Terrified would be putting it mildly

So as many of you know, Jerry has taken this amazing new job with Belle Foods in Birmingham, Alabama.  He is leaving a week from yesterday and as a result I will no longer be working.  I have cut back a great deal in preparing for this transition and I have to say it's been a little rocky for all of us.  Last Tuesday I had the pleasure of driving Jerry to work so I could have the car for the day (something Jerry has been doing multiple times a week for over 2 years with no complaint). We got up at 6 am, got ready for the day and drove Jerry to UCONN.  When we got there Jerry realized he needed the keys to his office which were on the key ring with the car keys.  He had multiple keys so it made sense to just take the car key off and give him the rest.  We quickly left.  We had little time to get home in time for the bus so that I could get to an 830 am Doctors appointment in Manchester.  After taking a wrong turn we made it home with only 2 minutes to spare.  Perfect!  We would run inside and grab the backpacks and lunches and be right on schedule.  WRONG!  Jerry had the key ring and I was locked out of the condo.  UGGGG!!!  I quickly ran to the office, got the spare key and grabbed the backpacks as my amazing neighbor took the girls to the bus stop.  Somehow the bus was just late enough that I was able to get the backpacks to the bus stop and get them off to school.  Back to the van and now off to Manchester, I was already feeling ready for a nap.  One hour at the office and Avery and I headed to BJs for gas and groceries.  In getting gas I noticed that the wrench was lit in the van and we needed an oil change, so off to Larry's garage for an oil change, where I had to attempt to entertain an infant without putting her on the floor where she likes to be.  We rushed home in just enough time to unload the groceries, nurse Avery, stuff an sandwich in my mouth and then run to the bus stop to get Ansley.  We then jumped back into the van and ran to UCONN to pick up Jerry so we could run back to Manchester for Doctors appointments for Jerry and Ansley. While at the apt I lost track of time and managed to miss Ally's bus.  Again my fantastic neighbor Dan came to my rescue and got Ally for me.  Exhausted, I wonder, could this really be easier than going to work?  At the end of the day I had to admit to Jerry that I am a bit nervous about my new role as a stay at home mom.  After all, sedating the children will not be an option if they become unruly and there are no mandates about 30 minute lunches and breaks.  No regulations on mommy to child ratios and no ancillary homework helpers or dinner preparers.  It will be all on me.  I pathetically asked him to try to remember how hard it has been for him over the last 5 years and to try to be sympathetic when the roles reverse when he admitted to me that he is a little nervous as well.  He has been at home with the girls taking them to school, karate and Daisy's and doing the homework and night time routines all while being my personal chauffeur.  I think it's going to be a learning curve and shock to both of our systems.  People keep asking me if I am going to be OK once Jerry leaves next week.  My answer is, I am going to be fine, the kiddos on the other hand, may not be. 

8 months old

Where to begin.  Avery you are getting so very big.  Everyday you amaze us with something new you have learned.  You are still a chunky little monkey just like we like you.  You have the plumpest thighs and arms and have rolls all over.  You are a beautiful baby inside and out. You are officially into your 9-12 month clothes and fill them out beautifully. You have the face of a perfect little doll and an amazing temperament to go with it.  You are so easy going.  Thank goodness because it is a rare occasion for you to ever get a day where you get all your feedings and naps on time or at all.  I will say though that you have found your voice and are not afraid to use it.  Especially when telling your big sisters you have had enough.  You are finally taking to the baby food although there are still days when you seem like you could just care less and you still spit a great amount of it out.  If you are into eating you grunt and yell if I don't get the next bite to your mouth.  Something your dad thinks is hilarious.  You are definitely not patient about all things but neither am I so I can't find fault in that.  You definitely have a bit of your dads short temper though.  Your cry is like no other.  And while you don't do it often there is no mistaking it when you do.  You have been crawling for a few weeks now and are quite proficient at it.  Just this weekend you tackled the task of climbing the one step up into the kitchen.  I guess I am going to have to do a better job of keeping the kitchen floor clean because today after a day of sweeping it with your belly you were filthy!  You have yet to get the first tooth making you our latest teether ever.   I think my favorite thing about you though is your laugh.  You laugh like your big sister Ansley, from your belly and as soon as you hear someone laugh you erupt in laughter.  It's the cutest thing ever.  You love your sisters and they love you.  I can't imagine life without you in it.  It's hard to believe you have only been with us 8 short months and yet it seems like yesterday I gave birth to you.

I LOVE MY KIDS, I LOVE MY KIDS

So I have fallen off the blogging wagon so to say and have been meaning to get back on for some time so here goes.

Today, despite not feeling well I had the best intentions of getting my children outside.  It was beautiful and sunny.  50's but nice.  So after putting Avery down for a nap we took out the bikes and headed out to Henry Park for some quality outdoor mommy, daughter time. Helmets and all.  Yes, Jerry was at home supervising the babe and grading and I for a moment felt like a good mom.  My bubble was quickly popped when  we weren't even out of sight of the front door and the whining ensued.  Thinking it was just because they hadn't been out on their bikes in a while we continued.  This was the mistake.  If one wasn't crying or whining the other started.  I went back and forth trying to encourage them to keep trying, keep riding, the park is close.  We finally get there, my nerves are shot but I look gleefully on at the play scape that I am sure will grant me just a couple of minutes of peace with my magazine.  NOPE!  First run down that great big yellow slide and Ansley has dislodged a chunk of ice revealing the cold wet water below.  She is soaked and wailing.  I given her 2 options.  We can leave now or she can play wet.  She wants to stay.  Ahhh, I crack my magazine.  I hear crying.  Now Ansley is crying because she is not  swinging as high as Ally is on the swings.  Mind you she is swinging far higher than I could ever push her so I am at a loss for what she would like me to do.  Yet the wailing continues until despite all my effort to contain myself, I lose it and we pack it up for home.  I think we made it a whole 4 minutes, but who is counting.  This has no positive effect on the whining.  We are 2 minutes into the ride home and I decide that the bikes don't need to move with us to Alabama because the girls will never be allowed to ride them again!  Chanting I love my kids, I love my kids, over and over in my head we somehow make it home alive.  Ansley changes clothes and I find that a moment of peace where I decide (really it took some convincing in the moment) that I do LOVE my kids.

