When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

That smile melts my heart everyday, and always seems to come when I need it most. Feeling so blessed to have a little 3 month old boy to call our own.

Easter 2016

The Easter Bunny came to Bethel and treated the Ferriters very well!

It only took us an hour to get everyone fed, clean and dressed and no one had an accident before church!

Then it was off to Fairfield for Easter at the Gleasons, with all the fun that holidays with cousins brings and lots of good food, thanks to Aunt Kerin and Uncle Sean!

ST. Pat's in Holyoke

It's that time of year again! Time for the Holyoke Road Race and Maury's maiden voyage to Ama and Papa's house for the ST. Patrick's Day Festivities. As always, we had a ball with all of the aunts, uncles, grandparents- laughing until our sides hurts, and running until our quads hurt.. or at least Emmet did :)

Lap time with Nana Ro Ro

 Kitchen giggles with Silly Ama after having their nails painted by Mae Mae

Still has the magic touch!

All smiles after a good nap in Joe and Jack's room

Maury Emmet and Emmet Pierce

With the Minnesotans :)

Grandpa Ferriter cheers on the guys with Cora in her new Irish Princess hat!

 Way to represent boys- next year Kat and I are back in! or maybe in two years...who will watch all of our monsters while we race??

That's the sign of a good family weekend, and a good trip home... three down :)

In the Name of the Father, and Of the Son...

Uncle Mark made yet another Baptism in our family so intimate and memorable. We are so grateful that so many relatives could be there, both at the church and at the party following at Tambascio's Italian Grill. Cheers to the Godparents, Katherine and Fritz and Uncle Conor for staying at our house with the chaos of three young children going on. 

Emmet and I feel we were blessed in a special way with a healthy pregnancy and delivery, despite some medical complications, and couldn't have been more proud to bless Maury Emmet today. May he grow to be  kind, and wise, and loving, like his namesake, his Grandpa Maury up in heaven, who we know was here today in spirit.

Happy St. Pat's!

It's my favorite day of the year again, and nothing makes me happier than dressing my kids up in shamrocks and tams and heading down to the Gaelic American Club in Fairfield to see Kerin, Sean, Maddie and James, share a pint and enjoy the Irish music. It really is true, "IF you're lucky enough to be Irish... you're lucky enough!"

PS On the way home, we had the added bonus of picking up Uncle Conor at the airport!!

Puzzle Queen

It always fascinates me how the kids go through phases where they are absolutely obsessed with something for a few weeks or months and then it completely switches out and is replaced by something new. Cora is in an incredible puzzle obsessed phase right now and has been for about 2 months. She is working on the 5 puzzles we have every moment of the day, and insists on leaving them out on the coffee table and the ground "So Daddy can see them when he gets home." I want to make a note of it because soon it will be a distant memory and I love watching her complete these advanced pictures on her own and running up to me wherever I am to show me and get my praise before moving onto the next one. I absolutely adore her. Thank you, also, to her puzzle obsession for helping me potty train her. It wasn't until I bribed her with a new puzzle that she expressed any interest in moving forward with getting out of diapers :)

This is her favorite, "The Nantucket Puzzle" - others include "The Farm Puzzle," "The Princess Puzzle" and the "Princess and the Pea Puzzle"

Potty Training Kid #2

After chasing my little Cora down to change her diaper and listening to her tantrums for months, I was determined to potty train her while I had Emmet home. He walked in the door from taking Keeley skiing Friday, saw Cora in her underwear and looked at me confused: "We're potty training her. I can't do it anymore. She's capable." Poor Emmet. I had put it off for so long already though. She has shown interest since last summer, and clearly understands the process in this house with one bathroom that should not even have a door,with the few times that anyone ever closes it. 

But potty training is never an easy task, and after three days of cleaning up pee pee and encouraging without showing frustration, Emmet and I were exhausted and ready to give up. And then finally, she "got her pee pee in there." This picture is worth a thousand words. And once she got it in once, she continued to get it in the whole day, and ever finished her potty chart which will earn her a new puzzle tomorrow in town :) I'm sure it will take a few weeks to really get it down, but the hardest work has been done. Proud of you Cora Larkin. Such a BIG GIRL.  Phew. Maury may have to potty train himself. 

The new Big Sister in Town

When Keeley is at school, it's just Cora, Maury and me these days, and Cora is loving it. I have seen so much growth in her, as she comes with me on my errands and "helps Mommy" with the baby. She is loving being a big sister, and she adores Maury. I am really impressed with her relationship with him, as I was expecting a lot more jealousy. She honestly loves him to pieces, and gets as close as she can to him every time he's awake saying "Hey sweetie, are you happy or sad?"

Growing up Before Me

Emmet had a two week vacation from residency, and so he and Keels had lots of quality time together while I stuck with the younger two. She has been so patient and helpful since Maury was born, and we wanted her to have some special experiences to set her apart and make her feel older. I have had so many moments recently, where I watch Keeley from afar, and am amazed by what a big girl she is. I can't believe all that she knows and all that she can do, and it is a joy to watch her with her beloved Daddy.

Keeley got her first real ski trip in with Emmet last week, and loved every minute. I can't believe she was up on the chair lift! Much braver than me. I don't think Emmet could be any happier in this moment. I hope I can keep up with all my kids and Emmet on the mountain in the future.I will stick to my green circle and catch them at the lodge!

And We're back

After two months of hibernating, nursing this baby, and making sure my scar was healed correctly, I have been dying to move about town on my own with these three to prove to myself that I could do it. My friend Jill calling this week to say she couldn't do our carpool because her kids were sick was just the impetus I needed to get myself in gear and get everyone dressed, fed and out the door to preschool drop off by 9 am. It wasn't easy, but we did it. I can't believe I am looking at this in my rearview now...

Now able to bear some exercise and weight on my lower body, I have been dying to go on our first hike as a family of 5. A 50 degree, sunny day on the weekend made for the perfect opportunity to go to Huntington Park and take Maury on his first outdoor adventure. Emmet and I were on cloud 9, walking through the woods of our favorite local park, with our three children by our side. It feels like we are getting back to our old selves, one week at a time.

Can't get enough of these two explorers- after a winter of bickering indoors, I love to see them loving life as buddies again, outside and free.