First Tooth

Here it is...the first tooth after weeks of constant drool, a neck rash requiring hydrocortisone, doses and tylenol and motrin, and realizing that owning 30 bibs isn't enough not do laundry for 4 days....Jack's first tooth erupted on 6/10 and is making progress....

Flexible Jack

The Olympics are almost here and Jack's practicing his baby flexibility....yes, he can & does suck his toes. He prefers his big toes. Here he is doing his hamstring stretch...without the pain that will be involved in another 40-50 years....oh, to be young again....

Jack's Remote

It's only just begun...the battle in Seattle....over the remote control! Jack wants to grab everything now...even MY remote...so we have an extra one and gave him his own remote...sans(without) batteries. He's happy now!

Sitting Jack

I'm sure every mother feels this...but Jack is the most beautiful baby in the world. Maybe it's the hours and hours that I spend looking at him because I see other babies at work who I think are beautiful too. But no other baby melts my heart like Jack does. Here he is...an almost, non-supported sit. Mr. Pooh Bear isn't really necessary anymore to help hold Jack sitting up....he's so proud of himself...

Jack Likes Avocado

Jack's first food was rice cereal, then sweet potatoes (Daddy Tarheel chose this southern veggie, while Mommy was working)...and then...drum roll.....avocado! Now, we bi-coastal parents (one being from CA and one from NC) have to alternate our veggies....Sweet potatoes was first, then we have a classic Californian favorite veggie. And Jack loves both...like he loves both his parents!

20 pound Boy

I'm sure all you picture hungry people were wondering why didn't I post some pictures of Jack @ 6 months yet....well, I hadn't taken them yet...

We took Jack to Dr. Brian for his 6 month visit and here are the stats:

Jack is

20 pounds, 6 oz---can you believe it? And he is 27.75 inches tall---both of these are in the 90% percentile. His head is 75%--which is OK...& normal....& in the normal range (ha, ha). So here is a sample conversation between me & Dr. Brian:

From Mommy Tarheel...."now, Jack can roll over and has rolled over, but doesn't like to roll over very much. The Denver (a developmental scale) says that he should be rolling over @ 5 months...are you concerned?"

Dr. Brian, smiling.."look, he is sitting with minimal support and those scales were developed when babies slept on their stomachs, so there's no cause for concern."

Then Jack looked up and rolled over! Daddy Tarheel & I both laughed!

6 Months of Joy

Well today, Mr. Jack Attack, is 6 months old...I can't believe how fast it has gone or how slow all the long, sleepless nights have been for us over 40 parents. Each day is filled with it's joys and challenges and I have never been so very grateful for a gift from God, than for our baby Jack. For so long, I felt so angry and directed this toward God and others, when in all reality, I was angry at myself. Misplaced emotion, I call it. And so much wasted time and energy...

The anger has receded and even the relief. Yes, there was so much relief, when I saw Jack, born @ 37 weeks, and he was healthy. I'm glad of who I have become because of this process. Now, don't get me wrong, I didn't like walking through the fire. I resisted at every step. But, I have become the person that God saw would be the right person to be the mother of Jack. But the waiting was so agonizing.

So now, we're about the business of parenting Jack. He didn't come with a manual for an over-analyzing & sometimes controlling Mother. I'm sure there are more fires to walk through...maybe I'll remember faster next time (I really am a smart person, not as smart as RaRa, but almost)....there's value in the journey to your destination and hopefully, I won't waste so much time on misplaced emotion.

Hunting for Hugs

Daddy Tarheel took Jack to the new, big Cabela's store and Jack got his first hunting hat...you can't read it but it says...Hunting for Hugs! Mommy asked where was the orange hat that keeps a person from being the target of another hunter? Mommies have a different agenda when it comes to hunting...but she can forsee future October trips without her boys...maybe involving her sisters and best friends and a beach somewhere....

Wearing Cereal

Jack's eating cereal, or rather, wearing it...We're learning to prepare it....this time, it was a little too runny. Yes, that's a Florida Gator image on his bib (thanks Kim, my Gator friend). Yes, Jack can be a Gator except when they are playing the Tarheels...& I'm holding a grudge against them for winning 2 national championships in a row...(no fair)...

Our big boy is almost 6 months old....I feel that time is going in fast forward and I want to slow it down, but I can't. If I could, I'd stop the march across our faces too....

We Remember--Memorial Day 2008

Old Glory against the beautiful Northwest Sky!

