Some pictures from our very fun evening:







And just because she's cute:

I began adding flour to the yeast/water/honey mixture, rather amazed at how much flour eight pizza crusts require. Then I realized the recipe (which I was in the process of making x8 so that I would have enough pizza for tonight's birthday crowd) makes two pizza crusts each--not just one. In other words: I just made enough dough for one hundred and twenty-eight slices of pizza.

To borrow a friend's saying... that's dumb.

Happy 3rd birthday, Gabriel-boy!

I'd had every intention of writing a bit about Gabriel on his birthday itself, but yesterday ended up being a fairly busy day. I was not home at all except before church (which we left for at 8am) and after LIFE Group (which we didn't return home from until 9:30pm, and even then there were a handful of students who came over for the promised cookies that I began whipping up as soon as I walked in the door). Needless to say, there wasn't really "computer" time.

[For those concerned that celebrations of Gabriel's birthday have been altogether neglected, please be relieved to know that we are planning significant "doings" for tomorrow night. With guest ministry in town and lots of meetings on Sundays, we figured squeezing something in would be more of a bummer than delaying the joys of eating cake and opening gifts... and he doesn't know the difference!]

At any rate, my biggest little guy turned three yesterday. This is very hard for me to believe, as this is a milestone of sorts. Technically, we are beyond the "terrible twos" and toddlerhood; my first son is officially a boy, and I am amazed. On Friday I found myself remembering back three years--to the day labor began. I feel so far removed already, so I can't imagine how I will feel in years to come.

Here are some Gabriel tidbits:

--he has had the typical "80s" little boy haircut for the past year. His blonde hair is completely straight (thanks, Dad!) so he pulls off this cut very well, but he hates the way his hair falls down his forehead and is forever pushing it to the side with one hand. Oh well.

--ever since he stopped nursing two years ago, he has had a strange habit of rubbing one's neck when snuggling. I love it, because during these times he seems to be more of the little boy he really is.

--he loves drums more than ever. Hours of each day are spent playing at his "set"--a mix of toy drums, couch pillows and a bucket. When visiting with friends, his favorite game is making them sing worship songs while he pretends he is one of the drummers he knows. As of right now, James is his favorite imitation and one he does quite well.

--he has slept through very few nights in his life. To this day he comes down to our room almost always at least once during the night hours to tell Daniel that he "just needs a hug." As exhausting as this practice can be (more for Daniel than me, as he is the one who gets up and brings him back to bed--often repeatedly in one night), I know we will one day look back fondly on it.

--he is very gifted musically, and he's also very good with details and organization. This is predictable, I suppose, for one with such a definite mel-chlor personality.

--though thin (he barely weighs more than Bronwyn), he is very tall and is a full-fledged 3T these days. Right on target!

--for him, croutons are inspiration enough to eat salad and dried cranberries are inspiration enough to eat oatmeal. Things like this are handy for Mom and Dad, and we are grateful that there have been no more egg or pea battles since he was about 15 months old.

--he is God's gift to me in so many ways, but daily I find myself thankful for the furtherance he has brought to the sanctification process in my life. He and I are much alike in many ways (a 20-year age difference mostly means we react to different things, but the reactions themselves are still much the same thing) and, in seeing his weaknesses displayed, I am challenged to grow and change. This keeps me on my toes and praying that I will be able to keep one step ahead of him in this journey of being molded!

1. Bronwyn grabs the "ride cymbal" (most of us would recognize this item as a couch pillow) and runs off with it--purely in an antagonistic mood. She, of course, could really care less about having possession of the aforesaid object except that it gets a rise from Gabriel.

2. Gabriel runs after Bronwyn, shrieking at the top of his longs, and gives her a solid shove from the back as soon as he is within arm's reach of her. (I believe this move is illegal even in football.)

3. Bronwyn falls flat on her face, bursting into tears and rugburning her chubby cheeks, and the ride cymbal (a.k.a. pillow) is dislodged from her arms, which is exactly what her older brother intended the shove to produce.

