Happy Love Day!!!

Happy Valentines Day to my wonderful and loving husband!  This picture was taken after our honeymoon in October of 2003. 

Happy 3rd birthday Luuuuuuuuke!

Luke wanted to open up this present from the moment he saw it.  He was not disappointed because
it was a Thomas Lego set.  

Luke just loves playing football and does "down set hike" with Dad.

Untitled from K Belitz on Vimeo.

Wishing you a very happy 3rd birthday.

On his actual birthday, Luke's theme was, "It's my birthday and I'll cry if I want to!"  In the early morning of his birthday, Wes spiked a 102 temp which meant that Luke spent the first half at Ms. Lori's house (his home daycare/preschool) and then came home with me at lunch.  Nick then went into work after his mom arrived at 11:30.  I think the combination of the exciting morning and a 30 minute nap in the car made it too much for him and so he melted all afternoon.  Poor guy... nothing a little cupcake and presents could not fix.

On Friday, Grammy and Poppa came over and we had pizza and salad for dinner and more present opening.  What fun!  This is when he opened up his electronic cake and has been singing with it ever since.  It is too cute and you can even blow out the candles.

Wes update...

The past 2 days we have had record temps, a -17 degree low that kept school closed!  The boys and I played and napped while Nick had a delayed 10 AM start to work.  Last week Luke learned all about space for letter S week and had great fun running around as an astronaut.  Wes, who has been teething for at least 4 months now enjoyed chewing on his teething biscuit and making quite a mess of himself1

As for Wes, leaving me and being at Ms. Lori's house has been going much better.  On Monday this week, he did not cry when I dropped him off.  YEA!  He also stayed the entire day without me coming to nurse him and is doing better every day with the bottle.  This makes me feel so much better all around.  He and Ms. Lori have fun, relaxing afternoons together while the big kids sleep.  Hopefully soon, he will  nap longer then 25 minutes, several of those in Ms. Lori's arms.  

1, 2, 3 Blast off!!!

Yummy!!!

January catch-up

The big event that happened this month was when I went back to work on January 3rd. Of course I knew it was going to be hard but it was more challenging then I thought. On January 2nd I woke up with pink eye and headed over to Med Express to get my perscription. I technically should have not shown up to teach my first day until noon that Monday but decided to not touch my eyes and really wash my hands well and I did not infect anyone that I know of... whew! Then on Tuesday night when Luke was already in bed I heard him moaning. I went to check in on him and he looked at me and threw up all over me. Poor kiddo was really sick and was dry heaving all night. Nick and I were doing wash all night long and thank goodness we had several sheets to go through. At midnight I went to sleep and Nick pulled an all-nighter on the couch waking up ever hour or so until 4:30 when he finally got some sleep. Joanne (grammy) arrived at 10:00 and watched the boys while I was at work. Then on Thursday night of that same week when we were all about to go to bed, Wes threw up all over me and was also dry heaving. Poor little man... Fortunately, the next day Nick had off so he watched Wes while Luke and I went off to our schools. We all recovered for the weekend and were healthy starting on Monday.

So the second week started with me back at work and I was not sleeping. This in combination with Wes crying at Lori's for most of the day was challenging. He also is refusing to take a bottle or drink from a cup so I have been driving up to her home during my lunch break and nursing him. By Thursday of that second week the most he did not cry was 20 minutes in a row. (Note to other mothers.. try not to drop off your baby at daycare around 7 months when he or she gets stranger anxiety.) So when anyone at work asked me how it was going and how I was doing I could not help but start to cry. I fought through the tears and made it through the second week.

By the third week back, I seem to have made it back on track and getting into the routine of things. Nick is so wonderful in the morning dressing both boys, feeding them breakfast and making my lunch. All I have to do is pump and get ready myself.

With that said here are a few things that Luke has been saying recently

On the car ride in this past week he said in a very deep voice, "I am very dissapointed!" when I asked him what he was dissapointed about he just repeated the sentence again.

Luke was eating a brownie and said, "Mom, I know why they are called brownies, because they are brown!"

He also says that if I come out of my bedroom at night when I am supposed to be sleeping or playing Dad says, "Get back in your room or I will SHUT THE GATE!" THis is said in a funny deep voice.

He loves the Three Billy Goats Gruff and wants to be the troll and the rest of us be the three billy goats. He is such a book worm and has been for quite a long time now.

Luke knows all his numbers (1-10 and some random ones like 24) and we are working on his letters and the sound they make. I would say he has half of them down so far.

Wes continues to be such a joy and a happy baby when I am around. He laughs and smiles lots and is very tolerant of his older brother who can play a bit rough with him. Nick says I 'baby' Wes too much but he will only be this little for a short while so I hold him lots and love on him. He is making lots of sounds and experimenting with his noises. He also loves his teething biscuts and we are still waiting on his first teeth to come in. This still does not prevent him from clamping down hard on me when I am nursing. Thank goodness there are no teeth yet, only gums.

Happy 8 month birthday Wes!

Wes got to spend the day with Nick while Luke and I headed out to Highlands Ranch. Luke and I both headed to our respective schools. N and W started out their day at physical therapy where Wes showed is strength and came home with more exercises. The boys then headed off for lunch with friend Pete. All in all it was a great 8 month birthday for Wes who got a lot of loving attention from his dad.

P.S. more to come about me going back to work with two boys and all the craziness that comes with it.

Hanging out

Christmas in Mammoth, CA

We stared out our 10 day journey to California, just me and the boys.  Joanne dropped the 3 of us off at the airport and I managed to get through security by myself after asking several people for help.  The worst of it was getting all our stuff on the scanner, including my BOB stroller while holding onto Wes and making sure Luke did not run away.  We made the fight with out any trouble and sat next to a very nice lady who happened to be a great-grandmother.


The next day we had a 'meet Wes party' where several of the family members came out to Claremont to meet Wes for the first time.

Great Grandma Damuth, Great Grandad and Gramci Clark

Uncle Dean and Wesley Dean

Wes was so happy to meet everyone!

Uncle Dennis Belitz showing Luke his iPhone

Then we were off in our friend's Suburban to Mammoth in the rain.  Mom headed up the day before to get the house ready.  All the boys did well with Nick in the back of the car, the boys in the middle and Dad and I up front.  It only took us a mere 7 hours to get up there with minimal stops.

Can you see the Suburban buried underneath all that snow?  It was a record 16 feet on the mountain!  

Look at our matching pjs.

Making snowballs with Uncle Dean

I don't like snow in my eyes!

Get me out of this snow.

The snow stopped and Luke loved to play outside.  Nick and Luke loved making this snowman out  on the deck.

All of us for a family photo.  Nick, Luke, Kim, Wes, Grandad Damuth, Grandy Damuth and Uncle Dean

Look what santa brought!

Luke was not so sure of his T rex that moved and roared.

Wes loved playing with his camera.