Blah, Blah, Blah

Here She Comes

2012-02-07T12:42:00.000-05:00

After my water broke, I was quickly wheeled to my delivery room. I was checked again and surprisingly, I was a 7-8. Epidural? Yes! I want it now!

Hold still he says as he prepares to stab me in the back with his massive sword like needle. How is that possible when I have contractions back to back, I'm about to throw up again, and I'm shaking all over? Ouch! It's not possible, but he stuck me anyway.

The nurse said I would probably deliver within the hour, however, it soon became obvious that I wouldn't. Great. It was fabulous to have an epidural, but it slowed my contractions WAY down.

We were there for the night. My little womb kicker was sure taking her time.

The next morning I was exhausted. It was my 3rd day without sleep and I hadn't had my baby yet! The doctor came to check on me and discovered my baby was face up instead of down. So, they positioned my body a specific way, hoping the baby will turn on her own. It was amazing to feel her twisting and turning, preparing to make her debut.

Here she comes!

Dr. L was anxious to meet her.

Once he sat down, I gave a few pushes. He then lifted his hands in the air and laughed. Look at this! This is amazing. Dad, look at this as he pointed down. Mom, sit up and look at this. Now I didn't plan on watching any of this unfold, but I didn't think, and quickly sat up to see what he was talking about. I don't have to do a thing the doctor said with a smile. We all sat and watched my baby's head slowly make it's way out on its own. It was quite amazing.

She gave a hearty cry as she kicked the doctor.

She had a head full of dark hair.

She was 7 lbs 10 ounces and 21 inches long.
Dark blue eyes, lazy baby toes, fuzzy ears, and a sweet dimple in her left cheek.

Baby H was finally here and she's perfect.

Very calm, quite alert, oh so soft, and just heavenly.

We have been so blessed to have this little miracle come into our lives.

So...There I Was...

2012-02-06T16:35:00.000-05:00

...Up practically all night timing contractions. I tried to get sleep, but it was nearly impossible. The contractions were pretty steady at 6 or 7 minutes apart, but then I'd have a random 10 minute one that would frustrated me. I finally dozed off around 4:30am, only to be awakened at 6am by a strong contraction. Before I could react, I had another. I shot out of bed and started gathering. A, who was very calm, began to wake the kids and load them, along with their suitcases, into the van. While I was preparing to leave, the contractions were steadily coming at 3-4 minutes apart.

We had a drive ahead of us. Our plan was to drop E off at one cousin's house and the boys at another. However, as we traveled we decided to drop all of them off at one house and head to the hospital. My brother and sister-n-law were very gracious to help us out. In fact, a simple drop off became an all day event. Just as we sent E off to play with her cousins and we began to chat about our events thus far, my contractions went from 3 minutes apart to 5-6 minutes apart. WHAT?!
So...we ended up spending most of the day there. I danced, lunged, squatted, and climbed stairs all while my labor music played. Yes, labor music. Hubby made me a sweet mix. An awesome mix.

The kids rode bikes.

A blew the leaves with brother G, took a nap, and watched football.

I also walked the neighborhood.

When the contractions got back down to 4-5 minutes apart, we decided to check in at the hospital. I was queezy at this point and knew it wouldn't be long. Or would it? I continued to walk while checking in and had my barf bag on hand.

Concentrate...focus...count...count...

Once they got me into an exam room, contractions were at 2-3 minutes apart and lasting for a minute or more. I was vomiting now and the shaking started. I was really getting close, or so I thought. The nurse told me I was dilated to a 1. WHAT?! We went walking through the halls, stopping every couple minutes to grip the rails or barf. Near the end, I told A, I just can't do this anymore. I was in a great deal of pain. Some of the contractions were back to back with not much time in between. What was the result? Still a ONE. We were flabbergasted, including the nurse who thought for sure I was close to delivery. YOU"VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!! I yelled...for everyone to hear. She called the doctor and he told me to go home. I live too far away to go home. Plus, how in the world are we supposed to know when to come back if my body is acting like its in transition?

Let's face it. I was mad. Frustrated. Tired. In pain. I did not want to leave. As I lifted my legs to get out of bed, my water broke and we all screamed for joy. My nurse was the loudest as she jumped for joy, clapping her hands. She admitted she really didn't want me to go home. This is a picture of us when I was officially admitted. Now...let's get going.

The End of the Pregnancy...Two months ago

2012-01-31T14:07:00.001-05:00

37 weeks

38 weeks

39 weeks

Me and the kiddos

My view. Spilled on myself often.

Thanksgiving Day. 40 weeks.The contractions started.

We planned on traveling to my parents house for a second Thanksgiving meal and staying the night. However, after talking to the online nurse and noticing that my contractions were getting closer together (but still not a big deal) we decided to just eat and run.
And no, that's not blush. I was beautifully and naturally rosey while pregnant. ;)

Timing the contractions at my parents house. The Thanksgiving meal was so delicious and we hated to leave that night, especially since we wouldn't get any leftovers! But throughout my pregnancy, I only hoped to get through Thanksgiving and I did. Now it's show time.
I was nervous about the contractions. This was a first! When will they get closer together? When will they get stronger? I was up all night timing them. Friday was spent getting ready to leave. I did last minute laundry and made sure I had everything I needed.

Me and my big belly took a relaxing bath that night. The contractions were getting closer and stronger and the warm bath helped. I was sure I was going to go to the hospital soon.

I'm Coming...

2012-01-20T12:12:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile, I know. I'll be here soon. You've been so patient!

Camping Adventure

2011-11-10T16:34:00.000-05:00

Daddy and E finally went camping together. Last year, he camped with the kids, but they weren't at a genuine campsite. E has always been jealous of Daddy camping with the the Scouts. I can't tell you how many times she has begged to go with him. Well, it was time. Daddy made plans to take E camping with a good friend and three out of four of his kids. Leading up to that weekend, E was so excited she could hardly contain herself.

She absolutely loved being with the girls.They get along splendidly.

We prepared meals to cook on the fire, s'mores, hot cocoa, and plenty of snacks..

Getting ready to cook breakfast.

The stage on which the kids performed several times.

Hiking the trails. I sure got a good laugh at E's pose. In another shot like this one, she is caught throwing her hair back. Too funny.

Waterfalls

Sheer rock cliffs enjoyed by all. Just kidding...Miles was scared. No, kidding...the rocks weren't that sheer.

First time canoeing for Miss E.

She said it was hard work, but loved it. She laughed hysterically while trying to tell me about Rich canoeing into the trees. She still laughs about that silly Rich.

She was big stuff hangin' with the girls in their own canoe. They brought it back to the dock at the end of the adventure.
They all had a fabulous time and E can't wait to do it again. She loved being with everybody and even cried the evening she got back because she missed her friends.
Great memories.

Allergic Reaction

2011-11-10T15:47:00.000-05:00

O woke up one morning with some sort of allergic reaction on his face. We had no idea how he got it. He hadn't eaten anything different nor had he been into anything different. It was a mystery.

The rash didn't bother him and it only spread on his face and neck.

He ended up on three medications and it was a sheer miracle that he has outgrown his complete refusal to take medicine. He actually enjoyed taking it and W was jealous.

Round Three

2011-11-09T16:52:00.000-05:00

We're near the end folks. Simply amazing.

31 weeks

One of three dresses I can wear. The colored scarves add some variety and allows me to pretend I'm wearing a different outfit.

32 weeks

Really feeling the heaviness and pressure of the pregnancy.

33 weeks

The baby is still very active. Having not as much room to move around doesn't seem to bother her. I'll get a one, two ka-pow quite often. I swear, she's a mover and shaker. People tell me it's an indication of how she'll be once she's born...hmmm.

34 weeks
I look a little smaller in this shot for some reason. Maybe I haven't eaten yet. Maybe that was a day I wasn't constipated. You know, cause pregnancy does that to ya.

Lookin' good before leaving to a bonfire with friends. My top button is straining to say the least.

35 weeks

It's funny that this is the same shirt as the 32 week shot and almost the exact same position. You can tell I've grown much rounder.

36 weeks

Me and the younger sis pregnant at the same time. She's a couple months behind me. We both have 4 kids: girl, two boys, girl...she's such a copy cat.

I'm near the end! Everyone asks me if I'm ready, and no, I'm not. I guess I have the baby basics ready like clothes, a blanket, a bed, and diapers. However, when it comes to me, my house, and the enormous change in schedule, I am soooo not ready for baby number 4. I'm rare that I hope she's not early. She can take her time. Eventually, yes, my little womb kicker will be rudely evicted, but until then, I hope to feel a little more prepared for her arrival.

More End of Summer

2011-11-04T10:58:00.000-04:00

The fun continued at the beach. It didn't take too long for the kids to conk out each night.

Cuddlin' Cousins

The boys slept in our room and for some reason they continued to slither under the bed while sleeping.

On the first night, I kept waking up to the bed moving...like someone shaking it. I couldn't figure it out. Finally, in the wee hours of the morning, the bumps were directly under me. I thought it was W under the bed, but A unearthed the O who had traveled the entire width of the king size bed.

We experienced the largest ferris wheel on the east coast. Can we say major rip off?

The kids while in line.

Impromptu dance party...sooo funny. Sure enough, they were the entertainment for everyone around.

E checking out the view.

The C Family up in the sky.

Our family

Playing at the park. At this very second, O discovered a balloon. It's the little things.

