a dose of dosch

I didn't know I wasn't pregnant

2012-01-20T17:02:00.000-05:00

On the other hand, it just occured to me, with all the baking that's been going on around here these past few weeks, maybe this big ole bump is really just a big ole bump. Sammy's quite the chef, you know...

Occupation Overdue

2012-01-19T15:13:00.004-05:00

There's just something about being overdue that sits well with me. I get a lot of sorry looks from friends and strangers alike when they see me, day in and day out at the grocery store, the nursery school, the Y, but I tell you that despite the crazy excitement I feel about meeting this newest little one, unlike with my first pregnancy when I willed the end to come each day, this second and third time around, every hour, with or without my third little babe in arms, feels like a gift. Until a couple days ago, I had snapped just one picture of my belly, way back during our Indian summer at the beginning of October:

And while I love it to pieces, poor D3 (who may just be a girl like her older sister Sammy, obsessed with tracking every moment of her young life from bump to Bogota, Mummy's side to Marblehead) was not going to have much to fuel her boatloads of questions like her big sis. So, I asked dear Tia to take these two shots below. It was not overly thought out. Only shirtless, because lunch had just been had which means tomato seeds were spurted everywhere and pink and white yogurt was dripped head to toe, and there were only two snaps taken, but I just love them... You look in the mirror and know your bump is immense, your womanly shape morphed into some holy but unsightly blimp, but you will never, ever regret these shots. Even 35lbs heavier, an agonizing pregnancy in so many ways, I still give great thanks for my body that houses these sweet hearts so safely. And as for being skin to skin with my three babies... sigh...

It's hard not to feel ridiculously lucky and loved when I look at this. It's hard not to see each moment with this delightful duo as a gift, as we head towards 41 weeks with their littlest soon-to-be-sidekick. I'm 3cm and 50% effaced which means just about nothing, have an induction date set for next week, but quite honestly, I'm just happy for today. For an extra hour to cuddle my little ones, snuggle up to my hubby, dream of my healthy and happy baby bundled up away from these scattered snowflakes, all while emptying one more kitchen drawer for a deep clean and purge before things get a little busier for a while. You forget how quickly reality resumes, how soon what's new and daunting will become what we've always known, but I remember feeling this same grateful, peaceful way in my overdue days with Landon, even when I couldn't imagine loving another little body as I loved my sweet Sammy. Every next trip to Target or Stop and Shop that should have been my 'last stock-up'. Every extra lunch and play with good friends that should have carried me through the weeks of hibernation. Every chance to just lose myself in the children I already birthed, who already have my entire heart. All of that seemed so sweet. And this time around it does, too.

And Lord knows, if I hadn't made it to today, I'd have never found time to write any of this down...

Yes, I'm anxious. About the pain and process, the unknowns and exhaustion, but I'm far more calm than I was with either Samara or Landon and for that, I'm grateful. How lovely it is to know the hospital, know the doctors, know some nurses, know what both a C-Section and normal deliveries entail, respect them both and know that I can survive either remembering what really matters. How blessed it is to be only as worried as any parent is about hearing that little cry fill the room, to see for myself that the precious one who has measured well in every ultrasound is indeed as perfect and healthy as expected. Having had such different and troubling news delivered to us along the way with Landon and been left with such questions about what troubles he would have, and to have never even seen my naked baby, Samara, or heard that sweet sound the day she was born, I know what luxuries, what miracles, what immeasurable gifts these are. Just thinking of what lies ahead, I try to focus on all that goodness that awaits, and try not to lose sight of what all of this is really about. A gift of LIFE, our third little life created out of such love, that will add so much to our family, straight to us from God. How we got so lucky... I'll never know.

And so, Mummy is home from England and waiting at the other end of the phone, just around the corner. Two different and best friends are lined up, ready to play the day away with SnL if need be, so if Daddy is at work, Mummy can be with me. We have emerged from the holiday-hype and have lost the dark circles under our eyes. Little Landon is sleeping through the night and Samara has head-butted her 2 or 3 weeks of thunderous threes out the window. Steve had caught up on the month of shortened days and interrupted work and is ready for his most phenomenal two weeks of paternity leave. He is, as ever, the most incredible husband and father and I almost wish I could loan him out to pregnant ladies everywhere as I feel so selfish keeping him to myself. I have got over my ugly, indulgent cold that left me feeling just plain gross for days and days on end. We have no hiccups in our giddy-ups and we await this littlest Dosch with full hearts, great energy and so much thankfulness.

And if I let myself really imagine it, believe it, achieve it, my eyes well up with tears, my arms get covered with goosebumps and I know that what lies ahead is beyond my wildest dreams. I just can't wait to know if it's a boy, if it's a girl, and to share that most magical moment with the man I adore more than anything in this world, and maybe my mama too...

Oh how blessed we are. The rest is just details. And I will share them soon...

Wee Hour Loving

2012-01-05T04:08:00.001-05:00

Every morning, +/- 4:48am when you just don't think you can be ready for the day to start, this happens, and you realize, Yes. I. Can.

Santa at arm's length

2011-12-19T15:07:00.001-05:00

If I'd had a normal lens on my camera, the two feet or so between Miss Samara and Mr. Santa wouldn't seem so great, but at least we captured one child with Dear Old Clause this Christmas. The other, well, imagine hyper hysteria! Almost laughable, quite certainly cruel on camera hysteria. Poor old Landy. So stoic, yet so sensitive. These two shots were taken at our community center sing-a-long where Santa passed out candycanes to one and all before asking innocent young children to sit on his scary old lap. Good deal. And this below is Samara's so-nervous, I might invert my tongue and throw-up smile. Good times!

Making room....

2011-12-16T15:02:00.001-05:00

We traded in one white wagon for another and upgraded to the fabulous Honda Odyssey in December. It is a love bug and with room for all five of us PLUS, we couldn't be happier!

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T16:17:00.000-04:00

Dorothy and Toto stole the show. Or at least our hearts.

There were back-up costumes, too!

