"Look at me, me, me I'm 3, 3, 3!

Lily turning 3 is both exciting and scary.  Lily is such a sweet, loving and kind little girl.  She also has such a laid back personality.  But when Layna was 3 it was both challenging and exhausting!  So as Lily turns 3 I have my doubts but Lily reminds me daily that she is not Layna.  We had 1 birthday party for both girls.  Lily invited Edyn and Briana to her party.  She too enjoyed the Camp Rock theme, dressing up and singing on stage.  She really enjoyed the pizza!  I love that I can understand Lily more when she talks now and we are starting to have more conversations.  I love being home with her and learning more about her personality and seeing her be a big sister to Lucy especially when Layna is at school all day.  About 2 weeks after she turned 3 she decided on her own to get rid of "Chee Chee".  I was thrilled!  I was even more thrilled that it was her decision.  Now, I am waiting for her to decide when she is ready to get rid of diapers!  Every time Lily and I would go to Target she would put on these Hello Kitty rain boots and walk around the store in them.  Then when it was time to go she would put them back on the shelf.  I told my mom, "No matter what, Lily is getting those boots for her birthday!" She did get them and she has worn them everyday since.  Her other favorite present was her make-up box.  Layna has one and Lily was so excited that she got one too.

Layna's 6th Birthday!

As I write this, it doesn't seem possible that Layna is 6.  Where does the time go?  This year she wanted a Rock Star party so we did a Camp Rock theme.  Layna chose 6 friends to invite to her party b/c she was turning 6.  I have adopted this idea for our girls birthday parties so that it doesn't get out of hand and too overwhelming.  She chose, Emma, Ellie, Adriana, Madison, Laney, and Cadence.  As a bonus Madison's cousin Julie came (the girls played t-ball together).  We decorated our mantle like a stage, set up all kinds of instruments (including a microphone on a stand), a karaoke machine and dress up clothes so the girls could perform.  We decorated the whole house in Camp Rock with orange and green being our main colors.  The girls had pizza for dinner and Halloween decorated cupcakes for dessert!  The girls also played outside.  It was a really nice party.
     Since Layna has been born we have sold our house in Manhattan, moved in with my parents in Lenexa, I turned down a job of a lifetime to be a SAHM, Jeromy got hired at Total Interiors, we bought a house and moved to Basehor, we got another dog, Jeromy's Grandpa died, we had Lily, we traded in our blazer for a mini-van, Jeromy's mom got divorced from his step dad, Jeromy's dad got re-married for the 4th time, Jeromy was promoted at work, my parents moved to South Overland Park, we gave our 2 dogs to other families, Jeromy re-modeled our kitchen, I had a miscarriage and a D & C, we had Lucy, Jeromy's brother Steve moved to Kentucky, my brother Joel had his arm shattered/broken and needed surgery to insert plates and pins, Jeromy's half brother Taylor got married, Layna started Kindergarten and Layna broke her arm.  Then there is the world events: Hurricane Katrina, Tsunami, Earthquake in Haiti and the "The Great Depression" as Jeromy & I call it.  Michael Jackson, Farrah Faucet, and Patrick Swayze died.  Obama becomes President.  Some of theses events have been happy, some sad and some devastating but through it all I have enjoyed watching Layna grow right before my eyes!