Girls on the tire swing. E is much better about hanging on. One time, she flew right through the bottom. Granted, she was close to 3 years old. A little scary at first, but turned out to be a really good laugh, especially since I took a picture of her swinging the split second she fell through and Aunt S, who is pushing her, has her mouth wide open in shock.

The kids

The hurricane was nearby, so the weather turned on us. It was cooler, but we still played.

E loves the ocean and near the end of the week, she was jumping the waves on her own.

W got cold and wrapped up.

I'm coooold!

The lazy river was always warmer.

Another great thing near the end of the week was that the boys began to swim on their own.

Cute little doggie paddlers.

Determination. What a difference a few days make!

End of Summer Fun

2011-10-24T22:02:00.000-04:00

We patiently wait for the end of the summer when we can head out to the beach. This is the all time best thing E does all year. She dreams of it, prays about it, draws pictures and makes plans all year long. We love it. It's the perfect family vacation.

We love the fact that a few hours on the beach can completely exhaust children.

W spent most of his time on the beach.

O was in and out of the water.

E loved the ocean and surprised us with how much she enjoyed swimming out in the water. She was a little mermaid- swimming, jumping waves and rolling with the waves all while singing.

We weren't able to get her into swim lessons this past summer, but she certainly improved on her own. She could swim without our assistance, hold her breath much longer, and even retrieve diving rings.

We were thrilled our good friends could come visit us. We miss them, of course, and loved every minute together. (Baby M was sleeping soundly during picture.)

The kids got along beautifully!

Cheeeeeeeese!

The kids love to eat outside and look at the fun things happening out on the ocean.

The boys practiced their big brother skills as they dressed and fed babies.

Confidence was definitely gained in the lazy river. Both boys could float around without us using floaties and innertubes..

We tried to get W swimming, but he wasn't cool with that. He'd rather have a death grip on your hand.

O was more relaxed.

We didn't give up though. We continued to let go of him and tell him to kick his legs. He would literally kick and scream at the same time until we held each other again.

O...where's O? There he is...way over there...floating...all by himself.

The First Day For The Boys

2011-10-13T20:43:00.001-04:00

I forgot to include the pictures from the actual first day of playschool.

Special breakfast? Well, if you count cereal or oatmeal, then yes, they had one.

W does love his oatmeal.

They have no clue what's going to happen. It's so funny.

Is this the way?

Is this the way? (This is the line he says over everything, to make sure he's doing it right.)

Handsome boys...ready to be without mommy. It was a good day.

Right Round, Baby, Right Round

2011-10-11T21:01:00.000-04:00

Remember that song?

Here are long awaited belly pics for you. More are coming, I promise.

28 weeks

29 weeks
This is at the point where I can no longer sleep AT ALL.

30 weeks
This is the face every time I pass a mirror. What the?!

The Joy of Playschool

2011-10-08T16:39:00.000-04:00

I didn't need too much convincing that my boys needed to be enrolled in playschool. Not only did we feel that it would be beneficial to their physical, emotional, and social growth, but it would be helpful to mommy's sanity. Plus, there's a baby coming, so...

I started in the Spring to get them into a preschool program. There are 4 in the area. Two were way to expensive because they were actually private schools. The other two were church programs 5 minutes from the house. The one I really wanted them to attend was booked already. I was placed on a waiting list, but my chances of getting two spots were slim. I waited all summer to hear back from them. Finally, August rolls around and I received word that there was one opening. Great. Do I not do it? Do I send one and not the other? The director then called me and said she would take both boys. Horray!

They call it a playschool because although they teach the basics, they focus on socialization. They teach through play.

There are several things I like about this school. It's like a drive through when I drop off or pick up the kids. The teachers get them in and out. It's wonderful. They also walk to the library for story time every month and check books out with their very own library card. They have holiday parties and cool bikes to ride in the gym on rainy days. In the spring, they will walk to the Y for swim lessons. How awesome is that?!

Shortly before school started (in September) I took the boys to see their school and meet their teacher. They loved the room and the toys. W pointed out all the fire extinguishers in the building, light switches, plugs, the church elevator with buttons, the air conditioner, why the ac is making that sound, AND where the air comes out to cool everybody. The teacher was impressed. O impressed her with his ability to name all his colors and the letters on the table.

These are just about the only pictures I got of the boys while we were there. I'll probably hear about it when they're older. I'm sure they'll have more when they actually start public school. I'm not too worried about it.

On the morning of their first day, I was a little worried about how things would go for them. Would they want to go? How will they react when the teacher gets them out of the car? Will they cry, scream and try to cling to me like they do when I drop them off at Nursery or MOPS? WELL...they were a tad nervous and slow moving, but they did it. The van door closed and they began to walk away. W turned to me and yelled, "Bye Mommy!" with a gigantic wave. They did it! They really have started school and I actually had a quiet van. As I drove away, I was so giddy. What a relief! I was thrilled. As I pulled out into the street, I screamed with joy! I laughed, big and loud. My happiness raced through my fingers and created drumbeats on the steering wheel. Wait. What was this? A tear? I had a tear in my eye. A tear of pure and utter bliss.

The Day Has Arrived

2011-10-05T17:26:00.000-04:00

Oh my! It seems so amazing that she is ready for Kindergarten. I was so nervous about her starting school. I knew she was more than ready academically, but E is sensitive, timid and shy. She is innocent. She can be very nervous about new situations. These are some of the reasons why we toured the school, the playground, the bathrooms, etc. We really wanted her to feel more confident about school.

E and I made tags for each school day to place on her hangers. We pick out her clothes for the week and hang them on the inside of her closet door. It's been working gloriously. I don't have to help her get dressed in the morning and she can read the days of the week.

The morning of her first day of school. Wake up sweet girl!

A special breakfast.

Picture at the door with her new backpack, lunchbox, and 'First Day of Kindergarten' sign.

Walking through the school...I had a knot in my chest.

She approached her classroom slowly.

She recognized the teacher assistant from her class and softly said hi.

Greeted by her teacher as she observed her surroundings.

After putting her things away, she finds her seat with pink play-doh.

E looked at me with apprehensive eyes and asked me to stay longer. She was excited, but there was no way she could hide her nervousness. I seemed to be really hot at this point and tired of faking a smile.

We took a picture together...

or two before I left. I gave her a big pep talk, a hug, and a high five. She was going to do great.

I, on the other hand...I exited the building as fast as possible before I completely lost it in front of people. As I took this picture, I was sobbing! My baby has started school! We have been together for almost six years and I was really going to miss her. I cried all the way home. I called my sister and cried some more. I cried all. day. long.

I composed myself in order to pick her up from school, but still got tears as I waited.

Look! She recognized me in the van. She was thrilled that I came to get her.

They sprinted to the van, all smiles. It was another day that I had to pull the van past her in carpool and she thought I was leaving. She was hysterically running after the van, waving her arms and crying for me. I felt awful that I couldn't explain what I was doing. We survived.

"I had a great day, Mommy! School is so fun!"

Her first day with the entire Kn class present.

All buckled up and ready to go. She looks like a pro.

Walking into the school...much more confident.

E quickly got to work before she was greeted by the teacher. She already knew what to do...smartypants.

We'll have a fabulous year!

Let's Meet Her

2011-09-28T13:22:00.001-04:00

The teacher that is. The one who will take care of my baby while she's at school. The one who will teach her the ropes, and hopefully, challenge her educationally. E was a little nervous about being inside the school and meeting her teacher.

She was so excited to find her classroom, as well as her name all over the place. She loved sitting in her spot at her table. This was the first spot. It has since changed about 6 times. From what I gather, E has been placed several times next to others who do not behave very well. She doesn't like it. I don't either, but I understand why the teacher does it. I just hope E finds good friends.

E with her teacher, Mrs. B. She's a spunky woman and her wonderful reputation is well known throughout the entire city. Seriously.
After the classroom, we toured the school. I made sure E knew her way around. We saw the cafeteria, the gym, the media center, the bathrooms, the art room, the music room, and the computer lab. We even visited a second grade and a fifth grade classroom. Just to make sure she knew where to go, I spun her around in an atrium full of people and asked her to find her classroom. There was no hesitation. She knew right away by looking at specific signs. Phew!
The boys were interested and wanted to stray, but I made them stay next to me. It was so crowded there! I had O in an umbrella stroller, which was a little small for him, but I thought I'd have better success with O confined and W walking next to me. For the most part, I did; however, he wandered a bit and O struggled almost the whole time to get out and move. At one point, he was literally walking with the stroller strapped to his back! I wish I took a picture of it!
We all survived the evening. E felt much more at ease about starting school...and so did I.

Getting Ready

2011-09-27T16:34:00.001-04:00

Along with the school supplies, the classroom supplies, the backpack, lunchbox, a few new pieces of clothing, new shoes, socks and cute little underwear with butterflies and polk-a-dots, we also got E ready for school by playing on the PreK- 1st Grade playground at her school.

I mean, she needs to feel comfortable on the playground, right? This is where she'll be fancy free. It is at recess that she'll be able to run, dance, and pretend the world is hers to entertain. It's E time.

The boys enjoyed the play time too. E showed them everything on the playground with great excitement. She also instructed them on what to do...how to climb up the ladder, how to slide down the slide, how to swing on the monkey bars.

