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!