good. It was my birthday month. I turned 40 this year and had a great time hanging out with all my friends. Then May was upon us so quickly and has gone so quickly. It has been bliss soaking up all the warm sun.
Cate has really been growing up. She has taken on another chore which is setting the table at night. She is still completely in love with Cooper. He lights up when he sees her smiling face. We went to the Horton Hears a Who movie together and had a fun time. She will be done with preschool on Wednesday and has done so well this year. She tells me that she is shy when she is at preschool and her teacher has confirmed this. But I try to always point out to her when I notice that she is not being shy. I don't want her to assume that shyness is her destiny. In some ways, it's a choice. She is a delight to me even during her drama queen moments when she does her combo cry/scream. Love it.
Clare just finished her last day of ECFE school today. She has been making some subtle changes these last couple of months. I just re-read my last blog where I said she only had one minor hitting-the-baby incident. Yeah, that changed. She went on a hitting spree after that. She seemed to delight in whacking Cooper. I even caught her sitting on him one time after I heard him making some odd grunting noises. And Coop wasn't her only target. She was going after Cate quite a bit too and occasionally me when she was really ticked off. So we started a no hitting/hurting rule in our house (Cate was getting in on it too as retaliation). Any hurting resulted in an immediate time out. Even if I didn't see it. Since then, she's been very good. I can tell she still wants to do it, but at least she thinks about it now and chooses not to. She has also been trying on the underwear and using the potty. But then she regressed again and wanted to do the diapers. I'm not pushing it. Basically, she's changed in response to my increased/better parenting efforts. I've been reading a ton of parenting books and realizing that I was not following through on many of my threats. That's changed. I'm being way more consistent and working hard to control my own anger - and it's really been making a difference. Parenting...who knew. But beyond the discipline issues, Clare is so cute, very funny, extremely articulate, and the sweetest little thing. I'm so in love with her.
Cooper is completely different. Well, most babies change a ton from 6 weeks to 4 months. He started sleeping through the night at the end of March (halleluia!!). He is still a very good baby in that he rarely fusses - only when he needs something. I feel like I can read him really well. He is a super smiley guy and has the cutest giggle! He loves watching the girls and loves it when they smile at him. He then rewards them with his gummy drooley dimply crooked grin. He is almost rolling over (back to front). He's in love with his hands. When he isn't staring at them, he's trying to get them entirely in his mouth. He is following in the tradition of his sisters and is a champion spitter-upper. He talks a lot, constantly goo-ing and ooh-ing. Today he did a ma-ma-ma-ma. So smart. We are so happy he is part of our family. I can't imagine life without him.
Big T is just taking it all in stride. He turned 8 on May 5th (cinco de mayo). He's doing great but I think he's starting to show his age. I don't think he can hear as well as he used to. He's taken to going down to the basement whenever we leave the house and many times it will take several minutes before he hears us and starts barking and rushing upstairs. We haven't taken him in for any more x-rays. What's the point? If cancer shows up in his lungs, it's going to happen really fast. He seems totally healthy right now. The doctor's office just stresses him out. Plus, it's super expensive. We'll probably take him in one more time in October which will be his 2-year anniversary of his amputation. I figure if he's clear on that visit then he's most likely one of the 5% that beat the odds.
Scotty is doing well too. Although he claims he's getting man-boobs and is worried that he's gaining to much weight. He looks the same to me. Plus, he'll be able to just "watch it" for a couple weeks and lose about 2o pounds. He is on a steady non-busy time at work which is nice. He's been getting back into the garage which he loves. I have no idea what he can do in a garage all day long but he manages to do it every weekend.
Well folks, I had better sign off before you all start snoring. Hopefully with my shiney new computer I'll be able to keep up a little better with the blogging. Chat with y'all soon.
Schwake out.