Even I got in the spirit as I remembered the old days of swinging away on the bars in elementary school. My friends and I would play on them just about every day. We knew all kinds of tricks, upside down hand claps, and even THE Cherry Drop, which my older sister broke her arm doing, but I never did. But I quickly learned that a pregnant mom of three shouldn't act upon her childhood memories of monkey bar swinging. I think I pulled a muscle. It just wasn't as fun.

W peeking through the tunnel.

O peeking through.

Can You Make More Bread?

2011-09-22T12:59:00.000-04:00

My Grandma stayed with my parents for about a week or so. I headed over to visit, as well as my sister. It was nice to see her and devour her classic Pone Bread. A Southern bread. A bread that used to be cooked in fireplaces, iron pots, or on coals. A bread that my Grandma has never measured ingredients for and she mixes the batter by hand.

I should have taken pictures of each step, but I was a little slow to think of it.

I got a few shots though and watched her make it. I atleast know that a dark pan is necessary for browning.

The dough is slightly runny and easy to spread in the pan.

Ready to bake.

When the bread comes out of the hot oven, my Grandma cuts each piece and slathers butter all over it. Some may like jam and some enjoy tomato slices.

It really isn't the healthiest bread for you, but she made a pan almost every day and it was devoured in minutes by all of us. The kids loved it for sure.

Round Two

2011-09-19T15:48:00.001-04:00

Update on the roundness, otherwise known as the abdomen, belly, tummy, breadbasket, potbelly, gut, or solar plexus.

24 weeks - Picture taken by E

Great shot of boys. W in underwear with keys. O squirming away. Another pic by E.

Me and E. She's a doll.

She is so excited about the baby. My tummy gets a lot of attention from her.

24 weeks

25 weeks

Beginning to shake when I laugh like a bowl full of jelly (like Santa).

Behold, the arched abdomen.

26 weeks

27 weeks

Booyah!

I'm in my 3rd trimester now and it's going by fast. This little one will be here in a few months and I don't think I'm ready for her yet. I haven't hit any type of nesting stage, although A would really like to see that happen.

I'm a Big Boy

2011-09-02T12:01:00.000-04:00

We decided to take the railing off of W's crib to make the toddler bed. Afterall, he broke the railing a while ago. He was very excited to have a big boy bed.

Notice the small side rail on the bed. It didn't last too long.

He broke it...of course.

This is the sight when coming into the bedroom the next morning. If they had a screwdriver, they would've had the entire thing dismantled.

Quiet time in E's room. A most astonishing sight to see W actually napping. I think this has happening only twice this year! After dismantling the bed and that phone, I guess he was just plain tuckered out.

It Was a Great Show...I Think

2011-09-01T20:30:00.002-04:00

E presents a 'show' often and sometimes she insists on performing in the dark. It's difficult to take pictures in the dark. I mean, we are entertained by the singing, dancing, and the kids running into each other, but we'd also like to see the craziness unfold.

Welcome to THE SHOW!

E's into dressing herself, and yes, those are E's old pj's on W.

It's great fun to dance in the dark, especially when your musical guitar lights up.

Lots of twirling and falling.

Lots of "Look at me"...even though we can't see anything.

W's a pro at the Charleston dance.

Collision!

Another collision? Dancing? Taking a bow? They can't see what their doing!
Another evening of entertainment.

Sparkling Fourth

2011-08-29T11:49:00.000-04:00

July was crazy hot around here. We tried to keep cool while visiting family in Virginia for the fourth of July.

Thanks to some friends we were able to enjoy a less populated beach with mild waves for the little ones.

O was more daring in the water. W went in, but didn't go too far. He was happier playing in the sand.

The kids enjoyed building sandcastles, splashing, and of course, eating.

First time in sleeping bags.

They were very excited about the whole experience. It took over 2 hours to go to sleep the first night!

This is how we found them a few hours later.

Another night.

They're getting better. At least they're sleeping on or under their sleeping bag.

A morning at the zoo with Daddy.

The dads took all the boys to the zoo on the same day the heat index topped 311...a scorcher.

Getting cool with little fountains.

On the same day, the dads then took the girls to the zoo. They got to play in larger fountains.

Talk about cooling off!

Uncle E swung the girls through the fountains.

Woo-hoo!

A lot of spraying going on at the zoo.

We were greeted with a massive thunderstorm shortly before fireworks. What was once a jam packed viewing area for fireworks, quickly became deserted. We were one of the few families who stuck it out, sat in wet chairs and had a great view over the water. It was chilly, but we had a fun time. The kids especially enjoyed flying their flags, marching around, and singing the same song over and over again.

America! America!

People slowly started to come back as we were waiting for the fireworks. After dusk, another thunderstorm rolled towards us.

We were hoping they would start the fireworks early before people cleared out again.

The sky grumbled and rain began to fall. They decided to start the show early. Awesome.

The bright colors shot into the air from over the water and it was fabulous. Short, but fabulous.

Three Year Old Gorilla

2011-08-23T21:12:00.000-04:00

Can you believe it? The 'baby' of the family is now three years old; however, he's off the charts for height and weight. He's the size of the average four year old. He's only a few pounds shy of E, who is going on six! His shoe size is an eleven! He's a big guy, but his heart and mind are still very little. Life can be hard...to say the least.

I should have trimmed his hair before all the pictures.

He requested a dump truck cake with dirt (a serious passion of his). I try to please.

Amazingly, he blew out all three candles in his first blow.

He was very pleased with himself. Hey, we were all impressed and cheered for him.

He loved his cake and couldn't wait to dig into that dirt.

He licked his plate clean within a few minutes. This boy can seriously eat. I don't think he chews.

Whoa...what a bunch of piggies. The cake was a hit.

Surprising Big O with his gift of a work bench and tools.

He was excited before he even saw it!

He loves it. All the kids love it. We definitely knew they would!

The next morning, O discovered the cupcakes that I had made along with his cake. He knew he shouldn't, but just as we were saying his name, he devoured the whole thing as quickly as he could.

Little monkey...I mean gorilla.

Show Time!

2011-08-19T16:11:00.002-04:00

Before bedtime, E often performs her shows for us.

Miss E is spotlighting herself as she speaks into a phonics phone. She's welcoming us to the show and makes the following announcement: Um, welcome to the show. We have a great show planned for you. Before we get started, I want to tell you that there is no flash photography. If you do, the dancers will fall off the stage and get hurt. You can take pictures of me though. Everybody turn off your phones. We don't want any noises. Here's some flowers (passes them out) to throw at the dancers when the show is done. Enjoy the show!

Starting with dramatic dialog.

Disagreement with another character.

Break into song and dance.

The folks over on the side balcony are up close and personal.

A little ribbon dancing for affect.

Comic relief.

Intense dancing which evokes many emotions.

This is drama.

This was a good show.

As my brother in law would say...It was much better than CATS.

We Love Daddy

2011-08-18T21:31:00.000-04:00

Walkin' the Neighborhood

2011-08-18T20:59:00.000-04:00

We've been walking the neighborhood more recently. At times, it's a leisurely stroll. Sometimes it's a power walk for exercise and lately we've let all three kids ride their bikes, which means a little of both.

Never ending fascination with storm drains.

Races around the court.

Look at that fierce power walk.

Readjusting shoes that are too small for his enormous Flinstone feet.

Miss E loves our walks.

She's gaining confidence on her bike. She will actually ride farther ahead and the hills don't worry her anymore.

She loves going around the neighborhood for her exercise, discoveries, and for using her imagination.

King of the mountain!

Water Slide Fun

2011-08-17T16:59:00.000-04:00

Water Slide awesomeness. Everyone had a blast.

They can really slip and slide on this thing.

O was a dare devil. He literally jumped off the top, gaining more air time with each jump.

Cousin V joined in on the craziness.

These two were loving it. W was just fine watching them...several feet away.

Can you believe he's not even 3 in this picture?!

Flutterby

2011-08-13T00:07:00.000-04:00

We visited the The Butterfly House when the family was in town. It's basically a giant butterfly farm at someone's house. It's a sweet setup though. They have an all about butterflies presentation with the kids and when you're not in the 'house' you get to play with toys and run through a mister.

Volunteers for the presentation.

Running through the mister.

The House

They have a million butterflies flying around who were born right there on a little leaf.

W was shy, then thrilled over the experience. But after awhile, he thought it was funny to throw rocks at the butterflies. Yeah...I had to keep an eye on him. Near the end of our visit, he was more interested in the wiring of the place. I caught him eying the rotating fan by the front door and got him just before he unplugged it. I then caught him opening the back door with butterflies trying to escape.

O was nervous and then terrified. He ran from them and that created more problems because butterflies were everywhere, even the ground. He joined in on the rock throwing, but near the end he was clinging to me wanting to leave.

It was funny to see where they would land. Cousin E got several on her head.

They loved E's hair too. I think she had one attached somewhere on her the entire time.

I even had them landing on my camera!

Cousin V had them everywhere. I think he had 5 or 6 here and he was afraid to move.

We had a fluttering good time!

Roundness

2011-08-08T22:19:00.000-04:00

I have a lot of catching up to do with my blog, but I also know several of you really want to see my expanding arched abdomen. It's a glorious sight to behold. I am certainly the talk of the town because, hello...this is the miracle of the decade.

16 weeks

Hubby showing the classic pregnancy pose.

19 weeks. It's a girl!

I knew it was a girl and laughed out loud when it was announced.