So here it goes!

To my girls, I Love You!
I love you when you smile, especially at me.
I love you when you love and help each other.
I love the way you love your baby sister and the way she loves you too!
I love the way you love to help.
I love you when you are so quiet I have to look for you.
I love you when you listen, especially the first time.
I love you when you use your words.
I love to see you grow and learn.
I love you when you laugh.
I love the little love notes and pictures you make for me.
I love you when you wake, even at 6 am.
I love you when you fight.
I love you when you tell me my dinner is "disgusting"
I love you when you call me "mean"
I love you when I yell.
I love you even when you think I don't love you.
And most of all, I love you even when our day doesn't go as planned.
Because these are the real moments.
The moments I am reminded everyday are passing so very quickly.
So I love you.  Even when you aren't perfect.
I love you because you love me and I'm not perfect either.

6 months today

Hard to believe but Avery is already 6 months old.  Time goes so fast.  She is still toothless but teething like crazy.  She is also up on hands and knees.  Rocking like crazy and pretty good at going backwards.  She has found herself stuck under the couch several times already.  Not too good at going forward yet although sometimes she kind of just jousts herself forward.  She is turning and rolling everywhere.  She also loves her jumper.  She hasn't been sleeping the best since our trip home but I am hopeful it will improve.  She is also not a huge fan of baby food, especially the fruits.  I think they are too tart for her.  She is also pretty good at sitting up.  Almost well enough for her 6 month pictures.  She absolutely knows her name and loves to hear it.  She adores her sisters.  Daddy too!  She is still somewhat perplexed by her reflection but likes to look at it.  She loves her thumb!!   Today Jerry took her for her well visit.  The nurses were so impressed that he was there with her by himself.  He is such a great dad.  I told him if this job in Birmingham doesn't work out he has become one heck of a good house wife.  She weighed in at 17 lbs 11 ounces (80% percentile) and was 25.5 inches long (50%)  She has the shortest chubbiest hands and fingers.  It's so cute.  She took her shots like a champ.  As soon as she saw Jerry he said she just laughed.  She gets so excited she just gets both her arms and legs going at the same time.  Her laugh, like Ansley's, is totally contagious.  She is a happy happy kid!

New Year brings New Blessings

So I had the pleasure of working New Years weekend again.  Jerry is such a trooper and had the kiddos for 3 straight days and nights.  During that time I was able to reflect on what was probably one of the hardest but most blessed years for us as a family.  Financially it was a tight one.  In all of our married years we have never made so little, yet somehow neither of us could think of one thing we felt like we did without.  Ally has had the most difficult start of the school year thus far but we are finally making progress in the fact that she is being tested and we should have some answers soon.  My third pregnancy was definitely a hard one physically but I was blessed with the birth I have always wanted, natural and quick.  The best part, a beautiful baby girl who we couldn't imagine living without.  A lot of fighting between the girls lately but also some of those sweet tender moments that make it all worth it.  The blessing of a husband worthy to baptize a child of God, and a daughter faithful enough to desire it.  A husband who after much struggle and defeat finally passed his comps.  An adjunct position at the University of Hartford to help pay for some extra expenses.  A crazy year of weather, 70 plus inches of snow over the winter, an earthquake, a tornado, a hurricane and then a freak winter storm in October.  A total of 12 days without power but a stronger testimony of the blessings of preparedness and heeding the words of the prophet.  It has truly been an amazing year.  And if all of that wasn't enough in what was almost the final hour of the year we received one of the biggest blessing we have EVER received.  A job offer better than any we could ever imagine.  So with that we look forward to our next big adventure in Birmingham Alabama!  We are sad to see this chapter of our lives coming to an end.  We will miss so much about Ct but we are thrilled to see what the future hold for us.  I truly believe that the Lord works in ways we will never fully comprehend.  He loves us and wants to bless us.  I am grateful and humbled by the trials and blessings of this past year and look forward to 2012.  Happy New Year!!!!

Avery Lorette Rice

Today we welcomed Avery Lorette Rice to our family.  She was born at 1:01 pm and weighed in at 8 lbs, 4 oz.  Her length was 19 3/4 inches long.  She has the cutest chubby cheeks we've ever seen on a baby and she loves her thumb!  The girls are ecstatic! 

Crazy New England Weather

So from 2 weeks of straight rain, to a week of high humidity and almost 90 degrees, to deadly tornado's just a short distance away and now back into the 60's my body is completely confused.  Jerry has even said he is cold.  Really 69 degrees, it's not cold.  I have loved the retreat of temps back into the 60's because it has lead to a return of what I once knew as my ANKLES!  For the last 3 weeks they have been swollen beyond recognition.  It's been so bad that it hurts to walk on them.  Sunday was so bad that I couldn't get my feet into anything but a pair of 2 dollar Old Navy flip flops.  I thought it was something I was just going to have to endure but it seems like it is related to the heat.  Because as of right now (almost 10 pm) I could still pick them out as my own in a lineup.  Something I usually cannot do by 10 am!!  So as far as I'm concerned, it can stay sunny and 60 FOREVER!  Or at least for the remainder of this pregnancy.