Renaissance Festival and Just One Baby

For a few years, I have wanted to go to the Maryland Renaissance Festival.  However, the timing never seemed quite right.  This year was the year.  Thomas had no interest, in fact, he didn't want to go at all.  However, he is a good husband and once I said it was something I really wanted to do, he was on board. We tried to explain the concept to the kids, but I don't think they quite knew what to expect.

I wanted to get there when they opened, which meant leaving the house around 8:30.  We got there shortly after 10 and the place already seemed very crowded.  All the kids were free, which was nice (under 7). I had mapped out what shows I wanted to see. Actually, I had mapped out which shows I thought would be good for the kids.  It is amazing how things change when you are a parent.  I think there is a lot Thomas and I would have enjoyed, but it would not have been entertaining for the children. We saw about 5 shows. When we got in the car to leave, we asked the kids what their favorite was.  They each chose a different show, which was unusual, but gratifying, because it meant almost everything we did was special to someone.  Kara liked a Fairy Tale themed show, Anna chose an acrobatic one, and Jack liked a Human Chess Match.  The best part for Thomas was the food, he had a meat pie that he absolutely loved.  I liked the Acrobatic show and just walking around.  It covers a huge area.  We were there for about 6 hours and I could have stayed much longer. But, the kids were getting tired and I was getting tired of feeding Luke on public benches.

Watching the human chess match while enjoying some ice cream

Jack and Kara both tried rock climbing (Anna wasn't interested)

Jack on stage during one of the shows.

Kara in the same show, poor Anna didn't get to volunteer.  Oddly enough, this wasn't anyone's favorite

Luke alternated between his stroller and the carrier

This magician was pretty awesome.  He is the same guy who does the library shows in the summer, but he was much more impressive at the Festival

Enjoying a snack

When we had Jack and Anna, we basically stayed at home, unless we were going to a park or the zoo or similar a place. Then, we had Kara a short 16 months later and there was no way we were taking any trips!  It was difficult to bring them places and generally not worth the hassle. I can probably count on one hand the number of times we went to a restaurant in those first few years. Life seemed to revolve around nap times, which was fine because it made all of our lives so much easier. We really did stick to a very strict schedule. It is amazing how different it is with just one baby. Poor Luke gets carted about like an accessory. Fortunately, he likes to be out doing things. The poor guy still doesn't have a regular nap schedule and the only thing I can say we are consistent on is when he goes to bed each night. Such is the plight of the youngest child, I suppose. Often, we have to pause what we are doing to feed Luke and I am sure to the older kids it seems like a huge adjustment, which of course it is, but really I am pleased with how easily we were able to incorporate him into our family. 

One of my friends made a comment about how the older kids will be better people because they will have to learn to compromise and adjust more because of Luke.  With 3 kids who are the same age, their interests are very similar. They are all in the same stage of life, which makes it easy to entertain them and find fun things to do as a family.  Now, we have Luke who is going to be in the Sesame Street stage while they have moved on to Nickelodeon (or whatever preteens watch).  I think it will be good for all of them.  I felt like it was good for our kids to have each other.  Out of necessity, they have learned what it means to share and how to take turns.  Having each other has taught them a certain degree of patience and I think that having Luke will expand upon that.  Luke will make us all better people.  And, it doesn't hurt that he is just so darn sweet!

Jack and Anna Turn 7

Yesterday, October 3, was Jack and Anna's 7th birthday.  As always, we gave them lots of choices on how to celebrate.  Jack chose a night at Great Wolf Lodge and Anna wanted to visit Busch Gardens. We did Busch Gardens last weekend and have a reservation for GWL in about a week.

I imagine there will be a separate blog for our Williamsburg Weekend, but in the meantime here's one shot from Busch Gardens

But, yesterday was the real day.  We told them the story of their birth (about 6 times) and expressed how truly happy we were that they were born and how great it was to celebrate that moment. Thomas hung balloons and a birthday sign and I made them pancakes and sausage for breakfast.  We also presented Anna with a birthday shirt and Jack with a birthday pin.  Then, we sent them to school.   Thomas was off, so we got to spend the day together.

The birthday boy and girl

Because Jack was allergic to eggs as a small child, I always made our birthday cakes.  He has outgrown the allergy, but the tradition has continued.  This year, he asked for a Lego cake and Anna wanted a Frozen-themed cake.  They both wanted to be surprised.  I scoured the web for ideas and decided on Olaf for Anna and a cake covered in chocolate-molded Legos for Jack.  The mold made 10 Legos at a time, and I estimated that I needed 125 of them.  Therefore, I began prepping on Monday.  I made the cakes on Thursday (I made two cakes for each of them, so 4 cakes total). Then, on Friday all I had to do was put things together.

Cake prep.  That one is Jack's, an orange layer cake on top of a vanilla 13x9 cake.

Thomas and I went and had lunch with the kids.  I always feel like a celebrity when I visit their school.  All the kids want to talk to me and share their random thoughts ("I broke my arm when I was two," "this is a new shirt...it has buttons," "I have an ATV," etc).  Fun times for all of us.  It was also stuffed animal day and the kids had brought candy bracelets to hand out to their friends. They wanted to do necklaces, but we couldn't find any (and, I went to or called 6 different stores). With all of that going on, they were obviously having a fabulous day at school.

After lunch, a nice neighbor offered to watch Luke so I could devote my time to the cakes and Thomas could mow the lawn.  It took us about 3 hours to finish them (Thomas helped).  Neither cake was particularly difficult, just a bit time-consuming.  I was pretty pleased with the results and I was hoping the kids would be too.

The kids got home and played outside with their friends for a bit.  While they were playing, my father called to wish them a happy birthday.  At that exact moment, Kara lost her very first tooth.  The excitement was overwhelming and not for the faint of heart (or ear).  There was lots of screaming and hugs and pronouncements to anyone who would listen.

We had invited our neighborhood friends, Jennifer, and the Darrows over for cake after dinner and the kids were super anxious clock-watchers. Another tradition is to let them choose their birthday meal.  Jack wanted BJ's pizza (still a step up from the canned Ravioli of last year) and Anna wanted homemade chili and cornbread.  We decided on the easy meal for Friday night and Jack and Thomas went and picked it up.  After dinner, we let them open the presents from us and each other and then sent them out to play.

Finally, it was time for the cake.  I don't think the kids were nearly as impressed as I was and I have to admit that I was a little disappointed.  Unfortunately, I didn't really get a good picture of the Lego cake because as soon as I set it down, the kids started picking off the chocolate Legos and minifigs.

I know it's blurry, but it shows both cakes

Right before the minifigs got taken and eaten.

We let the kids stay up until 8:30 to enjoy their new toys and then set them happily off to bed.  Kara put her tooth under her pillow and the kids proclaimed that it was "the best birthday ever!"  After all the excitement, Luke slept for 11 hours straight!  It was the longest he had ever slept and his first time sleeping through the night in months.  Thus, it was truly a banner day/night for all of us!

The super sleeper