And great times with the best of friends...

Who says the honeymoon's over?

2011-10-15T14:26:00.001-04:00

Oh, the bliss. And the gift, the grace, the beauty of knowing you married the BEST guy and that 5 years married, you can be even more crazy in love than you were way back when.

We had the absolute joy of voyaging to Captiva for 3 days this past week. My dear, dear, dear parents watched our dear, dear, dear children (yes, their matching levels of dearness proved to be a perfect match) and I left my tears and troubles on the airplane to spend such a glorious re-honeymoon with my better half. There really is no way to explain what a big deal it was, what a privilege we had, what gratitude we felt to my parents, what pride we had in our little ones for being so much more than fine without us, what magic we lived on our island getaway. So, I will share just a few photos so that you can maybe understand and mostly so that I can look back day in and day out, right here, while I start looking forward to our 10 year return...

Steve on our bedroom's balcony....

Out for dinner night one... cheese :)

Nothing to do but sand, sun, swim and smile together.

Ah, and we swam with dolphins... maybe it was a dream...

I snap pics of my feet because they are not the size of whales, yet.

Sunsets and sunrises, from our room and from the beach... breathtaking...

The gorgeous South Seas Resort. You should go...

16 months old today

2011-10-06T14:25:00.001-04:00

and still the cheekiest, grubbiest, most adorable little monkey.

Landon can walk, run, say just Mama, Dada, Digger and Nah, and read 40 books in one sitting without getting bored. He's obsessed with animals and trucks and being dirty and it turns out boys really are that straight forward. Feed 'em and run 'em. That's the truth. The little tike still wakes up 1-5+ times a night and is up for good between 4:30 and 5. Grrrr... But his awesomeness and his highs are so ridiculously out of this world that we forgive him all his terrors and troubles and feistiness. This is him, just after lunch today, hiding my precious things, causing general mayhem but still looking so ridiculously angelic and sweet.

People always say, he's just so stinking cute.

I say, it's a good thing, too!

God knew these monkeys better be darn delicious on the outside so that we didn't devour them when their insides were causing all sorts of disasters!

I love you, Landini. You keep me on. my. toes.

Indian Summer

2011-10-02T14:14:00.000-04:00

What a gift. This Indian Summer. These pictures below are what early October looked like in 2011 around New England. Landon only learned to walk in August so the extra long summer sure made beach days even more fun. How lucky we are.

Homage

2011-09-22T15:53:00.000-04:00

It's easy to almost take swings on the sand by the sea for granted. So we got just about everyday to say thanks, in case one day they aren't there anymore...

Today

2011-09-21T17:05:00.001-04:00

This was me this afternoon, enjoying my suddenly very vivacious bump and last night's Parenthood as the wee ones napped.

And then, as per usual, I got overly emotional from the episode (love that show) and decided that enough was enough and I had to catch up. I've had a love/hate relationship with this diary. Love it as my diary... hate that I often rarely make time for it and that it technically doesn't belong to me.

But today, I don't care. Today, it was time to remember and be grateful for this fantastic summer we've had and get excited, in word and deed about being the Dosch family of FIVE.

Yes, indeed, this is me and my big belly. It is BIG! I am 24 weeks and massive, I'd say. But I am so, so excited to meet this little one. How lucky can a girl get.

I mean, you've seen my two munchkins right...?

Is a just world even possible given that I might get one more just as fabulous as these rugrats? I think not.

So, I'm taking it all in today. As they are STILL sleeping. And I've just blogged about 100 posts in under 2 hours. By no means was that an extensive run. Maybe that was my problem. I wanted to do it right or not do it at all. But it's something. And that's good.

Today is September 21st and it was an extra day of summer... 80 degrees that warmed our skins all over and got us ready for a winter that's bound to be crazy, chilly and .... miraculous!

And right on cue, SnL are stirring. As if by perfect design. Well, we already knew that much.

See you soon...

2011-09-21T16:57:00.001-04:00

The kiddos love helping to make dinner.

And Lord knows, we need someone handy in our family. Landon... why aren't you watching?

Growing up... sigh...

2011-09-21T16:52:00.001-04:00

So, little Miss Sammy D started school. She pretty much loves it... though I kind of love the fact (while it sort of really breaks my heart) that she always asks me to stay and she is the only girl who runs out and first asks me and Landy what we did while she was gone...

It is a lovely little school, a couple of blocks away, and as perfect for her first start as I could hope, but I still pretty much hate sending her. It seems unnatural not having her here. I still cry as I take the side path out of the parking lot so that no one sees my tears as I walk away with an unbalanced double jogger. I call my Mummy and sob, call my hubby and pretend its pregnant hormones at their worst, but even as I type this and she is fast asleep just a staircase away, I have puddles in my eyes because I just can't stand the growing up and moving on part. I seriously never thought I would be like this. Really, truly... never. I make no secret about the fact that I aint no newborn person. I find those first few weeks, even months ever so draining and difficult. Yes, I love the tinyness, the miracle, the you-are-my-everything, may you always need me like you do right now, but I REALLY love the giggles, milestone adventures and tangible, I choose you kind of loving of the later years.

Is it a first born kind of thing? Maybe. Is it just that my sweet Sammy is nothing... NOTHING but a pleasure... probably. But man, I miss her when she's gone.

And so does her kid brother. As seen here on day one. I kid you not. This 8x10" of Sammy D really did go with him to her bed where he sat and muttered Mawah...Mawah... for several minutes.

Sniff ... sniff....

I love you two too much.

Family Weddings = THE BEST

2011-09-21T16:39:00.001-04:00

MR. AND MRS. KELLY est. 9/4/11

September 4th found us all on the dance floor. In church and on the road too, but mostly on the dancefloor. Every little girl's dream (or mama's wish) of being a flower girl came true and Samara was a flower like a flower girl as you can imagine. Just stunning. If you can't relive your own wedding, you better wish that there are some family members just like you getting married soon. Lucky for us, we hope this is only the first of many family weddings enjoyed as a big and merry brood. Let's go Hare Siblings! The Dosch side of the family is crazy, crazy fun and if I'd not been busting a move with the best of them (well, ALL of them) all night long on the dancefloor I'd have snapped a few more shots. But these will have to do. We love you, dear Colleen and sweet Mike. You threw a FABULOUS party and we can't wait to watch the rest of your lovely lives unfold...

