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06 September 2013

How to kill a blog ...

... and try to bring it back from the dead with one ramble of a post sprinkled with tens of photos.

Let's go.

I'm feeling a little rusty. And reckless .... abandoning ship for a week? Who cares? I know, not a soul! My biggest complaint about St. Louis (or more specifically - me in St. Louis) is that most days it still feels like we moved here two weeks ago because I do not feel integrated at all. This is 100% my fault but all of the emails that have hit my inbox this past week make me feel like who needs tangible friends when you have the internet?

Not I.

Anyway, the break was unintentional (you already dedicated one paragraph to your sabbatical! no more no more no more .... ) but I was able to find a dark little basement even below the bottom floor that is super survival mode and went into gum-on-a-sidewalk mode.

Or Theodore's bottom lip on a padded playground floor mode. 

Or ... lazy. Or ... slacker. I hope you roll your eyes at my wines + an h ... but night float has just been especially tough this time around -- which still comes as a ridiculous shock to me. It's lonely because whenever Simon and I see each other it's as if our brains have been thrown into a blender and whipped into a vommy smoothy. We are tired. Really bleeping tired. And even though I love my kids and laugh every time Julia mandates yet again that Sebastian is going to dress up as a "costume" for Halloween ... or that when I'm holding Theo and trying to make lunch and Sebastian busts out his second two word phrase that is, "hode you?" ... it's really inconvenient but mostly really endearing ... they do make better company than no one in the house ... but I'll gladly bury vampire Simon in two weeks time. Bring on the semblance of normality. Please. Pretty please.

So. What's been going on around here? More of the same.

We went to Wichita last weekend and I did a terrible job of documenting but snapped these ...

It took Simon three tries to get the overalls on correctly.

As usual, we were spoiled by Simon's family. Super spoiled.

And the big kids love for Frankie makes me almost consider becoming a one pet family again in the VERY distant future but ...... probably definitely not.


We visit Simon as the laborers allow ...


 ... and Sebastian is getting extra bold and stealth and bolty in public which is really great. I'm pretty okay with taking the kids to playgrounds myself (this only took me about 7 months after Theo was born ... I adapt to new situations beautifully) but Sebastian has to be watched like a hawk. I hope you never have the pleasure of seeing me holding poor Theo while sprinting after Sebastian headed toward a pond, parking lot, or street because it's an ugly scene that Sebastian repeatedly finds hilario.

And actually my empty-armed chase is pretty and poised as well.


oh! And the biggest news of all is that we had visitors! Glorious visitors.


Ana and her three little ladies came through on Wednesday and left this morning. The visit lifted my spirits immensely and I love Ana's blog but I love her even more in real life and wish there was some crazy bloggers commune where we could all just retire at the age of how about today? I was a terrible hostess and totally hit up Costco's snack bar for lunch one day and Dunkin Donuts drive-thru for an after dinner park snack and after feeding the kids and putting them to bed last night it dawned on me that I hadn't fed Ana. So ... come visit. You'll eat really well.


You'd think it would be chaos central with six kids under the age of five in a not-very-big house but the kids got along great and Julia is still sad about her friends being gone and that I'm probably less likely to entertain her grating game of "Fee-Fi-Fo" which involves stomping around the house with a super creepy Gollum voice than Ana's sweet girls did. It was so nice to hang around with someone that understands that minivan floor diaper changes are the norm and that tantrums are a toddler's love language. She even had the pleasure of waiting in the hospital parking lot with a screamy Theo as we waited to see Simon for 3 minutes between c-sections. Red carpet treatment. She got it.

the Patton offspring are like .... wtf is that? getting along? looking happy? not for us.


ANYWAY.

I'm back. And as mediocre and melodramatic as ever. Run while you still can.

59 comments:

  1. I was wondering where you went... but a break is definitely necessary sometimes!

    Pouty lips totally work on me. I mean, Theo already looks like a he could make me melt, but the pouty lip just does it.

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  2. ohhh modest grace... please know everyone missed you. 'specially me!! so happy you're back!!

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  3. Sooo glad you're back! And who cares when you're gone? Me! Me! Me! (I need my daily pick-me-up, you know!)

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  4. I have missed you so! I'm glad you're back! The last picture...beyond awesome and I couldn't stop laughing.

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  5. No blog death here Gracie Grace! Absence makes the heart grow fonder! So glad that you indulged us with a quick takes post for the day. Certain ones of us might have been refreshing your page A L L day long. Not me or anything...

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  6. YAY so glad you're back. :) I love the pic of Simon putting on Theo's overalls. Overalls give my husband a really hard time too, hehe.

