Nostalgia

Tonight I received one of the sweetest emails from a very dear friend.  We became friends when I first became a Navy wife and a newbie to the Pacific NW.  She was so wonderful in welcoming me into the neighborhood.  Quite honestly, I was scared out of my mind about being alone in a state where my husband was about to be deployed, I had a new job and I knew not one soul in our new duty station.  Her matter-of-fact-can-do attitude made me feel so competent and supported.  She and her husband and their sailor dog were always free to help with anything I needed.  It was like having family living in the neighborhood.  

My life as a law student and then new mom had many hills and valleys.  It had me traveling back and forth between the Midwest and Pacific Northwest often.  I was always excited to find out what was going on with our neighbor friends.  As the years progressed, I made the Pacific NW my permenant home (or as permanent as it could be in the Navy).  It was so wonderful and I was so tickled when she made time to teach me to knit.  I remember I would do a good number of stitches in front of the TV and then mess-up.  Inevitably, I would always end up running down to her house so that she could help me figure out what I had done wrong. I sure miss being able to do that.  Saying goodbye was so hard when we got our new orders.

Our life has changed so much since my days in La Conner.  Being in Southern Maryland has me feeling so nostalgic for my life in La Conner....I think about the things I would show to the kids in La Conner or the trips we could take on the ferry to the San Juan Islands.  Or perhaps run down to K's house and show her one of the Dashes' latest tricks.  Maybe one of these days, the Daddy bear will get some time off and I will quit being fearful of taking the kids on a long airplane ride and we can bring the Dashes out West to show them the early years of our lives and meet our lovely friends.

Scout perched on the bay window looking and waiting for Sailor to come out....or a pesky raccoon.  

Venturing out to check out the tulip fields with my baby girl during the Tulip Festival.

The front of our first house right before we put it up on the market.  I couldn't have stained the deck without K taking Audriana and entertaining her.

To K: I've never stopped missing you and don't want to either.  The email was wonderful and thank you to you and B for all those sweet memories!

Pictures!

Silly babies!

Big sister and big brother trying to imitate the littlest Dash by sucking their thumbs.

Busted swiping extra cream cheese frosting for his cinnamon rolls...

...forget the roll, let's just eat the frosting by itself.  Definitely an Anderson :)

Family picture with Bert and Ernie a mere hours before the beginning of  Espen's illness.

All recovered and another family picture.

Visiting Daddy's Alma Mater with Mai Yei and Papa for the first time after our picture with Tecumseh.

Hello, handsome :)

Taking a break from gorging himself full of pizza to say "cheese!"

Hanging out with Mama on our porch.

Finally offloaded some pictures from my phone and to the hard drive.  Enjoy!

Part II

Before we are checked out the hospital, they ran one last blood test and verified that some of his elevated levels  had decreased.  Fortunately, they did.  However, Espen was still experiencing diarrhea. One wonders if it had anything to do with the NINE apple juice boxes that he consumed upon his admittance to the hospital!  HA.

After checking out, we went to pick up the big kids at my Aunt Mony's house.  I have to mention that we are incredibly fortunate to have family living only 15 minutes away from the hospital.  So while Espen and I spent the night at the hospital, Bjorn and the big kids spent the night with family.  They showered my little family with food, attention, hospitality and love.  There are no words to express our gratitude for their support. They made it possible for me to fully concentrate and advocate for my littlest man and for Bjorn to do work while they cared for my big kids.

The next day, Bjorn went back to work and I took Espen back for a follow-up check-up.  He was looking great and made his trip to the ER like it was ages ago.  No fever.  No vomiting.  The rash was clearing up and he only had mushy poop.  It looked like we were on the road to recovery.  The doctor declared him healthy.  Then the next day, a new symptom shows up: hives.  I try to stay calm, but past experience told me that I needed to call the on-call pediatrician NOW.  So I called him.  He suggested that I try benedryl to see if his body would react to the anti-histamine.  An hour after forcing the benedryl down, his hives barely subsided.  Then diarrhea shows up again... in full force. I walk into the clinic for an evaluation.  The doctor then decided that it was time to make a referral to a pediatric GI up in Bethesda.  And until our appointment date, we would do some more blood work.  Days prior to the appointment, Espen develops a high fever.  He becomes febrile for two days.  And then as suddenly as it appeared, it was gone.

We went to the pediatric GI.  Another resident...ha, we meet again!  After well over an hour of waiting to meet with the doctor, the resident and her attending decided that Espen probably had a milk-protein allergy.  They came to this conclusion because all of his blood work came back normal except for one.  This particular one indicated that his body was reacting to either some sort of allergen or virus.  And because it was unlikely to be a virus and given that Audriana and Haakon are lactose intolerant, they presumed that it was probably a milk-protein allergy.  As they are explaining this to me, I could feel my frustration boiling and anger rising at the pit of my stomach.  THIS WAS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE EXPLANATION.   At the onset of his illness, we stopped all milk and milk products and adopted the B.R.A.T. diet for Espen.  We were concerned that he was lactose intolerant (since we went through bouts of severe diarrhea with Audriana and Haakon).  But despite our efforts, he was still having the vomiting, diarrhea, fevers and rash.

