Ben Turns Five Years Old

It is hard to believe our first born boy is already five years old! It seems like just yesterday that Kurt was shoveling us out of our driveway in a big snowstorm (resulting in 9 - 13 inches) to get me to the hospital that Saturday morning after my water broke. We have learned a lot since that day we held our baby boy for the first time. Ben, you have been a great teacher!

Just like on Abby's big day this year, both Kurt and I had to work. Grandpa and Grandma brought Ben his first birthday present when they came this morning, a wristwatch, which was the highlight of his day. Ben went to preschool in the morning and spent the afternoon with his loving grandparents. Ben got to pick his birthday meal for dinner; he chose beef tacos. He opened a present from Kurt and I: art supplies and a button & badge making kit. Aunt Lisa and Uncle Scott made a spontaneous visit.

From four to five...how our Benny has grown and changed! He grew 3 inches and gained 5 pounds. From 4T to size 5/6 clothes. He learned to tell time. He gained another sister. He learned to use our computer to play games. He doesn't need Cow, his lovely, like he once did. Even more imaginative than before, Ben is always acting out scenarios he observed and playing a role of some sort (ie. a fireman, police officer, a doctor, a builder, etc.).

And still some things remain the same... I would still describe Ben as observant, empathetic, cooperative, curious and imaginative. He still attends Christ the Life Preschool, but now three days a week (vs. two). He has a great memory. He still will eat just about any food we serve him. Ben likes his routine and knowing what to expect. He likes to help. And he LOVES his sisters.

Back to Reality

Well, it was inevitable. My maternity leave could not last forever. Truth be told, I am pretty lucky to work as a part-time recruiter for a large health care organization. Still, nothing beats being home with my family and, in an ideal world, I would be a stay-at-home mom. My three months home with Ben, Abby and Lorelai were wonderful. Hard work, sure. But rewarding, most definitely. And it went by all too fast.

Monday, January 4th was my first day back, but it wasn't until Friday that the tears came. Perhaps it took that long for reality to set in...I missed my babies. And work cannot hold a candle to time spent with them.

We are truly blessed though. Grandma and Grandpa Burie love our children, their grandchildren. And they have made many changes for our children (like moving to Waukesha) and to accomodate our wishes for them (like organic food). If I have to be absent for 30 hours per week from our home, who better to care for them than their grandparents who also love them to pieces and only want the best for them. Grandma and Grandpa have a lot to offer Ben, Abby and Lorelai that they may not necessarily get from one of us (Kurt or I). The memories they are making with their grandparents are special; I am sure they will have many fond ones as they look back in the years to come.

So I am back to work. And as they say, "It is what it is."

Here is one of my favorite pictures from my maternity leave. Just another "lazy" day at home, no specific plans or anything to run off to. Just hanging out together.

Life is already moving faster. There are not enough hours in the day. Our kids, our family... there is nothing more important. I hope, in all my words and actions, that I demonstrate that to them each and every day. With love.

Abby Turns Three Years Old

Our sweet middle child is three years old already! Abby turned three years old on Friday, the week I returned to work from maternity leave. Unfortunately, I did not have any PTO to take and had to work. But Abby spent the day with some wonderful people who also love her to pieces: Grandma & Grandpa Burie. Her birthday was also the day we learned Ben had "virus induced asthma". That evening, Kurt and Ben spent two hours at the pediatrician and came away with an inhaler and a prescription for albuterol. Both Kurt and I felt bad that we were unable to make Abby's day more special, so we extended her birthday into Saturday. Her and I ventured out alone for a lunch date. I also took Abby to Target and allowed her to pick out something from the clearance section. We had given her a book of mazes on her birthday. We also plan to take both Ben and Abby to the Dells in February as their birthday present. And, of course, we are throwing each of them a party. Still apparently guilt from the day before got the best of me; she picked out a Snow White barbie-like doll. We enjoyed a nice lunch together at (you guessed it) Good Harvest Market. Then it was off to Eli's birthday party for some t-ball fun at the YMCA. The party started at 2:30 PM and so we took a chance skipping naps. By 4:00 PM, Abby was adopting the "its my [friend's] party and I'll cry if I want to" attitude which was our cue to leave. Too late for naps, we allowed Abby to pick a movie from Blockbuster. She chose Peter Pan.


From two to three...how our little girl has grown and changed! She gained about 4 inches and 4 pounds. She went from 2 T to 3T clothes. She moved from the crib to a bed. Her vocabulary has multiplied from the 200 words she knew the year before. She doesn't really need a lovely (unless you count her thumb). She has a new room. And a new sister.


Yet some things remain the same... She continues to twirl her hair and suck her thumb. Ben is still her best friend. She still loves to read her books. I would still describe Abby as sweet, opinionated and animated. And a complete joy.

