d Orbitals

Button got to hang out with me one afternoon in my office. I love being able to have the kids up there with me from time to time.

Casen took off crawling for the first time in my office.

Liam helps me in the lab with set-up once a week.

And Button has been introduced to d orbitals. Specifically, the d_z² orbital.

Don't let her look fool you. She was as impressed with d orbitals as I am. 

(which means VERY - I'm an inorganic chemist)

Someone Loves Their Daddy

I found these beauties on my camera when I was downloading pictures.

Someone loves their Daddy!

I Have Three Kids?!?

At times I still can't believe that I'm a mom. I remember right after I had Casen, it felt very surreal to have a child all of a sudden (nine months felt like all of a sudden). When my mom came to visit and stay awhile, I remember going to the store for the first time after giving birth. I was walking along with Mom, holding C. I thought, "I feel like I'm a big sister to this baby. I can't be old enough to have a baby of my own." I was 28. 

It took several months for that surreal feeling to wear off. From time to time though, that thought returns to my mind. Even after having three kids, I sometimes still feel like a big sister supervising the kids while the real adults are out. Some days I really do feel like I'm wingin' it. When I saw this picture that Liam took, I thought, I really am a mama!

Things I've Said Recently

"You are not allowed to hook you sister." (the boys got pirate hooks to wear)

"Please do not be a bridge over your sister. Somebody's gonna get hurt."

"You are not allowed to practice thumping on your sister's head."

"No, you cannot sit with her in her chair...Do not be moving Button around in her chair....Ok no touching her or the chair for awhile."

"You picked a paper towel roll as your toy to bring?"

and my personal favorite...
"Okay, you guys can launch yourselves. Just aim low so you don't go through the window."

How To Score Points With Your Sons

Take them to Star Wars Day at the Library.

R2D2 showed up. Pretty sure he was their favorite. They kept asking if someone was inside and if this was the real robot from the movie.

They got to color Star Wars pages and make mini yodas (or rather, Mama can make them while holding a baby and the boys play a Star Wars game).

Storm Trooper was a little scary.

Darth Vader was scary. But they couldn't miss the chance to take a picture with him. And they were totally geeked out once they got close to him.

Thanks to all the Star Wars nerds who showed up to make this day special (there were several Jedis present). We even won the raffle and now the boys have Star Wars posters up in their toy room. Two happy boys.

3 Month Baby

Hadassah is pretty happy most of the time. She's still pretty easy and is even sleeping through the night.

A cause to celebrate.

Haddie loves when people talk to her, especially her brothers and

when Josh sings to her.

She is playing more and more. My favorite is when she hides her face in me and peeks out at her Daddy or brother...over and over.

She is chewing on her hands a lot now and pretty much has given up her paci. Hands are better she thinks!

She's our pretty baby!

This Is How We Roll

Last year one of the college kids asked whose birthday it was after they saw the Happy Birthday banner up at our house. It was from about 3 months ago. I just replied, "That's how we roll."

While Josh and I were in the hospital right after I had Haddie, Mom and Dad took the boys to the house and decorated it.

 

It was so sweet with most of the decorations at about the heights of a couple of some proud big brothers.

Most of the decorations are still up. Yeah, Haddie just turned 3 months.

And the other night, after a wild evening of busyness and loud kids, I noticed that there was a soda spilled on the floor. I cleaned it up not knowing it was on the table too. The next day, I was cleaning off the table and found this:



Apparently, the soda had been spilled on a pink note sent home from school. The dye then bled into my table.
I was reminded why we don't buy new furniture (except the kids' beds). We've had this table since we first got married.

And that's how we roll. Decorations left up for a long time reminding us of past, notable celebrations. Stained table tops reminding us that life is a bit too chaotic sometimes.

I'm thankful for the friends we have who share similar occurrences.

I'm also glad I have a long weekend. I gotta try to get that pink stain out.
Oh, and my coffee maker looks like it threw up, too. Cleaning weekend, anyone?

Look Comparisons

C sleeping right after he was born

L sleeping about 2 weeks after he was born

H sleeping about 2 weeks after she was born

    

C smiling 3.5 months

L smiling about 2 weeks old

H smiling 2 months

Well H is almost 3 months old (I can't believe it!), and I decided to do some comparison shots. I didn't get them in the same outfit; I didn't even get them at the same ages. But I did try to find similar poses. I'm always impressed when people do same outfit pictures for their kids. I never think about it when I should. I met this lady yesterday who showed me all these pictures of her kids, nieces and nephews, and now grandchildren and great-nieces-and-nephews in the same 2 outfits: a cute dress for the girls and a darling pair of overalls for the boys. They've been passed down and back-and-forth for over 30 years now. Wowzers. I don't think I'll ever have it that together.

Anyway, back to my non-planned comparison shots:
You can tell the 3 kids are siblings I think. All three looked like Josh when they were born; H was a feminine version (both Josh and I exclaimed when we first saw her, "She looks like a girl!")

The kids all smiled at different times. C was about 5 weeks old when he first smiled, L smiled as soon as they laid him on my chest after he was born, and H smiled in the hospital after she was born. I'm thinking H is about half and half: nose up is Casen (me) and nose down is Liam (Josh). Sometimes her mouth looks like mine and other times, she pooches her lips out and has Josh and Liam's lips. We'll see who she looks like as she gets older.

