Three for the price of one.

Last evening health in the Smith house deteriorated quickly. Starting with Keith, then Brandon and then Mary. All of them have high fevers and feel lousy. Brandon fell asleep on his own last night (something he never does) and Mary fell asleep wrapped up in two blankets and socks on her feet (something she never does). So starts our day. I sent poor little healthy Jaeden off to school today alone. He didn't really like it that everyone was staying home but him. I tried to make it sound good with a cheery, "Well everyone else has to stay in bed, and you get to go and have fun with your friends." I didn't get a smile, but more of a yeah right mom.

On top of all of this, the cleaning lady usually comes today. Will she clean around them? There's too many of them. All I know is that I do get a break today from playing nurse when I go to Hungarian language class. Maybe tomorrow things will turn around for everyone, but as for right now we're nursing 100+ temps, achy bodies and headaches......yay me.

Happy Birthday Brandon Paul Smith.

It's All Mine!

So Brandon's birthday dinner wish was really "hard" for us to fulfill. The kid just wanted McDonalds chicken nuggets, french fries with a side of lots of new Transformers. So his

wish was our command. We had a great birthday dinner listening to all the kids tell us about their day at school. We kept teasing Brandon, telling him he was only 5 not six. He was emphatic that he was 6. Can't believe 6 years have gone by since he entered our family, but we're so grateful that he did.

A Good Time Inside at the Beach

Jae & Brandon racing

Well who'd have thunk it. Budapest now has an amazing, modern, clean and convenient indoor water park. The kids were off school yesterday, so Keith took the day off and we headed off to Aquaworld that some of our friends had told us about. Low and behold, it was inexpensive (for a family of six that is) and definitely gave us all of the bang for our buck.

First attraction...the clean locker rooms.....man were they clean. Second attraction, an indoor wavepool. The kids really enjoyed this. It was shallow enough that all of the kids could really enjoy the pool. Next, the kids section. A pool that was at most 3 feet deep with two kid perfect sized water slides. Even Jenny went down the rainbow slide. The boys had a great time splashing around in this pool because there was plenty to see and they could go anywhere and we could still see them.

Jenny had a great time playing
in the wave pool. The waves made her laugh.

Daddy and Jenny enjoyed playing on the fun slides.

Mary and I both braved the water slide. We got to ride together, but the tube got away from me. So, Mary got to ride all the way down solo and I came down behind...no pun intended but "ouch". Keith and Jaeden decided to go do the same and they had a great time together sliding down and laughed and laughed. Mary and I decided to try this thing they talk about in Europe and swim outside even while it's frigid outside. It was actually quite nice. Mary thought the fog that it created was a little creepy, but was impressed by the automatic door that opened so you could swim outside to the open pool. One of the last attractions we visited was the hot pool. Now that pool was wonderful. It had lounge areas perfect for resting on and had jets on the seating area. Keith enjoyed sitting in this pool with the jets since his back has not been to happy as of late. I was even able to get in some exercise in the lap pool. I'm telling you we were very impressed. 8,120 forints for two adults and four kids. The tickets were for two and a half hours and it was plenty of time for the kids to have fun and we treated them to McDonalds on the way home. So we rate this Budapest outing as one of our favorites so far. Definitely a place to go on a gloomy, cold and rainy day in the Budapest winter.

Even Brandon, ventured out
into the wave pool and enjoyed
playing in the warm water.

So the snow has melted and the sun actually came out today to warm up the city. It was a welcome sight to see. It was still quite cold out, but we still enjoyed the beautiful day resting in our home. Hopefully Mr. Groundhog will not see his shadow and spring will come early in Budapest. It's my favorite season here and I can't wait for it to arrive.

So our Brandon is turning 6

Brandon Paul Smith-January 2003

It's January 20th, 2009. I'm new tothe blog thing so we'll see how this goes.

Have you ever heard the words, " I remember the day you were born". Well in my experience and the day Brandon Paul Smith was born those words couldn't ring more true.

I was a heavy 190 and a couple days over due. Keith and I cautiously drove to the hospital hoping that this was the day....we'd been sent home before. When we arrived I remember a family who delivered in the triage room because she had waited so long to come.....she'd been sent home before too I bet. So it was quick. I was definitely in labor, they took me to a room and we began the loooooong wait for this little one. I was asked if I wanted an epidural and you know what my reply was...load it up. I didn't even feel many contractions in the beginning and then, ah yes and then. Little Brandon, all 9 lbs. 5 oz. of him became stuck. So we sit and wait at 9 centimeters and the last one never comes. So I'm looking down the tunnel of a c-section when a doctor arrives and says, "Mrs. Smith, you don't know me, but I know you. I've been monitoring you all night (yes they left me in that state for 9 hours over night). He worked a little magic and bam 10 centimeters. We pushed for what seemed an eternity, this baby was big.

I almost missed the moment he arrived. My epidural had worn off and I was in the worst pain ever. But there he was with the pediatric doctor standing over him. He never wailed or screamed he simply wimpered a little, something that scared me. He was perfect. He had a head full of black hair, so much that it met his eyebrows at his temples. He started nursing right away and Mom and I noticed he had his Daddy's dimples. Ten fingers, ten toes and he was ours. I think maybe since this was my third I took ths event as just another at the time. Now thinking back to it, I am in awe of all the wonderful things that happened that day.

Keith stayed with me that night while May watched Mary and Jaeden. I stared at him for what seemed like an eternity. God had blessed us with another son and a lifelong buddy for Jaeden.

So here we are 6 years later. We moved to Hungary a month before he turned three and now he's six. He looks at the world with the wonder of a child and when you look at him you can see his wheels are turning about something. He's our Brandon. I'm grateful that I've been blessed with four children. I'm anxious to see what the next year has in store for him.