Happy birthday Carolina!

Can you believe it's been a year since Carolina was born?! It seriously went by in a flash. We are so thankful for her life and she is definitely one of the best surprises of my life (I'm going to go ahead and say the best surprise of my life!).
It's funny to celebrate a one-year-old's birthday because it's not like she has any idea that it's her birthday or can even conceptualize a birthday. But we couldn't let the day go by without doing anything. I try to be careful about sugar so I didn't want to give her something sugary to celebrate since we'll be doing that today at her joint birthday party with Maggie. So I bought her a freeze-dried fruit snack at Whole Foods (big whoopee, right?) and then we went to the playground with her and I pushed her on the swing for a half an hour. It's definitely her favorite thing to do. I made an 11-second video of her on the swing on that day because her giggle is just infectious. Please ignore the idiotic sounding person in the background saying "Wheeee!" That would be me, trying to make her laugh.

Not everyone realizes this (I don't think I've blogged about it before) but Carolina strangely was born on her big sister, Elle's birthday. Elle would have turned seven this year on the same day Carolina turned one. I can't believe they share a birthday. Isn't that crazy? I hope that it will make Carolina feel special and connected to her sister but not sad or upset in any way. Every year we have our special things we do to celebrate Elle and now that Carolina shares her birthday we've adjusted some of them. This year was easy because Carolina had no idea, but eventually she will and I don't want her to feel bummed or not celebrated. Both girls are equally important to me but here on earth I think it's more important for Carolina to feel celebrated and loved. I don't think Elle would mind one bit. Luckily we have another birthday or maybe two before Carolina knows about birthdays and about Elle, so we have some time to figure it out. Anyway, this was one of our happiest October 24ths ever and Carolina is hugely responsible for that. In a way, her being born on October 24 has redeemed that day for us. We still love and miss Elle so much and wish she were here, but it's so nice having someone/something to be totally joyful about on that day. And I'd like to take this time to mention that this world is broken and that is the only explanation for something so tragic and painful as losing a child. Happily, my hope is in Jesus, and a time is coming when all things will be made perfect.
Revelation 21:4
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
I Thessalonians 4:18
But we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve like other people who have no hope.

"I just can't believe it!"

Yesterday we met my sister, Erin, and her two kids at Target. We spent over an hour there, walking the aisles, drinking coffee (Erin: "I want to marry whoever decided to put Starbucks in Target."), stocking up on Halloween supplies, playing with toys, looking at clothes, and purchasing paper products for Carolina and Maggie's joint family birthday party this weekend. Along the way there were three cousins fighting over an eye ball (yes, a bouncy ball that looks like an eye), one broken glass candle holder ("STAT clean-up on aisle 7! We've got broken glass!"), but mostly everyone was content and well-behaved. Ah, the way to wile away the witching hours of the late afternoon.
Were you wondering how many cousins could fit in one shopping cart? We fit three in but I think we could have squeezed all five in there.
Here are two funny Finn sayings that he's recently picked up. He will say, in a whisper, "Mom, can I tell you something?" And when I lean down to hear what he has to hear, he won't say a word. He just likes asking if he can tell me something.
He also has frequently been saying, "I just can't believe it!" which is pretty cute for a two-year-old.
I know I've said it a million times but God gave me exactly the boy I needed. He is so sweet, joyful, cuddly, and adorable. I think he is pretty awesome.

Sprinkler Time

Here's a short video Grant made of sprinkler fun at Mimi and Poppy's house this summer. Enjoy!

Who needs a pool? from Howardyoudoing on Vimeo.

How you know you need some time without your kids...

1) When I'm in the car with Finn (and even Maggie, too) I'm constantly pointing things out to them like trains, dump trucks, dogs, bicycles, etc. Lately when I've been driving by myself I find myself saying, "Look! There's a train!" and then realizing too late that the kids aren't even with me. Yes, this is embarrassing to admit.

2) I was by myself last Sunday shopping for a new pair of shoes and when I was trying on shoes I almost bought a pair that was slightly too large so that I could grow into them and they'd last me longer. Luckily I realized before it was too late that my feet are (hopefully) done growing!

Happy birthday to...

(Here's a photo of Finn showing off his favorite funny face. He'll run up to us and say "Look at my funny face" and then make that face.)

