Owen's 2nd Birthday Party

We had the family all over to celebrate Owen's 2nd Birthday . . . 

There was UNO.

 Spaghetti, that Owen carefully got out of his bowl and piled on the side of his highchair, he wasn't really interested in actually EATING it.

Stripped down after dinner for presents.

Owen wearing Bailey's pants

Owen really liked the candle, and was very angry when I took it away . . . 

Vent

My five year old pooped her pants SIX times yesterday. 

It's dumb, but part of me was just like, "No, not today.  It's freaking Christmas.  I deserve ONE STUPID DAY without poop." (Although, with two others in diapers, that wasn't a possibility anyway).  I seriously broke down sobbing after the fourth time.  It's been one year since we started talking to doctor's about her accidents.  We got to the root of several food allergies, figured out the Celiac, she eats a completely gluten/dairy free diet, and yet she pooped her pants just as many times yesterday as she did last December before we made diet changes (we were on a cruise last December, where she was pooping her pants 4-6 times a day, I can remember it so vividly, 'cause it was happening in full view of my whole family).

I hate it.  I hate it for her, it makes her so miserable and embarrassed, and I hate it for me, 'cause I feel like I'm freaking buried in poop all day long between my younger three.  I hate that we have so few answers, and even with the answers we've gotten, it hasn't made a difference in this area.  I hate that as patient and kind and loving I was with five out of the six accidents, that the one where I lost it and shamed her by asking, "What is wrong with you?!  Why do you keep doing this?!" is the only one her and I will remember.  I hate that I look at my life in terms of this one stupid issue of poop, and it looks absolutely no different than a year ago.  Two in diapers and one with frequent poopy accidents. Despite the thousands of dollars and piles of professionals we've thrown at this issue.  

I hate how as much as I consciously try and counter the thoughts, I keep swirling deeper and deeper into a place of, "It's never going to get better.  Poop is my life.  There is no hope of this getting any better."

I hate that poop controls way too much of my life.

OK, done venting now.  I have laundry to do . . .

Christmas Eve 2013

The kids spent the morning at the Rec Center, swimming with Dad, Grandma Karine, Grandpa Robert, and some of their Aunts and Uncles.  I was able to get some cooking done, as well as house cleaning and gift wrapping.  Owen went down for a nap afterwards, while Greg took the kids to go visit his parents.  After Owen's nap that afternoon, we headed over to my parent's house for Christmas Eve.  Star, Cody, Talina, David, Bailey, Grandma Karine and Grandpa Robert, as well as my Grandparents, were there. 

Here's Greg and Owen, then Owen and me . . .

I'm assuming this is 2 year old Bailey teaching Great Grandma how to use the Kindle :-)
Isaac was checking it out between Wii games.

Aunt Star with Ellie . . . one goofy face (of many, many goofy faces), then the one non-goofy face shot we got . . . 

This is our Elfed-selfs garland . . . 

Star has a gorgeous tree, so we got pictures of her, and then Talina and Bailey, in front of it . . . 

The fruit Christmas Tree Grandma made for the kids . . . they loved it.

Cody building Lego towers (for a big chunk of the night) and Great Grandpa getting cuddles and kisses from his Great Grandkids (for a big chunk of the night) . . . 

 We tried to get a picture of Grandma and Grandpa with my four kids . . . we weren't overly successful . . . :-)

This is a ridiculous amount of pictures from the same scene . . . but I loved watching Grumpy Pants Isaac just melt with Great Grandpa playing with him . . . 

Grandma Karine and Annie

Greg and a multitasking Owen . . . 

Great Grandma and Grandpa with Bailey and Isaac

 Talina and Bailey

Love this picture of Cody and Owen building a Lego tower . . . 

 Star and the girls . . .

 I hopped in the picture . . .

Two awesome pictures of Bailey and her Daddy -- for two totally different reasons :-)

Greg and Isaac

Bailey standing on the box

Opening, then showing off, their new Christmas pajamas from Grandma Karine

Trying to get pictures of the grandkids with Grandma, in the cute new Christmas Eve pajamas she got them . . . 

Everyone excited to open gifts from Great Grandma and Grandpa

Grandma Karine with my three oldest, with Great Grandparents

We decided to get four generation pictures with each of the Great Grandkids

Aunt Star with the nieces and nephews (losing some each picture)

The girls coloring in their new coloring books, that Aunt Star made for them, using photos of the family (that she turned black and white, then outlined) . . .

Cody and his favorite girls . . . 

 One of many completed towers . . .

 The boys enjoying their gluten free, zucchini brownies with coconut cream

Aunt Star with Isaac, and his new coloring book she made for him

Baby in a box