Pearl Pics

We've moved into our new house within the past two weeks and we still have a lot more to do, but I know my family as been harassing me for more pictures of Pearl since they change so fast, so here is just a quick photo update of just her.

Smiling in the new place after we finished unpacking.

After Church a few weeks ago

With Grandpa Alaska on his visit here a month ago. She loved him, even fell asleep on his shoulder!

With her Daddy under the mango tree

Unfortunately for the little gal, most of her pics involve some sort of abuse, because every time I take out the camera to try to capture her smiles or cuteness, one sibling or the other is trying to get in the picture or manhandle her in some way- so here's some of Pearl with her loving tormentors.

Hanging out in the hammock in the back yard

Getting stuck in a camp chair by cousins

Early morning snuggling with Louis, Elsie and a kite

Being made to play 'ni-night' by older sister (though she strangely seemed to enjoy this one)

Being held by her older brother. He's actually getting pretty good at entertaining her and making her laugh.

There's the Pearl update folks- more pics of the other kids, our new place and Hawaii coming soon (maybe.... I hope).

Slippers, not flipflops

We're here! After a horrendous trip that I'm sure I've complained about to anyone who would listen, we arrived after 43 hours of traveling. It took us a couple of days to recover (me especially), but we quickly settled in and have tried not to drive Grandma and Grandpa too crazy (though in the course of four weeks my kids have broken their screen door and curtain, and I have ripped a towel holder right off the wall).

Part of my blogging malaise in the last two months has been my lack of pictures, because let's face it- I'm not much of a writer, and I'm positive my family (which is likely my entire readership) much prefers pics of the kiddos to my musings on life's deepest questions. Unfortunately, our camera and all of its lenses was stolen during our move and we only recently acquired its replacement.

So without further ado, here is the big unveil of a three month old, totally transformed from a newborn, baby Pearl. We start with her closed mouth, contemplative look.

Isn't her hair hilarious? I'm her own mother and I can't even get over it. It is wavy here now, and if I style it just right after the bath, is seriously looks like Elvis ala his Vegas era. It is still thick and prolific and growing. She is definitely destined for the baby mullet, which we will have to cut soon, I'm afraid. Its just growing down her back faster than the rest of her hair already.

And here is her open mouth, I'm about to start dropping drool everywhere look, followed by a Queen Bumbo pose.
Still adorable, no? We love this baby. She is fulfilling every third child expectation you could ever have- started sleeping through the night at six weeks, takes good naps, poops pure gold, etc. etc. But lest she get too cocky, she still has to put up with stuff like this....

That's right- kiss it, both cheeks (movie source anyone?)! Sometimes the abuse is even worse. James and I spend a large majority of our time trying to protect Pearl from dropped remotes or toys and over aggressive kisses and love. Here's the best I got trying to photograph all three of them together. Elsie has really been enjoying the ability to go outside almost at will, and though she still demands a lot of James, there have been a few small miracles since we moved here. First, and most importantly- she will take a bath! That is without trying to claw the adult bather's eyes out and screaming the entire time. Her cousin was in the bathtub with Louis last week and after eight months of bathtub boycott, she asked to get in. Since that day she has asked for a bath everyday and loved it! Seriously, if you had experienced the horror of Elsie's bath time (or smelled her because I would never bathe her for fear of the horror I would experience) you would know this was blog and picture worthy.She still loves to give me the best angry looks when I'm not doing what she wants. We term these 'dark eyes', and she can now do them on command. Seriously, would you want to deal with this girl when she looks like this?But most of the time she is an adorable toddler, running around with random items like her Tinkerbell toothbrush and rain boots, begging to be pushed in her car that Auntie Sonya found for her. Louis is far to busy running and jumping to be photographed. He, of all of us is benefiting the most from the increased outdoor time. He has learned to climb the mango tree and loves to catch lizards with his cousin Keane. Last time he came over they had EIGHT in a bucket at one time! He goes outside every evening that he can to run up and down the street with the other little neighborhood kids and their bikes and still thinks he is friends with teenagers (he informed me yesterday that our 14 year old next door neighbor Keith was his best friend in Hawaii). He has adjusted to his new Sunbeam class and most adorably loves to make Pearl smile and laugh. Actually, correction- he loves to try to make her laugh. Sometimes it is just a lot of yelling and contorted faces that actually make her scream. Ah Louis, same as ever.And then there is James, asleep on the floor with the chaos around him. No, James is great and seems to enjoy being back home. He loves his job so far and is going on a business trip this week for six days. Wish me luck!

So that's our month's recap in pictures. My only complaint about Hawaii the sun streaks already starting in my hair. They are ugly [why did I ever put lemon juice in my hair and actually want them in high school???]. I am seriously going to have to start wearing a big old granny beach hat to protect my hair and freckled face. And not just at the beach, I mean like everywhere. You need a good calling card like that to embarrass your children as they grow older. It is one of my highest aspirations as a mother. That's my mothering motto- "If you're not embarrassed, I'm not doing my job." Wish me luck on that one too!

