Happy Birthday Papa and other thoughts!

Lizzie turned 4 months, Ellie turned 3 months, Papa turned 62 and Katie turned one this month - WOW - what a month. The family is headed up to Webster tomorrow for Bob's father's funeral and service. The big kids picked out their clothes and are really mature about going to another wake and funeral. Bob is doing well - the kids are paying special attention to Daddy and giving extra hugs, kisses and smiles!

Elizabeth had cereal - Yeah! She loved it! And she looked cute eating it, too!

Loving her cereal.

Beautiful girl with a cereal face.

Ellie belly with her sweet baby smile! She is going to get away with ANYTHING later on!

Papa gets the house ready before we even get there. Puts the cars on the street, cleans out the garage and lines up bikes and other outdoor toys for the grandkids! And he wonders why the kids adore him!

Daddy has his hands full getting in from the house!

Happy Birthday hugs from Peter and Lizzie.

Auntie Kake and Ellie and Abby hanging with Papa on his birthday.

Uncle Tim and Uncle Colin wishing Big Uncle a Happy B-day!

Abby and lizzie hanging out - Abby was finally feeling better!

Annie getting a ride from the birthday boy!

Meg and Grammy in the kitchen cleaning up after a delicious brunch!

Peter squared.

Tyler and Molly checking out Papa's camera.

Papa and his girls.

Wrestling with the boys!

Uncle Pat gets taken down!

Both boys get in on the action.

Ellie and her nanny!

The girls helping Papa to open his presents.

At some point I will post some of the family portraits we had taken. My dad loved them.

Daddy and his sleepy baby!Annie loved the balloons.Happy Saint Patrick's Day - the kids were thrilled to find gold coins from the leprauchans under their pillows.Annie was even happier later on when she figured out that the gold coins were chocolate.Auntie Kake made sure that our little irish Princess was decked out for Saint Paddy's Day!My beautiful Irish girl!Annie stole the crown until Molly left for school.Our wild Irish Rose - Elizabeth had a cute little St. Patrick's Day outfit on so she got lots of pictures taken by both Meg and I that day. kind of funny when i took a few and then looked back and realized Meg had taken a bunch already!Lizzie Mack!My two Irish girls - so cute!Another one that Auntie Meg took of Annie helping Ellie drink her bottle.Pluto makes Lizzie so happy - wait until Disney World!Lizzie and her friends.Daddy was taking the kids out for a walk and I was SO excited for a hint of spring that I chased them out to take a picture!Lizzie had crazy hair but she was so smiley and happy that I took way too many pictures.I love that you can see every part of her gums when she smiles - I just want to kiss her all the time.Shamrocks on her feet - awww!And our sweet little Ellie sleeping in her grammy blanket. Ellie is now sleeping through the night every night - 8 p.m. - 6 a.m. and sometimes longer! Woo-hoo!Lizzie sleeping in her bassinet - yes, i still haven't moved her despite not having an inch to move in it! I'm going to miss her when she leaves us!

I love looking at the kids when they sleep. Annie no longer lets me take pictures because she wakes up and wants to play and the big kids cover their faces when they sleep now.

We had conferences at the school today and the kids are doing great - both reading above grade level and excelling in all areas - Mommy takes a big deep breath and relaxes for vacation now. We are so proud of both of the kids and once again, I am reminded of how unbelievably lucky we are that we found Noah Webster.

Lizzie had her 4 month appointment and Annie had her 18 month appointment this week and both are doing wonderfully. Annie had clear ears and Lizzie is growing like a weed. The stats are below!

Elizabeth

13 pounds 13 ounces

26 inches

Annie Bananie

25 pounds

341/2 inches

Just to give you an idea at 4 months Annie was 16 pounds and 24 inches - what a difference - Lizzie may end up being our forward! Annie has some fluid in her ears but they look clear so we'll see what happens when she goes off the antibiotics.

I'm exhausted and we have a long day tomorrow so I'm going to end here.

GNM - ILY!

A Sad Week.

It has been a rough week in the H-W house. On Sunday we got a call that Bob's father was very ill and had experienced a brain bleed. They were unsure of how things were going to go and as Bob debated trying to get up to Worcester to see his Dad we recieved a phone call that he had died much quicker than they expected. Unfortunately my father in law and I did not know each other well - we didn't get the opportunity to spend time together for various reasons but there are some things that I do know about my father-in-law.

I know that my father-in-law picked onions out of his garden and ate them like apples. I know that he was a champion horseshoe player and played on a league with Bob for a few years. I know that he loved to work in his garden and Bob was so enamored with his father's garden that he planted and tended his own invisible garden when he was four. I know that when Bob became an adult and had to decide what to do with his life he immediately signed up for the Air Force because his Dad had served in the Air Force for 8 years. (He was turned down for poor eyesight and joined the army instead!) I know that my father-in-law and Bob played on a candlepin bowling league together and that when Bob moved out on his own he stayed within a mile of his parents until our wedding day. I know that when I married Bob he was thrust into the role of fatherhood and did it seamlessly and with amazing instinct. I know that Bob is a gentle, tender, wonderful father and that he would absolutely consider his father a great role model in his life. It is absolutely true that it is easier to go through something painful yourself than to watch someone you love go through it! I wish there was something that I could do to make this time easier for Bob but knowing that his father is at peace and coming home to 6 loving smiling faces will at least make things a little bit better for right now!

