the bat bash...

A couple of years ago while at a MOPS meeting, a more "seasoned" mom of four was explaining how they only do birthday parties for BIG years (1, 5, 10). We sort of took that mentality into our own home...but, things just feel different right now. We needed something to look forward to. So, a month or so before our big birthday month of April I asked Dominic what he would like for his birthday party...he was turning 4 and Joel was turning 2...not "big" years, but a BIG reason to celebrate all the same. We crashed Tad's grandma's backyard...it's a wonderful space canopied by mature trees and has held lots of family time back there.
So, we had a Batman "jumpy thing", Batman cupcakes, make-your-own superhero masks, coloring sheets, pick-your-own goody bags, and food. The boys got new Batman costumes for the party, but after being in the heat for about 10 minutes, they changed into their Batman Tie shirts...much cooler =) OH! I almost forgot! We pulled a few strings and had Batman come to the party! (They figured it was Daddy, but he's their hero all the same...costume or not =) )We enjoyed catching up with friends and family and my boys felt very loved and celebrate...mission accomplished.






Dominic and his buddy Jake!

Batman still uses a nu-nu?

i'm a hot mess...

This one's for you, Tad.

I feel spread thin. The expectations on me just being a wife and a mom to four boys are enough to weigh me down on any given day. But then you have those days when the stars align just right, and an evening that was supposed to move at a tolerable pace is sped into super warp speed! Hence my story of "Cluster Night" at Elijah's school...

Much like electives in high school, Elijah is able to pick an "Enrichment Cluster" to study. This period he has chosen the SPACE CLUSTER...pretty neat! So, he gets in the car one Monday and keeps mentioning something about a "digidome". I keep correcting him and call what he is talking about a "planetarium"...we eventually both just give up and move on to something else. I start dinner. Elijah comes in saying that he has to be back at school for "Cluster Night". I knew they were having this, but in the past they didn't have an activity for Kindergarten, so I hadn't put it in the plans. I text his teacher, and sure enough...it starts at 6:30pm. It's now 5:45pm, perfect. Tad walks in the door and I explain our new plans. We scarf down dinner (tasting takes too much time...chew and swallow, chew and swallow, kids!) I have a PTO meeting at 7pm across the street from the school, so we are going to have to take separate cars. I am Treasurer of our PTO which I think at most schools is bestoyed upon an organized and detail oriented parent who has a PhD in Accounting...I don't think I ever balanced my checkbook...ha! So, I have this notebook with all my PTO stuff in it, and it's on nights like tonight that things like this decide to go missing. My mood quickly escalates from "gosh, darn, where is that silly notebook" to "*&*!" @%&$*?@##!" I search the bookshelf, the car, the filing cabinet, heck, I search the laundry basket!...nothing. I was seriously about to call in sick when I hear "Mom, is this it?". My sweet Elijah found it...on the bookshelf. I send Tad off with the 2 older boys, and tell him I'll meet him there...I have to freshen up. Now, if you know me, you know that make-up and hair that is brushed aren't top priorities...but I at least change out of my shirt which is full of spit up and apply some deodorant. By the time I get to school, I'm late. I park and realize my only options for child carrying are an umbrella stroller and a 20 pound baby carrier. I strap Joel into the stroller and hook the carrier under my arm. My bag with the infamous notebook and my diaper bag are toted on my shoulder. In order to walk, I can only use one hand to push the stroller while the other holds the carrier...this makes it very difficult to steer the stroller! The gate is closed to go directly into school so my quickest point of entry is manuevering between the dumpster and the fence...I manage. OK, almost there, just have to go across the blacktop to the first of 3 sets of doors I am going to have to try and open in order to get into the cafeteria.

I'm out of breath.

