Two and three quarters

My baby is turning three years old tomorrow.  THREE!!  How is that even possible?

For the past few months, whenever Vivian was asked how old she was, she always replied by saying, "Two and three quarters."

A few hours ago,  I came to the sad realization that after today, Vivian would never answer that question the same way again.  So, just before bed I asked her how old she was just so I could hear the "two and three quarters" answer one last time.

Four Hugs a Day

 I don't know about the rest of you, but life is especially crazy right now. I can hardly wait for summer time which means . . . (drum roll please) NO HOMEWORK! I think I might actually be more excited about this then the kiddos.  Our schedule has been filled with school projects, written reports, oral reports, and end of the year performances.

Recently, Eliza's class did a "Year End Review" of the songs and poems that her class learned over the school year. I love watching school performaces, espcially if it involves a group of five and six year olds when anything can happen. I am one of those sappy moms who cries my way through the performace. Maybe it is because I already have one kiddos who is getting close to junior high. Maybe it is because the years seem to be going faster and faster and no matter what I do, my kids keep growing up. I am not sure. What I can tell you is that I enjoyed every second of Eliza's performance.

Here is a clip of my favorite song of the morning. Check out my daughter with the big personality in the front row.

And here is Eliza's number one fan: 

I hope you all are enjoying the end of the school year as much as we are!

The love of a Mother

I am sure by now you have all seen this new advertisment by Procter & Gamble honoring all that a Mother does for her child.

I love it.  Love, love, love it!

I have watched it at least fifteen times and it brings me to tears every single time.

There is no feeling like the love for a child.  Grab a tissue and enjoy!

The pain of Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a hard day for me. 

It has absolutely nothing to do with my own wonderful Mother.  She is loving, kind, smart and I love her to pieces.

Instead, it has to do with the giant hole in my heart.  The hole that was left there when my oldest son left this world ten years ago today.

I remember Mother's Day ten years ago as if it was yesterday.  Gabriel's health was slipping.  He was having a harder and harder time with his oxygen levels.  We had been in and out of the hospital so many times, and Keith and I were barely sleeping as we tended to Gabriel's needs around the clock.  I remember hating the sound of the oxygen monitor beeping throughout the night.  I remember all of the medications.  I remember singing Christmas carols to Gabriel in the middle of May because I knew that we would likely not have another Christmas with him.  I remember wishing that I had more time and wishing that I did not have to waste that precious time on basic things like sleeping and eating.

On that Mother's Day ten years ago, I remember sitting in our apartment and watching Keith sleeping on the coach, both boys sleeping in his arms.  I knew that our time was short.  I must have spent 30 minutes just staring at the three of them.  Memorizing the way that they looked together.  Loving the way that the twins always moved toward each other while they were sleeping.

Four days later Gabriel left this Earth for heaven.  I was with him in the PICU.  Holding him.  Loving him.  Singing to him.  I asked all the doctors and nurses to leave us alone.  One kind nurse floated around in the background.  Checking on me.  Somehow knowing exactly what I needed and when I needed it.  Praise music playing in the background.  I was there with my precious baby boy was born into this world and I was there with him when he left this world for heaven.

Part of me died that day along with Gabriel.  I know that the hole in my heart will never completely heal.  It has been ten years, and sometimes the pain can still hit me like a tidal wave - raw and fresh.   During a recent small group study discussing the miracles performed by Jesus the question was asked, "Have you ever been with someone when they died?"  An innocent enough question, but I felt as if a lightening bolt had struck my body.  I have.  I held my son as he died.  I am eternally grateful that I was with Gabriel at the end of his life, but the pain that I felt as he died is indescribable.

So for me, Mother's Day is difficult.  Yes, I have four beautiful children on earth that I love more than words can express.  Yes, I have a husband who makes things special for me.  Yes, I have my own wonderful Mother.  But to me, Mother's Day is intertwined with the loss of Gabriel. 

I miss you my sweet precious boy and look forward to the day that I will see you again in Heaven.

"I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life will be given over to the LORD."  1 Samuel 1:27-28.

InstaFriday - its been a while

I knew when I started this blog that I would be a sporadic poster.  But, every once in a while it is fun to pop on here and post what our family has been up to.  Here is a glimpse of our past two weeks via Instagram photos:

First up, Easter morning before church. 

I will continue to dress my kiddos in matching clothes as long as they let me.