Two dashing Doschs and two darling Dorothys

Dancing Queen

Sweet couple

The 3 flower girls... true friends, terrific trio, tres tiaras :)

As if they wouldn't be... they were PERFECT... walking down the aisle all smiles and even entering the grand ballroom of hundreds at the reception as their names were announced. Well done you three!

Kicking it up on the dance floor...

And my favorite dance couple ever... xox

Or wait... this one, too!

2011-09-21T16:22:00.001-04:00

Swampscott library was a fun place to get books and read on the green.
Never a shortage of things to do...

September

2011-09-21T16:07:00.002-04:00

September started with my two babies all dolled up. Seriously cute. This pic was taken at Mike and Colleen's Rehearsal Dinner. The bow-tie was a big hit.

2011-09-21T16:06:00.000-04:00

I just stumbled upon this pic. Perhaps it sums up our lazy summer. Lots of singing, painting and lazy mornings with the door to the backyard wide open, Nickelodeon's moose starting our early-to-rise days, the pajamas worn all am and the hair all frizzed up with the ocean humidity. It was a good one.

2011-09-21T16:03:00.001-04:00

And we sure did need the popsicles to cool off this summer.

Big Girl Steps

2011-09-21T16:03:00.000-04:00

My little girl graduated into a big girl's bed this summer. What an exciting night! And true to her awesome, mature and sweet self, she has never once left the bed when she wasn't supposed to. Amazing.

The 1st of the two cribs is now ready for occupancy. Now, who will be sharing a room...?

Also in August

2011-09-21T15:56:00.001-04:00

We had an amazing hike around Halibut Point in Rockport, still one of my most recommended shots around here. I just love it there. And it didn't hurt that the weather was pretty much as perfect as it gets.

Sammy at the top!

Mamu and Papi joined in on the fun :)

The 4 of us...

SWIMMING

2011-09-21T15:51:00.002-04:00

Samara learned to swim with her floaties which made the pool a great place to hang out this summer.

Landon was sometimes... often... more interested in eating. Of course.

Or he'd scoot along the edge of the pool while Sammy practiced her strokes. Of course.

But the two of them are just about as sweet as can be. Seriously.

This pic above may be our fave shot of the rugrats from Summer '11. Total hams.

Spectacle Island

2011-09-21T15:43:00.001-04:00

Steve took a few Fridays off this summer and on one of them we took a trip to the Harbor Islands. Super fun. But the joy, as you will see was mostly in the boat ride, well, all the various forms of transportation we used that day, and in the treats awaiting us in the North End. It is always fun adventuring together, especially when a long weekend awaits us on the other end.

Yes, the pic of the sign of Spectacle Island is the ONLY one I took actually on the Islands! It was 95 degrees and hot with little to no shade and not much to do as fun as riding the waves... so we stayed an hour and hopped aboard once more!

2011-09-21T15:26:00.001-04:00

Hurricane Irene visited August 28th. The night it was arriving, Steve and I had our first real big date night - Country Fest with Kenny Chesney and Zac Brown Band. Amazing music. Soaking wet! Here are some pictures of us on the beach the evening after the storm. It didn't hit us too badly but the wind was incredible. It literally knocked us off our feet.

2011-09-21T15:21:00.001-04:00

Whatever was in the beach bag was game for play.

Landon became quite the buddy for Samara, exerting his free will more than ever and not necessarily allowing his adoring big sister to play with whatever she wanted whenever she wanted. Ah, the life lessons learned.

And we attempted one family photo on the beach. Yes ... Just one. Going to need a wider lens!

2011-09-21T15:18:00.001-04:00

Some days we would find a beach, a random stretch of sand, a place where heaven and earth seemed to join and just walk. The kiddos added vocabulary like lobster, lighthouse, sunset and dock to their vast array of daily must have language and a day without the Atlantic seemed like a waste of a day.

2011-09-21T15:17:00.000-04:00

More beach pics...

This time at Crane's with Grammy and Grampy... the best!

August

2011-09-21T15:14:00.000-04:00

In August we enjoyed 2 days in Boston. The Marriott Long Wharf housed the Dosch Fam and Sammy has henceforth referred to it as her city home. She slept in a big girls bed all by herself for the first time and we had a crazy good time roaming Beantown as if it were our backyard. Here are few highlights...

Summer's End

2011-09-21T15:10:00.000-04:00

Summer's ending and I haven't blogged in yonks... yonks! I was having some regret, as my belly gets big and I realize that once upon a time I was quite good at baby-booking, documenting, scrapbooking, writing it all down. And so, here is a little travel back in time to catch up. Not for anyone. Just for me. And for my little ones who may one day want to read about 2011 and the fab time we had. Oh yes... it's been fab!

Landon scooted the beaches of New England day in and out. He never did crawl, you know. But he's speedy and curious and way more of a cheeky monkey than his sister ever was.

Sammy ran the tides with her bffs, her brother, me and Dada who she calls babeeeee, steeeeee, and daddddddeeee just to be a rascal, oh and the neverending sunshine. She is fast. Sporty. Beautiful. Everything.

There was a lot of watermelon enjoyed.

Coming in January...

2011-07-22T08:15:00.002-04:00

It's like one billion degrees...

2011-07-22T08:13:00.001-04:00

This was Thursday evening. It will be Friday evening. And Saturday evening. The days are a heck of a lot hotter!

The birthday month!

2011-06-21T16:13:00.000-04:00

June is birthday central around here. Samara had a princess pool party with her dear friends and was crazy happy as can be. 3 ... isn't that something?! And Mr. Landman turned 1, which he quickly got the hang of. Ah, I love me the summer birthdays, but hooray for a winter baby on its way. The Hare/Dosch clan seriously couldn't have squeezed in another party into the summer.