As I make my way across the asphalt, my dear sweet friend Jennifer sees my distress and comes to my rescue. She takes the stroller and we get to the cafeteria with no problem...thanks Jenn! I get into the cafeteria and there in the middle of the floor is a ...."digidome" ! It's like a big balloon that you sit in and the sky is projected on the roof. It's about 7 feet high and 15 feet wide. It's inflatable. It's closed. The teacher on duty outside of the "digidome" announces my arrival to the teacher on the inside and they unzip the small crawl space I am now supposed to enter through while carrying a 2 year old and a 20 pound baby carrier. I stick my head in...it's absolutely pitch black. Parents and students line the perimeter...I can't see them. I sheepishly say "Tad?" hoping he is close to the opening. "Back here". He and the boys are at the furthest most point of the dome...I can't see them either. I begin stepping over parents, teachers, students...

I'm out of breath.

I sit down, apologize to everyone, and check my indiglo watch...6:45pm, perfect. The teacher goes through her lesson of constellations and the phases of the moon. This "digidome" thing is really neat! I look down at my watch again...7pm. I now have to excuse myself from the dome in reverse fashion in order to get to my meeting that I am now late for. I wait until the last possible second and begin my trek back across the dome. I exit...somehow, and head over to my next engagement. That night when I got home, Tad and I were recapping the events of the night. He thought my dome experience was pretty funny. In hindsight, I did too. I don't pretend to have it all together, but nights like that don't do me any favors in at least hiding the fact that "I'm a hot mess"...

dominic turns 4...

So, Dominic walks out of his bedroom on the morning that he turns four. Tad and I had decorated our vast living/dining/kitchen combo with streamers, a banner and special "Happy Birthday" greetings in hopes of capturing a moment in his memory of how much he means to us and how special we hope to make this day for him. He looks around, smiling at first...my heart swells at the thought of his heart swelling. I can't wait to hear how he "feels". Then, it starts. His smile turns more sour...he plops on the couch with a pretty large bottom lip. "I told you I wanted Batman for my birthday." He runs to the bathroom, looks in the mirror, and comes back to the couch..."and I don't LOOK four!"

I sure hope the whole day isn't like this...ha!

After an explanation of how your birthday is different from your birthday party(which is all about the bat) as well as an overly detailed recount of his birth story...he changes his attitude...whew! We drop Eli off at school and go grab one of his best buddies, Nathan, and return home for some almighty BIRTHDAY CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKES! The boys play for a bit here, then we go hang out at another friends house so he can play outside and I can chit chat (playdates are all about the mommas).


Typically birthday dinners around here consist of your favorite meal, close family, and a homemade cake. I was having a hard time looking around and wanting to cram any more people or festivities into this apartment, so...we went out! We had been asking Dominic to pick where he wanted to go for about a week, and with a little nudge from his seafood loving daddy...he wanted fried catfish.


Granny came to join in the celebration!


He opened a couple presents...luckily they were Batman themed! Then it was time for dessert. Our waiter took it upon himself to do the candle and singing thing...Dominic had the most genuine smile. It took a little coaxing, but there it was. This time my heart swelled, and I was sure this time his was swelling too. Our buddy was the center of our little world and he knew it.


Happy Birthday Dominic!

march madness....

March has slipped away without me doing what I set out to do with this darn blog...document! So, without further ado I will recap the month of March in abbreviated fashion...

I don't have adequate pictures yet, so text will have to do for now.

March began with Mardi Gras season. For the Patellas this consisted of not doing one Mardi Gras related thing. I have loosened up a lot with having 4 kids, but lugging a newborn to a parade is just not something that sounds like a good time to me. The boys celebrated at their schools with little parades and such...that will have to do for this year.

Two weeks into the month, and we have the privilege of celebrating the wedding of Marie and Jeff. Marie is one of my oldest and most wonderful friends...the kind that you can just pick up where time left off and not skip a beat. You know I love this girl if I'm willing to walk down the aisle for her 4 weeks after having a baby!!! It was such an honor to be a part of this event, plus it threw me back into the fast lane. At 4 weeks Abram ate lunch at Commander's Palace, dinner at French Market Cafe, visited the Roosevelt hotel, rode in a limo, and partied at the Audubon Tea Room...we have a lot to live up to after that entrance into the social scene. All joking aside, I loved watching Marie make the most important decision of her life so far...while wearing a stunning gown =)

The boys finally got to go to a parade! We met the Gooch's and Cabiro's out for the St. Patrick's Day parade in Metairie. Abram slept, Joel dug in the dirt, Dominic threw a football with Tad, and Elijah was front and center trying to score as many beads as he could...