All gave some, but some gave all...Jack & I took a drive today to Tahoma National Cemetery...the resting place for many, many heros. We walked around section 7, reading the stones....I had researched the location for SFC Nathan Ross Chapman...killed in action on 1/4/02. I remember seeing the picture of him and his family in the paper taken shortly before his deployment...I pledged never to forget his and his family's sacrifice.

We saw a 2nd Ranger Bn scroll & I remembered my year in Savannah, GA when Mr. Tarheel was there....

We ran across another hero...a police hero....

King County Sheriff's Deputy Richard Herzog was killed in the line of duty on 6/22/02 and was retired Army Special Forces. Jack & I only had one flag to leave..so we left it here....remembering...& thankful for their sacrifice.

Jack & Daddy

Jack & Daddy....& there's Tucker's back & his Ridge...all having fun together!

Happy Birthday Grandma Myers

Today is a very special someone's birthday....Grandma Myers! She is so sweet and loves us so much....We hope you have a great birthday! Since Jack can't talk yet, except to say WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA, we wrote out a sign that he was so happy to hold!

Jack's New Talent

Here's Jack's belly and Jack....

Jack grabs and holds his feet...he likes his big toes alot! He can only do this with his diaper off though. He's quite proud of himself! Notice the strategic burp cloth placement...this blog is rated G!

Tucker & Jack

My, oh, my...here's the first picture of our month old bull calf...product of #38 and Buffalo Creek's Cherokee Canyon...yeah, yeah, yeah, you say...it's another cute red cow! We would've rather had a girl...you know....b/c they can have calves and baby bulls usually go to that pasture in the sky (AKA, my freezer)....OK, that's enough cow talk....On to Jack talk...

Here's a rare, hard to get picture of both Tucker and Jack....Tucker is smiling (AKA panting) and Jack isn't...Jack wonders...why does my Mommy disappear behind that big, black Nikon?

It's another (well, actually, the 2nd) nice summer day on the farm....

Hot Weather Ramblings

The new bath tub seat...notice, the "I'm not so sure I like this" look!

Jack has been sitting with support for awhile now, but here he is in his Bumba seat with play tray...it's great to keep those mooing cow toys within reach!

Concentration, extraordinaire! Maybe his thought is..."but my cows are red, not black & white!"

Every day is a new adventure and yesterday, we were off to one of our rare shopping trips to Babies*R*Us. I think I've spoken about this before, in my past infertile life, but for an infertile, going to this mega store is like a knife in the heart. When I was pregnant, it was mostly about feeling overwhelmed about deciding how much baby equipment and supplies to register for or buy.

Now, I'm one of the "other" types of people in the store...the mothers with the lists, the diaper bags, the intermittently ignored, whining baby...securely strapped in, of course. The women on a time-constrained mission. There is no browsing in my life. There is a baseline sense of urgency that permeates, even my creativity for blog posting (yes, it's 0544 in the morning, and I am enjoying a leisurely cup of coffee)....

So here we were....I saw other mothers there....there were brand new ones, who I had a very kind smile for...the smile that says, I know what you are going through and yes, despite your weariness, the love you have for your baby will get you through the long newborn days. The toddler mothers had a different smile for me...one that says, just you wait, when your son can scream "NO" louder than any other child.

We tried the new bath tub seat but Jack's not so sure about that one...I think he prefers to lay back so he can kick. Plus, he didn't want anything to do with the strategically placed whale that I needed to use to be discreet during his photo shoot.

Summer's here in the Northwest!~ Thanks to everyone who doesn't live here, but keeps up with our weather for us....you know who you are....celebrate with us when it's warmer than 60, but we don't have to keep discussing our rain for the rest of the 8 months of the year. The rain gets long and old and until you have been here, done that, you probably won't realize how we really don't want to keep talking like a broken record about the gray, wet weather.

Oh, by the way, Jack got hot yesterday for the first time in his life. Yes, really, hot...like sweating. He screamed, so I don't think he liked it. But he likes air conditioning...that lucky boy!

Swinging Jack

Jack is almost too big for his swing...but it still works to entertain and rock him...so we're keeping it for awhile longer. He loves to watch the circular mobile above him and he listens to the music....I know he is listening, b/c as soon as the music stops...he lets out a protest whine for us to restart it. He really does have 2 intelligent adults very well trained. Now, he will focus on one of the "flying fish" on the mobile and follow it all the way around...this involves tilting his head back a little....like in the picture. It's so funny to watch! He has a Tarheel88 look on his face...you know the mouth is slightly open because the level of concentration is so high....that's the look that I have when I have deep concentration.

