The Vlach-Tastic Four

Milwaukee Bound!

2012-01-26T15:21:00.000-08:00

After 3 1/2 amazing years in Nashville, we received the news we knew would come but that we didn't expect quite so soon. Rob accepted a new role with Caterpillar in Milwaukee, effective March 1, just a few weeks from now. And so our newest adventure awaits....

We are so excited to be near family again! My dad and Ning were just transferred to Milwaukee in August. And Rob's family, as well as so many dear friends, will be within two hours of our doorstep! We're looking forward to living in a walkable village along Lake Michigan -- we'll house hunt in early February. Rob will cover the entire state of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula as outside sales rep for Cat Financial. It's kind of his dream job.

But we're so sad to leave our friends, neighbors and way of life here in Nashville. Our roots grew deep in a short time -- we'll carry many of our friendships through life. My girlfriends brought meals after my surgery, hosted a baby shower for John and even folded my husband's underwear (now that's a good friend). They took care of us in the special way they do down here. Rob and I both felt like honorary "suthenas" almost instantly. Now shrimp and grits are in our weekly rotation, I've photocopied recipes from the Baton Rouge Junior League cookbook, and been entrusted with a Mississippi family recipe for sour cream pound cake.

We're preparing for the cold -- our down coats, waterproof mittens and snow boots have already arrived in the mail! The next five weeks will fly by at warp speed. But we're going to enjoy and appreciate every minute until then...

Catching up: A Magical Christmas 2011!

2012-01-26T14:44:00.000-08:00

An instant classic!

The holidays flew by! While it's still January, I'll try to catch up on some of last month's highlights:

Chapter I
We had a great time celebrating with Rob's parents and sister in Nashville. Thanksgiving morning was a sunny 65 degrees -- we dropped a turkey in our neighbor's fryer and planted daffodil bulbs before the first frost. When it came time to prepare our feast, we walked into the kitchen and popped the prepared Publix meal in the oven! As I peeled back cellophane from the Publix containers, I joked that I was slaving over a hot stove. I adore cooking for the people I love, and so does Rob, but this year with three kids so young, we decided to skip straight to the eating, enjoying and pie. Sandie and Nicki made Gram's amazing rice pudding, so we had a touch of homemade at the table, and it felt like she was there with us.

Two days later, Santa came early! We wanted to be able to celebrate together before the Vlachs had to head back home, so we woke up to a Christmas brunch and opened gifts listening to Christmas carols and sipping eggnog. We videotaped the kids coming down the stairs, still so early in the morning that it was pitch dark.

In the days leading up to our "Early Christmas," Rob, Sandie and I gently restored the dollhouse my mom built for me when I was five years old, washing its walls and carefully gluing the little Victorian back together. It's a tiny time capsule of where we lived in 1983 with it's wallpaper and linoleum floors! Now that I have a daughter, I love imagining my mom making it for me...probably building it in the evenings when I was asleep. Madeline's face lit up as she peeked under the sheet it was hiding underneath on Christmas morning. The rooms were decorated with darling wood furniture and a family of dolls.

Charlie was so enchanted with it too that it took another 15 minutes before he noticed the train table waiting for him! Then Christmas was in full swing -- the wrapping paper flew as Madeline, Charlie and John (well sort of John...he was napping) opened all the special gifts their Grammy, Grandpa and Aunt Nicki brought for them!

Chapter II
My dad, Nancy, Mollie, Kenny, Andi and Kyle all flew to Nashville to celebrate Christmas 2011! We stayed in updated Civil War-era cabins on the gorgeous Samary Plantation just 20 minutes from our house in Franklin. In the mornings, there was still fog settled in the hills. The kids loved feeding the horses carrots and apples several times a day. Charlie still talks about how his favorite was the "bossy" one that nipped all the other horses so he could hog the snacks; Madeline named him Sam.

We did all the things that have become our treasured family traditions: wore matching pajamas, ate a candlelight lobster feast on Christmas eve, sang Christmas carols followed by a raucous dance party (think kids flying and my dad rocking out to Lady Gaga). The kids were delighted that Santa found us again! We played football, went for hikes, visited the stables and had wonderful meals every night. One day the men all went out to a hunting range and practiced hitting targets (can you tell we're in the South?), and the ladies all went for sushi and mani/pedis. We laughed nonstop for five days, enjoying the rare opportunity to be all together. It was a magical, memorable Christmas....John John's first!

Serious weirdos

Madeline May!

2012-01-17T18:32:00.000-08:00

Madeline will be five in March and is acting more and more like a real big kid! She really is a little mommy to her brothers. She loves to mix up John's baby food and feed him, and this morning, she changed Charlie's diaper and helped him get dressed. Then she proudly said, "Okay, you're all set, little buddy!" She also gets herself ready every day. She looks fabulous, even when she's wearing two different hair bows, leggings with a ripped out knee (her favorites) and a summer dress over a black turtleneck. And she's like an artistic MacGyver, creating elaborate art projects out of random things she finds in the yard and around the house.

No one can make John laugh like Madeline! He will literally shriek with laughter when I ask her to keep him busy while I finish making dinner. She's inquisitive and whip smart -- it's getting harder and harder to talk in code, and the meaning of things doesn't always fly over her head anymore. For example, she loves the song Humble Me by Norah Jones and asks me to sing it to her as a lullaby some nights. But lately she's started picking up on the grown-up lyrics and I end up navigating some pretty tricky questions like, "Why did Ms. Norah say he kicked the bottle?" and "Why doesn't baby Theresa know who her daddy is?" (Now I ad-lib words or hum certain bits). Her nickname has been Mimi since she was born, but it really took off when it was the only way Charlie could say her name awhile back. Now it's taken on a life of it's own -- Charlie almost always calls her Meems or Meemers.

This fall, I had a ball going with Madeline on her school field trip to the local Owl Hills nature sanctuary. I left the boys with a sitter and we enjoyed a special mother-daughter morning together, taking a hay ride, picking out a pumpkin and looking at animal tracks through the woods with all her little school friends. With preschool has come potty talk in all its glory. Which, of course, Charlie thinks is hilarious. So rarely an hour goes by when the two of them aren't giggling their heads off, changing the words to their favorite theme songs. Take Mickey Mouse. It's reduced to Mee-ska, Moo-ska, Mickey Poopoo. Or a playful back and forth calling each other smelly socks, stinky toots to Mr. DooDoo. Sigh.

At bedtime each night, I stand at her door and we pretend to blow hundreds of air kisses at each other, then frantically try to catch them. We imagine the kisses are sparkling and look like butterflies as they pass between us. Before I close her door, I always say, "God bless you" and I tell her that I love everything about her. Because I do.

Charlie, Charlie, Bo Barlie!

2012-01-07T11:46:00.000-08:00

Charlie is hilarious these days! He'll be three in February, and is at that incredible age where he's bursting with imagination and personality, totally unchecked by inhibition. His vocabulary is exploding, he's potty training, and he lives in his firefighter outfit. I keep a running list of the things he says and does throughout our days together. Here are some fun ones:

Sometimes when he bursts through a door from outside, he yells, "Ta Da!!!! I'm here!"
He wore Rob's tie to Publix yesterday. It practically dragged along the floor in front of him.
We recently went to a pirate-themed birthday party; Charlie came home with a pirate patch, hat, sword and hook. Now he asks me for his "Arr" stuff when he's looking for his pirate gear.
At the end of a playdate, Charlie wrapped his arms around his pal Grant and said, "You're my best friend."
Charlie sings and performs his own original songs on the guitar. Check it out.

Charlie ran around the house with one of my purses and told Rob, "This is my race car purse." Poor kid. He's 100% boy, but heavily influenced (and a little confused) by his accessory-loving mom and big sis.
It's been months since he slept in a bed. Every nap and bedtime, he sleeps on a blanket spread out on the floor. At night, I always pop my head in each of the kids rooms to see them sleeping. Sometimes his limp body won't even allow the door to open more than a few inches. Or I'll find half of him tucked under his rocker with a monster truck in his hand.
He regularly tells his mama I'm "bootiful" and reminds me to put in earrings if I forget. The other day he told me my lips were beautiful when I wore lipstick. Keep that up, bud, and you'll make a girl very happy one day.
At Costco, he tried to hand something to our checkout clerk, and said, "Here you go, Person!" He also tried to get the attention of our clerk at Publix and said, "Hi, Man." (We're working on addressing people as sir and ma'am. We have a little ways to go....)
Charlie and I sometimes go to Starbuck's for one-on-one dates. He pulled at my neckline one day and said unexpectedly and quite loudly, "John's food!"
One afternoon at Barnes & Noble, he was having so fun playing and got so caught up in the moment that he ripped off his shirt. Then later, while he was having a cookie at the cafe, he told me his feet were playing while he kicked and tapped his chair.
New friends came over for a playdate. Charlie was being a little gentleman/host and said, "You want some crackers? That's how it goes!" with the cutest hand gesture I've ever seen.
Charlie said he wanted John to be a turkey for Halloween. Later he told Rob he wanted a turkey for a snack. We both thought he was getting really into the Thanksgiving spirit until we realized he was actually saying cookie.
He's picking up expressions, but doesn't always know how to use them. Me: Charlie, do you want socks under your rain boots? Charlie: No. That's not the reason. Or he'll say, "I blessed" instead of "I sneezed." The sheer adorable-ness makes it impossible to correct him.
He's also still pretty confused about units of time. Everything's always "two days" or "three minutes."
At breakfast, Charlie swiped my egg right off my plate. He told me his cut up pieces of egg needed an egg-mommy.
In one of my favorite videos of John, Charlie is telling his baby brother how much he loves him.....as he hugs him so violently that John starts crying pretty hard.
Charlie clears his plate after meals whenever he remembers (or I remember to remind him). But instead of putting them in the sink, he usually just throws everything in the trash -- fork, cup and plate.
I tried to start a tv show for the kids, and like usual, I couldn't find the remotes. Not expecting an answer, I asked them if they knew where they were. Charlie told me they were in my rain boots in the garage. And they were.
He pretends to read things. He looked at Rob's Illini shirt and said (while running his fingers over the letters), "I love Daddy to the rescue!"
And the checkmate. He's figured out that he can come out of his room during nap-and-bed-time if he sits on the potty. He knows that when I find him stripped down naked, doing a Number Two, I can't do anything but praise him, even though he's supposed to be fast asleep.

Five Months Today! A Johnny Update

2011-11-09T17:09:00.000-08:00

Today is John's five month birthday!

He continues to be a happy, laid back baby -- an absolute joy! Until yesterday, we'd never actually witnessed him rolling over, but kept finding him flipped. Then at last, he decided to show off for an audience and now that he's started, he hasn't stopped. He also has a move we call the Elvis -- he digs his heels into the ground and swivels his hips. It really drives the girls wild. And he loves to take off his diaper. Mid change, he actually opens the tab I just fastened.

John's personality is mild and sweet... If you smile at him, he instantly rewards you with a giant gummy grin. So that's why it cracks us up that he gets mad when we take away a toy! Give that back, he says with gentle annoyance. He's a social little guy and would prefer to hang out rather than sleep. So after a particularly rough last eight weeks (averaging six wake ups a night) and choppy naps, we began Operation Sleep Bootcamp. Pardon my language, but it's Hell. Listening to my sweet baby cry is like having someone pry off my fingernails and peel back my skin. Torture. Rob gets weeping desperate calls at work. John, if you're reading this, I hope we aren't ruining you. But if we are....well, we did the same thing to your brother and sister, so at least we're consistent. Part of John's sleepy time routine is to listen to the same soft lullaby CD that Madeline and Charlie listened to as babies. They could hardly believe it when Frere Jacques came on -- they were so excited that someone wrote a song about their Baby John!

Quarterback? Wide receiver?

John has lots of nicknames! John Thomas, John John and Johnny are the most popular, though there are a few special folks who call him J.T. too. When John coos, it often sounds like he's saying Mama. I kind of like that. (What I mean to say is, it's like the angels are singing and my heart leaps out of my chest in bliss).

John's teething -- I expect a tooth will erupt in a few weeks. Though it sounds like I know what I'm talking about, I also recently smeared Jock Itch cream on his scalp to cure his Cradle's Cap. I thought it was hydrocortisone. You may wonder why we had Jock Itch Cream handy, and in Rob's defense, I promise it was for the baby. When I told Dr. Huss what I'd done (confused as to why John still had Cradle's Cap), he took out his pen -- probably noticing the five-pound bags under my eyes and my slurred speech from exhaustion -- and wrote down what I needed in case I started smearing other strange things on my kid's head.

Toes are fun!!

John's a nice healthy boy. At four months old, he was 95th percentile for length at 26.5 inches long and 59th percentile for weight at almost 16 pounds. John loves romantic dinners (on the boob), long walks (in the stroller), and his hobbies are chewing books and drooling. SWB (Single White Baby) seeking clean diaper.

John, you are a dream. We adore you!

Halloween 2011

2011-11-09T13:04:00.000-08:00

This year, Rob's mom, Sandie, made Madeline and Charlie their Halloween costumes! Madeline mentioned she wanted to be a ladybug, and a week later, the most darling handmade costume arrived in the mail. And Charlie had his very own SuperCharlie "C" cape and matching shirt, which he wore underneath his Firefighter raincoat and boots to go Trick-or-Treating. When he walked up to doors, he would happily shout, "We're here!" And sweet John was a goldfish for the festivities!

On Halloween morning, Madeline had a party at school -- the kids went room to room collecting candy. Later that night, we went to a friend's house for a fun outdoor party!

Go Dolphin Mermaids!

2011-10-23T11:10:00.000-07:00

Madeline is a little soccer player and Rob is her head coach! She and her teammates -- an adorable group of four, five and six year old girls -- named themselves the Dolphin Mermaids. What else?

Every Tuesday night, Coach Rob races home from work to get to the soccer field and teach game basics; they practice passing and talk about teamwork. Thankfully the league's not very competitive -- there's one little girl on our team who almost always picks the ball up with her hands whenever it rolls her way. And since it's family night at Chick-fil-a across the street every practice night, we often come home with face paint and balloons.

Saturday is game day. Madeline puts on her YMCA-issued pink jersey and matching pink soccer socks. Her shin guards are so tiny they look like they were made to protect my hand from a ping pong ball. She runs her heart out and all the parents cheers like mad even when she kicks the ball in the other team's goal.

Super fan!

Charlie gets so excited cheering for his big sister on the sideline. "Goooooo Miiiimiiiii!" he yells. One time he even ripped off his shirt like a Packers super fan. Or maybe he was just hot. Rob even bought him his own "soccer uniform" that he puts on every practice and game. He can't resist the action and so usually, Rob holds him in his arms as he runs around the field, coaching and refereeing.

At the end of the game, all the parents make a tunnel with our arms that the girls from both teams run through. They love it!

So does this officially make me a soccer mom?

Playing with the coach's whistle

Rapt with attention. Or are they looking for bugs in the grass?

A Fabulous Fall

2011-10-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

We've had a fun couple of months, enjoying the crisp fall weather as we take walks, pick up leaves, play football in the front yard, visit pumpkin patches and go to the zoo. Here are a few things other things we've been up to:

A Trip to Boulder

John and I went to visit my sister, Mollie, and her husband, Kenny in Longmont, CO, just a few minutes outside of Boulder. They live in a charming 100-year old house a block's walk from Longmont's downtown. We had a fabulous dinner and listed to live music at Oskar Blues, the restaurant owned by the brewery where Kenny works. Mollie and I spent the next day shopping and strolling in downtown Boulder; we had a wonderful lunch at an outdoor cafe -- eating fondue, sipping white wine, listening to live opera from a talented street performer, and all the while, sitting beside an eccentric Italian couple. We started to wonder if we were in the Rocky's or the Alps.

Go Titans!
Rob took Madeline and Charlie to a winning Titans game when they played Denver. But first they volunteered for Nurses for Newborns, collecting diapers at the stadium doors; they came home sugared from cotton candy, sunburned and exhausted, but deliriously happy after such a fun afternoon with their daddy. Madeline busted through the door wearing a balloon hat, yelling, "Goooooo Titans!"

An Atlanta Wedding
Johnny was my date for my cousin's wedding in Atlanta. Not only was it a lovely event, but it was a family reunion as well! It was very special to introduce John to my grandma Madeline. I met my cousin Annie's 18-month old daughter, Sofia, who lives in Hong Kong. John was a sharp dressed man -- the minister asked me seconds before he entered the sanctuary to officiate the ceremony, "Is your little guy wearing a velvet blazer?"

While I was gone, Rob took Madeline and Charlie to the Adventure Science Center, the zoo, the police station (one of Madeline's soccer teammate's dads is the police media spokesperson and invited them to visit!), a Civil War reenactment where Rob was almost recruited to be a confederate soldier, and of course, and the donut store (Krispy Kreme). They also built an amazing playroom in the garage (more to come on that in following weeks).

Firefighters to the Rescue
One Saturday morning, Johnny and I woke up to a perfectly silent house. Rob smuggled Madeline and Charlie out of the house and took them to the Franklin fire station. The firefighters unexpectedly invited Rob and the kids -- all three still wearing their pajamas! -- into the firehouse and let them try on helmets, sit in the firetrucks, talk over the loudspeaker and turn on the lights. Rob and the kids waved goodbye and went to Krispy Kreme next. But to say a special thank you to the guys at Franklin Station Two, they delivered donuts on their way home!

Caramel Apples!

Even though the apple crops didn't pan out down here in Middle Tennessee, we still made caramel apples on a Saturday morning. The kids helped unwrap all the candies while Rob and I poked sticks in the apples and twirled them in the hot caramel. Then we all had a blast decorating them with peanuts and mini chocolate chips. Just another reason to love the fall...

Baby John is Baptized and Meets his Grandpas!

2011-10-06T12:02:00.000-07:00

We had a very special weekend.

On Sunday, we baptized sweet Baby John. After Rob and I took our vows and Pastor Matt touched water to John's head (which he didn't mind one little bit), Matt took him in his arms and walked him all around the room while the congregation, including all the children, sang Jesus Loves Me. John wore the same baptismal outfit that Rob wore 33 years ago, and that Charlie wore when he was baptized. The ceremony was lovely; we're so happy to have promised to raise our little boy in the faith that guides us.

