The cast of characters

Ray – He’s rolling over. Grabbing things. Holding his head up high. Kicking his feet around, pissed off he can’t get anywhere. He’s still sleeping great at night. Unfortunately he has no day time schedule because his Mama and brother are just totin’ him all over town at all hours and he just dozes when he can. Sometimes he feels more like luggage than a baby. But he still prefers being out of the house, seeing the world. Oh and he is amazed by brother Noah. He just stares and smiles and stares some more. It’s true love.

Noah – He turned THREE on Sunday. All the growing child clichés are true – it’s going SO fast. I just keep tearing up when I think about how much he’s already learned and grown. And about how proud I am to be his mother – and incredibly thankful to spend all day, every day with him. He truly is a remarkable little man. He’s so smart, funny and imaginative – occasionally I feel a bit sad that because of his shyness so few people really get to see the true him. We had his kiddie birthday party on Sunday at the Fairmount Art Center. It was so much easier than cleaning my house from top to bottom and entertaining 13 three year olds. And I think all the kids really enjoyed it. Especially Noah. He loves doing art – wants to paint, draw and sticker every day. His favorite teacher at his school is Miss Laura – the art teacher. And he’s still a very musical boy – singing, dancing, playing instruments, composing songs. It may sound crazy but I hope to start him on Suzuki piano next year. But maybe someone will talk some sense into me before that happens.

Mark – He was swamped at work the last month, prepping for the Democratic debate at Drexel. It was so hard just to have him not come home at 5:30 on the dot every night. I don’t know how people do it when they get less help. I love my kids and love spending my days with them but by 5:30 I’m sincerely in need of some help. And he’s fine help indeed. The man does so much of the grunt work – and definitely does not get enough appreciation. Have I mentioned that he does almost all the dishes? And his own laundry, the trash, the recycling and cleans the bathrooms (when we get around to it)? That, my friends, is worth it’s weight in gold. And then to be a kick ass friend, husband and caring and involved father to boot! Thank you Mark! I don’t deserve you.

Me – This week I’m exhausted. Rundown. A bit lost. It’s been incredibly busy lately, and I prefer it that way but I feel like I’m also in the middle of a whirlwind. The boys are keeping me so busy that NOTHING else gets done. The house is in shambles and so am I. I’ m not the cleanest person in the world but I don’t like disorder and at the moment everything is everywhere. And on the rare occasion we get a moment to pick up – the next day it’s all destroyed again. Of course my weight is really bothering me but I don’t have the energy and willpower to even try to do something about it other than complain. I just cringe and whimper at almost every photo taken of me - which is great since I’m the Maid of Honor in my Mom’s wedding next weekend. I plan on just holding the kids in front of me at every opportunity. So that's the stuff that's eating away at me - but there is tons of amazing stuff too. I'm just tired and a bit overwhelmed at the moment. This too shall pass.

Parker – I had to take our cat Parker to the Pet Emergency room this morning. I was feeling really awful about it because when he started hobbling around last night I was certain I had caused it when I tossed him down the basement steps so that I could keep him from running out the front door during a delivery. It seemed he didn’t fall quite right when it happened and I immediately became convinced I injured him. But it turns out he had a urinary obstruction that was life threatening – but not related to the stairs incident – and easily removed in surgery ($555!!). He’s going to be at the vet for the next couple of days with a catheter for monitoring but then he should be home as good as new. That is if he doesn’t have some larger problem that caused the obstruction – like cancer.