Ch-ch-ch-changes!!

Well, the Barry Family is officially turning the page on this chapter in our lives...we are moving from the beautiful Santa Barbara area for new career opportunities and to be closer to my family down in Orange County. It will be bittersweet to leave the place I have called home for the past 15 years, but know there are new, amazing adventures that await us. And just knowing that my boys have cousins galore and friend's with children close in age makes me happy. The outpouring of love from my friends and family down there has been heart-warming, and the response from those friends we are leaving behind up here makes me feel so loved.



So, we are packing up and moving shop. We have ALOT of work ahead of us in the next 2+ weeks, but once that is behind us I think we will feel a big sense of relief and excitement.



As for the boys, they are doing great! Finn had his three year check-up yesterday and passed everything with flying colors. He is in the 50% for weight (31lbs) and 25% for height (35 1/2 in.)We talked to Dr. B. about his belly issues, but he assured us that all seemed normal and nothing a little dietary modifications (and possibly more miralax) won't cure up. Note to teenager Finn, I apologize for blasting the web with your belly issues, but I want to be able to think back on the struggles we had with you when you were younger so when we are going through the door-slamming, metal music blaring rebellious stage I will remember these weren't so challenging! :) Love you, Finn Bear.



Tate is doing great! He is almost 9 months old and I can hardly believe it. He is a happy guy for most of the time and has decided to start saying something other than Da Da, which is most appreciated by yours truly. He says "Ma" and "Ba" too and sometimes throws a little "Nuh nuh" in the mix. He's a genius, I tell you. Most mornings we wake up to this happy little face and it makes me want 5 more just like him. Well, maybe not really, but he sure is sweet! Love you, Taters.







All in all, we are doing well and thankful for all the blessings we have in our lives. Hopefully we will have more posts soon, but may not until we are down in our new hometown. Crazy!



Much love,

Courtney

We're alive!

I promise that we are alive and actually thriving, hence the lack of posting for what feels like forever. Hopefully there will be time this weekend to do a little catching up!

Everybody's working for the weekend...

Ah, another Friday is here and I have always found it interesting that a Friday feels different than, say a Tuesday. Assuming you are on a traditional work schedule, Monday is most likely going to feel like a shock to your system after having two days off, but that’s expected. In my opinion, Tuesday is really the kicker. It’s the day that is completely landlocked by other work days. The weekend “light at the end of the tunnel” is still at the end of what may feel like the longest tunnel in the history of mankind and in looking back you only have one day of work that week under your belt. Wednesday is not that much better since it is still “landlocked” between work days, but at least you know that once you have completed it you are on the downward slope to the weekend. Thursday feels less threatening because as the sun sets you know that Friday will be here again tomorrow!

Mark was chosen for jury duty and is still serving what will officially be FOUR WEEKS of service on Monday. I think it may be winding down and we will be able to go back to a more structured chaos soon. And, I believe he secretly likes it because he has stated more than once how interesting the whole process has turned out to be. He can’t share any of the details of the case with me, but it sounds like he is taking his civic duty very seriously!

Finn is doing extremely well and I cannot believe he will be turning three years old next month! He is ridiculously excited for his birthday celebration, which is pirate-themed, and will tell anyone who will listen. The conversation in the car on the way to school yesterday went something like this.

Mommy – “Finn, you know that we are going to Eli’s birthday party on Saturday, right?”
Finn – “I having a party tooooo, and it’s a pirate party, and we’re gonna have candles and napkins, and forks and chocolate cake and I like chocolate cake because it’s really, really yummy.”

So yeah, the kid is excited and likes to chat. He is also really into building sandcastles, putting together puzzles in what has to be record-time (not like one of those freak kids that can stack like 1,000 cups in 20 seconds, but just a proud Mommy’s opinion of fast), playing “I Spy” to and from school each day, and going to the playground with Daddy. In addition, he is NOT into going #1 or #2 on the potty at home, although he will sit on it for awhile and we play pretend instruments. Random, I know. But hey, if you are going to play pretend instruments it might as well be on the potty.