Madeline and Charlie came up front with us -- Charlie ditched the firefighter rain boots that he insisted on wearing with his seersucker suit, and went up barefoot instead. And we all got a kick out of Madeline, who for some reason, shuffled closer and closer to our pastor throughout the ceremony until she was practically standing on his toes.

The entire front row of the church was filled with John's biggest fans. Both of our families flew in to Nashville for the special event. We celebrated afterward with a gorgeous brunch at our house, hosted by my dad and Nancy, with a delicious spread, personalized M&Ms and a fabulous Bloody Mary and Mimosa bar.

And so if the morning wasn't special enough, John also met both of his grandfathers for the first time last weekend.

My sister Andi, who was on call at the hospital where she works, sent John a teddy bear that she made out of the cashmere sweater that my mom gave me years ago. It reminded me of the teddy bear she made for Charlie on his baptism two years ago!

We had lots more fun as the weekend went on -- a fun breakfast at Dotsons, s'mores around the campfire, a stroll through downtown Franklin and a Cajun feast that Rob's parents treated us to.

Our house was truly filled with all of life's greatest gifts -- family, faith, love and lots of laughter.

Papa changing little horseshoes! How they squeal!

Decked out in their new Illini gear from Aunt Nicki

Even Madeline's pet worm (in the cup) joins us for a walk.

First Day of Preschool!

2011-09-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

Madeline has been ecstatic waiting for Pre-K to start! So she could hardly believe it when I casually told her on Tuesday afternoon that the next morning was the first day of school. She yelled, "School school school!" on repeat the way only a four-year-old can, and literally made the car sway as she danced in her carseat.

Yesterday morning, she came downstairs and was delighted to find a special sign her daddy made her wishing her a happy first day of school! She had a fun breakfast, then I asked her to get dressed and pick out whatever she wanted to wear, just like I do every single morning. She chose the flower girl dress she wore in Mollie's wedding -- I thought it was so sweet that she wanted to get dressed up for her first day of school! She put on her new ruffled ankle socks, her green Stride Rite tennis shoes and helped me wet her hair so her lovely curls would show. Then we put on a squirt of my perfume so she would feel extra special. I made sure to tell her teacher that anything she wears to school is officially play clothes, so I was happy to see chocolate milk dripped down the front of her at pick up. Messy kids usually equal happy kids. At least that's what I tell myself since mine usually have mulch in their hair and dirt under their fingernails.

Madeline put on her new backpack and proudly marched into her classroom, pausing only to give me a quick kiss and high five, our signature good bye. Charlie was just as excited for her, literally shouting, "Boi-boi, Mimi!! Boiii-Boiiiii!!" I loved that he reassured her that we'd be back, just like I tell him every time I have to leave. He was still shouting bye to Madeline as we drove away from the church.

I wanted Madeline's big day to be just as special for Charlie; afterall, she's his best friend and he's going to miss her. Plus, now he gets to be the big guy for four hours every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. So the boys and I went on a date to Starbucks in downtown Franklin, where he sucked down a kiddie hot cocoa and the organic vanilla milk he helped himself to.

Then, with Johnny in the stroller, we walked half a block to a boutique toy store, where Charlie played for 45 minutes with their train table. Next up, waving to all the firefighters and ambulance drivers in front of the courthouse. Then joy riding up and down in the elevator of the public car garage. We crossed the street, and sat on a step, which he pretended was a firetruck and vividly acted out rescue scenes, insisting that I "climb in" too and eat what he calls firefighter snacks (we pretend to eat a lot of them around here). After a PB&J and chocolate chip cookie at the Swedish bakery, Meridees, we hopped in the car and went to pick up Madeline.

School was a total hit! Madeline had a ball, proudly showing me all her art projects and telling me about how she loved playing on the playground. Her teacher, Mrs. Lynne, told me that Madeline asked that the class call her Mimi!

All the mommys snapped pictures from outside through the window

Joyriding in the parking garage elevator!

Putting out fires in his firetruck

A lunch note

A poster sized note from Daddy!

The things they say!

2011-09-08T11:50:00.000-07:00

Every day, the kids say something that takes me by surprise and makes me laugh out loud. I always think I'll remember, and of course it slips from my memory before I can even tell Rob. So this week, I wrote their quotes down the second they said them. Here are a few:

Madeline, through peels of laughter after she and Charlie discover they can touch tongues: "It's like our tongues are high-fiving!"
Charlie, eating mandarin oranges: "This is 'tastic! It smells like fun!"
Madeline: "How did God make us? Did he use a sewing machine or glue? And how did he get our heads on our bodies?"(As she tried to detach hers from her neck)
Charlie was playing with a talking Elmo doll and was absolutely delighted because he was certain the recording said "Hi Charlie!"
Charlie, casually observing while I nurse: "Hey! You've got two of those milks!"
Madeline (being totally serious): "Johnny's diaper looks kind of full. Maybe he did a big load." (Nice Rob! I can't take credit for this one)
Charlie was playing with trucks in the bathroom while I put on my make up one morning. (I thought Rob would appreciate the truck bit, judging by what's coming next.) He asked me to see my eyes, so I bent down and showed him my sparkly eyelids and mascara. "Stylish."
Charlie loves the cartoon Diego, Dora's animal-saving cousin. He saw some leopard underwear in a laundry basket and excitedly shouted "Baby Jaguar!"(Diego's sidekick on the show).

Hair Cuts!

2011-09-02T13:30:00.000-07:00

This morning, Madeline and Charlie had their first-ever professional haircuts at a kiddie salon. I've been taking swipes with scissors after their baths for the last couple of years, begging my sisters to swear they'll tell me if either one ever has a mullet. Then of course there was the haircut that Madeline gave herself a last Christmas. But at 4 1/2 and 2 1/2 years old, I figured it was officially time to put their soft baby curls in someone else's hands.

What a riot. Charlie held perfectly still -- like he was frozen by a stun gun -- while the girl snapped a penguin smock around his neck and drenched his fine blond hair with a squirt bottle. Then he got really into an Elmo toy camera he found and seemed to forget he was even getting his hair cut.

Madeline was so excited and felt so special -- I told her it was her Going-to-School hair cut! She politely asked her girl not to cut off any of her curls. As a four year old, she graduated from the Princess cut to the Diva and got the whole nine yards -- a hair washing with her head tipped back in the basin, glitter spray (only after they put "product" in her hair, which sort of made me chuckle because, c'mon...she's four! Product?) and a sparkly pink star on her cheek.

Both kids left happy with lollipops in hand!

Settling into Life with Three

2011-08-16T13:15:00.000-07:00

Life is busier than ever, and it just keeps charging forward. Case in point...I started this blog post five weeks ago. We've had a wonderful month. Sweet John is smiling and cooing like crazy now! And we had amazing visits from each of my sisters and from Ning (more on those...). Now that John is nine weeks old, we're getting a little more rest (a four hour stretch makes me feel like Rip Van Winkle) and we're back in our routine, filling each day with playdates, bike riding, art projects and errands.

I remember my cold fear, then absolute exhilaration, the first time I went grocery shopping with two kids after Charlie was born. So I was surprised by how easy it was to load all three kids into the car and head to Publix. I guess I'm more seasoned, accustomed to chaos, or maybe just less intimated by the prospect of ditching a full cart to head home if need be. Our trip was as smooth and a total sucess. But maybe that depends on who's measuring. Madeline wasn't wearing a stitch except her bathing suit with a mop of uncombed hair and Charlie still had breakfast all over his face. Plus I happily let both of them eat the free bakery cookie at 7:45am (and sort of wanted one myself; nursing makes me hungrier than a wildebeest). John is so relaxed, he's just happy I remembered to bring him along.

John's a little party animal. In his first three weeks of life, he hit three birthday parties, a fireworks display and was the guest of honor at his own soiree. And thanks to Madeline's swimming lessons, we've packed it up and headed to the pool a couple times a week in the hot Tennessee sun.

It's a joy to see Madeline so confident and self-assured in the water; she has matured since her lessons last year when she didn't want to put her head under the water or leave my side. Now she's so excited that she starts yelling hello to her instructor from the parking lot before we even get into the pool area. What makes me the proudest is how hard she worked with Coach Catie, who suggested that Madeline join the neighborhood swim team next year! (I'm sure she probably recommends everyone, but my heart still swelled for her). Madeline can't wait to start Pre-K three days a week this fall, and is looking forward to playing on a soccer team next month. Rob is her assistant coach!

Charlie has come into his own hilarious little personality and is brimming with imagination, pretending to blast off in a spaceship, save jungle animals with his imaginary rescue rope (a la Diego), put out fires and save titty-tats (his words, not mine) from trees.

He also loves sports, playing imaginary golf, football and baseball nonstop -- he makes me pretend to pitch curve balls, then chimes in as umpire yelling, "Yoooooou're out!" For a kid who was silent for two years, he's exploding with stuff to say, and enunciates his words so forcefully that it's comical. He's so happy when he's with other kids; on our way to a birthday party this weekend, he said, "I love my friends sooooo much!"

Life is good. Busy.... But really good.

Sip and See

2011-07-12T11:38:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, four amazing girlfriends -- Jen, Jaime, Aimee and Kristi -- hosted a beautiful and breathtakingly elegant shower for Baby John and me. What a wonderful way to celebrate his one month birthday! There simply are no words for how special these women's friendship is, and how lovely and memorable the morning they created was.

The shower was a Sip and See, a Southern tradition where guests sipped champagne while peeking at John, who happily slept in the arms of anyone who held him.

The brunch menu was delicious -- sausage-filled phyllo cups, Greek yogurt tarts, homemade spinach and sausage quiches, fresh fruit, homemade cupcakes, pain du chocolate just like the ones I remember in Paris and a hash brown casserole that just about made me cry. Every guest took home a crispy almond butter treat with chocolate chips as a shower favor.

And the decorations were incredible! There were so many personal touches -- a hand painted frame holding the shower invitation, an amazing diaper cake, tiny seed packets shaped like blue birds, and darling baby clothes hanging from a clothes line. There was even a Wishing Tree, where every guest could write their wish for John and hang it on a branch.

It was a perfect morning. Not only was I so grateful to my dear friends, but I just loved the company of all the women who attended and helped welcome John Thomas in style.

The Morning John was Born...

2011-07-08T12:21:00.000-07:00

John, here's the story about the morning you came into the world:

On a Friday night ten days before you were due, I counted contractions two minutes apart for an hour and a half. We rang the baby bell, waking up a neighbor in the middle of the night to stay with Madeline and Charlie, and asked Sandie, Rob's mom, to hop on a plane from Chicago. We thought you were coming and drove calmly to downtown Nashville in the pitch dark. We checked into the OB Emergency Room, but you weren't ready yet, so the doctor on call told me to go for a walk. Since the hallway was only about 50 feet long and pacing that more than a couple of times started to feel strange, we ended up walking in circles around the hospital parking lot. Until your dad discovered a newspaper and dropped off, leaving me to wander alone, blathering updates to family on my cell phone, in a green snap up hospital gown with slept-on hair at 4:30 in the morning -- I'm sure I looked like a crazy person to all the construction workers adding a wing onto the hospital. We graduated to circling the block, which I'm sure looked even stranger to the early-morning Krispy Kreme crowd. Eventually though, we were sent home. False labor. We decided to make the best of it and pretend like we were on a romantic date, so we stopped for pancakes at the Pancake Pantry.

After that, I thought you were coming every 15 minutes. It was so exciting! But the anticipation started to wear on our nerves as the days passed by...

And then, at the neighborhood swimming pool on a Wednesday morning six days later, I started feeling something a little stronger. That night around midnight, I started counting contractions again. Only this time, it hurt. A lot (understatement). At 5am, after some serious home labor, it was time to go in again. Charlie woke up to say goodbye.

Rob and I joked that the next part of your story was like a scene out of a movie. I was huffing and puffing, squeezing the door with white knuckles and periodically screaming, "Oh God, here comes another one!" as your daddy sped down Interstate 65 at 95 miles per hour. Inbetween contractions, which were only 90 seconds apart, we saw the most brilliant fire-red sun rise; it was truly one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen and I told myself that I would remember it forever. You were being welcomed into the world.

There was no time to mess around. I continued to labor au natural; we had to wait on my IV and blood work before my epidural. It felt like forever, but it was actually less than an hour. At last came beautiful relief. One half of my body went numb and I had a runaway leg that liked to slip off the bed, but I could have cared less. With the pain gone, we could focus our thoughts on you.

We were giddy, knowing that we would meet you so soon! We still didn't know if you were going to be a boy or a girl! The actual delivery was over in minutes, so fast in fact, that your doctor, Dr. Eileen Cassidy, wasn't sure if she even had time to slip into scrubs. At 9:35 am, your daddy announced that you were a boy and cut your umbilical cord.

I felt the deepest, most meaningful contentment holding you in my arms for the first time. Like some of my life's greatest accomplishments -- finishing the Chicago marathon, singing for the President in the White House, graduating from college -- were almost meaningless in comparison to the honor of being mother to you, Madeline and Charlie. The moment felt truly divine, as if God himself handed you off to your dad and me and said, "Good luck, guys! You can do it" with a pat on the back.

For a little while after you were born, we enjoyed the peace of the moment. It was quiet and lovely. And then we called each of our fathers to tell them your name. John Thomas.

If you could only remember this time for yourself and see how Madeline and Charlie dote over you, giving you pacifiers, singing you lullabies and telling you over and over again that they love you. Charlie tells you he misses you if we happen to step into another room.

We sure are glad you're here, Little Guy.

Three Weeks Pass Quickly By...

2011-06-30T12:57:00.000-07:00

John was born 21 days ago. How can three weeks fly by so quickly when time feels so peacefully slow? We've cleared our calendar and are blissfully unaware of what's happening outside our door, savoring this special time while John is so tiny and our days and nights blend.

John continues to be a quiet, calm baby; he only pipes up for a few seconds at a time if he's especially uncomfortable. Mostly he sleeps, waking up to look around with his bright little eyes for 20 minutes until he's exhausted again and falls back asleep. He's long and wiry, the way Madeline was, and we couldn't believe how strong his neck was from the minute he was born. He reminds us of a little turtle when he stretches it to look around. He smells divine. Holding him is like popping a couple of Tylenol PMs -- you just feel cozy and drowsy until you drift off to sleep.

Madeline and Charlie have been swaddling all their stuffed animals and dolls...not to mention each other. Madeline dresses her monkey in John's outfits and Charlie uses John's bottles to fill his trucks with water at the bathroom sink. They both love sucking on his pacifiers and can't resist waking him with a fly-by kiss and hug. It absolutely moves me to see their instant affection and friendship take hold.

I still can't believe we have three children. And that two of them are boys! I told Rob I need to get really serious about learning the ins-and-outs of football, basketball and hockey. In a few short years, I'm going to hear the ESPN theme song in my sleep. Madeline and I are going to have to fight for Project Runway airtime and steal away for girlie pedicures.

We were so happy to have Sandie, Rob's mom, come stay with us for almost two weeks; and Rob's sister, Nicki, just returned to Chicago last night after a wonderful five day visit. Today my sister, Mollie, arrives from Denver! And next week, Andi will travel from St. Louis to meet the little guy and help us out. Friends and neighbors have delivered meals almost every day since John was born, and the darling girls who live next door come play with Madeline and Charlie almost every morning now that school has let out for the summer. We are so grateful for all the support we've received and couldn't ask for a more relaxed transition into this new wonderful phase of our life!

I came into the room and found Madeline reading John books...

Swaddling her monkey

Chillin' while they watch Diego

Sweet John Thomas

2011-06-12T19:08:00.000-07:00

We're home with John Thomas and just soaking him up. It's amazing how much you can love something on first sight. He's peaceful and quiet; we're all absolutely head over heels in love.

Our first days with John have been sweet. Madeline and Charlie adore him. Through our hospital room window, Rob and I watched them walk with Rob's mom, hand in hand, from the parking garage up to the hospital doors, proudly wearing their Big Sister and Big Brother t-shirts. When we heard the elevator ding, they ran down the hall into my arms and were bursting with excitement to meet their new sibling. It's pretty amazing to think that they've been waiting most of their young lives for this baby to arrive.

Charlie's first words were, "I love you, Baby John." Then instead of kissing him, he slurped him, pretending to drink him like a milkshake, and hasn't exactly stopped slurping him since. Today, he kept grabbing John's hand, saying something that sounded like "hi fi"; I realized after he did it a few times that he was giving his little brother high fives!

Madeline immediately asked to hold him; she was so careful and serious, staring into his eyes. She asked me shyly if we could sing him Rock-a-Bye Baby, which we did together softly, and then she whispered to me that she had called him Johnny. A little bit later, when I passed John to Rob, Madeline was alarmed that she couldn't find him and started looking under my hospital gown.

John Thomas is named after my dad and Rob's. We wanted to honor two men who mean so much to us and who represent the qualities we hope to teach our little John. With their help, course.

We are so blessed and just can't wait for everyone to meet our little guy!

It's a.........

2011-06-09T10:37:00.000-07:00

BOY!!

We welcomed our new little man just after 9:30 am. John Thomas Vlach is about 8 1/2 lbs and has, according to Meg's doctor, "shoulders like a linebacker". He is healthy, and looks just like Charlie did when he jumped out a couple of years ago. Meg is doing well and is resting.

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers.

We'll follow up with pictures when we can...

Baby on the way...

2011-06-09T06:27:00.000-07:00

Meg is in the hospital and in good hands. Things are progressing well. Should have more info soon. She thinks it is a boy, and I think it is a girl. We'll see... Stay tuned!

Soon...Doctor is coming up...ready for the baby!

A Special Memorial Weekend Sister Visit!

2011-06-04T09:28:00.000-07:00

Over Memorial Day weekend, our dear friend Matt Pawlak married his lovely fiance, Suzie, in downtown Chicago. Rob was honored to stand up in their wedding. I was thrilled for the happy couple too, but was unable to travel at this late-late-late stage in my pregnancy and felt heartbroken, writing Matt and Suzie a sad little letter months ago explaining my absence.

Then my sisters did the most amazing thing. They both traveled from Denver and St. Louis to keep me company, help me with the kids and act as insurance in case I started labor. And we did so much more than that! I've said it before, but if I could choose two people to be my sisters and best friends, it would be Mollie and Andi!

