Looks Just Like...

I swear when I look at Finley he looks just like Taylor. The same smile and big bald head. I look at those eyes and see Taylor's eyes peering back at me. The same chubby legs, the same nose for sure, and the same little hands reaching out at me. And when I nurse him and put him down at night and get back up again a couple hours later, yup, just like Taylor. And oh, how the boy can eat, no waiting till he's older to start on solid foods, he wants it right now, just like Taylor. And like big brother, Finn likes to be held and payed attention to all the time. Some days it's like Deja Vu, and I have to stop and remember, this is not Taylor.



I swear when I look at Finley he looks just like Gavin. The same smile and big bald head. I look at those eyes and see Gavin's eyes peering back at me. The same chubby legs, the same nose for sure, and the same little hands reaching out at me. And when I nurse him and put him down at night and get back up again a couple hours later, yup, just like Gavin. And oh, how the boy can eat, no waiting till he's older to start on solid foods, he wants it right now, just like Gavin. And like big brother, Finn likes to be held and payed attention to all the time. Some days it's like Deja Vu, and I have to stop and remember, this is not Gavin.



Hey, wait a minute....Yes, I have a replicating machine in my belly. I have three boys that look so much like each other as babies it's unreal! But believe me, time will tell, and I can tell you - Finley is as much his own self as the other two boys. And though there have been times when I have had a strong sense of Deja Vu (mostly waking in the wee hours, bleary eyed, to feed him for the umpteeth time), I do so enjoy watching Finn grow and learn and become the little boy that he is. So, I say, Finley looks just like himself...(mostly!).

A Gift on Our Tenth

As a gift to you, my husband, on our tenth anniversary, I give you this:

YOU WERE RIGHT

You were right that it would be harder than I thought to move to a new country.
You were right that I would eventually come to like it here. (But not Love it!)
You were right that having a third child would be more work, but I say worth every bit of it.
You were right that a little organization makes all the difference.
You were right that I need exercise, not for my butt, more for my mind!
You were right that I need routine.
You were right that I should get up before the kids to make sure they get off on time.
You were right that once I get the furniture moved, I'd want to move it again.
You were right that sooner or later I'd learn to love the dog, too.
You were right that it's the cat shedding the hair all over my house.
You were right that as soon as I visited to the U.S. I'd be be back to my old habits.
You were right that we've made it this far we can make it through anything!

I am so glad we took the chance and jumped into this crazy life together. I am enjoying my time with you even more every day. I wouldn't change a thing, except maybe that I'd listened to you a little sooner! I'm just glad you were right and married me ten years ago!

I'll Sleep When I'm Dead

If it's not Finley at 5am or David's snoring, then it's the cat and dog chasing each other at o'dark thirty. And honestly it's my own inability to sleep added on top of all that... But some how I just keep moving. I mean hey, what's more valuable to a mom: money, time, sleep? For me, I would pick time for sure. For example, all my kids have been in bed for two hours now, and I know it's just a matter of minutes before Finley's up wanting mama's milk again; but here I am on the computer, surfing, blogging, shopping, etc. instead of getting the much needed sleep I deserve. But I need a little me time, just a little OK?!

In a typical day: Wake early (sometimes really early); feed Finn; make coffee for David (and so very much for me, too); get breakfast and lunch for boys; get them dressed and on the bus; get myself dressed and try to remember to change Finley's diaper; head out to meet the other moms for a brisk walk and a much needed venting session; more coffee; run to the store which is 30 minutes away and everyone I know is there so I can never run in real quick; come home to a pile of laundry that always grows faster than I can get it done and put away; try to get Finn to take a nap for longer than 20 minutes; eat something not so healthy because I don't want to stop long enough to think about it; put together Ikea furniture I bought last week and haven't gotten to yet; try to figure out where the USB cable went to my camera to upload pictures and in the process clean out David's entire desk and -thank God- finally found the receipt I was looking for to get the Gameboy fixed; mop the floor while holding a fussy baby; nurse him again and put him back to sleep for the 3rd time; stop to read the headlines on the internet -something about the Hurricane, Palin - oh and Ike hit Texas; wash all of the morning dishes before I put them in the dishwasher to be washed; take a potty break while talking to the baby (I don't get to do this again by myself for at least two more years); hurry because the boys are getting off the bus; feed everyone snacks or leftovers from lunches half eaten; argue -if only for a moment- that we have to do homework; negotiate times for the computer and/or television; remember the wet laundry needs to go in the dryer; give in to some floor time with the baby before the moment has passed; throw together leftovers for dinner from the big party we had last Sunday that wore me out, but turned out nice in the end; convince kids they must bathe; oh crap, I forgot the dog's been outside all day; welcome David home late because he's training to leave for Afghanistan next week; tuck the kids all in to bed; and that leads me to this moment where I am trying to take some time for myself. Oh, what's that you say...my husband would like a little attention now, so I have to call it quits. It's almost midnight, I guess I can sleep when I die....

