Spring Break Day by Day

Our Spring break started on Wednesday before Easter with a half day of school. I was thrilled to go to school to see them sing some Easter and Spring songs. All the boys were very enthusiastic and particiapted in the little show.

Thursday we headed to Philadelphia Zoo. I posted about it in a prior post so won't bore you by repeating!







On Friday we had swimming lessons and then had lunch with my Mom and Cailan and Michael. Another fun day.

Saturday we went on an Easter egg hunt. It was so great. The rain really put a damper on the festivites but they moved it indoors and we still had a blast. Crafts, snacks, eggs and candy! We also dyed out Easter eggs.







Easter Sunday was a wonderful day all around. We went to Maggie's house down the shore. It was a gorgeous day. My Mom and Richie also came so the boys were thrilled to spend the day with both Grandma's and Pop Pop. We had a great meal. The boys ate like little piggies. Calleigh, well, she are more than the boys! Ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, creamed cauliflower...all favorites.

The bunny came and brought some sweets and some Gyro bowls.
















Monday we had to do a little shopping in the morning. Since the the kids love shopping they thought it was great. We went to meet the boys BFF's Kennedy and Jack at the Dragonfly Art Studio (conveniently owned by their Mommy :) We painted some pretty stuff...we had some lunch and followed it up with some ice cream at the new ice cream store in town.

Tuesday was a 2 hours hike at the mill with a picnic at the top of the mountain. Beautiful view. More fun with Kennedy, Jack and Cristina. Kids loved hiking. They all got a little tired at the end. They found forts along the way. The thoey thought they were on a treasure hunt. A little disappointed when they didn't find a treasure but we told them they could always go back and look again.









Wednesday we took a ride down the shore to visit Grandma. My Mom came and my nephew MIchael. It was a great day. Lunch at Circus restaurant. One of our favorites. Followed by a walk up to the beach playground. We spend quite a while there. It was much colder at the beach than up north but it was worth it. And the best part? We came home with NO TRAFFIC and we were travelling at rush hour. The day could not have been more perfect. The kids were great. Happy little buggers.




AIRBORN!!! Fun at the beach playground.







Thursday it will be Joyful Noise. It's a music class at our church. I usually take Calleigh every week byherself but this week we all went. Cormac and Ciaran enjoyed it the best. Colin was good but didn't sing. Cormac knows all the songs because I sing them all the time to Calleigh.

Friday was a birthday party for one of their classmates. It was a fun party. Only boys and they played in the yard. Pin the tail on the donkey, sack races and balloon relay races. My kids thought it was great. They find it very fascinating to see where there friends live. Not sure why but it always gets them excited.

Tomorrow we head to our first communion of the weekend. My niece Devon is the lucky girl tomorrow. We will follow it up with a get together with some friends. Sunday my niece Cailan will make her communion and we will go to an engagement party later int he day!

I will say Spring Break has been wonderful. I think the boys had plenty of entertainment and were not bored for a minute!

Ten on Tuesday

10 things I love about today...so far

1. The Sun is shining!

2. It's about 80 degress outside.

3. We went on a 2 hour hike with good friends. Even Calleigh enjoyed her stroller hike

4. We had a picnic.

5. We have our bounce house set up in the front yard for the first time of the season

6. We don't have to wake up early tomorrow or be out of the house because we are on Spring Break.

7. My kids are having a wonderful day!

8. Frank should be home in less than 10 minutes.

9. I am typing this sitting outside surrounded by beautiful flowering trees.

10. It will be daylight for many more hours!

LOVIN LIFE TODAY!!!

Philadelphia "Colin's City"

Since New York is "Cormac's city" I had to give Colin and Ciaran a city. I told Colin Phildelphia was his city and Boston was Ciaran's city. Now, we have to go to both cities.

Yesterday was Colin's turn and we headed to the Philadelphia Zoo. It was an awesome day. It was bigger than I expected and had lots to do. Not to mention some amazing animals including a baby lemur who was newly born and a baby joey. My kids love zoos and enjoy learning about each animal. They ask me to read all the signs.

