Friday, November 26, 2010

Thanksgiving

     We made the trek down to Sturbridge, MA, to spend Thanksgiving with my family. Lennox was perfect on the trip down, probably because his Daddy was in the back seat with him while Grady totally passed out  kept me company in the front seat. Aidan was the only other person in the car to stay awake during the entire trip. He amazed me with how many variations of "are we there yet"  he could come up with.

     Once we made it down, Benjamin and I ran to the grocery store to pick up a few things I needed to cook the next day and, for the first time ever, we were together without Lennox. My parents insisted he stay home with them since it was so cold outside. It was a wierd feeling, being without him. He's been within 20 feet of me since he was born. It was amazing to take our time looking things over in the grocery store and holding hands and snuggling like we used to before one of us always had  baby in our arms, but we both later admitted to each other that something was missing without him there.

     The next day was busy. I volunteered to cook Thanksgiving dinner for 14 people, plus I made appetizers and desserts. I really enjoy doing that stuff, so it was actually pretty fun. Grady and Aidan were really well behaved and Benjamin spent the whole day snuggling Lennox, except for when I needed help moving the 25 pound turkey around the kitchen. Then we had to pass him off to Grandmoms and Aunts that were more than wiling to take charge of him. Dinner went off without a hitch and I think everyone enjoyed themselves.

     I think Ben had high hopes for Black Friday, and when we finally rolled out of bed at 9:30 we both decided we could care less. A lot of the things the boys have asked for, I've been able to find deals on already. So it just wasn't a big deal to miss out on shopping at 4am to save five dollars on a video game. We did end up braving a gigantic mall in Connecticut, but the whole experience was uneventful aside from seeing a shoplifter get taken down by mall security.

     Now it's 1:30 in the morning and I'm being an irresponsible parent by letting the boys stay up and play video games with their grandfather while Lennox snoozes on my chest. Benjamin is asleep upstairs and was expecting me to wake him up four hours ago, but I'm pretty sure that when you love someone and have a baby with them, the best gift that you can give them is sleep. So I hope he is having plenty of sweet dreams.

     If you had told me a year ago that this is what my life would look like, I would have laughed in your face, But I am so very thankful for the way things have turned out. I have three handsome, sweet boys, and a fiance that loves me and my sons like no one ever has before. This Thanksgiving has reminded me that I have a lot to be grateful for.

Monday, November 22, 2010

The Souvenier From California

Before Benjamin and I left for California, we asked Aidan and Grady what they would like us to bring them back for a souvenier. A shell? A toy? A leaf from a palm tree? Botox? We gave them lots of ideas, none quite as good as botox, but I digress.

Aidan thought really hard for a few days, which was terrifying because often when Aidan is thinking really hard about something there is always the distinct possibility that something will get lit on fire. Finally at dinner one night he told us he has decided on what he wanted us to bring him from California.

"I want a scorpion" he said. And he said it as calmly as if he was making a weather observation.

"They're kind of poisonous buddy, and I don't think they'll let us take one on the plane. We might be able to find you one that was like....stuck in glass or something after it died. Would that be good? A dead, glassed-in scorpion?"  I looked hopefully at Aidan, praying that he would change his mind and ask for a shell instead.

"It will be alive," he said confidently as he hopped off his chair to clear his plate, "and you can still bring me a dead one in glass."

Psychotic banter like this is pretty routine around our house, so I didn't think about our conversation much until I was laying in bed with Benjamin in Oceanside, CA, wide eyed and wondering why Nuvaring had abandoned me as a form of birth control, the thought of a third child leaving me completely stunned. That's when Benjamin and I both realized our due date would be sometime in early November, a scorpio baby. Aidan was getting his bizarre little wish.

His name is Benjamin Michael Lennox Lake, but we will call him Lennox because my brain will explode with two Benjamins in the house. He was born 11/09/10, the same day as the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops, which is something I'm sure his father considers a wonderful sign. We are happy and feel very, very blessed.



Right before heading to the hospital


One more picture with just me and my big boys


I had to go in to the hospital the night before being induced. That bed was murder.


Yet somehow, he slept through the night. What was I doing all night? I was doped up on the Ambien the nurse gave me to get me to sleep so I'd have energy to....give birth? Unfortunately, it had a paradoxical effect on me and I wound up being awake most of the night playing some crazy bubble popping game on my iPad. And let me tell you, that game just isn't as interesting without Ambien.


My first time getting all hooked up so I could have an epidural. I've never had one before, and I feel cheated. It's amazing.


Three minutes from "I have to push NOW" to baby. I set a labor and delivery record. Lennox doesn't seem impressed.






The proudest, sweetest daddy I have ever seen.