birthday party

Roma's little celebration was thrown together at the last minute. And it wasn't really little. We planned a quiet evening with the family at home, but our ward boundaries were changed night before, so we decided to move the party to the park and invite friends to celebrate with us. Not really to say goodbye (because we will definitely seem them often) but because we were having banana splits and it seemed like the right thing to do after a ward split.  Wish I would have taken more pictures of everyone there... oh well.  This is what I have and it'll do.

The biggest mistake I made on her birthday was not throwing a big party, but making the cupcakes. I planned on picking them up at the store, but at the bakery, Luke and I had a crazy idea to make monkey cupcakes. We picked up a box of vanilla wafers and spent the afternoon in the kitchen. kind of fun, but not really.. what I really wanted to do was spend a quiet afternoon getting my nails done with my baby girl, but that will have to be later on this week.  :)

While we were making cupcakes, Ro spent the day with one of her favorite friends, Jane.  They have such a sweet and special relationship.  Jane took her to the park and pushed her in the swings and played with her.  She has been in her life everyday since her first few breathes.  

These are our sweetest neighbors and friends.  We love them dearly and will miss seeing them on Sunday for sure.  Elizabeth has given Roma some of the cutest clothes and most thoughtful gifts and cards.  So glad they could celebrate with us!

There is a party waiting to happen wherever Crazy Kate goes.

Love this picture below.  These are Ro's favorite gal pals.  She will see Katie and Olivia Staten from across the room and absolutely freak out.  They are our go-to babysitters and are just the sweetest people ever.  Katie is the new "Bishop's wife" for the new ward and she (they) will be awesome.  Lucky, lucky ward..

Ellie and Roma.. just a few weeks apart in age.  Ellie runs circles around Ro.  and she weighs half as much.  These two have had playdates since they were babies... and now they're just so big!

Cute friends playing on the rainbow!

We played a water balloon game with the older kids and it was wild.  I LOVE that Simon is in the middle of these big kids... he's one tough cookie!

Olivia sent Roma home with her beloved princess piano and she's been laying on it nonstop.  Livi has given Ro her kitchen, baby dolls, cribs, and the most darling clothes.  We couldn't be more grateful!

october second

we partied hard yesterday.  I don't think the kids were in bed until 11 pm.  Roma was awake until midnight.  (she might as well celebrate every minute of her birthday, dontcha think?)  It was a fun party.  We came home, unloaded the cars.  I thought the kids were going to crash, so I called my BFF for a quick conversation.  It turned into 3 hours.  Karlin and I do NOT call each other anymore because we can't have quick conversations.  When I finally hung up the phone with her, Aaron looked at me and said, "Well, that sounded like an interesting discussion."  Which made me laugh because it was.  We talked politics, girl drama, family problems, and Bachelorette news, just to name a few.  All very important stuff.  We can switch topics quickly and get right to the heart of the matter.  I think I finally fell asleep around 2 am.  my cell phone was dead so I couldn't check the time.  Thankfully it was still dead when my alarm was supposed to go off at 5:30 am to exercise.  that was the start of all my problems today.

Last night/this morning, I told Karlin a little bit about my experience this last year after Roma joined our family.  I shared something personal about how Roma's birth changed the way I parent.  I told her in the past 365 days, I haven't yelled at my kids once.  Not once.  I rarely get frustrated with them and I have not lost my patience...not one time.  I see my children in a new light and our home is a different place.

But apparently a new year starts today.  I totally lost it with my kids this afternoon.  I guess there was just a magical spell and it only lasted a year.  I think it had to do with the fact that I am exhausted and the kids were exhausted and our house was a disaster after coming back from our trip and not being in our regular routine.  I honestly don't know WHAT it was, but I spent several hours this morning cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.  mopping, putting away party gear, vacuuming under couches, etc.  I was hoping to get the babies down for a nap at the same time so I could finally rest and what I got was zero naps from either of them.  Which turned a long afternoon into a nightmare.

