Getting Cooper: "Gracie, Don't Staple the Cheese!"

Before you were parents did you ever, in your wildest dreams, imagine yourself saying some of the things you say-every day-as if it were perfectly normal?

Things like, "Are you poopy?" (Usually while stuffing your nose right in the seat of the child's pants). Or "Honey, don't suck on the hermit crab." Or what I heard myself say just yesterday, "Gracie no! Sweetie, we don't staple cheese."

And so it's time for me to admit...3 small people under the age of six have ganged up and are kicking my butt. I'm tired. I can hardly keep up with my life much less sit down and blog about it. And I was SO enjoying the blogging!

Although, for the last 2 weeks it's not the little ones waking me up at night. It's the 18 year old who calls at 1 in the morning and says, "Can I stay out till 3?" And the 16 year old watching Bourne Identity so loud in the middle of the night that I woke up confused about the noise. "Is it the baby crying? The alarm going off? The phone ringing? What is all the racket!?@?" :-)

Cooper will be 18 months old next week and the week after that Gracie turns 4. She's having a "Spirit" birthday party. (A movie about a wild horse named Spirit who won't be captured or tamed. That's my Gracie.)

I just can't believe it. Grace starts a 1/2 day Pre-K class this fall and Emily will go to 1/2 day Kindergarten. How did this happen?

I've determined to enjoy every minute of this year (We're beginning to join the ranks of those who count the year from the beginning of school to the end of school.) It's the last year I'll have all my kids at home...before Emily starts school full time.

Cooper's cardiology appointment turned out to be a bit of a surpise. The valve we thought was only prolapsed and leaking a little is actually not even attached and is leaking a lot. Imagine holding a piece of paper then spraying it with a garden hose. That's sort of what's happening to the part of the valve that's unattached. It's flailing around in the valve opening and getting beat up by the blood rushing through (thus the official diagnosis-Leaflet Flailing).

A "severe" amount of blood is flowing back the other way because the valve doesn't close. His right atrium is enlarged and he'll require surgery to repair the valve. It can't be replaced, only...jimmied so it will close. The Cardiologist said it's a rare condition, a difficult fix, and he wants to wait until necessary to repair it.

The good news...Grace has basically gotten the "all clear" from her orthopedic surgeon. Her hip looks good and we'll just have to see him once or twice a year for awhile to make sure it keeps growing properly.

And a few other bits and pieces...

Emily entered a picture from her art class at the Chinese Art Academy's annual Spring performance and art show.

With her beloved Pre-K teacher, Mr. Harank

E and G with some of their friends at a gathering we helped organized in support of earthquake victims in China. To read about the incredible work Half the Sky is doing to help children orphaned by the earthquake on 5/12 go to http://www.halfthesky.org/ And while you're there, read the article about Jenny Bowen carrying the olympic torch on behalf of China's orphaned children. She's the only American who ran with the torch on Chinese soil.

Doug, Dustin and Brianna at Dustin's high school graduation a few weeks ago. The mohawk was because his Rugby team won state championship. The day after graduation it was dyed flourescent red. We were so proud. :-)