Within an hour of arriving, they whipped out a surprise birthday party/ baby shower extravaganza. They had balloons, gifts, cheesecake and a cookie-decorating set up for the kids. We celebrated my birthday, my mom's birthday (which follows mine by a day) and the new baby's upcoming birth day too! Fabulous!

They also helped me decorate the kids' new big kid rooms (more on that soon), talk through decisions weighing on my mind and calm the manic nesting phase I'm in. And we had lots of fun girl time when Rob was back in town and we could pop out to Franklin for lunch and shopping. Madeline and Charlie were in heaven playing in the imaginary pillow lands my sisters' created; Mollie and Andi were like human jungle gyms.

It was a great weekend!

Andi made a special monogrammed blanket for all three children!

Movie Night!

2011-06-03T18:36:00.000-07:00

We've started a really fun tradition.

Almost every Friday night now, Rob brings home our favorite Marco's pizza (the pie is great, and my dear friend Elise's husband just opened it this month!). We get all set up in the living room with mini tables, chairs and towels (for milk spills and tomato sauce) and we all eat in the living room watching a family-friendly movie.

So far, we've hit up Milo and Otis, Toy Story 3, Curious George, Madeline in London and Kermit's Swamp Years (which took an unfortunate and unexpected turn towards a scary dissection scene. Madeline kept asking, "Are they going to cut that frog's tummy?" Oh well. Can't win 'em all).

Could I have imagined that this would be a blast ten years ago, as a new college grad hitting happy hours and getting gussied up every Friday and Saturday for dinners and concerts? Nope.

But it is.

Happy Birthday to Moi!

2011-06-03T18:17:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful 33rd birthday!

It was a celebration that lasted all week. Saturday morning, Madeline woke me in a stage whisper saying, "Mommy, we're letting you sleep in since it's your birthday!" It was so cute I couldn't wait to get out of bed. Rob made french toast, which I ate sitting beside the gorgeous roses my adorable family gave me. Even now, a week later, Charlie tells me happy birthday several times throughout the day, and even sings his version of the song.

We had a blast that evening with a small group of friends at Arrington Vineyard near our house. I was having so much fun, I didn't even mind that I couldn't actually drink the wine. My friend Jaime arrived with the most gorgeous birthday cake!

On my actual birthday, the kids and I drove in to meet Rob for an Indian buffet. When Ning got wind of our plans, she insisted on treating! Sidenote: I love how whenever we go for Indian, Madeline, and now Charlie, both always ask for "more chicken on a bone please" (tandoori chicken) like little carnivorous animals in their angelic baby voices.

And my Aunt Arlene treated me to a lovely picnic at Cheekwood, Nashville's botanical gardens. We ate a delicate lunch on linens and even blew out birthday candles. The kids loved the incredible outdoor train exhibit going on this summer, but had just as much fun chasing lizards, dangling their feet in the fountains and running the wooded trails. I considered the marathon nap they took that day a birthday present in itself.

Getting Ready for Baby!

2011-05-28T05:01:00.000-07:00

Our house is buzzing we're so excited to meet Baby number three! Today I'm 37 1/2 weeks pregnant; even though my due date isn't technically until June 13, Madeline and Charlie were both born at 38 1/2 weeks, so we're literally counting down the days...

Madeline and Charlie both tickle my belly, then quickly put their ears right up to my skin to see if they can hear the baby laughing. Charlie was confused for awhile and thought he had a baby in his belly too, but now, he's graduated to saying, "I a big boy. I not a baby anymore." He also calls refers to his new sibling as "my baby," which melts my heart. When Madeline draws family portraits, the mommy has a great big tummy, and this morning, we all took it a step further, drawing pictures on our bellies.

On Wednesday, after my check up (and the kids' weekly visit to Krispy Kreme with Rob), I took Madeline and Charlie to Centennial Hospital where they'll visit when the baby's born. We chatted with some sweet Vanderbilt student nurses, rode the elevator and peered through the window at the sleeping babies in the 6th floor OB nursery; Charlie kept begging me to lift him up to the window. On our way out, we stopped in the gift shop for a 20 cent lollipop.

Each of them also went on a special date to pick out a small gift for the baby when it comes home. Charlie puts the soft blue elephant rattle he chose up to my stomach and tries to insert it in my belly button like a credit card or a coin slot. Madeline was inspired by wrapping the toy and pacifiers she picked out, and now goes through a roll of Scotch tape a week, wrapping random things around the house as "gifts" for the baby -- half-used tablets of paper, dog toys, baby paraphernalia that's been dug out of bins and is ready to be washed.

And yes, I've been washing everything in sight. Hard. Core. Nesting. The strollers are scrubbed, the fridge disinfected, the crib bleached, the baby clothes washed...and that's just four items on a three-page-list I've been chipping away at for weeks. The bouncy chairs, swing and bassinet have been washed in Dreft and are ready to rock and jiggle this little baby to sleep (hopefully...).

If the baby came tonight, we'd be ready. But I'm grateful for each extra day that I have to prepare (and would prefer that it wait until Rob's home from Chicago where he's standing up in a very special wedding). We just can't wait to meet this little person and know his or her personality. Even though I feel the baby's every movement now, it's still hard to imagine that he or she is really in there until I hear its cry, look in its eyes and hold it in my arms. It's like waiting for Christmas morning when you're a kid. Only a million times better.

Strawberry Picking!

2011-05-22T06:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we went to a local farm to pick strawberries. All four of us had so much fun -- it is one of my favorite family memories! The plants were heavy with beautiful ripe fruit that tasted like candy.

Madeline was so excited, filling her bucket with enthusiasm and gusto. "Daddy, there are more over here!" she would shriek, so Rob would run over to her side. They were berry-picking buddies and I just loved her pride as she would hold up an especially big or red one for us to see.

Charlie filled a good portion of his bucket too...until he realized how good the fruit tasted. Then he ran out of the patch, crouched under a shady tree and ate every single berry he had picked for the previous 30 minutes. Juice was streaming down his wrists, elbows and chin. When the last berry was eaten, he contentedly said, "I all done." Then (no joke), laid down in the grass, folded his hands behind his head and popped his knee. I asked the farmer's wife to ring us up for an extra pound when we checked out in the barn. It reminded me of a story I've heard about myself as far back as my memories go about eating myself sick in a strawberry patch when I was Madeline's age.

We came home with a six foot tomato plant, two beach ball size heads of lettuce (we waited while the farmer plucked them out of the ground) and two cucumber plants (we actually thought we were buying cucumbers themselves. I later found them "planted" by little hands in our flower bed, roots half in and out of the ground, lying on their sides).

Every night at dinner, the kids chant in a sing-song voice, "Thank you Mommy for this delicious dinner" -- a sweet tradition that Rob began with Madeline starting probably a year ago. Yesterday, as we drove home, we heard Charlie say from the back seat, "Thank you for these delicious vegetables." But Madeline, who interprets Charlie-speak for me, was sure he was actually thanking us for turtles.

Whether he was grateful for the vegetables, strawberries or turtles, I cherished the morning we spent together.

A Surprise Shower!

2011-05-15T14:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was kidnapped for the entire afternoon by two my dear friends, Elise and Paige, for the most fabulous surprise baby shower!

When Elise pulled up at my house, I was outside playing in the rain with Madeline and Charlie, wearing comfy Saturday clothes that were perfect for dropping off boxes at Goodwill earlier that morning. It took me several minutes to realize her visit wasn't just a fun drop in to say hello! I ran inside, put on a dress, a sparkly necklace and plugged in my curling iron. After giving my sweet family big hugs and kisses, Elise and I zipped off for a surprise adventure.

We pulled into a fun restaurant, Boxwood Bistro, where my friend Paige was waiting with balloons and a beautifully decorated table. We had a wonderful lunch -- talking and laughing and opening their thoughtful gifts for so long that my friends had to feign restroom visits to secretly call the nail spa and bump our appointments until later!

I felt so pampered when I realized we were getting pedicures. Rob, who the girls had been talking to leading up to the big day, sneaked some of my nail polishes into my purse so I can do touch ups at home (because seriously....what is more important than perfectly pedicured toes in the delivery room?). After a quick detour through TJMaxx Home Goods (heaven), we went to The Puffy Muffin, an adorable local place for decaf lattes and an incredible dessert.

I live for surprises! So to be whisked away by two people who are so special to me was incredible. It felt lovely to slow down and really celebrate the baby that is about to forever our lives in the most wonderful way. I feel blessed beyond compare. Truly.

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-15T13:59:00.000-07:00

My sweet family planned a perfect and relaxing Mother's Day last weekend. Rob wanted me to sleep in, but Charlie had other plans....his little voice is so irresistible in the morning, cuddling and clobbering me awake with his stuffed puppy and bear, that I turned on the light and finished a book (after Rob sweet-talked him downstairs). A little while later, the house was quiet....everyone burst back in with a Starbuck's latte and a dozen beautiful roses, which Madeline handed to me saying, Happy Mother's Day. It already felt like it couldn't get any better.

We had a nice morning at church, and then went to an adorable southern restaurant in downtown Franklin we had never tried before called Dumplin's. Both kids took naps, which meant Rob and I had some relaxed downtime; when the kids woke up, we all played outside in the beautiful sunshine. After Madeline and Charlie fell asleep that night, Rob made me a delicious dinner -- a new variation of shrimp and grits with fresh sweet corn that tasted like I was truly eating in a private restaurant.

It is such a privilege to be Madeline and Charlie's mom. They are tiny people who I genuinely enjoy spending my time with -- their humor, joy, wonder, sense of adventure and lack of self-conscious inhibitions remind me to enjoy every moment. Even the ones where I'm giving time outs, wiping bums or pouring spilled milk out of my purse.

I always think about my own beautiful mom on Mother's Day too. I credit her loving example with so much of what feels instinctual to me. I'm blessed to be surrounded by other incredible women who guide and nurture, like Ning and Sandie. And I'm fortunate to have a husband who offers praise and encouragement every day as I navigate motherhood....the most important job and honor I'll ever have.

A Visit from Ning

2011-05-14T06:43:00.000-07:00

We were so excited to have a quick, but extremely fun visit last week with my stepmom Nancy, who we all call Ning! She had meetings with a Caterpillar dealer three hours from us in Knoxville, TN, so we were thrilled that she could build some extra time into her visit.

Within seconds of her arrival, Madeline was ransacking her purse for magic jelly beans. And the Magic Jelly Bean Fairy never disappoints -- Madeline just can't believe the enchanted stash that's always hidden away in zippers, wallets and sunglass cases just waiting to be found.

Charlie called Nancy, "My Ning" her entire stay, and dragged her to sit in the parked car with him, pretending to drive to the Donut Store, making all the engine noises little boys seem to have wired into their DNA. The next day, Ning appeared with a box of Krispy Kreme. Ecstatic, exuberant, over-the-top delight sort of describes how happy he was.

Madeline couldn't figure out where Papa was...she kept asking if he was still sleeping. Ning treated the kids to bubble baths, milk shakes and bed time stories. And she treated Rob and me to fabulous company and a lovely dinner (plus stocked our freezer to more delicious meals). What a great visit!

Edisto Island, South Carolina!

2011-05-10T17:58:00.000-07:00

Our little family of four had a magical and romantic nine-day vacation on Edisto Island in South Carolina's Low Country, where all the trees are covered in Spanish moss and our biggest decision was what to have for lunch. My aunt and uncle were very generous to lend us their beautiful beach house a short three-block walk from the Atlantic Ocean. The weather was perfect, and we practically had the entire beach to ourselves every day. We had so much fun, we didn't even mind (much) that someone "borrowed" our credit card numbers to buy video game systems or that our tire blew out.

The first time Madeline explored the beach in Gulf Shores, AL, I was moved to tears observing her two-and-a-half year-old wonder. Charlie was only six-months old at the time, so on this trip, it moved me to tears all over again watching his wide open eyes and excited gasps as he experienced the waves and sand for the first time in his young memory.

The vacation was restorative in every way -- we were all so worn out from full days of shell-hunting, jumping in the waves, walking the beach, building sand castles, strolling for ice-cream, eating seafood and playing on the playground -- that we slept hard and returned home rested and relaxed. We walked everywhere -- now that I'm eight-months pregnant, Charlie and I are moving about the same pace, so it worked out perfectly.

One of the highlights was Easter morning! The bunny knew where to find us, and after opening Easter baskets and hunting for eggs, we went to a service at the Island's gorgeous little white Presbyterian church, built in the 1600's. All the babies wore jon jons, the boys and men had on seer-sucker suits and bow ties, and almost every woman wore pearls and Lily Pulitzer. We dusted beach sand off our legs and hid in the balcony wearing Reefs and North Face, but people actually went out of their way to welcome us warmly.

We loved the shrimp boil Rob made us for dinner one night, with sausage from Savannah, fresh sweet corn, red potatoes and cornbread. And we had our first ever family movie night! The kids loved Milo & Otis about a runaway puppy and kitten -- Charlie cracked us up narrating throughout, saying things like, "Oh no!, " "Oh my gosh!" and "Poor Titty Tat."

Of course we couldn't miss the royal wedding, which was right up Madeline and my alley. When I told Madeline that Kate was a real live princess, she asked me if William was the beast. (Later, when we were watching the Kentucky Derby back in Nashville and Madeline saw all the hats, she asked if someone was getting married!).

Our beach trip ended this Spring's travel spree through the Midwest and the South. Now I'm sticking close to home just in case this baby wants to show up early -- doctor's orders. We're so grateful for each trip and the people we've gotten to visit with over the last two months. As we drove back from South Carolina, I felt a wonderful, tingling sensation...full scale nesting that began with bleaching the refrigerator and sweeping out the garage.We already can't wait for our next family vacation next summer when the newest member of our family is one!

Visiting Daddy (Insert Happy Squeal!)

2011-05-02T12:56:00.000-07:00

My OB appointments are coming fast and furious, and since they're around the corner from Caterpillar's offices in downtown Nashville, the kids get so excited to see their daddy every other week! Rob takes Madeline and Charlie to Krispy Kreme or to the park (now that it's nice out) to feed the ducks for my 45-minute check up. They pick me back up happy, covered in sprinkles and wearing their donut hats.

Two weeks ago, we wiped the chocolate icing off their faces and went into Rob's office to visit daddy's work and meet his new boss. They had a blast, but we quickly scooped them up and ushered them back onto the elevator when Charlie started wildly swiveling in Rob's chair and Madeline starting noticing candy jars on co-workers desks.

I love that even if Rob's had a hard day, he always acts enthusiastic around the kids and conveys how much he enjoys his work. And it's fun connecting the track-type tractors and backhoe loaders that we see alongside the road with the place where daddy goes every day. I often hear Madeline tell Charlie, "Daddy works so hard because he loves us soooo much."

BroCo 2011

2011-05-02T12:38:00.000-07:00

Mid-April, we spent a long weekend on our fourth annual trip to Brown County, IN, with some of our closest college friends (my Delta Gamma girls) and their families -- eight adults and eight-and-three-quarters kids. It was a blast watching Madeline, Ella, Cassidy and Kainoa play together like they live on the same street, even though everyone traveled from Chicago, Toledo, Louisville and Nashville. The younger set -- Charlie, Gavin, Makaoi and Brady -- was hilarious too, sharing especially well considering they're all between one and two years old.

The kids played duck-duck-goose, hunted for toads in the pond, played football with the dads and "swam" daily in the hot tub in between art projects and naps. We took turns making family-style dinners for the group, and when the kids would all crash at night, the adults enjoyed our grown-up time. The cabin we rent is on the market for a cool million bucks, so it's pretty nice (understatement). The guys sat around the fire pit, listening to music or playing poker (with the occasional cigar), while the girls curled up on the couches and talked like we were still in college (only instead of discussing who we were taking to Barndance or how we were going to get through finals, we laughed about potty training and caught up in detail on the day-to-day of each others' lives -- hard to do in 10-minute phone snippets from home).

We stayed up way too late and woke up way too early, but I wouldn't trade the time we spend together each year for anything. It nourishes me. And since Jaime, Tara, Erin and I all met our husbands during our college years, our group of eight has known each other and hung out for almost 15 years. The Haru pack is moving from Louisville to Charlotte soon...so our annual BroCo trip may move to a new location, but it will still be on the 2012 calendar.

Writing about these friends makes me realize that in the Christmas crunch, I never wrote about the first moms-only trip we took to Florida in November last year. We were heartbroken that Tara wasn't able to make it last minute, but Jamie, Erin and I soaked up the sun and went for long walks on the beach, taking a much needed mental break before we returned fully refreshed to no-rest-for-the-weary job as Mommy.

Whoa Mama!

2011-05-02T07:49:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to have my dear friend, Erica, who I've mentioned is a skilled professional photographer, take the most incredible and meaningful maternity photos of me during her recent visit from Chicago. She did my hair and make up, brought gorgeous jewelry for the shoot, and had so many amazing ideas for how to capture my belly during this special time. I love being pregnant (a little scary for my husband since I never want to stop being pregnant) and am so happy to have a tiny bit of the wonder of it all recorded on film for my kids to see one day. We even did a boudoir shoot! I will treasure these shots forever, and since I didn't take pictures with my other pregnancies (okay, full disclosure: Rob and I tried once but there aren't even words for how ridiculous they turned out), this photoshoot represents all three of my sweet babies.

Erica rocked it, standing on ladders, suggesting outfit changes and even taking shots in front of one of my mom's abstract paintings. We laughed until we cried at moments that might otherwise have been embarrassing...but our friendship and Erica's confidence behind the lens made it easy to feel like a suburban Heidi Klum for an hour in Rob's button down shirt. What fun!

Thank you so much, Erica!

Chicago in Nashville!

2011-05-02T07:27:00.000-07:00

About six weeks ago, we started traveling almost nonstop, only swinging through Nashville to wash clothes and repack suitcases before the next trip...so I have some catching up to do. In fact, I'm penning this by hand sitting on a beach chair beside the Atlantic Ocean. But I'll get back to that...

In early April, our amazing friends Johanna and Jason, and their two-year-old Marin, and Erica and Craig, and their 18-month-old son, Kai, traveled all the way from Geneva, IL to visit us in Nashville. We had so much fun...getting up early with the kids, staying up late to hang out, and filling every minute in between!