Finn loves music. His favorite part about his birthday was having the birthday song to him many (many, many, many) times. In fact, he still loves singing the birthday song. He always is sure to sing the entire song, including the "and many more from Channel Four, and Winnie the Pooh from Channel Two."
This morning when Finn came in to wake me up he was singing the birthday song and in my half-asleep state I thought I heard him change the words a little. I asked him to sing it again and he sang (it really works best if you sing it to yourself as you read it), "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to my attitude, happy birthday to you." That's pretty awesome. That is a pretty great way to be woken up.
Then at breakfast, while he was eating his cereal (which he inexplicably calls "fo-fuh"), he started singing the song again, except this time it was "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to my fo-fuh, happy birthday to you." I don't know if it's as funny to see it written down but you'll just have to believe it was insanely hilarious in real life.
I love my little jokester!

Happy October!

Here's a photo of my sister-in-law, Kajsa, with her little guy Jacob, my mom, and Carolina and Finn. Look how big my kids are compared to that little peanut! He's about two months old now.

Changing the subject...
Isn't October just the best?! It is my absolute favorite month and I am so lucky that all of my girls are born in October. My friend, Rachel is nine months pregnant right now and is VERY ready to have her baby. I just texted her a little encouragement, telling her that six years ago tonight I worked a full day with a terrible attitude (I was just SURE Maggie was going to come the day before), came home, cried and whined a lot because I was so tired of being pregnant, and then I was holding Maggie in my arms by 2 AM. I cannot believe Maggie will be six tomorrow! It's just crazy.
Anyway, we had her birthday party over the weekend and it was a huge hit. I'll have photos just as soon as I get them from Grant (if you'd like to send him an e-mail to encourage him, I wouldn't mind). It was superhero themed and it was probably my favorite party I've ever done for one of my kids.
Tomorrow is her real birthday and we have some special things planned. When I was little the birthday girl got breakfast in bed, so we are starting that tradition this year with our family. She has been asking about this for months. She requested homemade blueberry muffins so I'll be rising at five AM to make them (Grant and Finn will be up with me, too. Ugh. How do you get a child to sleep later than 4:45 AM?) I'll make extras to take to school at lunch time, defying her teacher's request to send erasers instead of food. Sorry, Mrs. D! If other parents hadn't done it first I probably wouldn't, either. Thanks, fellow parents! Carolina, Finn and I will be eating lunch with Maggie at school. For dinner tomorrow she requested a "European picnic" so we'll have that for dinner. What's a European picnic? I'm glad you asked. When I've traveled in Europe it seemed like at least twice a day I'd eat something like freshly baked bread, an apple, some cheese, and a piece of dark chocolate. It was cheap, delicious, and portable. So now when we want to take a picnic, rather than make a million sandwiches or complicated things I just pack some bread, some fruit, some good cheese, and a little chocolate, and fancy it up by calling it a "European picnic." Maggie LOVES it, obviously, since that's what she chose out of all the things I could have made her. I'm looking forward to it because, Hello! What an easy dinner!
It's so much fun to make birthdays special. I love it.
Here's Maggie with her BFF, Riley, at a sleepover a few months ago. Yes, those are fake, cheap, plastic fingernails.
Pretty sure this was a swimsuit fashion show.
Love, love, love my six-year-old!

It's a zoo in here.

We love the zoo pass Grandma and Grandpa bought for Finn's birthday. It's so close that we don't mind going for little visits here and there, which I much prefer over a loooong, all-day visit. When Maggie was in school I took Finn and Carolina to meet up with my sister, Erin, and her kids Jack and Lily Kate.
I think everyone had the most fun in the Lorikeet Landing, even though Finn looks a little suspicious of the lorikeets here.Finn and Lily Kate (the gray and yellow blur) were freaking out about them (in a good way).Even Carolina was captivated by them. I think it's fun, too, but I can't be in there without remembering the time we were there with a member of the family (who shall remain nameless) and he was pooped on by one of the Lorikeets. It makes me verrrry nervous.

Swingers

The weather here has been so wonderful that one Friday, after school, I took the kids to a park we love and we stayed there for two hours, having so much fun. I put these photos on facebook but I love them so much I wnated them on here, too.
Although it's hard to tell from the photo, Finn was having an awesome time.
Carolina didn't want to leave the swing. Here she is with a big smile.
And here she is with a HUGE smile!
It was a perfect day!