April:
I drove to Destin with the kids leaving Jeremy behind and stayed with my mom along with Erik and Kristy and their kids. While my family helped take care of the kids I had an abdominoplasty. My abdominals that had been pulled apart and skin stretched to excess due to having extra large pregnancies needed to be repaired. I won't sugar coat it; it was a very difficult and painful recovery. But my family was so supportive and I was able to heal right on time and with no complications. It was totally worth it and I couldn't be any happier over my new belly.
Bailey had a slight set back in her behavior and reverted to a two year old, tantrums and all. But I bought a discipline book called "1-2-3 Magic" and we now have her back under control. It's an awesome tool for anyone who is having trouble with a child's annoying behaviors (whining, talking back, arguing, and fussing). It works great for meal times too which have also been troublesome for us. Foster started signing while we were in Destin and even said a few words mimicking me, like "all done".
May:
I slowly regained my strength and routine back at the house in Charleston. Molly came to visit for a few days and we had a great time walking around downtown and playing with the kids. Foster started walking and Molly was there to witness his first steps. He is so proud of himself but can still get around faster by crawling. Even though Bailey's Birthday was June 1st we celebrated on her last day of YMCA playschool with a huge Tinkerbell cake and her playmates. When they are 3 and 4 years old it's not so much about the presents, it's all about the cake. It was sad to say good-bye but for the month of June she was ready to start a real pre-school for the summer.
June:
The first week of June we had the Bryants come stay with us for a visit. It was so nice to have company to do the things I like to do with the kids. We went the water park, the beach, the playground, and Michelle and I even had a night out at the local piano bar. It was a great time. Even though Morgan is 7 years old he had fun playing with Bailey. And of course Bailey followed him around like a puppy.
We also started showing the house for possible renters. This has become a challenge since I have to keep the house cleared of clutter and clean at all times. The realtors just call up and say they want to show the house, then I run around picking up everything, gather the kids, get in the car and leave for a while. It's still not rented. Not because they don't like the house but because they are worried about the neighborhood. I admit are neighborhood looks a little rough around the edges, but we have never encountered any crime or issues in the four years we've been here. Oh well, I'm still not worried though. It will get rented. We've also encountered an issue with our brand new floor which will have to be replaced again. Reason is still to be determined.
Then our most recent event was going to Tampa for Ricci and Steve's wedding. It was an event that started on Wednesday for me and we all made it home exhausted but in one piece on Sunday. I was the maid of honor and did my duty as well as I could even though my hangover from Wednesday night lasted until Monday. And the bachelorette party wasn't even until Thursday night. Ricci was a beautiful bride and so gracious and hospitable. Bailey was the cutest flower girl ever. When she threw those petals down it was with such power and determination she had everyone giggling. It was a family reunion for me as well with my cousin Heather, aunt Pat, mom, brother and his family. I even got to see my old friend John. Lovely, it was all so lovely. I just wish I could have had more time with them all. But I treasure all the quality time I was able to have with Ricci.
Now Foster is starting to walk more than crawl and he is so very playful. He loves to be thrown in the air and tossed on the bean bag. In the water he's fearless and will dive right in, not minding his face getting wet. His eating is very advanced, in fact he eats more than Bailey. He still loves his bottle and he won't drink it unless it's warm. He also has a paci he has become attached to and can't sleep without it. Sound familiar? Recently we have noticed a heightened awareness in him and ability to understand commands as well as words such as foods, diaper change, bath, or sleepy time. Bailey has also recently turned a corner in maturity. Her sentences are more complete and her understanding of conversations, directions, and social norms have become more complex. She can act like such a little lady sometimes. Though she tends to get jealous of the attention Foster gets, she still plays with him constantly and keeps him out of trouble. As for Jeremy and I, we have been busy getting ready for our move. We've made a lot of little repairs and touch ups as well as drop offs to goodwill. Then there is planning the trip itself. So much to do! I better get off this computer and get back to it.