Ciaran was most excited about the "big cats". He could not wait to see the Lions and Tigers. There were also pumas, cheetahs, snow leopards and a Lynx. Very cool.

Colin loved the camel ride. Well, they all loved the camel ride. Colin told me when "he marries me he wants to marry me in Philadelphia because the zoo is just so beautiful". He knows how to charm anyone. He is seriously so sweet.

Cormac loved all the animals and loved telling everyone the facts he knew about flamingos legs.

It was very crowded because everyone was on Spring Break from school. Our spring break is next week so I am hoping places we visit won't be crowded since everyone else will be back at school!
Lots of pictures below. Now what to do for all next week.....

Another celebration

I wrote this post on the boys birthday but forgot to post...

For the boys' actual birthday we started the day off opening gunifts at 6:45 AM. They wanted to open them before Frank went to work or they would have to wait ALLLLL day. So we let them The present were a hit. It was a variety this year Spiderman, horse farm, Ironman, Rapunsel, dinosaurs.

The boys headed to school and were very excited because they knew they would be the "special leaders" for the day. They were the first in line and got to assist with all the classroom duties for the day.

At their school the parent comes to school for a child's birthday and reads their favorite book. I had also told their teachers I would give a little lesson in sign language. It was a huge hit and the entire class was so cooperative and fun. They each took a turn coming up to the front and doing a sign they remembered. Some of them asked for signs I didn't know and were a little obscure (ground hog is one).

I stayed for lunch and then read three books. Ciaran chose You're All My Favorites, Colin chose Whereever You Go My Love Will Find You. and Cormac chose It's Hard to Be Five.

It was amazing to see the whole class sit so quietly and listen so intently to three books in a row. Ciaran, Colin and Cormac were very proud to have me there to read books.

After school we came home and relaxed while Calleigh napped. The boys had decided they wanted to go to Chuck E Cheese. I have avoided Chuck E Cheese for 5 years. Literally, I have never stepped in the door of this restaurant. But if the boys wanted it for their birthday we would indulge them. To say they loved it was an understatement. Games, rides, pizza and cake. Really what else is there when you are five?

All in all it was a wonderful birthday. We are having family over on Sunday for some cake. Their "friend" party (their first one ever) won't take place until May because we are having it on a Pirate Ship and we needed the weather to be better. Trust me, they are counting the days.

Hectic

Seems like I can't catch a minute lately. Between last weeks visit with Ciaran to NYC and Cormac ending up in the emergency room to keeping up with Calleigh's therapies I literally don't get a moment to myself. It seems like their are not enough hours in a day to accomplish what I want to accomplish. I suffer from serious guilt if I am not doing things with the kids. I seems ridiculous because I am home with them all the time but I feel like if I am home with them I should be with them. I keep thinking these are my last months with the boys. Kindergarten starts in the fall and they are full days. I feel it is so not needed to have full day Kindergarten. They have their whole lives to be in school. I know I am in the minority and lots of others love full day Kindergarten but not me.

We had a fun weekend. I went to book club on Friday night. Some much needed girl time. Always love to see my friends and yes, we do read a book and talk about it for a few minutes. But really it's about maintaining our friendships and keeping up with each other. All our lives are so busy with our families. It's nice to know every 6 weeks or so we can all regroup together.

We had Bunny Brunch on Saturday morning. All four kids LOVE the furry rabbit. I wasn't so sure how it was going to go with Calleigh but she loved it. She actually dove out of my arms into the bunny's arms. Quite a difference from the scared to death Santa picture I have of her!

Bunny Brunch was followed up by going to Nicolas' and Michael's birthday party. Colin said "it was the best party of his life". Seriously, it was too cute. It was a dinosaur party and they loved it. Frank took them to the party and I am sad I missed it. I stayed home with sleeping beauty and got ready for a night out without children.

Frank and I went to the Irish Dinner Dance for the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh. It was a great time. Fun with friends, great music, some dancing and a few cocktails. So glad our friends, Cristina and John, asked us to go.

Today, we went to the The Turtle Back Zoo. We love this place. We spend lots of time there. Today was the Earth Day celebration. The boys are very interested in "taking care of our planet" so it was a perfect day to go. They were able to see what pollution can do to the water. And they were even able to name where the water in the sewers goes after it goes down the drain.