4. Mom enters the room and tells them they're both in trouble and that they will now be appropriately disciplined for their behavior one to another.

5. Gabriel and Bronwyn begin crying and protesting, but after correction return to playing happily--usually not with one another. (Gabriel is far too melancholy and choleric a personality to prefer a playmate, unless that playmate is over the age of 20.)

6. Bronwyn grabs the "ride cymbal".

And so the daily cycle continues.

Yesterday Jackson had another appointment with the doctor, who will see him again in three weeks. He weighed just under 8lbs 10oz, which is only a 2oz gain (at best) since last week and only a 6oz gain from his birthweight. Hopefully he will grow a lot more between now and the next appointment so that I don't have to deal with whether or not we want to start doing procedures to make sure his slow growth is simply because he's small and not the result of some type of dysfunction (i.e. kidney problems, bowel problems, heart problems, severe anemia, etc.). As I've never had a baby who grew slowly before, I didn't even know what the "normal" weight gain is and had to ask! I guess an ounce a day is typical, and most male babies weigh close to 10lbs by 5 weeks (Gabriel was 9bs 8oz by 2 weeks!). While a baby who grows slower than the "typical" isn't a big deal, a baby who grows THIS much slower is enough of a concern that the doctor feels we would be remiss in not keeping an eye on things.

I'm not worried--though it is a bit disheartening to have someone label your baby with Failure To Thrive--but I am determined to make sure he's nursing lots and well. I have a feeling he may just be a little guy, yet I don't want him to be unhealthy. Since supply doesn't seem to be the issue, there isn't a whole lot I can do. But I can pray! On the way back to Madrid from the appointment yesterday, I was so thankful for the peace that comes with following Christ. I know that my God knows every detail of Jackson's body--whether he is simply a small baby right now or whether there is a problem--and He knows exactly how much this little guy should be gaining each day. There is such rest in knowing He cares for me and my own!

On the other hand, Bronwyn continues to astound me with the way she grows! She really is going to catch up with Gabriel at this rate! I can't believe the little (kind of) lady is outgrowing her 18-24 month clothes. Is it possible that six months ago she was wearing 6-12 month clothing?!?! This fall and winter has been nothing but GROWING for her, including her hair! Friends in Pittsburgh will be amazed, I think, when they see her.

And in four days Gabriel will be three years old. He is such a gifted and smart boy. But wait--I wanted to save the Gabriel "tidbits" for his actual birthday, so I won't write another word! :)

For lack of writing inspiration, I give you this.

[I could confess how I forgot completely to eat less sugar yesterday, or I could describe a morning outing to The Fields with my kiddos (solo outing, I might add) and how pleased I was with their behavior while there, or I could ramble about what I need to do here around the house (a lot). But I'll spare you...]

Today Daniel was scheduled to share his testimony at Upward. Shortly before it was time for him to leave, I suggested that we all go since much of my required morning's work was done and it sounded like a fun family outing.  I also suggested that we walk. It looked so brisk and sunny outside, and I have been greatly missing taking regular walks (I've been skeptical about bringing Jack out in this cold NY weather too soon). So we all bundled up and did just that.

Boy, was it cold! I still have pink cheeks--two hours later--and I'm loving it! After all, it's been quite a few weeks since I saw my face with any color other than that which I can artificially add, and I am amazed at how much healthier I look. Please don't burst my bubble by reminding me that my skin is just a bit chapped from the intense wind that greets one the minute they step foot on that long church driveway. I like to pretend that my hemoglobin levels are suddenly normal and that I'm going to look like a healthy individual from here on out. :)

(I just checked to see what the temperature is: 3* F, but it feels more like -16* F. No wonder Bronwyn cried the whole way there and back!)

Up way too late watching the Olympics. Watching snowboarding kept me a bit enthralled tonight.

I can't keep doing this!

My mom is back in a big cast, once again sitting in the family room and unable to take a normal shower everyday. There are many times in life when we have to start things over, but most of them don't take twelve months to complete. I feel so badly for her.