Back to School, Back to Blogging

Ok, I confess, school started a month ago. But I just can't seem to get my life organized enough to make this a regular habit...yet. So, Taylor is now in 5th grade and Gavin in 1st. Both love their teachers and classmates. Hallelujah! Taylor comes home each day with a plan for play and homework, so as not to miss out on one second of his spare time. For the most part this is working and he is managing his time well, on his own. Wow. The best part is that I haven't heard him say, "I don't want to go to school today, can I stay home?" which must have been last years mantra. Gavin always seems to love school. We're working hard to get him fluent in reading, well I'm working hard. It seems the school is far behind in schedule than our school in Maryland, and thus extra work for the mom.

If there is one thing that I have come to realize with the sixth year of school for our family under way; it's that a family must take responsibility for their own children's education. You just can't rely on public education to do the whole job for you. I am so thankful we have public education, and this is a particularly nice DODDS school, and heaven forbid I would have to home school, but...I always feel like there is something lacking in the overall education experience for my boys. (Thank-you "no child left behind") So, I'll keep trying to figure out what they each need and do my best in betweens meals, laundry, bill paying, house keeeping and breastfeeding to fit in a little time for each of them. I guess that's why I am self titled "Reign de la Maison" (Queen of the house)!!

Kellee One, Peacock Zero

Maybe my sensibility was off, maybe I've become cold hearted, maybe I'm the boss and not the peacock! But last night against my better judgment I released a very excitable dog on that peacock who dared to wander back into my yard! And I forgot that the gate was still open, so...
Rest assured the peacock is still alive, although he may need therapy for the rest of his life. My reward for the dog's hard work is a collection of ALL of the peacock's beautiful feathers. Lucky me. And lucky peacock that this was his mechanism for survival. This bird shoots out all his feathers when he is in danger in order to move faster, otherwise I fear Echo would have had him for dinner for sure (and I might have felt guilty). I'm betting that that maybe the last I see of the peacock in my yard, at least for this season!

Delerious with Sunshine

We aren't quite sure what to do with so much sunshine. It's been hot and sunny for a couple weeks (and no one is complaining). The kids go to bed exhausted because we play outside all day in the glorious sun, trying to soak it all in to clear out the cobwebs of a long rainy winter. I've never seen so many smiles! It's been fantastic to get out the grill, the sunscreen, the hats, the sports equipment, the shorts, etc. David has even had his top off the jeep!

It's funny, though, the boys keep referring to all the things they want to do here this summer. Like water fights and swimming pools; and I have to remind them that this may very well be our summer in Belgium! It's just not that predictable...

And alas, I see rain in the forecast for tomorrow! Well, it was absolutely, wonderfully, fantastic while it lasted! (And maybe if we're lucky we'll see it again before the summer is over.)

Six Lbs. in Two Months!

That would be Finley's weight gain, not mine! It's hard to believe my little baby is already not so little. Some would say he has put it all on in the cheeks. I love his big round smiles and coos. And he has this really cute swirly belly button:



I'm sure he won't think it's so cute later; but he's just my baby now, so I'm going to run with it as long as I can. I'd love to tell everyone he's perfectly healthy, but many of you know, and for those of you who do not, his kidneys are not properly developed. Apparently this is a very common occurrence, especially in boys. The urine doesn't properly drain from the kidneys and the ureters, mostly on the right side. We could see this on sonograms while I was pregnant, but my OB kept telling us that it would go away before he was born. Well, it didn't and I had no idea what to expect.

Unfortunately, I still don't know what to expect. We have been through many tests starting the day after he was born. The health care in Belgium in good; I have confidence in them. However, I just don't understand French. So, during our trip to the U.S. this summer we have an appointment with a specialist at John's Hopkins. If for no other reason, I'd just like to get the facts in plain old English. I do know a main side effect is Urinary Tract Infections, and normally the doctors would put a baby with this condition on antibiotics right after they are born. We opted for a wait-and-see approach with Finley so he would not become resistant or allergic to the antibiotics.

So, as of now he is doing fine and thriving all on his own. Plenty of wet diapers and no infections. I have to just keep believing he is perfect in every way and hope this is something he will grow out of as he gets bigger. And bigger he is getting. I sure hope to share this sweet boy with everyone as soon as possible. I know you will fall for him, just as I have!

And I wanted to live in India...

I can hardly survive Belgium and once upon a time I wanted to live in India?! I suppose that was before children. Anytime things get tough it's easier to imagine life will be better elsewhere. There's no doubt this place is not the worst place to live and some days I've really got it good, but there's also no doubt that life is infinitely easier in the good old U. S. of A. I made my list of all the things I like about this place, which Taylor reminds me to focus on that instead of the list I formulate in my mind that is ten times longer of the things I don't like. So, he is right, and it's really great that we have family time and I don't recreation shop anymore. But some days I really wish I lived where a dollar is a dollar and there are no priority to the right signs (ask me about it sometime).