Surprise visit from Tia at the party!

Samara and her sweet friends.

Happiness!

The baseball bat was all she wanted!

Landon's backyard birthday bash.

Hot Red Wheels for the day...

Never without an adventure

2011-05-06T16:16:00.000-04:00

The rugrats discovered Endicott Park today. The sunshine in full bloom, the horses and sheep out to meet and greet, a picnic lunch to be had with friends in the shade. Just what our hearts and skin needed after the wind and weariness of the week.

No better Friday could be had.

And the little guy is just 30 days away from not being zero any longer. Hanging, cruising, dangling on all things sharp, dangerous and colorful, here he is enjoying some of the other side of the park.

TGIF

2011-05-06T16:08:00.000-04:00

My little Dada's Boy... It was a long, lonely week without Dosch Senior.
Landon doesn't miss a trick... here is he is standing and waving his little heart away.

Oh thank goodness the big man is home now!
TGIF, indeed.

RIP

2011-05-04T21:48:00.001-04:00

Oh, regret! Trust the family photographer to have missed the four short days of photo ops we had with our dear little bubble guppies. On Saturday, after the burial of Steve's dear grandpa, I guess because we were searching for something to rejuvenate the little ones who stood so bravely and quietly as Taps was played for their dear Great Grandpa John Murray, that last cold Saturday in April, having watched with honor and pride and somber hearts as their Great Grandmother was presented with the Stars and Stripes, on behalf of the President of the United States of America, wow, we found ourselves in a random strip mall in Saugus. I guess it was natural, all of us anxious to lose ourselves in the hope of new life that as we watched Samara's sweet little fingers on the greased up glass of the fish tank at Petsmart we were convinced that buying two goldfish was a grand idea. This was a big deal for the Dosch's. Home we came with Sasha and Roro. Samara picked out the names so easily, as if they'd been dreamed up years ago, and fed them with those same little fingers so daintily and carefully at dinner time each and every night. She called them to the glass each morning. The little nemos kept me company as I rocked sweet Landon back and forth those long three nights of that scary and unyielding 103.7 fever. Somehow it seems like they were here a while. The fit into our little family so effortlessly. Well, for four nights. This evening, we came home from my parents' house to find the little orange buds' eyes bulging, boca arriba, still to the world...I won't go on. Steve's out of town so I had to go into Super-Mama-Mode and it took all the courage in my American-Idol-On-Hold body to not shed a tear or throw-up in my mouth, but I did it. I didn't think Sammy would even notice the empty home on the counter drying, after a double bleaching session, but she did, and in that same brave and honorable way, beyond her years, she seemed to understand that they, too, have gone home (not down the toilet) and that, after all, that is where this journey is leading each of us, isn't it? I must admit that when the Petsmart employee fervently boasted that her two guppies were three years old, I thought we'd be among the lucky ones, but alas, this Spring we will find new life, the circle of Doschhood elsewhere. RIP, indeed. And to Sasha and Roro, I'm sorry that the only mention, the only picture we ever got of you was this. When Fudgie died in January 2004, I was flying from Havana to Cambridge and had my luggage stolen. How cruel it seemed. The hours and hours of video and dozens and dozens of stills I took of my beloved pup, from carefree sunshine days at the Residence to final excruciating hours as the only American dog in Cuba were all gone, gone with my camera, gone with my camcorder, my clothes, my things. I cried over losing those pictures and videos for weeks, and I cried over losing dear Fudgie, well, to this day, but in the end, I tried to declare that some pictures are actually better left to the heart. What would I do with a photo of the fishies now? I'm not sure. And those ones of my dear doggie? Lord only knows. Why do we listen to "If Heaven" when we're lonely? Why do we read the last few pages of My Sister's Keeper time and time again? Why do we let our minds wander to that place where there is no return? What would I do with those pictures now? I'm not sure. But I sure wish I had just one.

2011-04-29T21:52:00.003-04:00

In honor of the Royal Wedding, this is me, Lisbon 1984,
with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Rule Brittania.

Marathon Monday

2011-04-19T14:38:00.004-04:00

Oh I do love a day spent in the big with my three. Marathon Monday was yesterday and you can read a little about our day here, but here are some pics of my babies and me together. I usually stay behind the camera, oh how I always hated pics of me, but now with these two gorgeous munchkins, I 1) don't have to worry that anyone is really looking at me, my chins, my ratty hair, the stash of baby toys in my back pocket, etc etc) and 2) just really want to remember the joy of TODAY.

Oh, I just love them.

Meet and Not so Greet

2011-04-16T11:26:00.001-04:00

Samara had her first Easter Egg Hunt this morning courtesy of the terrific mother's group here in town. It was so great...until the Easter bunny appeared! Samara wouldn't go anywhere near him and here is her little brother: terrific turned terrified! Perhaps he thought the animal was going to take his cuppa cawfee. Samara reacted to Landon's reaction with absolute waterworks, but recovered fairly quickly when the sprinkled munchkins appeared. It's clear to see that our kids have inherited their father's absolute 'all will be well when there's DD on hand' philosophy. As for the Bunny... Sorry. Maybe we'll try again next year.

Happy Birthday Steve!

2011-04-15T13:27:00.003-04:00

In honor of the big guy on his birthday, here's a photo of two of his favorite things. (You may have to click on the picture to see what I'm talking about...) Awh, love.

Life is Good

2011-04-10T20:44:00.002-04:00

The last 48 hours were spent outside, almost entirely, at least it felt that way. Gosh, I love the Spring here. The green grass spurting out in the most unglorious manner, the plastic toys cluttering our front, back and side yards, clashing oh so abruptly with the plain old greys and whites of our house, fence and vehicles, the entire house being coated in a centimeter of soil, tried-to-pick flowers and transported beach sand. Our wisps of hair go from pale to golden. Our feet are perpetually gritty and colored. There is a pile of flip flops by the front door, right next to the pile of sunglasses and the pile of shovels. Our days are no longer planned out for just being alive and in the sunshine is more than we could have ever dreamed. And with my little man in the driving seat and my little lady by his side, don't you just know this is going to be the best Springtime ever.