We got to plant a Sunflower seed in a newspaper cup and bring it home with us. They also had a display about butterflies. Cormac impressed them when he told them "a lepidopterist is a person who studies butterflies". They all knew the word "chrysalis" and I think it was Ciaran who told them the difference between a butterfly and a moth. (how their wings are different when they land :) )

We rode the train and the carosel We skipped the pony rides. All in all a great day.

We have appointments this week with the genetic doctor for Ciaran and Calleigh. Just a follow for Calleigh and this will be Ciaran's first time. We won't find out any information tomorrow but we will get his bloodwork done. It takes weeks for the results to come back.

Thankful Thursday

Ok, so with all we have going on lately it's important to remember all the good too. So, I am taking this moment to jot down some and by far not ALL the things I am thankful for today.

1. Frank. Who could ask for a better husband or father?

2. Very smart people who dedicate their lives to improving others lives (ie, cochlear implants, hearing aids, cleft lip repairs, gastro surgeons, SLP's, TOD's) You name it and it seems we have benefited from it!

3. My kids (that goes without saying but I will say it)

4. Great family and not just my blood relatives but I could not have married into a better family.

5. Really good friends. I have some amazing girlfriends who my life would not be the same without. Constant love and support from people who understand me and get me. Priceless..

6. The Sun. Yep, it has actully revealed itself and it is glorious.

7. The beach. Knowing I have the opportunity to go to the beach whenever I want is wonderful. It is by far my favorite place to be and I am thrilled my children will grow up with the love of the beach like me. Can't wait to have 3 lil surfer dudes and a lil surfer chick

8. My health.

So, what are a few things you are thankful for?

Update on Ciaran

I took Ciaran to Columbia Presbyterian this morning to see the ENT and do a follow up audiolgy exam. He was so excited he was going to "Cormac's City" all by himself with me. Frank went out at 6am to get him some candy as a special treat.

He could not have been more cooperative. The audiologist said she could not believe he just turned 5. She has kids much older who are not as reliable or well behaved. I think he was a little scared but he was awesome.

The final result? Moderate Sensorineural hearing loss in the mid frequencies. The audiogram looked identical to the audiogram from two weeks ago. The good news? It didn't get any worse in two weeks. Still lots of unknowns. The ENT said when you have an audiogram that looks like Ciaran's it is usually genetic. (not ususally COnnexin 26 which is the genetic cause of Cormac's hearing loss. But it could be Connexin 26) The next step is to get him some hearing aids. We need to decide on an audiologist and hearing aid center. He also recommended an MRI to look at the structure of his ears. This will be performed in the next 6 weeks or so. There is a long wait time on MRI's at Columbia. It won't change the course of treatment so a little waiting is not a big deal. He also said we should get genetic testing. (That is already scheduled for next week)

The ENT also said all of the kids (except Cormac for obvious reasons) should ALL get their hearing tested every 3 months. And they all need genetic testing. We won't know what will happen with Ciaran even after the MRI and genetic testing. We will continue to hope and pray his hearing loss is stable but the reality is we have no idea. We will only know by keeping a close eye on him for....well, forever. This is the part that sucks the most. Never knowing if all his hearing will disappear or if he will stay the same. I can't even imagine if one day he woke up and couldn't hear anything. It would be so scary to him. I know I would be terrified. How could a kid possibly ever understand it?

Ciaran was such a good boy today. I honestly couldn't have asked for him to be any better. I am so lucky to have such good, cooperative kids. Cormac has never even once given me a hard time about all the mappings, testing, therapies. I wasn't expecting Ciaran to be as cooperative but he was amazing. As for him keeping hearing aids on? I guess we will wait and see....


He did get to get a hot dog from the hot dog truck which made his day. We also made a pit stop at Target on the way home for a little present. And in true Ciaran fashion he picked something out for all three because he wanted to "make his brothers smile". Gotta love him

FIVE YEARS OLD!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY THREE ADORABLE, FUNNY, SWEET, KIND, SMART, CRAZY BOYS! You are five years old today and I consider you the greatest gift I ever received. (along with your sister). I truly love you with every ounce of me!