We play a little game, the boys and I, while driving, "what's the first thing you're going to do when we arrive home this summer?" That list has gotten so long, I actually started writing it down so as not to forget our hopes and desires. Gavin is heading straight for Dunkin' Donuts and must have a water balloon fight in Grandmom's back yard. He also was looking at the pictures on the back of our U.S. money and informed me that he wanted to see these places: Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, etc. (how convenient, really). Taylor was diplomatic and said we must visit family first, and then he wanted to go to Rocky Run for real hot wings and a trip to Gettysburg would be nice as well. David claims he has nothing on his to-do list (but I'll bet he ends up in A Game's Workshop store before long). As for me; a friend informed me the other day that she was saving me a parking spot at Target. Also watch out Joann's and Borders, and probably Pannera, Baja Fresh, Starbucks, Old Navy, Eddie Bauer, Trader Joe's, Recollections, JCPenny's, Micheals, Safeway, THE MOVIES, Aida's Bistro, Ellicott City Brew Pub, Target - I think you get the point.

Unfortunately we're only home for six weeks, will there be enough time? Or more importantly, will we ever want to come back here? The hardest part is being so far from family. And I just can't wait to feel the connection again. BUT I'll make the best I can of living here because I know Belgium is not India. (but just by a hair)

Odyssey of the Mind

This is huge! I was told that when the teams started practicing in November that a first year school rarely places in these competitions, let alone wins. So, after months of practice and hard work (an average of 175 hours per student) Shape Elementary School sent 5 teams to the regional competition in Bad Kissengen, Germany. And all five teams placed, and two teams won first place, which means going to the World Finals in Maryland.


That would be my Taylor! His team won first place for building a balsa wood structure that bares weight and a skit to present it to the judges. So you know what this means? A whole lot of fund raising in a very short amount of time. It costs each kid $520 for lodging and another $700 or so for airfare (this does not include the parent that goes with the child) and misc. expenditures. So, we figured out that we need to raise over $17,000 to send these kids to the World Finals, and we have less than two months to do it. Hello bake sales! And car washes, and flea markets, and lunches for teachers, and bingo night, and more bake sales, and a whole lot of hustling...

I am so excited and proud of my Taylor that he can take part of something so big. And it's so nice that we get to go to Maryland. I can't wait for a chance to go home and spend some time with family and friends. We all need this trip. And Taylor EARNED it all the way. I love you, son, you are amazing.

One More Monkey

Yes, you could say that I have an excuse for my great lapse in writing. Life seems to pass faster than I can get a handle on it. But I am missing a great opportunity to share with everyone all the adventures ands misadventures of our life right here and now. As I read through a few friends blogs recently I realized I have a lot of catching up to do. So, here we go.

Welcome now the latest redhead boy to the Conrad clan: Finley Emerson Conrad was born March 6th 2008. After a very short labor (Yes!) he was born at 9:35 in the morning in the local Belgian hospital, three weeks early at 8 pounds 2 ounces. Of course he has red hair, or David might have sent him back! I look at him and have a sense of Deja Vu. But I know as he grows and develops his own personality, likes, dislikes, desires, path to run down...he will prove to me that he is NOT just a replication of his brothers, but in fact another great addition to this world in his very own unique and wonderful way. I already feel so overwhelmed with love and gratitude that I have this chance to be a mom one more time. I feel very fulfilled with my three amazing boys, even if my house feels like a zoo full of monkeys some days, this is the life I want more than anything else and I am happy!

A quick update on all the other things in life: We acquired a cat last year, and then a dog; more monkeys than I can handle some days. I hired a house keeper finally, now I don't cry over housework anymore and seem to enjoy the little things a bit more. (like holding my baby and reading to the kids.) On the bright side, though, the dog keeps the peacock out of our yard, thank goodness because it would not have survived another year in my life!! The long dark winter is over and I see signs of spring everywhere. New babies are flooding the region, not only are the humans having babies by the dozens, but it's so much fun to see all the baby animals. On our property, the landlord's sheep had seven new lambs this year, and the neighbor's goats had kids. The cows have been let out to pasture for the season after being cooped up in the barn all winter.

I guess as much as I say I want to move home, when presented with moving back to a crowded city, I realize there is so much to enjoy here with our simple family life. And, though we never go to the movies, or out to dinner, or even travel much, and certainly shopping is whatever we can find at the military exchange (have you seen the exchange rate lately?!), our life is limited to what we do together here at home. So, dear sweet husband says, are you going to remember your time here in Belgium as being "poor" or as time well spent hanging out at home having a good time together as a family. What a good man to remind me how good I have it. So today, I will drive along the farm roads and see all the new life growing, and feel good to be a part of it this Spring!

"Live high, live mighty, live righteously" -song quote from Jason Mraz