CHEEKY ROYALS

2011-04-06T15:56:00.003-04:00

Every now and then you need a day to lie low, roll around on the floor and pretend to be Dosch royalty. Move over Wills and Kate (though stay tuned for an entire day of big Hare bashes at the end of the month) Prince Yandy has got the hang of treating Princess Sami just as she loves pretty early on.

I just cannot stand the cheek-hurting smiles. The adoration. The perfect company. The completeness.

Nope, you can't find those smiles Chez Buckingham.

10 months today

2011-04-06T15:35:00.006-04:00

Yes, I have four giant teeth now

and my mama no longer wipes my face because I just ever stop eating.

CAMPEON!!!!!

2011-04-04T23:20:00.001-04:00

Thanks to my friend Whitney, I chose Butler to almost win March Madness. Thanks to my years in OG, I chose CT to go ALL THE WAY! And thanks to the combination of the two, my bracket was a slam dunk! Hooray! Apparently I won eternal bragging rights and that's worth a whole lot when married to a bball crazy/bracket bully of a darling husband.

9 meses y pico

2011-04-03T15:18:00.000-04:00

This is 9 month old Landman. He does not eat baby food and he never has. He eats meatballs and gumbo, pepperoni and pineapple, green beans and cantaloupe. Do not cut food up for him. Do not peel it. Do not baby him. He is never happier than when his cheeks are stuffed and wouldn't he love it if that could be 24-7...

RIP

2011-03-28T22:29:00.003-04:00

John Murray Lyons died on a Sunday, the same day his namesake, little Landon Stephen Murray Dosch arrived. Tomorrow he will be laid to rest alongside so many other dear family members who have come and gone before him, but it will not be any easier for those who adored this absolute gentleman to say goodbye. Grandpa, you have made my husband so much of who he is today and I am ever so proud to have known you for the latter part of your 93 years on Earth. All of us miss you so. Please hold dear Steve, his mother, and aunts, and especially his most wonderful grandma up in your prayers.

The perfect gift!

2011-03-26T20:41:00.002-04:00

I've been looking for a growth chart for little L for so long and finally found one today at zulily for just $14.99. So many boys ones had little animals or cars on and I couldn't imagine he'd want that in his room during the years when growing is really happening! Not a bad price. S was given a lovely one from dear friends when she was born and it is one of my favorite things in her room. Highly recommend these as a great gift for new babies. Usable, practical, tasteful and affordable. Get one for your presents cupboard today at Zulily!

Hidden Blessings

2011-03-26T07:31:00.005-04:00

One very nice thing to come out of some family sadness is the visiting, unexpectedly, of my dear nieces, J&K. Samara JUST adores them and they are the best of friends. How lucky to have girl cousins the same age. And Sammy has three of them, though at opposite ends of the country from us. Sisters...almost! (She's started asking for one lately, so this'll have to be in lieu of... for...a while!) I watched the four kiddos yesterday so their parents could have some quiet, reflective time in hospice. They are so sweet together, particularly in their matching Gap jackets (thanks to another cousin who basically runs the place) and I couldn't help but snap a pic or two.

news

2011-03-22T20:59:00.003-04:00

what's new with the little man...?

on demand and everything...

oh, and this, too...

waving AND clapping... not bad for a week's work.

next week we're working on painting straight lines around the ceiling and fixing a gas stove, two things the little man's dear daddy can't seem to do :) nor me for that matter

P.S...

2011-03-22T20:47:00.004-04:00

Here are the shoes I didn't get to shoot on Sunday...

And isn't it funny how I only looked away for a second, but then they suddenly looked like this... Spot the difference?

Princesshood begins

2011-03-22T09:11:00.005-04:00

Samara went to the most enchanting birthday party on Sunday. A Princess party. It was simple, joyful, pretty and pink! A real live Rapunzel even came. Samara was a year or two younger than the other girls, and was shy to start but limbo-ing and laughing so much by the end. It was the perfect afternoon, her first big-girl's party, and a special Sunday with lovely friends.

I have fallen in love with this sequence of photos of the birthday girl and her mother. Oh if you could have just seen them. Beautiful and pure, their adoration and excitement over those four fuchsia candles was so very real you could feel your eyes welling up with tears just watching them. They are two of the nicest, most gentle souls you could imagine. Two birds of a fairy feather.

And here is the light on my little girls' fluffy , still baby-wisped locks. God, I love her. I didn't get a picture of her all in costume, the flowers in her hair, the sparkles on her shoes, pretty much only because I was just too smitten to look away and get my camera. I have no idea where this beauty of a child, in and out, came from, but I she blows me away.

And that night, all we heard was 'happy birthday to j...' on repeat, while wishes of princess chasing balloon stories filled our home. Our new thing is telling stories as they are happening. Like when we're tickling Landon on the floor before bathtime, Samara says, "tell me a story about when we made Landy laugh too much and the stars were in the sky." It's a pretty fun way to live, especially if I'm so in love with the moment that I can't break away to get my Canon or Flip. Telling it like a story cements it in our hearts forever. Telling it like a story makes me think fairy tales are real.

No blogging tomorrow....

2011-03-17T11:40:00.000-04:00

CLICK HERE TO SEE WHY...

Guess who's home?!

2011-03-14T21:10:00.001-04:00

Life is always a lot more joyful when Marina Nicole Joy's in town....hooray! We've already had tons of fun together, kickboing, dancing, chatting, cooking, running wild in the great outdoors. Ah, tis good to have a baby sister! And best of all, Sammy is like a baby sister to Tia. Did you know those two are closer in age than my own two sisters?! But what is age anyway when your smile is this big?!

Just my 2

2011-03-14T20:59:00.001-04:00

How sweet are these two rugrats?! Sammy is the world' s most adoring big sister. I pray they are always this close.