There she is. Everything looked good that day. She had the average measurements and weighed as if she were 19 weeks and two days. Good to know, huh?

21 weeks. A BIG growth spurt in just two weeks.

22 weeks

23 weeks. Another big growth spurt.

I've experienced just about all pregnancy symptoms for each month...each week really. I try to eat healthy and exercise, but I continue to gain more weight more quickly than I thought I would. I don't have any food cravings, I can't get any sleep, and I've already had a couple people violate my personal space in order to touch my body. Why is it that people feel like a pregnant belly is an open invitation to rub? I'm not a fan of belly rubbing. Anyway, I still do a double take when I pass a mirror and A and I still chuckle over my roundness. It's just crazy, I tell ya.

New Baby and Scary Giant

2011-08-03T21:47:00.000-04:00

There's a new baby in the family! Even though E was nervous about being at the hospital and holding the baby, E is still excited to have a new cousin. I think everyone is excited.

How sweet is this?!

Ahhh...Hot Chocolate wants another one, I just know it.

Are we ready for this??

So cute.

After the hospital, we went to see E's cousin in a play. The Children's Theater presented a version of Jack and the Beanstalk. E's cousin played the Goose and did a great job making us laugh. E was a little nervous, however, when seeing the giant, which was an older girl with a large head piece and big feet. There were several times throughout the play that I had to reassure her. She said she liked the play...except for that scary giant.

Train Depot and Museum

2011-08-02T23:04:00.000-04:00

What a day to be walking around outside. It was like 157 degrees and since the trains were original, they weren't air conditioned. I was hot. I was sweaty. I was 15 weeks pregnant and very tired. But it was fun to experience the trains with the family. The kids, that includes my father-n-law, were very excited to see all the trains up close and personal.

All aboard!

W on the train ride.

O checking out everything we pass.

E having a grand time.

The original diesel engine that became the downfall of the steam engine and the livelihood of the entire city.

The Roundhouse of the Southern Railway

Just seeing the sign made us feel cooler...and happier.

In the museum there was a replica of the entire train station. To identify each section, you press a button and a light would flash within the display. W was all over this. I think he pressed every button 100 times.

There was an array of cars that dated back to early 1900's and, of course, this beauty.

We all took turns sticking our head out of this masterpiece.

It's of a woman getting gas at a Shell station. She has absolutely no neck and it looks weird.

He's hitting on me.

Going around on the turn table at the Roundhouse.

Family shot. Thanks W for picking your nose!

Did I mention how hot it was? We were melting as we waited for the scheduled train to come into the roundhouse near the end of the day. We gave up after 30 minutes. Never saw it. It was a downer.

So they posed on the luggage carriage instead, which we discovered few minutes later that we weren't allowed on it. Hee-hee.

We had a good time, especially the kids who loved climbing on all the trains and just running wild.

Family Kickball and Birthday Party

2011-07-21T16:26:00.059-04:00

The family gathered one evening for good food, kickball, and 2 birthday celebrations. A funny thing about the food was that it was potluck and I had no idea what to bring. I discovered I had the makings for banana bread. After baking four small loaves, we thought it may not be enough for our large crowd. We ended up bringing carrots too. When we arrived, my sister-n-law placed her food on the table, which happened to be banana bread muffins and carrots. What are the chances?!

Gathering for kickball.

The girls in the field.

Miss E

O running wild all evening. This was the night he got poison ivy that lasted a couple weeks.

E, not sure when to run the bases.

W and Daddy.

A helping V run bases.

Exhaling contest.

Double the celebration with double the cakes and double the ice cream. Ice cream...that's what I'm talkin' about.

Make a wish! (I think it was something like moving to the state.)

Are You Serious!?

2011-07-21T15:30:00.000-04:00

The boys' room used to be my craft room (sniff, sniff) and when they were born, I had no place to move my crafts. So the crafts stayed in their bedroom closet...locked up. All children clothes have been in E's room. I cleaned out my craft closet one weekend. It was a huge task because it was stacked floor to ceiling full of crafts, fabrics, and whatever else. It was a beast.

After the weekend, however, I forgot to place my paints back on the top shelf and lock up the closet. Big mistake, which I still get a stomach ache over. I don't know how I could forget something like that, especially since my boys get into absolutely everything. And boy, did they ever...

W got into the paints and started squirting the paint across the room. He then gave O 5 large bottles of paint and 2 small bottles to play with in his crib. Paint was everywhere!

Some places had squirts and dots.

Some places had pools of paint.

When I hysterically called A at work, completely sobbing, he told me to take pictures. I was so upset, I couldn't. I started cleaning it. I tried to scoop up the pools of paint and pick at the million dots and thin lines. I wiped down the doors, the walls, and the cribs. I finally realized that I had to take pictures of what these two crazy kids did.

O's bed was the worst. He did empty 7 bottles of paint, you know.

He had everything covered in paint, including himself. He was sitting in a giant pool of orange paint that had not only saturated through two sheets and a waterproof mattress cover, but it was spilling down the back of the crib.

I've never been able to get his handprint for anything. Not once has he let me put paint on his hand and place it on paper. Funny, how he didn't hesitate one bit in his bed...and look...2 handprints.

All of his toys, his friends, a pillow and his beloved blanket were ruined.

Mug shot of the main culprit. I put W in the tub as I cleaned. He knew he was in trouble. No one got breakfast that morning except E because she could get it herself. I was quite busy and the boys couldn't go anywhere.

I was so sick to my stomach. There was no way I could bathe the kids. A came home early for lunch to help and just shook his head at the mess. What a mess! I tried calling professionals to do the job, but they wanted way too much money and there was no guarantee of removing the paint. So, I kept my money and cleaned it myself ALL DAY LONG. It was about 9pm when I finally realized I could do no more. My entire body was aching and I actually had a bruise on my hand from using my Bissell green machine.

It was sad to say goodbye to our beloved friends and blankets. A couple friends were mine when I was little. One was given to E on her 1st birthday. Three were given to W when he was born. Two were from birthmothers, which makes me very sad. We managed to salvage the friend from O's birthmother (blue, bottom right), but...

we had to let go of our elephant rattle, which was given to E from her birthmother. So, so sad.

The collection of empty bottles.

The carpet looks a lot better, but some spots just won't go away. We will most likely need to get new carpet...in just about every room now. Add that to the needed kitchen flooring, and wow, we've got a whole house to redo! How...fun.

How Much Is That Doggy In The Window?

2011-07-07T16:32:00.001-04:00

Finally! The Animal Shelter is complete. It's been a major task for A for several years and it's finally up and running. We endured the heat and attended the grand opening. The kids loved seeing the animals, literally everywhere, inside and out of the building.

The kids looking at the puppies in the viewing window, just inside the shelter foyer.

O checking out the kittens.

W letting the kittens lick his finger.

Remember the viewing area? O disappeared in the crowd and I found him exiting the viewing area with one of the puppies. He just walked back there, opened the door, grabbed a puppy and left. Lovely. The worker was quickly there to help him hold the puppy.

She was very nice to help O.

Outside there was an ice cream eating contest. The rule was to eat it like a dog. The boys were game.

They licked away. Why not? It was free ice cream, I tell ya.

E refused to join in the contest. It's ice cream. No. I don't want to. It will cool you off. No. I don't want to do it. Why? They don't have a spoon and that's not good manners.

Crafts

And, of course, we were able to pet the mascot of some organization. How fun was it to see a donkey dressed up for summer, huh? Or was that just a little too odd?

Boy or Girl?

2011-06-30T19:12:00.001-04:00

We went to the doctor today for the ultrasound. We really wanted to know if we're having a boy or a girl. E has been informing us since before conception that we'll be having another girl and she got upset when I sold a lot of my baby girl clothes in the last consignment sale. My sweet husband wanted another boy because he believes they're easier and cheaper. They basically need a ball and food. What? Just because a girl might cry over spilled milk, need a new dress for the dance, or has to have those shoes and those shoes doesn't mean...well, maybe he's right...partly. It all depends on the kid, right? Anyway...

are

having

GIRL!

It's a good thing too because I only thought of a girl name and E really did have her heart set on a girl. I need to have a girl to help me teach the boys she said. She plans to have the baby in her room and take care of her in the middle of the night. Sounds great! Just this morning, before the appointment, E drew a picture of the family that included a little baby with hair down to her bum and declared that was her sister. We might have a baby boy I reminded her. No you're not. It's a girl. What do ya know? She's been telling me this since January. Another funny thing she said to me, before she knew about the baby, was Mommy, when are you going to have another baby? You need to have it soon...and Mommy, why don't you try to have it in your tummy this time, ok?

Well, E got her wish. It's a girl and we're thrilled! Still in awe, but thrilled.
Thanks for all the kinds words. We love it!

Crazy, huh?

2011-06-28T22:18:00.012-04:00

Soo...for a few months now I've felt like this...


a little lazy. Majority of the sickness is gone, but I still have my share of pregnancy symptoms. It's crazy! We've been married 11 years, adopted three beautiful kids, and now...surprise! It was a huge shock to say the least. We're excited and a little nervous about this whole adventure...and wow...we're just full of suspense over the sex of the baby. We'll find out this week!