Layna's Broken Arm :(

On Friday, September 3rd, 2010 Layna broke her humerus bone and dislocated her elbow.  She was outside in the backyard during cartwheels and running when she fell and landed on her elbow.  Jeromy took her to KU Medwest Urgent care at about 7:00 p.m.  I stayed at home with Lily and Lucy as to keep them on their routine.  Sure enough the x-rays came back and she had broken her arm.  The doctor was concerned because part of the break was right above her elbow so he sent Jeromy and Layna to Children's Mercy downtown.  There they took further x-rays and the Orthopedic surgeon on-call said she was going to need surgery to put pins in her elbow so it would heal properly and she would be able to fully extend her arm.  Jeromy called me at 12:30 a.m. and said they were waiting to be admitted into the hospital and waiting on a room.  He said that Layna was doing extremely well under the circumstances and was not in a lot of pain (they gave her pain medicine).  Layna said, "Dad this is the best night ever because I get to stay up all night."  Needless to say none of us got any sleep that night and Jeromy was still in his sweaty grass cutting clothes and stained green shoes.  Judy came out to our house at 6:30 am to stay with Lily and Lucy so I get to the hospital before Layna's surgery.  My parents came with me and we arrived at Children's Mercy around 8:00 am.  When I saw Layna laying in the hospital bed with a temporary cast on I wanted to sob.  But I didn't, for her sake.  She looked so little and she was uncomfortable and hungry but couldn't eat because she was scheduled to have the surgery mid-morning.  Before they wheeled her off to surgery they told us to give hugs and kisses.  Layna said, "I want you and daddy to come with me."  That just broke my heart.  The hardest thing was to hold back my tears (but I did).  She was so brave and just said, "ok".  She had the surgery at 9:30 and did great.  She had 2 pins put in.  Her surgeon was Dr. Paccica and was fabulous.  Everybody at Children's Mercy was kind, caring, and compassionate.  They explained everything to us, talked very nice with Layna and never rushed us.  If you have to take your child to a hospital, take them to Children's Mercy!  Layna was completely out of it (or so we thought) when the nurse asked me, "What would Layna like to drink when she wakes up"?  Just before I could answer, Layna opened her eyes and said, "lemonade" and then closed her eyes and went back to sleep.  That's my girl!  She did well the rest of the day and had pancakes and a blueberry muffin for lunch.  We left the hospital around 4 that afternoon.  She got a bright pink cast with purple hearts.  We took her out for ice cream on the way home because Jeromy promised her the day before that when this was all over he was taking her out for ice cream and she was holding him to that promise.  Layna, I am so sorry that this happened to you.  I am very proud of you.  You never cease to amaze me.  Here's to wishing you a speedy recovery!

Layna Marie starts Kindergarten

What?  Kindergarten how did we get here?  You are growing up so fast.  Your first day of Kindergarten was on August 23, 2010 at Basehor Elementary.  Your teacher's name is Mrs. Scruggs.  You have 17 kids in your class.  You attend all day Kindergarten from 8:55 to 3:55.  You did not want daddy or I to walk you in on your first day of school but we talked you into it and it was nice.  You hung your back pack up, sat at your desk, let us take a few pictures and then said, "Ugh, are you done taking pictures now?"  "You said you weren't going to stay."  That is our Layna.  You are so independent and confident.  We knew without a doubt that you were ready for this day.  With that being said I still had to hold back tears. One of my favorite memories with you is Umma and I taking you shopping for your back to school clothes and your school supplies.  We went to Zona Rosa for tax free weekend.  You were such a good shopper and we had a lot of fun.  Another favorite memory is daddy and I taking you to sneak peek night at your school.  We met your teacher, looked around your classroom, dropped off your school supplies and we toured the building.  You were so excited and eager to learn your way around the school!  Layna, we love you and are very proud of you- here is to a successful school career!

Lucy Jude's 1st Birthday

It is hard to believe that you are already 1.  Time sure does fly.  What a great year it has been.  You have been such a good baby.  Your sisters love you so much and take good care of you.  Layna and Lily love to wear matching clothes with you and they get so excited when you learn something new.  Lily will say, "Lucy said ma ma."  and Layna will say, "She is such a cute baby and mom look Lucy is crawling!"  By your first birthday you had 6 teeth, had crawling down, cruised all over the place and said da da and oh.  I still nursed you at nap time and bed time but other then that you love to eat table food and you are not a picky eater!  You have a healthy appetite.  You weighed 25 pounds and were 30 inches long at your 1 year wellness check-up.  We do have an appointment to have your eyes looked at again on Sept. 14th, 2010.  We had a cook out for your party and had friends and family over to celebrate your special day.  You loved the attention but did want mommy to hold you quite a bit.  You devoured your strawberry cupcake with vanilla icing!  You got lots of nice gifts.  It was a great day!  Lucy, you were meant to be a part of this family and we love you very much!

Branson Baby!

We took a week vacation to Branson, MO.  We stayed at Mountain Vista Resort and it was wonderful.  We had a two bedroom, two bathroom, fully loaded kitchen, living room and a whirlpool tub condo.  Seeing the girls' reactions when we walked in the front door was worth every penny.  It reminded me of my childhood vacations when my brother and I would run in the front door of the condos and say, "OMG look at this and look at that, we would tell our parents what the condo looked like before they even got in the door.  Then we would unpack our things so that it felt like we really lived there.  Layna was doing the exact same things I did when I was younger and Lily followed Layna.  Lucy was just happy to be with her family.