Hey, you never know!

2011-03-11T06:51:00.004-05:00

I recently signed up for Swagbucks, upon hearing from a trusted friend that you really can save points for good things. Turns out, she was right. I have already earned over $50 of Amazon giftcards...amazing. My goal, maybe, just maybe, is to save enough to upgrade my laptop. As you can see, there is now some competition for the old one...

Anyhow, give it a try, see what you think. If you're online a bunch anyway, it's quite an easy added bonus. I don't usually endorse things here, crazy coupon mom that I am at times, but this one seeems to be worth sharing.

Going places

2011-03-10T14:59:00.000-05:00

You know those cloudy, cold days when it's 11:00am and you haven't gotten dressed, haven't planned anything for the day, but just can't stay inside one more second... We go on adventures in the driveway. Sammy's at the wheel, Landon's curiously behind her, Charlie Hope is blasting on the radio and I'm about to crawl in the space between the car seats in the back seat and watch the craziness unfold. Oh, and I may or may not have a bucket of clorox wipes at my feet to try to clean up some of the stickiness, snot and scalliwags that call the Santa Fe home. Catch ya later...

Biking Season

2011-03-08T19:06:00.003-05:00

Can you tell we are quite happy to be outdoors again?! The double stroller was back on Ocean Ave today and it felt like the world was ours. Oh, it is a great feeling to be enjoying the warmer sun, the longer days and the sandy beaches when it is only March 8th. Months and months of increasingly more beautiful days are ahead. I do love New England!

Oh, and did I tell you Samara is working a tricycle! It is more exciting and monumental than I could have imagined. Oh, the places she'll go! As she peddled down the still snow-sided driveway towards our white picket fence, as the sweet American lady that she is, she looked back and squealed with delight at this new found freedom and I could just hear "Wide Open Spaces" playing on my old yellow Casio walkman. And while I wanted to cry for my big girl, I was just too darn happy to be sad.

2 good things Sammy wants you to know...

2011-03-08T14:58:00.001-05:00

It's picnic season!

and... I can slide the door to go and play outside all by myself!

Note to all friends currently house-hunting with wee ones: Buy a house with sliding doors to the back yard, no stairs to worry over, and a family room and kitchen that overlook it all. Trust me. You will need nothing more.

That little crack in the door letting the breeze in... I love it so.

That go-gurt, cantaloupe, string cheesed finger-print lathered glass. Yup, I love it too.

9 months and counting

2011-03-08T10:50:00.003-05:00

Little Landy Pandy celebrated 9 months old on Sunday.
As usual he was laughing out-loud at just the thought of it.

And then I realized, yesterday when he was helping me keep tabs on this crazy month that is March, that he was nine months AND one day old, even more of a milestone. That's one more day than he spent in the womb. My little boy is growing up.

Baby, where's that place where time stands still....?

It's all in the name!

2011-03-07T11:02:00.000-05:00

A friend of ours once surprised us with the most gorgeous red and white gingham dress for Samara, made indeed by 'Samara'. I had never heard of them or seen them until TODAY when they appeared on Zulily (the Groupon of kiddie stuff). So I ordered her two more, one of which is pictured here. Oh, bliss! Aren't they just divine? And the tag, to die for! You can get yours here. 2 days only!

2011-03-01T16:24:00.004-05:00

Oh little man.... How I will miss these days when you were small enough to fit under the kitchen cupboards, just barely bigger than our blender standing tall, and the drewl looked so darn cute rolling down your chin. I let you shake and hold things you really shouldn't, eat everything way too soon, stay up way too late, nurse way too often, be tickled basically all the time. Sorry about that. But, you are so stinking happy, the absolute picture of health and joy, and I couldn't help it. Dada wants you to sleep in your own bed, but you look too crazy cute snuggled up between us, under the big duvet, for me to oblige. Sammy wants you to play hide and seek already in her flimsy Dora tent. You do even though you can't even crawl yet. Those rolling thighs are quite heavy, I imagine. We all want to know you more and more, but you show us every day just how crazy happy and goofy you are. We hit the jackpot, all over again. My Landy-Pandy (Dada hates that, too!) My little man.

Just what we need...

2011-02-26T15:46:00.001-05:00

Another Cheez-it addict in the Dosch family...

TIIIIIIIIIIA

2011-02-26T15:44:00.001-05:00

Last week my littlest sister turned 17. Steve was away so we went on a road trip with the grands to visit her! So fun! It was actually such a relaxing day for me, not having to think up crazy fun things to fill our day, and the two kiddos were so good in the car. Marina was radiant as ever, as you can see. Squirrel joined us too, which was great. Sammy and Landon just adore them and we had such a special reunion. Happy Birthday, Tia!

Coming soon...

2011-02-26T08:44:00.000-05:00

I've been going through some old pics and remembering my angel of a little girl, who grows up too fast, but is still as sweet and beautiful as ever. I'm so excited for this season of beach days fast approaching: fun in the sand, sun and glory that is Marblehead for at least five months a year. Landon will probably be walking at some point and we'll be soaking it up. The camera will be out, my loyal friend all year long, but never more beloved than in that golden light that graces these Atlantic beaches in July and August. And don't you know, a year or two later, even a shot like this that was originally considered 'nothing special', not worthy of an album, frame or upload, can still make my heart flutter. I owe my Canon a heck of a lot.

Come home, Dada

2011-02-18T13:37:00.001-05:00

Dada, we missed you tonight. The moon was full. And we held each other tight.

Your most magnificent little man. You know it melts my heart when you call him 'son'.

And your perfect baby girl who adores you, as you do her.