When you get a mama bear pissed off and just try to pass her off quickly, WATCH OUT!  I told the resident and her attending that this was the wrong diagnosis.  And even more, even if Espen did have a milk-protein allergy, it still did not explain the high fevers.  In all the medical literature and journals that I could find pertaining to milk-protein allergies in toddlers, a very rare number of cases involved fevers, and when they did, they were all low-grade fevers that never came on without the consumption of dairy.  Espen's fevers would come on suddenly and without warning.  I don't think I was very good at hiding my frustration from the resident and her attending.  Their eyes were wide with surprise at my response.  So I left there with very little answers.

Espen then had a few more episodes and I called our primary care physician and asked not only for a RAST test for milk-protein allergy, but also a referral to a infectious disease doctor.  He agreed to both.  A week later, we were at the doctor's office again.  This time, we spent four hours at the specialty clinic.  And were seen by 1 junior fellow, 1 senior fellow, 1 attending, 1 resident and 1 medical student. They were very thorough and asked questions of our activities and home environment that no other doctors asked us.  In other words, they asked us questions that a diligent scientist should.  Imagine that!  After that visit, I think we finally had answers.

As it turns out, Bjorn and Espen probably caught some sort of virus together.  While Bjorn recovered, Espen took a while longer to recover.  And during the course of that recovery, it was likely that Espen also picked up a parasite that is not particularly common in toddler/children.  Essentially, it was uncommon enough that he was not tested for it.  The parasite is generally found in the dirt/ground from fecal matter.  And since he is a thumb sucker, he was especially vulnerable.  Since, by the time we met with the ID doctors Espen was no longer exhibiting symptoms, the assumption is that Espen's system cleared the parasite and he is recovered.  The doctor said that should his symptoms re-emerge, we were to bring him back to infectious disease that day for an evaluation and testing.

As I am writing this, I am incredibly happy to say that he is recovered!  No more symptoms.  He has resumed to eating like a bottomless pit and poops normally :)  Bjorn and I are so relieved and finally enjoying the last remnants of summer with our three healthy cubs before Fall settles in.  Thank you for all your prayers, calls, thoughts and well-wishes.  It was very much needed!

Mama-Bear:  I am keeping busy with the little family.  Bjorn continues to be painfully busy with work/school, so I am back to single parenthood in full force.  Its not been too bad.  I am currently training for my first, and last,  1/2 marathon in a couple of weeks.  With the change in schedule, it is harder for me to fit my 6AM workout, so I try to do as much as I can during the boys' nap time with Audriana cheering me on!  Work as a community and court mediator is always fascinating and I continue to really enjoy and appreciate the work that I do both outside and inside the home.

Whew!  That was a long couple of posts!  I hope it makes up for the lack of activity within the last few months.  Check back for pictures and news.  Hope you all are doing well.

Summer Update

It is so hard to believe that cooler weather is just around the corner.  After a scorching summer, we are sure looking forward to the change of season.  I realize that I have been neglectful of this blog for much of the summer.  With TWO kids starting school in the fall (yes, amazing, right?!?!), I am hoping that I will have more time for projects, work, one on one time with Espen, and of course, this blog :)

An update on our lives....

The Bear: TPS is still the other woman in our lives.  She steals Bjorn at the most inopportune moments, keeps him out until the wee hours of the morning and most cleverly, makes me work for her as well!  Hahaha.  I volunteered myself to design t-shirts and help plan parties for the group. With six months in and six more to go, we just recently welcomed the new junior class (yes, Bjorn can now begin his senior slide...riiight.) and their wives/significant others.  Only one more party to plan: GRADUATION!!!  Wooohooo....the light is at the end of the tunnel.  Despite this excitement, there is of course a silver-lining to the happiness: we are literally shoulder deep in flying, report writing and exams (and when I say "we" I really do mean the students...but we, as families, do suffer right along with them).

Bjorn is keeping a great perspective in all of this, despite the long hours and little sleep.  He is amazingly dedicated to coming home as much as his schedule will allow to eat dinner with all of us and doing Cross-fit.  Even though there is a lot of work ahead of him, this will also be the time where he will get to do a lot of the "fun" stuff in flying.  I am excited for him, but also nervous for him (I always get this way if he's not out flying the mighty, and safe, P-3!).