Before we left for FL, I used the last bit of the ground beef we have stashed in the freezer.  So when we got back and I saw it was on sale, I bought a ton.  I loathe cooking meat... it's one of my least favorite things about my job.  It's been sitting in the fridge for days and I was secretly hoping Aaron would simmer it this weekend and freeze it for me (cause he is the one who eats it anyway... him and our 5 kids) but the weekend was too busy and still it sat.  I finally broke down and fried it up an hour before Aaron got home.  Perfect timing to cook a cow while trying to wrangle 5 kids before dinner.  Roma was screaming her head off in her high chair (really, her head almost fell off.)  Simon was writing on the walls and drinking the oil discard from the ground beef (yes, he did.) Zack was making a paper trail of scraps all over my newly vacuumed floors.  Luke was pounding on the keyboard and Ben was asking me questions about endangered animals and captivity.  I was totally done.  I yelled at everyone and then I started crying.

Aaron came home and took one look at me before he started laughing.  I threw a hot pad in his direction and missed.  And then I said in a very serious voice, "I am not sure how to tell you this, but I am going to run away from home and never come back."  He dished up the kids food at the table while I laid on the couch in the other room.  I heard him say, "Okay kids, on the count of three, let's scream: Thanks for dinner, Mom!"  They screamed it several times before he thought it was good enough.  and eventually I came into join them, but only because I was hungry.

During the meal, Simon had to go #2 and ran for the toilet.  Roma was now out of her highchair (her squeals were becoming too loud and annoying so Aaron held her and fed her from his plate.)  When Simon screamed from the bathroom that he was ready for a bum check, Aaron said, "I will go if you want to hold Roma."  I jumped up from the table and said, "Oh no.  I would rather wipe poop than hold that baby."  After the business in the bathroom was finished, Simon said, "Good job for going poop, Mom!"  I told him I didn't go, he did.  He smiled and said, "But you were a good gurl and went yesterday!"  That child is my favorite even though he's the worst.

After dinner things got wild and crazy again and I had to get away from the noise.  Before I came upstairs, I took one look at the house and said loud enough for all to hear, "Don't even worry about the messes you made tonight.  Just leave everything as it is, I will spend my entire day cleaning up after you tomorrow."

For the past 30 minutes, I've been lying on my bed breathing in and out very slowly.  And then I decided I wanted to blog.  For some reason, I like writing about my hard days.  I want my baby girl to read these entries when she's a young mom so she can know what a pill she was.  (She is a total drama queen.)  But then again, she's super cute too.  Aaron just stuck his head in the doorway.  He was holding Ro in her new cute pink monkey jammies.  He had her wave and say goodnight to me and she flashed the sweetest goober smile and I waved back.  But I still didn't want to hold her.  Maybe tomorrow I will love them all again.....

first

Today is October First.  It is the birthday of two very special women in my life, both named Roma.

Last year at this time, I was probably crying.  Crying out of exhaustion, joy and pure amazement over the events that took place in my bedroom.  I wrote my personal thoughts in my journal that evening.  Over time, I shared a few of my memories on this blog.  Out of 365 days that have past since that experience, I have thought about it every single day for one reason or another.  It has changed me and the way I parent.  I am better because she was born.  Her life has brought so much happiness and joy into our home.

I will write about my darling, spunky, messy, sassy ONE year old soon.  But today I wanted to share a few pages from her baby book.  A letter I wrote her the day she was born.
.

Crazy about this girl of mine.

To read more about her delivery, go HERE or HERE. 

To read more about my special Grandma Roma, go HERE or HERE or HERE.

roadtrip to the ALLIGATOR FARM!

Our first day in Florida, we decided to drive down south to the Alligator Farm in Homestead, FL. It did not disappoint. There were only a handful of people there, and I believe we were the only ones under 60. They got a ton of attention, sat front row for all the shows, got to hold the baby alligators and wrap snakes around their necks, feed the catfish & turtles and even eat alligator tail!  It was a great day and perfect weather.  Definitely worth the drive... (and not too expensive.  I think it was around $100 for our family to spend the day there.)

