Best Valentine's Day EVER!

We were so excited for Valentines Day this year, that we all woke up around 4 am to get the party started.   Todd and I were woken up by a very sad Magdalen, informing us that she had thrown up.  And even though she tried her hardest to get to the toilet in time, she didn't make it.

Isn't this just the best wake up call, ever?!

Todd took on the dirty work of cleaning up the chunks and starting the wash, while I consoled a broken hearted 5 year old who had just realized she would now miss her Kindergarten Valentine's Day Party.  Talk about DEVASTATION!  She is such a sensitive girl, and the tears were rolling big time.  The minutes clicked by, and I  saw how quickly morning was coming, and new that my 6:45 Zumba class would be a killer today.  I went downstairs to get Mags some sprite, and what did I find but a dozen roses and diet coke.  Man, I am so going to need those today!   But the vomit kept coming, along with some serious dry heaves coming from Todd.  Poor guy.

Somehow we still managed to have our family breakfast at 8 am, and exchange valentines.  This year was especially sweet because Bronwyn bought a small gift for Todd and me a couple weeks ago.  She enlisted Grandma for a trip to Fred Meyer, and the package has been calling my name from the top of the fridge.  She bought us each a chocolate rose.  It is the first thing she has ever bought me, and it melted my heart.  Todd also got flowers for the girls, and I made personalized M&Ms for all the kids.

But the magic didn't last long.  Magsy smelled like puke, so I knew there were remnants on her hair and or pajamas.  So into the bath she went.  I was scrambling like a mad woman to get the bath going, laundry started, teeth brushed, that for about 30 seconds I forgot that I started potty training Ty yesterday.  His silence alerted me to a BIG problem.... His first poopy pants.  UG.  Just what I needed.  Todd emerged from the shower just in time to hear my phone freakout to my sister about how his poop had fallen to the floor, been stepped in, and then somehow smeared all across my arm.  Perfect.

Todd gave me a sarcastic "Happy Valentine's Day"; and while today is certainly not going well, I couldn't be happier about my valentine and the home we have built.  Turns out parenting is about a trillion times harder than I was prepared for it to be, and I am so thankful to have a husband who has never left me feeling like I am doing it alone.  I feel like I have been running on empty since I got pregnant.  From morning sickness to this never ending flu that we all just keep passing back and forth to eachother, Todd is always there when my idle just won't start.  We live in a constant state of survival mode, but always seem to make it through together.

After the past few months, life with a newborn actually sounds like a vacation.  At least when I am up nursing I won't have to smell vomit, and can catch up on my tv watching.   Plus, when I need to potty train baby #4, all the other kids will be at school, and I won't be pregnant.  That will make it way easier, right?

Talent Show!

For those of you who know Bronwyn, it may be hard to believe that she takes the stage almost nightly in our home!  In the evenings, Todd plays piano while Bronwyn makes up dances.  (She has a real love of piano music. She loves to listen to her piano cd while she falls asleep.  But we often hear her dancing in her room while Magsy snoozes!)  So while she may not enjoy being the center of attention around anyone else, we sure enjoy her nightly routines.  Her ballet technique is rapidly improving, and it is so exciting!

Magdalen also graces us with many a dance performance, but lately has enjoyed singing even more.  She reminds me of myself.  She has SO many Christmas songs memorized.  I couldn't be prouder.  :)  She has recently learned a song from a "Scripture Bugs" DVD.  I was somewhat frustrated that she had such a hard time matching the correct pitches.  But when I heard her watching the DVD the other day, I realized that I had actually lifted the song incorrectly.  So while it sounds like I am the one on pitch.... she is!  

I find myself wondering what Ty's talents will be, and am having a hard time figuring out when to enroll him in something, and what that something should be.  He is definitely strong and athletic.  He will probably have to wait until I am out of the newborn fog to really start in on developing his talents.  So until then, he can continue  melting our hearts daily with his cuteness and quirkiness!

Ty has been sporting this lovely scab for WEEKS!  Every morning when I get him out of his crib, he has fresh blood on his cheek.  Here's hoping it doesn't scar!