Perfect Miracle

2011-06-20T23:32:00.002-04:00

Miracles

By Walt Whitman

Why, who makes much of a miracle?
As to me, I know of nothing else but miracles,
Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan,
Or dart my sight over the roofs of houses toward the sky,
Or wade with naked feet along the beach, just in the edge of the water,
Or stand under trees in the woods,
Or talk by day with any one I love--or sleep in the bed at night with the one I love,
Or sit at table at dinner with my mother,
Or look at strangers opposite me riding in the car,
Or watch honey-bees busy around the hive, of a summer forenoon,
Or animals feeding in the fields,
Or birds--or the wonderfulness of insects in the air,
Or the wonderfulness of the sun-down--or of stars shining so quiet and bright,
Or the exquisite, delicate, thin curve of the new moon in spring;
Or whether I go among those I like best, and that like me best-- mechanics, boatmen, farmers,
Or among the savans--or to the soiree--or to the opera,
Or stand a long while looking at the movements of machinery,
Or behold children at their sports,
Or the admirable sight of the perfect old man, or the perfect old woman,
Or the sick in hospitals, or the dead carried to burial,
Or my own eyes and figure in the glass;
These, with the rest, one and all, are to me miracles,
The whole referring--yet each distinct, and in its place.

To me, every hour of the light and dark is a miracle,
Every cubic inch of space is a miracle,
Every square yard of the surface of the earth is spread with the same,
Every foot of the interior swarms with the same;
Every spear of grass--the frames, limbs, organs, of men and women, and all that concerns them,
All these to me are unspeakably perfect miracles.

As for our family, we have had a few miracles dealing with family, jobs, and houses. Each with its own story and fond memory. Our most precious miracles have been our three kids who have joined our family in their our due time, bundled in love and pure joy. Each have their own amazing story that started with the love of a birthmother and continues today with the knowledge that we are an eternal family and that so many people love them. I have always known that there is one more miracle for our family and it will soon arrive. Yes, we're getting another baby and we're thrilled...astonished...just completely shocked by the news. When we announced the news to family, everyone was surprised. We had them guess where the baby would be coming from (Russia, Guatemala, China) and no one imagined that it would be coming from me. That's the real surprise. A true miracle. We'll have another reason to be thankful come November twenty fifth.

Mr. Fancy Fix It

2011-06-16T15:26:00.001-04:00

O is really into building and fixing. He has to fix the castle, the stairs, the chairs...you name it. The funny thing is that he has worn a tutu while working.

E has mentioned that she wants to be a ballerina. O copies. He has quickly learned how to push E's buttons and when O says he wants to be a ballerina, it creates major confrontation.

He loves to get under her skin. So when he enthusiastically dances in her tutu, he's enjoying every second of E's meltdown.

So Mr. Fancy Fix It not only enjoys his building and fixing, but driving his sister nuts.

Her cries don't bother him a bit.

A Day For Mothers

2011-06-14T17:48:00.000-04:00

At church, I received the classic carnation, which in years past has not made it 30 seconds because the kids descend upon it like they've never seen a flower before. This year I managed to bring it home. I also received some chocolate, which is always a real treat.

The kids made me cards and pictures. Very cute.

From E

From W

From O

O wanted nothing to do with this project, but W was game. At MOPS, he made a hand print. Funny.

E prepared a treasure hunt to find my gift.

We searched the house, top to bottom. We even went on an elevator ride.

The treasure was found.

Daddy made a photo book of the kids, which was so cute and very entertaining.

I had a great day. Daddy made it even better when he served Chicken Marsala. Oh, so good.

All Dressed Up

2011-06-10T16:13:00.000-04:00

I'm E. I'm 5 and love pretty dresses, fairies and music.

I'm W. I'm 3 and I love my new Thomas the Train underwear, light switches and buttons.

I'm O. I'll be 3 soon and I love outside, trucks and riding E's bike. I'm just a few inches shorter than E and we weigh the same.

Having fun being thrown onto the chair.

Big laughs.

Do it again, Daddy!

Bloon-boom

2011-06-07T15:55:00.001-04:00

When the tornadoes ripped through the South, we were fortunate to not have any damage in our area. For our neighborhood, the worst was extreme wind and loss of power. I wasn't up for throwing dinner together, so we traveled to the neighboring city to eat at Red Robin. Yum. The kids were great and very excited to eat out. O wore this necklace around his head the whole evening. He was looking gooood.

This is his second balloon. As we left the restaurant, we tied the balloons on all wrists. As we walked out into the huge gusts of wind, O's balloon was ripped from his wrist and then hovered a few feet from him. O screamed out for his bloon-boom. I jumped out to grab the balloon just as it flew off into the night sky. O cried hysterically over his loss. Of course we had to walk back into the restaurant to get another balloon (practically laughing the whole time) and he was happy as a clam...although, he still talks about the wind and the moon taking his balloon way.

The Park and First Radish

2011-06-02T17:21:00.000-04:00

We had such a good time meeting friends at the park. I planned to take several pictures, but I was so busy keeping track of all three kids. It was mostly O, who was on the slide one second, playing in the water fountain the next, and then easily scaling a chain link fence, jumping over into a no play zone to ride on a train that wasn't working yet.

Great to see you guys!

The first radish from the garden sure excited the kids. They each got to hold...

and take a picture...

with the radish before devouring it.

Funny Moments

2011-05-25T14:41:00.003-04:00

After telling E several times to only pour a little bit of milk, she fills her glass almost to the top. After drinking just a fraction, she poured the rest into the sink.
Me: ...you won't be allowed to drink milk for a few days.
E: But my bones will get achy! They won't like that!

E barely ventured into the trees at the edge of the yard to retrieve golf balls.
She said, "Mommy, I went into the woods and I got scared because I couldn't get out. So, I prayed and I didn't see Heavenly Father anywhere."

E rushed into the house with a panicked look on her face. "Mommy! Daddy! O's been captured by humans!!" ( Have you seen Tinker Bell and The Great Fairy Rescue?)

E has been boycotting peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for quite awhile. Then she stopped eating peanut butter and honey. Then she stopped eating all types of sandwiches. Because of this, I've had to broaden my lunch menu. But for the most part, she is content with dinner left overs. However, Adam usually likes left overs for his lunch as well. One night after dinner, E was studying the food on the table and realized there was only enough food left over for one lunch. She said, "Daddy, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to eat a sandwich because this is MY lunch tomorrow."

While getting ready for bed, I asked E if she had already gone potty.
E: Yes.
Me: You did? When? (Not believing she had gone.) Did you go within the last few minutes?
E: Yes...I went downstairs. (Sees the doubt in my face) I did! Jesus knows I did!

After searching for the perfect song with the perfect drum beat, E declared it was the song Daddy will dance to at the beach condo. "Daddy, you're going to have to practice every Saturday and Sunday to make sure you're ready for the show."

Easter at the Mountain

2011-05-18T16:29:00.000-04:00

We had an eventful Easter weekend, especially since the C Family came to visit.

The kids (except Shiloh) lined up in stair step fashion gearing up for the egg hunt.

The excitement mounts.

Look at the girls in their cute plaid shorts!

We took a hundred photos of the kids at this point and in every picture, W is stuffing his face.

Look at him!

Still eating.

In every single shot.

O finally noticed W devouring the contents of every egg.

O decided to join him.

Such a sweet tooth.

We pushed each other on the tree swing.

We went walking along the wooded trail.

Oh, and Uncle E pushed O on the swing. I think he pooped his pants before wailing. The poor kid was scared to death.

We sure cheered for him when he got off. I was nervous he wouldn't hold on well enough.

W decided to eat soap.

He waltzed into the kitchen, sucking air. Mommy, my mouth burns. Can I have some water? It was later that we found out why.

Sunday morning would've been great to sit everyone down to take pictures, but when you have 12 people to get ready for church, there was no way it was going to happened. After church was going to have to do... even though we hardly looked our best and we were all definitely tired.

These three are stinkin' cute...relaxin' in their Easter duds.

Easter Campout

2011-05-11T15:03:00.002-04:00

Over Easter weekend, we visited Grandma and Pa. Our first night there, Daddy decided to have a campout in the backyard with the kids. They were beyond thrilled!

To start things off, a blazing fire to keep everyone warm and to roast the marshmallows.

Everyone held their headlamp or wore it because how cool is it that we are actually using our headlamps outside in the dark.

Eating marshmallows by the fire.

Everyone piles into the tent...enter squeals, screams, rolling, jumping, and collapsing onto one another.

After a bit, they started to slowly make their way to a place to sleep. We wondered how long it would take for all the kids to finally conk out for the night.

W looked tired, but toasty.

More singing! Everybody now!

W was fading.

It took about an hour for everyone to be officially asleep. E was escorted for a midnight potty run and woke again about 7am for another potty trip. The boys woke up shortly after that and they all stayed in the tent to play games until breakfast was going inside the house. They loved it! Daddy was awesome...tired, but down right awesome.

Riding Bikes

2011-05-09T16:32:00.001-04:00

Daddy took the kids on the bike ride awhile ago. It's a favorite thing to do around here.

They were preparing for the Day of Service. Our job was to deliver bags with notes on them to our neighbors. The notes explained about the collection of non-perishables for the food banks. Several churches in the county were involved. E personally hand delivered the bags to those in our neighborhood and she was very excited to be involved.

Later, O decided he wanted to ride E's bike. He just hopped on and started to ride without any help! I personally don't like the idea of O riding a bike yet. I want to keep him low to the ground as long as possible. Knowing he's such a dare devil, it scares me to think of him taking off on a bike. But there he goes!