The link to the obituary in the Worcester Telegram is listed below!

http://www.legacy.com/telegram/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=125222190

GNM - ILY!

Tis a Blessing to be Irish!

The Queen on her throne - Annie was sick for a few days and she was finally able to have a snack so I indulged her a bit!

Auntie Ann asked for more pictures of Peter and when the matriarch of the family asks for something - she gets it!

My handsome boy posing for his Mom!




I love this one - what a cute kid!

This one was for Auntie Meg because she likes this pose - according to Peter!

Molly won Employee of the Month and as soon as I figure out how to get the pictures from my e-mail I will post them. I sent out an SOS on Friday because Annie was sick and I could not get to the school for the assembly. I was so upset but Mrs. Nelson and Auntie Tracey came to the rescue with pictures and words of encouragement for Molly girl in my absence. Molly was so excited because when she went up to get her award Mrs. nelson gave her a thumbs up - she misses Mrs. Nelson so much still! We are going to try to convince Mrs. Nelson and the boys to come down the the beach this year to hang out with us - she can get her girl fix and we can finally catch up! Molly got to choose dinner and it was McDonalds and a picnic with Ann!

Annie was still not 100% and her smiley self but what gorgeous girls we have! Molly was excited to have the same hair as Annie.

Elizabeth Mack - she looks about as Irish as they come according to my friends in Ireland and green is definitely a good color on her!

Ellie was sleeping and in our house we never wake a sleeping baby so three of our four girls dressed for the Saint Patrick's Day parade.

The five kids dressed in their green - I also changed the picture at the top of the blog!

Molly and Lizzie!

Now a happy one - Molly loves that everyone thinks she and Lizzie look alike.

Elizabeth ready for her first parade!

Annie all bundled up and not sure how happy she was to be outside after days of being sick!

Tyler looked adorable in his green hat!

We found a great spot to watch the parade right in front of a police car at the end of a street.

The girls ready for a parade.

Look who we ran into at the parade!

Auntie Kelly and Korin.

Bob and his other wife.

I love this picture of Karla and Tyler.

Bob and the boys!

Bob found a cool way to keep Annie's hands warm but as soon as she saw the clowns it was all over - she jumped into her Daddy's arms.

Mommy keeping the babies warm! The woman behind us was making fun of her daughter because she asked how many kids we had brought to the parade - when I answered 8 all together she laughed - her daughter thought her 2 year old son would be too much trouble and refused to bring him! For me it was like a vacation - sit in the chairs in the beautiful outdoor sunshine and hold the babies and ooh and ahh with the kids - a perfect way to spend a Saturday. And as a bonus we get to hang out with Auntie Karla and the kids and Auntie Kake and see lots of friends!

Annie loved the Irish music.

TJ Garrahey is on the far right in the honor guard for the Hartford Fire Department.

Jim Moriarty was the Parade Grand Marshall - this is he and his wife Margaret.

Our good friend Terry Camilleri plays in the Governor's Foot Guard band and travels all over the place for parades. We loved seeing her right here in Hartford - she's the short one in the middle playing the clarinet!

The kids favorite float - the steel workers union!

Ellie five minutes into the parade and very happy.

Elizabeth - out cold and not minding the noise or commotion one bit.

Pete was excited when Auntie Kake finally got there.

Ann relaxing with Daddy!

Auntie Kake getting some Tyler time.

The Rocky Hill town committee - Mrs. G is right in front!

The RH float featuring Saint Patrick - otherwise known as Mr. Brazil.

The kids loved this guy.

Molly - Girl!

Ellie hanging with Auntie Kake!

The whole crew.

Daddy with some of his girls!

Peter and Annie watching the parade together.

Our favorite dance studio.

Molly and Abby were excited to see all of their teachers.

Auntie Kake had everyone on her lap at some point.

The girls pointing at the funniest part of the whole parade.

The horse poop in the middle of the road! BTW - I was dared to put this on the blog.

Pete konked out in the back after a very long parade - we were gone for 4 hours!

Banana sound asleep.

Annie wants to do everything that Tyler does and be everywhere that Tyler is.

Elizabeth is starting to love the exersaucer!

Molly was on baby duty and took this picture of the girls in their saucers next to each other.

Daddy and Lizzie - so sweet.

Beautiful baby hands.

Our little sleepy head.

We had a blast at the parade and the kids were tired out. Karla and I did a little swap after the parade so that the kids could play with each other and Bob and I watched Survivor for an hour while the babies - all 3 of them - slept! Today is Papa's birthday - last night at grace Peter thanked God that Papa was turning 62 and he was still alive! I'll post more later!

GNM - ILY!