The Heidi Kronicles

Monday, January 16, 2012

Weekend in Pictures

Let's start our weekend back on Thursday for Jack's Birthday.

At Jack's School on your Birthday week, you are a Star Student.

That means that when it's your Birthday your whole class celebrates you for one whole day. And you Mom gets to bring in goodies for the class, and read your favorite book to the class, and hear the teacher read the special book that the class makes especially for you.

Here is Jack's book.

Every student decorates a page of the book, and narrates to the teacher what they would like to say about Jack.

It's the cutest thing I have ever seen.

This one was my favorite:

Alice said "Because he likes to play with me, and he is a rock star."

Awesome.

I read Charlie Cook's Favorite book, Would you rather, and the crowd pleaser Don't Let the Pigeon drive the bus.

I taught a class for 10 minutes. It was so much fun.

But...

10 minutes of teaching is enough for me.

I don't know how you Teachers do it.

Thirty-two 5 year olds falling over each other yelling Pick Me! Pick Me!

Jack loved every second of it.

He stood up next to me and told all of the children that he would not select anyone who said "Ooo Ooo!" or was not sitting Criss Cross Apple Sauce.

I was a Hit if I do say so myself.

After School we took Jack to Super Franks in Pleasanton.

If you haven't been to Super Franks...

It's kind of like Chucke E Cheeses on Crack.

Video Games, and Zip-lining and Bounce Houses, and Basket Ball.

And so much more...

Jack loved it.

I was very excited about Skee Ball

I'm quite the Skee-Baller...

I totally beat the boys!

Maddie had fun bouncing

Jack enjoyed the classics

After lots of fun it was time to eat.

We told Jack we could eat where ever he wanted for dinner.

Anything he wanted.

We were quite shocked when he said...

All you can eat Chinese Buffet.

Classy.

He loves this place.

I have no idea why.

So we obliged.

After Dinner it was back home for presents.

(Yes. You are correct..that IS Christmas paper...Don't Judge.)

On the way home from dinner I asked Clay to swing by our favorite cupcake shop.

They were SOLD out of almost every cupcake.

Boo....

But we made do....

Which was just fine with Jack.

Sunday we celebrated everything Girl.

And this pretty lady

We had a ladies lunch at Lark Creek Cafe in Walnut Creek

Not a detail was missed.

Heather did an Amazing Job.

Cutest. Favor. Ever.

And SOOO delicious!

So, so Cute.

And I got to see these ladies...who I don't see NEARLY enough.

The rest of the weekend was spent Chillaxin.

With Big Barbie.

Cause that's how we roll.

And now...Back to the work week....

Lucky me... I have a fun filled weekend ahead again!

I LOVE Birthday Season!!

Friday, January 13, 2012

Flashback Friday! Guest Blogger Edition

With Jack's Birthday this week, and me being pressured several times to tell this story, I thought it should be told by someone who can truly give the story life.

Today my Guest Blogger is none other than the talented writer L. Shanna

So Sit Back and enjoy The Story of Jack's Birth from one of my best friends eyes:

Picture it: January, 2006. Beijing, China. I am in my mid twenties and my boyfriend and I are lounging on the couch surfing the internet on a particularly cold and smoggy afternoon. We are still adjusting to life in Asia and missing home terribly, when an email comes in from Heidi. It is her birth story—Jack’s birth story—and one of the best emails I’ve ever received in my life.

I read it the first time to myself, doing what I always do when I get an email from Heidi—I pictured her reading it to me, complete with her voice in my head. (This is very important if you are a friend of Heidi’s since she, like the Chinese, puts great emphasis on tone.) I was laughing so hard that L stopped to ask me several times what I was doing. I shushed him quickly and told him I’d tell him in a second. When I was finished, I told him to sit back, picture Heidi’s voice as I read, and listen:

I starting feeling funny on Wednesday. Like Crampy. I had had lunch at the Fish market with my Aunt Ann and told her I felt like I had bad gas….
She looked at me and smiled and said that that was no gas….
She was right. I did not know it but by that night my contractions were 15 minutes apart…..
I called labor and delivery at 11pm, they told me to watch the time and to take two Tylenol pm and call them when the contractions were closer together…
By Three am I could not sleep through the cramps I was feeling. Cramps that came about every 6 minutes…. So I got in the tub.
Clay woke up when he heard the water running. He came over to the tub to see if I was okay and he sat down and stared at me. I told him to go back to bed, because labor takes forever and he would need his sleep since he was still going to work (he was scheduled for OT and we need the money)…
He went back to bed and I sat in the tub for what seemed like forever. I finally got out and decided to hop in the shower and shave my legs… - just in case today was the day- When I got out of the shower my contractions were 4 minutes apart….. I still figured I had a long way to go…
I waited until 6 am and called Aunt Kathy to tell her that I thought today was the day. She had plane tickets by 6:30 and was on a plane by 8 that morning. I called my Mom and she was on her way from Dobbins in minutes.
Then I called Gram. We had both had scheduled hair appointments for that day, mine was at 3 hers was at 7, so I told her to come and pick me up…
I was not sure how labor was going to go and I did not want to have roots for the next six weeks.  So off I went with Gram to get my hair done.
My contractions as I sat in the chair stayed at 4 minutes apart until we left…. Then they hit about 3 minutes…. I figured, I still had time, so I told Gram to stop by the other salon I go to and I got my eyebrows done…..
Then I headed home. I walked in the door, sat on the couch and waited. My mom showed up, then Kathy then the contractions got closer and closer….
I called the advice nurse and told her I wanted to wait to come in….when I could not talk to her and threw the phone at Clay during a contraction she informed Clay to get me in there asap.
So after my mental “ I don’t want to do this “ breakdown in the kitchen off we headed to the hospital.
My water broke in the car…. It is the strangest feeling….  Like there is a water balloon in your crotch and somebody bursts it….
Then the pain really started. I could barely walk to the elevator.
We got into admitting, and I was at 6 cm.
By the time we got to the room, I was requesting drugs.  Quite firmly.
Finally I got my epidural.
I got to the hospital at 12:30, I had my epidural by 1:45 and Jack came out at 3…
I was pretty lucky.

And that, dear readers, is how a birth story is told. When I was finished reading it to L, we were both laughing so hard we could barely see. Once we caught our breath, L’s first words were, ‘Read it again!’

Over the past six years I have referred to this email several times as evidence of why Heidi needs a blog. Now, finally, she has one. She also has two beautiful children and a wonderful support system that appreciates her ability to tell a story.

What she doesn’t have are roots or messy eyebrows. The girl’s got priorities.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Happy 6th Birthday Jack!

Happy Birthday Jack-Man!!!

Today you are 6.

6. Years. Old.

I can't believe it.

You have changed so much in just one year.

You are so tall. I think you may be the tallest boy in Kindergarten...(I'd be willing to place my bets on 1st grade too)

You are so giving, and so so loving

. You always want to have a good time and you are at your happiest when you are hangin with the boys in the ManCave. You also love to be out front playing with your friends. You love everything outdoors. You like to explore, and play tag, and ride your big wheel.

You are Daddy's #1 sidekick. No matter where Dad is, that is where you want to be.

He is your Best Friend.

Mom is okay too, but you reserve your love for her on the down-low. You will come up to her while she is cooking, and ask for a hug, or you crawl into her side of the bed if you've had a bad dream, or are not feeling well....and I'm not gonna lie... I love those moments.

You think Uncle Ben is the funniest person alive, but you love ALL of your Uncles. You love your Monday's with Aunt Brit, and get so excited when Uncle Justin and Casey steal you away for the night.

Your favorite place on the planet is Chuck E Cheeses.

You love school. You don't fight me at all to get up and head out the door. You put your clothes on and jump in the car. You even like your Teacher Mrs. Hanebury.

You say the funniest things. I wish I had a constant recorder on you.

I am so lucky to be your Mom. You are one amazing kid.

I often think about who you will be, and what our relationship will be like as your grow....

But I have to stop myself.

I want to make sure and enjoy every minute with you right now.

I hope you never stop stealing hugs in the kitchen.

I know there will be a time when you will no longer crawl into my side of the bed and I know I'll be sad when you won't hold my hand as I walk you into daycare each morning, and someday, you'll refuse to kiss me good-bye.

But for now.

You're still my great big 6 year old baby boy.

And I love every second of it.

Happy, Happy Birthday Jack.

I love you more than you could ever know.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

10 on 10 (well 6 on 10)

10 pictures on the 10th day of the month!

{Document a snapshot of your life & find beauty among the ordinary things in your day!}

I tried. I really, really tried. But I only captured 6 today...

But 6 is better than none, right???

Here is how I have started my morning every Morning for the last 10 days.

Henry is VERY excited to go running with Mom in the Morning.

It's our bonding time.... We'll see if it lasts.....

We are STILL desperately working on potty training....

Even Barbie goes Potty!

(Hey! Whatever works right?)

Madeline is fascinated with all things Barbie. Every night she lines them up and sings Happy Birthday to them. Tonight was Christmas Barbie's Birthday, and according to Maddie, today Barbie is 2.

Today Mom caved and allowed Juice as part of our afternoon snack. I'm usually a Milk and Water only house and save Juice boxes for visits to Grandma's or Birthday parties...but today we had a treat.

Momma's Workin on her fitness. I finally picked a dress for that darn wedding. So running at 5 am and low carb, low cal, fiber cereal for dinner it is. YUM. YUM.