Tate is doing pretty well, but we are hitting a bit of a fussy period with our little guy. Our caregiver thought he may have an ear infection, but he got a clean bill of health from Dr. B. just today. That is good news and bad news…good in the sense that he does not have an ear infection and bad because he has been SUPER fussy recently and now we are back to square one as to why. He did roll over for the first time on Wednesday night and we are so glad we captured it on video. And although he can be fussy and only wants to be held, his huge open-mouth grin and squealing giggle is pretty adorable. He can’t be THAT upset if he can produce such happy expressions, right?

As for me, I am still happy to be back at work (even though I am grateful it is Friday!) In the exciting news category, I recently received notice that I was admitted to the Graduate program I applied for and will be starting in the Fall. Yes, you read that correctly. I will be going back to school for my Masters and adding Student to my list of titles, which will come right before Lunatic since I am not sure how I will be able to do all of this as well as I would like. I have been thinking about this a lot lately because I set pretty high expectations for myself and can get pretty disappointed if they are not met (not only in myself, but in others too. I have been experiencing some disappointment by others lately, but am not going to dwell thanks to new goal outlined next!) One of my new goals from evaluating my own expectations is to focus on the positive and cut the negative out. All in all, I am really proud of my accomplishments thus far and am looking forward to the new challenges and experiences that lie ahead.

Hope this finds everyone well and thanks for checking in. I promise to post more photos soon!

Back to reality!

My return to work after five months off for maternity leave was actually way easier than I had expected. It has been very nice to get back to more of a schedule (yes, I am THAT person who likes having a plan) and confirming that I am still needed at work is a good thing! Although it turns out that I am needed more here at home today since Finn was hit with a stomach bug last night. Blech. Poor little guy was subjected to two additional baths in the middle of the night and three bed linen changes until we ran out of clean sheets for him and set up him on the couch. He seems to be feeling better today and we have been vomit-less for 7 hours so hopefully we are on the mend. And, I am praying the rest of us don't get it.


Besides the nighttime puke party, we are doing well! Tate started at his caregiver's home on Monday and he is doing great. He has a little friend who is two weeks older than he is and they seem to have a fun time together. I am so thankful that we found a loving, caring, responsible, SANE person to watch our little guy. That makes leaving for work that much easier.


We are looking forward to celebrating a 3rd birthday on Saturday for one of Finn's school buddies and seeing my college friend Sarah and her family in town! I think the Easter Bunny is planning to hop on by our house and Finn will be excited for some treats. Man does that kid have a sweet tooth!


Hope everyone is doing well and thanks for checking in!

Finally catching up!

Well, my maternity leave is coming to an end and I can hardly believe it! It feels like just yesterday that I was thinking 'wow, I don't have to return back to work until April' and now April is here. My feelings are mixed on returning to work. Personally, I enjoy my job and am proud to be able to contribute financially to my family. But, I also have that guilt of leaving my children all day with someone else and miss them when I am away from them. However, I do feel as though I am a better Mommy when I get a break and the idea of using my brain, at least in a different capacity than I do all day at home, is quite appealing. Knowing both boys are in safe and loving environments when they are not with us makes it easier as well!


Tate had his 4-month appointment yesterday and stats are as follows: Weight = 14lbs, 2oz; Height = 24.5 inches. He's a BIG boy and Dr. said he receives an A+ for his weight gain. We also discussed his eating issues (would latch on and eat for about 3-4 minutes and then would have trouble staying on, would arch his back, cry out like he was in pain, etc.) Dr. said it sounds like he was dealing with reflux, which makes me feel terrible, although I talked to a nurse at his office and she never mentioned that could be the issue. Things have gotten alot better with his feedings and he clearly is getting enough to eat by the looks of his meaty thighs, but that was an extremely emotional and stressful 6 weeks for both of us. He is a really good baby the majority of the time and looks (and acts) so much like Mark!!


Finn is doing really well and still has a blast at "new school". He will be moving to a preschool class when he turns 3 and that is right around the corner. Pirates are the coolest thing around our house and he has been known to let out a "Yo Ho, Let's Go!" or "Awe, coconuts!" courtesy of Jake and The Neverland Pirates! And, I am always thrilled when people tell me that Finn resembles me, but found it hard to see myself until I recently found a family photo at my Dad's house from when I was just about 3 years old. I covered the pigtails on myself in the photo and it was a spitting image of Finn!