The Cubs: They are growing like crazy!  Audriana and Haakon are so imaginative in their play.  We are so blessed to be in a cul-da-sac with SO many wonderful neighbors and same-age children.  We are out in our "U" from pretty much after dinner until we get ready for bed....nearly 2 hours a night.  Now that Espen is a prolific walker, I have to be that much more of a swivel head.  It has only been within the last two weeks that Espen is truly walking completely unassisted....and zooming!  Haakon is potty-training.  Great success with peeing.  But having a BM is completely freaking him out.  So he asks for a diaper when he feels the urge to go #2.  I give in because (a) I hate getting sweaty forcing H to sit on the toilet to go poop while he's screaming "No, mommy! No mommy!"  There is something inherently wrong with it; (b) he will usually end up pooping somewhere with poop smeared on his butt cheeks (yes, do you have a visual yet?).  And this all equals NO FUN FOR MOMMY!  So, I am just going to bank on the fact that it will be unlikely that H will need to go #2 at school.  Please, please, PLEASE let that come true!  Audriana is becoming a wonderful, albeit bossy, big sister to her brothers.  She takes my rules and applies them to the max!  But she is also incredibly loving and caring of her brothers...and of me!  She is coming into a beautiful and spunky little girl.  She'll be starting ballet in the fall and she could not be more excited!

We began our summer with a trip out to Sesame Street Place during Bjorn's summer break. It was so much fun and the kids LOVED it.  We only went overnight and it was just the right amount of time.  We are fortunate hat Anheiser-Busch gives military families a free pass every year to any of their parks.  Unfortunately, the evening of our fun adventure to Sesame Street Place was the beginning of our nightmare with Espen.

As all five of us are packed in the hotel room that evening, Bjorn became violently ill.  A few hours later, Espen joined him.  Bjorn and I just finished watching "Contagion" a few nights before.  Needless to say, I am sure you can imagine what was running through both of our heads!  While Bjorn was sick, I had all three kids sleeping in bed with me.  With every movement of the kids, I shot up with hands outstretched (wrapped in a bath towel) ready to catch whatever came out of their mouths.  I was washing my hands like it was my job.  I kept repeating in my head: "I will not get sick.  I will not get sick.  I cannot get sick.  I cannot get sick."  I was afraid that one of my worst fears was coming true: a sick daddy, sick mommy, three sick babies and a 4- hour car ride between our hotel room and the comforts of home. There were times that I felt like I had to puke too, but I think I was feeling overly sympathetic.   Luckily, a worst fear was only a bad dream:  it was only one sick-daddy, one sick baby and a CAR sick baby.  In the course of no more than 12 hours, I think I was either puked or pooped on a total of NINE times.

This bug put Bjorn out of commission for about 5 days straight.  He is convinced that it was food poisoning from a sandwich that he shared with Espen.  Luckily, he was on a two week break from classes and used up pretty much all that time to recover.  Unfortunately for Espen, this is where our roller coaster nightmare took off.

Just as he looked like he was recovering, a new or previous symptom would re-emerge.  This went on for about a week or so.  He was seen by a couple of doctors, including one urgent care doctor, who tested him for strep throat (came back negative) and could not tell what was wrong.  Then I noticed that he was getting a rash all over his trunk.  It looked very similar to Audriana's bout with roseola, or 6th's Disease.  I called the doctor and he agreed that Espen was probably fighting a virus and that this was just his body's way of responding.  The next morning, not only did the appearance of the rash change, but he had diarrhea, fever, and his hands and feet were swollen.  I was done.  I took him to the hospital ER.  At this point we were at about 2 1/2 weeks into the illness.


Fortunately, on an early Sunday morning, people are slow to trickle in.  So we were the only ones waiting in the waiting room and only for about 2 or 3 minutes.  We were brought back right away.  Three nurses, plus myself, held Espen down as they tried to force feed him some Motrin to get his 103 fever down.  Completely unsuccessful.  The very sight of a medicinal bottle or syringe had him clamping his lips shut and saliva foaming at the mouth.  Espen is a pro.

The doctor comes in right away and examines my little boy.  He explained that kids usually get tons of viruses and they usually go away on their own without medical intervention.  However, there was one type of virus that they worry about in kids.  Kowasaki's Disease.  He went on to explain that this was a very dangerous type of virus and that medical intervention is needed as soon as it is diagnosed because it can prove to have permanent damage to the heart.  Ok. At this point I was waiting for him to tell that this was NOT what he thought our son had at all.  Instead, he says, "Espen is presenting symptoms very similar to Kowasaki's and we need to get a second opinion.  If the pediatrician on-call agrees with me, we will need to transport him to Walter Reed Hospital." The ped on-call comes in, examines Espen and agrees with the ER doc: Espen needs to be transported to Walter Reed for KD evaluation.  My stomach sinks.

At this point, I ask the doctor if we can just make the 2-hour drive up to Bethesda ourselves.  He says no.  Espen needs to be transported by ambulance.  My mind is racing....and guilt is settling in.  Why didn't I take him in sooner?  Why didn't I insist on the doctor's on base and at urgent care do a more thorough exam?   Everything was happening so fast.  Everything I read while waiting for the doctors indicated that KD is best treated within the first 10 days of the virus in order to avoid permanent damage to the heart.  We were at day 16!  What is going to happen to my beautiful little boy?