Last night (when I should have been sleeping) I researched thrush online more thoroughly and exhaustively than ever before. When Bronwyn was a baby, she and I dealt with this thing often. I think we averaged once a month, actually, and we tried every remedy I could find--sometimes with good results and sometimes not. I really don't want to do that again, as it is extremely painful (for me--fortunately the baby is okay) and makes breastfeeding less than the convenient thing it otherwise is. So I was researching. I found some interesting things--most of which I've known and just never paid attention to--and have decided to change some things in my life as a result. Here are some of my findings and resolutions:

1. People who are anemic are more prone to getting thrush (which is a strange form of a yeast infection, for those of you who are wondering) than others. This is yet one more reason for me to be diligent about taking my iron pills and maintaining an iron-rich diet. I am renewed in my vigor to keep on, in spite of the unpleasant side-effects of iron pills.

2. Since anti-bacterial soap kills the good bacteria that keeps yeast (which we all have, but shouldn't have in excess, in our bodies) in check, I will be limiting my use of anti-bacterial soap as much as possible. At this time of year, I generally don't like doing that since there are lots of things like colds and the flu going around, but I'm desperate! Be forewarned if you eat at our house: you might leave with some runny nose germs you didn't previously have before, but at least your yeast will be held at bay!

3. Jack's pacifiers will be boiled--not just washed--once a day to sterilize them. Yes, a bit of a pain, but not more of a pain than what I'm currently experiencing.

4. I've always known my refined sugar intake is a bit out of control (okay... a LOT out of control), but I've never quite had the motivation necessary to do anything about it. Today, I am motivated! Beginning this morning, I am seriously lessening my refined sugar intake, which means I'll have to be turning down yummy desserts at my parents' house on Tuesday nights, the candy leftover from Valentine's Day, the "brown" birthday cake with "brown" frosting that Gabriel has already put in an order for, etc., because--as we all know but rarely do anything about--sugar compromises the immune system, and a weakened immune system can't fight thrush.

That is totally not helpful to most of you, but some may find it interesting!

Don't tell the doctor, but I let Jackson go without eating for five and a half hours last night. I'm not supposed to let him go more than four, but he was tired and I was even more tired. And, besides, once you've tried waking a sleeping baby to eat, you never try again. It doesn't work.

I really enjoy watching the Olympics. Some of my favorite sports to watch these days are skiing (well, with the exception of cross country stuff, which just looks frustrating and exhausting to me), skating (speed and figure), curling, and snowboarding.

Unfortunately, I really can't get into the hockey games, which my husband immensely enjoys. It has been bugging me that the Canadian channel showing Olympics 24/7 has so much hockey stuff, including interviews all the time with hockey players. Who wants to hear what the assistant head coach of the Canadian women's hockey team thinks about their chances against Italy (what a joke) when there is a luge race going on somewhere else?!

The wind today must be a pain for those who have to be out and about, but I am enjoying the sounds and sights from the comfort of my "yellow house" here in Madrid. When I was sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast this morning, there was an actual breeze coming through the cracks around the back door because the wind was so intense. And, no, the door is new so it otherwise isn't drafty. Usually breezes in the house are a very disliked thing in February, but watching the trees and hearing the howls is so cool to me that I don't even mind. I just put a hat on Jack and figured we'll be fine.

Our electricity was almost turned off yesterday. The ridiculous thing is that the electric company probably never would have realized that we weren't listed as customers except that my very honest husband called them to tell them we had yet to receive a bill even though we'd been getting serviced for almost two months. That's when we all found out that we shouldn't have been getting service at all because we weren't in their records (we, obviously, thought we were). Their response? Turn off the electricity until we get all our paperwork in. Fortunately, the guy who showed up at my house took one look at me with my two toddlers and infant son and didn't have the heart to shut it off.

Joe Boyle is right: customer service in the North Country often stinks.

My poor Mom--back to square one. Not one bit fun.

Last night and today, when I laid Gabriel down for bed/nap, he stayed on his bed.

