Carolyn's Three!

I can't believe it. Today is my baby's third birthday! I made a slideshow for her birthday showing pictures from birth to age three; I picked out one (or sometimes two) picture from each month of her life. It's really neat (especially for me since I'm her mommy) to just watch her grow through the pictures. Somewhere around 18 months she seems to transition from the sweet baby look into the toddler look she's had and just in the last few months I think we are starting to see the beginnings of what she will look like as a young child. It takes about 4 minutes to play so watch it when you have time, but I think it's really cool.

The Road Ahead

This post has been way too long delayed because by now this is such "old news." I suppose it is somewhat forgivable because we couldn't really talk about the details until all the papers had been signed- which occurred just a few days before Nora was born, and then I got so caught up in having a new baby and taking a million pictures again that the time just never seemed right.

But really, I'm so excited to tell you about Brad's new job!! He is going to be joining one of the finest, and largest, OB/GYN groups in town, Grand Rapids Women's Health. If you go to THIS link, you will see his profile on their website. This really was such a "God-thing"- the opportunity literally fell into our laps; we hadn't really even considered looking this direction when Brad got an email one day asking him to meet up with the leader of the practice and though it took quite a long time to get all the details sorted out, it became pretty clear that this was the path for us.

Not only does this practice keep us from having to move, but it is also a really excellent fit for Brad professionally. Everything we have seen from them over the past several months of working with them to set up Brad's new practice just shines with pure excellence. The picture above is of their new office building; I haven't been inside yet, but I have heard rave reviews; they are even working on a new surgical center right in the building so that patients can have minor, outpatient procedures there instead of at the big hospital, doing the same procedure at a fraction of the cost. This has some really talented support staff and together with physicians who all practice a very high standard of care, they've put together a really wonderful, patient-centered, yet financially viable practice. Everyone I know who's gone there loves it. Some of our friends have already switched doctors so that they can have Brad for a doctor (he's delivered quite a few of our friends' babies in his tenure as a resident and everyone loves him!)

Brad will be starting July 21; we get three weeks off together as a family! Yay! We're going on a celebratory vacation next week to California to visit friends (and see Cinderella's Castle), then we have a bunch of to-dos around the house and stuff for the next couple weeks. We are finishing our basement later this summer and it totally needs a cleanup job before the work can start! And then we start a whole new phase of life together. We are so excited and praise God for His provision for our family. :)

Intern Welcome Party

Every year, Brad's hospital throws a big welcome party at Craig's Cruisers (the local mini-golf/arcade/laser tag/family fun zone for the new interns and their families. All the residents are invited, and so are the attending physicians from each program- so this year, Brad qualifies on both counts! I'm glad we're staying with Metro because teaching is something he's so good at. :)

This was the first year that Carolyn was big enough to do some of the activities.

After a couple disasters trying other rides (she's not really much of a thrill seeker!), she decided she wanted to go on the go karts with Daddy. Even though he said she held on to him as tight as she could the whole time, she still said she had fun. It was funny and cute to see how she was trying sooo hard to be brave! She's growing up so much- seeing her face her fears and push through anyway was really cute- and a little sad at the same time because I was sorry that she was scared! But she was so proud of herself afterwards! Disneyland will be interesting; I think she will love all the Princesses but may never set foot on a ride!

Nora, of course, could be depended upon to be adorably cute and to charm everyone she saw. :)

And hey, a family picture I actually like! :)

Jam Jamboree

On Tuesday morning we braved the heat (even at 10am it was already sweltering!) and went to pick strawberries. :) I hadn't done this since I was about 12, but one of the best things about being a parent is getting to revisit fun things you did as a kid and seeing them all over again through the eyes of your own child.

My friend Michelle came along with me to hang out with Nora so I could give Carolyn (and the berries) my full attention.

Carolyn ate pretty much nothing for lunch that day except strawberries. It's a good thing they don't "muzzle the ox" while you're picking! We munched on many sweet, slightly warm berries.

I think she had a good time. :)

She went up the row ahead of me yelling "I see some strawberries!" every few feet. She, like Little Sal who only managed to get three blueberries in her pail, pretty much ate everything she picked. But she had fun, and I got plenty of berries to take home. :)

She was a MESS by the time we left the strawberry patch!

You couldn't see it in the other picture, but Nora was wearing this adorable little strawberry outfit in honor of our day with the berries. :)

When we got home from picking berries, we made some jam together. First we smashed the berries with a glass.

Then we smooshed them with our (clean) fingers. Carolyn enjoyed the "sensory experience," but was very anxious to wipe her hands because they got strawberries all over them.

Finally, we added our pectin and sugar and stirred it all up.

Finished!

After we were done I let Carolyn lick the bowl we'd made the jam in. I thought she'd use her finger to do it, but she sort of ended up pouring the whole thing over her head. This is what happened to her hair. :) She got a bath right after this!

Graduation!!

Get ready for a series of posts because this has been such a busy season for us with lots going on and lots and lots of pictures... It's a very exciting time because this is Brad's VERY LAST WEEK AS A RESIDENT- EVER!! His very last day will be June 30, Carolyn's birthday.