Oh, by the way, have you noticed....green is his favorite color!

Annointed One

Here's Jack after his dedication at church on Mother's Day...he doesn't look too interested here, but he was actually very attentive and smiley....He didn't cry while Pastor Scott was talking about what his name meant...Annointed One... and looked out into the audience with interest. We're so blessed to have such a wonderful church family who have embraced and supported us throughout the pregnancy and since Jack was born. Thank you!

He wore a flannel shirt for the first time and looked so cute...and his 6-12 month Robez (navy & red...one with a football helmet and one with a football..GO SEAHAWKS! & thank you Aunt Joan!).

Jack was so generous with his Mother's Day present of new (nice) sunglasses...a pair of polarized Smith's...for once, Tarheel88's sunglasses didn't come from Rite Aid. Now, let's see how long I can keep from breaking them. Hopefully summer will be here soon in the Northwest!

There's Nothing Like a Mother & Her Son

Today's one of those days long hoped for, long dreamed about. The first Mother's Day of a new Mom....For so long, I was only a Mom-Wanna-be...Now, b/c of patience, perserverence, lots of money, and Jack...I am a Mom! Motherhood is so many things that I knew it would be, and so many other things that I never even considered. I knew I would have my Ah-Ha moments...that I had finally arrived at my destination or the end of a long, hard journey. I never dreamed of the ferocity or intensity of the love that you have for your child. I didn't consider the endurance and hard work that's required of motherhood. I never knew it would be so fun!

Jack rolled over (from tummy to back) on Friday...you know, of course, it was while I was at work and he was with Mr. Tarheel. Jack hasn't enjoyed tummy time very much but Mr. Tarheel put him down under his "gym" and he immediately rolled over, and over, and over...a total of 3 times. Now, I tried to get him to do it the next day....he would just look up at me, like in the picture above, and laugh and laugh and laugh. So much for Jack trying to impress his mother. I'll have to wait for him to get a little older to encourage him to perform his tricks after I get home from work!

Jack @ 5 months

Here's Jack @ 5 months old...he loves to laugh and put his fingers in his mouth. He's one happy baby!

Quack Quack Jack

Here's Jack in his thick, soft, Duck towel...after Mr. Tarheel gave him a nice long bath. He loves to put his 1st/2nd fingers in his mouth now and he's drooling constantly. I never knew a baby could drool through so many bibs in one day. I bought some of the water proof ones and they work better. No teeth yet...but Jack loves to put a cold teether in his mouth.

Here's some things Jack's doing now:

1. He's sleeping 8-10 hours a night with at least 2 naps a day...YIPPEE!
2. He found his ears and pulls on them sometimes...like, WOW, what's this? I looked into them with my otoscope (yes, I bought an otoscope, so I would know when to take him in if he gets an ear infection)...his ear drums are perfect....like the rest of him.
3. Some hairs on the top of his head are growing...I can comb it over and my boy looks so OLD. I'm already missing the new baby fuzz look. The hair over his ears is touching his ears now.
4. Tummy time is still a struggle....I let him go until he lets out a ear-piercing, horror movie scream...then I give in and turn him over....of course, I'm right there, trying to play with him...but usually to no avail.
5. He's 5 months old tomorrow.....I can't believe it is passing so quickly. A year ago, on 5/3/07, we saw Jack's heart beating for the first time....so one year ago today, I was a ball of nerves. A year has passed and my life is grand!

Mothers (Day) Month began yesterday...yes, I'll be celebrating for a month. An entire month, I say...because after so long of being a "Wanna-be mother"...I'm actually, yes, a mother. Some special people send me mother's poems/emails and of course...I usually cry. It (motherhood) is so much more (of many things) than I ever imagined.....I'm working on getting Mr. Tarheel on board for Mother's month...I've tried to entice him with promises for his Father's month..so we'll see how much celebration is in store for me.

You know there's usually a song in my head...and today's song is...Celebration...you know, by Kool & the Gang...I danced to this at my prom. Yes, the prom that I went to with my cousin....now that is a whole other posting...

There's a party going on 'round here,

A celebration, to last throughout the year

So bring your good times

And your laughter too

Cause we're going to celebrate this party with you

Come on, Celebrate good times, Come on

Maybe, that's right because I didn't look it up...that's how it is in Tarheel88's mind....

