Catching up is an endless battle

I apologize. I apologize for the simple fact that quality blog posts are few and fare between. Catch up is the name of my game these days. In an effort to type less (due to time constraints) but still get the crazy happenings that is our norm out to our loved ones I have included more pictures :) In this case please accept quantity over quality.

Our day at the Zoo..

Jake looking ooh so cute in front of my favorite tree. I don't know the name of my favorite tree (who has time to figure tedious facts like that out) but this multicolored giant made a great backdrop for one handsome boy of mine.

The elephants were chain free and active this visit and it was so neat to see these graceful giants pace the grounds and play with toys.

Our visit was short and sweet as most of our activities are these days, but we will be back again with our annual passes in hand!

As we were exiting the zoo I come upon the boys and Chris says "Hon, watch how high he can go!". Before I have the chance to interrogate him with pertinent questions he launches Jake into the air...he did go pretty high, but WTH! Jake LOVED it and was on an endorphin high for the next hour.

Our little beach boy has turned into a cowboy as of late. He sleeps with every single horse we own (including plastic ones) and drags each and every one with him all around the house. He is a very good caretaker and often plays Dr. with them to heal their sore hooves as well as sharing his water with his parched playmates. It really is an adorable thing to watch as a mother and especially a mother of 2 as he shows great concern and affection for just a simple stuffed animal. No wonder he is an excellent big brother!


One day I pulled out the jungle play-mat for Colin and Jake was quick to jump right in. At first my instincts were to tell him to play somewhere else in case he got to rough with Colin. But then I realized that my tiny bull in a china shop has the sweetest intentions and to just give them an opportunity to "play" together (under intense supervision of course). I'm so glad that I did. Colin was tracking Jake's every move and I could see that Colin was calmed by watching the playful voice he always hears around him. Jake was as careful as a 2 year old can be and started to point out the animals to Colin and even gently tried to put one of his lizards in Colin's hand to play with him. "Here you go Colin, hold it"

Potty training.....NOT! I mean we encourage, but no hardcore "training" has taken place yet. I just loved this shot though because it seems that reading material is an innate compulsion for males taking care of business.

Ahhhh, the sweet sight of a sleeping newborn. Colin is a growing weed and 5 weeks already! He weighed in at 8.10lbs and 21in during his visit. Colin still loves to be held and happens to be a much less content infant than Jake was. Gas is the culprit I think as his tummy has rumbled since the day he was born. Upon advice from the Doctor I cut out dairy for 3 days to see if that was the issue, but if anything it made it worse as I consumed more veggies and fruits to make up for the lost calories. Hopefully he will grow out it and his little tum tum will settle soon.

Bright eyes and big smiles!

Colin's eyes have lighted much earlier than Jake's did into a beautiful soft blue. His personality is all ridged movements and grunts as of yet, but the curiosity is booming within and coos are sure to come.

The unforgettable moment when your child locks eyes with you and gives you the slightest bit of a crooked smile has happened. He sees us and likes what he sees! The recognition and flattery that fills my heart makes even the hectic of days stop and quite down in an instant.



? Does he look like Jake ?
Every one says that Colin is the spitting image of his big bro, but I beg to differ. Yes, of course they look related, but to me Colin is much different in his looks and personality. You be the judge. Jake's baby picture (same age) is below.

It's that time of year.....again?!

That's right folks it was time for the pumpkin patch. This year we were a bit more prepared arriving early and on the first day to avoid walking through endless fields of previously picked pumpkins and brought our version of a wagon (aka running stroller) along to help with the load.



This year they had horse rides and it couldn't have come a better time for Jake. My 2 year old stood PATIENTLY in line under the blazing sun for 30min. just to take a ride like a real cowboy.
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He enjoyed it so much we decided to return the next morning bright and early to avoid the lines and get in one more ride.







The only way to get Jake to smile was of course to involve running.....the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

So round and round we went...

Viola, a smile!



Time to carve

Colin's first Halloween!

My cowboy suddenly turned defiant the day of Halloween and the adorable swede/leather vest and chaps sat sadly in the house during Halloween. Bribery at it's best still wasn't changing his mind. I had bought these pirate PJ's on clearance last week and planned on using them as a costume for Colin next year...at least I had a back up.

Jake is the sole white boy in the midst of all his buddies from around the neighborhood. I love how my little pirate coyly holds onto Cinderella for protection.