I also realized when looking for pictures that the poor middle child doesn't have a whole lot of pictures from about 1 month to 5 months. He wasn't the middle child yet, so why? Was it destiny of his soon-to-be-middle-child-role?
Actually, that's what happens when you have babies 23 months apart and colic sets in on that second one. Tired parents + fussy baby = not very many pictures. We made up for it after the colic went away. I have so many cute pictures of that chubby baby around 6 months to 1 year old. Liam, one day when you read this blog, I promise that we loved you as a newborn. We just were busy holding you all the time, we didn't get very many pictures!

Lake Trip, Hike, and a Chemistry Joke

We went to the lake last weekend. We usually try to go every summer, but this time we went a little later because of Button's arrival. It was a different kind of "vacation." I'd never taken a 2-month-old on a vacation. Button did well, but I was exhausted by the time we got home. I'm used to catching up on sleep on the weekends. She didn't sleep well day or night, but did awesome in the car both ways! Despite the incredible tiredness I've felt all week, I had a good time with friends. It was good for the soul.

Because I was usually with Button, I did want to do something with just the boys. Josh kindly watched baby while the boys and I set out on a short hike. Complete with water bottles.

They each found special things to take pictures of:

Daddy Long Legs outside our cabin

Brothers Love

Cactus in the middle of a forest area

Big rock

L Child found the big rock

L Child was exhausted by the time we got back to the cabin (we didn't hike far) and I was tired,  but C wanted to keep hiking. I wish I could bottle up his energy. Pretty sure his body breaks the first law of thermodynamics.

And yes, I did just make a chemistry joke. 

Confession:

I can't read Jane Austen.

Yes, I'm a woman who loves to read, but I pretty much dislike Jane Austen.

It's a hard burden to bear. While all the women around me are making references to some Jane Austen novel, I just smile and nod like I know what they are talking about. 

While women are gushing about how they LOVE Pride & Prejudice, I'm silent. 

I really, really try to like Jane Austen. Every year or so, I pick up Pride & Prejudice and start reading. It doesn't last long. 

Maybe the problem lies in the fact that I really just want to read Pride & Prejudice so I can read Pride & Prejudice & Zombies and fully appreciate it.

I've only confessed my distaste of Jane Austen to a few friends. Usually, it's because I'll have the impression that she doesn't like Jane Austen either. I can tell this friend doesn't get the Jane Austen reference either. Or this friend doesn't seem to have the patience needed to get through a Jane Austen novel (much like myself). So I'll quietly whisper during a conversation about books, "I hate Jane Austen."

The friend will sigh in relief and agree. 

Then I almost always say, "That's why we're friends."

I do have one Jane Austen-appreciator-friend that I've shared my disdain. She assures me that Jane Austen is worth reading, and told me that it's quite funny after you read it once or twice.

You mean I have to read it twice?!?

So my Jane Austen-appreciator-friend got Haddie a Jane Austen book. And I did read this one.

Maybe one day I'll read the real novel. 

Especially if Haddie grows up to like Jane Austen.

Bunny and Button

Button recognizes people now. I think she can see further, and she knows our voices. As a result, she now expects any new people to the room to come talk to her. If not, many times, she will start squawking or stare longingly in your direction (very heartbreaking).

Of course, Bunny always obliges. Button loves her Bunny!

Yeah, that's right. Bunny is wrapped around my finger.

Middle Child Syndrome

I'm pretty sure I could win the most awkward family photo here:

According to the Birth Order book I recently read (I'll blog about it at some point), middle children end up being the most well adjusted adults. They are the least likely to need therapy and make the best spouses (I should know - I'm married to one!). So precious middle child Liam, one day when your brother-in-law is complaining about your princess sister and your sister-in-law is wondering aloud why your big brother is such a perfectionist, you and your wife can sit back and just smile in bliss.

Love you my middle child!

Wild Semester

It's already been a long semester. Here's my typical desk:

one of the professors commented, "You only have four pchem books out?"

This is what I felt like today (a Monday) after being out of town over the weekend.

Hopefully my students don't look like this after their exams this week.

Why I Take a Bajillion Pictures

Some days I need to be reminded of my blessings. 

 

It's nice to look back at the last week and remember it's not all bad.

Even when I have to work a holiday and the guys get to go play at the zoo.

At least I have a job that I almost always love. That's more than a lot of people have.

Even on days when my pchem derivations in lecture end up showing that 100% efficiency equals 0% efficiency (curse you Carnot Cycle!).

This is how my brain feels most of the time by the way:

Admist bad news, fussy babies (I'm counting my 2 big boys too), and my ever-hungry, sore post-baby-#3-body, I've gotten to laugh

 

and enjoy family and friends. (Yes, that's my dad spinning my mom at the park.)

Okay so I sometimes wanted to sit in a corner with my favorite food too, Haddie.

And I kinda did. 

Of course, while I'm taking a bite of my HUGE Charleston Chew at school, I ran into two other professors. I managed to say with a full mouth of chocolate-nougat goodness as they walked by, "I promise I'm just having a bite. I'm not eating the whole thing in one setting!"

The other reason why I take a bajillion pictures is because I can't believe that God let me have three beautiful children.

It's awe-inspiring.

And I have to remember how much they love each other. 

Even on days when biting (yes, biting is making another round through the house) and angry words among the boys make me question that.

Deep down I'm pretty sure they love each other.

Finally, I take a bajillion pictures so my kids will take pictures, too. Nothing brings a laugh like these beauties:

Dora.

And mother-daughter talks.

All caught on camera. Gotta have those memories!