While we were waiting for the ambulance to take us, the ER nurses and doctor were amazingly dedicated to our care.  And the staff at Walter Reed were amazingly prepared and coordinated to take us on as patients.  They were calling periodically to check on Espen's condition.  I could not have asked for a better experience for what we had to go through that morning.

We arrived to Walter Reed and right away, Espen is evaluated for KD....by of course, more first year residents!  For those of you who know me, I appear to be a magnet for first year residents in Navy medicine.  I am not sure if I have an invisible sign to new doctors or what, but I feel like I am constantly  donating time and illness to the good of Navy medicine.  After a thorough evaluation, they are confident that Espen does NOT have KD.  At this point, I am grilling the doctors and their attending physician, of their certainty in ruling out KD.  The attending pointed out kids with KD are absolutely miserable.  Despite his fever and diarrhea and rashes and swelling, Espen is still smiling and flirting with the doctors.  After about 30 minutes of asking them questions, I was satisfied with their answers.
Unfortunately, Espen's illness continues for another 3 weeks and more visits up to Walter Reed.

Read more in part II of this post.

ER visit 

Dash-3 is very protective of his food and I think he was thinking that a nurse was going to come take his yummy graham cracker...

When we got up to Bethesda, they hooked him up to a heart monitor, IV and oxygen monitor right away.  He was such a GREAT sport with it all.

He never spent more than 5 minutes in the hospital crib.  Part of the perk of being sick was getting to sleep on Mommy's chest all night long and cuddling during the day.

And he's ready to go home any which way he can!

Dash-3's check-up

In keeping on par with the rest of our Dashes...here are Espen's 12-month child wellness stats:

Weight: 20.3 lbs. (22nd Percentile...we are creeping upward....YAY!)
Height: 31 inches (70th Percentile)
Head Circumference: I, unfortunately do not remember the measurement, BUT I do know that he is in the 70th percentile for this as well.

All in all, we have a VERY healthy and happy little one year old.  We are so blessed to have him in our lives.  He still does not walk, but very much gives the illusion to strangers and passerbys that he is a biped since he gets up and stands on his own very well.  He also only has 2.25 teeth.  However, those teeth are only for decorative purposes since I have never actually seen him use them.  He relies heavily on his gums to mash up delicious food that his brother and sister also devour.  Pictures to come soon....

Summertime around the bend

With our first summer in Southern Maryland just around the corner, we are excited to explore all the kid and family friendly opportunities around here.  When we told people that we were moving to Southern Maryland, we were faced with so many sympathetic smiles and whispered hugs that it was only going to a short time in the "boonies."  Well, in the few short months that we have been here, we have settled in here quite wonderfully.  And dare I say that we might actually be setting roots here?  Hmmm....

TJ Bridge...the kids LOVE "getting tall" on this bridge!

We have amazing neighbors with a neighborhood that has been such a wonderful blessing for our young and rambunctious big kids.  The backdrop of lush farmland, curious farm animals and beautiful water has been a great environment for our family and especially for our children.  I keep telling people that this area is very similar to the Pacific NW with the exception that there are no pretty mountains to admire (or springtime tulips and dahlias for that matter).  As much of a city girl that I am, I really do find myself enjoying the slower pace of country life and being calmer when I can't find things here that I know are easily accessible in the big city.  Yes, having to drive 60+ miles to the nearest Nordstroms', Trader Joe's and Whole Foods is a pretty much a drag, BUT the availability of access to our organic CSA farm here is incredible.  I LOVE being able to take the kids to the farm where we can see the fruits and vegetables that we will be eating grow.  I LOVE being able to point out the horses and cows pasturing in the fields on our drives to church and then hearing the big kids' squeals of delight.  And of course, being able to take the kids to a quiet air museum near base has also been a huge plus (ok, its not really quiet and Dash-2 has taken to wearing hearing protection when jumping into the car now).  But there is seriously so many incredible resources here in SoMd for the kids.  Its been fantastic for our children and for us as a family.  Now, if TPS would stop stealing Bjorn so often, life would be exsquisitely perfect!

To celebrate one year since my last delivery, I decided on a whim to run a 5k this Memorial Day Weekend.  Not to brag (ok, maybe a little bit...because I was so darn proud and excited), but I set a PR for my one mile time and came in under my goal time for the race :)

Happy Birthday, Espen!