Erica and Craig's flight landed Saturday morning, just in time to put all the kids down for naps and catch up for a few quiet hours. The Pattersons pulled in that afternoon, and all four of the kids were immediately inseparable. Rob flew in from a bachelor party in Vegas a couple hours later, and the party officially started. The boys popped beers, the silliness started, and before long, all the little ones were back in bed (after one of the cutest baths in recorded history). We had a festive southern dinner at home -- shrimp and cheese grits, cornbread and chocolate meringue pie from Dotsons, a local place where all the waitresses call you Sugar.

We all almost died laughing all weekend. There's actually photographic documentation of some of us wetting our pants. Since two of us are pregnant at the moment, I won't disclose who (both of us).

The next morning, Erica, Jo and I left the men in charge to boutique shop in downtown Franklin. Jo found the most fabulous mirror for her mantle, featured in Southern Living magazine. When we got home, we could hardly believe our ears... Silence. Every kid in the house was fed and napping (as in four kids sleeping at once). Talk about amazing dads! While we were gone, the guys "helped" brainstorm hilarious names for Vlach baby #3...Papaya is our current front runner. The guys took their turn in Franklin to watch some March Madness at a Civil War jail-turned brewery. Then our sitter came over and we all shot down to Music Row for some honkey tonkin', live music, and $5-cowboy-hat shopping (which I'm wearing on the beach!).

We could hardly believe our visit was drawing to a close. The next morning, we said our farewells to Jo, Jason and Marin, who got a jump on the road for their brave drive home. Did I mention Jo is crazy pregnant and had a nine hour drive with a two-year-old? Later, Erica, who is a talented professional photographer, took maternity shots of me (more on this soon too), before she, Craig and Kai headed to the airport to start their journey.

Every second of the weekend was fabulous. But even more, it meant the world to us that our amazing friends made such a long and difficult trip to visit. We love you guys!

Tiny Dancer

2011-04-05T18:44:00.000-07:00

Madeline is our little ballerina. It seemed like she started leaping around the house to classical music a few minutes after she learned to walk. So last week, she began ballet lessons at the Ann Carroll School of Dance. I have never seen her more in her element! Her joy and pride actually kept me awake that night...I simply couldn't believe we hadn't signed her up sooner. Well, actually, we did try when she was much younger and she wasn't quite ready to be separated from me -- she cried the whole time. What a turn of events! This afternoon, she boldly ran in, excited to see her teacher, Miss Jen, then casually said, "Okay mommy. You can please go now." And when I had to sneak back in for something, she looked at me with an exasperated expression as if to say, "Really?" I took it as a sign of her growing confidence and independence, so instead of feeling sad, I actually felt triumphant (especially since it gives me hope that Charlie's current separation anxiety won't last forever either).

Last week, Miss Jen couldn't believe Madeline had never danced before and told me she was a powerhouse. She looked adorable in her pink leotard and tights, ballet slippers and chiffon ballet skirt, doing arabesques, plies and arranging her feet into first position with her wiry little arms above her head. Each week, they alternate between tumbling and tap for the last 15 minutes of class -- I just about died watching her do the bunny hop in her little patent leather tap shoes. Charlie kept saying "bang bang bang" since he's been listening to her practice at home.

The best moment of all was when all the little girls were finished with class and standing in line for their turn at the drinking fountain. Charlie broke away from the waiting parents and sprinted down the hall to Madeline literally shouting, "Yeah, Mimi! Yeah Mimi!" at least six times. He was only doing exactly what I wanted to!

Arkansas Surprise!

2011-04-04T06:43:00.000-07:00

We had a fabulous trip to visit my grandma, "Big Madeline," in Arkansas with my family the week before last! Andi and Kyle drove from St. Louis, and my dad and Ning rented a beautiful condo overlooking Greers Ferry Lake, where I spent summers every year eating my grandma's fried chicken at the base of Sugar Loaf Mountain, boating with my grandpa and swimming until I had pool blisters on my toes. My dad and Ning surprised us all by flying Mollie in from Denver! We were only sorry that Kenny had to work and couldn't come too.

It was so special to be all together; Madeline and Charlie were in heaven with Papa tickling them and going for adventure walks, Ning hiding magical jelly beans in her purse for little fingers to find, and Aunt Mollie, Aunt Andi and Uncle Kyle's nonstop silly games. My grandma stayed with us at the condo each day until the sun went down; when we first arrived, Madeline climbed into her lap (all dolled up in Ning's jewelry) and cuddled with her for 10 times longer than she'll ever snuggle with me, gently touching her face and laughing -- it was a moment that brought tears to my eyes.

One of the highlights was the festive birthday party Nancy and my grandma planned for Madeline -- my aunt even drove in from Little Rock! Mimi put on one of her new fancy dresses and applied her very own electric pink eyeshadow for the occasion. My grandma ordered a beautiful birthday cake -- Madeline was so excited to see her name in pink icing!

We also spent a morning on a rented pontoon boat and watched Rob and Kyle skip rocks from the shore; both Madeline and Charlie loved steering the boat (and blowing the horn) with Papa. The kids enjoyed going to my grandma's house, playing in her Red Hatter hats and taking golf cart rides while Rob and Ning helped get my grandma set back up on her computer (she loves to email and lost her connection). Rob and Kyle had a blast playing a round of golf; my sisters and I couldn't help but notice a budding bro-mance when they returned, playing with the iPad and eating snacks together on the couch.

The best is the fun we have all together just sitting on the couch with coffee or cocktails (me: virgin), laughing hysterically, catching up or hatching plans.

The Easter Bunny in Maple's Dog Food?

2011-03-30T07:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning, when Madeline went into the garage to fill Maple's food bowl, she immediately came back into the kitchen and said in a calm but small voice, "Mommy, I'm kind of scared." When I asked her why, she answered that something was in Maple's dog food bin. My mind flew to the dead mouse Rob found a few weeks ago and hoped I wouldn't have to try to explain life-and-death in the few minutes before we raced off to her four-year-old check up.

At the bottom of the bin right outside our door was a baby bunny....very much alive and curious about the giant faces that kept peering in at it. Madeline and Charlie were so excited! We gently carried the bin to our front yard, and I carefully tipped it to the ground so the bunny could hop out (trying not to bury the bunny in a landslide of dog food). Then we ran inside and watched the scene from our front door. About five minutes later, Madeline shrieked, "Mommy! The bunny just hopped out!" She proudly told her pediatrician that morning that she saved a baby bunny; Charlie was very proud too, saying, "Baby booney!" all day.

Our bunny adventure could not be more timely since Madeline has been very inquisitive about the Easter Bunny lately. In fact, last month, she talked to the Easter Bunny (a preplanned phone conversation with Ning), asking all sorts of practical questions like where does he live, how does he make chocolate bunnies and does he walk on his hind legs? After she hung up, Madeline innocently said, "Mommy, the Easter Bunny sounds just like Ning!" She's been leaving carrots by the front door (just like we leave cookies for Santa) and drawing him pictures ever since.

Madeline the Monkey's 4th Birthday Party!

2011-03-14T13:14:00.000-07:00

Madeline had a blast at her fourth birthday party with 17 of her sweet friends! We celebrated our little girl at our house with a monkey-themed party -- Madeline's choice, no doubt inspired by stories she's heard about her first birthday! She truly is a monkey, with the calluses on her hands to prove it, earned by hanging from monkey bars and tree branches.

The day before her party, Madeline excitedly helped me bake the monkey bread and banana bread for her party. While she slept, I baked her monkey cake and cupcakes. We brought fifteen pounds of bananas home from the grocery store, as well as a box of animal crackers for each kid, and waited for our little guests to arrive for brunch. (Of course, the Bloody Marys and "Jungle Juice" was set up for all the mommy's and daddy's)...

Once again, the weather was a dream -- in the 70's and sunny -- we enjoyed the back deck while the kids ran around the back yard chasing the dog. Madeline wore her flower girl dress from her Aunt Mollie's wedding, while she happily played in the birdbath and lathered herself in chocolate frosting. The moments I love the most are the ones you can never plan: Madeline using a salad server to stuff mass amounts of egg casserole into her mouth from the buffet table (thankfully everyone had already eaten, so we let the birthday girl indulge), and Charlie carefully picking the marshmallow eyeballs off of an entire plate of monkey cupcakes.

This week, we will meet up with my family in Arkansas to visit my grandma, who Madeline affectionately calls, "The grandma with the white hair who's also named Madeline." Since I won't be near a computer on March 19th, the day she was actually born, please forgive my sentimental note that I hope she will read one day:

Madeline May, you burst into our lives four years ago just exactly as we always prayed for -- healthy and perfectly you...full of spunk, personality, strong opinions and gentle innocence. I used to sing, "Isn't She Lovely" to you every morning. Your dad and I love you so much more than you will ever be able to understand until you have your own children. Every day that I get to watch you grow, learn and just be your uninhibited self is a gift from God. Happy birthday, sweet little monkey!

A St. Louis Roadtrip!

2011-03-14T12:58:00.000-07:00

Madeline, Charlie and I had a fabulous visit with my sister, Andi, and her husband, Kyle, in St. Louis. With a little help from our new car's DVD system (I love you Dora the Explorer, even if your shrill voice makes me want to poke my eyes out), the McDonald's playground and an bottomless supply of lollipops, we made the six-hour drive with hardly a peep or protest from the kids. They were total rockstars. It gave me great confidence that I could make more solo trips mid-week while Rob works hard to bring home the bacon.

It was so fun to see how Andi and Kyle have decorated their darling bungalow since their October wedding. Andi made delicious meals and won the kids' hearts with squeeze-able yogurts (they eat a box of eight in one sitting) and homemade cupcakes! We traveled on Tuesday and Thursday, so Wednesday was our only full day; we bundled up and visited the park that borders Andi and Kyle's neighborhood -- feeding the ducks, playing on the playground and going for a long walk. We wore Madeline and Charlie out completely -- in fact, minutes after we were home, Charlie passed out face-down on the living room ottoman. Each night when Kyle came home from work, the kids excitement level would ratchet up to new levels, and he was kind enough to indulge them with lots of tickling and silly play. I'm sure the neighbors could hear their happy squeals.

While we were gone, Rob painted our entryway and woodwork -- what a fun surprise to come home to! And boy were the kids happy to see their daddy. We loved our St. Louis visit -- it was so important to me to make the trip before my pregnancy limits travel, and truthfully, while our growing family still fits in Andi and Kyle's charming two-bedroom home. But not to worry -- there will be lots of future visits since the new baby won't know he or she is sleeping in a closet for at least a year!

Making Lemonade!

2011-03-03T12:53:00.000-08:00

This morning, we walked by a lemon display at the grocery store and Madeline suggested that we make lemonade! As we squeezed lemons and dissolved the sugar, I realized I had never made it from scratch before.

The kids had so much fun peeling the stickers off the lemons, washing them and then transferring them between the pitcher and strainer for about 10 minutes like it was the most hilarious game in the world. While it cooled in the fridge, we went outside to play, then came back inside and sipped our sweet homemade treat.

It is truly spring here. The daffodils are in full bloom and we're running around in short sleeves. Last night, we roasted hot dogs with our neighbors well after the sun went down.

The gender differences between Mads and Charlie continue to amaze me. As Charlie rode around on his tricycle (wearing his puppy dog backpack), he stopped to pick up every rock, drag his hands through the dirt and exclaim, "More rocks, mommy!" Meanwhile Madeline layed on her belly in the grass, quietly humming to herself while she picked flowers and clovers.

But then again, maybe they aren't all that different after all; a little bit ago, Charlie told me he has a baby in his tummy. And Madeline's usually the one out there scratching in the mud, climbing trees and out-sprinting the older neighbor boys.

Feeling Grateful

2011-03-01T18:53:00.000-08:00

Shortly after we moved to Nashville, I realized I was short of breath. Friends and family would tell me that I was wheezing on the phone. As a former marathon runner, I sometimes felt a panicked lack-of-air during dance parties with the kids, and I would have to stop and take breaks during a morning stroll pushing the double stroller. I saw a doctor of internal medicine. He did a physical and told me maybe I had GIRD (I knew I didn't and moved on). Then I saw an allergist for six months. He told me I had asthma, so I tried five different medications; none of them worked. He told me subtly that the problem was psychological and has since written a kind and very humble note expressing regret.

In November, when I found out I was pregnant, my OB was alarmed by the sound of my breathing and referred me to a pulmonologist. Within minutes, he was sure the problem wasn't my lungs, but in my throat. He consulted his partners and sent me to an ENT. A week later, that doctor threaded a scope down my nose and pulled it out with a fascinated expression. "I've never seen anything like this in my 25 years of practice," he said, and referred me to a Harvard-educated specialist at Vanderbilt.

Last week, I had surgery on my throat. Scar tissue had closed 75% of my windpipe; it needed to be removed quickly while I was still in my second trimester to avoid the possibility of an emergency tracheotomy during labor or throughout the remainder of my pregnancy. Andi dropped everything to watch the kids during my surgery and help me with my recovery. As I was wheeled into the OR, I was admittedly scared; scared for my baby of undergoing general anesthesia while pregnant; scared that I could be aware during the procedure (pregnant women don't receive some of the anesthesia drugs that other patients get); and scared of needing a tracheotomy during the procedure (the surgeon's parting words were that he hoped we wouldn't need one). The cause of the fibrosis is unknown, but the doctor thinks it's a fairly rare autoimmune disorder; it will continue to grow back every six months to two years.

But the operation was a huge success! The before and after photos are staggering; I was breathing through a straw and now my windpipe is wider than a quarter. Every breath I take feels deep -- I'm drawing so much more air and oxygen than I have in years. Breathing is exciting! I love going for walks and singing lullabies to the kids. There are so many silver linings that I feel incredibly grateful for. The greatest is that this experience put a mirror up to our lives and showed me what incredible and deep friendships we have made here in a short amount of time. People's generosity -- meals, flowers, cookies, babysitting, even popsicle deliveries! -- has affected us deeply and I hope I have the opportunity to repay everyone's kindness.

Southern Belle

2011-03-01T18:24:00.000-08:00

Madeline and I had a very special Saturday morning. We sipped white truffle tea, wore elegant hats and nibbled on scones and cucumber sandwiches at the Savannah Tea House in downtown Nashville with a group of our mommy-daughter friends.

Madeline choose a red feathered hat and a dainty peacock teacup and saucer, then carefully dropped individual sugar cubes into her tea with tiny tongs. She was so intent on using ladylike manners ("Mommy, can I run here?")...until the sherbet came out after our finger sandwiches and then she slurped up hers and mine.

I told her it was a day I'll never forget, and I meant it. After sweet outings like that, for just a moment, it's fun to think forward about about proms, first dates, wedding showers, pedicures and back-to-school shopping trips. We have so much girly fun ahead, Miss Madeline May!

Choo Choo for the Two-Year-Old!

2011-03-01T18:08:00.000-08:00

On Saturday afternoon, we had a small party to celebrate our little guy's second birthday. When Charlie woke up from his nap and saw his train cake set up on the dining room table, he literally gasped, then pointed at it all night long, saying "choo choo tayn take." Eventually, the temptation got the better of him and when no one was looking, he grabbed a blue fistful and smeared it around his face.

The weather was gorgeous, so the adults had a happy hour on the back deck until sunset; then everyone came in for Chicago-style hot dogs with all the fixin's...or at least all of them that we could find down South (no poppy seed hot dog buns or sport peppers around here).

We all sang happy birthday to Charlie and watched him spit all over the cake...I mean, blow out his candle. We were having so much fun, I completely forgot to open gifts, so we opened them in our pjs like it was Christmas morning the next day.

What a blast! Now we're all geared up for Madeline to turn four next month!

Charlie can't help himself!

A train named after Charlie!!

Playing with their new parachute from Papa and Ning

Happy 2nd Birthday, Sweet Charlie!

2011-02-20T19:03:00.000-08:00

Today our little guy turned two. And he was so proud of it. All day long, he kept saying, "I two!" on command.

We started the morning by getting ready for church, but changed our minds after listening to the kids cough and hack, and went to Krispy Kreme instead. Charlie definitely knows what donuts (no-nus) are, and was very excited!

It was sunny and in the 60's, so we played outside nearly the entire day. Tonight, we celebrated with a fun birthday dinner, gift opening and a special birthday cake that Madeline made just for him. We re-lit the candles a couple of times just for fun. Afterward, we all played on the floor with his new train set right up until bed time, then washed all the mulch out of the kids' hair, scrubbed the icing off their faces and said good night.

Charlie, honey...you're a little ray of sunshine in our lives with your silly expressions, the sweet way you say "I love you," and your streak of blond hair. You say thank you whenever we give you a kiss, and when you give us a kiss, you pucker your lips so far out that they touch your nose. You are a ham in front of the camera, and you're 100% boy -- every night, you wrap your arms around a race car to fall asleep the way your sister clutches her favorite doll. Your temper tantrums are impressive, but they are also heartbreaking to watch -- you have so much to tell us and you just get so frustrated. Since the day you were born, I have continued to be impressed by the quiet way you can entertain yourself; you're almost always singing (E-I-E-I-O, Twinkle Twinkle and The Wheels on the Bus are your favorites). We love you, dear sweet boy. You are a true gift from God.

Charlie has Stuff to Say!

2011-01-11T13:24:00.000-08:00

My quiet little boy suddenly has words tumbling out of his mouth, though there's definitely some translation required. It's kind of like Pig Latin, only instead of moving the consonant to the back of the word, Charlie just drops it all together. Snow is no. Pillow is whoa-whoa. Umbrella is basically the sound you hear if you stick your tongue in and out of your mouth really fast. Thank you is the sweetest, slowest drawl of vowels that we made sure to get it on video so we could document his 23-month-old Nashville accent. But my favorite is, "Maple, where are you," which sounds like "Aa-poo, waaaa-r-ouuuu?"

As a first time parent with Madeline, I worried I should be doing more if she didn't hit milestones at the exact week or month mark that parenting books said. Then I learned that lovely, comforting thing that experienced moms always remind us of -- children do things in their own time. I didn't notice that my tiny Madeline was scaling fences and doing 50-meter sprints while some of her friends were still learning to walk and falling head first over curbs -- only that she didn't have the 20-word vocabulary kids her age are "supposed" to have. Her pediatrician at the time said "We won't worry. Yet." That three-letter word banged around in my mind from time to time afterward. So when her speech exploded like Charlie's is now, it was truly one of my first lessons in not only relaxing as a parent but also fully focusing on, enjoying and absorbing the present moment. This time around with Charlie, I never worried. I just kept a running list as his vocabulary grew, which is a joy for me to look at now as I write this post.

