To Our Downstairs Neighbors

 

 

Dear Downstairs neighbors,

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Thank you for finally giving up on the hope that we will ever, ever, EVER be nice, quiet, sleeping-in-type upstairs neighbors.

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I appreciate that you no longer send texts saying things like “Please take the children out of the master bedroom until 10 am” and calling our landlords to complain about the “jumping around the bedroom” going on at 6:30 am.

Also, I’m sorry about the 6:30 am jumping.  Joseph was excited to start his day.  I wasn’t too thrilled about it either- let me tell yoooou!

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I knew when you came out and complained to the MOVERS that they were making too much noise on the DAY THAT WE MOVED IN that you were in for a wild ride!

So, I’m glad to see that we have finally broken your peace-and-quiet-loving spirit!

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Which is why I want to apologize for the cozy coupe car that Isaac got for Christmas.  It is kind of adding insult to injury, no?

If I had known that he would ride it around and around in circles in the kitchen (ie your dining room ceiling, but you know that already!) for hours every day…well… I still probably would have had him get it, because those are hours that he is not…say…spraying himself in the face with PAM or eating toothpaste.

But, I DO feel bad about it every time he does it.  So, does that count for anything?

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Really, I should probably just apologize for Isaac in general.

And the fact that my boys were born with the flattest feet on the planet. 

And that my husbands feet are actually size 15 surfboards.

Oh yes, and that Joseph dropped his cereal bowl this morning right directly above where your bed is.

Haha, and those times when Brian shoves the recycling boxes down the stairs (Bump! Bump! Bump!- remember?) because he is too tired to carry them all the way down.

And when I don’t follow the “no laundry past 11pm” policy. Every. Single. Night.

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The good news is that you have taught us how to say what I think is “THOSE KIDS ARE DRIVING ME CRAZY!” in Farsi because of how often I hear particular phrases shouted up through the floorboards!

Just please know that you are not alone; they have broken my peace-and-quiet-loving spirit too. 

And at least we don’t have a dog.

Love,

Caitlin

“The Quiet One”

To Isaac on his 2nd Birthday

 

 

Dear Isaac,

Oh, I love you so much!

It’s hard to believe that 2 years ago today I met you for the first time!

You have been such a ray of sunshine in our lives. 

Your name means “Laughter” and that is what you have brought to us.  So much laughter!

I used to think that your brother was naughty- but YOU, sir, are the naughty one! 

You keep me on my toes.  It is fairly exhausting, but I love your wild spirit!

Some things that you are saying most often:

“No yi kick” (no like it)

“MINES!”

“Hold handle?” (meaning you want to hold our hand)

“I-kick”  (Isaac)

“Jo-jo… DINNER!”

and of course “Mama?" “MAMA!” all day long!

You bring a smile to everyone’s face.

Happy Birthday Sweet, Naughty, Chunky, Happy, Wrecking Ball of a little boy!

We love you! 

(Saying “TWO!” and trying to see around me to the TV!)

It's a BABY!!!

Good news!  I had my ultrasound today and everything looks great!  Just one baby, measuring on target, and saw a teensie-tiny heartbeat!

My due date is officially September 18th!  Which seems like a long time away, but remember that you will get to see me expand to ridiculously huge proportions until then.  Like this.!!



It was so surreal sitting on the butcher-paper with no clothes on and waiting for the doctor while staring at the ultrasound screen.  I kept thinking- "Is this happening?  Am I here- AGAIN?!"

Ditto on peeing in the cup before the appointment.

After the doctor treated me to a 10 minute lecture of things that I can/can't eat and do (Lady, like I just told you, this is not my first rodeo...OR my second rodeo..and if you say "sushi" one more time, I am going to vomit all over you) 
she brought out that nice little ultrasound device 
(not the kind that goes on my tummy)  
(if you don't know, don't ask, you don't WANT to know) 
and there was my adorable little white speck on the screen!


Can I say that it looked like a girl-shaped speck?   Wishful thinking?


I can't upload the picture right now- but stay tuned tomorrow when #3 makes his/her blog debut!  

Perhaps I should title it "Anticlimactic Little White Speck On a Blurry Photo That Probably Only I Can See"?

You've been warned.

Guess What???

 

If the 8 positive pregnancy tests I have taken are any indicator-

we are having a pleasant little surprise coming our way!

Doctors appointment tomorrow to confirm.

I am thrilled!  And generally nauseous. 

Oregon Trip

 

Ah, I have so much to tell you! Can you believe that I haven’t even blogged about Christmas yet?!  All in good time, I suppose.  Which might be NEXT Christmas since Joseph seems to be outgrowing naps…

Our trip to Oregon to visit our families was wonderful!

 

We stayed for three weeks and didn’t want to kill any member of our family- which tells you how awesome they are!

Sometimes, when I am away from Oregon for a while, I forget how cloudy/rainy/misty/foggy it is.  Especially in the winter.  Think the “Twilight” movies…(or don’t, if you aren't a hormone-crazed teenager or pitiful housewife like me.)

Also, Joseph kept saying “AHHH! The air is so FRESH!”

 

As shown in the previous post, we had a little early birthday party for little Isaac. 

With him as our second child, I battle a lot of “is he getting enough (fill in the blank)?” second-child guilt. 

It was SO nice to have him as the center of  attention!

  And good for our not-so-second-child to see him there.

This visit we also confirmed that Isaac. Loves. Babies. 

I suspected since he runs towards strangers with strollers at the park/mall/store, but MAN!  He loves them! 

Loves them…well…almost to death, actually.  Just wants to squeeeeeeze them and cover their face with a blanket! 

Luckily, my older niece was there to instruct him on how to hold her new baby sister…

It was so nice to see my boys playing with their cousins.

 

We are kind of in we-are-the-only-friendly-people-around- isolation round here, so it was good to see them get some social time.

The low point of the visit was when my eldest had to have IV sedation to fill seven cavities.  SEVEN, people!  Okay, let’s never mention it again- ok?  Mom guilt! Mom guilt!  I brush his teeth- his teeth are rotting anyway.  The end!

But, he IS now the proud owner of a silver tooth- which he will be happy to show you in another post!

The highlight of our trip was when Brian and I got to go to the Oregon coast BY OURSELVES for 2 whole nights!!! 

It was pretty much heaven- and it is always so relieving to re-discover how much we actually LIKE each other! 

I mean, of course we LOVE each other, but the like sometimes gets buried under the “ARE YOU GOING TO HELP ME UNLOAD THE DISHWASHER OR JUST LAY THERE???!!”

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A big THANK YOU to our parents for taking care of the boys!

All in all, a great way to spend the month of January!

We’re Back!

Hello, everyone!  We are back in New Jersey and ready for… action?…my maid to show up?…a nap? (that time change is a doozie!) 

I’ve got some catching up to do today- but here is a video that I couldn’t wait to share!

We had an early birthday celebration at my inlaws house last week (with my parents there as well) and Isaac was in HEAVEN.

It will pretty much make you die of cuteness!

See you tomorrow!

Catch You Later

Hello, readers!

We are off to Oregon tomorrow for the rest of January- so posts will have to wait.

Can you forgive me?

If I leave up here a picture of Isaac all proud of his boots that he put on himself? (on the wrong feet?)

Love you all, see you soon!

-C