Daily Dose

I may be very picture heavy over the next few weeks. Not only because I'm trying to turn this hobby into a {small} money-maker, but also because with the holidays and massive hospital appointments for The Lamb, I have very little time to be wordy. So, here's your daily dose of c.u.t.e. ::

Welcome to....

{Fresh Fromage Photography} !!!I have been enjoying this so much, that I'm making a go of it on the business side. I already have clients lined up, and a meeting with the SBAC to 'officially' start up. The joy of this is:: I love it-and it fulfills my creative needs, I can start up now and get going and keep learning and growing, and I can do it from home (well, mostly. The editing at least I can do from home:-))

More to come....cleaning up the site and more on {Fresh Fromage Photography}....

Marcy's Clayground.... and the Very Long Day

If you've been following 'Liam's Saga', you know we had been waiting on an appointment to be made for us at Children's Hospital. Well, last week we got the word that we had one--for Tuesday (as in yesterday). Since this hospital is about a 2 hour drive for us in a pretty family friendly city, we decided to take the day and try to make it fun too--the very best science center for children in the country is located there (COSI), and the girls love going there (think lots of hands on play type learning).

The day started off fine--Nana even went with us-- there was minimal crying on the way up, and while this was the first time making the trip to Columbus with all three kids, we frequently did it with the girls--so no biggy. Liam's appt went well, and let me tell you, Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus has their s$#t together. We got right in to see Liam's pulmonologist and she was awesome. She ordered an x-ray, and we got right in for that too. The place was jam packed--but they run so smoothly. It was about as good as it gets for hospital experiences. (and btw, Liam's x-ray came back normal. No heart abnormalities. We go back after the holidays for more tests to find out exactly what is going on...but it at least is not the worst thing it could be--that is ruled out! Thank you God)

After all the appointments, we head over to German Village to stock up on salt rolls and Christmas cookies at Juergen's Bakery. If you've never been to this particular little bakery, you should go. Really, it is worth the drive. Especially if you are of German heritage---it will send you back to your childhood if you grew up eating all those delicious teeny tiny anise flavored cookies around the holidays like I did. And jam cookies. And marzipan. And almond wafers. YUM!

THEN, after eating lunch at Einsteins', finally, we head to COSI. By now the girls are super antsy and really want to run around and play. While driving into the lot (which looked suspiciously empty) we see it:: the sign that says 'Closed on Monday's and Tuesday's'. What the what!!??? I mean, seriously!!! After a brief flip-out, we head to the zoo...
We get to the zoo, get everyone out of the car, and realize it is about 30' out. Why we hadn't thought of this before, who knows. We normally wouldn't so much mind the cold and go anyway, but I hadn't exactly packed the kids up for super cold weather, because I thought we'd be inside all day. So all they had we their coats::no gloves, mittens, hats, etc.

Back into the car we all go. Mallie is crying that she wants to play! She put her jacket on! It's fine! She's not cold! Jools is crying that she's cold! She needs gloves! Liam is crying just because he's crying! Wahhhhh!

After much driving around and thinking and asking locals what to do because we absolutely cannot just go home now...we remember:: Marcy's Clayground! A place we have several times *almost* gone, but then did something else (zoo, park, COSI, etc.). Marcy's Clayground is a child friendly pottery painting studio. And let me tell you, it is awesome. Think bright colors, friendly staff, child-sized tables, fun stuff for kids to paint, a play area for toddlers (for when they get bored of the painting), etc. So. Much. Fun.
The girls each painted a plate and added some tiny figurines to it, and the kids all made me a Christmas present (requested by me, of course---a handprint platter) Mallie stayed and painted and painted....and she could've done ten projects without getting bored. Jools painted her one plate, and decided the play area was more suited to her busy-body style:-) Liam and Daddy chilled while Daddy worked via the phone....
It was very fun! We will definitely add this to our 'Columbus fun day' ideas and go back.

Childlike

"But then, shall I never get any older than I am now? That'll be a comfort, one way -- never to be an old woman -- but then -- always to have lessons to learn!" Alice

The Tree, The Tree

Let's go and get the tree! And fill it up with shiny lights for everyone to see!

Happy Friday!

She understands. Uh oh.

I've been feeling slightly claustrophobic lately around the kids--you know, because I don't ever even get to breathe by myself. I constantly have Mallie following me around talking to me, Jools hanging on a leg, and Liam sucking on my nip.ple. If I have to pee, I put Liam down for that dreaded minute and he screams and screams the entire time (I blog in the morning usually because I get a small 'break'--the girls scarfing down oatmeal while watching Dora, and Liam asleep at my breast. Yes, I type over him), and the girls follow me in. Now, Mallie is just now learning about privacy, so she may leave me alone occasionally, but Jools wants on my lap while I'm peeing. Because I don't have Liam there, and I'm sitting down after all, so its the perfect opportunity for her.

Anyway, I digress. The point of this post is that yesterday I felt a lot claustrophobic, and all I wanted was a few minutes to myself last night when Trent got home. He had to work late, so it already started off poorly, and then the kids wouldn't go to sleep of course....so it was looking bad for me and my 10 minutes of privacy. Trent sitting in the rocker with Liam, and me laying in bed between Mallie and Jools, I say (quietly) to Trent, 'Ugh, I wish I could just be alone for 10 friggin minutes, I need to not be touched', Trent- 'well go downstairs you're not going to be alone right here,' me- 'I can't, I need to get them to sleep' (they weren't going and insisted I stay).....

And then Mallie says, with just a tiny look of sadness as she rolls over to face away from me, 'Just go. Just go downstairs'.....like she just knew, and she had resigned herself to the fact that her mommy didn't want to be with her just then.

Oh so sad. It made me realize, yet again, that my baby is no longer a baby, and I need to be careful--very careful of what I say around her.

There will of course be times I do not want to be around my kids, times when I want to do things away from them, and times when I just need a break. I want my children to know that sometimes I need a little space, I can exist away from them, and I want them to see me take interest in the world away from them. But I never, ever, want my kids to feel that I do not want to be with them if they need me, or feel I pass them over, pass them up, or pass them off. Another one of those fine line parenting issue that is such a delicate balance.....

Always learning, and as always, parenting is the best, hardest, most stressful, most wonderful occupation out there.