I've rambled enough, so I must post and go to bed, before the neighborhood roosters crow me awake.

Boston, you're my home...

It’s probably no surprise to anyone that visits this blog, but our family is moving to Hawaii… in less than 72 hours now. I’ve avoided blogging about it for the last five weeks that we’ve officially known, because I’ve been extremely busy with all the preparations, but mostly, I’ve been too sad to sit down and write about it. Maybe that sounded wrong- I’m not sad at all to be moving to Hawaii. It’s a great move for our family. James is really excited about the new job at BYUH, we get to live near extended family for the first time, and you really can’t beat the scenery, beaches, weather and outdoor activities in Hawaii. I’m not complaining at all. I know it’s really lucky to have found a job there without even really looking; especially one takes care of the move, but despite all of these things… I’m leaving Boston. And that what is making me so sad this week (and making me sob audibly while watching ‘Fox and the Hound’ with Louis, I’m turning into such a sap). There are several things that make me sad about leaving. Below is just a recap of some of the biggest ones.

I find myself trying to psych myself up for the move by repeating phrases like ‘you’ll make new friends’ or ‘you don’t need friends to be happy’, but that’s really not the point, is it? I’m going to miss the friends I’ve made here, that in the absence of family have become like family. I will always miss these people that have been there for me and my family through school, miscarriage, surgeries, broken down cars*, house buying, babies, potty training and all that life brings. They have shown me how to do new things. They have circled my children with love and acceptance and let me come over in stained pants and t-shirts. They have listened to me complain, laughed at bad jokes and shared play dates, holidays and sacred family moments.They talk to me about the Gospel and housecleaning and have challenged and expanded the way I think. I honestly cannot fathom replacing them with better. I feel like my close girlfriends here have really taught me what it means to be a woman and a mother.

*Did you know I got 4 flat tires in one year, 3 in places that were not near my house with hungry, screaming children inside and two resulting in a car tow- totally not fair!

I am going to miss our house. It’s really not much to look at, just a white, three store little town house that is only 950 square feet with a tiny front and back yard, but I have loved it since the moment we bought it. I loved it when it was just James and I and a sledge hammer, banging out a wall for renovations on the day we closed. We (probably should be more like James) pretty much remodeled and redid the entire house, from an entire redo of the kitchen from the studs up to finishing the basement portion. I loved it when we got to turn our office into a little nursery, and brought home a tiny, sleeping Louis into the living room. I loved it when we cooked together in the eat-in kitchen and made countless mistakes at the stove. I loved its pull down attic, the desk we built under the stairs and the tiny yard I planted a pathetic garden in every year. I have countless pictures of our kids against the living room’s hardwood floor, the grey bedroom walls, and the scratched up kitchen table. I know that objects do not have feelings, but I can’t help think that the house might miss us a little too.

I will miss Boston. For close to four years I went to the city every weekday for school and then work. I loved the walk from the T to my office, down cobblestone sidewalks and past beautiful brownstones in the South End and my short walk through the hospital to school. We have many memories of plays at the Boston Opera house, meals at interesting and varied restaurants (those were pre-kid days!), and countless times on the Freedom Trail. I have gotten stuck on the T once for over 3 hours when someone who shot at a bus ran into the subway tunnels during rush hour. James and I once spent over two hours trying to get out of the city when there was a fire on the green line. No shuttles were running yet and every taxi in the city was full- we walked from Wang Theater to the North End and then south again trying to hail a cab, all in terrible heels, yet that was one of my favorite nights. I will miss the museums, the Big Dig, concerts at the Hatch and picking up vegetables and fruit at Haymarket. And how could I forget- I will definitely miss the Red Sox. Having never had a team before and having them win the World Series the first year we moved here, we could not help but become loyal fans. I have loved this city and its mix of rugged New Englanders with recent immigrants and young professional transplants from all over the country.

I am crazy about the church ward we attend here. It is so diverse and different. People there have served us so much, in so many different ways. I loved working with the youth and watching them grow and blossom into such beautiful girls and I loved working with the kids and learning how to navigate their crazy energy. I loved watching people’s lives change as they started to come to Church and follow Christ. I felt it was a restart for my own spiritual growth every time I witnessed someone embracing Christ for the first time. I couldn’t help but cry as we left on Sunday watching building that I loved get smaller in my rearview mirror. It has been a wonderful place for me to worship and grow closer to God.