Tall Fauxhawk

It's a little hard to see, but Jack has a Mommy-styled "faux" hawk...a play on the word Mohawk, but it's fake (faux) b/c he still has hair on the sides of his head. He's happy here, with his tongue sticking out. He's happy most of the time, unless he's hungry, tired, or bored.

It's happened...you know one of those firsts....he was afraid of someone who he knows...& cried. It's happened 3 times within the last week....like the beginning of stranger anxiety. When the person in question, smiles, talks to him, or I hand him over to be held...he looks at me with sad eyes and the mouth opens first and then the crying/screaming begins. The word that comes to mind.....is

DEPENDENCY

I could do an entire posting on this concept...both the wonderful and not so wonderful repercussions of having another person needing you for everything....but suffice it to say, most of the time, I'm OK with it. I dreamed of Jack and nurturing him but never thought through what dependency really meant. From someone who has sought out independence and highly values the concept...it's a 180 degree turnaround. The catalyst is love...meeting their needs is just something you do when you love someone as much as you love your child....

Laughing Jack & Tarheel News

Laughing Jack & Aunt Robin...guess who's making him laugh...none other than his wonderful mother...Tarheel88~!

Well, there's the good news & the bad news...which one do you want to hear first? OK, I know most of you are the glass half full kind of people....so we'll go with the good news first...

Tyler Hansbrough....UNC Tarheels National Player of the Year is coming back to school next year.....yes, he will probably be a role player, not a star in the NBA. He'll have a long, profitable career, barring any injury. But, isn't it great that he feels he hasn't met his goal of being National Champions yet! And a nice college degree from the FIRST state university (that's first out of all 50)...will only enhance his life! What a role model!

The bad news...Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington have said they are eligible for the NBA draft in June...but they aren't hiring agents, so they can come back to school if desired. Now, I don't pray negative prayers, but I really would like to see them come back...so maybe it won't be a lucrative as they are planning. We'll see!

Yes, our boy is predictably sleeping over 8 Hours at night now...now that's something to write about. We will survive! I know so many have done it before, but I have to say....when you're over 40, like us, it is more challenging to be sleep-deprived. So don't tell me you know how we feel because most of you were worrying about teenagers when you were over 40....we will be in our mid-50's then & I'm sure we'll definitely have forgotten what it's like to be a teenager....Poor Jack!

Love In the House

I'm singing in my head...which sounds better than out loud because I can't carry a tune in a bucket with directions on the handle...but the lyrics go like this...





Love is in the house and the house is packed


It's so darn full, I left the back door cracked.






Here's Auntie RaRa (short for Robin, not Roberta Penelope) and Uncle Kerry (which Tarheel88 can say without moving her lips, I have many talents)....Jack loves them so much!





Speaking of lyrics/music...Mr. Tarheel is exposing Jack to many different genres of music, courtesy of iT*nes....here's some examples of what they are listening to this week:

1. I Was Made for Loving You (Kiss)
2. Gunpowder & Lead (Miranda Lambert)
3. We're An American Band (Grand Funk Railroad)
4. Papa Was a Rolling Stone (Temptations)---Tarheel 88's fav
5. Rock It (Herbie Hancock)
6. I Can't Stand It (Eric Clapton)
7. Last but not least...I have no embarrassment whatsoever about this because Jack loves to dance to this one...Ice Ice Baby (Vanilla Ice)

First Scratch

First scratch...look under his left eye...we felt so bad. So now, we trim his nails more often....He's on his way in training his parents!

So Much Love, So Little Time

Aunt RaRa and Uncle Kerry came for a 4 day visit and Jack had lots of fun getting held & held & kissed & kissed. I love being with my wonderful sister because she listens as I talk & talk & talk. We understand each other in so many ways....plus, I have been jumping up and down (mainly on the inside) because....Robin is pregnant!!! Little "Peanut" is due in November and that means Jack will have another cousin to play with!

Jack's Favorite Book

Jack likes books and this is his favorite...see the dog on the front. A bone with velcro is in his mouth and is attached on a string to be used on each inside page....a brilliant idea! Thanks Carol!

His other favorite is Pat the Bunny...now, I thought Pat was the bunny's name before I read the book 100 times. The title actually means...pat or rub the bunny and it is a furry cut out of a bunny's body for the child to rub. I now know my first book by heart and can even critique the illustrations (Judy's body isn't in proportion to her Dad....for all of you who have seen it). We read books every day together and he seems to like it...or is it that I think it's important, so I'm projecting this onto him? Anyway, he appears to like it....he stares at each page and even tries to turn the pages. I don't think he knows how to read yet, but I'm watching for the first sign of word recognition....