My son is almost three years old. He first climbed out of his crib somewhere around 7 months of age, when he literally stood on the bumper pad and catapulted himself over the rail of the crib and onto the bedroom floor. Removing the bumper pad later that same day really only bought us a little time before the issue of staying in bed was revisited. Over and over and over and over again--for years, literally-- he has been punished for getting out of bed after we have put him there. Daniel and I have spent countless hours dealing with naptime and bedtime problems. I have daily wondered how much longer it will take before he finally learns that he is not allowed off his bed! I do believe I've even looked at my husband and said, "I know he's not stupid, so he must be really, really stubborn!"

I do believe the stubbornness has been conquered!

Now, I'm not going to assume that this issue will never again arise (though I'll be thrilled if it doesn't), but I am amazed--no, I am blessed--by the past two times I've laid him down. Due to Jackson's presence in the home, I am not free these days to sit in the hallway right outside the bedroom to make sure Gabriel stays in bed, so I've just come downstairs to care for the baby immediately after laying Gabriel and Bronwyn down for their nap/bed. Usually, the sound of little footsteps running around soon follows my descent. But not so last night and today.

If you have spent any time in our home, you know the battles that have ensued over this issue. So take a minute and congratulate my son on his obedience. I certainly am doing just that!

Jackson is one month old today. On the one hand, I can't believe it wasn't just yesterday that I was bringing him home from the hospital. On the other hand, it seems as though he's always been part of this family. We are so much richer with him!

Here are some "Jackson" tidbits:

--he is a very fair baby, and so far his hair continues to have an "orange" hue to it. Whether he will be red or strawberry-blonde we have yet to discover, but in the meantime we're enjoying the smeared-spaghetti-sauce-look.

--he has yet to sleep more than four hours in one stretch. This is good for him from a nutritional standpoint and bad for me from a sleep standpoint!

--he weighed in at the dr's yesterday at 8lbs 8oz, which is only a 4oz gain from birthweight. (I think even Maygen may have beat his weight gain this past month, and Gabriel and Bronwyn certainly did as newborns.) He continues to seem skinnier and more petite than my other children. Perhaps he'll take after his Papa Sinclair in more ways than just having reddish hair.

--he has only spit up a few times, and those times were insignificant. I am glad for this and am crossing my fingers that it will continue after having had two "spitters" previously.

--his cry is extremely small! We all have found amusement in his desperate attempts to gain our attention; attempts that are often to no avail because of how minor his wails are in comparison to the other noise in our house.

--he almost always holds his hands near his face much like a rabbit does, long fingers all pointed down. It's kind of funny.

--with his birth has come a new-found peace. The last month has been very free of the perfectionism and foolish self-requirements that have so often marked my life. Before he was born I felt the Lord telling me that this year--represented in Jackson's arrival--was going to bring victory in areas related to being a wife and mom. So far, I have known greater stability emotionally and less pressure to perform than before. When I look at my Jackson, I think I will always reflect on this.

Happy one-month birthday, Jackson Edward!

Today has been spent doing battle with thrush. Though this is the first time around with Jackson, it is far from my first attempt at dealing with the thing overall. Bronwyn and I visited these battles extremely frequently while she was breastfed.

At this point our supply of vinegar and baking soda is less than it was on Friday, my son's mouth is stained purple, I'm in excruciating pain, the home remedies are being exhausted, and I am facing the most-likely reality that we'll soon be making a trip to the dr's for much-dislike antibiotics. Ick.

In a lot of ways, I really feel that I could do without days like today.

Today Gabriel is only 2 weeks away from his 3rd birthday, Bronwyn is 18 months old exactly, and Jackson marks 4 weeks since birth. They are growing and changing continually--and making us all fall more in love with them everyday.

I am so blessed in my children. So very, very blessed.

