six months

  

i've been missing loads of milestones and adventures on this little blog i keep,

but i certainly couldn't miss this.

my sweet little darling boy is officially six months.

six long, hard, sleep deprived months.

and

i couldn't be more in love with anything.

this little boy has swept me away.

he is perfect.

perfectly beautiful, perfectly loud,

perfectly sweet, and perfectly imperfect.

he loves me to the moon.  i know this for a fact.

he NEVER wants me to put him down.

he screams anytime i leave the room.

he cries all night, he misses me so.

and unless he is attached to me in so way, shape or form, he is less than happy.

BUT

when i am near

he is delightful.  a crowd pleaser.  a charmer.

when he smiles, his entire face smiles (just like his daddy's.)

he screams with excitement all the time.

and his big blue eyes melt hearts everywhere we go.

he is a featherweight, especially compared to my other littles

who were plump little cherubs early on.

but each day he surprises us with his little skills

and quirks.  

and he is eating food (but refuses anything but finger food)

and loves chewing up everything with a gummy smile.

and as for the others...

ada is his biggest admirer.  she carries him around and doesn't mind his tears.  she reminds me that it is just because he loves me.  one day he will love her the same, i tell her.  she can make him smile from across the room.  they are made for each other.

elias is just cool.  cool to solly, that is.  he says "hey, saul.  watch this." then he does ninja moves or skateboard tricks.  he rarely asks to hold him, but loves to have him in his bed for a good night snuggle.   he takes his job as big brother very seriously and is ready to help at any time, well, almost any time!

hanna.  oh, hanna.  hanna is saul's best friend or worst enemy, depending on the minute of the day.  she wants to change his diaper one second. and put him in the trash can the next.  we are working on the jealousy, but also working on hanna all the same.  she is a serious piece of work!  in the long run, i think they will be best friends.  hanna has already fed little solly flavor-blasted goldfish, and just yesterday glued bracelets all over his arm to help him feel more pretty!

happy half-birthday my solly.

i love you more than you could ever know.

dear january

january,

you have never been my favorite.

with the exception of my dear hanna's birthday

i find your days long and melancholy.

but these days you are trying my patience and perseverance.

you have brought my darling boy solly not only a bad case of rsv,

but also ear infections, thrush, fevers,

all making it near impossible to plump up his ever-so-slight figure.

you have cursed precious ada with fever and strep throat

allowing her to be home with me

and the other littles for six days in a row now.

six days is too many, i must say.

you have also encouraged my sweet hanna

to lodge a pebble in her ear as she play the role of

"grandma" in a friendly game of family.

neither pediatrician nor ent have been able to remove it.

off to the hospital we shall go on thursday.

please be kinder,

more gentle,

even sparkly.

if not, i might go crazy.

sincerely,

courtney

my darling hanna

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HANNIE!

i still remember the moment you were born.

i thought you would be my last tiny baby.

you were perfect for that role,

but little did i know that you were

destined for the most perfect role of your

life

big sister.

hanna, you my little darling, are spectacular.

a perfect mix of spicy and sweet.

you are a performer

and the world is your stage.

you are bouncy and mischievous,

curious and fiercely independent.

you never hide your feelings

joy or dismay

and for that i am thankful.

you openly share how much love you have for everyone

especially me.

my heart could not swell more.

you have been waiting for your birthday forever

and i am so excited that it is finally here.

although three seems so little and so big at the same time

i know each year will be so extraordinary and wonderful.

you are my sidekick.

i love you my hannie girl.

xx

mommy

christmas and new years 2013

i need to get our little christmas post underway- mostly because tomorrow we have a big birthday here!
christmas came with a bang here this year.  the kids were bonkers with excitement, especially ada!  our weekends were filled with holiday parties, christmas performances, friends and family gatherings.  i totally mastered the art of one handed cookie making, even cut out cookies (you know, since saul does not seem to like being put down!)  poor little saul was sick for over a week and cried his heart out for us. i ordered each and every present with no hassle from amazon prime, and loved all the thought i could put into everyone without having to leave my nursing chair!

christmas morning was quite the event.  ada woke up at 3:30, she was so super excited. after wrestling in our bed for an hour, she headed back to her own to try to sleep.  at 4:59, she proceeded to wake up her siblings.  we heard a lot of little moans and groans, and within seconds they were all screaming "it's christmas, it's christmas!"  there was no turning back, christmas day had started!  for the second year in a row, reza was called in to operate around midnight and had gotten approximately 15 minutes of sleep and i had been up with  my non-sleeping baby all night.  we chugged coffee, woke up the grandparents and uncle, and gift opening began.

it was a pretty amazing day!  certainly one of my favorite days of the year!  the kids were spoiled, as were reza and i!  santa even brought reza a VERY large television which i never dreamed i would allow in my family room (seeing that the only show that gets watched around my house seems to be arthur.)  for dinner, all of my siblings came with spouses and children alike, and we feasted on food made mostly by the fresh market and honey baked ham.  everyone was happy.

new years crept up on us without many plans, but we managed to snag some unc basketball tickets for the family and spent the evening eating popcorn, pizza and cotton candy.  i am not sure the kids watched a single play of the game, but that's not what counts, right?  we had fun, and an experience.  we popped poppers and sang happy new year at 8 pm, then headed off to bed.  that is my idea of a good time.

and now, my darling hanna turns three tomorrow.  here's to more cupcake baking and presents!
xx
and now, some pictures, in no particular order