When you are away from home, we wish on the airplanes in the night sky, as if they are shooting stars, and whisper up our prayers for you and all the world we love for happy smiles, safe journeys and soon-to-be hugs. We miss you. It's been five days and that's too long for the little ones. Too long for me, too.

xox

Super Dada

2011-02-15T15:16:00.004-05:00

Steve left for LAX early, early this morning. V-Day was kind of a no-go around here because Landon was so grumpy and uncomfortable, but we had a great weekend with our date and quality time and we know that romantic dinners gone cold and special glasses of wine gone untouched are just part of the deal with little ones. We'll forgive them. They're too cute not to. Before he left, before Landon melted down, he smiled on his dada's shoulder, his second favorite place after you-know-where. Love these two boys...
Sure do miss my hubby. He doesn't usually have to travel this much, but 2011 is going to be rough. At least 6 trips away from us. It's not that bad, and it's true what they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder, but it's hard not having his coming home to look forward to. He's the most helpful, loving, constant, generous, perfect man there is and well, how could you not miss that. xox

VDAY EVE

2011-02-14T15:29:00.005-05:00

We almost spent V-Day in the ER. Instead we spent the afternoon and evening before V-Day in the ER and spend today grateful, recovering and always, in love. Little Landon began wheezing around noon yesterday. Poor little thing was inconsolable and hardly breathing. A terrible, terrible combination. We called my darling mother who left her Cabaret practice (don't you love it?) to pick up Samara and we rushed Landon to Salem Hospital. He was diagnosed quickly with croup and treated with some steroids to work as an anti-inflammatory on his lungs and chest, as well as given a nebulizer. It was a rough afternoon for the poor little one. And a rough night. And a rough morning. But he is definitely going to be okay, and while he's not his smiley self, he's was flirting with the nurses before we were discharged from the hospital and has at least gone once or twice from utter misery to all giggles today. Thanks to everyone for the calls and messages and love. ER visits with infants are not high on our love list, but luckily we have plenty else that is. Happy Valentine's Day. I'll catch you up with the rest tomorrow... I'm off for some Dosch lovin...

Date night!

2011-02-13T08:23:00.003-05:00

photo credit: sweet friend melic

Last night was date night. Oh, such a treat. I am so blessed with a hubby who still opens the car door for me (even standing up in the five foot snowdrift to do so), still likes to remember our first kiss and first dance, and still makes me feel like the luckiest gal around. We don't get to go out a whole lot, something we sure do hope to change in 2011, but when we do, it is just so terrific. And coming home to our smiling, jolly babies, gosh, how good can it get? It's like having it all - the joy and lovebirdedness of the way we were, coupled with the unity and energy of the now. One day we'll get a proper date night where the kiddos are in bed when we're home and there are no babies rolling in our sheets, keeping us up ALL NIGHT (oh brother!) but for now, last night was just perfect and I'm grateful.

Poor little mite...

2011-02-11T14:57:00.002-05:00

Jabs this morning. Oh so wretched. The poor perfect little body prodded and pricked all over. Now he sleeps, restoring that carefree giggle and joy we get drunk on. Just in time for Valentine's Day weekend. Rest, my little one.

Still snowing...?

2011-02-01T15:33:00.000-05:00

You betcha! Argh!

The Good Husband

2011-02-01T15:01:00.000-05:00

Yes, that's red and green all over. On the roof. Getting rid of some of these 70"+ of snow. Ah, that's a good man.

(I may have taken these photos as part of my plea to get him down, mind you, muttering on about how I can't parent these rugrats without him, all while Samara dances at my feet on an otherwise holy Sunday morning belting "HOT AND DANGEROUS" because she heard me mention the latter of the two adjs in my plea...oh dear us.)

Winter Around Here

2011-01-31T09:03:00.001-05:00

Invoves lots of crafts and painting...

Dress-up and on-the floor fun...

And snow, snow and snow!

New site!

2011-01-31T08:59:00.000-05:00

Well, I haven't been too good at blogging lately, but I have been posting pics somewhere... a new site! Oh yey! You can check it out at: www.victoriadosch.com Most of my crazy, cheesy shots of S'n'L are on the blog site there... :)

Doooo doo dooo dooo dooo DOOOOOOOOOOR-AHHHHHHHHHH

2011-01-31T08:56:00.001-05:00

Some stages come and go, but not this one. We're nearing a year of exploradora-explosion. Dora is all that Sammy D has ever obsessed over. We've the Dora socks, Dora tent, Dora kitchen, Dora 145-page hardcover collection, Dora coloring books, Dora microphone, Dora flashlight, Dora stickers, Dora shirt, Dora cups, Dora lipbalm, Dora DVD (the only DVD Sammy has ever seen!), Dora suitcase, Dora backpack, Dora bathtoys, Dora figurines, Dora DORA DOOOOOORA! And we bought... well just one of those things! So, what should you buy Samara for her birthday, probably not something Dora-related, because we have it all. What would she like for her birthday, probably something Dora, even if she has it, because then we can have one in the car, one in her room, one in the living room, one in the kitchen... you get the idea. Hey, at least she can speak Spanish now!

2011-01-31T08:51:00.000-05:00

Still making strides....

Where is the yard?

2011-01-31T08:50:00.000-05:00

This was our front yard a few weeks ago. Since then, we've had at least another 3 feet of snow, and what do you know, 2 more coming this week! Unreal! But we're still walking, bundled up, in my new winter (sort-of) Crocs that I love! No socks, but a step up from flip-flops!

Nana's Flapjacks

2011-01-26T14:22:00.000-05:00

After our recent trip to England, I finally got the Golden Syrup and the silver courage up to make Nana's flapjacks...Yummmmmm. In a bite, I was taken back to Wigton Lane and gosh, it made me miss her. Nana, they weren't as good as yours, but I'll keep at it. Lord knows, you were the master of practice makes... PERFECT!

Snow Daze

2011-01-13T08:22:00.000-05:00

Snow days =

cheesy grins

Cabin Fever

Running in circles around the house

Do you remember

2011-01-09T16:48:00.000-05:00

those days when everything you loved was at arms length

your knees did the tickling

and your feet and floor suddenly looked so very dear?

7 months old

2011-01-07T22:36:00.000-05:00

Hello. I am Landon. I am seven months old today and I have one and a half teeth.
I love bananas, sweet potatoes, saltines... the works. I am very advanced for my age.