The resort had 2 outdoor pools, 1 indoor pool and 2 hottubs.  Our first night we unpacked, ate dinner and walked around the resort checking everything out.  The next day we packed snacks and headed for the pool!  The girls loved it.  I took Lucy back to our room for her afternoon nap (which she took beautifully) and Jeromy took Layna and Lily to the ice cream social at the activities center.  He asked the woman at the front desk how does this work and she responded, "You give me the money and I give you the ice cream."  Ahh, isn't she sweet?  I have another word for her.  I told Jeromy you should have said, "Oh, really is that how it works thank you thank you for explaining that to me, da."  But sometimes he is nicer then me (sometimes).  Lucky for her my kids didn't care and were happy to eat their ice cream.  She was the only rude person we ran into that worked there. 

On Monday my parents were coming to stay part of the week with us so we decided that would be a good morning to get out and take the girls to Kidz Kountry to ride some rides and then take them go karting.  It was super hot(heat advisory) so we couldn't stay long.  Layna and Lily rode the train and tea cups while Lucy napped in the ac van with Jeromy.  Then we found out that we could take Layna and Lily in the go karts with us.  Jeromy and Layna rode in one while Lily and Lucy and I watched then I took Lily while Jeromy, Layna and Lucy watched.  The 2 parents to 3 kids ratio was really evident on vacation.  My favorite part was seeing Lily's face when I put the pedal to the medal.  She just smiled and looked straight ahead.  Then when we got out she said, "I drive car" so we went again.  I have not been able to go go karting the last 3 years we have been to Branson b/c I was always pregnant!  So, this was a long time coming.  Then the girls played some games in the arcade and as we were standing in line to cash in our tickets this woman handed us 236 tickets and said, "Here take these my kids come here all the time and they don't need these extra tickets."  Layna and Lily were so happy-yea, more junk! 

Tuesday, Jeromy and I took Layna and Lily to White Water while my parents stayed back at the condo with Lucy (they took her swimming).  Jeromy and my ticket were free b/c we used our coke rewards points which saved us about $75.  This was by far the best day we had in Branson.  White Water is fantastic!  It is clean, safe, the perfect size, you don't have to pay to park, they have great restrooms and the food prices are about the same as fast food.  Jeromy and Layna went down some big slides and I mean BIG! Layna went down the drop slide which you can see from all over Branson it is soo high!  People in line and the lifeguards were amazed that Layna went down this and wanted to go again.  Lily and I watched from the bottom and were both like, "uh no I think we'll pass."  I took Lily over to the kiddy area where they had tube slides, waterfalls and a big playground in water.  Then we met back up for lunch.  All 4 of us got a combo meal and our total was only about $18.  After lunch Layna and I went and did some water slides together and it was a blast!  I felt like a kid again.  This one slide called the "Bermuda Triangle" was my favorite.  You rode on an innertube and the whole slide was enclosed in a tube and pitch black.  You wouldn't be able to see what was coming and then all of a sudden you would get splashed in the face.  Then the very end you had to go through a waterfall and then it dropped you in the pool (literally).  I actually screamed like a girl!  There was a family ride where we all got in a raft and went down a huge waterslide with twists and turns and waterfalls.  We all really enjoyed that.  We were so lucky with the lines.  They were short.  The longest line we waited in was 15 minutes.  We were amazed b/c it was July and it was hot and it seemed like there were a lot of people there.  They did have a lot of things to do that required no lines like the wave pool, the lazy river and the kiddy playgrounds.  My only complaint was that my feet hurt bad.  I did a lot of walking in $2 Old Navy flip flops and I carried Lily a lot up some serious hills!  My back is still jacked up.  We were there from 10-6 and honestly could of stayed longer but we thought Lily was done.  After we changed, bought our souveniors, we headed to our van and Jeromy looks at me and says, "There was an entire kids section with bigger slides, a dumping bucket and play area that we missed."  "Are you kidding me?" I asked.  Well, we just have to come back next year!  ( Layna-"What?"  "We missed some slides?").

Wednesday, my mom and I hit the outlet stores while Jeromy and my dad took the girls to the pool.  I have to say that you could make an entire vacation just out of the outlet stores.  They have the best stores and so many.  My mom and I barely made a dent.  But we did do some serious shopping. So much that the clerk at the Disney Outlet had to help us carry our bags to the car!  My mom and I got all 3 girls ALL their birthday presents at this store.  They had everything my girls are into and cheap!  Things I have never seen in other stores.  I was like a kid in a Disney store!  My other favorite store there is the Skechers Outlet.  Every time we go to Branson I stock up on shoes from there.  I think they are so cute and comfortable which is hard to find.  I wish Jeromy and I could have shopped there together b/c it is kinda of a tradition that when we go on vacation we buy a new outfit together and new shoes.  We also didn't get a nite out (just the 2 of us) but what are ya gonna do?   That day we also took my parents out to luch at Shorty Smalls.  I have been wanting to try their Macho Nachos for years.  So, what did I order?  The shrimp platter.  What is wrong with me?  It was good though. 