Ye-Haw cowboy....and pirate
Happy Halloween

Worth the wait

Colin Lucas Vensko

Born September 25, 2010 at 8:44am
6.1lbs and 20inches long

Everyone who knows me knows just how badly I wanted to experience a natural labor (with the helpful sidekick of epidural at hand of course). Well the labor gods answered my calls and threw the test of longevity and endurance right at me, but 54 hours later I did it!

Early Thursday morning my frequent braxton hicks contractions suddenly turned into sharp shredding pain and came every 5 minutes lasting 30+ seconds. "Yay, this was the pain I was hoping for!" I knew that this was different and so I called my Dr. She said that they would get closer and to come in after they got harder to bear. Calls were made and Grandma Kaye was on her way! But by the end of the day they were still coming every 5 minutes. I went to the Dr's and had dilated to 2 but not enough to keep me in the hospital so home I went:( all through the night and into the next day they just kept coming slightly more intense by the hour, but still ever 5 min. By Friday afternoon after baths, showers, and everything else it was all I could do to sit on my exercise ball with a stress ball at hand awaiting the next contraction. I would fall asleep for the 3 minutes or so in between the contractions only to be ripped out of rest with another contraction. Off to the hospital I went semi thinking they could just stop my contractions so that I could rest and relieve my sore body. Once I got there I was 3 and then 4....5, finally some progress! They broke my water and said things would speed up so I opted for the epidural to try and sleep before the big moment. Then drops in HR and pitocin being turned on and off every half hour stalled things for another 10hrs, but at least I wasn't in pain! At 8:30 sat morning the Dr came in and spoke the most magical words ever. "fully dilated, ready to push!"

I began to push and for the first time in my life I questioned my physical strength. I was so tired, sore, and even though my mind was filled with the excitement of seeing Colin in just a few short pushes, I felt so entirely weak. Luckily I had Chris cheering me on and our little guy was tiny, 5 minutes later Colin was born! He was sunny side up which may have caused the lengthy labor, but other than a hematoma on his head he was perfect!

The experience was magical and more than I ever imagined. I felt like
I was given the opportunity to be a part of the amazing birth process versus having Doctors do it for me (c-section). Chris put it so eloquently one day when we were discussing the different experiences between c-section and natural. "The c-section was like running a marathon, having the hype, committing to the 26miles of pain and discomfort, only to be hit by a car as you cross the finish line". Ha ha ha, he made me laugh so hard it hurt.

Colin is a sweet soul with an extremely laid back personality. Touch soothes any discomfort he has and feeding has been effortless this time around.

Grandma and Jake joined us at hospital later that day to visit. Jake was instantly sweet and curious, granted the curious part ends 30 seconds later, but the sweetness is genuine and here to stay. He wants to help in any way possible from diaper changes to feeding. Yes he has tried to feed Colin by lifting up his shirt when holding him and exclaiming "I feed Colin, Okay?!" I think that it is time for the difference between girls and boys talk....

Home sweet home the next day!!

DELICIOUSNESS!!!!!!

I've quickly come to accept and appreciate the help from friends and family. Having Grandma here with us to help and enjoy the special time in our lives was such a gift. Just having another set of eyes to watch over Colin or spy in on Jake's activities was helpful. We miss family so much and even more so during monumental events like this and were so glad and thankful that she was able to come visit.

Friends were also a huge help from bringing us dinners to Jaime taking Jake for playtime and to help lighten the load for a few hours. Oh how we appreciate you all!!!

After a few days we were ready to venture out of the house....

and found a pirate ship! They are filming the next Pirates of the Caribbean here and dock The Black Pearl at a nearby harbor so we decided to have a lookie loo. The ship is very impressive with the skeleton at the front and huge stained glass windows in the back. They should open it up for Halloween!!

Chris was a able to take off a lot of time from work which was really nice. Colin tends to fall asleep every time I touch him so Dad was on waking duty and never disappoints, look at those bright eyes!



Out enjoying the beach!

Okay, so maybe Colin doesn't get that much out of going to the beach, but the rest of us do!







Colin's first bath was a welcome success!

Brotherly love

Jake is adjusting really well which has been a huge help. We have been trying to get out and spend a lot of one and one time with him and he definitely appreciates the attention.



At the park getting in some soccer skills

All too soon it was time for Gma Kaye to head home and time for us to get back into our new "normal" routine. I have ventured out alone with the boys and we seem to be adjusting well to our new reality. However, time is ever more elusive and suddenly both my boys are growing at record speed!