Do you know how RARE it is to have something on your parents that you can guilt them about?  At least around these parts, it’s pretty hard.  Mostly because it seems our parents are professionals at making us feel guilty without having any backsplash on them.

BUT NO MORE.  Because the next time one of us does something to cause them to try to guilt us, all we’ll have to do is say, “Oh yeah?  Remember when you forgot LIAM’S SECOND BIRTHDAY??”

It’s like “Sixteen Candles” all over again.  Although, admittedly, it would have been a lot more traumatic for Liam if he had been sixteen years old and not two.  As it was, I don’t even think he really understood that it was his birthday yesterday and if he did, exactly what having a birthday entails.

BUT STILL.

What are the chances that BOTH sets of grandparents will forget a birthday at the same time?  I feel like it’s the start of some “Twilight Zone” episode or something.  We called both sets last night just to make sure someone wasn’t languishing in a hospital somewhere (hey, it’s happened before).  And both sets were suitably shamed by their indescretion.  No real good excuses, just forgot.  AWESOME.

Meanwhile, let’s have a look at some of the pictures from our low-key festivitiies last night.  It was just the five of us, and we tried to do all things that Liam enjoyed.  We went to dinner at McDonald’s where he scored his very own Happy Meal (but Harry accidentally drank his chocolate milk), came home to open presents and then finished off with cupcakes and ice cream.  Liam had a great time.  Especially with the ginormous rubber “Go, Diego, Go” ball that “Evie picked out for him”.  LAUGHED HIS FOOL HEAD OFF.  And he really enjoyed the cupcake (almost didn’t wait to blow out the candles to take a bite) and got a kick out of spooning his own ice cream.  Messy?  Yes.  But worth it.

What are all these toys?  For me?  NO WAY.

Mmmm…  chocolate.

Bad sign: He had the wild look in his eyes BEFORE he ate the cupcake.

We had to actually prevent him from faceplanting in the cupcakes and start monching.

All in all, a good time was had.  And today he gets to play with all the toys, so you know, less time spent pestering me!  Yay!

Tags: birthday, grandparents, Liam, photos
Filed under L'il Liam |

It’s Liam’s birthday today.  Can you believe it?  Two years ago to the minute, we were hoofing it over to the hospital from our doctor’s office, getting checked in at the admittance desk and waiting for a room to open up in Labor and Delivery.  It was real and it was happening.  FINALLY.

It’s strange to think, that two years plus one day ago we were still a family of three.  We got very used to it just being the three of us.  And Harry was getting older and more independent.  We had left the baby years behind and now, fast forward to today, we’re hip deep in baby.

UNBELIEVABLE.

This last year was a rough one.  Not that it wasn’t a good year, because it has been fabulous for us.  But there has been an awful lot of upheaval that we never saw coming at this time last year.  No, last year it was All Liam, All the Time.  And he, naturally, loved it.

Since he was born, Liam has been referred to as “The Golden Child” around here.  He was our miracle baby.  And watching him grow up through his first year and then his second one has been nothing short of a treasure.  He has such a personality and in this last year, it has just blossomed.  He charms everyone with his wit and antics, twinkling eyes and engaging grin.  And did I mention the antics?

Last year we didn’t know Liam would have a baby sister.  But it wasn’t too long after his first birthday that we found out.  And so, predictably, a lot of this year was filled with baby preparations.  So the focus was diverted somewhat off of Liam, but if you knew Liam, you would know that we couldn’t divert it for long.  Watching this child grow and learn actually became a great distraction from obsessing about the baby growing within my belly.

He has such an adventurous spirit.  I know a lot of you who have toddler boys are going, “Uhm, DUH?”  But if you had known Harry was a toddler, you would understand.  He was perhaps the most cautious child in the history of children.  He never took a chance and was the rare sort of child that if we told him “NO” then he actually would not do that anymore.  Yeah, Liam is not that child.

We were so nervous when Evie was born.  We worried that Liam would be jealous of the baby, that he would act out against us and against the baby.  And we were so surprised when that didn’t happen.  In fact, he hardly noticed her at first.  There was interest, sure.  But he couldn’t be bothered to stop in his playing to throw things at his sister.  He was too busy having fun.

And now here he is.  TWO.  I have a feeling that Liam will be redefining the Terrible Twos for us (Harry didn’t have them at all).  He’s not talking a whole lot, just his regular Liam gibberish.  I can understand a few things he says (the other day, he was playing under a blanket fort with Harry and Harry farted and Liam didn’t even miss a beat, saying, “Uh oh… wa-shat?”  I about bust a gut laughing), and know the rest will come.  His big brother was a late talker as well.  I’m not worried about him.

He doesn’t walk when he can run.  That pretty much sums him up to a t.  Liam moves fast and surprises us with how fast he catches on to things, learns, immitates and acts on his impulses.  He’s quick to anger, but also quick to forgive and quick to give hugs.  He loves hugs.  But maybe not as much as he loves to run.