On Thursday my parents left.  We mostly spent the rest of our time there at the pool.  It was nice to just do what we wanted.  Lucy had two rough nites in a row.  She did not sleep at all!  I think she was getting her 1 year molars.  So, even though I didn't want to leave on Friday I knew it was best for Lucy and me.  Also, Layna said she missed her room and her toys.  All in all it was a great trip!  It really went better then I expected.  What a blessing to be able to spend quality time with each other (quality time is Layna's primary love language and mine).  Also, what a blessing that we were all safe and nobody got sick!  Thank you God for Jeromy's job which by the way he sold a job while on vacation (only Jeromy)!  Next year, Tennesse- The Glades.

Suman Summer Girls

Summer 2010

Meghan-  This summer will be a change for me as it is the first summer with 3 children.  I am a pool rat.  I have always said that if you are going to be in this family then you are going to learn to swim and love it!  So, Layna and Lily are used to going to the pool almost everyday. Until this summer.  I just can't keep everyone safe.Lily and Lucy are too little and too mobile.  So this summer we will only be going to the pool when Jeromy can go with us.  I don't know? What am I going to do without my tan, my pool friends and my chlorine damaged hair?  With this being said every summer I re-evaluate being a SAHM.  Because as a SAHM this is the time when you have to be more creative and pull out all the stops.  But the results are always the same- I love it and wouldn't have it any other way.  As hard as it is I know that I am truly blessed to be able to stay home.  This summer Jeromy's company landed the Wizards Stadium.  Thank God!  Looks like both of our jobs are secure at least for a little while.  I will be celebrating my 33rd birthday in July and can't wait.  I am finally not pregnant on my birthday (although I am still breastfeeding) but I'll take it.  We will be going on a family vacation to Mountain Vista in Branson, MO.  We have been there before and just love it!  It is very family friendly.  My book club is still going strong although I have not had time to read any of the books in the last couple of months.  I have a new hobby: kickboxing, lifting weights and cycling. These activities give me-ME time and keep me in shape!

Layna-  This is her second season in T-ball and with the Pink Ladies.  Her and her whole team have really improved since last year.  They now know to run and where to run after they hit the ball.  She has completed VBS at First Baptist (where she attended pre-school).  She loved it!  I was so proud of her because her friend did not want to stay and didn't stay once the whole week but Layna continued without her and showed her true independent self.  She will be going to dance camp in July.  She has lost another tooth and her dentist has informed us that she will need braces ( no big shocker since we have identical mouths).  We have set up several play dates and have become closer to my friend Karen and her sons Nathan and Nicholas.  She is active in Summer Reading but says, "I hate reading, it is boring."  Oh, no.  This breaks my heart because I love to read (even though I have no time right now) and I want her to enjoy listening to me read at the very least.  I know too many adults who hate to read and when I ask them, "Did your mom or dad read to you as a child?"  Their response is almost always the same, "No."  Case in point my husband.  He was not read to as a child and he hates to read.  He says, "I will wait for the movie."  Come on everyone knows the movie is never as good as the book.  Oh, well, Layna you are amazing.  You have such a big heart and are always looking out for your sisters.  I love it when you give me updates on Lucy and I don't even have to ask.  I think you are brave, strong and very intelligent.  My favorite thing  you have said to me so far this summer is "Mom you are not fat anymore!"  LOL.

Lily-  Wow!  Lily is really talking now.  She has thinned out and is looking more like a pre-schooler everyday and less like a toddler.  She is also active in Summer Reading but it is hit or miss whether or not she will listen to the book.  She still won't pee or poop on the potty which really surprises me because she wants to do everything Layna does.  The child watch ladies at the Y have even tried potty train her because they want her to be able to swim with the big kids.  Even Layna's dance studio is pulling for her so she can dance there this Fall.  But she is stubborn which shocks me because she really isn't stubborn with anything else except her pacifier(which she calls chi chi).  Her love for animals has changed a bit.  She has a recent fear of dogs at least big ones.  She still loves apple juice and has been known to chug it!  (Hope this is not a foreshadow of her college years).  The one thing that really sticks out to me about Lily is how people gravitate towards her.  When I am out with all of my girls, Lily gets the most attention.  People say things like, "I love her haircut, where does she go?"  "Look at all that dark brown hair."  She is soo cute and laid back."  "I just love watching her and seeing what she will do next."  I have always thought that she will be a nurse, a dermatologist and or a mom.  She loves taking care of people.  She is fascinated with skin and often rubs your arm when SHE is tired.  As a baby she would place her hand on my chest while she was nursing.  Now she does this when she is tired.  She loves, Yo Gabba Gabba, I-Carly, and Wow Wow Wuzby.  My favorite response she has given us is when Jeromy said to her, "Lily you are so funny." and she responded "Your welcome!"  Lily your kindness is never ending.  You look at the glass as half full.  You have a great sense of humor and love your family equally.  The way you are with Lucy always makes me proud and I too could watch you for hours.