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  7. So glad you're back! All of your kids are cute, but Theo is quite possibly the cutest baby boy ever! Love his expressions.

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  8. So with one kid named Julia and another named Sebastian, are you a Brideshead fan? They are all adorable.

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  9. Love that last picture. So fun! And I am a tad bit jealous that you got to spend time with those Hahn girls. A lot jealous, actually. :)

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  10. I was THISCLOSE to organizing a 12 step program to help people detoxing from the Camp Love. It's been rough, I'm tellin' ya. And my rough week would have so much better if I could have had one little Simon Says post. Maybe a giveaway so I can see what the cool kids are wearing this days. I was jonesin'. It ain't been purdy. Glad you're back. <3 Heather

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  11. So glad you are back - I did miss you!! (and all the antics of the Patton Tribe).

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  12. Your blog's my favorite! So glad you are back!!

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  13. Your blog is by far the funniest of all I read. I was missing my laughs.

    Also, Theo's baby rolliness. THE best. Love those baby chunks. =)

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  14. As always this is so funny!! And I am right there with you on the runaway child! Pretty sure my son would rather play in traffic then swing on the swings at the park. Which always leaves me with a split second decision of what to do with the other two children while I attempt to run him down. Too often does my baby girl get tucked under my arm like a football and I run like hell!! haha

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  15. HOORAY!!! Happy you're back :) I definitely didn't creepily check back multiple times a day for the past week....nope. Not me.

    But seriously, the fact that you post nearly every single day while raising three kids...um. yeah. you're a rockstar. You deserve a break! Buuuuut maybe warn us next time? ;)

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  16. You baaaack!!!!! And, also, I feel like St. Louis just might have exploded from the awesome?

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  17. About damn time.
    Really, though, I'm sorry it's such a rough month for you, and a teeny tiny bit jealous you and Ana got to hang out. The pics are hilarious! Love Bash's face in the dog photo.

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  18. *happy sigh*

    (Missed you.)

    (I know, I know. I reaalllly need to get a life.). ;)

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  19. You are freakin fabulous. The last pic will be treasured for years to come, I'm sure.

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  20. Hiphip hooray! I'm with the other Heather, and was thinking of signing up for Morgan's 12-step program :)

    Welcome back and I'm still loving the harems, you inspired me to get some! Though here in NZ its been too cold to wear them since...

    Hey ho, you're back and my blogstalking can continue!

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  21. Running off must be a little boy thing because my just turned three year old son also thinks it's hilarious to run away from us. If I'm not holding his hand (or arm) very tightly in public then he's in a stroller :)

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  22. So glad you are back! I am not one to judge on a lack of blogging. Got a stone I can throw from my glass house? Phil was gone last week and I had to do everything myself. Not sure at all how you survive a whole month. Seriously.

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  23. I never comment on blogs because I am super fun and hate most people on the internet except the authors of blogs I read, but I am breaking that rule to tell you that I super missed you this week and am pretending not to just be the creepiest of all stalkers for .5 seconds to tell you that. I'm glad you're back!

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  24. I love your blog and Ana's blog, so seeing pictures of the two of you together would be like a fan of Star Wars and Star Trek seeing a show where Captain Kirk and Luke Skywalker hang out together. It's both awesome and surreal.

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  25. See? You were missed ;)I'm glad to hear you had fun and had some time out with your in-laws.
    Oh and Theo is THE.MOST.ADORABLE.BABY.ON.EARTH! :D

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  26. Yay! You're back! And funny as always.

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  27. I love all of the pictures, but the last two are super cute! Sounds like you, Ana, and the kids had a great time. :)

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  28. Oh, how you were missed. And oh how I love that last picture and its caption. :)

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  29. Glad to have you back! I agree with Jen, this was like a Star Wars/Star Trek crossover. But I loved it. You should have lots of bloggers over and start a series. Do you need 24 or 48 hours before we show up on your doorstep?

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  30. Yay! Love the photo of you + Ana + kids. I feel for you in the whole feeling Sebastian department. You look much, much better than I do ... I always look so hunch backed when I'm close to snagging Ryan so I become the hunchback and hunchfront of Notre Dame.

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  31. Yay! Love the photo of you + Ana + kids. I feel for you in the whole feeling Sebastian department. You look much, much better than I do ... I always look so hunch backed when I'm close to snagging Ryan so I become the hunchback and hunchfront of Notre Dame.

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  32. I missed you and the gang!!! glad you are back eh!