I can hardly believe that one year has flown by so quickly.  It seems just like yesterday that I was calling the Labor and Delivery Deck hoping that they would tell me to rush to the hospital right away because my baby was going to come NOW.  Instead, they told me that I could come in if I wanted.  I remember thinking that this did not help my cause because I have a husband who is INFAMOUS for his wait and see approach to medical situations and emergencies.  I was dying to meet this little man and see what he looks like (and if he actually fell into the 13%).  So after dinner, I said a sniffly goodbye to the big kids and left them in the safe, yet inexperienced, hands of Uncle Erik Roger, telling them that we would probably be sent home around 10pm or so.  We got to the hospital and I was offered to be a medical guinea pig to yet another first year resident.  After a flurry of nurses checking us in and getting our names and numbers, a familiar face finally shows up: the first year resident who delivered Haakon was the doctor on deck!  Hooray!  And she was now a 2nd year resident...finally a win! After a round of tests, one of which was an ultrasound to catch particular movements of baby for 30 minutes, it was determined that too many things were pointing in the direction of emerging emergency that I needed to be induced. No. No. No.  This was not part of my birth plan.  Pitocin was absolutely unequivocally stated that it was to be avoided at all costs (primarily because it bloats me up).  And the C-word was not to be mention: caesarean.  That was not an option.  I would WILL this baby out before I would have a doctor make any sort of incision on my belly.  At the options that I was given, Pitocin seemed the most benign and I gave in....despite knowing that my first pictures with baby was going to be bloaty.  Ah, sacrifice.  

I remember being terribly cold and my teeth chattering together as Bjorn and I were being given our options for the night.  I think both the doctor and Bjorn thought that my teeth were chattering because I was so upset.  No, that was not the case.  It was because the triage room was set to a balmy 58 degrees and apparently, I was the only who was cold at this temperature! Then we were moved to our labor and delivery room.  I had to remind all the nurses that despite all that pitocin that they were pumping into me, I was not interested in any sort of narcotic or epidural during my labor and delivery.  The nurses, who I am sure have heard this mantra by many laboring mothers only to beg for said drugs hours later, gave me a patronizing um-hmm.  I labored all night with Pitocin hooked and dripped to me.  Bjorn squeezed into bed with me to try to comfort me.  Then my L&D nurse came in to check on me and sternly pointed to the  cot next to the wall and said, "Sir, that is your bed."  I snickered.  And then I a contraction hit.  I kept telling them that if they broke my water, I promised that everything would go smoothly and that baby would make an appearance VERY shortly thereafter just like my other two babies.  I PROMISE.  After 4 hours of pitocin, they finally broke my water.  And 30 minutes after my water was broken, Baby Espen Terak made his debut!  And what a debut it was: bruised, blotchy and screaming mad!  He came through the birth canal so quickly that his face was black and blue and his eyes had broken blood vessels.  Poor guy.  Like his sister and brother, he came out hungry and ready to nurse :)  We were incredibly blessed and fell in love all over again with another baby.  

Happy birthday to my dear sweet Espen boy!  You are an amazing baby who has held Mommy, Daddy, Audriana, Haakon and even Scout captive with your sweet gummy smiles, contagious belly laughs, unending appetite and curiosity.  From the moment you were born, we surrendered our hearts to you.  In it, you will find all our hopes and dreams for you and most importantly, our never-ending love for a beautiful spirited son like you.  We have waited and wanted you for forever.  Wherever your dreams take you, follow them and always know that we are never far behind.  The next few years will be filled with adventures, delights, fears and tears.  But with your big sister and brother to help teach you the ropes, we know that you will be just as mischievous as them and bring just as much laughter, love and joy to us and our family.  Whatever you chose to do in life, may God always shine his blessings on you, son.  To the first of many, many, many wonderful birthdays, Espen Terak.  

Happy Mother's Day

Today, I woke up to the glorious aroma of fried bacon woven with a hint of coffee.  And one of the best parts of this morning: I did not get out of bed until 8:30 AM!  That is the equivalent of a teenager waking up at 1PM!  The two sandwiches (Audriana and Espen....they "sandwich" Haakon.  Get it?) did not wake up until 8:30 either!  Have you yet realized as you are reading this that I have used three exclamation marks it a row?  Yes, it was that kind of morning....thrilling, exciting, and oh, so delicious.  Haakon got up early with Daddy to head out the grocery store to pick up ingredients for crab eggs benedict....with a side of bacon.  Bjorn once again pulled out all the stops to showcase his secret culinary skills.  I stand in awe.  I have yet to attempt to poach or soft-boil eggs.  But he got it perfect on his first try.   Lucky ducky! The final result was amazing.  It was a wonderful breakfast treat to enjoy with all the loves of my life.  This truly was the best gift a mother could ask for: yummy food, a hunky husband (who cooks) and the MOST adorable babies anyone has ever laid eyes on!  Honestly.  I win! I win! I win!  Afterwards, we played and then loaded up the car to go wish Great-Grandma Kem a happy mother's day as well (unfortunately, Bjorn was not able to join us because of school and homework).  We delivered a stunning bouquet of sun flowers to Great Grandma and some beautiful farm fresh organic strawberries and shitake mushrooms to enjoy.  It was wonderful to spend the day with her, my Aunt Mony, Uncle Tho, and cousins.  Always so much fun to be with family and see my little babes play with their cousins.  And because we were in DC, I even got to squeeze in a trip to the Ikea.  I was pretty much a little kid in a candy store.  It took all my self control in the deepest recess of my will power to stop myself from buying all the super cool kitchen toys for the kids, not to mention tents and tunnels.  No wonder Grandma Kris' and Grandpa Byron's house is rampant with Ikea stuff for the grandbabies!