Lucy-  This is Lucy's first summer.  We are sooo glad she is with us.  She too is active in summer reading and most of the time she is the only one who is listening.  She had her baby dedication on June 6th and did a great job.  Her hair has really lightened up and growing fast!  Everyone who meets her wants and does pinch her chubby chubby cheeks.  She is such a peaceful baby and adjusts easily to our lifestyle.  The most recent update is her eye patch.  She was seen at Children's Mercy by an Opthamologist Specialist and her lazy eye was confirmed.  She has to wear an eye patch for 3 hours a day for a month and then her doctor will re-evaluate her situation.  I am not happy that she has a lazy eye but am happy that I was not imagining it.  As a parent we try our best to give our children the best chance at life.  We go to all of our pre-natal appointments, we take all the pre-natal vitamins, we breastfeed, we read the books, we check to make sure they are still breathing and we take them to all their wellness check-ups.  But it doesn't stop there.  I noticed her lazy eye when she was 3 months old, I noticed she looked past me when she was looking at me.  I however was the only one who noticed this.  My mom eventually noticed and said something about it to me.  I then brought it to Lucy's doctor's attention and then I fought long and hard to get her in to see an eye doctor who was a MD as well.  I made phone call after phone call and didn't stop until she had an appointment and had the right doctor.  My husband, my mother in -law and some of my friends said, " I just don't see it."  Her doctor said that because we are treating it now she has the best shot at a full recovery and no loss of vision.  Yep, you read this right!  Her lazy eye can be cured.  Not trying to toot my own horn but I am proud of myself.  I am quickly learning that I am my children's only advocate so I must be assertive!  I have come along way as an advocate but still have a lot to learn.  Because sometimes the easy way out will only make it harder later.  Lucy crawled on her knees for the first time today and is now attempting to pull herself up.  Lucy, you are such a happy baby, you are a cuddlier and I love your smile.  My favorite thing you have said so far is "Da Da."  (Even though I was holding out for you to be my one and only daughter to say Ma Ma first.)  You too turned on me- Lol.  Although I wasn't sure about 3 kids I am sure now!  You belong in this family and have completed my life. 

Baby Lucy's Baby Dedication

We had Lucy Jude's baby dedication on June 6, 2010.  It was a gorgeous day!  Sunny and about 81 degrees.  We couldn't have asked for a better day.  We had our family picture taken in front of the Legends fountain.  The girls in their matching white/flower dresses were soo cute.  The dedication took place on stage at Legends 14 and all the girls were so good as we all prayed and dedicated Lucy.  We did run into one snag which was the error with her name.  Right before we were about to go on stage Jimmy (music director) informed me that they made a mistake and under her picture it read Lucy Jade Suman.  So, when they put her adorable picture up on the big screen that is what everyone saw.  I was hurt.  I was disappointed.  I was upset because I did my part to make sure that their were no mistakes.  I double checked everything and sent it in to the coordinator on time.  As a mother seeing the error tore me up!  Especially because Jeromy's mom was there and Jude is her name.  But I had to get over it and move forward.  It was an accident.  (But still- oohh!)

After the ceremony we had a reception at our house.  We served sandwiches, chips, fruit kabobs (which Jeromy spent a lot of time on) and of course a beautiful pink booties cake which read Lucy Jude.  Ha, if Wal-mart can get it right then WFC should be able to.  My parents, Judy, Jacksons, Winters, Bernings, and Kloibers were able to join us.  We had a really good time.  We are truly blessed to have such wonderful friends and family.  I am sad that this will be the last baby dedication in the Suman household...sniff sniff.  but happy to see what the future holds for Lucy Jude!  I love you unconditionally with all my heart! 

It's a Great Day for the Irish!