Today we're on our own again. I definitely was spoiled this past week having Daniel's mom here. I did little cleaning, lots of resting, a few "fun" projects (i.e. making heart-shaped sugar cookies and Valentines), and much enjoying watching my children enjoy having Rah-RAHHH--as she was dubbed by Bronwyn--around. I didn't even get out of bed every morning until around 8am because she was here to be with Gabriel and Brownyn.

So far this morning I had to wake up earlier (7am will eventually have to turn into something earlier if I want to have a quiet time and/or any exercise before toddlers arise, but I thought it was a good start after what has been), I gave baths to the tune of Jackson crying and crying (he really prefers being held and has been accomodated all this past week), the breakfast dishes have yet to be washed (I'm wishing the extra set of hands Mom P. provided was still around), and Gabriel is already bored to death (he's missing his all-time favorite playmate). Welcome back to reality, Brietta!

Thankfully, I'm still just laughing about the chaos of today compared to the calm we've had. Perhaps it's because I expected three children to be much more insane than two, but the normal perfectionism I demand of myself just isn't existing in its usual dominance of my emotions since Jackson's birth. I don't even think I would be embarrassed if all of you stopped in right now and saw how disheveled the house is!

In the meantime, I'm going to scoop my infant son up and delight in his need for snuggling (how quickly children outgrow that!) and try to interest my other children in some of their toys and books. The dishes in the sink might grow mold and the bathwater bacteria, but I refuse to be undone by such things. After all, I figure before we get to that point somebody would come to my rescue. :)

In case you'd rather see something less controversial than the last photo I posted, I figured I'd put this up. It was taken last night.

For several days there have been hearts hanging from the windows in my house--white and red. Two days ago I bought our first Valentine's Day tablecloth, along with a couple heart-shaped votives. This morning Gabriel and I rolled out sugar cookies, which we later frosted pink and decorated with red sprinkles and cinnamon candies. And so I figured I ought to make a couple quick changes to this site, as well. (I thought the picture of Bronwyn a very appropriate "fit".)

As far as I'm concerned, Valentine's Day is far less about romance and much more a celebration of the people we love. With that in mind, it becomes a family holiday. We will thoroughly enjoy it--even though I've had a very difficult time finding the plates I picture sitting on the shelf in my dining room and serving the afore-mentioned sugar cookies.

I love special days. Here's to another special day!

This morning I went grocery shopping. It was just Jackson and I running around in the muck and mire of the P&C parking lot, and I loved it. I haven't been out of the house much at all since Jackson was born (this is due to a very strict husband who, out of the love in his heart for me, has been enforcing rest and "laying low" to the extreme), and even the couple times I've stepped foot out my door, I've only gone to the church or my parents'. So, basically the last 2+ weeks have been lived in less than one mile of Madrid.

Yeah.

I love time with my kids--don't get me wrong. In fact, I really enjoy "family" outings to the grocery store (boy, do we sound lame). But sometimes it's amazing to realize how quickly the errands actually go when I'm not stopping three times to bring a toddler to the bathroom and returning items my 17-month-old has been pulling off the shelves and into the cart when I'm not looking to where they belong. And it's great fun to stop at Dollar Tree or some such place just to see what they have for Valentine's Day and not have to carefully calculate beforehand whether little feet and little attention spans can endure such a thing.

The funny thing is realizing how much more slowly I get flustered now than I did three years ago. I can quickly recall, with great amusement, grocery shopping with Gabriel as a baby and the way I used to stop what I was doing the minute he began crying. I often went to great lengths to make sure he wouldn't cry when I was out and about--whether it meant bringing the front-pack carrier, carseat and stroller so that I could try different things as we went along--and when all else failed, I would abandon the cart so I could stop and feed him. (And I wonder why he can be a bit demanding now...) Today I barely noticed Jackson wailing and wailing. I have become so accustomed to continual beat-boxing and crying and fighting and whining that the cries of an eight and a half pound baby, tucked snuggly into his carseat in the front of the cart, seemed extremely mild and manageable.

Perhaps one day I'll be writing about how undoing grocery shopping with lots of little guys was and how it's become a cinch.

But I doubt it.