It's safe to say that my children seem to focus on physical development before the verbal, since Charlie was climbing trees before he could say "all done." During my last OB check up, my doctor had to chase our zygote with her Doppler to catch its heartbeat. She eventually asked it politely to slow down. Seems the Vlach kids are quite active before they're even born. And though Charlie has lots to say now, I'm guessing he'll still appreciate the peace and quiet that most men enjoy, but that every woman in his life will be happy to fill with lively and animated conversation.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T07:36:00.000-08:00

Happy 2011! As we think about the coming year, our minds are singularly focused on the third baby
that's coming our way this summer. We're starting now to prepare, getting Madeline excited about a new big girl room, planning all travel for early spring, buying a bigger car, and shuffling around our entire house to make room for the tiny eight-pounder.

My girlfriend Paige surprised me by proposing a day trip to the Atlanta IKEA to pick up some things we need. Little did she know Rob has the catalog memorized and is reorganizing every closet in the house, as well as the garage. I would call it male nesting, but it's not -- he lives for organization, while I live to try to be organized. We're converting our eat-in-kitchen (which we've never once eaten in) into another fun living space that may even double as extra guest quarters. Sound crazy? Come on down -- it's gonna be pretty cool! We already created a stylish office out of our large laundry room and we're in the process of turning our upstairs linen closet into a place for me to store all my things that have been displaced over the years (and now reside in random boxes scattered around the house). It's all happening...

We had a quiet but very fun New Year's Eve at home with just the four of us. Rob's department had to cover year-end deals, so he was at work on Friday and has Monday off in its place. This year, instead of fancy dinners or hotel slumber parties with friends and their kids, we ordered in Papa John's, put on sparkly party hats and silly glasses, and had a dance party. I got crazy with my mock-tail in a martini glass.

Here are a few other things going on:

Madeline has decided. If the baby's a girl, she will be named Sophie. If it's a boy, he'll be elephant squeak. My family jokes that it'll be named Buck, inspired by the company my dad recently helped Caterpillar acquire. They all have a special ring to them...
The kids have been packing their backpacks with random things from the coat closet and pretending to take plane rides to Italy. Charlie even said Ciao.
Charlie ate pavement last week. I actually saw his little face skid and bounce against the asphalt. He busted up the outside and inside of both his lips, and was so swollen, it looked like he had a white marble under the skin. To add insult to injury, he has tripped and reopened it again three more times since then. Poor little guy.
Madeline, Charlie and I went on a coffee date at Starbuck's! The kids sipped their hot cocoas and felt so grown up.

A Magical Christmas

2010-12-31T07:05:00.000-08:00

As long as I live, I'll always remember Madeline's words when she opened her new baby doll on Christmas morning -- "Santa knew just what I wanted!" It was like her first plane ride when she shrieked over the roaring engines, "I just knew I would love this!"

Christmas was a joy. In the days leading up to it, Nashville had its first snowfall (which melted by noon) -- we had so much fun bundling up, then drinking hot cocoa to warm up again and snuggling by the fire to read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. The kids were manic in their excitement when Rob's parents and sister arrived -- Madeline literally screamed, and Charlie does whatever she does. Together, we went to a special kids sing along at Whole Foods, decorated a gingerbread house, and went out for a fun Tex Mex lunch. Rob and his dad took Madeline and Charlie out for Krispy Kreme early one morning, just like they used to do when Rob was a little boy.

On Christmas Eve, we went to the early candle light service at church. The music was incredible -- I teared up and got goosebumps at least five times and Rob said even he couldn't help but sing along to every song. Sandie asked if we'd made a wrong turn and ended up in Opryland -- it was quite a show! But also a lovely message that really reminded us of why we celebrate Christmas. We came home to a wonderful ham feast; every dish on the table was one of Gram's tried-and-true recipes. It felt like a special way to make her a part of the festivities.

And then it was game on! It was like Christmas roller derby -- Madeline was winging presents to people and tearing them open faster than we could check the tags, pausing only to give hugs and say thank you. One of my favorite moments was when she opened her pink ballet slippers from Rob and me -- her excitement was palpable as she danced on her toes and spun around the room to Christmas carols. Charlie took his time, putting on every article of clothing he opened, and playing with each toy. He opened his bike helmet first, and never took it off again.

On Christmas morning, we awoke to our second snowfall of the season -- it was a true Tennessee white Christmas! Charlie woke up first, then popped his head right into Madeline's room to make sure she didn't miss a thing. The kids padded down the stairs in their footed pajamas to find their stockings and a special note from Santa and his reindeer, who appreciated their midnight snack and chocolate milk. We had a wonderful brunch with Sandie's strata (I've actually had vivid dreams about it) and a special Beef Wellington Christmas dinner, which is what my mom often made for our family growing up.

It was truly a magical Christmas. We're wishing you a very happy new year!!

The Best Gift of All!

2010-12-20T11:49:00.000-08:00

We're adding more monkeys to the Vlach zoo! We are beside ourselves with joy to announce that we're expecting our third child mid-June. So now, we're officially the Vlach-Tastic Four-and-a-Third.

Madeline is enchanted. She asks me all sorts of questions about when the new baby is going to "hatch" -- the best way I can explain it to her is that she'll have a new brother or sister when we get to go swimming again in our neighborhood pool. And she is hatching all sorts of babies herself -- she has set up a hospital in Rob's office and carries her newborn baby dolls around in their carriage (a bag we carry library books in). She burps them, nurses them and puts them to bed -- there are parts of the day when we all have to whisper because the new baby is sleeping. Watching all that....well, I'm enchanted too. The other day, Madeline drew a mommy with a baby in her tummy. While she's sure it's a girl, we're trying to set the stage early that it could be a little brother too. She loves to tickle my belly, then listen to see if she can hear the baby inside me giggling.

Charlie has no idea what's about to hit him, but he gets really excited whenever anyone else gets excited, so he happily kisses my belly when he sees Madeline roll up my shirt. Today, he got into the wrapped gifts under the Christmas tree (it was the sound of paper tearing that drew me from the kitchen); he had opened his copy of I'm a Big Brother and ripped two pages out. We'll take it as a two-year-old boy's sign of his growing anticipation.

We feel so blessed that our family is growing, and that our children will have another best friend to throw into the ring. Thankfully, I'm never sick during my pregnancies. But the first trimester exhaustion with two young children was staggering -- I felt like I'd taken an imaginary dose of Tylenol PM and I was doing everything wearing a snow suit. Underwater. With weights on my arms and legs. I would lie Madeline and Charlie down for their naps, and collapse on my bed across the hall face first. We ate more frozen pizzas in the last three months than Dr. Oz would recommend. But I'm feeling my energy surge back just in time for the holidays. We plan to not find out the gender, just like we did with Charlie. That moment in the delivery room was so incredible that we can't wait to repeat it.

We have so much to celebrate this year, and we are simply overcome and infinitely humbled by how grateful we feel.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2010-12-01T18:18:00.000-08:00

I am so in the Christmas spirit that I can hardly contain it. I'm wishing everyone aside from telemarketers a Merry Christmas (and that's only because we put ourselves on the Do Not Call list). So when we went grocery shopping day before yesterday and I saw Advent calendars, I had a flashback to my childhood and grabbed one. Then I imagined both kids wrestling to open the same tiny perforated window and sharing the tiny chocolate inside that I paid for a second one in the checkout line and grabbed it on the way out to our car.

This morning, before Madeline and Charlie had even finished their breakfast, I handed each of them their calendars and explained that we get to open a window every day leading up to Christmas. Madeline attacked hers and managed to open several windows in the short time that I helped Charlie with his. When they realized there was chocolate inside, their eyes got big and they forgot all about the made-to-order eggs on their plates.

Then this evening, we got caught in rush hour traffic while running an errand and a 30 minute drive took three times as long. But inside our car, we were singing carols and excitedly pointing out any Christmas lights we passed. In my wildest dreams, I never would have imagined the kids would want to stay in the car even a second longer than they had already patiently endured. But they were so excited to look at more Christmas decorations in our neighborhood that we drove around for another half hour, slowing down at every third house to admire all the lights and colored bulbs! I actually had to pump more gas to continue on. Madeline would exclaim, "Ohhhh Mommy, you aren't going to believe what's coming next. Keep going....keep going.....okay! Ta-Da!!"

I've said it before, but having Madeline and Charlie allows me to experience the wonder of things through a child's eyes. And it really is wonderful.

Nashville Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-29T18:40:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was a blast -- we loved having my dad and Nancy visit us in Nashville for the holiday. And the best surprise ever was the call we got from Kyle, Andi's new husband, saying they were driving down from St. Louis for an overnight stay to sit at the Thanksgiving table with us, despite their busy work schedules. Family is truly the best gift life has to offer, though we missed Mollie and Kenny, who were celebrating in Denver, and Rob's family, who we'll see at Christmas.

Rob and I made two turkeys -- one was cornbread stuffed with maple orange glaze, and Rob smoked the other in his Yankee Smoker. There were so many sides that we staggered into the living room, where we all decorated the Christmas tree, listened to carols and waited until our stomachs made some room for pie. My dad and Nancy ordered every other meal throughout their entire stay from Super Suppers -- so they most definitely hosted us in our own home. They are so thoughtful and generous, reminding us of what Thanksgiving is really about -- being grateful for all the blessings in our lives.

We had a great time decorating a gingerbread house, of course eating the candy as we went (Charlie by the fistful). It was both heartwarming and heartbreaking to hear his forlorn calls for "PaaaaPaaaa," even if he was just napping on the couch a few feet away. Madeline found a never ending stash of Skittles in Ning's purse, a little game they share. The day after Thanksgiving, my dad and Nancy treated Rob and me to an incredible dinner at the Red Pony, a fine restaurant in downtown Franklin. It was fun to get dressed up and go on a double date.

One of the highlights of the trip was when Ning took Madeline to her first movie. She was so excited that she dressed up like a princess to see Tangled! Madeline looked tiny in the oversize theater chairs, happily nibbling on fruit snacks and popcorn and never once taking her wide eyes away from the big screen. I think I watched her watch the movie more than I actually watched it myself. Even though she was enchanted by it all, after about 25 minutes, she quietly whispered to me that she was ready to go home, so we cheerfully packed it up and already can't wait for the next show.

If you stop by our house, the carols are playing, the stockings are hung, and you'll find me addressing Christmas cards. 'Tis the season!

A Haircut to Remember

2010-11-22T13:16:00.000-08:00

Well, I've been waiting and the day finally arrived. Madeline gave herself a haircut.

While I was Christmas shopping with my aunt, Madeline pulled a pair of scissors out of a basket (set up high to keep kids out) and sheared her bangs to about half an inch from her forehead. Then she added some significant layering to the sides and gave herself a bald spot in the back for good measure. Rob said he found her standing with a mound of spiral curls around her feet.

I always wondered what would come first -- this, or the big wad of blue gum that peanut butter won't remove (that hasn't happened yet, but I'll look forward to it when the slumber parties begin). I guess this is just another example of Madeline's budding self-expression. For some reason, the back of her head has always grown like a weed, while the front won't grow at all. So for three and a half years, we've been carefully growing the front out, and whacking an inch off the back every few months to avoid the inevitable mullet. But the hair was gone with the flick of her little fingers in those giant red scissors. She absolutely glowed with pride at her work. It was impossible not to laugh at how ridiculous it looked. But I found myself yesterday noticing the sheer volume of her baby fine hair that's gone and missing those soft curls with an ache.

Pigs in Mud

2010-11-13T11:24:00.000-08:00

A couple of mornings ago, I came downstairs from quickly blow drying my hair to find Madeline and Charlie rolling in two pounds of shredded cheddar. In the living room. Visualize this for a second: Charlie is shirtless on his back, rolling from side to side, grinding the cheese into the carpet with his 32 pound body. Madeline is on her elbows and knees, stuffing fistfuls into her mouth like we've never fed her. And Maple thinks she's died and gone to heaven. The cheese is showered everywhere; the empty zip top bag that I just bought the day before is littered on the floor, next to a couple of mutilated string cheeses.

My first instinct was to laugh and take pictures, but then I realized I'd come downstairs to food explosions every day (I took the pictures secretly). So I made my face look serious and said, "Oh, this is so sad." I softly asked Madeline if cheese belongs on the floor. Then I asked her how we could clean it up. Fast forward five minutes, and Madeline's wiry little body was pushing the vacuum cleaner around the carpet with all her might. It would only move a few inches at a time. "Mommy, it's so loud!" she would cry over the deafening force of our new HEPA-approved vacuum. "I know," I told her sadly, then pointed out some more cheese under the ottoman. The weight of the machine rolled the cheese like a thin pancake onto its wheels -- it would have been so much easier to clean the mess up myself. But Rob and I had just gone to our weekly parenting class the night before and I was determined.

All this before 8am. I guess I should grateful that it was cheese and not peanut butter, or something much much worse. And that the rug is dark. But I have to say, I can certainly appreciate how rolling around half naked in cheese and eating it with reckless abandon would be absolutely fabulous if you're a kid. Or maybe even 32?

House of Madeline

2010-11-08T15:20:00.000-08:00

Move over Chanel. Madeline is developing her own style, and it's all kinds of fabulous....if only she were still 18 months old.

About six months ago, Madeline discovered that many of her baby clothes are still in her closet. Once, they were neatly packed and labeled in bags and hung on hangers, organized by size. Ah, memories. Now, she has figured out if she pushes her padded rocking chair over to her open closet, she can pull down anything she wants. So she disappears into her room and emerges sometime later in sweatshirts that stop at her elbows, skirts that just barely cover her tiny rear end and mismatched infant socks that don't extend past her heels. There's often some random bikini top or bottom involved. Or a hat so small it looks like a polka-dotted yamika.

Soon after she discovered her baby clothes, she discovered Charlie's. A whole new closet brimming with possibilities.... So now there are little boy onesies covered in baseballs or fish, underneath sundresses that fit two years ago.

Notice Charlie's aquatic-themed onesie...

We made a deal. She can wear whatever she wants in the house. But when we go in public, she has to wear clothes that fit her (and I do use "fit" loosely. She still looks pretty wack-a-doodle sometimes). She'll happily comply, but minutes after we're home again, she's usually back up in her room piecing together a new ensemble -- a corduroy jumper that stops at her hips and baby tights with the crotch at her knees. The laundry is staggering, since the outfit changes are nonstop throughout the day and she has a deep love for yogurt and red sauce. And I know that I could stow the clothes away, but it feels cruel to take away something that makes her so completely and innocently happy. Today, she discovered the bracelets she received at her baptism when she was three months old, and don't think for a second that we didn't work for five whole minutes to get the clasp to shut around her 3 1/2 year old wrist.


Rivaling DVF's wrap dress in my tank top!

I have childhood picture after picture as evidence that my mom let my sisters and me dress ourselves growing up. She was an abstract artist, after all. It's such a small way to let Madeline feel like she's in control and help build her budding confidence. So on a superficial level, while I sometimes (desperately) wish Madeline would wear the outfits she has in her drawers (the ones that coordinate and actually fit her), I'm also proud of her for the choices she makes on her own. I suppose this is just the beginning. Once day, she might come home from college with a crazy major or a silly boy or blue hair, and I'll want to steer her the "right" way. But unconditional love is accepting her for exactly who she is, and these early fashion choices are a great way for me to practice the love and support that I expect will be easier to talk about than it is to exercise.

So I say, Go Girl. Rock those purple wellingtons with your pajama pants and velvet sparkly Christmas dress (from two holiday seasons ago). You got it going on.

A Puppy and a Fairy Princess on the Loose

2010-11-05T17:58:00.000-07:00

I know in my last post, I just said I love fall, but I really love Halloween! We had a blast last weekend. On Saturday, Charlie climbed into his barking puppy dog costume (it looked like we had two Maples running around the house, and yes, it actually barked) and Madeline dressed up as a fairy princess (everything came straight out of our dress up closet, including the clip on earrings and fairy wings) -- we piled into the car and drove five minutes to downtown Franklin's Halloween festival. There was live music, vendors passing out candy and the smell of kettle corn and fresh potato chips. It was a perfect way to spend an hour getting into the Halloween spirit.

The next day, several couples and their adorable ladybugs, Marios and Supermans came over to our house for a festive dinner (blood red martinis for the adults) and trick-or-treating. Our dear friends arrived fully decked out as characters from the Cat in the Hat, including Thing One and Thing Two. Rob went as Hillbilly Bond (or Redneck 007), tearing the sleeves off a button down, cutting off some denim jeans into gross jorts, and wearing his tuxedo vest and bow tie. Coors Light caps served as button covers. I pulled out an oldie but a goodie -- dusted off my feather boa, combed my black wig, found my fishnets and put on my flapper dress. And I'm going to give myself a little extra credit here -- I walked the kids around the neighborhood in four inch heels.

After two straight days of doing everything in his Maple suit, suddenly Charlie insisted on wearing his Ninja costume, a $2-purchase I grabbed at a consignment shop to try to add some boy things to the overwhelmingly feminine dress up closet. No joke: the kid was making ninja sounds and karate chop motions all night. Madeline enchanted neighbors with her sweet little manners in a flouncy tulle dress and glittering shoes.

Now I'm just trying to stuff an extra banana into my kids diet here and there to offset the crazy sugar consumption going on. But hey, it's only Halloween once a year!

Glorious Fall

2010-11-05T07:27:00.000-07:00

Fall is my favorite season. It's romantic -- bundling up in a sweater and holding hands to stay warm. Rob and I even got married in the fall. But like everything, this season is zipping by at warp speed. Here's what we've been up to the last few weeks:

The weather has been incredible, and we haven't missed a chance to soak it up -- picnicking, playing on the playground, raking leaves, enjoying evening fire pits, and going for nature walks to see the changing leaves.