Early Morning Happy Jack

Would Suzanne Somers recommend a thigh master in this case?

Our beautiful son, blowing bubbles...

Good Morning Sunshine

One year ago tomorrow, we found out we were pregnant...I knew by the nurse's voice that it was positive...also, I remember the same type of call back on 1/27/01 to tell me the bad news that our previous IVF cycle had not been successful. Leading up to the moment, I can remember every detail of the wait. Wow, the wait is over...or was over on 12/3/07. If I had known how long it would take, I probably would have been more depressed than I actually was...or maybe I would have been able to rest assured that my dream would come true and be happier in each moment.

Jack loves mornings...like Tarheel 88...when I wake up, my mind screams "COFFEE" and I'm awake & happy. When Jack wakes up, I'm guessing his mind screams "I'm HUNGRY" and he's awake & happy when I walk into his room. I always greet him with "Good Morning, Sunshine"...like my sister April taught me and he smiles or laughs. Morning people are good people to be around in the morning...

Here's Jack before 7am this morning...

Just Like Every Other Night

I didn't go into any detail about my extreme disappointment in the Tarheels losing in the final 4, one week ago today. Back in the BJ days (before Jack), I would have gone on and on with my commentary as to who played great and who didn't with statistics and my take on adopted Uncle Roy & his boys. Oh well, I'm busier and happier than in my BJ days.

Before Jack, I would have ruminated and sulked and gotten a stomach ache that even Tums wouldn't cure. I would have critiqued the official UNC athletic web site www.tarheelblue.com and some other UNC basketball blogs that I used to read. But in the end, the facts are the facts. We had a great season, beating Duke TWICE, being the ACC regular season champs and winning the ACC tournament, & Tyler was truly the National Player of the Year! but we still didn't become the National Champions that I expected. And once again, my one bracket partner & next door neighbors, Mayoe & Beth, will be enjoy a nice steak dinner on my ticket!

That's OK with me more than it's ever been. You know why? After the game, I took my boy in for his bath and he laughed and kicked just like every other night. I blew a hole in his belly, he laughed, and then we read books together and I rocked him and gave him his bottle. He smelled so clean and smiled so sweet, just like every other night. Jack has changed my perspective.

Plus, I was thinking, it's only 7 months to the beginning of next season!

The Best Time is Now

Jack is ticklish under his (fat) armpits, so when he's in a good mood, I can get him to laugh out loud by tickling him. It's a wonderful sound, the sound of our boy laughing. Now, the crying gets louder also, as they get bigger and older. And my, can Jack cry loud. I've been trying to get a picture of him in a full blown scream...but alas, I forget to take one because when he's crying, I'm always busy.

I ask other parents, what is your favorite time with your child...meaning...what age do you like the best? Some have a response about a certain age and then they go on and on about how this or that stage was great b/c of this or that....and basically, I've figured it out...

The best time is NOW...there will always be new joys and challenges during the stage you're in and new and different ones in the upcoming stages...and so...we are just at the beginning. And having so much fun!

More 4 month Jack

Jack at his 4 month Dr. Brian visit (before the 4 shots). Our big,laughing boy! Another one of Jack on the scale...

4 Month Jack

We've already had 4 months of fun with Jack...my, how time passes. Here's Jack with his Pooh bear...sitting with support (or strategically placed by Mommy, w hile Daddy quickly takes the picture)...and bath time....which Jack loves! His favorite is kicking and moving his arms up and down at the same time. He even splashes water on his face and keeps laughing!

Jack Tid Bits:

1. He's wearing 6 month clothes now.
2. He cried during the 1st half of the 1st half of the UNC/Kansas Final 4 game...it was grim and depressing. I told him to look on the bright side...we're never more than 7 months away from next season!
3. He sucks his fingers/fist now...no preference for any particular fingers. I haven't found him sucking his thumb by itself yet.
4. He's drooling most of the time and needs to wear bibs to keep his clothes dry.
5. He's going to sleep between 8-9pm and sleeping about 5-7 hours. We've had a few 8 hour nights & of course, I ran into the nursery to make sure he was still breathing. I still haven't listened to him with a stethoscope yet...I'm doing good, don't you think?
6. He still likes to watch TV but we put his back toward it on purpose and he can stretch his head back and try to look back at it. It is super funny but I keep telling him the AAP says he can't watch it until he's 2 years old. I make exception to the Tarheel games!