At any rate, in light of today's festivities, I just have to say that I am grateful to have been given the gift of motherhood.  Each time I carried and delivered each of my babies and looked into their eyes for the first time, I fell in love over and over again.  In each of their eyes, I saw all the things that I did right, all the love my soul possessed and all the hope I carried in my heart.  No matter what they choose to do in life or what path they take, I want them to always know that mama is always right behind them, ushering them forward to be the best person that they can be, and holding them upward.  As mothers, we hope that the things we choose for our children are the right things.  We agonize over the little details.  We second-guess ourselves.  We constantly wonder if we are raising good children.  Why do we do this?  I sometimes think that its because we try to make up for the mistakes and heartaches that we experience(d) in our own lives and we vainly (sometimes) try to keep those mistakes from our children as mothers.  But however vain or futile those attempts are, at the end of the day, I think it comes down to one thing: the intense love and protectiveness that is innately ingrained is us as maternal beings.  I would easily and quickly lay down my life for any or all of my babies if it meant that theirs would be saved or eased.  That is what motherhood means: sacrifice for the love of our children.  I wouldn't have it any other way.

My joy as a mother cannot go without credit to some of the women in my lives now.  I am so grateful to have been given the gift of a beautiful mother who has guided me from girlhood to womanhood and now to motherhood with such poise, patience and beauty.  I would be so lost without her.  She is the woman I strive to be.  I consider it an immense compliment when friends, family or strangers tell me that I am in some way shape or form like my mom.  It leaves with a big smile and a content heart.  Equally, the day I married my husband, I was given another gift: a mother-in-law who not only loves me like her own, but compounds me with grace, humility and selflessness.  I am tremendously lucky to be able to call these two women, Mom.  Through each of them, I was taught what it means to be, "mom."  I saw from my mother what it means to sacrifice for your children....to always put their needs first.  I learned that being a mom is much more than a three letter word.  Even if I had five lifetimes, I could not thank this woman enough for all that she has taught and the gifts she has bestowed upon me.  So rather than just  "happy mother's day," I think "thank you" says so much more.  From my mother-in-law, I saw just how generous a mother could be to a daughter who is merely related to her by marriage.  Her love and affection for me has never been restrained or bounded by the "in-law" part of our relationship.  She has taught me so much in the ability to just love.  I hope that when my daughter and sons are grown and have found their mates in life,  I will be just as generous in my ability to love.  I hope I will be able to extend the same grace, humility and selflessness that my mother-in-law has so generously given to me.  Thank you!  These women are incredible and I hope that you each of  you will have the opportunity soon to tell the incredible mom in your life how much she means to you.  I love you, Mom and MIL!

Happy Mothers Day and thank you for all that you do!

Another goodie....

Espen in his Chinese shirt during cocktail hour at the reception.

Haakon...

Future Test Pilots?

I woke up one morning to find this after Bjorn had left and Audriana had come running into my room telling me that Haakon was in trouble. 

I searched and searched and found the epicenter.

Haakon's partner in crime.

Scout, the amazing four-legged big brother!

Wedding News

Congratulations to Brad and Chenda!  We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Brad (or Uncle Brad) into our family this past week.  The five of us traveled up to Minnesota for my sister's Cambodian wedding ceremony. In addition, I left the kids for the first time with Mima and Bumpa while I headed out to Hawaii for the bride and groom's official wedding ceremony.  It was an incredible whirlwind and unforgettable week and we are so glad that we go to be a part of it!

Before I go any further, I am sure that many of you have read my post from about this time last year highlighting my last commercial flight with Audriana and Haakon.  I vowed that it was going to be a long long LONG time before I stepped aboard another plane with my children.  My, my, how the mighty have fallen.  Ok well, not actually.  I did get on another commercial flight with my children and this time around, I added an extra child JUST to see if we could get TSA to boot us from the plane (kidding!).  To my astonishment, my two once-hellion children were p e r f e c t angels on the flight.  They listened.  They waited patiently for the food and beverage cart to roll by. They declared loudly that we were blasting off to Mars at take off.  They giggled at landing.  They are a mother's dream.  VICTORY.... REDEMPTION.  Finally.  My take away from the successful flight was to stock up on play-dough, stickers, crayons, coloring books, gummy bears and most of all, a shiny new Cars character toy for each leg of the trip (Target was having a sale on them for $0.99).  Plus, the sit-n-stroll carseat stroller was amazing for a certain little man who gets too tired to walk after 5 steps.  The littlest man in the family still needs a little bit more traveling to be as jet-set as his big brother and sister.  He was a handful and that is all I will say.  No need to mar the perfection of our last travel excursion with a smudge :)

Haakon in his Chinese outfit from Mima's last trip to China.