Last night I had a dream that someone told us that his residency didn't count and we'd have to go back and do it all over again... thank goodness I woke up! :) In so many ways I cannot believe how fast the time has flown- when you first start residency, it seems that it is an eternal process that will go on forever, so you just buckle down, get used to being apart a lot, and find ways to work around it to maintain your connection. You just keep putting one foot in front of the other and though there are hard moments and residency as a whole isn't easy, you do find ways to cope and create a life together in spite of the challenges. And then one day, you check the calendar and lo and behold, you're DONE! At least that was what has beenlike for me. I'm usually the one anticipating change for weeks or months ahead- but this time this huge life change didn't really "hit" me until last Friday when we went to Brad's special graduation banquet.

We brought Nora with us because I had to work Saturday and Sunday and didn't want to leave her Friday night, too. She was the prettiest person at the party. :) We've been to this same banquet nearly every year for the past four years; last year we went when Nora was just a tiny little seedling in my still-relatively-flat stomach. And now it's finally Brad's turn to graduate!

Here are the graduates! Roger, Heather, and Brad, with Brad's dad. Brad has had the really amazing privilege the last four years of training under his dad, who took over the headship of the residency program about halfway through. He is an amazingly accomplished, wonderful OB/GYN who's been in practice for more than 30 years and who has a real gift for teaching. When I think of excellence, my father-in-law immediately comes to mind. Whatever he does is always truly exceptional. It would have been a cool thing for Brad to work with his dad no matter what, but an even better thing that of all the people in the world to learn from, he has had such an incredible teacher. You could just see how proud Papa Thar was of his son, and how this was a really high moment in his life.

And here we are with Brad's mom and dad. Of course there are so many more support people in Brad's life that have made his accomplishment possible... but I think it is special that the two people who provided his first home and inspired him to become what he is today are here, and so am I; now it is my job and privilege to create and maintain a home for this incredible man. And behind us on the mantlepiece of the fireplace are the words "Solo Deo Gloria," which mean "to God alone give glory." What a fitting statement for one of those "high" moments in life when we're tempted to give the honor all to ourselves for our amazing accomplishments. We are right to remember that when all's said and done, no matter how amazing or important we become in this life on a human level, one day, we will be but one of the throng, flung to our knees before the God who made it all, when "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father."

Though we both know where the credit is due, I have to say how proud I am of Brad and all that he has done over the last four years in this residency program. I love you honey! :)

Four Friends Turning Three

Again, I'm a little behind the times. Last week Monday we had our group birthday party for Aidan, Caimon, Rachel, and Carolyn. We started this last year when they all turned two, because we learned pretty quickly the year they were all one that there was no way we could all make it to everyone's birthday party since they are all within 2 weeks of each other!

They all seemed so grown up this year (though of course there is still quite a lot of the TWO year old in all of them, mixed with the emerging three year old, which makes for a bit of a messy party at times when you combine the unpredictability, irresponsibility, and possessiveness of two with the independence and intensity of three!) Especially in this dress with Carolyn's hair styled like this, she looks like a mini-school-age kid!

It was really hot on the playground so none of the mommies wanted to stay there long (Christi and Heather are both quite pregnant now and Lenore and I have Taylor and Nora to haul around), so we blew bubbles for awhile. This is one of the only candid pictures I have of all four together that day. I had to run interference because there was just ONE bucket of bubbles. Poor planning? I think so. :)

Despite a few scuffles over the bubbles, they all seemed to have a good time. :)

I love this picture because it's neat to see Carolyn reflected in Rachel's face. The kids have grown up so much this year- from side-by-side play when they were all just two, to beginning to really play together and develop relationships with each other as they approached three.

Miss Lenore made a wonderful Jello cake (which I plan to copy this weekend for Carolyn's own birthday party on Friday!) and all the kids (and mommies) very much enjoyed it; it was so cool and tasty on a hot day! Good job Lenore! :)

Also, I love this picture because Rachel and Carolyn are obviously having some sort of silly conversation while eating their cake. The ability to be deliberately silly is an emerging skill I've started to see lately, and while the giggle fits can get in the way of business sometimes, it's still funny to watch what tickles them and makes them laugh.

We made them all line up for pictures before presents. See the strained "cheese" smiles on Aidan's and Carolyn's faces? So very "three."

I include this picture because I think it is so cute of the three girls, though I didn't catch Aidan at the right moment. :)

One of my favorite things to watch is Carolyn opening a present. She gets so excited and says "Oh my Gawsh! Oh my Gawsh!" She exudes such free, uninhibited joy over even the smallest things that I have to really be careful or I'd buy her a present every day! She was so thrilled with this backpack- and I'm thrilled, too. We'll be taking it next week when we fly to San Diego to visit Uncle Steve and Aunt Carolyn and Emma and Kate (and Cinderella's castle in Disneyland :)) Carolyn can put all her stuff in there and maybe (just maybe) I won't have to haul it myself the whole way. ;)

Favorite Family Pastime

It's a good thing we decided to buy the parking pass for Tunnel Park the last time we were there because I think we're going to be going there quite a bit this summer. Carolyn just loves the beach and it's such a fun, almost-free family "date." We went again on Sunday, just on a whim, because the weather was pretty and the house was messy and we didn't want to think about it. :) Once again, I took way too many pictures, but somehow taking pictures at happy times like this freezes them for me so I can look back on the joy of these little moments together. Also, I love the way the clean light at the beach makes the pictures look.

