Amolicious turns 4.

Four years ago today we welcomed this cute, wrinkly, old man into the world.

First he was Elias, then Eli, and finally his true identity broke through and he became Amos. Now he just has to live a life of confusion and explaining that he goes by his middle name instead of his first. He still doesn't really get it (and maybe I don't either).

He was a wonderful, sweet, and mellow baby which worked perfectly since Molly was in a decidely un-mellow phase at this same time. We are so happy to have our little Amos, Amo, Amolicious in our family. He is funny and silly and sweet and huggy and perfect.

The Crack Up

One of the most satisfying things as a parent is realizing your kid has a great sense of humor. I'm sure this is like cuteness, in that every parents thinks their kid is SO funny; but let's be honest, there are some really dull and boring kids out there, just like there are some really...homely kids out there as well.  Sorry, but it's true.

Then there's Amos. Super cute and cracks me up on a regular basis to boot. And I know it is not just me because I have had two very honest friends confirm my opinions about him. 

Case in point--in looking through my picture files I found these little treasures:

And last but not least, the one that had me cracking up so bad I had to email it to Bryan so he could share in the fun....



One Month.

4 weeks ago I was doing this:

And by 'this' I mean being in pain. What you don't see in the picture is the nurse telling me the anesthesiologist is in a c-section and won't be able to give me an epidural for an hour.  An hour!  Also missing in the picture is Bryan looking at me and saying, "You are definitely having that baby before the hour is up."  And me shaking my head but knowing he was right. Things moved quickly from that picture, and in the end my doctor missed the entire thing and Nurses Peggy and Grace delivered my baby. It was intense. The word emergency was thrown around at some point but in the end it all worked out fine, and Bryan gave me this to make up for the missing epidural:

 Isn't he sweet? 

And now, one month later, I do this:

And look at these:

And watch this:

It's a good trade-off for the pain, don't you think?

Fun Before It's Done

A beach trip for the last weekend before school started.  But not just any beach trip.  Turns out this one was the best we've ever had. Either the kids have turned a corner as far as their behavior or it we were just lucky--it was that good.

Look at teeny tiny Amos in the background. He is going to jump in Molly's hood and come home with us for dinner!

And how many times have you been to the Oregon Coast and has 3 days in a row of cloudless blue sky, hmmm?

Not sure exactly what this pose is about. Kids in goggles, you can't help but laugh.  But the kids did go in the hot tub at least 4 times each day.  I gotta get me one of these.

Here we have a photo series I call "Why Amos loves his grandpa." This ice cream cone was after the trip to Bruce's Candy Kitchen where Tots (my dad) told the kids to get anything they wanted in the whole store.

Apparently "anything you want" equals the world's largest gummy bear.  It's on a stick!

First the ear...

Then the nose, hands, feet, and stomach.  Bwahahaahaha!

This was one of those trips I will remember forever, especially since we are the cusp of so much change in our lives--school, new baby, etc. 

I seriously love my life.

The girl turns 5.

(This post is one month late. Just pretend it's July 19th)

5 years ago today I left early in the morning headed for Portland Adventist Hospital. I knew my life was about to change and it was one surreal moment, that is for sure.  We got in, signed all the forms, then began the process--water breaking, contractions, epidural (loved it!), and finally at 5:15 on a hot summer afternoon baby Molly made her arrival. And she was such a pretty baby with her black spiky hair, big cheeks, and bright red lips. That moment eclipsed any that had come before--aside from the moment I looked into Bryan's eyes on our first date at the counter of the bowling alley standing in line for shoes. That one was a doozy, which makes sense, because without that moment, I wouldn't be having this one, or all the ones between then and now that make up this little girl's life.

So 5 years later, and now she is a girl--not a toddler, not a baby, a real girl with long legs and tangly hair and her own taste in clothes and a wicked sense of humor. A girl who will be starting kindergarten and playing soccer and who gets dressed by herself and can pour her own cereal and milk. When I saw her for the first time in the hospital I just didn't comprehend that I could love her any more than at that moment, but somehow it happens.

Can I please just stop time and keep her at this age forever?  Please?

 

A few funnies

#1 Molly is eating her cereal and suddenly gets up and lays down on the floor.

"Ooooh...I think I ate too much cereal!  Look at my tummy.  Now I have a cereal baby."

#2 Molly and Amos chatting in the back seat of the car about Amos starting preschool in a few weeks.

"You are going to have so much fun Amos.  There are legos, trains, and a little kitchen to play with," Molly said.

"Yeah, I'm going to play with the trains all day!"

"I know, but you should try to play with some new toys."

"Ok."

A bit of silence....

"Molly--can you be nice to me all day?" Amos asks.

"No, that's too hard."

I agree.  Sometimes it is hard to be nice all day.

Bookworm

The library is one of the most pleasant places for me. Sometimes I think they must be joking--really, I can just take 25 books at a time for free?  I love it. When I was young we went to the library at least once a week. We started at the Holgate library and later went the the Hollywood branch, which was right across from piano lessons. We would walk in and immediately separate--my mom going to the adult fiction and me to the kids or YA. I would browse until I found a good stack of books, then walk up and down the aisles until I found my mom.  I loved this little ritual. I still remember the smell and layout and feel of both these libraries.

This week we marked a major milestone at the Clackamas Corner library, which unfortunately has none of the atmosphere of either the Holgate or Hollywood. It doesn't even smell like books, for pete's sake.  This will change soon with the new library being built but I have found, sadly, that these new libraries don't smell like books either. At least there will be more selection and possibly better parking.

Anyway, back to the major milestone.  Here it is:

Molly gets her very own library card. It really is one of my best moments as a mother.