Madeline and Charlie had a wonderful time visiting a pumpkin patch with their Grammy and Aunt Nicki! What would autumn be without a hayride? This one wound us throughout a farm, and we got to ride alongside brand new calves still nestled into their mamas. There were hay mazes, tire swings and slides; we ended the morning by picking out mini pumpkins.

We had a great time visiting a fire station with my Moms Club -- I enjoyed it just as much as the kids. Charlie was so excited -- jumping, squealing and pumping his arms -- by the lights and sirens and just the sight of the trucks that even the fire fighters kept laughing. While we were there, the bell went off; we watched guys drop down the fire pole, suit up and tear out of the station in a truck.

In other exciting news, Rob is thrilled to have officially accepted a new role within Caterpillar right here in Nashville. Congratulations, Robbie!

He and I are taking a six week parenting course offered by our pediatrician's office, so every Tuesday night, a sitter puts the kids to bed and we go off to school. Ning called it my "Continuing Education," which is Caterpillar's terminology for ongoing job training -- I love to think of it that way! Though last night, when we couldn't find the course's new location, we decided to go on a pizza date instead. Even the child psychologist teaching the class agreed date nights win parenting points.

Madeline loves her swimming lessons twice a week. She dunks her spiral curls under the water in her oversize goggles and splashes around with Coach Katie.

She's growing up so fast; sometimes I'm just astounded by adult-sounding things she says, like, "I suppose, " or "This opera music is pretty." (Full disclaimer: we own one opera song, which she later heard on a commercial and blew Rob's socks off with her little comment). She loves baking, cracking her own eggs into a bowl and spooning batter into muffin cups. The kitchen looks like a Category Five storm has swept through when we're done, but any mess is worth the pride she feels. She begs for "ballerina music," then twirls around the living room to Mozart or the Nutcracker. Madeline has never particularly liked being separated from Rob and me in any way (the histrionics!), so it's a real joy to see how much she loves running into her Sunday school class...and begs to stay when it's over. She comforts Charlie when sitters come to the house, saying, "It's okay, buddy. Mommy always comes back." And today, when Charlie's balloon popped in the grocery store, Madeline didn't hesitate before saying, "I'll share mine with you, Charlie."

Charlie is learning a new word every day: this morning, he literally shouted "Bye!" at Rob while blowing kisses (which looks more like he's enthusiastically popping himself in the nose) and then grinned at each of us like he just solved world peace in the Middle East. That said, most days are still like a 12-hour round of charades. When he's hungry, he gets a plate out of his drawer and puts it at his seat. When he's sorry, he hugs his sister and kisses her face. And naturally, there's lots of pointing, grunting and ultimately crying, if we can't figure out what he wants. These days, there is simply not one single thing that Madeline does alone; Charlie is at her heels imitating everything. On Monday, he stripped off all his clothes and tried to join her swimming lesson. He hums Twinkle Twinkle all day long to himself; often, the lyrics go "Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama...." He is probably the most affectionate child I have ever met. I feel like I've died and gone to heaven when he catches my eye from across the room and sprints, arms wide open, for a hug.

A boy, a ball, a stick and his dog. Life is good.

Wedding at the Vineyard

2010-10-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

Kyle sees Andi for the first time!

My sister, Andrea, had the most beautiful wedding this weekend at Chaumette Winery, a charming vineyard in southern Missouri -- she and Kyle compliment each other perfectly and we're so happy they're married! Andi was breathtaking in her strapless ballgown and cathedral veil; she wore the Austrian crystal necklace that my mom, Mollie and I all wore on our wedding days as well. It was so special to witness the moment before the festivities began when Kyle saw Andi for the first time -- his reaction moved Mollie and me to tears!

The ceremony was in a picturesque white chapel, set up on a hill looking over a valley. It couldn't have been more beautiful with all the leaves changing colors. A string quartet played as my dad walked Andi down the aisle. The readings Andi and Kyle chose were from a devotional that my mom gave to Andi; Mollie lit a candle in honor of our mom. As the sun set, everyone in Andi and Kyle's congregation held a candle and sang a beautiful African hymn, led a capella by a dear friend of Andrea's.

Afterward the party started! Andi and Kyle had a travel themed reception, with globes and lanterns hanging from the outdoor pergola, a cake stand Andi made out of maps and an REI cake topper of a bride and groom in climbing gear holding a "Just Married" flag. Just before the couple got engaged, they climbed Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro together, so it was fitting that they were introduced to Toto's "Africa." The weather was perfect for their outdoor reception; white lights and lanterns twinkled, and heat lamps kept everyone warm if they weren't out on the dance floor like the bride and groom. Some of my favorite moments were when Kyle impersonated Michael Jackson, and when Andrea and all her Chi Omega sisters (including Anita, her mother-in-law), linked arms and sang a special sorority song honoring the bride.

Kyle told me at the end of the night that he hit the jackpot with Andi and her family, and that's definitely how we feel about him too! It was a profound moment, sitting at dinner with my married sisters and their husbands -- Mollie and Kenny, just married in September; Andi and her brand new husband, Kyle; and Rob and me. It's like we've entered a new phase of our sisterhood where we get to have brothers too.

We were lucky enough to have Rob's mom and sister fly down to Nashville from Chicago to visit with us and watch the kids for the weekend. While we were gone, they took Madeline and Charlie to the zoo and pushed them in their swing for hours; when we arrived back home, we went to a pumpkin patch and took a hayride! Madeline and Charlie simply adore their Grammy and Aunt Nicki.

Andi and Kyle are honeymooning in the Dominican Republic right now. Welcome to the family, Kyle! And congratulations to both of you -- we're all thrilled!

A Whole Lotta Fun

2010-09-29T18:16:00.000-07:00

Madeline dressed herself for the day!

It has been a fun and busy several weeks!
My news is that after years of talking about how much I'd like to write editorials for magazines, I finally submitted an article to Real Simple's annual writing contest (along with 7,000 others). Even though my chances of winning are slim, it feels great to have finally taken some action.

The kids are growing like dandelions -- Madeline's already three and a half and Charlie's 19 months. He's so big that someone asked us if the kids were twins! Madeline often announces that Charlie's her best friend. They actually play happily together now (when they aren't fighting over the same toy) -- I just step back with the video camera and watch it unfold.

Charlie loves wearing Madeline's Dora helmet; the other night, he insisted on eating dinner in it. He waves at everything, including our neighbor's air conditioning unit when it shuts on or off, his dinner plate when he's finished, and strangers everywhere we go. He's trying to talk, spitting out words like, "tur-tur" (turtle) and excitedly says "hi!" If we forget to say grace, he'll remind us by sitting quietly with his hands folded.

At least he was willing to take the helmet off at bath time

Madeline is figuring things out. Last night at bath time, she ran upstairs, plugged the tub and started running the water at the perfect temperature. When we play with Tinker Toys, she arranges sticks and calls out the letters she created -- "Mommy!! Look! It's an E!" She asks why a car doesn't have a lid when we see a convertible. This morning, she was wrapped in a blanket, singing, "Here is the bride. All dressed in wide."

Here are are few other highlights:

Adventure Science Center

Climbing to the top in her tutu

The electric car was Charlie's clear favorite

We started our morning at the Planetarium in Nashville's children's museum, watching Big Bird and Elmo discover the Big Dipper, the North Star, the Sun and the Moon. Madeline kept gasping with excitement in the dark beside me and whispering, "Mom, are we flying?" when the movie panned up to space or back down to Earth. Then she opened her arms like she was kissing the sky and wrapped herself up, saying, "Sometimes, I just hug myself!" I realize in these moments that I'm witnessing true wonder, just like her first magical trip to the beach. We played with trains, climbed up a three-story tower overlooking the Nashville skyline, stepped inside a giant brain, and visited with dinosaurs.

Purity Dairy Tour

Someone knows she's about to eat ice cream...

We went with friends to see how ice cream was made. After getting lost and meeting the group late, we realized that the factory no longer gives tours. We had a great time anyway watching a video, then looking out a window onto the factory floor. Of course the best part was the ice cream social at the end. Madeline and Charlie loved it!

Chick-fil-A

Love-hate relationship with a cow

Madeline requested songs and danced!

Chick-fil-A is to the South what In-and-Out Burgers is to L.A. The restaurant obviously caters to exhausted moms since the staff falls all over themselves to help me carry our food, refill my drink, roll a high chair to the table, and wipe our spills with a smile. Tuesdays are family night, so when Rob had a work dinner last week, the kids and I headed to Chick-fil-A -- Madeline and Charlie danced, clapped and sang along with a guy named Conductor Jack. Then they jumped into the congo line weaving around the restaurant. Charlie was both enchanted and terrified by the giant dancing cow; Madeline loved the glittering flower she had painted on her hand. We all left happy with free ice cream cones after Madeline and Charlie ran off any extra energy before bedtime on the indoor playground.

Lucky Seven

2010-09-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

Today marks Rob and my seven year wedding anniversary! As the hours tick by, I always love remembering what we were doing at each moment of our wedding day seven years ago... Without getting too mushy, I will say this: I married the man I prayed for -- he's my best friend, an amazing husband and a terrific dad. Choosing Rob was the best decision of my life. As Madeline would say, "Go, Team Vlach!"

We celebrated Saturday night -- Rob hired a babysitter and treated me to a fun date night! We had cocktails at Franklin's trendy Red Pony, where we spotted Ashley Judd and Dario Franchitti (they walked past us and climbed into their Ferrari). Then we crossed the street and had an upscale Mexican dinner at SOL Restaurant. We ended the night with cream slushies from Sonic. We talked about how much life we've packed into seven years, and we imagined our future together.

Happy Anniversary, darlin'! Here's to seventy more!

The Paci Fairy

2010-09-23T13:07:00.000-07:00

The Paci Fairy has been circling our house for about a year. We've been laying the groundwork with Madeline to help her give up her pacifier, but we've procrastinated knowing there's a chance no one in our house will sleep very well for awhile after it's gone. This week, I caught sight of Charlie playing with Madeline's pacifier before bed, and we couldn't find it in time for lights out. Rob was at a work dinner. Decision time for Mommy. I took a deep breath.....

The Paci Fairy left Madeline a note!

Madeline was adorable as we weaved a story about the Paci Fairy: She comes in the middle of the night, trading Madeline's pacifier for a special gift, and leaves behind a magical trail of glitter and jelly beans. Then she flies straight to the hospital and gives Madeline's pacifier to a baby who needs it. As we finished reading Curious George and story time came to a close, Madeline proudly exclaimed, "I don't need my paci!" But then a few minutes later, she would quietly and sadly say, "Mommy, I really want my paci."

After she bravely fell asleep without a peep or protest, I..uh-um, I mean the Paci Fairy...zipped out to Target minutes before they closed to pick up the essentials: sparkly pompons, sequins, a trade-in gift and lots of candy. I grabbed some reinforcements for the days to follow. Rob and I had church giggles sneaking into her room that night, hiding a wrapped baby doll under her bed and spreading the candies and sparkles all around. We left a special note to Madeline from the Paci Fairy herself.

At 5:45 the next morning, Madeline burst through our door, shrieking with excitement that the Fairy actually came. It has only been two days, and unfortunately, Madeline caught a flu bug, which hasn't helped with the transition. But she's a little trooper and taking it in stride. Maybe in the long run, we'll save ourselves the expense of braces?

Nah, probably not...

The Secret's Out

2010-09-10T16:09:00.000-07:00

A few moments ago, Madeline asked me if we had a box. I answered yes, but then investigated a little more. She clarified. "Do we have a box that has wine in it?"

Secret's out. Even our 3-year-old knows that we drink box wine when there's no one around to see...

A Trip to Costco

2010-09-08T11:45:00.000-07:00

Let me tell you about our trip to Costco today. This is pretty typical.

Both kids are loaded in the basket. Madeline has one of Charlie's onesies on underneath her sleeveless sundress. We get looks, but I think she looks pretty cute. Charlie is wearing the shirt Rob put him to bed in last night. It's from Pottery Barn and has his name embroidered on the front, so no one will actually realize that I just threw some shorts over it.

We walk around the store trying samples. I'm trying to keep Charlie from spilling the mango juice from the tiny paper cup he's crushing in his hands. A jolly older man with a white beard and perfect mustache winks at Madeline and hands her a card, which is undoubted intended for me, in case I want to hire a Santa impersonator. It has his summer and winter address (North Pole Lane) so we can write him a wish list. It's a little creepy, but Madeline is enchanted. Every time she sees him, she goes crazy and asks me things like, "Why is Santa buying milk, Mommy?"

The sole inspiration for this Costco outing is to find a gift to thank our wonderful neighbors who took care of Maple a few times this summer, including this weekend while we were in Colorado. I'm looking for Wii games, but can only find Rock Band for $150. So instead I grab a two-ticket movie pass for $15.50, but they're a family of five, so I decide to buy three packs. Do some quick math and realize this is pretty expensive, especially since I wanted to buy them a pizza for dinner too. Kids are already starting to get a little antsy, so I grab and go. Put some more groceries in the cart and grab the pizza. Some moisture from the refrigerated chicken has gotten the movie pass a little wet and it grosses me out. So I put it back, intending to grab a dry one. Now Charlie's getting really hungry for lunch, so I dart to the check out line. Have you ever shopped at Costco? I'm digging out my Costco card, shuffling through my wallet for cash, when I realize I never threw a new movie pass into the cart. There are three full baskets in line behind me. The check out clerk (a young guy who definitely doesn't have kids) tells me I can go grab another one and get back in line; he doesn't say it rudely, but it rubs me the wrong way. So I buy what I have, then ditch my full basket (full of shrimp and other frozen items) and go to the hot dog line to feed my starving boy. Twenty minutes later, Madeline's covered in smoothie and Charlie's playing under the table, but our stomachs are full. Madeline's enthralled that Santa's eating a piece of pizza (he winks again. Time to roll). I realize I have to go all the way out of Costco, then check back in to re-enter the store and buy the movie passes. Feel like I want to just skip it, but give myself a verbal pep talk ("Meg, you can do this. Just get it done. Do you really want to make another whole trip for this gift? No! So suck it up.") I sneak the wrong way through a line back into the store, leaving my basket by our hot dog table. Now I don't have a cart to clip the kids into, so I'm holding their hands. Charlie has one shoe on. He takes off running, practically shrieking with joy at his new found freedom. Madeline thinks it looks fabulous, so she follows suit.

I have completely lost control.

Wrangle kids. Get the movie pass. Wrangle kids some more. Get back in line, which has gotten even longer. When I notice the woman in line behind me holding a $15 Wii game that would be perfect for the kids next door. This would put me back within my budget (especially since we have nonstop birthday parties -- i.e. birthday presents -- this month). Decision time.

Grab the kids. Go back and find the Wii display that eluded me the first time around. Grab a Twilight game for the girls and a baseball game for the boy. Horrify a group of boy scouts as I chase my wild animals and say, "Mommy's starting to lose her patience!!!" Back in line. Madeline is covered in ketchup and smoothie. If people were looking twice before, you should see them now, especially since she's lying on her back spinning on the floor. A dad with a few things in his cart takes pity on me and ushers me in front of him.

Buy the stupid gift. Grab my cart full of thawing meat. Tickle the kids and try to finish strong. Charlie's laughing and throws his hands up in the air. Oops. He accidentally smacks Madeline in the eye with his flip flop (which is in his hand instead of on his foot). She's in agony and has a cry that I'm sure people can hear all the way back in the loading dock.

Deep breath. Soothe her. Get to the car. Get to the car. All I can think is just Get. To. The. Car.

Locked and loaded. Driving back home, trying to keep Charlie awake so he'll take a nap in his crib.

Cross my fingers and hope that they both actually sleep. I haven't heard anything in the ten minutes since I started this post, so I might actually get to put my feet up and recharge for this afternoon (an absolute necessity since they're literally powering up like a drained cell phone as I speak...)

Rocky Mountain Wedding

2010-09-07T13:17:00.000-07:00

We're home from the most amazing weekend in Winter Park, CO, for Mollie and Kenny's beautiful wedding! The only thing more gorgeous than the views at 9,200 feet in the Rocky Mountains was Mollie! She looked more stylish than a New York City bride in her sassy birdcage veil, BCBG gown and four inch platform heels. She wore the same crystal necklace that my mom and I both wore in each of our weddings, an heirloom worn by two of our great grandmothers! Andi did her hair and I did her make-up. But Madeline and Charlie could have done it for her and she still would have been the definition of lovely.

The grassy valley, silver mountains and crystal clear skies were backdrop -- God's cathedral -- for a deeply moving ceremony. Madeline took her flower girl duties very seriously, dropping every petal one-by-one until her bird nest basket was empty (Ning slipped her Skittles the rest of the service to keep her quiet). Everyone held their breath as my dad walked Mollie down the aisle. Kenny's father officiated; Andrea read an excerpt from a poem she wrote about our mom; I read romantic Bob Dylan lyrics Mollie and Kenny chose; and Kenny's grandfather gave a tribute that moved many to tears. One of Kenny's groomsmen, a childhood friend, waved an American flag to honor Kenny's brother and best man, Nate, who is serving our country and couldn't leave ranger school to attend the wedding.

After the ceremony, everyone sipped champagne and listened to live guitar at the lookout point before heading down to the beautifully-decorated 100-person reception. Kenny is accomplished at brewing his own beer, which he's been working on for months to serve at the wedding. What a party! The music was thumping and the dance floor was packed. One of my favorite moments was when Mollie took center stage, revealing her broken-in cowboy boots to the crowd while she danced to an upbeat bluegrass song! Madeline was a complete ham -- she loved having an audience! -- and ran around in her ballet slippers wearing props from Mollie's photo booth corner. Sweet Charlie found his way to into the cupcakes before dinner even started.

With a one year old and a three year old, sometimes the things that don't quite go as planned are the funniest. Madeline entertained everyone Friday night by stripping down to nothing but her tights and hairbow during the rehearsal and scooting herself all the way down the aisle on her rear end. The next night, she barfed at the wedding reception in all the excitement (and after all the s'mores she ate, which Mollie gave as favors to go with the late night bonfire), but at least she managed to do it discreetly behind the head table. And Charlie, who is becoming increasingly independent, refused to wear shoes, but insisted on wearing his tie clipped on to his pajama shirt underneath his seersucker jacket. Oh, and he had turtle embroidered shorts on under his linen pants. Minutes before the the ceremony started, I sent Rob on an errand back to our cabin -- I found out the next morning that he actually had to pop a screen and break in since all the doors were locked.