On, May 22nd Layna had her dance recital called "Dancing through the year."  Her number was called, "It's a great day for the Irish."  They preformed at the Lied Center in Lawrence, KS.  She had dress rehearsal from 10-12:30 that morning.  My mom's best friend Mary Lou was able to come visit us all the way from Wisconsin.  We shopped downtown Lawrence while Layna was at rehearsal.  Then we took Layna out to lunch at A&W.  We all really enjoyed our root beer floats so much in fact that we drank them before we ate our lunch.  Then we went home for a short break.  Everyone napped except for me.  I always have too much to do.  That night we had a babysitter come to watch Lily and Lucy.  Her name is Emily and she is great!  We really owe the Jacksons a great deal for sharing their baby sitters with us. 

The recital was so much fun.  Layna did a wonderful job.  People always say to us, "Layna really knows her dance."  She loves being on stage but she does take her dancing seriously and would not smile.  I guess she was really concentrating on the steps.  We especially wanted Mary Lou to come because she is Irish and Layna's dance was celebrating the Irish.  For a bonus there was a dance called Cinco de Mayo which was awesome because Mary Lou's husband Pedro is from Mexico and they live there in the winter months.  We all really got a kick out of the "Thriller" dance (Michael Jackson) which was preformed by some of the older girls and their dads.  It was so cool!  Of course all of us could picture Jeromy up there some day.  With 3 girls I don't think he can hide from this one.  Hey, I know he can dance because he did at our wedding.  Anyway, all was good.  Jeromy and I took Layna out for ice cream after her grand performance.  She was so cute.  She kept asking us, "Did you see .... and did you see ....?"  She was really fired up!  Again, I am so proud of her!  What an awesome experience for us all!

Class of 2010

Tonight Layna graduated from pre-school!  She wore her blue cap and gown with pride and walked up on that stage and said, "My name is Layna Marie Suman, I am 5 1/2 years old and when I grow up I want to be a Rock Star!  Every parent's dream.  As I sat in the audience with my sleepy baby and squirming 2 year old I couldn't help but think "God they grow up fast."  Every parent hears this several times a week perhaps but I didn't believe it until I had more children.  I guess it is because we are busier and not just focusing on 1 child.  I often say to Jeromy, "How did we get here?"  I mean really, how?  It just seems like yesterday that we were bringing Layna home from the hospital to our cute little ranch in Manhattan, KS.  We were clueless, tired, broke, scared, young and did I mention tired!  There were so many days that I thought to myself, Wow we are really in over our heads.
Now as I watch my first born step onto that stage with pride I think to myself, Wow we are really in over our heads.   No, but seriously Layna is a strong, independent, intelligent and fun child who is amazing with her younger sisters and I couldn't be more proud of her!

This Is How the Ladies Ride

I love the title of this blog because all my girls beg me to sing this song while bouncing them on my knee.  And, yes I still do this with Layna.  So, Lucy went on her first plane ride.  Uhma, myself and Lucy went to visit my cousin Janet and her new baby girl Iris.  We were also able to visit with Sarah, Karl and baby Ethan.  My godfather Joe and his wife Karen.  My biological mother Linda, her husband Joe and their son Dominic.

Lucy did wonderful on the plane.  I was worried about her ears popping since she does not take a sippy cup or a pacifier but she nursed while we took off and landed.  The plane was not full and we had three seats for the 3 of us.  Most people (if they can) will avoid sitting by you when they see a baby- LOL.  Joe and Karen picked us up from the airport and took us to a French cafe for breakfast.  It was so good!  The desserts were so beautiful that we took pictures of them.  We then went to MaryLou's house and spent the rest of the day visiting and took a nice long walk.  It was 80 degrees that day.  That night Linda, Joe and Dominic came over for pizza and to meet Lucy for the first time.  Lucy is in the stage right now where she just wants me so she wasn't too thrilled about new people holding her.  Especially, when we could only visit for a short time.

The next day my Uncle Charlie and Aunt Bonnie picked us up and we were off to Appleton to visit Janet, Adam and baby Iris.  It was so special to see Lucy's reaction to Iris.  She watched her a lot and I couldn't help but wonder if she was thinking, "hey finally someone who is smaller then me."  I know I was thinking wow next to Iris Lucy doesn't look so small.  Lucy also enjoyed watching their 2 cats.  Good thing she couldn't crawl yet or she may have chased them.

On Friday Lucy woke up with pink eye (Lily had it a week before).  I was so frazzled thinking how am I going to get her eye drops and how are we going to make sure Iris does not catch it.  Then an act of kindness came our way.  My Uncle Charlie's co-worker and friend Jane stopped by to visit Iris.  She said her son in law was an eye doctor and she could call him to see if he would get us some drops.  Not only did he give us drops but he drove them over to Janet's house!  A house call is unheard of these days.  We got the drops and Lucy's eyes cleared up instantly.  Thank you so much Dr. Doug!  Your kindness has lifted my spirits.