After the initial shock, I ran to get E's helmet. I should get elbow pads, knee pads, gloves, shin guards, steel toe boots, and a face mask.

Yes...that is W running in the background...in a diaper...and a winter hat.

Other Happenings

2011-05-03T16:37:00.002-04:00

Some of the other things happening with the kids are:

E's constant treasure hunts both around the house and around the yard. She'll take random things that belong to everyone and hide them for the treasure. She'll make maps to follow and get everyone involved. On this day, we were outside and E had just recovered from losing her map to the wind. It flew to the top of the pine trees. I convinced her to keep going...don't give up! We eventually discovered our treasure by the garden, which consisted of my black wedges, O's panda bear, W's pjs, and Daddy's library book.

E went through a phase where she desperately wanted to sleep with the boys. She often made herself a bed in the boys' room and thought we wouldn't notice. One night she cried, Everyone gets to sleep with someone except me!

Lunches outside before it gets too hot or before the bugs attack you.

O has long been in love with dirt, water, digging and so on, but he has also made many worm friends. He carries them around, rides his bike with them, and he always has to show them to me.

The Reading Conference

2011-05-01T13:56:00.000-04:00

E and I attended the annual Reading Conference at a nearby college this past month. Every year they have authors come visit, the scholastic book fair, and dozens of organizations with booths full of activities for the kids. In the past, they have also offered workshops to local teachers, childcare workers and parents to teach various topics such as tips on how to help kids read and retell stories. It's a fun event.

E with Frog

E with Frog and Toad

Met Clifford

Hugged Skippy John Jones

Frog and Toad station- making frog puppets.

Fancy Nancy station- making fancy hats.

Making books

She got to sit in on a fun author story time.

This is Kimberly P. Johnson. She's a native author of several books including The Adventures of the Itty Bitty Frog, Bunny, and Spider stories.

E made a jeweled ring out of a juice tab.

She had a great day...can you tell?

I loved spending time with just my little girl.

Even when she's a crazy giggler.

I Wanna Swing!

2011-04-25T15:59:00.000-04:00

O is very determined with most things. At this moment, he really wanted to swing and he wasn't going to wait for anyone to help him.

Siblings look on, watching each maneuver. What is he doing? O is silly.

We were all impressed with O's skills. W decided to go join him.

Little William

2011-04-21T12:45:00.000-04:00

We watched little William for over a day while his mother and father were a little preoccupied with labor and delivery. Little William was excited to meet his new baby sister, but with my crew it was easy to distract him.

We were in need for a change of scenery, so we all went for a walk. It was slow moving. I had my 2 in the stroller, E on her bike who can't quite master hills, and little Will walking...ever so slowly. After stopping for the bazillionth time, I decided to put William in the stroller and allow W to walk. Slightly better, but after a few minutes, W's little legs couldn't go any farther. I carried the rascal a good distance before we got to the circle in the neighborhood. Time to stop, rest, explore...whatever.

Little Will has a huge crush on E. He's always trailing her and calling after her when in sight. Cute.

Observing bugs.

Exploring.

Oh! Look what I found in the stroller...a calculator!

Hey, W. Do you want to go run around and play?

No...I'm good.

William left that night to meet his new baby sister, Elise. Congrats!

Tiny Dancer

2011-04-19T16:19:00.002-04:00

Another dance was elaborately planned and performed by the grand Miss E. The night was enjoyed by all.

Great dancing. Lots of laughter. Loud latin music. Fun night.

Birthday Wishes

2011-04-18T15:28:00.000-04:00

We celebrated my baby boy's birthday, which is crazy because wasn't he just born?

It just doesn't seem that long ago that we were blessed with his spirit.

Blessed with his overzealous desire to know how things work.

Blessed with his quick learning and physical speed (sat up at 5 months, crawled at 6, walked at 9).

Blessed with laughter, no matter how high pitched.

Blessed with his adorable grunting hugs.

Blessed with his desire to help mommy and daddy, even though he has his own agenda.

Blessed with his ability to heal quickly.

Blessed with his sweet smile...I guess it goes along with his sweet tooth.

The Birthday Boy's cake...a candy cake.

Excited for candy.

We blew candles out three times. Although W blew three times, E blew them out first. Then O blew them out. Finally, W blew out his candles!

He loved it. Since then he asks to have "kitty cats".

Stripped down and ready for a present. I love this picture of O. Can't you see him as a teenager?

Edu Tech building toys. Everyone was excited.

Whoa! I can't believe I'm 3!

We love our W.

Dr. Suess

2011-04-13T22:16:00.002-04:00

For our March activity, we celebrated Dr. Seuss at the Resource Center.

The kids made their own hats.

They were able to play with all of the Center's games and toys, as well as the Dr. Seuss activities.

Then came the green eggs and ham. E was not pleased.

I do not like them Sam I am. I do not like green eggs and ham.

Try them!

Say! I do like them!

W's favorite part was the clear fruit punch. It looks like water, but noooo...it's sweet fruit punch.

O liked it all and he managed to stuff it all in his mouth...quickly.

Finishing it off with cupcakes...a big hit. The kids had a grand time and it was 24 hours later that we got sick...over and over again. Good times.

Hello?

2011-04-12T17:10:00.000-04:00

Thanks to our music leader, we had the cutest phone booth in Nursery a few weeks ago. True, kids these days have no idea what a phone booth is, but they loved it.

It's a gigantic box, so of course they loved it.

She taught a few lines to a song and then they could go inside the booth to sing.

Coming in and out of the booth had to be monitored after awhile. We had 4 little boys playing in a box! You know what I'm talking about.

The kids could also sing into the "phone" with each other. W was the only one who tried it and he just laughed and laughed.

Maybe someday they'll see an old movie and think back...Oh! So that's what that was!

Samoa Snack

2011-04-11T11:57:00.023-04:00

We don't buy these yummy bars all the time. It's an occasional nutritious treat. There are several flavors, but this one is new and oh, so delicious. Are you a fan of Samoas, the girl scout cookie? Well, this bar is so comparable. Mmmm...awesome.

House Appraisal

2011-04-06T15:11:00.000-04:00

No, we're not selling right now, but one of our housing loans was up for renewal and at the last minute we decided to go with another lender. It was considered a rush so the new lender had to come appraise the house asap. We were given 24 hours before they showed up on our doorstep. I think I had a mild heart attack. If you have read previous posts, you know our three little ones have done some damage to the house and it would be impossible to be ready in 24 hours. So after a few phone calls, A was able to change the date to today. That gave us 4 days to do whatever we could to improve our house. We were nervous because the appraiser said she would not only tour and take pics of both in and outside of the house, but in every room and closet. She was checking the layout, square footage, type of shelving, appliances, and condition of flooring, walls, siding, etc. This was our first time doing this so we felt the stress.

It was a busy weekend as we tried to work on the house and watch Conference. On Monday, A went from work to umpiring two baseball games. On Tuesday, A got home about 7pm from picking up last minute things for the house. I tried to do as much as I could during the day, but cleaning with the kids is like paddling upstream in white water rapids. Plus, I haven't been feeling well from my kidney. I've been moving pretty slow.

We worked hard in such a short amount of time. We had a few late nights, that's for sure. It was a miracle that we were able to complete the following:
1) Patch and paint several holes and dents in the walls.
2) Paint baseboards, doorways, windowsills and in front of tubs.
3) Caulk at doorways throughout house and tubs.
4) Scrub stains on the walls and ceilings.
5) Finish painting E's bedroom.
6) Fix dishwasher and countertop
7) Buy a large rug to cover the back door flooring.
8) Put beadboard up in kids' bathroom and frame the mirror. (I'll post on this one later.)
9) Straighten up the garage a little...that's a huge task.
10) Clean, clean, clean (laundry, dishes, mopping, vacuum, dusting...)

We survived!! Today was the dreaded day and she came and left in a flurry. Phew! We think things went well despite the fact that we didn't get to several things. Will she see the hole in E's door? Will she see we haven't recaulked the windows? Will she notice we have holes in our screens? Will her eye be drawn to the stains in E's carpet from the toothpaste incident? We should have power washed our house? Will any of this really matter? Has anyone else on the street completed upgrades?

Anyway...we're done. We're tired. Hopefully, the kids will keep the house clean for...today? Hmmm, wish us luck.

Busy, Busy

2011-04-04T09:21:00.000-04:00

We've been busy around here. We were sick, my left kidney is making me ill with lots of fun pain. We celebrated W's birthday. E had her Kn Workshop at school. We're also frantically trying to get the house in somewhat decent shape for an appraisal to refinance the house (our first time). I'm sure you can imagine how easy that is with 3 little ones. I'll write more later.

Kid Quotes

2011-03-29T11:40:00.000-04:00

Me: Don't forget to wash your hands.
E: I know...I've been doing this for years.

E: Stop taking my friends, O.
O: E, don't talk to me like that! You're not in charge.
Me: O, be nice...
O: No Mommy, you're not in charge.

After I finished loading the dishwasher, W takes interest, knowing buttons will be pushed. Out of the corner of my eye, I see him slowly move over to the dishwasher, look at me, and then push a button.
Me: W, please don't push the buttons on the dishwasher.
W: I'm not touching it! (As he spins around in surprise. He then slowly turns back to the dishwasher as I clean the counter. I see him slowly move his arm up, as if in a trance...must...push...button.)
Me: W...
W: I'm not touching it! (He then places his hand on the dishwasher and casually leans against it.)
Me: Go ahead and move away from the dishwasher, please.
W: Keeping his hand in place, he steps farther away with a smile.