The only video I took was at the alligator show.  And the only reason I pulled out my camera was because it went all wrong.  Instead of performing, the alligators kept running back into the pool in the back.  This poor guy had to drag them out of the pool to finish the show like five times.  and it was SO entertaining to watch.  He didn't have a microphone, and even though we were on the first row, you can barely hear him. The first video is him pulling the alligator out again BEFORE the demonstration even started.  At the end of this first clip he says, "Show's over!"  He really worked up a sweat.  Just after this second video ended he said, "This is why I should have stayed in school."  And then pointing to my boys he said, "You kids go to college so you don't end up dragging alligators by their tails all day long."  What he doesn't realize is that is one good reason NOT to go to college.  Who wants to study when they can play with real live Gators??

We also took an airboat ride out in the Everglade alligator swamps.  While on the ride, I felt like I was taking too much video, but now I wish I would have taken more!  There were alligators all around the boat.  My favorite was a very protective mama with several babies swimming around here (just a few inches long!)  But I was too busy watching with my mouth open to take any pictures or video of them.  This is what I do have:

Things to remember about our day:

• Ro LOVED the airboat ride, as long as she was facing us :)  Simon would not get off the boat and wanted to go again.  I had to sit down and explain that it would cost us too much money to pay for another ride.  The rest of the trip, he would say, "When I grow up and turn 17, I will pay all my monies to go on that fast boat."  So cute.
• Our boat tour guide was also named Luke.  He looked like a surfer dude and was hilarious.  He was born with only one hand (the other was a stub).  He told our kids an alligator ate his other hand and my boys believed him.  
• Ben and Luke's hair was cray cray after the airboat ride.  We laughed so hard when they took off their earphones.  Ben tried to fix his asap, but I was able to get a few pictures...  (it was crazier in person.)
• We saw a very rare bird in the swamps.  Luke, our guide, said it never comes out and is endangered. I can't remember anything else about it, including it's name, but I snapped a picture of it.  It was just a few branches away from us.
• All day Simon was begging us for a $5 Popsicle all day and I would NOT buy it for him.  I told Aaron that he would take two licks and let it melt all over his (only) shirt.  Aaron caved and bought it for him anyway.  He took two licks and let it melt all over his (only) shirt.   

a few notes about the road trip...

The drive back to Ft. Lauderdale was LOOOOONG.  It was raining and there was lots of traffic and the last hour turned into 3 or 4 hours.  Thankfully, we had our vacation soundtrack to listen and dance to.  And I am so grateful my kids are great travelers.  This video isn't exciting at all, but it's the only footage I have of us in the car.  Natasha Bettingfield has come away with the theme song for both Ft. Lauderdale vacations..  I think her album "pocketful of sunshine" sums up how we feel about Florida and the beach. Lady Gaga, Adele, Michael Buble, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Sugarland, Chris Brown, Black Eyed Peas, Gotye & Adam Lambert also made the soundtrack this trip.  If you want a copy of our CD, let me know and I will mail it to you :)  Those songs will always remind me of this awesome trip with my awesome kids.

*I booked the car rental and Hertz wouldn't let Aaron drive because the reservation wasn't in his name (We had to pay $15 more per day.. no thanks.)  I was so bugged.  I NEVER drive when we roadtrip.  Aaron is the best driver (fast and cautious).  I am so much better with the kids and I have become a pro at giving directions.  But this trip was hilarious because we learned to appreciate each other's roles.  Let it be known that I am a crazy driver and Aaron is terrible at giving directions.  But we didn't get in a wreck and eventually we got to where we needed to be.  Fun memories.

take off

This is my fifth attempt to blog about our beach vacation.  not sure where to begin or which pictures to upload first.  I've decided not to take bigger bites than I can chew, so I will document a little at a time.  Tonight I am going to write about our departing flight.  This I can do.

Two years ago Aaron and I vacationed in the Florida Keys for our tenth anniversary and it was dreamy.  While we were on the beach in Ft Lauderdale we talked about bringing the kids back to this beach--  and since then we've talked about it dozens of times.  Funny thing is, I've pictured us playing on this very beach for the past two years.  I just knew it was going to happen sooner than later.  So glad it happened sooner!