We ate a lot of good food, had a very comfortable stay at Charlie and Bonnie's house, visited with family, laughed a lot and shared memories.  I wish we lived closer together because I know we would spend a lot of time together.  It makes me sad that my children will not have cousins by chance but I am very happy that   Karl, Ethan and Iris are their cousins by choice.  We miss you all!  Thank you for a wonderful trip!

Happy 8th Wedding Anniversary!

Jeromy and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary on Friday, April 9th.  My mom came over to our house around 12:30 to watch the girls.  My dad came even though he just had sinus surgery on Monday.  I had everything organized, labeled and planned out to a T for my mom (watch out Kate Gosslin your not the only mom with post its).  But you can never plan for the unexpected- Lily came down with pink eye that morning.  So, we got all the kids in the van and my parents took them all to the doctor.  Luckily I got Lily an appt. at 2:00.  With all the extra commotion Jeromy and I were still able to get out the door by 1:15.  We went shopping for new clothes (we both are thinner now then when we got married-(weird huh?)  We are finally on the same page fitness wise.  We then saw the movie "Date Night."  It was really funny.  Jeromy and I both are Steve Carell fans.  Then we checked into our Hotel in the Power and Light area.  We stayed at the "Alladin."  It is a really old hotel that has a modern decor with new upgrades.  Our only complaint is that they charge you to park your car.  When Jeromy expressed that this was crazy their apology was to give us complimentary glasses of champagne.  We used the ice bucket to keep Lucy's breast milk cold(I said to Jeromy, "Not exactly how you pictured this huh?")  Hey, I will do anything for my little LuLu.

We ate dinner at Ameristar for the all you can eat crab legs.  It was soo good!  I quickly discovered that Jeromy is a professional crab leg cracker and I am not.  I JUST WANT MY CRAB, I don't want to do the work.  After dinner we headed  over to the Plaza where we met up with Gary Jr. and some of his friends.  We had drinks at Kona.  We walked in and I said to Jeromy, "I feel old."  and he said, "I feel fat."  Despite our feelings we ordered $12 drinks and found out from Gary Jr. that we were ordering from the wrong menu- he then hooked us up with $3 drinks- (We are such amateurs).  I had my first "Sake" shot which is hot tea and beer.  It sounds gross but they were surprisinly good.  At midnight the regulars order sushi.  Jeromy was like, "What, no."  But I loved it and shared some spicy tuna rolls with Gary Jr.  I told Jeromy where we come from Pizza Shuttle is our midnight snack.  He said, "I will take a twofer over tuna rolls any day.

After sleeping in and enjoying my shower with 2 shower heads we took a gamble and ate brunch at Harrah's.  Their service and buffet did not impress us to say the least but hey it was our "last supper" before returning home to the kids.  We had a wonderful time and are very grateful to my parents for all their help. 

Jeromy, I love your sense of direction, your planning skills, your sense of humor and your shopping skills.  But most importanly I love you!  Happy Anniversary!  Can't wait to see what you plan next year.

It's a Full Moon!

Layna had a friend over to play this afternoon.  I let them play outside in the backyard while I fed Lucy.  I could see her friend on the swing set but I couldn't see Layna.  I got up, looked outside and Layna was running around the yard BUCK naked!  I said, "Layna what are you doing?"  She said, "My clothes were wet so I took them off."  "Well you have to put them back on."  "Why?"  "Because you just do."  The neighbors could call Social Services on me.  She then put her clothes back on but still not sure why.  After I stopped laughing I texted Jeromy and told him about our little streaker and he said, "Well, she is YOUR daughter."  Whatever.

A Tisket, A Tasket and now Another Basket!

Easter has never really been my holiday.  The weather is unpredictable.  I don't like Peeps, Jelly beans or Cadberry eggs.  To dye Easter eggs makes me a little crazy because of the mess.  The grass from the girls' baskets is all over the house and gets stuck between our toes.  I feel the pressure to have my girls in beautiful Easter dresses, be on their best behavior, and of course stay clean. 

This year topped the charts.  Joel was released from the hospital on Easter, my Dad was miserable and scheduled for sinus surgery the next morning, my Mom was taking care of them, cooked the meal, and waiting for results on a biospy.  It was unusually warm, Lucy was clingy, and would not nap all day - not even on the car ride home. 