Tad is still trying to find himself in his new position at work. At the moment it feels like he is the "go to" guy for a hodge podge of projects and tasks and he is a little out of his comfort zone. This is where growth happens and he is doing a great job trying to keep on top of everything they put in front of him. I am honestly so proud of how much responsibility and faith his coworkers and boss put with him...they know he'll do his absolute best. My boys have a great role model.

The end of the month was a little bit stressful. Not sure if that's the right word, but stress was definitely a factor so we'll go with that. The house hunt is beginning to seem never-ending. The townhouse we are currently in is great, but it's not our permanent home...With half of our belongings/furniture in storage, we don't have the means to really get and stay organized. This can be a little frustrating with 3 kids worth of toys and school stuff, 1 husband worth of husband's stuff, 1 wife worth of wife's stuff, and 1 baby worth of baby's stuff. We re-evaluate our search criteria almost daily ("do we really need running water?" "are walls absolutely necessary?") and this actually led us to a property we had skimmed over a couple months ago. A friend of ours mentioned a house for sale in their neighborhood (we get a lot of this), I check it out on the web, and honestly didn't feel like taking on a project. This house was kind of ugly outside and needed lots of updating inside...sigh. But after a little nudge from Tad and countless pokes from Justin (yea, yea) I decide to look at the house with an open mind. The lot is huge, we'll be two houses away from some of our favorite people, the house just needs a little color updating outside, all the floors will need to be redone inside and every single wall will need a coat of paint...i start to get a little excited. I have learned through this process never to actually get excited...there's too much that can go wrong to get emotionally attached to any prospective house. We do however pray very hard over this house and both of us feel a sense of excitement...we decide to put an offer in. We go back and forth a bit, but we actually have the house under contract! woohoo! The next step with buying a house is inspections...so we scurry to get them scheduled on Tuesday before Tad goes out of town on Wednesday. Tad and a guy named Donald inspect every nook and cranny of this 3000 sq ft house...along with this marathon inspection comes a video inspection of the plumbing (ya'll are more than welcome to borrow it if redbox is down) and a termite guy. I anxiously await the verdict, and eventually just show up at the house to hear the summary myself. The inspector finds 2 things we should be concerned about...mold and termites...sigh.

March ends with us believing we had found a house for our growing family to stretch out into...a place to end this chapter of our story. We have a lot of thinking to do. We have a lot of praying to do. Well, that's the end of the month...have to wait until April to see what happens...April holds a big decision...stay tuned.

"do you think she's dead?"

I'm a nap nazi. I don't mean to offend anyone with that term...I just jokingly use it to explain my diligence to keep my kids on a schedule that includes at least an hour of down time everyday. I use this time to tidy up, catch up on emails, heck...sometimes I just stare at the wall...I just need a few moments of silence. Most days this tends to be right after lunch and ends in enough time so we can go pick up Elijah from school. Well, today I decided not to do naps and just play with my little buddies. We ate a leisurely lunch, watched a little bit of a movie, read a few books, and played a couple rounds of "eye spy". It was time to go get Eli, so we loaded up in the van and before we hit the first stop sign...they were snoozing away. I got Eli and after a typical boy recap of "how was school?"..."good."...we headed home. We needed to go to the store to get milk, but I just didn't have a wal-mart trip with four children in me. So we pulled up to Walgreens. I looked in the rearview and all four were quiet and sleeping. It was then that an overwhelming thing happened...my eyes closed. I have been so tired lately with the night time feedings and early mornings, that at any given moment I feel like I could possibly just sleep standing up.

So, there I am. (I at least locked the doors before going totally unconscious). Head tilted back against my seat, sleeping in a Walgreens parking lot. I'm not quite sure how long I was out...10 or 15 minutes maybe. All I know is that when I woke up there were different cars parked next to me. I chuckle to think what the passerby's must have thought...peeking in the window of a running car and seeing a disheveled blonde slumped over in the driver seat..."do you think she's dead?" Well, I felt much better after my public catnap =). It's just what I needed to finish out the night with patience.