Three Month Old Lorelai

Our sweet baby girl has been with us three months today! She has already brought us so much joy! Weighing in at roughly 12 pounds, she wore her first 3-6 month outfit today. Lorelai is a laid back, easy going baby with no shortage of smiles for us! She gave us her longest sleep stretch at night this past week, 9 hours, which impressed and delighted us! She mainly sleeps swaddled in her carseat (for the sense of confinement and the incline). The pacifier helps facilitate her transition to sleep. She is quite a talker. We have long conversations where of course neither her nor I can understand what each other is saying. It is wonderful. Lorelai now has a good grasp and can hold an object for a period of time. She recently (for about the past two weeks) has been going to town sucking on her hand. Her outfits are often soaked from either spit up or drool or a combination of both. Though we swaddle her tightly at bedtime, she still manages to wiggle her hands out and suck her fingers. She blows bubbles. Lorelai loves to look at herself in a mirror. She loves to kick. She can turn her body on her side. She is not fond of being on her tummy nor does she enjoy her baths. Thankfully, Lorelai has been a healthy girl. She had a slightly stuffy nose for a bit in the past month but it did not seem to interfere with her eating, sleeping or mood. She also has had a bit of diaper rash but that easily healed with more frequent diaper changes and some Shaklee diaper cream. I had to return to work this week, so she has gotten several bottles (of pumped breastmilk) and taken them fine (despite only taking two bottles in her first twelve weeks- one when I had my haircut around 6 weeks and one when I went to the Orthopedic hospital to see Kurt after his back surgery when Lorelai was 2 months old). She currently drinks 3 bottles a day, 4 to 5 oz each, while I am at work. Lorelai seems facinated watching her brother and sister. Ben and Abby ask to hold and kiss her. We all love her to pieces!

Our Babies

Benjamin Matthew is our first born. Here he is pictured at about three months of age. His middle name was chosen for his Grandpa Richard Matthew Krist. He arrived exactly one month early. My water broke on Saturday morning, January 22, 2005, the day of the biggest blizzard that winter (9-13 inches of snow), when I was lying in bed. I was induced and I had an epideral. Ben was born vaginally at 4:31 PM. He was 7 lbs, 6 oz and 20 in. We had not been around a lot of babies, so it took us a while to figure things out. I hope he was in no way negatively impacted by our inexperience. He is so special, such a sweet, loving boy. From the beginning, Ben had a healthy appetite and typically ate whatever we fed him. I nursed him for about 15 months and made his baby food from organic fruits and veggies. I pumped milk for Ben when I returned to work part-time after three months. He developed a large vocabulary pretty quickly. His first words were dada, dog, duck, giggle, nose and cookie. Ben is now about to turn 5 years old. He weighs 45 lbs and measures 3 ft. 7 in tall. He attends Christ the Life Preschool three days a week. His teacher describes Ben as an observer, well behaved, and a "pretty mellow fellow." Ben is enthusiastic about school. He has an excellent memory. Ben has a great imagination and loves to role play. He loves reading books, building things, riding his bike and playing games (like Cooties, Chutes & Ladders, Checkers, Go Fish, etc.). He enjoys being Dad, Mom, Grandpa and Grandma's helpers. Ben loves his sisters.

Abigail Joy is our middle child. Here she is pictured at about 3 months of age. She was full term (37.5 weeks) when she was born. My water broke on Monday morning, January 8, 2007, when I was at work. I was also induced with Abby and had an epideral. She was born vaginally at 4:50 PM. She was 8 lbs, 7 oz. and 20.5 in. Abby was a pretty laid back baby. She spent a lot of time as a baby in the Baby Bjorn carrier. She dropped the pacifier quickly in favor of her thumb. I also nursed Abby for 16 months. She was the easiest of the three to nurse from the beginning. She benefitted from Ben's lack of pickiness when it came to foods. I also made all of Abby's baby food (with the exception of prunes, which we bought jarred) from organic fruits and vegetables. I also learned to make Super Porridge, from the Super Baby Foods book by Ruth Yaron, with organic grains (oatmeal, millet, brown rice) and legumes (beans and lentils). I pumped milk for Abby when I went back to work part-time again. We switched to glass bottles when she was about 8 months old. She was also a good communicator early on. Her first words included dada, mama, Abby, hi and mine. Abby is now about to turn 3 years old. She weighs 29 lbs and measures 3 ft, 1 in tall. She is adjusting to being a big sister. Abby adores her big brother who she often calls "Benny". Abby is our little comedian. She is so full of expression and enthusiasm. Abby has a passion for her books and can be content for hours "reading" aloud from her memory. She loves to be cuddled and to copy her brother. She loves music, princesses and nursery rhymes. Abby is certainly a joy!

Lorelai Sue is our youngest child. Here she is pictured at two months old. Her middle name was chosen for her Grandma Susan Lee Krist. Lorelai was born on her due date, Wednesday, October 7, 2009, by induction due to my gestational diabetes diagnosis during her pregnancy. I was induced that morning and gave birth vaginally without any pain medication. We were blessed to welcome our healthy baby girl to our family after two first trimester miscarriages the previous year. She was born at 1:34 PM and we went home the next day. She weighed 8 lbs, 3 oz. and measured 21.25 in. By my third full term pregnancy, I was eating almost exclusively organic. Lorelai is also exclusively breastfed. She spends a lot of time in my Moby Wrap and is quite attached to her Mommy (I am quite fond of her as well!). She is now 2 1/2 months old. She weighs just over 10 pounds and measures over 23 in. We are excited to watch as her personality develops. She sure is a blessing, as are her older siblings!

A Party of Five

Two months ago, we became a party of five. How quickly we will forget a time before it was the five of us. What I hope to never forget is how lucky and blessed we are...

From the beginning, I have assumed the role of family historian. As much as I can, I want to capture these memories for my children and perhaps one day they will share them with their own children.

Having children, to steal from Elizabeth Stone, "is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." It's pretty scary. And I love it.