Knights of the Round Table

Forgive the video camera. It consistently makes noise when I am trying to record. Like it is trying to refocus...and it can't possibly do it quietly. Hmmm...much like everything else in our home.

Matthew has a love for all things with dry, English humor. Monty Python is at the very top of the list. When we married, I was under delusions that this would fade after time. But he has, much to my dismay, infected the children. Notice how they all cheer for Matt and his cell phone that holds the key to their happiness!

Even if I cannot hear the music above the shrieking and singing and laughing, the behavior of each individual child tickles me pink.

Can't Teach This

We started going to our home parish when I was expecting Thomas. We quickly fell in love. Because our children have always been early risers, we try to attend the earliest Mass possible. This happens to be the 8am service...in which the average age of parishoners present is 78. Our church is old. Very old. No carpeted floor or cushioned pews or crying rooms or anything else that might make it a little more child-friendly. So we improvised. We sat in the very back of church and brought quiet books and cheerios when we first started attending Mass there. After about the third or fourth week of going to the same Mass, the priest confronted us. I believe his exact words were: "I expect you to sit in the front pew from now on. It is important for the children to see what is going on." When we protested and explained to him that, because of the incapacity of our children to use indoor voices or differentiate between church and McDonalds PlayPlace, we have to take our children outside 3 minutes into the Mass, he had very little pity. "I can't hear anything. I'm deaf," he says.

Great.

So we sit in the front pew. Our childrens' collective behavior worsens. Not only do the fireworks continue, but now they sing the Thomas the Tank Engine theme song...during the consecration...in rounds. Joseph has started banging his head on the pew in front of us. He picks up his trusty match box car and chucks it at some poor, innocent women 3 pews ahead. Sarah is peeling her crayons and hiding the wrappers in secret places. I was able to stop her before she could use the shreds of paper as confetti. I can hear voices behind us. I am not concentrating. I am frustrated. I am embarrassed. I am seriously wondering how in the world I could silence these children without sinning in church.

After the Mass was over, we had a receiving line of people who joined up to meet and greet the circus welcome us and thank us for being there. The priest came over and told us how proud he was of the children for behaving so well. Matt and I, looking like we had just spent the night before pushing eachother down entire flights of stairs, just smiled and politely chuckled. We have been sitting near the front of the church ever since.

We brought the children to Mass at a different church a few weekends ago. We arrived late and sat in back. The children were perfect through the whole Mass. People started leaving immediately after Communion, and my incredibly observant Thomas asked "why?". I realized that, because we sit in the front, all Thomas knows is that we don't leave until after the last song. He started getting anxious and with tears streaming down his little cheeks said, "Don't leave, people! Why you leaving Jesus' house?" Tom sees Mass as a party at Jesus' place...why would they leave early?

We can't teach that kind of love.

All of Them

Matt was making popcorn for the children last weekend. They looked so cute standing all in a row waiting for the hot air popper to finish. I haven't been able to catch a "good" shot of the four of them since last Christmas. So as the last kernels were popping, I grabbed my camera and tempted fate. 

"Okay, everyone! Sit on the floor! No Joseph, you are backwards and three feet away from everyone. You HAVE to sit next to your brother! Sarah! You are cutting off Nathan's air supply! Thomas! Open your eyes! Everyone say cheese!"

Got it!

Hunger Strikes

 Big Boy. You'd think he would be eating a ton of food. Negative.

Nathan loves to nurse. And ever since I decided that we would start weaning him, he has decided that nursing is all he wants to do.

He will not take solids from me. He will not take liquids. This child has been in hunger strike mode.
Until I give in to nursing again.

"Alright. Alright. I don't want to starve....because that is what you are trying to do to me!"

Looks like we are gonna make it, after all!

Habits and Such

So Sarah, perfect princess that she is, has a minor flaw.

 Sarah is a nail-biter. She has had this problem since she was two, with fluctuations in intensity and frequency. We have tried EVERYTHING to help her stop, including fancy manicures and bribery of the worst sorts.

True conversation this week:

Me: "Sarah! PLEASE get your fingers away from your..."

Sarah: "I know, my mouth."

Me: "What in the world is it going to take to get you to stop? I will give you anything! What do you love best...besides a real, live pony for your bedroom?"

Sarah: "God."

(Different Mission. Definitely Accomplished.)

Me: "You can bite your fingernails."

I don't think it is supposed to go like that.

School Begins

Teachers at the Pernot Institute are smiling and ready for the first day of classes at home!

Joseph and Thomas, waiting for the STARS bus!

Putting on a good show.

Boys being boys.

*Sigh*



It's here!



Waaaaaaaaaaaaay too big. And so it begins...

Joseph's Birthday/Preschool Orientation

We took Joseph to Strong Museum of Play on his birthday. We spend most of our time at the museum in front of the aquarium and at the train table. Matt and I are always puzzled by this... we have fish and trains at home.

After our short trip to the museum, Joseph had his orientation at STARS preschool. We were so happy to have Matt with us!

Joseph's school room was incredible. Perfect for our baby. Orientation was on his birthday, so he had his own special cake up on the wall. So cool for a 4 year old.

Joseph's favorite corner of the motor room.

Later that night, we had a peaceful dinner and small celebration with a cookie cake.
The family, getting ready to fight over who gets to blow out the candles. (Tom won, but only because he jumped on the table and almost into the cake.)