Obviously I wasn't dead...just dead tired. So, if you ever come across a running grey minivan chilling in a parking lot...please...don't worry! Don't tap on the windows, either...I really need my nap.

falling behind already...

MARCH 4TH....

Here it is the 13th of March, and I am just sitting down to document last weekend! Last Friday Tad was off of work, and boy did we cram a lot into one day =) The morning rush hasn't been too bad, despite my zombie like state and inability to drink a dang cup of coffee...we haven't been late in a week! (I'm all about looking for some good amongst chaos.) Once the two big boys got off to school, Tad took Abram, Joel and I out for breakfast. Abram will be our third wheel for quite some time, he did great.

Our next thing on the agenda was the Parkway Preschool Mardi Gras Parade! We got to school and found Dominic in the fellowship hall (it was raining outside) waiting with his class. Joel stood next to him awaiting the floats (homemade wagon floats pulled by mom or dad). The funny thing about this parade is that the riding krewe spends more time staring at the crowd then actually throwing beads...a little frustrating for the "throw me something mister"'s looking for some loot.





We packed up our beads and headed to our next big adventure of the day...we were going to see Pops! Today was the day Joel was going to get his hair trimmed for the first time...it wasn't a true mullet, but in humid windy weather it wasn't the cutest. When we got there, Pops had the bathroom all set up. Joel took his seat on the edge of the sink with his feet playing in the running water. Pops was chatting away making playful banter, and did a mock trim on Dominic to show Joel what to expect. The big kicker with hair cuts, however, is the JELLYBEANS! I think it takes approximately 37 jellybeans to cut a toddlers hair...give or take. Joel did great, and boy did he look cute.





(I almost forgot to mention...Abram lost his umbilical cord today. Kind of a gross milestone in my opinion, but symbolic in the sense that for the rest of his life he will continue to become more independent from his mommy...tear. Happy 3 weeks Abram!)

The next plans we were working on was something I was actually really excited about. I want our boys to feel like this is home. It's not going to be our home forever, but I don't want to get distracted with our home search so much that we forget to live where we are. That being said, we had our first "Friday Night with Friends". We let Elijah and Dominic each have their own friend come over with the highlight being the boys newest obsession...Batman. Elijah had his friend Chase and Dominic had his friend Jake. Once the boys arrived, they played for a little bit until it was time to make dinner. We made pizzas, played games, danced around, and eventually settled in for "Batman:The Bold and the Brave". The boys had a great time, and we will definitely be doing it again. It's fun to see the dynamic of our house with so many boys just being boys.



It was a busy day, but one that was full of life and fun!

february 11th...

Actually, let's back up and start the evening of February 10th. It was a little surreal dropping the kids of at the Patella's, knowing that the ball was rolling and wouldn't stop until we were at the hospital...baby in arms. Tad, Mimi, and I drove down to Magazine street to try and find a "coming home" outfit for the baby...no luck. We ate dinner at Cafe Rani (not the best meal I've had there), and then went to Sucre for dessert. While indulging in hot dark chocolate, coffee, mousse, and german chocolate cake, I started to panic a little. Tomorrow held a very big weight. Our lives would be changed FOREVER in just one day...how many dates on the calendar actually hold that honor. In my head were the swirling thoughts of needles, operating rooms, anticipation of meeting my child, and OH YEA...we need a name!!! We tossed around ideas, looked through a book, and listened to the suggestions of the lady eavesdropping from the next table. It was time to go to bed, and we weren't any closer...sigh.



We arrived at the hospital at 10:30am. The C-Section was scheduled for 12:30pm. Our old neighbor, Joyce, came to be our photographer...she was already there and began taking shots from the moment we walked up the ramp. We signed consents, I got my hospital bracelet, and we made the trek to the elevator...here we go! I know two of the nurses that work labor and delivery, and of course neither of them were scheduled today. I was told to ask for Elaine...she took good care of us. I donned the hospital robe and cuddled into a skinny little bed. Monitors were hooked up and IV's were put in place. The baby's heart rate ranged from 134 to 176...it shot up everytime they wiggled in my belly.