Look! I Went Potty!

2011-03-22T16:45:00.000-04:00

E was 2 years and 2 months old when I decided to potty train her. I read several books trying to decide our best plan of attack. I wanted the quick route. The quicker the better. I went for the "Potty Training in One Day" method. It was the most exhausting day of my life, but it worked. Now boys are so different. They tend to be potty trained later than girls and if you start too early, it won't go as well. Just look for the signs everyone would say. I decided to not worry about it. My boys will let me know when they're ready. I wasn't going to put myself through a "One Day" potty training camp with 2 boys.

At the beginning of the year, I wondered if my boys were close to conquering the toilet. I thought W was ready, but not O. Surprisingly, it was O who decided he wanted to go potty. He took off his diaper, climbed up and urinated with perfection. We were shocked...stunned...overjoyed! We all danced and cheered over such success. W wanted nothing to do with it. (I still didn't push the issue, with either boy, knowing they were still on the young side to be potty trained.) O lasted a couple weeks. He only wanted to go in the morning, at nap time, and before bed. Then he stopped.

W was taking notes. He realized that he could wash his hands with soap if he went potty on the toilet. Well, he loves soap, so that was an easy incentive to go potty. At first, he thought he could get away with just touching the toilet with his bum in order to wash his hands. He was very upset that we told him he had to sit on the toilet and go potty. Eventually, he started sitting. His main goal was to wash his hands. Then miraculously, he decided to start using the toilet to go potty. He does it all on his own now. Half the time, he doesn't even tell me and I find out by hearing the toilet flush. It's all motivated by washing his hands. That's the only thing we have gotten on him about because he keeps washing his hands while playing in the water. He'll go as long as possible before we mention he's been in there too long. But I'm washing my hands! he'll say. He will then bust out into the ABC Song, knowing that's the song we taught him to sing for the duration of his hand washing. He's a clever little thing! These past few days, W has been going potty on the toilet about 2 dozen times a day. It's a bit much, I know, but we just want to encourage him.

Now O...he didn't care up until yesterday. He now wants to go potty like W. Hmmm...I think we're on our way to potty success! Here's a great list of potty training signs for your wee one.

1) Physiological readiness signs for potty training are (Bladder & Bowel Control) :

Child's awareness of the need to go - demonstrated by squatting, grunting, hiding when child feels need to eliminate.
No BM's through the night
Dry diaper for long periods of time i.e. from long naps and/or in the morning.
Urinate a lot at one time (vs. a little through out the day)
Some regularity of bowel movements.

2) Motor Skills readiness signs for potty training are:

Is your child able to undress him/herself?
Is your child able to pull his/her underpants down?
Is your child able to pull his/her pants down?

3) Verbal and Cognitive readiness signs for potty training are:

Your child can follow instructions - from simple instruction such as show me your nose, to more complex instructions such as putting away toys where they belong.
Has the vocabulary required to follow your instructions - i.e. understands words such as potty, toilet, wet, dry, underwear, "big girl" etc.
Is able to imitate behavior.

4) Emotional growth and social awareness readiness signs for potty training are:

Desire to master one's own body and environment - manifested by "I can do it" or "I am a big boy/girl now"
Child's desire for parental approval
Child's desire to imitate and desire to be like others

(From Potty Training Concepts)

Elephants at Story Time

2011-03-19T22:47:00.000-04:00

Ms. Jackie does such a great job with the kids during Story Time. Each week has a theme filled with stories, poems, puppets, songs and sometimes a video. One week, she shared stories about elephants.

The kids pretended they were elephants, swaying their trunks to the music.

This was actually the first time I let the boys out of the stroller to participate....and they did great. Don't think it's odd that I'm just now letting them out of the stroller. Just imagine any public setting and watching two energetic boys run in separate directions. While I try to collect them, imagine my daughter beginning to cry. The whole situation is just not enjoyable...for anyone. But anyway, back to the present, they did fine and it wasn't until checking out the library books that they went berserk.

Looking at these photos, I smile over a few things. Let's start with O on the left. He's wearing proof that I do remember his shoes and he's still wearing them. Moving on to E. She looked adorable that day in an outfit she chose. She's also wearing her Toy Story boots, which she loves, and yet, she has never seen the movie. Then there's W. I just laugh because he's now too big for the shirt he's wearing. The awesome shirt the Quigleys gave him for Christmas two years ago. Yeah, it's size is 6-12 months. We sure got a lot of mileage out of that shirt!

Babes in Toyland

2011-03-16T23:36:00.001-04:00

I've been the Nursery Leader at church for over a year now. It has it's ups and downs.

The ups include:

*singing, dancing, playing musical instruments

*playing with toys

*eating snacks

*coloring and bubbles

*reverence walks through the church building

*teaching the babes simple gospel truths

The downs include:

*being mommy to two of the boys

*tears, snot, meltdowns

*poopy diapers that stink up the room (even if you get them out fast)

*secluded from other adults

*I don't have a helper (although, my dear husband comes in to help as much as he can)

*parents usually don't pick up their kids fast enough

A few weeks ago, I finally got the music leader to visit Nursery for about 10 minutes. They LOVED it! She has brought something different to play with each Sunday.

They sit on their little quilt square to learn a song and get so excited over the instruments.

O and Brody. Cheeser.

William and W. Cute.

W with the larger than you rain stick.

Goofy O shaking the maracas and Brody...well...he's uh...hmm...

I can't help but laugh when I see this picture.

Mmmrrphff...(Giggle, Giggle)

2011-03-15T16:02:00.000-04:00

They love to play with band-aids.

If only these things stayed on longer...especially while I'm on the phone.

Mommy, Watch This!

2011-03-10T21:27:00.001-05:00

Sometimes the boys get a little creative with their time in Nursery.

Um, yeah...

within seconds...

we have a talent show!

The fun doesn't stop.

Beat The Boredom

2011-03-08T21:23:00.000-05:00

Have a winter carnival! The kids had a great time at our PAT (Parents As Teachers) activity. There were several fun games for the kids and plenty of prizes.

Making hats

E drew different people around her hat with a big flower in the middle. Very serious job that requires sticking her tongue out for concentration.

Ta-da!

Room with music to dance, hula hoop or throw balls at each other. Great for the boys.

Here's O jumping to music. E's not sure if she wants to be involved with throwing a ball.

Pin the Tail On The Donkey. E was right on. Maybe she peeked.

Bean Bag Toss through the bear's mouth. This got out of hand when everyone wanted to throw at the same time.

Links for shapes and patterns....or for the taking?

Tic-Tac-Toe.

There was also a bin full of pinto beans where the kids dug for tulip bulbs. They could keep what they found. O collected several...more like 14.

We also took home prizes from the duck matching game. We were the proud owner of 6 rubber ducks and the kids still fight over them.There was a fishing booth where E was introduced to silly bandz...I had to pry them from her body after two weeks. The kids also had fun with basketball and golf.

For snack, they wheeled out a giant popcorn maker, cotton candy, and fruit drinks. O and E ate a little of everything, mostly popcorn, but E didn't like the cotton candy (don't blame her, yuk!) W ate it all. He even wanted more cotton candy...shocking! He has a HUGE sweet tooth.

We had a fabulous time!

Quiet Time Fun

2011-03-05T23:27:00.001-05:00

W doesn't take naps these days, but I do require him to have a quiet time. Although W sleeps in the same room as O, he doesn't have quiet time with him. W was very good at keeping O up. So we place W in E's room for quiet time. We make sure nothing is in there that he can destroy or use to make a mess. At first, he ripped books. That was a frustration for us all because we love our books. That ended and he became more creative with his time. He plays on his laptop, a phonics radio, blocks, puzzles, and if you give him a bag or ziploc, he'll stuff and restuff it for quite awhile. A few times, E has left a colored pencil or pen in her room and W wasted no time in writing on the walls and E's sheets. We were doing really well until E pretended she was going to camp and packed her bag for her pretend stay. She left it in her room. W discovered a treasure...one of his ultimate loves...

toothpaste!

I opened the door with a gasp. Not only did I see W literally covered head to toe with toothpaste...I mean covered...head to toe...but I see the walls have been smeared with it as well. I then start to feel it oozing through my socks. Yes...all over the carpet. Quick sweep of the room. Every wall...check, entire floor...check, dresser...check, the entire bed...check, bookshelf...check, toys...check...FABULOUS!

I turn to E and she bursts into tears telling me she left her toothpaste in her bag. Not just one large tube, but 4 additional travel tubes AND a bottle of her red fluoride rinse. Oh, so that is what was squirted all over the place! Needless to say, I didn't find this cute or funny. I made E go downstairs and you would have thought that it was the worst punishment she had ever received. I told W (very loudly) to get in the bathtub and strip down. He cried just as much as E as he stood in the tub, encrusted in a thick layer of sticky toothpaste. While this was going on, O woke up from his nap and decided to take his clothes off...and his diaper...then pee all over his bed. I called A at work. Get home NOW. We have a situation... It was the end of the work day, so he heads home. I waited by the door for what seemed like forever. E was crying, W was crying, toothpaste and fluoride rinse all over the bedroom, and O rolling naked in his pee shouting What happened ?! What happened?!!