We’re not going all out for a party this year.  Just the five of us here at home having cupcakes and ice cream.  Everyone has picked out a gift for the little guy and we know he’s going to be in hog heaven.  I can’t wait to see the look on his face (I gotta make the cupcakes first, though!).  Most of all, I can’t believe he is two years old already.  I find myself looking ahead and wondering what this year will bring us.  Chaos, of that I’m sure.  But if I know Liam, it will also bring lots and lots of fun.  Happy Birthday, monkey boy!

Tags: birthday, Liam, photos
Filed under L'il Liam |

It’s Kile’s birthday today. (Yeah… happy FREAKIN’ birthday, huh?) I’m not going to divulge how old he is but a) chances are if you looked back in the archives I’ve mentioned it at one point or another and you can do the math and b) I will say this: he is 5 1/2 years older than I am. OLD MAN. I love to tell him that. Of course, on this particular birthday he’s behaving older than usual, poor thing.

He’s wearing sweats, had to have his mom help him wash his hair (he can’t take a shower until after his post-op appointment on Thursday so he had to do some slick maneuvering), he walks with a slow shuffle and holds a pillow over his belly to deflect crazy dog attacks.

Right now, he’s kicked back in his mom’s recliner just opposite me, head on one pillow, another on his belly, snoring as he sleeps off his latest dose of ibuprofen. Despite all the time it took me yesterday to secure his super-duper-painkiller prescription, we have since decided that perhaps those are best at night or maybe NEVER since they are sort of the tools of the devil. I have no idea how people get addicted to those things, they’re such a pain in the ass to start with.

Meanwhile, I’m still pretty pooped, but then again, I haven’t slept well the last several nights and it’s been go, go, go all day long. I did make Kile a purty cake today and birthday cards are signed and ready. We’re doing a barbecue over at his sister’s place tonight (Harry is excited, they have “Guitar Hero” over there). I hope he thinks it’s a decent birthday. Obviously, it could have been better. But all things considered, I’ll take this.

I have no idea when we’ll be going back to Reno. Obviously, our plan of going back tomorrow is pretty much out of the question since his post-op appointment is Thursday afternoon. At that point, why not stay through Father’s Day? A lot will depend on what his doctor has to say. I’m fully prepared, at this point, to drive us home, anticipating him not being able to. Not that I’ve ever driven from Elko to Reno before, but there’s always a first time, right?

God help us.

Sooooo…. we may stay a while longer. Who knows? I’ve got no schedule here. I’m just taking each day as it comes for now. And that’s saying something because I’m a planner and planners have a hard time just taking each day as it comes.

I’m putting it out of my mind tonight by taking the time to wish my sweetie pie a happy birthday and hoping that we have many, many more together.

Tags: birthday, Elko, Kile
Filed under Family Circus |

Today is Liam’s first birthday. At 2:00pm on the nose, as a matter of fact. I’ve been dreading this moment from the day, the very hour, he was born. Because this moment signals my baby growing up. Having had Harry before him, I knew this first year would blaze by and never look back. And so I knew to try to cherish each moment. I think I did, but the moments still slipped between my fingers like sand. The tighter I would grasp, the quicker they’d slip. Looking back, I honestly can’t think of any times in which I wished time would speed up. I’ve amazed even myself, this last year, with my patience. Because, let’s face it, I’m not a very patient person. Even the middle of the night, when I’ve had to stumble into his room blindly (bashing into walls as I go), all I would need to do is scoop him up and hold him close to me and I would become overwhelmed with the desire to stand like that and hold him like that for the rest of my life. It won’t be too long before I cannot do that anymore.

This has been the most amazing year. It’s like the answer to the question, “What happens after your fondest wish is answered?” Actually, it’s been exactly that. Liam has been our Answer. And, you know, it’s been as wonderful as you’d expect. As we’d hoped. He has filled an open spot in our hearts and in our family so neatly, it’s as if he’s been here all along. He’s so different from Harrison and it’s truly been a joy discovering his personality and celebrating those differences. And then we’ll turn around and find out he’s more like Harrison than we thought and we are charmed by that as well. Because it further asserts that these two boys of mine are brothers. Brothers for life. How awesome is that?

Harry is already talking about us having another baby, can you believe it? He thinks he might want a girl this time. Though I wonder if that’s just because his best friend has a little brother and a new baby sister. Whatever the reason, I can’t help but think that I just want to enjoy this time with Liam for the short while it will last. I do want another baby, and sooner rather than later, but I want Liam to be my baby just a little while longer too.

Thinking of him growing up makes me want to cry. I love to watch him discover and learn and delight in the world around him but with each new discovery, he’s growing further and further away from me. I just don’t feel like I’m ready for that yet. I’m not ready for him to be one year old, but the day has arrived despite my wishes. So today, we will celebrate his life and the wonderful impact he has made on us and our family. We will eat, drink and have cake and ice cream. I’ll take pictures and document the day. And I’ll try to ignore the fact that my heart is breaking.

Here’s a little video I made for my beautiful boy. Enjoy, if you want to.

[see link on video's page]

Tags: birthday, Liam, video
Filed under L'il Liam, Noteworthy |