As they say in Ireland — We had a “brilliant”, “grand”, “beautiful”, and “darling” time. It was by far one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen with my naked eyes, and the people were the nicest I have ever traveled amongst. You always hear how people want the “luck o’ the Irish”, but I would WAY rather have the “kindness o’ the Irish”! My mom has always tried to teach our family to “go the extra mile” in everything we do, but I have never seen it in action like in Ireland. When you stopped to ask for directions, they would have you follow them in your car. When you were given a room without a bath, and asked if there was any way to change it, they gave you a room with a bath, and had you keep both rooms for the night.
Micah drove on the left side of the road, and did a brilliant job. I navigated and also did a brilliant job according to me. (Micah griped a few times.) We had a grand time, and my Irish accent is booming. Actually….the oddest thing happened. My Irish accent was better at the beginning of the trip than the end. The other oddest thing happened. My pictures are tainted because of a husband who was trying to grow an Irish beard the whole time. UH — first of all — you are Japanese. Second of all — we only ran across about three beards the whole time we traveled.
The morning after three flights totaling 14 hours, two layovers totaling 4 hours, and a 7 hour time change. (Not including the three times I was up last night to coax my awake children back to bed.) He looks how I feel.
(Here she is in her own seat on the plane!)
I don’t know if you would have asked to spend your two month birthday cooped up in a plane all day long…..but since you can’t talk, we assumed. Happy two months Baby Navy! It was just yesterday that I realized that you are starting to copy people. When Nonnie or I stick out our tongue, you try your hardest to get yours out also. And when Trilby does a little “ooohhh” sound, and makes her lips into a little O, you try to do that also. You are so alert, and so pleasant. When I ran all around to get ready for our trip, I had you with me. You didn’t make a peep the whole time. And when I would check to see if you were snoozing, I would see your pretty blue eyes just looking around and discovering the world. You are a doll, and actually get mistaken for a doll all the time. People are constantly asking if you are real because you are so tiny, and have the cutest little features. I am so glad to have you around, and am so glad that I get stay at home and raise you and be with you. Best Friends Forever (and Scout too!).
When I saw this….I knew this shirt that it was calling my name. Little did I know that we would be stuck on an airplane for countless hours on St. Pat’s day with an almost two year old….who is really milking the whole “terrible twos” early.
When Micah was in high school playing football, members of his family would always wear shirts that said something to the effect of “#26’s Sister”. (Obviously he was #26, and obviously the Grandma’s would say Grandma.) I thought it was cool….especially for Micah….so when I took Scout down to his cousin Jake’s track meet, we made him his very own shirt. Scout was yelling “Go Jake” from the second we got there, and thought it was so fun to see Jake run.
Trey also loved to watch Jake, and take pictures of him (and everything else). Megan almost had a heart attack when she saw Trey had climbed the chain link fence to take pictures of Jake with her really expensive camera. When Megan called him out on it, he said, “Duh Mom…I had it around my neck”!
He also loved stuffing his face the entire time and playing with Dey and Doey. (Somehow I don’t have a pic of his best cousins.)
Navy had a great time too, as Megan (my sister of the year) held her. She was totally covered in a mass of pink, and stayed plenty warm.
The meet was great. Jake shaved 45 seconds off his last year’s time in the two mile, he got his PR, and got first in J.V. I think he loved having Scout and Navy there to support. Having me….I am not so sure. I yelled so loud every time he came our way, that I asked afterward if he could hear me. He looked at me and laughed, and said, “Yeah…who couldn’t!” Just wait until I make myself a shirt and yell….then Jake….you will really be embarassed.
In an attempt to not clutter up the fridge, I only hang Scout’s most recent piece of artwork. And ever since Valentine’s Day, Scout points out his “heart” that he made in nursery daily. Since it has been a month since V Day, and they make a new picture every week in nursery, it is probably evident that he hasn’t been in nursery. It isn’t because we haven’t been there, it is simply because he has major meltdowns. Don’t ask me how he was the very best kid in nursery when he first attended (according to the teachers…not me), and now he won’t even go in. Everyone says it is the age, so I am crossing my fingers. But for four weeks now, I have been telling him how much I love the “heart”, and how badly I want another picture. He just squinches up his face and tilts his head to the side and sweetly says, “no….” and then points to the heart and says, “heart” as he nods yes.
I’ll let the pictures do the talking…..(with a few captions)
Micah set up balls on strings last week, to make sure nobody crashes into the garage. (For good reason since since my mom has had a few “accidents”.)
My Mom’s car – string with no ball
And I quote, “I didn’t understand why my door wasn’t shutting. So I just went back and slammed it really hard”.
The ball ended up on the floor of the car…..with the aftermath of an apparently “really hard” slam.
My mom’s reaction to our disgust. Skilly laughs. (Notice the irony with the car in the background…perfectly parked…as it lightly touches the stringed ball.)
Sometimes I feel like I am living in the middle of a Seinfield episode. (And my Mom is usually playing George.)
Navy took her first shower with her Daddy today. She loved it, and didn’t make a peep. Too bad Micah looks a little terroristy, with his beard he his trying to grow for Ireland, in her “first shower” picture. (He says he is trying to grow it out to fit in with the Leprechauns. I am wondering if he is tricking me and we are really heading to the Middle East instead of Ireland?)
It is not like me to be nervous about much, but when I thought about taking my 6 week old for a walk in the double stroller, I actually hesitated. But I finally decided today was the day, so I packed Scout and Navy into the stroller, conned Skilly to come, and off we headed to pick up Calin. I don’t know what I was worried about since Navy was a dream the whole way, and didn’t make a single peep. We walked just under 5 miles and were gone for about three hours. Thankfully, it wasn’t until Skylar got her out at the mailboxes about 100 yards from our front door that she even opened her eyes.
I also came up with a great temporary solution to the two massive hills that are on the route. I told Skylar that we should each count 100 steps and then switch. (I told her that by switching, we could have the same amount of exercise.) Brilliant!
Scout calls it her”Circle”, I call it her “Lucky Swirl”, and my mom calls it her future hair “Nightmare”! When Navy was born, she came out with the cutest little cowlick on her right side, in the very front of her head. It really is adorable, and people constantly notice it. I have had a few people say that she is going to be really bummed when she grows up because it will cause serious hair drama, and more importantly, she will never get to cut bangs. I nod my head and agree, but I am secretly thinking that she might just be lucky. You see…..I have had people comment on the “body” and “lift” in my hair has since I was little. Maybe I have a cowlick that is in the same place. Can you imagine the lift that she is going to get? What a dream! And if not — she can always move to Texas where you know what they say — the bigger the better! (But I will vouch that the day I cut bangs was the first day I regretted cutting bangs. It took me twenty minutes just to style the stinking things….and they never “trained” like everyone always said they would! That is the biggest bunch of bull!)
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