Here's Nora, happy in her "sand chair." Guess we didn't need to bring the Bumbo seat after all. :)

I'm not gonna lie; I loved Carolyn's outfit this night! The summer she was one she had an outfit this orange color and we really did wear that one out because I loved it so much. It's not easy to find that exact shade, but this time my Gymboree obsession paid off because I found the perfect summer shirt for her- and, even better, I got this whole outfit plus five others for only $55 (earned Gymbucks to help me spend more money later- genius Gymboree people....), which I think is a steal for where I got them from. :)

Carolyn didn't waste much time before heading up to the shoreline to throw more sand into Lake Michigan.

She was actually cooperating for pictures, so she kept coming up to me (and my camera) and showing me the sand in her little hands. :)

Playing with the camera; I like how her hands are blurry and her face is in focus. Wish I hadn't cut off half her head. :)

Nora enjoyed her first "walk" on the beach with Daddy.

A fun candid moment with Brad and the girls. Not sure why I like some candid pictures, like this one, and why I don't like others. Something about this seems to capture a moment, but I'm not sure what. Probably that is one reason why I will never be more than an amateur photographer.

Also, I love this picture with me and Nora because neither of us knew Brad was taking it. :)

After awhile of throwing sand back into the lake, Carolyn started running up and down the shoreline yelling. She enjoyed the opportunity to use her "outdoor voice" outdoors. :)

And here's our smiley little snuggle bug. I love having pictures like these of Brad with the girls. They're so sweet!

Every little girl needs her daddy to do this to her sometime. Carolyn is more fun than ever now that she is old enough to really play. She and her daddy have had lots of bonding moments since Baby Sister came along. :)

Tousel-haired and a little dizzy, this picture says so much to me about what childhood should be like. :)

THE Dance Recital!

I'm, as usual, running behind on so many things about my life... including the blog! This weekend was the DANCE RECITAL! We'd built up so much to this moment and it was finally here! It seemed like last week was just consumed with dance! Reminded me a little of when I'd do stuff like this as a kid or teenager- except I'm behind the steering wheel of the mom-mobile instead of in the back seat this time! We had dance class Monday night, a disastrous dress rehearsal at the studio on Wednesday (I'm glad we did this because the makeup and dressing process was not nearly as tortuous on the day of the show!), then Saturday morning was the final dress rehearsal and Saturday night was the real thing!

As previously mentioned, the makeup application did not go well on Wednesday before the first dress rehearsal. Carolyn threw one of the biggest, loudest tantrums I've seen in a few months! After we both cooled off a bit, she finally was able to tell me that the mascara was scary, and so aat least there was an easy fix. Putting makeup on her on Saturday was actually the fun experience I'd hoped it'd be! She really liked the powder I got because it has a sort of cooling sensation when it goes on, and it sparkles. :)

I thought her sweet two-almost-three-year-old face would look silly and overdone with makeup on (like those silly toddler beauty queens)- but she actually looked really cute! It was like getting a sneak preview of the beautiful young woman she will someday become (PLEASE stay little as long as you can, sweet girl; you will be entirely TOO beautiful for your own good!)

Most of our pictures from the dress rehearsal and especially from the show are too blurry to post, but here's one showing Rachel, Allie, and Carolyn after they came on the stage at the dress rehearsal.

As if the day weren't busy enough, after the dress rehearsal, we went over to JC Penney to have some pictures taken of the girls in their costumes. :)

They were so darn cute I was so glad we did! :)

I couldn't believe it, but Carolyn actually cooperated for pictures! She even smiled!

After naptime, it was time to get ready all over again. She was so excited about the recital; much more so than I thought she'd be. Here she is with some of the girls in her class, all ready to go.

When Miss Kym came to the dressing room to get the girls, I thought she'd be reluctant to leave me, but as soon as she saw her, she just looked at me and said "Bye Mom!" and headed off with the other girls.

She did so great in the recital! She actually did the dance! I've never seen her do it because every time I've asked her, she's refused to show me! I was so proud of her (though really, I'd have been just as proud if she'd just gone out on the stage and stood there). I know it took some courage to get out there on that stage. What a big girl! She was so DONE having her picture taken by this point after the show, but I wanted one with her and the flowers. :) She earned them!

And of course, the post wouldn't be complete without a picture of the cutest little spectator there! :) Nora didn't care for the loud music, cheering, and whistling, but Ammy was only too happy to hold her in the back of the auditorium. :)

So, that's the end of Dance Class for the year. It's been really fun to do this class with Heather and Bridget (Rachel and Allie's moms) and Olivia's mom who we got to know through the year. It's kind of like my "girl time" each week. I don't think we'll be able to do it again next year, though, because Carolyn is starting preschool in the fall and I don't want her to be overwhelmed with too much activity. We will miss it! But it sure has been fun!