How on earth did that happen? My boys are five years old today. I have had the best five years of my life. They bring joy to my life I never knew was possible. They make my heart swell with pride. They make me laugh with how cute and silly the can be. They make me proud to see what nice young boys they are turning into. The love they have for each other is palpable. It is something I don't think I will every fully understand. At 5 years old I still find them all sitting together on a chair watching TV just because they want to cuddle together. My hope is they continue to love each other and take care of each other forever.

The zest they all have for life is contagious. They truly love every day. They are little firecrackers when they want to be. They love entertaining themselves. Their imaginations are endless. The games and stories they think up are amazing. nd while they are most certainly a team they are also such DIFFERENT individuals. They are all totally different from each other. They have their own likes and dislikes. They each have something they really like the other two aren't really into. Ciaran loves horses and sea animals, Colin loves Knights and Cormac loves anything to do with a Princess.

Wherever I go with them they are enthused and excited to see and learn new things. They take away so much from every experience. I honestly don't know how they store all the information in their little brains. The ability to recall information from years ago is astounding. I forget things and they easily remember.

We are so lucky to be where we are at this moment.

Five years old...




Fours years old...and I am very pregnant!



Three years old...


2 years old....




One year old....


A few weeks old...their first picture all together.

Ten on Tuesday

Ten things I hope to accomplish in the next few weeks....

1. Get our backyard ready for Spring and Summer. This involves a little more than raking. We are sectioning off the "playground" with railroad ties and filling it with wood chips. Basically, the kids will have the entire left side of the yard for their swings, play house, climbing dome etc.

2. Get Ciaran's second opinion at Columbia and get him his hearing aids.

3. Finally pick out the color for the new siding and roof on the house and get Richie to start the job when he returns from Aruba.

4. Get organized for the boys' first "friend" birthday party aboard the "Pirate Cruise" I am so excited for this day.

5. Stay on track and get to the gym a few days a week.

6. Get Calleigh her hearing test.

7. I am praying Calleigh will walk in the next few weeks. Since my Mom is away for her annual two weeks in Aruba something huge always happens. (not always good) But Since something for sure will happen, I am hoping it's Calleigh's first steps. Sorry Mom.

8. Make the dreaded phone call to my school district to let them know I now have another child who will require an IEP.

9. Get to the dentist.

10. Make a change in the "little" TV room. (We have a family room and a finished basement. The boys call the family room the little room and the basement the "big" room.) I am changing it over into more of an office/home work/coats-backpack-shoe room since we are getting a new garage door we will now enter through the garage and we need a space to put all the junk!

Moonstone

Here is a picture of what your cochlea looks like.



This is the part of the ear not functioning correctly causing Cormac's profound deafness and Ciaran's moderate hearing loss. For Cormac, none of the hair cells work at any range. For Ciaran, his is fine in the low and high frequencies but not working in the mid frequencies. So, this tiny little spiral in our ears is what is causing all the problems.

About a month ago I was in an Irish store buying some gear for St Patrick's Day. I saw a necklace that caught my eye. It instantly reminded me of a Cochlea.



I asked to take a look at the necklace. The sales woman handed me the necklace and it said the stone in the middle was a moonstone. There was a little card explaining a moonstone. "Moonstone is said to be linked with the moon and attuned to the moon's phases. A protector for those on new beginnings and journeys." It brought tears to my eyes because I thought it was so strange to find something like this so randomly that really meant so much. We always refer to Cormac getting his implants as his "journey to hearing and sound".

But now as I think about it I think this necklace is about Ciaran. We have been travelling Cormac's journey for years. Ciaran's diagnosis is our new journey. Maybe someone knew I would need some guidance or support along this new journey. It could also be about both of their journeys.

Whatever the purpose I bought the necklace and I feel it is so symbolic of our lives.

Care Bears

We have been watching The Care Bears alot the last few weeks. The boys saw an old movie and now we have bought a bunch of DVD's. Here is Cormac singing the song from the beginning with his little dance. The second video is Calleigh laughing at me singing the song. She loves the theme song.