All in all our little family is thriving and happy. Sometimes I can't believe how lucky I am to have such blessings in my life and am working on enjoying each moment as it comes.

Lucky Lady

This morning I woke up tired and feeling as though I was getting sick, which was not surprising to me since Finn was a wet, runny little guy yesterday. Mark took Finn's temperature just to see if his annoying fever had returned and although we found him to be fever-less, we decided to keep him home on this rainy Friday. He didn't seem to mind because I asked him if he wanted to go to school today and he responded with "No, I stay here wis Mommy!" (Also, that is not a misspelling, but that is how he pronounces "with" these days!)

I hate to admit that my first thought of having both boys with me here again was not positive. Knowing full well we would be stuck in the house because the weather looked ominous and as if the clouds were going to flood at any minute (which they did!), I cringed a bit at thinking of how challenging my day was going to be. However, as soon as Finn asked me to "cuddle wis him" I knew that I was a lucky lady and had to change MY attitude. Not only did we not have to go out in this ugly weather (thanks to my rad husband who brought lunch home), we could cuddle, giggle, color, make silly faces and spend quality time together. There will be a time when my boys will not want to cuddle with me, won't giggle at the ridiculous stories I tell or silly faces I make, who will think that coloring is for babies or who would rather spend time with their friends than hang out with old Mom. I have to cherish these moments because they are precious and beautiful and fleeting with each passing moment.

To my Finn, may you continue to always make us laugh and smile at your hilarious personality and challenge ideas put in front of you that you don't agree with. However, could you lay off all the "why's" you've been throwing out recently?? :) And please don't get too big or too cool to cuddle wis Mommy. Nobody loves you like your Mommy, I promise!

To my Tate, may you always keep your smiley & mellow personality even as life throws curveballs at you, which it always will, as you get older. You are such a sweet little soul and we love you so much! And please don't get too big or too cool to cuddle wis Mommy either, but anytime you want to outgrow the spitting up, I am ready!

Seriously, look at these cuties. How can I think I am anything other than lucky?

Disclaimer - I know it seems like my children are always in jammies, but I swear they wear real clothes too!

February Fever

Our house has been filled with fever this February and unfortunately it has been the abnormally high body temperature version for Finn. I would prefer it were the intense nervous excitement definition of fever, but alas it hasn't been. Finn came home from school yesterday with a temperature of 103 and he just had one last week as well. Enough already with the yucky germs in our house and we would like a sick-free week or two please!

Other than fevers and all around grouchiness because of illness, we have been doing well otherwise. Tate is growing like a weed and is an all-around happy, mellow, smiley little guy. Very recently he has realized that those hands and fingers that he has been wiggling actually belong to him and he can grab for toys on his activity mat. He is still wonderful at spitting up, but it doesn't seem to bother him.

I lined up a babysitter for yesterday and Mark & I went on a date to happy hour! Once we got over the fact that we didn't have a child in the backseat (and that was the way it was supposed to be) and that we didn't need to ask for a highchair, set out cheerios and sippy cup or locate a binky, we were on our way to relaxing conversation! It was nice to be able to spend time with him, out in public, without a child in tow. I love our children, but it was a really good break for us. Finn did cry for about 20 minutes after we left according to the report our babysitter gave us when we returned, but he was happily playing and finishing a puzzle with her when we got back. We have a dinner planned next week so hopefully all goes well again!


And, I received results from my Doctor that he got all the pre-cancerous cells out and my pathology report came back clear. I do need to get checked regularly, but it was the best news I could have asked for!


Ok, off to watch a little bit of kid TV and cuddle time with Finn so he can rest up and kick this fever!

My Birthday Month Begins!!

So, I love birthdays and my love of them seems to have been passed down to Finn. To clarify, Finn loves a party and it doesn't have to be a birthday party. I think that is a trait he received from Grandma Kinnane! But as much as I love birthdays, I REALLY love my own birthday and always have. My Mom used to decorate for our birthdays and there was always a fun celebration in store. Once I went away to college, my new friends (who have become some of my very best on this planet) took over the reins of the celebration planning for my big day. When Mark and I met during our last year of college, I made it abundantly clear that my birthday was meant for celebrating and I intended to celebrate the entire month of February. Since my birthday falls at the end of the month (the 27th, in case you were wondering) it is ideal to enjoy it for the entire month.