It was an incredible weekend celebrating the newlyweds, with a wonderful rehearsal dinner (the caterer recreated Kenny's dad's spaghetti sauce) and a relaxed brunch on Sunday morning. It is an absolute gift to have Kenny officially be a part of our family. And it was an extra special treat to be able to spend four days with family and friends in one of the most beautiful settings in the world. We love you, Mollie and Kenny! And we wish you a lifetime of love, happiness and good fortune in your marriage and in life!

A Vlach-Tastic Summer

2010-08-27T13:36:00.001-07:00

We've had an absolute blast this summer! Now that Madeline's 3 1/2 and Charlie's 18 months, we're on the go, even more so lately because Charlie is dropping his morning nap. We've been visiting the zoo, swimming in our neighborhood pool a few times a week, climbing on the playground before the sun is fully up, wading in the stream that winds around a walking loop we enjoy, playing in the warm rain, jumping at Jump Zone (a warehouse filled with inflatables), and otherwise filling our days with friends, play dates, birthday parties, sprinklers and an endless supply of popsicles. It's been so hot, even the ice cream man stopped coming around. I guess everyone stays inside when it's 104 degrees.

This morning, as we were leaving a pottery painting birthday party, Madeline ran ahead and held the door open for me. She said something I couldn't quite understand, then hustled to open the next door in the vestibule. When she repeated herself a second time, I realized that she was saying, "After you, my dear." She told me that's what daddy always says. These days, she's bursting with ideas, pointing out her letters everywhere we go and asking "Why?" non stop. I'm surprised by how often I have to reference Wikipedia to answer a 3-year-old's questions. She loves to collect things she finds, like acorns, and she's so excited to practice cutting with her monkey scissors that so far, she's clipped Charlie's shoelaces and a small chunk of her own hair. She'd be happy to wear her brother's outgrown onesies every day. We've compromised, and I simply ask that she wears her clothes over them when we leave the house.

Madeline calls Charlie her Little Man. They have giggle fits at the dinner table, in the car and before bedtime that are the best entertainment ever. I always stop whatever I'm doing to absorb the sound of both my children laughing together. Maybe cars of the future will run on that stuff. Ten seconds of it can erase a day's worth of frustrations.

Charlie can entertain himself for 20 minutes just playing with a zipper. He loves to kiss and hug! It's irresistible, even when he comes at you covered in snot and leftover yogurt, lips pursed and arms outstretched. He's such a boy, banging trucks, growling like a lion, and pointing out cars; all this while wearing Madeline's sundress and rhinestone dress up necklaces. He is a man who knows what he wants, even though he can't quite tell us what that is yet. If Madeline's in a "why stage," then Charlie is surely in a temper tantrum phase. If I put pineapples in his bowl and he wanted them on the plate, oh boy, he'll unleash a torrent of Charlie-fury.... As we try to articulate things for him, he'll emphatically nod or shake his head, understanding every word. I love how when we're reading books, he tries to open the car door in a photograph or lift an apple off the page to eat. He's tough as nails. The kid doesn't bat an eyelash when he gets swept off his feet, bowled over and tripped up. But with six teeth coming in, last night he woke up crying. I couldn't believe how heavy he was as I lifted his limp body out of this crib. He laid his head on my shoulder and wrapped his arms around my neck while I gently rocked him; his legs dangled past my knees.

This is the hardest work I've ever done. It takes stamina, endurance, creativity (it's not easy getting a kid to do something they don't want to do) and reserves of patience that I think would challenge Mother Teresa. But it's truly the most fun I've ever had in my whole life!

Learning to Walk Again

2010-08-17T11:46:00.000-07:00

Another year.

Yesterday marked another whole year without my mom. I wish she could get on the floor and play with Madeline and Charlie -- smell them and know them, rock them to sleep, make them clothes and paint murals in their nurseries. I wish she could give me a hug in my moments of doubt. I wish I could have a glass of wine with her and hear her fabulous laugh. I wish she was picking out Mother of the Bride dresses for both of my sisters' weddings. I even wish she was here to annoy me or give me unsolicited advice, because let's face it, occasionally we did that to each other just like all normal mothers and daughters do.

It aches how much I miss her sometimes. The last five years have been like learning to walk, then run, on a prosthetic. Like the guy who sprinted past me in the last mile of the Chicago marathon on one leg, right at the moment when I thought maybe I couldn't finish the race running. I saw him and I tapped into a reserve that carried me forward. My mom gave me skills and confidence to thrive without her. That's my reserve; it was a gift from her.

At first losing my mom was about survival. Now it's about keeping her memory alive every single day. By telling stories, channeling her joie de vivre, making decisions that require courage and faith. Most of all by being the mom to Madeline and Charlie that she was to me -- present in the moment, silly, assertive, loving, sympathetic and supportive.

Tomorrow's a New Day

2010-08-10T16:13:00.000-07:00

Mommy got worked over today. My patience and composure were beaten to a pulp. It was one of those days, as trite as that expression may sound. One kid wouldn't nap in the morning. The other wouldn't nap in the afternoon. No naps equals crabby command central (on all of our parts). I started the day tired and never got a rest. And that's rough because in the world of motherhood, no kid is ever gonna say, "Gosh mom. You must be pretty wiped. Why don't you take a break and I'll just make myself lunch?"

We're out of Splenda -- I couldn't figure out the coffee-to-milk-to-sugar ratio and never got caffeine in my system. A chewed up cap on a sippy cup meant water was dripping through my leather purse and dying my white dress a shade of red. You're probably wondering why any mother of a three and one year old is wearing white, and here's the answer: you can bleach the hell out of it. But that doesn't do any good when it looks like you have a giant period stain and you're walking through the grocery store. And Charlie woke up with a cold -- he's a drippy, gooey, fussy-but-sweet bundle of something special today.

I feel lingering shame that I actually raised my voice at least three times. Quite loudly. I may have even clapped my hands for effect. In my old job, I got a performance rating at the end of the quarter. Today may have brought down my average a little, but all I can do is forgive myself, remember that I'm human and do better tomorrow. Much better.

Happy 32nd Birthday, Rob!

2010-08-06T13:55:00.001-07:00

We had so much fun celebrating Rob's 32nd birthday! And this guy seriously deserves to be celebrated -- he's an amazing, devoted, thoughtful, hardworking and selfless husband and dad. So this year, lots of people chipped in to make his birthday super special!

On Friday night, my dad and Ning sponsored a relaxed pizza party with our friends the Vaneks and the Tepners, as well as their children, and my sister, Andi (who was in on the big weekend plans from the beginning).

The next day, Andrea gave Rob the greatest birthday present ever! She watched Madeline and Charlie while I took Rob away for a fun birthday in downtown Nashville. We stayed in the stylish Hotel Indigo just a couple of blocks from all the Music Row action. After a hilarious but failed attempt at eating spicy fried chicken at a popular joint on the other side of town, we decided to do something we've never done before and be tourists in our own town, taking cheesy pictures and acting like a couple of kids. People kept asking us where we were from, as we posed in front of the Hard Rock Cafe, General Jackson's Showboat, and giant cowboy boots along the famous Broadway Street. What started as a post-lunch beer at Nashville's Yazoo Brewery turned into a bar crawl, which naturally made our touristy pictures even more hilarious to us. We ate fried catfish and oysters for dinner and listened to live music. The next morning, we ate at Pancake Pantry, a Nashville classic that always has a line outside the doors, winding around the street.

Back on the home front, Andi had a blast with the kids! It was so fun to see them all again on Sunday! Andi had them bathed, dressed and happy when we walked in the door.

Hot as a Mutha

2010-08-03T11:04:00.001-07:00

It's a record high heat day in Middle Tennessee. As a new Tennessee gal, I'm learning that it's a different kind of heat than I'm used to (and it's not like I moved here from Alaska).

It's 95 degrees right now in the shade. The heat index is 108. You can feel sweat drip down your back just walking outside to get the mail, and there's no breeze to wick it away. My underwear are soaked (way too much information, I know). When Madeline takes off her bike helmet, she looks like she just played in the sprinkler.

So why does today have to be the day that the batteries ran out on the thermostat (and who knew that shuts off the air conditioning?) I came upstairs to put the kids down for their nap and the second level of our house had climbed to 85 degrees in an hour's time. Just to add insult to injury, the freon in my car already needs its second refill for the summer. And to make things especially interesting, Rob and I both ran out of deodorant yesterday (what are the chances), and I didn't get to Target until about 4:30pm. I'm sure we were both fresh as daisies.

No real way around it. It's just hot as a mutha.

The St. Louis Bride

2010-08-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

Two weekends ago, we had a wonderful bridal weekend in St. Louis to celebrate Andrea's October wedding to Kyle! Mollie flew in from Denver, Ning drove from Minneapolis, I flew from Nashville (almost missing my flight because of Joe Biden's airport security) and Anita, Kyle's mother, drove in from Bloomington, IL.

Friday night, we enjoyed our first glimpse at the charming house Andi and Kyle bought, then walked off our pizza feast with a stroll through their new neighborhood for snow cones. We woke up Saturday in full bridal mode. Mollie and Andi (both fall brides!) picked out vintage jewelry at a retro store; Ning treated me to a 1950's dress right out of Mad Men, complete with a tulle slip and white gloves to finish the look (my next dinner party ensemble?). Then Mollie and I hosted a bridal shower for Andi at The Sister's Tea House with a light lunch and festive gift opening. Just as Andi and I did for Mollie in Fe bruary, we gave Andrea a Tiffany necklace engraved with her new married monogram.

Afterward, we watched Andi try on her wedding dress -- she looked breathtaking! And she chose lovely bridesmaid dresses -- a soft blue Grecian style that perfectly compliments her intimate vineyard wedding at Chaumette Winery.

That night, we kicked off our heels and had a relaxed taco bar at home. We capped off a perfect weekend the next day with brunch, shopping, a Vietnamese Pho dinner (Andi's treat!), custard and the girly wedding movie, When in Rome. Rob had a blast with Madeline and Charlie back in Nashville all weekend long -- it was such a gift to be able to slip away for a celebratory bridal weekend!

Gram's Home....

2010-07-28T18:30:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, Rob's 82-year-old Grandma passed away quite suddenly. Everyone simply adored her, none more than Madeline and Charlie. Over breakfast the next morning, we explained to Madeline that Gram went to heaven. That she passed away and now she lives with Grandma Bonnie. We explained that we won't get to see her anymore, but that one day, we'll all be in heaven too. She listened and asked questions like "Why did her body stop working" and "Does she have a fluffy bed in heaven?"; we answered them simply and honestly. At the end of our conversation, she gently said, "I'm really going to miss Gigi a lot." We all will.

We stayed over in Louisville on the way to and from Geneva, and were able to spend time our dear friends the Haru's. The visitation, funeral and luncheon to honor Gram were all a lovely memorial to her life and the people who loved her. Our friends in Geneva, Erica and Craig, and Jo and Jason, came to our rescue over and over again to support us over the five days we were with the Vlachs -- we feel truly blessed to call such amazing people our close friends.

We will miss Gram...Gigi....Marion...with all our heart. Rob shared the story of her life during her eulogy:

Marion and Lucille Ball were both born in Jamestown, New York, just 17 years apart in a town that was known as the Furniture Capital of the World. She grew up in her dad’s grocery store, scooping the olives he imported from Italy, slicing cheese and running the cash register. And speaking of Italy, she was 100% Italian with mother, Nicolina Scarpino, and father, Philip Russo. She learned to cook by feel and taste, watching her mother in the k
itchen, never writing down the recipes she is now known for. Once, as newlyweds, Meg and I spent an afternoon with her, learning how to make her spaghetti sauce and meatballs from scratch, and thankfully, scratching it on a napkin as we went. She and Bob fell in love in high school. It was a West Side Story romance – he was a Swede and back then, everyone knew that Swede’s and Italians were like oil and water. But not Bob and Marion. They were devoted, loyal and loving for the 45 years they were married. During that time, they raised Sandie, and moved their lives from Jamestown to Batavia, where they had pool parties, hosted annual pig roasts during Swedish Days and threw extravagant Christmas parties.

Marion was fun. She was generous, warm, and filled with spunk. Most of all, she loved getting to know to people. And even though in 82 years, she never once got a speeding ticket, she also never really slowed down much. When she was 75 years old, she visited her homeland of Italy for two weeks, chasing trains, walking through Roman ruins, and viewing the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City. She had an energetic, entrepreneurial spirit -- for more than 25 years, she owned Geneva Girl, which Bob encouraged her to do. She still worked at Sunshine Lighting two days a week and loved playing golf with her girlfriends every Tuesday.

She had her little idiosyncrasies as well:

She loved talking to people so much that she once chatted up a woman on an airplane for five full minutes before she realized she didn’t speak English.
She always knew who had just been eliminated from American Idol or Dancing with the Stars.
My grandma waited almost eight decades to have her first pedicure. But then she was hooked, and loved going with her daughter and granddaughter as often as possible.
At my wedding to Megan, one of our guests came up to me and said, “Your grandma is the bomb.” This was after our best man opened his speech by saying, “I’ll keep this short and sweet, just like Rob’s grandma”
Marion could dance a mean polka with her good friend Dave. He says she was a great partner because he could just pick her up and spin her around.

The end of my story about my grandmother is to simply say that she amazed me. She touched the hearts of life long friends and complete strangers. I think today is a testament to that. Christmas Eve will never be the same without sitting around her table. But she is with us as we go about our lives, so we celebrate now and always what she meant to us.

Best Husband..err...Birthday Ever!

2010-07-07T08:22:00.000-07:00

A month before my 32nd birthday, Rob excused himself from a meeting with his boss and quickly walked to his computer at 9:58am, where he had everything ready to go.... At 10:02am, he had two tickets to the sold-out Nashville Rising Benefit concert with 19 performers including Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Lynryd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw (the organizers), Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus, Miranda Lambert, Montgomery Gentry, Toby Keith, Martina McBride, Leann Rimes, Luke Bryan, and a few others. Nashville natives Reese Witherspoon, Dolly Parton and Matthew McConaughey all sent video messages and Sandra Bullock made a hilarious (and surprise) live appearance.

The show was perfect for new country music fans like us. Each performer sang two big hits and then minutes later, the next guy was singing a song that Madeline and Charlie bounce to in the car on our way to the grocery store. We started listening to country as a cute hobby -- a "when in Rome" thing. Now, we love it. And how can you not love a song like, "I want to check you for ticks," or "Come and take a ride on my big green tractor" or "God is good, beer is great and people are crazy"? It doesn't take itself too seriously. Lots of it makes me want to dance, like Lady Gaga or Brittany Spears. And some of it is really beautiful.

Carrie Underwood opened the show -- I'm sure I've ever heard such a powerful voice live. She sang her upbeat single Undo It, then Jesus Take the Wheel and segued into a gutsy, soulful rendition of How Great Thou Art. The crowd leapt to it's feet; I had goosebumps head to toe and my eyes stung -- it actually moved me.

And I will never forget the moment when Lynryd Skynyrd played the first four notes of Sweet Home Alabama that everyone knows so well. It was that deafening, wild sound when 16,000 people start screaming at the same time. ZZ Top was hilarious; these old guys rocked out hard core with synchronized dance moves, swigging whiskey and smoking cigars on stage.

The concert raised $3 million dollars for flood victims. Thanks for one of the most fun birthdays on record, darlin'!

Up North with Papa and Ning...

2010-07-04T11:23:00.000-07:00

After a fabulous, jam-packed week in Chicago, Rob drove back to Nashville for work while the kids and I boarded a flight to Minneapolis to see my dad and Nancy (also affectionately known as Papa and Ning).

Madeline shouted "Ning, Ning, Ning," and leapt into her arms as soon as she saw her waiting at the gate with Papa. The next two weeks were so special and fun -- looking back, some of my favorite times were the quiet early mornings when we were all up drinking coffee, and Charlie would crawl into my dad's lap while he read the paper. Ning works from home, so she would pop out of her office throughout to laugh and play with chalk or blow bubbles with us. My dad came home for lunch every day -- Madeline and Charlie would wait for his car to pull up just like they do for Rob at home. One morning, he took us to the Minnesota Children's Museum in downtown St. Paul, and then treated us to a fun lunch at the classic Mickey's Dining Car, which has appeared in the Smithsonian and National Geographic. Another big hit was the swimming pond walking distance from my dad and Ning's house -- a man made sand beach with filtered, chlorinated water -- we went there every other day! The kids also loved the dog park, where we played with Mary Claire. Madeline and Charlie had a blast at the Father Hennepin Festival -- they were fascinated by the camels and fearlessly rode on the carnival rides, but only after splitting a corn dog. Ning had a bottomless bag of "surprises" for Madeline (dress ups, sunglasses, art projects, bubbles) and my dad changed "horseshoes," to the kids absolute delight (think foot tickling with lots of giggling and squirming). One of Madeline and Charlie's favorite things to do was play in my dad's boat parked in the garage and catch "Papa Fish."

It was such a treat that Mollie, Andi and Kyle all visited during our stay, though not all at the same time. Mols was in from Denver for a weekend; my dad and Ning watched the kids while we shopped for Mollie's bridal heels and jewelry! That night, they treated me to a babysitter (the best gift ever?) and the four of us went out for a fabulous dinner with live jazz.

Andi and Kyle arrived a few days after Mollie headed home; it was the first time I had seen them since their recent engagement! Ning, Madeline and I loved watching Andi model wedding gowns (she looked breathtaking) and it was awesome to hang out with Kyle, who became a great friend of ours after hanging out in Peoria with him for a year before our transfer to Nashville.

I loved seeing where my dad and Ning live -- not only their beautiful home, but also the lovely community they're a part of, with 50 miles of biking trails and natural forest, literally starting in their backyard. I ended every day with a relaxing sauna and an early bedtime.

Madeline and Charlie loved the flight home just as much as they loved the flight there (though in Madeline's case, I think it might be because they gave her juice, a big reward in our house). The pilots even invited them into the cockpit! From beginning to end, our three-week trip was amazing and we loved every second! Rob was waiting for us at the airport with flowers, hugs and kisses -- we missed him so much and were so happy to see him again!

Our Chicago Visit!