The Patella's arrived with our entourage...it was good to see my boys (TEAM PATELLA!). Other family and friends trickled in to wish me good luck and then went to the waiting room as well.

Tad and I had a few minutes here and there to ourselves, but my nerves kept me from really relaxing. We kept discussing the name dilemna..."okay we are good with our girl name...we think, but what about boy's?" After naming 3 other boys...we are really running dry!

The C-section was running a little late, so it wasn't until about 1:15 that they actually took me into the OR. I know I've done this a few times before, but I never get used to the spinal tap...it makes me really nervous! I told the nurse I would probably cry...and I did =) She held me in a super sweet hug, while two doctors worked on the injection. I can't say exactly how long it took, but after what seemed like 5 minutes and one doctor seemingly explaining to the other what to do back there...I had to ask "You've done this before, right?!" (insert nervous chuckle). All went well, and within a few seconds I was numb from the chest down and relaxed. In the blink of an eye, my doctor was in position, the blue drape was drawn, and Tad was next to me awaiting our child.

Tad can watch the whole thing. I can watch Tad watch the whole thing. It's strange to wonder what your husband is thinking while knowing what he is witnessing behind the blue drape. His wife is being operated on, right there in front of him.

Dr. M let's us know he is close...Tad gets the camera going...as the doctor pulls out the head, Tad and I make a last minute call "I bet it's a girl" "Me too"

"It's a BOY!"
Tad and I both start laughing. My heart swells with the thought of four boys running around me for the rest of my life...In a flash, I see the most wonderfully crazy life before my eyes...I'm so excited.

"So what's his name?" "I don't know!" "What should we do?" "I guess just go announce that it's a boy, and we'll figure it out later"

I hear the cries of my newest little guy, and they bring him to me for my first kiss...he looks just like my other boys did...I'm in love all over again!





From what I hear, the waiting room was pretty rowdy when they announce we were adding another boy to the mix...everyone huddles around to congratulate Tad and meet our no name baby =) This moment of fame, with everyone hanging on Tad's every word is why I am okay with not finding out what we are having. For that second all eyes are on Tad, and he gets the privilege of presenting his child to his family. For nine months I have most of the attention around me and my stomach...it's nice to share the spotlight.

In normal order, I respond to the drugs with lethargy and nausea. I can't even open my eyes long enough to really look at my baby the whole rest of the day =(. With what little peeks I do get, I am amazed with just how stinkin cute he is. We get situated in our permanent room, and after a few hours I get to see my big boys again. Joel immediately looks like a little boy...just that fast he is no longer my "baby". Everyone leaves for the night, and Tad and I get to settle in. As I hold my newborn, it is odd not to have a name to speak to him...I try out a few of the ones Tad and I had talked about...but the drugs and nausea make it hard to really think.


mommy looks a mess!

Before we go to sleep, I look over at Tad...so in love with the man who has given me four beautiful boys. The next morning, with a renewed feeling that my stomach was not about to jump out of my mouth, I woke up and told Tad that I had decided on what we should name our baby boy. All along Tad and I each had a name that we each liked, but couldn't come to an agreement on the other's choice. We knew we would likely give him Tad's middle name (all the boys have a family middle name). Being the wonderfully accommodating wife that I am (wink, wink), I decided that although I liked my name...Tad really felt strongly about his and had for the last 2 months. If nothing else, I felt good knowing that one of us was totally confident in a powerful and strong male name...so it was settled.

That morning we announced that we had a name...Abram Steven Patella.

Welcome to the world my sweet Abram!

Happy Birthday Taz!