Ramblings

There's not too many new pictures of Tucker anymore...I wonder if he's feeling left out. He is still the envy of all the other neighborhood dogs...but he has realized that 2 legs makes you alpha over 4 legs...Mr. Tarheel takes extra time to make him feel special every day.

Tomorrow is the Final 4. Beginning at 5:47 PST, UNC plays Kansas...if you mute your TV during the game and listen intently, you will hear an echo in your ear...it will be a southern drawl, screaming for her team...all the way from Enumclaw. You can take the southern girl out of the south but even in the Northwest, the sky is still CAROLINA BLUE!

It will be different this year....she'll be holding her dream come true...Baby Jack. The brainwashing has begun...yes, little boy, she says....UNC will be National Champions again....She says that every year until they lose and then she just starts the count down until the next year. But this year....they really will be National Champions!

A wonderful holiday is fast approaching...Mother's Day. It will be the first one in many years where I will wake up happy and smiling. Yes, last year, I was pregnant on Mother's Day but it was still early and not many people knew yet. Mother's Day for infertiles is a day filled with sharp knives piercing your broken heart, over & over & over. The thing you want most in life, a baby & being a mother, is celebrated & rightfully so. But it is such a reminder of the loss you are experiencing on a day to day basis. So to anyone still out there in the trenches of infertility...do whatever you can to hold your head up high and keep putting one foot in front of the other on that day...you don't have to make excuses for being sad...it's a difficult path. Hang in there!

So I'm wondering, what will Jack (or Mr. Tarheel) get me on Mother's Day...I've dropped hints so we'll see. I was sent the wonderful story about Mothers...enjoy!

The young mother set her foot on the path of life. 'Is this the long way?' she asked. And the guide said: 'Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it... But the end will be better than the beginning.' But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, and gathered flowers for them along the way, and bathed them in the clear streams; and the sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried, 'Nothing will ever be lovelier than this.' Then the night came, and the storm, and the path was dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her mantle, and the children said, 'Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come.' And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children,' A little patience and we are there.' So the children climbed, and when they reached the top they said, 'Mother, we would not have done it without you.' And the mother, when she lay down at night looked up at the stars and said, 'This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned fortitude in the face of hardness. Yesterday I gave them courage. Today, I 've given them strength.'And the next day came strange clouds which darkened the earth, clouds of war and hate and evil, and the children groped and stumbled, and the mother said: 'Look up. Lift your eyes to the light. '

And the children looked and saw above the clouds an everlasting glory, and it guided them beyond the darkness. And that night the Mother said, 'This is the best day of all, for I have shown my children God.' And the days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she was little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And when the way was rough, they lifted her, for she was as light as a feather; and at last they came to a hill, and beyond they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And mother said, 'I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone, and their children after them.' And the children said, 'Yo u will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates.'

And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said: 'We cannot see her but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence.... ...' Your Mother is always with you.... She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street; she's the smell of bleach in your freshly laundered socks; she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not well. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every tear drop. She's the place you came from, your first home; and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love and your first heartbreak, and nothing on earth can separate you.Not time, not space... not even death!

Brothers in Bed Together

When Mr. Tarheel has night duty...this is when Tarheel88 is working her 25 hour shifts...Jack can sometimes wind up in bed during the middle of the night. Tucker is in his usual sleeping position...in a ball. Isn't Jack so cute sleeping next to Tucker?

So as big as Jack looks...he's ONLY 17 lb 10 oz & 26 inches tall...both in the 90% for growth. That means he is height/weight proportioned. This is normal...you know, within the normal range. He's staying on his growth curve....so he's destined to be a bigger man than Daddy. Mr. Tarheel says that's great b/c we want Jack to play football....he wants him to be a linebacker maybe, but I always whisper "kicker" in Jack's ear. A kicker has a long and happy life, I say, b/c he doesn't get tackled. We'll see....

The JOY of the Final 4 is bubbling up inside me....sometimes, I'll just let out a big WHOO-HOO scream for my Tarheels....Jack looks at me with surprise. Boy, he won't be surprised by the time he realizes that his mom is the craziest, #1 Tarheel fan. So guess what Jack & I will be doing on Saturday at 5:47pm PST....cheering on our boys! We are on our way to be National Champions...only 4 1/2 days until the final game....I'm hoping it will be us vs UCLA and we will pound on them with our best game ever. Realistically, UNC will have to play great to be National Champions....but I BELIEVE!