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Happy 1st Birthday to my niece, Rose!

Chubby Finger

My sister, Clara, did such a beautiful job on making Rose's birthday so nice.

Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures of the birthday girl. Boo.

Cousins

Peter and Simeon... 8 days apart.

I'd like to share a blog post that one of Maura's (my sister-in-law) friends wrote about Maura's son, sweet Peter. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Please click on link below:

"Tell Them I'm Down with the Downs"

Introducing...

Simeon Thomas Klocek

Well, Simeon, I woke up New Years morning feeling funny with some cramping. Thinking that this was the start of real labor I cleaned and organized like a maniac. The contractions were not too painful but were getting uncomfortable. Uncomfortable enough that I even stayed home from Mass. Around 2 pm I decided to take a hot bath and, believe it or not, the contractions completely dissapeared. Doh! I was so frustrated, to say the least. I went to bed completely deflated. I really thought you'd be a New Years baby. I then woke up around 10 pm that night with some bonafied, very painful contractions. I sat at the edge of my bed and cried after each one. Shhh, don't tell anyone I did this. I woke John up around Midnight and told him that I think we needed to head to the hospital. I didn't even care if they eventually sent us home. I just wanted to go. Your Uncle Frank came over for the night to be with your brother in the morning. We said a rosary on the way but all I could think about was being sent home. As John checked in at the front desk I labored in the sitting room. I remember feeling embaressed breathing through contractions right there in front of strangers. I probably looked pretty silly hunched over breathing like an elephant.We walked to our triage room, were asked questions, and signed papers. Finally they checked my progression and I was 5-6 cm. I remember asking her if she was going to send me home. She laughed and said, "No, honey. You are here to have a baby". Holy cow was I relieved! By 2 am I had an epidural and were settled into the room. Now, we waited. Unfortunately, the epidural made my blood pressure dip which then brought waves of nausea and vomiting. But, heck, I didn't mind. I was super comfortable overall. By 5:30 am I was fully dialated and the doctor was on her way. And after 3-4 pushes you were born at 6:06 am. I remember looking down to see your sex and was absolutely blown away that you were a boy! I cried with sheer happiness and embraced your warm, tiny body. You have my high cheek bones just like Constantine and you were born with an incredible amount of golden hair. So far, you are a fabulous sleeper, nurser, and pooer. Things that Constantine... were not (sorry buddy).

One last thing, Simeon. I sure hope you like your name. I am a huge fan of The Presentation and always thought St. Simeon was a pretty rad guy. Your middle name, Thomas, is after my dad, your grandfather. A kind and gentle man.



Brothers



A New Addition to the Knoell Family

Introducing Peter Vianney Knoell, a beautiful Christmas baby!

Congratulations T-Tom and Maura Knoell!

Has anyone seen...

...Constantine? Hmm, let's follow the trail...

A misplaced potato...

A sketch of a galaxy...

A disheveled tree skirt...

And scattered apple slices... 

Oh, there he is!

Klocek Family Pictures

I meant to post these eons ago. John's family got together for a wonderful family vacation in Gatlinburg, TN back in August. It was so great to have everyone together. Here are a few family pictures.




John and his siblings from youngest to oldest:
(Mary, Andrew, Tim, Patrick, John, Bridget, and Sister Mary David)

 

How cool...

...are THESE????



http://www.elnaturalista.com/

  

What's in a Name...

All the stockings were hung... on the armoire with care...

Oops, didn't buy enough letters...  the third "N" is not there...

DOH!!!

Preparing and Remembering

So, it might be a bit premature, but the other day I decided to get out and clean/organize my old 0-3 month clothing, diaper clothes, wash clothes, receiving blankets, infant car seat cover, etc. I used these same items only a year ago but it strangely seems so much longer than that. The tiny-ness of the clothing are extremely intimidating to me and they keenly remind me that I had no idea what I was doing 15 months ago.

Constantine was a VERY crabby baby and the doctor told me that all I could do was wait it out until his 3rd month. There were MANY moments when Constantine and I would both be crying on the couch in the family room at any time of day. I'd sob while nursing him in the middle of the night wondering if this was what motherhood would be like for the rest of my life. If he wasn't eating or sleeping he was crying.