Now don't get me wrong, there is not a celebration each and every day. But, I have been known to announce it is my birthday month every so often and even asked Mark last night if he knew what today was. He accidently replied with "Tuesday", but then quickly remembered it was the start of my birthday month.

For my birthday this year I am hoping for good news from my Doctor who recently removed some pre-cancerous cells from a mole that was biopsied and found to be atypical. I was a mess for the past two weeks and even though pre-cancerous is not the same thing as cancerous, just hearing that word was enough to push me into an emotional state. Most of you will know that I lost my precious Mom to breast cancer when I was 19 and Mark lost his Mom as well to cancer, so hearing that word in regard to my own health was super scary. I would look at my two little boys and burst into tears. But, the Doctor doesn't seem too concerned and is hopeful he got it all so it won't be a concern in the future. Fingers crossed for positive results to come.

We are planning to celebrate down in Orange County with my family and friends at the end of the month and I hope to take lots of pictures and make lots of fun memories with everyone. Oh, and a beach cruiser would be nice too! :)

Hope everyone is well and here are some new photos of Big Brother Finn and Tate the Freight. Love these boys!

Happy Spitter and more

This has been a bit of a transition welcoming our second baby into the family, although we couldn't imagine our lives any other way now. Tate has been such a blessing to us and is a super sweet, cuddly, smiley little guy. He does come with a disclaimer though for anyone who wants to hold him - he is a spitter! Our Doctor labeled him a "Happy Spitter" at his check-up yesterday (where we also found that he weighs 11lbs and is 22 inches long!) and confirmed that he is not concerned at all with the spit up since he is gaining weight well and seems content otherwise. It is more of an inconvenience and a laundry nightmare, but otherwise innocent. I am currently doing a load of laundry that contains 99% spit-up soaked clothing/blankets/burp cloths, so Dr. Brennan was NOT kidding!

All in all we are doing well. The weather up here in beautiful Santa Barbara county was very rainy and gray for awhile around the holidays, which did nothing to help my already gloomy state of mind. I seem to be affected by Baby Blues after the birth of my children (same thing happened with Finn), but am doing my best to be proactive about having a plan each day and getting out of the house with Tate more often. I am so thankful for some wonderful friends in town who have made sure I have something on my calendar to keep me occupied and did just receive the OK from the Doctor yesterday to begin exercising again. Let's get those endorphins flowing! I am also extremely lucky to be able to take a lengthy leave of absence from work and will be heading back in the middle of April so I need to enjoy every minute I have with Tate during this time!

Finn is adapting to our new family member with ease, although he seems to be harboring some resentment toward Mommy. It's a pretty daily occasion for me to hear "No Mommy, you can't ___________" and fill in the blank with whatever activity Finn is doing either by himself or with Daddy. I have been told I can't sit on the couch; eat breakfast; go to the playground, etc. My personality being such that my first instinct is to say "well, Mommy doesn't want to ___________ with you anyway!" but I have come to realize that is not the most appropriate way to handle a 2.5 year old. This parenting stuff is hard! :) I am extremely thankful that Mark is so patient, fun, mellow and supportive because he seems to be able to keep us all sane for the most part. Poor guy could probably use a happy hour or something!

I hope this new year brings everyone much happiness, joy and time to make memories with loved ones. Although I haven't made specific resolutions this year, I do want to carve out more time to spend with loved ones, both family members and friends. I have come to realize that in the long run material items just tend to gather dust and don't call you when you are feeling down or give you a hug when you need it most. Recently I have loved looking at old photos and reminscing about different times in my life, remembering both the good and the bad and all that I have learned or taken away from each experience. My goal this year is to make many positive memories for my boys to have as they grow and start new traditions for my own family. Oh and eating better and exercising is on the list too. I have already lost almost all my baby weight from dietary changes I have made thanks to Mark and am going to sign up for some 5ks later this year with the help of our friend who is a local running coach and runner extraordinaire himself! Cheers to feeling good on the outside AND on the inside!

Thanks for checking in and hope to write more soon! Tate's photo above pretty much sums up how he felt about the Christmas holiday = BORED!