Then I stopped, took a deep breath and thought about what Easter is all about. 
Jesus rose from his tomb.  He died on the cross for ME!  He went through all that pain so that I could have life.  That's what it is all about.  Then I looked at my girls in their matching adorable Easter dresses (dirty by now)  and I realized this is Lucy's first Easter!  I don't want to focus on the negatives.  I want to remember how cute she looked with her chubby arms and legs in her dress, and how Layna was so excited to find her basket that she woke up, found it, and then put it back so that I could see her find it.  That Layna was patient with Lily and wanted her to find eggs and got excited when she did.  And how Lily found one egg with candy and that is all she wanted.  She got her chocolate and was content to sit and enjoy it.  That Lily ate 4 sticks of string cheese and called me "Meghan".  That Jeromy took Layna and Lily to the park.  My Mom and Jeromy took the girls for a walk and my Dad told me that he thought Jeromy was an amazing dad.  He is, Dad, he really is!  Our 8th wedding anniversary, Jeromy's 31st birthday and my trip to Wisconsin was all coming this week. This is what I want to remember.

To see the pics, check this out....

Slideshow - 2010 Easter with the Suman Girls

Sometimes I wish my life was easier, calmer and that I had more time for me.  In fact I wish it was more about me.  But I don't want to do things the easy way-Jesus didn't.  Some friends of mine at MOPS helped me turn my worries over to God.  It's not about me, it's about him and I want to be more like him.

This Easter we had 3 girls ages 5 and under, chaos, stress, pain and anger.  But we also had joy, laughter, praises, love and Lucy.  Happy Easter baby Lucy!  I love you all so much.

Ruthless Toothless

On March 9th Layna Marie lost her first tooth!  It came out when she was eating a marshmallow at her Uhma and Papa's house.  I was very happy for her because she wanted that tooth to come out so bad and she didn't want it to hurt.  But I was sad that I missed it.  Wouldn't you know it, I am with her everyday of her life and the one time I'm not, she lost her tooth.  Oh well, she has plenty more to lose.  She left her tooth under her pillow and the toothfairy brought her a note and $2.  Her pre-school class congratulated her and she even made a cut out tooth with her name on it that she could hang up at school.  She loves showing off her new smile and we love seeing it!

Ain't No Party Like a Jackson Party...

I had the privilege of accompanying Layna to Emma Jackson's 6th birthday party on Friday. If there was ever a perfect definition for the word "Craziness", this party was it with a capital C. Lots of kids, lots of games, and lots of goodies. There was even a professional juggler who could eat an apple in mid-juggle.....not to mention the flaming torches! Layna loved it. Thanks to the Jacksons for the invitation, you sure know how to throw a party.

Happy Birthday Emma!

What A Season!

Well, it was a great year for college basketball. Meghan and I have had the pleasure of watching our Wildcats blossom into a highly competitive, nationally ranked team. We made it to the Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament, but fell short in our game against Butler. I wanted so badly to make it to the Final Four, especially after the KU loss in the second round. Maybe next year huh? Meghan and I just want to say "Thank You!" to Frank Martin, Dennis Clemente, Jacob Pullen and the rest of the guys for making us so proud to be WILDCATS. Keep it up.

Who let the dogs out?

Layna (not the animal lover in our house) asks, "Can we get a dog when I am 6?"  Our response, "No!"  "Can we get a dog when I am 10?"  Our response, "No!"  "Fine how about when I am 19?" Our response......... "Deal".

Yo, Crappa Crappa!

In an effort to potty train Lily, Jeromy decided to let Lily run around the house with no diaper and no big girl pants.  Later: Lily says to Jeromy, "poopy daddy poopy and she attempts to get Jeromy to follow her.  She takes him into the master bathroom and there sits a soft serve pile of poop on the floor in front of the toliet.  Hey, she tried right?  "Oh, you wanted me to put my poop in the toliet not by the toliet?"  Needless to say Jeromy cleaned it up.  I am all for pull ups now!

Spit happens!

Lucy is catching on quick on how to survive being the youngest child in this family.  Lily wanted a toy that Lucy had so she just grabbed in from her.  Well, Lucy did not like that so she spit up all over Lily's foot.  (She is eating baby food now so it was orange).  Lily said, "Yuck"!  She knows that Lily is the clean freak of our household and being spit up on did not make Lily happy.  Lucy looked rather pleased with herself.

Lily what a pill!

Every morning I take out my birth control pill and my pre-natal vitamin and place them on the counter while I get a glass of water.  This morning was no different except that Lily took the pills while I was getting my water and when I turned around she had already chewed them up and swallowed them.  She didn't even say yuck or try to spit them out!  She just stood there with this catatonic look on her face.  Luckily the doctor said she would be fine and well protected!  Personally, I find that hard to swallow.