This has been my home for almost seven years and I can honestly say I have loved it and tried to experience all it has to offer. James and I both agree that we were definitely guided in coming here for my graduate school just shortly after we married. We feel like Boston is the place that our little family was really formed and solidified. So as I say my goodbyes this week to places and people that I love so much, I’m not trying to hide my emotions or tears like I normally would. I’m letting myself tell people how much they’ve meant to me and trying to say goodbye to all the little things that have made me feel at home. I want to feel like I’ve said my goodbyes and at peace with leaving this wonderful place.

Goodbye Boston, we will miss you.

Weebee and Ah Ah Bustino

We've added a few more interesting nicknames that our children call each other. Elsie calls Louis Weebee and herself Ah-Ah (in a really high pitched voice). And Louis thinks his names is Louis Bustino. Funny thing is, when our kids try other people's names they are remarkably close, but for some reason with their own names they go completely off the reservzation.

Life in January

Life is clicking right along here and we are slowly (very slowly) adjusting to life with three kids. I get nothing done. Our house is pretty cluttered, but we're having fun just hanging out together all day. The kids love Pearl.

Louis loves to hold her and does so several times a day. He's turning into a great big brother, but still has him moments- like when he scratched her a few weeks ago. I asked him why and he said "Sometimes I do naughty things and sometimes I don't." Well that explains it then, doesn't it?

Elsie is in full on baby mode. Everything is her baby and needs wrapped, wiped and put to bed. This is seriously what she is up to most of the day when she isn't eating or yelling at James to hold her.

Pearl is a such a good babe. Her hair is awesome, even though it kind of looks like it might be a toupee in some of the pictures. She puts up with a lot of loving abuse from her siblings and some traditional third child neglect from her parents, and takes it all in stride. We all adore her.

I just had to include this one of her screaming. Though she doesn't scream often, she's like all of our kids in the fact that when she does cry, she screams like she's going to die. My sister Lori commented this morning while hearing her cry in the car that she was screaming 'like a stuck pig'.

Here's our scraggly haired, half dressed crew. Sadly, this is what we look like a lot of the time. Louis just learned how to dress himself (which is great), but he wants to change in and out of pajamas and clothes about four times a day (hence the pjs here in the middle of the day).

And here's what happens when we try to take Pearl away from them... full blown mutiny and mayhem. Elsie in particular gets offended when you tell her its time to stop holding Pearl.

Sisters

I am very behind in posting pictures of Pearl, and my only excuse is that I seem to get no free time with a newborn and the other kids. I did take a few of Elsie and Pearl that I am actually posting though. Elsie loves Pearl, but I think its mostly because she thinks she's another baby doll. She wants to hold her and gets mad when we won't let her. She also tries to wrap her in blankets. We don't leave them alone together much.... or ever really.

Did I mention how glad/relieved I am that Elsie has a sister? Even before we started having kids, I was so worried that I would only have one girl, and they would never know what it was like to have a sister. Knowing how much I have love having sisters (four to be exact) I really was hopeful they would know what that relationship was like. I hope they still like each other when they are older.

Baby #3!

IT'S a GIRL!!!

Pearl Kenley Kamoani Faustino was born on Monday, December 13th at 8:28 in the morning. She was 20 inches long and 8lbs, 1oz. After two babies 11 and 12 days overdue and having to practically force them into coming, I was shocked to go into natural labor 12 days before my due date. I am not complaining- I know what an additional 24 days of pregnancy feels like, and it was great to welcome her early and spontaneously. James said he knew it was a girl all along- I kind of thought it was a boy.
The only bummer was I actually had the flu all day Sunday, then when I was feeling just a little bit better, my water broke and knew we were in for a long night. Labor seemed a lot harder than with Louis and Elsie, and even though the really active part was still under four hours, I was pretty exhausted by that point from being sick all day and it felt pretty rough. I love the birth center and midwives there, they get you through no matter what. Here's a few pics from the day...

Calling Grandma and Grandpa Alaska to let them know they have another granddaughter.

Heading home from the birth center at about 6:30pm.

We had some great friends that kept Louis and Elsie at their house that evening and through the next day. James, Pearl and I came home to peace and quiet and spent a lot of time in bed and beat the last of the flu out of our systems and woke up the next day feeling much more like ourselves.
On Tuesday the kids came home and met their new little sister. Louis loves her- it is so darling how he talks to her and holds her. Elsie likes her, but is also quite jealous if you hold her too long or don't pay enough attention to her. Poor middle child.

Sweet kisses for Pearl

Finding her nose and eyes.

Louis yelling about how much he loves Pearl. James is great, he has been taking care of everything since we've gotten home and makes taking care of the kids look easy and makes it easy for me to rest and recover. I love this guy.

I look at this picture below and realize- this is now my life. Three little kids, three and under. I have no idea what I'm doing and how I'll be able to manage all of their needs and household items, but I look at this picture and think, we look happy. Tired, but happy. I think we're going to make it.