Back to the wedding.  So on Saturday morning, we woke up early to prepare for the 8AM dowry procession for wedding.  Audriana and Haakon were both suppose to be in the procession holding little baskets of flower in front of their new uncle.  Not only that, but they also needed to be in traditional Cambodian garb.  It took quite a bit of bribery, conjoling and exaggerated compliments for Audriana to get into costume.  In the end, she came through beautifully.  Haakon was another story.  He put it on after the same trial as his sister.  But as soon as he got a peek in the mirror of himself, he took his bottom off and strutted around the bridal suite showing off his best pair of Huggies diapers.  Classy.  So we had to call in a second string player and all was saved for the 8AM kick-off of festivities.  My words could not do justice to the ceremony.  It was tremendous to know that Bjorn and I went through the same thing almost 7 years ago and humbling now that we are on the other side giving blessings to the new bride and groom.  My words could not do the ceremony justice, but the pictures capture the morning beautifully.  Here is the link to their wedding photographer, Joe Krummel, who tells the story stunningly with his camera.   Click here to see pictures from their Cambodian ceremony.  Afterwards we got to kick off our shoes and dance the night away with dinner and cocktails at Atlas Grill.  It was so much fun.  Bjorn and I got to dance and enjoy ourselves while Mima and Bumpa and Auntie Kari brought the kids home and helped them to bed.  We are so grateful for their help so that we could enjoy ourselves.

Some of the aunties plus me and my gorgeous cousin, Julie (left),
during cocktail hour at Atlas Grill.

The following Monday, a group of us made our way to Kaui'i to see Brad and Chenda get married officially.  The Garden Island is breathtaking!  The ceremony was incredible.  The sights and food of the island was out of this world and best of all...I can't wait to go back with Bjorn (and maybe the kids :) .  Here is a sneak peek of their wedding from Joe.  It was a super short trip for me since it was first time that we had ever left the kids without either one of us with them.  But I did manage to make a trip out to see Waimea Canyon (the Grand Canyon of the Pacific), toured the Kaui'i Coffee Plantation, hit the beaches and chase after a few chickens (there are more chickens on that island than there are people!).  There was plenty more I wanted to do, but I had to pick and choose.  So hopefully, we'll go back there REAL soon!

My mom and me.

After a brief hiatus....we're back!

Wow!  I can't believe how much time has flown by since my last post.  Its been a crazy whirlwind last few months, but boy, have we ever enjoyed having the Daddy-man's undivided attention that entire time without the distraction of work and flying.  The kids absolutely blossomed and adored spending time with Daddy and I think Daddy enjoyed the time spent getting to know his babies even more!

For Thanksgiving, we decided to make the 23 hour road trip from Maryland up to Minnesota to see family.  The kids did AMAZING for all the time they spent strapped in their carseats and we were incredibly lucky to have the gift of amazing friends who opened their homes to us half way through in Indiana.  Our friends,  the Silverbergs, live in Indiana and are owners of a beautiful red porsche....or also known as Lightning McQueen to a certain two-year old little boy.  We spent the first day's car ride watching "Cars" and when we pulled up at dinner time with Mr. Silverberg showing Haakon the red porsche, we were certain that Haakon's eyes were going to pop out of his head with disbelief!  He was so excited.  Since returning home, Haakon has since referred to our friends' car (their son and who also happens to own a gray porsche) as Lightning McQueen's cousin.  This observation is then generally accompanied by a low rumble from Haakon as to signal the start of the engine.  Our friends, Jon and Tiffany, are tickled to death by this compliment :)

Lightning McQueen

For Christmas and New Year, we decided to keep it low key and stay home in MD.  But since we live a mere 2 hours away from my grandmother, aunties, uncles and a bucket load of cousins, we meandered to the DC area on Christmas Eve to celebrate our first Christmas with my mom's family EVER (I know, its terrible, but traveling from one snowy place to another was never a huge temptation and our families are so huge).  It was the best big family Christmas that I could have asked for for our children.  They got to run around, play with their big cousins, great-aunts and -uncles, chase around Lucy-dog, stay up late and open tons and tons of presents!  We are so so incredibly blessed to have a family who utterly showered us so with  love, affection, and gifts.  And the cherry on top of the season was the last minute visit from Grandma Kris and Grandpa Byron (also affectionately known as Mima and Bumpa).  It was so lovely to see and spend time with them both.  And as always, house and personal projects are always accomplished with them in our corner.  Thank you!

A few days after New Year's, reality had finally settled in on us: it was time to return Bjorn back to the Navy.  It was an incredible two months of having him selfishly to ourselves and the five of us savored and stretched every moment of it.  He traveled down South to get qualified on a training jet and I got to figure out single parenthood in a new state with three children three and under....talk about baptism by the fire!  But our survival was not without help.  Grandma Charey came out to help me (actually just spend time with the grandkids) for a week and it was so much fun!  She was instrumental in helping me keep sane after so much time with Bjorn.  So really, I only had three weeks of single parenthood.  Looking back on it, it was probably the best "welcome" to the next 12 months there could have been.  I still very much love the kids and the kids love me right back.  We're good!