I took him shopping once in those early months to look for a new pair of jeans for my very chubby body. Already stressed by his fussing, I ran through those department store aisles with him in his stroller carelessly picking unflattering jeans to try on in the dressing room. Once in the dressing room his crying started to esculate to a shrieking volume while trying on just my second pair. Worried that we were bothering others in the surrounding stalls I nervously looked for his formula, bottle and water. I was going at such a supernatural speed that the container of formula powder teetered between my fingers, flipped through the air and came showering down upon Constantine and I in a powdery mess. He was covered from his head to his knees. I swear all I could see were his blinking eyes. I, myself, looked like Casper the Ghost. Seconds later I slipped to the ground in the powder which was also all over the floor. I just sat there, now a sweaty mess, shaking my sticky face in my sticky hands while Constantine continued to scream. The place looked like an 80s cocaine party gone bad by the time we left that dressing room. And let me tell ya', we got the hell out of there so fast...

Anywho, those first three months felt like 3 years to me! But like magic, and just as the doctor said, Constantine woke up one day around 12 weeks... a happy, smiley baby (gasp!). I couldn’t believe it! Things were, once again, right with the world.

I wonder... will this one be a girl? Have brown hair? Maybe blue eyes? Be past due? Or dare I ask, have a sweet disposition like his/her cousin, Rose? We shall see. I simply can hardly wait these next 12 weeks to meet #2.



Constantine's horizontally challenged feet will not be much bigger than his brother or sister's.

 

What a Ham...

I am trying to teach Constantine to say "PLEASE" when he wants something.

Instead, he thinks I am saying "SAY CHEESE" and poses while giving me a huge smile.

What a ham.

Holy cow...

Just in this last week...

• I cried as I saw John in his groomsman suit.
• I cried during the mother of the bride speech.
• I cried while biting into my homemade hamburger at the table with John and Constantine.
• I cried while brushing my teeth.
• I cried mid sentance while eating out with my parents, Clara, and Rose. This one was the cry that Oprah calls the "ugly cry" when your face contorts and your shoulders shake up and down. I had to hide behind a napkin.
  
  
  
  Please, please hormones, no more! I have a reputation to uphold here!

Traveling with Tini the Termite

**How to calm a fussy baby

In short, anything that I expected to happen actually did not happen when it came to traveling with Constantine. Here, let me expound...

Flight from and to Phoenix (3 hours)-
Expectation: Chaos, tears (from both of us), and swearing (me, not him)
Reality: Sleeping in my arms the majority of both ways, peace, tranquility, silent prayers of Thanksgiving to the Almighty

Drive from Nashville to Gatlinburg (4 hours)-
Expectation: Calmness. gleeful play, occasional snooze
Reality: Frustration, loss of control, crying evolving into screaming, no snooze, mom plugging her own ears with fingers, and near outburst of verbal rage by mother

Scenic drives in Gatlinburg (2- 1 hour trips)-
See "Drive from Nashville to Gatlinburg"

Drive from Gatlinburg to Chicago (11 hours)-
See "Drive from Nashville to Gatlinburg"

Drive from Klocek home to Men's Wearhouse (20 minutes)-
Expectation: Fussiness
Reality: Immediate sleep (ARE YOU KIDDING ME????)

All in all, we had a wonderful trip visitng family. And like all other trips, I was not ready to come home. However, back to reality and back to the small things that make life sweet.

Old Aunt

Apparently, in my old age, I forgot that I actually DID meet my 5 year old nephew, Aiden... back in 2005 when he was 6 weeks old... doh!

Bad and Sad Aunt

This Friday, along with my husband and Constantine, I will be meeting one of my nephews for the first time. I realize that this is not terribly unusual but the thing is Aiden is now FIVE years old. How the hell heck did this happen? Can I blame it on just plain life (away in Alaska, a marriage, then babies)? Or have I been absolutely negligent in my duties to visit my sister and her family in Nashville from time to time? Most likely it is the latter and I am terribly ashamed.

However, moving forward I simply cannot wait to meet the big bugger! Further, I am excited to see all of my sister's family.

What is interesting is that I rarely cry but whenever I see her kids and embrace them I bawl like a big, big baby. It is really quite embarressing.

Velcro was invented in 1948...