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  33. Fast Bash! The poor youngest don't stand a chance when their brothers are sprinters, I try to tell Hudson to hold on when I run a 40 after Easton toward a hazard, but he usually doesn't and his 6 month old arms don't have good muscle control anyways so a-flailing we both go!

    SO Love the photos of you and Ana and your babies! Jealous that two of my favorite funny ladies got together and didnt put on a one night show! :)

    Glad you are back!

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  34. yay! glad you are back!! i abandon my blog for weeks at time so no judgements here ;)

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  35. I missed you...I really, really missed you. Glad you had company. Glad you spirit's were lifted. Glad you're back...

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  36. Glad you're back! And to celebrate, here I am commenting for the very first time :)

    This week I couldn't help remembering all your posts about Simon's residency. Well, my husband is not a resident, he's a public server and a law student here in Brazil, and this week was so looong as he had to be at the college every morning and every night, and came home super late every night. I felt so physically and emotionally tired and it was only one week, and we have only one child. And when I think it's only his second semester and he still has five years to go... my goodness! I can say I understand you a little better now in this department.

    Also, I am a translator and work from home, and sometimes feel more connected to the real world through the internet. I do all my work online, all my clients came from the virtual world, most of all the fellow translators I know I met through Facebook, Orkut (RIP) and other social networks. The exception here is my family as we live in the same town, so we see each other often.

    Anyway, it's good to read your posts again!
    Cheers from Brazil!

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  37. I love your blog and Ana's blog so is it weird it makes my heart happy that you two hung out "IRL"? Yes? Step away from the computer, Caitlyn..

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  38. So jelly you two got together, but more happy for you guys. And I checked your blog everyday while you were"away". You are very missed, my dear!

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  39. Missed you! So glad you had fun with Ana. I was sans internet for 4 days while I vacay-ed it with all my sisters over Labor Day at my Dad's lake house. It's our annual trek and the best weekend ever, because I love me some sister time. My nieces and nephews and BILs are just the bonus. And my Dad. But I just really love being with my sisters!

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  40. Glad you're back :). We're gearing up for our first week of the hubs new traveling schedule - I'm only 8.5 months preggo with the little lady in tow, and I know not a soul in this new town. So.....your lovely posts are a bit of an inspiration. thanks!

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  41. I seriously just had a dream last night that you had a new blog post and I was super thrilled about it.
    Way too dependent on your posts? Yes, yes I am.

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  42. so very glad you are back! missed reading your witty posts all week!

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  43. Ha! Not running. I love that you forget to feed people. All I do is feed the people, but nothing is clean. They'd probably prefer clean sheets.

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  44. I think my girls are going through Doc McStuffins withdraw. We should do a skype date where you just set up your computer in front of the tv and the children zonk out while we sit on our respective couches drinking our respective bottles of wine.

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  45. I'm really glad you're back, and I totally noticed. Take breaks whenever you need, I'm sure I'll still be here.

    Which sounds quite a bit lurkier than I meant. Ah well. It is what it is.

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    1. So glad to have you back! And you totally know we noticed. :) So, can I tell you the first time my Hubs learned I changed the kids on the minivan floor (or trunk floor of the SUV), he thought I was a green space machine? Yeah, so totally normal I didn't realize everyone wasn't doing it! Lots of love and prayers to you as you finish up this rotation. I know I'd be in a quiet, dark padded room, so you're a pro! :)

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  46. Can I get an "Amen" for using "normality" and not "normalcy"?!? You must be an English (or history, like I) teacher? Hehe. Welcome back!

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    1. I use normalcy ironically because it was coined by President Harding whist running the laziest campaign ever (seriously, dude hardly left his front porch.) Formerly homeschooled Literature major right hurr. ;)

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  47. Love that last photo! And I DEFINITELY noticed and missed your posts! I'm actually embarrassed to admit the number of times I checked to see if you had posted...really embarrassed. But so so SO glad you're back!!! :)

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  48. I wasn't one of the ones who e-mailed you but I definitely noticed your absence Grace, you're my internet cup of coffee :)

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  49. Missed you! Also the first pic of Theo made me *actually* LOL...because so often I think Theo just smiles so big for you.....like he must hear his mama's voice and light up. And that first pic he has got the grump pout goin ON.

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  50. That picture of Theo and Simon NEEDS to be framed!!!

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  51. that last pic and the caption has to be the funniest thing i've seen in a while. also, here's to hoping that the night float gets better and STAT.

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  52. considering i'm more of a lurker than a commenter, i didn't reach out...but i was seriously missing getting my camp patton fix!

    also...i'm an STLer and would love to connect if you're ever interested! i'm 17 weeks pregnant with my first and figure i have a lot to learn from you awesome crew ;)

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