Thank you Santa (for now)

2011-01-07T16:33:00.000-05:00

For months we heard about it. All Sammy D wanted for Christmas was a ... microphone! Santa's shopping has never been so concise and straight-forward. Way to go Santa. He found the perfect Dora mic!! It is the biggest hit. Oh, you better believe it. Landon here is getting a rare moment of its magic...

Martha Deeeeee returns

2011-01-07T09:11:00.001-05:00

Here Samara decorates our first annual (well, I'm sure gonna try) Christmas ornament... Oops forgot to take a pic of the finished product (next year, maybe?)... It was one of those candy cane striped poles pointing to her house... (not sure what you call them)... It hung beautifully on our tree. I sure hope I packed it away carefully enough. She loves painting. I'm rubbish at crafts. I have a feeling she'll be taking over as of next year!

Christmas Eve at Jean's!

2011-01-07T09:08:00.001-05:00

Cookie Decorating Season!

2011-01-07T09:05:00.001-05:00

At last.. her love for organizing, decorating and being in control collide with a the good ole appreciation of mixing, stirring, pouring... and then there's that new love of all things sugar! Hooray... And she's even wearing Martha Stewart's signature color. A taste of great things to come...

Christmas Carols '10

2011-01-07T09:02:00.001-05:00

Samara enjoyed reading the Christmas carols (the little whiz-kid has already MEMORIZED Rudolph and Jingle Bells...amazing!!), Landon slept through all the carols, the boys were in high spirits and the party, so happy, as ever!

2011-01-07T09:01:00.001-05:00

2011-01-07T08:59:00.001-05:00

Such special reunions with old friends... Oh, I miss them!

2011-01-07T08:58:00.001-05:00

Gemma's wedding - beautiful!
So many gorgeous traditions. Such a great couple!
Sammy and Landon's first wedding! Samara is still talking about her party shoes and Gemma's dancing :)

2011-01-07T08:56:00.000-05:00

Wonderful reunions with (Great) Uncles and Aunts...

2011-01-07T08:55:00.001-05:00

London... Freezing cold! Beautiful Christmas lights! Fun to share with my babies!

2011-01-07T08:54:00.001-05:00

Landon and Bethia - sweetest little munchkins!

Landon with Harriet...so sweet!

England 2010

2011-01-07T08:52:00.000-05:00

Oh, we had such a good time in England. In some ways, it felt like going home. Here are some highlights of our trip...

Sammy and Tali - instant friends!

YUM

2011-01-07T08:51:00.001-05:00

The little boy... who loves to be in the kitchen. Watch this space...

My little bro

2010-12-07T08:48:00.000-05:00

looks good in my pink, Dora shades. Oh, yes.

So excited!!!!

2010-12-04T16:34:00.001-05:00

Oh yes we are!!

Outtakes - Xmas 2010

2010-12-02T08:23:00.000-05:00

Some outtakes from our Christmas Card adventure at Crocker Park. It's not as easy as you think to get a decent picture of your two kiddos, one who cannot even sit up, with accidentally overly fussy lens. Cuteness, all the same.

December 2010

2010-12-01T08:12:00.001-05:00

These two - all giggles.

Watch out Sandra Dee

2010-11-30T08:49:00.001-05:00

Sammy D has made her first Apple Crisp... and it was GOOD!

Super Daddy

2010-11-29T15:13:00.000-05:00

I mentioned I'd been busy with my photography. That's a fact. In the past month, I've complete 55 photoshoots. Insane. A lot of good has come from the craziness, mind you, beyond the pretty pictures I hope lots of families will toss around their homes, let their toddlers finger-print, and frame on and off for different seasons of the year. As I photograph these picture perfect families, I fall more and more in love with my own. Sometimes I see us through a photographic lens. We may not be flawless, or stunningly beautiful (well, two of us are, I think!) but I just love us. And most of all, I just love the one who made us possible... Steve. As I type his name, I hear Sammy saying it, as she has recently started for laughs, or yelling 'baaaaaaaaybbbbeeeeeeeee' at him from the bath or other room...ha! (She is the master of imitation, a genius of spelling - yes, she knows all of her alphabet and many words that start with each letter!!) I was surely blessed with a gem of a husband and a man. He is giving and selfless beyond my comprehension, loving to a fault, a get-down-on the floor, no matter how broken the back, how rough the day, how tedious the game kind of daddy who is simply adored, a take the baby, do the laundry, always kiss my wife first kind of man. He's going away tonight...four nights apart. Our longest by a long stretch. I am not quite sure I can do this all on my own. You see, he's pretty unique, and he does a WHOLE lot. Single parenting, even for a day, is really, really hard. S.B., if you're reading this, I love you so, so much...

You should see it...

2010-11-29T15:02:00.001-05:00

Oh, man, you should see these two. It's non-stop laughter, actually tangible adoration in a way I have never even seen. I feel so very lucky to have them both, exactly as they are, two-on-two, for all of our days. From the moment Samara wakes up (Landon's just ... up!) they just look at each other and giggle. Samara is patient, loving, entertaining, the works. And as Landon makes more noises, is just barely sitting up and is a captive audience to us all, he is the little friend she so deserves. I can't even tell you how this little boy has completed this family in a way that feels so Heaven-sent. When it's just me and him, I get a chance to just soak up his goodness and love, and really, truly, there's nothing else in the world that we could ever need. Just SNL, our two kiddos. And as for me and Steve, our cup overfloweth...

Have it all

2010-11-29T14:56:00.001-05:00

I have this feeling that Sammy is that girl... that girl who is sporty, but beautiful, spunky, but sweet, smart, but real, loving but crazy, a Daddy's girl and a Mama's best friend. Yes, she is. And she is mine forever. I can't even believe how lucky we are.

Or take me with you...

2010-11-29T08:47:00.000-05:00

Steve doesn't travel a lot... but once every couple of months he has to go away. This time was for four nights... by far the longest we've ever been apart. So sad. We miss you, Dada. Please don't go.