Shady Hug

There are some things in life that after 32 years you think you've got down.

For instance, I have been giving and receiving hugs now my whole life.  After 32 years of practice, I would confidently say I'm a darn good hugger.  

Let's define a "hug."

hug

verb

1. 1.

   squeeze (someone) tightly in one's arms, typically to express affection.

   "he hugged her close to him"

   synonyms:

   embrace, cuddle, squeeze, clasp, clutch, cradle, cling to, hold close,hold tight, take/fold someone in one's arms, clasp someone to one's bosom More

noun

1. 1.

   an act of holding someone tightly in one's arms, typically to express affection.

   "there were hugs and tears as they were reunited"

   synonyms:

   embrace, cuddle, squeeze, bear hug, clasp, hold, clinch

I have been recently informed that sometimes I do not give good hugs and that I cannot receive them at just any moment.  You see, it all depends on what color the hug is in the Shaw household.

Pink hugs are for anytime.  They are big, squeezy, and come with force.  They often linger and come with kisses.

Orange hugs are sticky and sometimes get lost in the bed.  With enough diligent searching, they can be rescued and given/received with care.

Blue hugs are not the favorite.  They are only given by being placed by the giver into the receivers open hands.

Yellow hugs are for outside only.  I mean... I should have guessed that.

Purple hugs are rare.

Black hugs are grumpy and never never given out.  They are forbidden and are usually accompanied by snarls and eye rolling.

I am mighty curious to discover what else I have been misguided on since infancy.

Four

Elle turned FOUR yesterday!

Yes, big girl may not have any weight on little girl (both weighing in at a mighty 24 pounds and both wearing 18 months) but she's got nearly 3 years on Caroline.  It is hard for me to believe that it is has been 1,460 days since we took this picture.

Thankfully, Elle entered the world with a little less drama than her little sister.  We discovered she was breech about a week before she was born.  We went to the hospital at 6:00 on October 13, 2009 so that my doctor could attempt a version (trying to turn baby from indian-style-feet-down to head-down-enter-the-world-ready).  In case you are curious what this process looks like, let me describe what it looked like for me:

First off you get a spinal block.  This is when a 9+ month pregnant woman is asked to curl into fetal position, which is impossible, so that a baseball bat sizable needle in injected in your spine giving meds which block most pain receptors collar bone down.  I vividly remember holding eye contact with Jay while they gave me the shot, and I saw all color drain from his face.  It wasn't my favorite, but I am thankful because without it I may have passed out from pain.  Why???  Well, pain is what follows when your 6 foot 2 doctor climbs on the table and kneads your stomach like cookie dough while his partner is standing on the floor bracing you from being pushed off the table.  The version was unsuccessful but I did get to keep several bruises on my ribs as temporary souvenirs.  Why wouldn't Elle turn you may wonder?  Well, that is simple.  Her umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck three times.  There is a technical term for it, but I'm not a very technical person so it doesn't surprise me that I can't remember what it is.  I can remember being so thankful that she didn't turn though because if she had turned and we had tried to deliver... well, that just wouldn't have been ideal.  

Elle entered this world via C-Section at 9:12 a.m. happy and healthy.

The first year was very hard for me, but that is another blog for another day.  Today's blog is all about this little thing.

I have a gazillion pics like this.  For child that had colic for 5 months she was pretty smiley.

Elle got her sense of humor from her daddy,

and a little crazy from me.  

(I've said this before, but neither of our children have much hope of being "normal," but we think normal is overrated anyway.)

Onto Birthday Festivites.

Elle wanted an "Arier" party this year because what 4 year old wouldn't want one?  

We painted treasure chests.

Fished for goodie bags.  (Wolfie was testing the rods out.)

Elle was celebrated and loved on by lots of family and friends.

They loved playing corn hole, albeit they didn't exactly adhere to standard rules.  

I learned something when icing Elle's cupcakes.  First, it's probably best to actually use icing bags.  Second, if you are going to be cheap and use a ziplock, at least don't use cheap fake ziplock bags.  The cheap on cheap result is your tip ripping multiple bags and smeared icing.  Thankfully the icing was pretty good and four year olds don't care much what icing looks like :)

We had lots of "Under the Sea" snacks such as:  goldfish, orea clams, rice cripy star fish, hot dog octopus, and ***swedish fish.  

When it came time to sing the traditional birthday song Elle went a tidge AWOL on us all.  Apparently she wanted to sing the song to herself by herself.  When she wound't calm down, Jay started everyone singing the song and when it was over he thought it was a good idea to get in a round of "for she's a jolly good fellow."  Apparently the verse about father's not exasperating their children was NOT on the forefront of his mind.  We all thought it was pretty funny because let's face it, that's my Elle.  Through and through that was an Elle moment.  All joy and happiness and rainbows and then, BAM, hurricane Elle enters the picture, wrecks a little havoc and then vanquishes into thin air and joy and happiness resumes.  

She sweetly shared her cupcake with Caroline.

We love our Juju (who just turned SIXTEEN!!!)

I love love LOVE this picture of Jay and his grandfather!

Elle and her Mimi.

Aren't my niece and nephew just precious little lamb faces?!

And while I would like to give the cutest couple award to my parents, Kaki and Wolfie...

How could it not go to Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa :)

Happy Birthday my lovely daughter!  I continue to pray your verse:

"Whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart

and my portion forever."

Psalm 73:25-26

I pray you will one day not only understand this verse but claim it with your whole heart.

***Swedish fish are my new nemesis.  In this month alone I have eaten 5, FIVE, bags (and the big 1 lb bags) of them.  If I complain of teeth pain around you please tell me to buck up, throw the swedish fish away and gain some self-control.