So we're very much well into TPS and its everything that everyone told it would be.  We are LOVING Southern Maryland and everything it has to offer.  Although its not exactly the pristine-ness of the Pacific Northwest, its a good imitation :)  We are looking forward to the next few years here and all that is in store for the Anderson family!  

We're here!

After flying solo for 29 days with three babes under three (plus a neurotic pup), orchestrating a 734-mile military move, and executing said move, we finally made it to Patuxent River, Maryland!  I am thrilled to report that the kids did AMAZING during the car trip and I am still pretty sane (though bone tired!).  The pup, however, was an entirely different story.

To help with the move, my dad flew in from Minneapolis to Jax to help me make the drive.  In a stroke of pure genius, I decided that we should break up the 12-hour drive into two days rather than break-necking it in one.  Dad's flight got in late in the evening and since it was already a good 45-minute drive north of our Jax house, I decided that it was best to simply keep driving northward.  I had Scout on the maximum dosage of his tranquilizers.  For the 3 hours that we drove after picking up Grandpa Tong, it appeared that the meds seemed to be doing its job...not knocking him out, but just taking the edge off.  Then we stopped at a roadside motel.  We got one room with 2 full size beds.  The plan was have Audriana sleep with me in one bed, Haakon with Grandpa in the other and Espen in the pack and play.  Unfortunately, Audriana had other plans.

We stopped to sleep at 10:30.  Espen fell asleep promptly since it was well past his usual bedtime.  Haakon fell asleep at around 11:15....in bed with me.  Scout was passed out, happy that we were no longer in a moving vehicle.  Audriana was still jumping around in my bed.  Espen then woke up for a midnight snack.  He then falls asleep in bed with us.  Audriana was still jumping around.  Then I hear the light snores of Grandpa Tong.  Finally, at 3:30AM, Audriana falls asleep, arms and legs wrapped around my stomach as if hanging on for dear life.  Five-thirty rolls around and the alarm goes off. And we set charge for the final leg of the trip to our new home.

According to my calculations, the second and last leg of our trip should take us no more than 10 hours, including extended stops for all the kids.  Since the motel offered a rather elaborate sit-down breakfast, we thought that it would be good to get the kids fully fed and then hit the road.  The kids ate that breakfast like it was their last meal.  It seemed like the perfect beginning to our trip.  Scout had other plans.

Hour 2 of the trip required a lengthy pit stop to make sure that Scout could do his business (since he refused to do it before we left the motel).  Hour 4, Scout manages to paw at the kennel door enough that he's got it opening inward.  And because he is so neurotic, he manages to get his collar hooked onto the door so that every time he would move, his collar would tighten more and more...essentially choking himself.  So we made another lengthy pit stop to ensure that he was ok and walked him around even more.  The collar comes off.  Hour 6, Scout manages to open his door and crawl out of his kennel.  He then proceeds to jump on Audriana as we are traveling down the freeway at 75 miles per hour.  So, we are all in the Yukon and I have my two-year old daughter screaming because her 75 lbs. pup is trying to sit on her lap.  I can't get a good grip on him because we took his collar off two hours earlier.  And yet another stop.  Finally, 14 hours after leaving the motel, we make it to Scout's hotel.  Hallelujah!  Never was I happier than when I saw that dog boarding place.

The next morning, we drove to our new house and did the walk through.  We LOVE our new house and the neighborhood.  Lots of kiddos our kids' age.  The house is really comfy and roomy for our family.  Once we get settled in, I'll post pics.  Until then, please enjoy the newest pics of from our first Halloween  as Little Bo Peep and the three little sheep and the kids around the house.

SPECIAL THANK YOUs:  The kids have the most AMAZING grandparents ever!  Shout out goes to Grandpa Tong for his amazing patience with me and the kids (though, mostly with me) during our car trip!  I know I was sort of a crabby monster and not fun to be around, so thanks for not jumping ship (or rather, car) and staying for the long haul....good thing, I have cute kids :)  Huge thanks to Grandma Kris and Grandpa Byron for their trip shortly thereafter.  And extra special thank you to Grandma Charey and Grandma Kris for helping me put together the kids' Halloween costumes.  They were the hit of the neighborhood!

Little Bo Peep and her three little sheep

Sheep #1 trying out the candy before the festivities even begin.

Sheep #2 following suit.

Sheep #3 wishing that he could also try the treats beforehand.

The willy little fox!

Sibling love!

Baby E

She's very protective of her little brother and LOVES being mommy to him.

Trying out a new hair do!

A budding movie star...no matter than his sunglasses are stolen from his sister AND that they are upside down.

The babes!