2010-07-02T07:44:00.001-07:00

We're home and settled from our three-week vacation visiting family and friends in Louisville, Chicago and Minnesota. Here are some of the highlights from the first half of the trip!

Louisville
The Harus welcomed us with an all-American pork chop dinner (Mmmm. I love pork chops) and made us so comfortable -- they even let Madeline sleep in Kainoa's brand new big boy bed! They treated me to a surprise birthday party with cake and gifts. We loved seeing sweet Kainoa and baby Makaoi, but hated how short our visit was. We slipped out the next morning while the sun was rising to get a jump on the Memorial weekend traffic for our long drive to Chicago....

Geneva
Here is the magical secret to long car drives: lollipops. One after another, for as long as it takes. Every time we heard a noise behind us, we'd just wing another Dum-Dum towards the backseat. Sadly, this epiphany was short lived since Charlie nearly choked twice later on in the vacation, but at least it got us from Louisville to the Chicago suburbs.

Madeline was so excited when we pulled into Geneva that she burst in on Tom taking a shower. We had a wonderful time with Rob's mom, dad, sister and Gram. Grammy put the canopy on Madeline's princess bed, Tom took the kids fishing, and Nicki tossed water balloons with them in the backyard. Mads and Charles had a blast making Rice Krispie treats, seeing a parade, going to the playground, making forts, reading French childrens books and having festive family dinners every night. Rob and I enjoyed meeting Nicki's French friend, Thomas (to sound authentic, say it like this: Toe-maa) and seeing her charming apartment in Elgin. Rob and I enjoyed some couple time on our last day -- thank you, Sandie. It felt so wonderful to be back in the house where Rob grew up, surrounded by family.

Some of our closest friends, the Martens and the Pattersons, now live in Geneva too, so we also loved meeting their babies, Kai and Marin, for the first time! The six of us hosted a Memorial Day barbecue at Erica and Craig's beautiful house -- we were thrilled to see our friends, the Kaluses and the Parrillos, and meet their new babies, Holly and Eloise. A couple of other highlights: Erica, a professional photographer, took incredible candid shots of our family! And Jo and Jason, who have been restoring a gorgeous old home, invited us over to inaugurate the brand new deck that Jason built. We had so much fun laughing and catching up that two nights in a row, embarrassed police officers came asking us to pipe down. We were very proud of ourselves (though we're going to teepee Jo's lame neighbor next time we visit, which is about as mature as getting the cops called on you at 32 years old.)

The Chicagoland Tour Continues
After a wonderful visit, Rob took the train into the Loop and had a blast over the next several days with some of his closest college friends, including Matt Pawlak and his brand new fiance, Suzie, the McAllisters, Dan Matarelli and so many others. They went to street festivals, ate Chicago-style hot dogs, and watched the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup.

The Hisers
I drove with the kids up to Rockford to see our dear friends Buffy and Dan, and finally meet their seven-month old daughter, Sophie (who is wearing the most adorable helmet for another month). Madeline and Ellie were two peas in a pod, which was no surprise since they played together several days a week for the year that Buffy and I still lived in Peoria. There was a lot of giggling and jumping on the bed. It meant the world to me that Buffy flew down to Nashville to meet Charlie shortly after he was born; I was so happy to be able to visit them!

The Browns
The next morning, we drove to Wilmette to visit our college friends, Erin and Erik, and their sweet children, Cassidy and Gavin. It was lovely to see their adorable new house. We had so much fun playing with their giant backyard swing, going to the playground, and visiting with another sorority sister of ours, Mandy, and her darling boys. Erik stayed home with four sleeping kids on a Friday night (what a rockstar!) while Erin treated me to a fabulous girls' night out. It was special to meet one of Erin's good friends, also named Megan (happy coincidence!).

Whew! And that was just the first week! More to come....

Nicole and Keith

2010-06-30T20:44:00.000-07:00

Just went to see Eclipse with a group of girlfriends, and guess who I held the door open for? Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban. They both said thank you in their fabulous Australian accents. I love Nashville!

Andi and Kyle are Engaged!

2010-06-28T07:29:00.000-07:00

We recently received some wonderful news in the Wiebmer family! Kyle proposed to my sister, Andrea, on Virginia Beach, near where each other them lived in D.C. The spot has extra significance to Andi -- our mom, used to spend her summers there. Andi and Kyle's dog, Charlie was there for the special moment (yes, two Charlies in the family -- ours is Charles and theirs is Charlemagne). Andi said there were people all around them soaking in the sun, but it was as if they were the only two people on the beach...

We are thrilled to have Kyle join our family! He is hilarious -- a seemingly quiet guy who tears it up on the dance floor and has a way of making us laugh really hard. He's so sincere and interesting -- a hard worker, who carries himself with integrity. But best of all, he's completely devoted to Andi. We love to imagine the fun that Andi, Kyle, Mollie, Kenny, Rob and I will have together as our lives unfold.

Andi will be such a lovely, exuberant bride, with her grace, generosity and effervescent personality. She's a nurse, and worked in a pediatric clinic in D.C until a week ago when she and Kyle moved to St. Louis for the next step in his medical residency. They remind us of our grandma and grandpa, a nurse and ENT, who fell in love and quickly married before my grandpa left for war.

Andi and Kyle are planning a fall wedding. We can't wait! Madeline was already officially calling for "Uncle Kyle" when the happy couple visited in Minneapolis.

Amen, Brotha!

2010-06-27T17:16:00.000-07:00

I'm so behind on blog posts, trying to catch up on our fabulous vacation and all the fun things that have happened since we've gotten home, that I've been drafting in a notebook everytime I find a minute. One page turned into two and two turned into three...

But as I work my way up to hitting the "Publish Post" button, I simply had to share a sweet moment that happened at dinner tonight. Charlie, my little guy who does a lot of grunting (and not a lot of talking), folded his hands during grace and said Amen. I looked at Rob like, "Did you hear that?" Seriously, the kid doesn't even say hi. Or bye. Or bird. Or ball. He tries, but it pretty much all comes out "Uuh." But as though to prove to me that he really did say it, he chirped out the most perfectly enunciated Amen a second time as he refolded his little sweet potato and ketchup covered hands.

On the Road....

2010-06-11T08:05:00.000-07:00

We're halfway into a fabulous three week trip that started in Louisville with our friends the Harus, who hosted us to a wonderful dinner and surprised me with a birthday cake (32 candles this year)! Then we toured the Chicago suburbs, spending five wonderful days with Rob's family (more to come on that) and our dear friends, the Pattersons and Martens, who have both recently moved to Geneva from the city. Rob headed into the Loop to see his guys, while the kids and I zipped up to Rockford to meet my friend Buffy's sweet baby Sophie, and spent a night with the Browns in Wilmette to see their "new" home (they've lived there almost two years!). Then Rob saw Madeline, Charlie and I off at Midway for our flight to Minneapolis, which is where we are now! As the plane surged and took off, Madeline shouted over the roaring engines, "I just knew I would love this!" Rob drove back to Nashville since vacation time from work is sparce this year.

Lots of posts and pictures to come as soon as we're back home a week from tomorrow...

Funny Stuff

2010-05-19T17:18:00.000-07:00

I keep a baby book for Madeline and Charlie -- not very well, but I do try to tape in their birthday party invitations, document my best guess at when they took their first steps, and stamp their little hands and feet in the hospital. They've both got a sappy letter from a hormonal moi.

But this blog is where the joy, humor and absolute raving chaos of our day-to-day springs to life. Here are some of the tidbits that have happened in the last two weeks (and a few random things that I forgot to write up when they happened months ago):

Madeline was racing the older kids outside when she wiped out, scraping her knees and hands on the pavement. She was hurt and very upset. Charlie, who was dripping in blue popsicle juice from the Ice Cream Man's recent visit, walked up behind her, peeked his head around like a little ferret, and gave her a sloppy kiss on her cheek.
I discovered Charlie stumbling around the playroom double-fisting a couple of Maple turds. There's just nothing quite as horrifying or nasty, as any dog owner with kids will agree (specifically, my friend Jo, who just had a similar experience)...
At the indoor mall playground (a favorite on rainy days), I asked Madeline if she needed to use the restroom. She loudly announced to everyone within earshot, "Nah. I'm just itching my little peepee."
Our cul-de-sac had a wienie roast Tuesday night. Charlie, who helps blow out candles at our daily birthday parties for Madeline's dolls and animals, tried for at least 15 minutes to blow out the fire. Rob said he looked like he was in a trance. But he just kept trying.
We love watching all the bunnies in our yard. One day, Charlie started going nuts at the window. There was a baby bunny just 10 feet outside our front door! And if you think Charlie was excited, you should have seen Maple. For over an hour, we took pictures, talked about bunnies and ran from window to window to look at it from different angles, not wanting to scare it away. Eventually, the wind tipped it over and I realized it was my neighbor's dog toy.
Every time we hop in our car, I ask Madeline for the magic word to open or close the garage door. She says something silly and acts amazed when the garage door magically opens. About three days ago, I said, "Does anyone know the magic word?" She casually answered, "Mommy, that's okay. You can just push the button."

Lunch with Daddy!

2010-05-06T11:34:00.001-07:00

About once a month, Madeline, Charlie and I drive the short 25-minutes into downtown Nashville to meet Rob for lunch, which we did today. Madeline buzzed with excitement all morning about seeing her daddy and bringing his work friends the cookies she baked. By 9:45am, she was dragging my giant purse to the garage door, asking if we could get in the car.

Sometimes we make the office rounds first, shaking Rob's boss' hand, meeting his new co-workers, congratulating the ones who have gotten married, had a baby or moved since our last visit. And we chuckle while Madeline eyes the lollipops on someone's desk and Charlie wanders into strangers' cubes. Today, he was taken with a five foot tall stuffed lion someone was using for a fundraiser.

We crossed the street and had a shady picnic lunch under the magnolia trees in front of Vanderbilt's Welcome Center. The kids smash PB&J into Rob's dry-clean-only clothes and run in circles until we pile into the car and zip back home again just in time for afternoon naps.

Madeline and Charlie

2010-05-04T12:08:00.000-07:00

Madeline recently renamed the dog, Sniff Sniff. Now she often corrects me when I call for Maple. Here are a few other funny things she's said recently:

Today, she leaned over and put her nose to a gorgeous purple Iris that just bloomed. Then she told me it smelled like rice and beans.
At bedtime, I was closing the door behind me and I heard "Mommy...?" Here it comes, I thought. More water? Don't go! Can you tell me another story? "I have sausages in my ears," she said, then giggled her maniacal throaty laugh she saves for things that are especially funny to a three-year-old.
The other day she propped open the front door and bellowed (past the neighbors who were chatting in the street), "Maple, you little stinker (pronounced stinka). Get back in here!" Then she did it about three more times so that the little veins were popping out of her neck. This was all before she renamed her Sniff Sniff.
After calming down following a bath time fit, Madeline said, "Mommy, I forgot." Naturally, I asked her what she forgot. "I'm sorry I forgot my manners."

Even though Charlie can't talk yet, he's cracking us up too! He wants to try everything, but has no idea he's still a baby -- almost every day, I help him "ride" Madeline's two wheel bike (after lots of grunting and pointing). And he runs around with the big kids on our street and at the playground imitating everything he sees. Tonight at Chick-Fil-A, there was a giant dancing cow, a balloon man and a guy on guitar. Charlie followed around the cow like she was his long lost mother. And he clapped his hands and danced to the music inbetween repeated attempts at running behind the counter. Yesterday, I came into the kitchen after stepping away for a few seconds and he was standing on Madeline's craft table in a surf stance. The best is how mad he gets sometimes, especially during a diaper change. He throws his little body down on the ground and flops around, howling -- how do you not laugh at a cute little bare bottom jiggling and flexing in his pint-size anger. That said, he's turned me into a Diaper Jedi. I simply don't remember the last time I changed him lying down. And almost every time I lie him down for a nap or bedtime, he waves goodbye with a giant smile on his face.

Lakefront Property

2010-05-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

A storm cloud blew over Nashville and stayed put. Now it's been declared a disaster area and there are flood warnings in every county; there are 36,000 people without power. Our street looks like a river with white caps and mini-rapids -- moments ago, we watched a turtle, two garbage cans and a potted tomato plant zip by and pool in the thigh-deep puddle at the end of our cul-de-sac. The thunder is so forceful that it shakes the floor underfoot and rattles the windows. There have been more than 600 rescues around town as the water swallows cars and homes, and there was a tornado warning seven miles from our house. The creek behind our neighbor's house flooded yesterday and ran down her front lawn so that you can't see any grass -- it looks like the Mississippi. And if we have a river out front, it looks like a lake out back...

Needless to say, we haven't ventured out of the house this weekend -- we barely bothered to get dressed. It was disappointing to cancel all our plans with friends, but fascinating to watch nature unleashed from behind the safety of our glass door. So we've been playing Tinker Toys, riding bikes in the garage, preparing wonderful meals, watching the Kentucky Derby and listening to the rain fall and fall and fall like lovely background music.

BroCo Twenty Ten

2010-04-27T06:57:00.000-07:00

We had another fabulous trip to Brown County, Indiana -- it's a perfect midpoint from Chicago, Toledo, Louisville and Nashville for a reunion with my dear sorority sisters and their families. Eight adults, eight kids, one roof, lots of wine. We took turns making meals for the group, chased kids around the house, soaked in the hot tub daily and retold hilarious college memories until we could hardly keep our eyes open. Despite our weekly phone calls, there's nothing like being together: we met Makaio, Jamie and Eric's beautiful new baby boy, and hugged Tara for the first time since her recent brain surgery. The guys have become tight over the years. They played poker and sat around the fire pit every night -- we could hear bursts of laughter wafting in through the windows. One of my favorite moments was when all of the kids were wildly chasing bubbles in the front yard -- shrieking, rolling in the grass and giggling until Ella and Madeline's joy bubbled over and they peeled off their clothes.

One night in the hot tub, Erin, Tara, Jamie and I counted at least 20 trips we've made together between all the Kentucky Derbys, bridal showers, baby showers, weddings, Illini football games and Brown County reunions (and that's not even including the times one of us couldn't make it). We decided to send in a picture to our Delta Gamma alumni magazine (I'm on that, girls). Travel isn't easy with kids -- especially with Charlie's incessant car barfing and a dead battery in the portable DVD player -- but I wouldn't trade anything for the fun we have and the memories we create every year.

40 in a 30...

2010-04-08T17:49:00.001-07:00

Yesterday morning, I went before a judge at traffic court. There's nothing quite like sitting underneath 18 glaring florescent lights at 7:30 in the morning to make you feel the shame of a common criminal. All I did was drive a little too fast. Okay, 17 miles too fast, but the officer was nice and dropped seven miles off the ticket to put me in what he called "a different class." Yikes. In my defense, I didn't have the kids in the car and got a little carried away when a great song came on the radio. As I sat quietly in the courtroom, I started feeling like the only person in the universe who's ever gotten a speeding ticket. Incidentally, I've been pulled over lots of times, but I've never had to go before a judge to take the magical class that wipes it from your record. I guess they're pretty tough down here.

I waited for my turn to step up to the podium, two arms lengths from Judge Taylor's nose. He was a fairly intimidating guy. The docket went alphabetically, so I watched almost every other person in the room go before me. One woman was ticketed for having darkly tinted windows. The judge looked past her into the room and told us that in Brentwood (just 10 minutes up the road), dark windows are allowed because of all the celebrities, but they're against the law in Franklin. Then he smiled. Ah! Some early morning Williamson County humor. We all chuckled uncomfortably. Most people addressed the judge as "sir" after everything they said -- sometimes saying it ten times within just a few minutes. Naturally, I started wondering if I should too? When it was finally my turn, the judge called Morgan Valch. Decision time: do I correct him? And if I correct him, do I say sir after I correct him? I corrected him. It felt too weird to say sir, but I tried to make my face look pleasant. Silence. He asked in a stern voice, "Guilty or not guilty." I've never officially declared myself guilty in an open court, but I did yesterday. Holy Cow.

My four hour defensive driving class is coming up. That ought to be fun (sarcasm). But I admit that this ticket is a good reminder to be safe and focused. I have precious cargo on board. First I had to scrub all my favorite curse words out of my vocabulary, including seemingly innocent ones like dumb and fart. Then after a near accident three years ago, I stopped yacking on my cell phone when I'm driving. And now I have to drive the speed limit too? Yep. It's just as simple as that. I'm working on it.

A Wonderful Easter Sunday

2010-04-07T12:10:00.001-07:00

The Easter Bunny had a 5:45am wake up call (Charlie's our little alarm clock). That gave me plenty of time to stuff and hide eggs, start preparing brunch and finish assembling Easter baskets before Madeline even woke up. And boy, was she excited! Usually Rob and I take turns sleeping in, but not this weekend. I could hear Madeline from downstairs, jumping all over her daddy in bed and excitedly shrieking that the Easter Bunny had come! We had been building it up for weeks. The rabbit who lives under our deck often hangs out outside our dining room window, nibbling grass and torturing Maple on the other side of the glass. We told Mads that it's the Easter Bunny, scouting out the best spots in our yard to hide eggs. I felt a rush of love for Rob as I heard him act equally excited to be yanked out of bed and run downstairs to watch the kids tear into the baskets and run around the back yard hunting for Easter eggs. The Easter Bunny has a confession: I re-hid most of the stuffed eggs that Madeline brought home from the previous day's egg hunt with my Moms Club (mine were stuffed with animal crackers -- kind of lame compared to jelly beans and stickers). Then we ate a lovely brunch that Ning had delivered from Super Suppers.

Our attempt at making it to church didn't pan out. During these years while our children are young, our schedule is their schedule in many ways. Rob and I told Madeline that Easter is a special day when Baby Jesus, who was all grown up, went to heaven. She knows that heaven is where Grandma Bonnie lives, and she thinks it's a pretty awesome place.

That afternoon, Madeline and I went to Home Depot and picked out plants for a backyard garden! Rob turned the soil and Madeline helped fill holes with the seeds. Charlie and I joined in too, planting tomatoes, red peppers, strawberries, snap peas, lettuce, onions and marigolds. It was a gorgeous day -- warm and sunny with a perfect breeze. The very next morning, Madeline asked if we could go pick our vegetables!