Spring Break was filled with a visit from our mid-west family.

I can't believe that my five year old has the body of an Olympian - - where do all those muscles come from?

Three little sand mermaids.

Lovin' the orange smiles

I do what I can to keep the little ones entertained while we wait for food to arrive at a restaurant.

A trip to the petting zoo at Irvine Regional Park.

A trip to Disneyland in the rain - our absolute favorite time to go.  We were able to ride on almost every single ride in the park, and some of the rides multiple times!  A little water does not scare us.  We just pack rain coats, parkas and umbrellas and enjoy the park to the fullest.   

Drying off on Pirates of the Carribean.

and having to evacuate Thunder Mountain when the ride broke down. 

 And, finally, a family trip to the bowling alley.

 

Each kid with a unique style. 

Link up at Life. Rearraged with your instagram photos from the week



The Mona Lisa

A few nights ago, Noah and I were laying in his bed reading some books.  As we were reading, we came across a picture of Leonardo daVinci's painting, the Mona Lisa.  Noah specifically asked about the painting because he had seen it before.  I explained to Noah, that the Mona Lisa was one of the most famous paintings in all the world and was worth millions of dollars. 

"But, why?" he asked. 

I then tried to explain that many people describe the women's smile in the painting as being very mysterious.  People wonder why she is smiling and what is the story behind the painting.

Noah was still not convinced.  "But why is it worth millions of dollars?  Lots of people can paint pictures of people.  Even kids in my class can paint pictures like this."  Hmm, you think so buddy?  Not so sure about that.

Then I tried another tact by explaining that at one point in history the painting was stolen and was missing for two years before it was found.  That did not work either.  Eventually Noah just shrugged his sholders and we continued reading.  The idea of a piece of artwork being worth millions of dollars completely lost on him.

I was tempted to show Noah some of Jackson Pollack's work, but ultimately decided that he had experienced enough confustion for one night. 

I am not going to lie

It has been rough around the Taylor household lately.

Where should I begin?  I could tell you about the crazy cold that hit our household (at least I think it was a cold . . . I really have no idea).  It slowly infected each member of our family one at a time.  Not all at once, which, quite frankly I would have preferred.  Noooo, instead it decided to taunt us by infecting one person with a high fever for days in a row, only to be finally rid of all signs of illness, and them BAM, it claimed its next victim.  Talk about weeks of never ending sickness.

Eliza was the first victim.  After day four of a high fever we took her to the pediatrician where we were told she had a sinus infection.  We were given a prescription, and in a few days she was feeling better and back to her old self.  Next Noah was hit, followed a few days later by Davis.  Thinking that Eliza was free and clear, you can image my surprise when she walked into my bedroom one morning with bright red cheeks and that glazed look in her eyes that a mother immediately identifies as a fever.  Poor girl got sick even though she was antibiotics. 

For a while I thought that Vivian and I were the sole survivors of the Great Sickness of 2012.  Nope.  Not a chance.  The only problem is that I only was mildly sick.  Moms, you know what I am talking about.  Not sick enough to lay around in bed all day and milk the rare opportunity to take a break.  Instead, just sick enough to feel miserable while taking care of the rest of the family at the same time.  Fun times.

Or, I could tell you about our nanny's broken rib.  Yep, you read that one right.  Our poor nanny (who is a rock-star of a soccer player), was hit so hard during a soccer game last weekend that one of her ribs broke!  First and foremost, I felt bad for her.  She couldn't walk.  Couldn't drive.  Couldn't laugh.  And was in a great deal of pain.  Of course that also meant that she could not take care of four children which made for a difficult week.  Keith and I cobbled together a plan, alternating days that we stayed home, and stayed up until late at night trying to stay caught up at work.  Ever try drafting a legal pleading with a two year old around?  No?  Well, lucky you.  I would not recommend it.

Finally, I could tell you about (and I shudder to even type this) the MOLD that we found under our flooring in the kids' bathroom.  Yep, mold.  This OCD neat freak mom has mold in her house.  Apparently there were some cracks in the flooring which allowed moisture to accumulate between the flooring and the subflooring.  So, right now we are down a bathroom and taking estimates for repairing the floor and subfloor.  I am also trying to retain some of my patience as I struggle to share the master bathroom with the five other members of the family.  I think I am going to have to post a shower sign-up board soon.

Things can only get better from here, right?