Labor Day Lovin'

My Front Porch Looking In

"The only ground I ever owned was sticking to my shoes
Now I look at my front porch and this panoramic view
I can sit and watch the fields fill up
With rays of glowing sun
Or watch the moon lay on the fences
Like that's where it was hung
My blessings are in front of me
It's not about the land
I'll never beat the view
From my front porch looking in"

~Lonestar~

Four Years Ago Today

Matt and I showed up at the hospital around 9am. I was 5cm dilated and 70% effaced. Contractions stopped. We took a run in the hospital parking lot. It was hot. Really hot. Went back in to get checked...no progression. We were sent home. I was so very sad. I was NEVER GOING TO HAVE THIS BABY!!! Matt, wisely, took me out to lunch. I had a massive meal...and finished Matt's too. We went to see the OB/GYN around 1pm. I believe his exact words were:"I don't know how you are holding him in there! I can't send you home like this. You might not make it back in time." We went downstairs to the Family Birth Place. Joseph was born 27 minutes, and one push, later...truly.

Our first son. What a miracle!

 Joseph Matthew, we love you!  

Go Guys

This video was taken about 4 years ago in training camp at Saint John Fisher College. In the Pernot family, it instantly became a classic. Everyone loved watching it. Matt's mom turned it into a movie. Sarah would laugh and laugh and laugh when she watched it. At the time, I didn't really comprehend why it was so funny. Sure, Sarah was cute. Sure, she was pleading with about sixty, 250lb men to step it up a notch. Sure, she was watching football pretty intensely for a 14 month old...and she was talking!

"PLEASE! GO GUYS!"

But even Joseph, Thomas and Nathan think it is funny now. "Why?", I ask.

Sarah says, "I'm soooooo cute!"

Joseph says, "Mommy, you're so mad."

Tommy says, "Mommy, you're soooooooo mad!"

I see.

Being a Buffalo Bills fan is stressful. I didn't want my beautiful, delicate princess to join in the insanity. Of course she had to calm down! I would never encourage such behavior.

(Thanks Jill and Greg for the baby uniform! BEST. GIFT. EVER.)

The New Phone

"Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You! Now you have a nice phone, so start answering it! Happy Birthday Sweetest Daughter-in-Law... in the entire world...and thank you for making us a Nonna and Grandad!" (sung to the traditional tune of Happy Birthday)

This is nearly verbatim what Matt's parents sang to me as we walked out of the Sprint store 3 weeks ago. If nearly verbatim means "I totally made this up".

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for my new phone! Thanks, Emily, for helping me name it! Names are very important for cell phones in our family, since they seem to take on their own personalities...and occasionally I find them bathing in my tub. I need to know what to yell when I open my fridge and all the milk is gone. Yelling at no one, in particular, is sooooo last decade. Now, when I question the children about who specifically (because you have to be specific) dumped the bucket of sand in my dryer, "Eggie, the cell phone" is an appropriate answer! The children are so grateful for their new scapegoat.

So anyway, my cell phone is amazing. And when I connect it to my laptop, it automatically transfers  pictures from the phone to the computer. And, in this way, I have learned that Eggie should never be left unsupervised. My phone has a nightlife...

AND...

Okay, so the first three pictures didn't take more than 3 or 4 hours for me to discover the culprit. (Emily and Steve, you are hereby FORBIDDEN to touch my phone ever again!)

But that hand took some work. Eventually, Joseph's shorts betrayed him. Level 22 on Angry Birds, my foot!

So, Eggie is now being carefully carried around in my pocket...for safekeeping and REAL phone calls. Unless you are actually trying to get in touch with me, in which case, I don't get reception.  

Cousins

Tim and Jeanine spent the past weekend here in Rochester with everyone. Highlights of the weekend included: a day at the cottage, fishing at the church pond, a pizza party at Teresa and Mike's, a family picture with all the grandchildren, and Sarah and Ella's first sleepover. I was so excited to be able to witness all of their giggling and silliness...until 10:30pm. Thanks, Tim and Jeanine, for making the huge effort to visit and stay for so long! We love having you here!!!

Through Joseph's Eyes

Joseph got a hold of the camera this past weekend. My initial reaction was to take it away, but he seemed so happy taking pictures and was being very careful. I am so glad I allowed him to continue. 

This is how Joseph sees the world.

The aftermath of the cookie-baking for the church picnic...yes, we did Halloween cut-outs.

Nathan- now I know why Joseph is "afraid" of him. Those are some terrifying chompers.

The not-quite-as-scary side of Nate. Love those squishy toes!

Joseph's chair- status post cookie baking. 

Water Table

Nathan received a pirate ship water table for his birthday. It arrived via "Big Brown Truck" in a magnificent box...in slightly less than 1,331 pieces. It took most of the afternoon to put it together. By the time it was in working order, the mosquitoes were pretty bad out in the yard. We couldn't have the children going to bed disappointed. They were so patient while we put it together.

So we filled it up in the kitchen. Thank goodness for linoleum flooring (and towels).

The water table came with two pirate outfits. I thought they would be perfect for Joseph and Boo. OBVIOUSLY NOT. Survival of the fittest up in this house.

Nathan, wondering why this is exciting and feeling like this was all a bit anticlimactic.

Love it. Love it. Love it. All 4 babies can play at the same time!

Thomas telling Nathan to share the cup or walk the plank.

Happy Birthday Nathan!!

We love you, Baby!

How big is Nathan? Sooooooooo Big!

You are so very special to us, Nate. Thank you, God, for the gift of our Nathan!

"One Year Ago Today"

So, my mom always tells the story of our birth on our birthday each year. She begins with the phrase:"One year ago today..." (substitute the number of years of the birthday child)

As embarrassing as it was growing up, I have discovered that I LOVE re-living the experience with my own children. I have taken on the tradition of telling the delivery stories in the hopes of mortifying my offspring someday.

This one's for you, Nate-Dawg!

One year ago, today, I was 14cm dilated and 390% effaced with Nathan. And they sent me home...for one more day.