We always watch for cheap flights to Florida.  I usually calculate how much it will be for six of us to fly.. and it's always too much.  A few months ago, we came across a deal we couldn't pass up. Nonstop flights from Vegas to Ft Lauderdale for $40 round trip, per person. We booked without thinking about it ($237 for the entire family) and we've been counting down the days ever since... yes, with a paper chain.  Simon is the only one in the family who hasn't flown on an airplane and he was by far the most excited.  If you've talked to him in the past two months, guaranteed he told you he was going on an airplane to Florida.  Anyone standing behind us in the grocery store knew when and where we were flying because Simon told them all about it.

The downside to cheap airfare was the time of day it left.. red-eye flights!  Who takes 5 young kids on an airplane ride in the middle of the night?  We do, of course!  Simon did not have a nap that day and he was tired and wired.  We got to the airport around 9 PM and we were the only people with kids on the plane.  The terminal was crowded.  Our kids were in pajamas and Simon's pant legs were hiked up to his knees.  I quietly told him to pull his pant legs down, and he misunderstood me and pulled his pants and underwear down to his ankles- mooning everyone behind him.  He smiled and screamed, "I'm naked!"  I was close enough to pull them up quickly, but the damage was done.  Everyone around us was giggling, including our older boys..  It took Aaron and I few minutes to think it was funny.  This kid is something else.

The older boys were excited to fly too and it was fun to see Vegas lit up in lights from the airplane.  I know they are only 6, 9 and 11, but they remind me of teenagers (in a good way.)  They do their own thing and have funny inside jokes. I love that Zack is one of the big boys.  They are the best of buds.  

  They watched Gremlins on my laptop the first part of the the flight and then fell asleep. I wish I would have taken a picture of their body parts draped on top of each other... it looked uncomfortable, but they slept like babies.

This baby did not sleep like a baby.  She was a big fat stinker and cried for the first hour or maybe even two.  We passed her back and forth and she squealed and hit and pinched.  Eventually I took her to the back of the plane and held her tight and she finally gave up the fight.  Poor baby no likey red-eye flights.  

Simon slept great and cuddled right up to Ro once she was asleep.  These two slept on Aaron most of the flight and poor Daddy had no room to move.  I was afraid to move her and wake the monster baby inside.  It was not a great flight, but at one point I looked over at miserable Aaron and we both busted up laughing.  Then we talked about our first trip to Florida (two months after we were married.)  We didn't have a care in the world.  Amazing what can happen in 12 short years.

We landed at 6 AM in Ft Lauderdale.  Everyone was happy to get off the plane, Aaron and I most of all.  We had to take a shuttle bus to get the rental car.  Simon (whose pant legs were still hiked up to his knees) was SO THRILLED to be on the bus.  The airplane was nothing compared to this 5 minute bus ride. We were all giggling over Simon's excitement.  I need to get him on a bus more often.

Just before this picture below was taken, Simon pointed to people outisde the airport and said, "Ha Ha!  they can't ride this bus.  We are beating them!"  Zack thought that was so funny and kept repeating it throughout the day.  Zack is so easy to entertain.

We picked up our brand new white dodge grand caravan (thankfully we still fit) and went to Denny's for breakfast.  Wish I had a picture of the van and of the amount of pancakes we ordered. Our waitress was from New York, looked and talked like a man, and she was floored that ALL of these kids were ours.  Ben was starving and was so annoyed she was talking to us instead of making our pancakes!!!  I was giggling that he was so impatient..  He hardly ever gets annoyed about anything so it was awesome to see it.. especially because I wasn't the one he was angry with.  No pictures of Denny's or our waitress :(

The sun came up while we ate breakfast.. I wanted to be on the beach already!  After everyone was finished eating, we hit CVS for some sand toys, water and a few snacks to tide us over til lunch.  And then we drove to Dania State Beach park... 

We were the ONLY ones there.  We did not see another soul.  The waves were shallow and the water was warm.  We climbed the rocks, saw crabs and starfish and swam with the fishes.  I regretted not getting snorkeling gear... This would have been the ideal spot.  Oh well.  Maybe next time.  We stayed until we were ready for lunch..

While sitting here with my darling family, I had butterflies in my stomach just thinking about the days ahead.  Since returning home, I keep wanting to go back to this moment-- when we had just arrived and we had only a taste of what was to come.