It's hard to believe that it's been a year since our limo riding/fancy pants hotel staying 30th birthday celebration for my handsome hubby. This year was a bit more subdued, as we had had a baby 6 days prior. During one of my nighttime escapades with my sweet Abram, I was able to at least make a little sign to show that today was going to center around Tad...as much as it could. He left to bring Elijah to school, and my mom and I decorated a with whatever birthday decor we had kept out of the POD. Tad spent most of the day, unfortunately, at a funeral for a fellow firefighter...not the most uplifting celebration. Seeing as the kitchen isn't cranking out our traditional filet mignon and baked potato birthday meal, we opted to indulge in another favorite food...Popeyes! Tad and I left 3 of the 4 kids with my mom when we went to pick up dinner...we'd like to think of that as a "date drive". It wasn't much, but we'll take it! We picked up fried chicken and a ginormous ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins...yum!



(the girl misspelled his name...which I think is hilarious...Happy Birthday Taz!)


A trip to the mall wasn't in the cards, so Mimi helped the kids make homemade gifts and a card while we were out. They were really proud of their creations! Elijah made a sun visor, Dominic made a necklace/bracelet combo, and Joel made a picture with stickers.



I handed him Abram with a bow (not really, but that would have been cute).

Tad's mom came by for singing and dessert...


We put in a comedy central dvd, and fell asleep by 10pm...
I was a little disappointed that we weren't able to give him the usual treatment, but in a mini meltdown post partum session, Tad assured me that this birthday showed him what really makes him happy...being with his family.

Abram Steven Patella...

We are proud to announce the birth of our fourth BOY...

Abram Steven Patella!

7 pounds 10 ounces
20 1/2 inches

We are so in love!!!!








stay tuned for his birth story....

"nursery" reveal...

What exactly does a baby need? Well, that all depends on your perspective. With your first child, the baby needs a room which has been freshly painted, a crib outfitted with newly purchased up-to-date bedding, enough onsies to last their first month of life, and top of the line swings and bouncy seats that vibrate/sway/swoon/massage...among a slew of other things. The room is completed a month early.

Each subsequent bambino changes your approach to preparations. Excitement remains throughout the pregnancy, but time and energy wane. I have tried to make little changes and additions to the nursery for each boy we have had the pleasure of bringing home...trying to mark each arrival with some sense of individuality. This go round is so much different!

Well, we have 4 days to go, and I am happy to say I am finally ready to reveal what this baby needs.





We are currently in a rented 2 bedroom townhouse, so the whole "baby's room" thing isn't really an option. We do have a window nook in Tad and I's room that perfectly fits a pack-n-play, though!!! I couldn't not decorate at least a little bit, so I found some $6 wall decals from TJ Maxx to add some whimsy to our joint space. Did I mention we already have a 22 month old living in our room?! Joel is going to get a crash course in big brotherhood...he is going to be sleeping 3 feet away from his newest sibling. Hopefully he isn't too shaken from his sleep routine during the next few months, but we'll cross that bridge when it gets here.




So, to recap...this baby needs: a 3x5 nook, a pack-n-play, a new fancy pack-n-play quilted sheet, a changing table, a 5 year old swing, and a borrowed bouncy seat. We are all set!!! Now if only we hadn't packed all those baby clothes in a POD...oops =) All joking aside, we are whole heartedly ready to welcome our baby into our crazy little world. What we lack this time in preparation, I am praying God grants me in patience. Did I mention we don't have names nailed down yet...sigh.

The excitement of February 11th is mounting...my mom has her flight booked, the boys are getting their "big brother" shirts made, we have the photographer booked coming to the hospital, and now a small corner of the world is dedicated to our newest little miracle.

table for 5...for the last time =)

Normally our Sunday mornings include going to church and then spending some time on the playground before mommy ropes everyone in for a PB&J back at the house. But today after church, we loaded the boys up and told them we were taking them to a special lunch! We don't typically take all 3 kiddos to an eating establishment...it doesn't usually end well. =) But today, we decided...for old time sake...to go out as a family of 5 one last time before baby arrives. We had a great time!

We started off at Izzo's Illegal Burrito...



Joel was pretty grumpy the whole time...

Next we hopped next door to Tutti Frutti! (A big thanks to the Beltz's for the gift card!!!)





Joel was in a much better mood here =)



yummmmm......


all done!

And what better way to burn off those extra calories and sugar???? A dance party!!!!




Even Daddy got into it...



good times, good times...

stay tuned...nursery reveal is next =)