I burst into tears when A walked through the door. I had had enough. I was at the end of my rope. A couldn't believe the mess and tried not to laugh over all three kids wailing from different parts of the house. There is no way we could have cleaned the room with our hands.

We need a machine...tonight I said.

E slept in our room in a sleeping bag as I washed her blankets and sheets. A went to buy a carpet cleaner and I worked on the messy walls and furniture. We were up extremely late trying to get the toothpaste and rinse out of the carpet. The rinse has yet to come out.

I wore a headlamp to see the bazillion spots that littered the floor. It was at this point that I decided to take a few pictures. But we were not laughing. It took awhile for me to laugh, but I did, and only because I was surrounded by several other women who could TOTALLY relate. Ah...it's good to talk to other moms.

One of the walls starting to dry.

Another wall starting to dry. In the bottom right you can see one of the red spots that has yet to come out of the carpet. Grrr...

Another fun adventure, right? ;)

Wrote Mid to Late February...Now it's March!

2011-03-01T00:08:00.000-05:00

It's February 2011. A new year has already begun and another winter is slowly coming to a close. Spring has graced us with her presence a few times, but she hasn't come to stay as of yet. Old Man Winter is not quite done spreading his shimmery frost, and thank goodness for that. Ms. Spring has sunshine and beauty, but I could really do without her pollen. It's just disgusting and reeks havoc on the family and my home.

So, anyway, I thought I'd give an update on us and let you know what we've been up to lately.

Long post ahead! I want to remember these things about my family.

Let's start with the big man on campus, A. He has been diligently climbing the ladder of success in his career.His boss continues to mold and shape him for the future by giving him new and challenging tasks to accomplish. This is both exciting and frustrating. A has been promoted to Director of Administration and oversees several departments in the county, as well as projects, such as the animal shelter. He is still over the budget and performance measures, and yes, it's budget season. He is part of the Umpire Association, and just like Ms. Spring, baseball is knocking on our door. He is still the Young Men President at church, works with Scouts, co-coaches the YM basketball team, plays basketball himself, and is the master planner, planter, and reaper of his garden. I can't wait for fresh salsa! He's also into reading lately and is working on the Alchemist Series and the Peter and the Starcatcher Series (great series!).

I'm home running things around here; however, lately, I feel like I'm barely keeping my head above water. It's been CRA-ZY. I have joined MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) after years of persuasion from a friend. I love it. E loves it. The boys...not so much. They have a hard time letting me go. Who can blame them, right? ;) I participate with the PAT program (Parents As Teachers). We meet twice a month, discuss the development/nurturing/education of our kids, and have activities for them. I take the kids to Story Time almost weekly, Zumba once a week, and babysit a little boy twice a week. I take the kids to the Resource Center to play while I check out their books, games, and dvds. Then there's all the other stuff: play dates, doctor visits, grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning that fill our days. (Cleaning...oh, the cleaning will never end. Some days I just want to give up and let the kids go at it because if I have to sweep the kitchen floor for the bazillionth time today I'm going to blow a gasket!) I try to stay active with Goodreads (the closest thing to a book club and I love the books I've been reading. Fablehaven Series...Awesome). From August to nearly December, I took a water aerobics class, which was one of my goals and I loved it. I'm hoping to get back to something like that again. Since January, I've been working as a volunteer for a children's consignment sale coming up. I jumped into it blind, not knowing the full extent of what I would be doing. I just wanted to shop an hour early and I've been helping for two months! I don't think I'll repeat the same mistake next time around. At church, I was the Activities Chair for a couple years and now I just help out when they ask me. (I've got a gig in May!) I am also the Nursery Leader, as if I need any more time with my boys. It's fun though. I've had as many as 13 kids, which was a really weird day with a lot of visitors, but starting this year, I usually have 4 boys.

W is almost three and I can hardly believe it. It doesn't help things when he's still wearing 18 month clothes. He's a cutie, especially with those long eyelashes. He can't sit still, does not watch tv, and doesn't want to read books longer than a few pages. He is constantly thinking, planning and doing, which often leads to trouble at this age. He has mastered the whine just like his big sister, can empty a hand sanitizer bottle in less than a minute, and thinks that all keys, batteries, paper clips or flashlights belongs to him. W can clearly talk in sentences, apologize nicely, and tell someone to please stop doing something. He loves his bed full of stuffed animals and blankets, which is the complete opposite from a year ago. Another change from a year ago would be that he has become much more social, and at times, asks to be held albeit briefly (I love it!). He has taken an interest in what I cook and wants to help. He likes to sing and bob his head to music. W loves Nursery, playing instruments, and helping O and the young men collect trash throughout the church. He's starting to recognize letters, colors, numbers, and how to unlock the car with the correct key....there are some things you just don't have to teach this kid. I think he has taken a total of two naps in the past year, which makes him (and me) really tired by the end of the day. I'll write more on W when his birthday rolls around.

O is in over half of W's plans to either use his height and strength or pin the blame on him if they get caught. O will go along with pretty much everything. He is very friendly, but can also be very shy. He'll ditch me in a heartbeat at a church activity or the library, but scream and grab handfuls of flesh if I try to leave him in Nursery. He wears his heart on his sleeve, but tries to be such a tough guy. O really is big and much too strong for a 2 year old. He wears 4T clothing and a 9 1/2 W shoe to fit his chunky Flinstone feet. He is so adorable when playing with E because they have similar imaginations where anything is possible. O loves to sing. He has always been extremely quick to pick up on a tune and sing himself to sleep. He loves to dance. He's all over the place...jumping, twirling...and then someone gets hurt. Reading is a great love of his and he enjoys settling in your lap for a good story. O can get frustrated quickly and will refuse my help. He's in a Daddy phase right now so he wants Daddy to put on his shoes, get him more food, or shut his door at night. He has mastered the scowl look on is face, but can't keep it if you tickle him. He is extremely ticklish all over his baby soft skin. O used to like his bed full of stuffed animals and wrap himself with his blankets, but now it has dwindled to his green striped "bacon" (blanket) and a couple friends. Surprisingly, O is our neatest eater and for some crazy reason, he doesn't eat meat. He'll have chicken occasionally, but otherwise, he doesn't touch it. He's a fabulous napper. My big tough guy snores away while cuddling his blanket and bunny.

I updated you a little on E a few posts back. It was about homeschool, so it wasn't a complete update. There's sooo much more to E...like the fact that she has such a dynamic imagination. She has the ability to create her own world and stay there to play for hours. Everything and everyone has a different voice when she's pretending and it can be quite amusing to hear. She resists sleeping these days and we all pay the price. Though, when she conks out, she's out cold. She wants to be an independent big kid, but I love the fact that she still wants me to be nearby. She is just at the point where she wants to walk to her church class all by herself, yet she wants me to come with her. She trots ahead of me going down the hall, waving goodbye, but makes sure I'm following. She's so cute! She loves all kinds of music and instruments. She has a talent for keeping a beat and loves to hum a tune, beatbox for additional sound, all while clapping or playing an instrument. Since she was a baby, she has clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth to make a tremendous sound and the boys are dying to know how she does it. She's tried to teach them a few times, but they just can't even come close. E dances everywhere and likes to perform for whomever will watch. Not too long ago, she watched Riverdance on Ice on PBS and she was in heaven. It took a few days for her to stop bopping around and kicking her legs as if she were a riverdancer moving from one room to the next. Very funny. E is the boys' second mom, which proves to be helpful at times, but usually she annoys the boys. She loves to watch sports with the boys, even watch Daddy play sports. She cheers along with the crowd and asks a million questions. She still loves building and cooking shows on PBS. For a long time now, she has stated that she wants to be a builder when she grows up. After her latest dentist appointment, she said she also wants to be a dentist.

O Quotes

2011-02-25T12:23:00.000-05:00

(Every single time)

E: This is my favorite song!

O: NO!! It's MY favorite song!

And the silly argument begins.

(O fell and hit his head on the garden box. He comes to me crying.)

The garden not being nice. The garden not nice to O.

(Changing W's diaper in front of O)

O: W, can I see your stinky?

W: Yes! You can see it.

O: (Looking) Oh, that's not much.

(While W is praying)

W: ...Please bless Mommy and Daddy...

O: (Loudly whispers) O!

W: ...Please bless E...

O: (Louder whisper) O!

W: ...Please bless W...

O: (even louder) O!!

W: ...and O...

(Unable to see O, I call to him on the side of the house.)

Me: O! Come in the backyard where I can see you!

O: (Jumping into view) NO! I won't be nice!

(O passed gas during dinner)

Whoa! That noise came from my bum!!

W Quotes

2011-02-23T00:08:00.000-05:00

(Asked almost every night.)

Is it darky outside?

(Each time W gets on the toilet.)

I'm sitting on the potty. Is toilet gonna come out?

(A dinner prayer by W.)

Dear Heavenly Father...(take deep breath...pause) Thankful for today. Thankful for Mommy and Daddy and O and E and O and W and O. Thankful for the the missionaries. Thankful for keys. For Daddy's keys. For Mommy's keys. Thankful for the chicken (BBQ) and the beans (green) and the other beans (baked). Thankful for the bread. In the name of Jesus Christ . AMEN!

(When pointing things out)

Look at the moon! No, we don't eat that. It's yucky.

Mommy! A bug! We don't eat it. That's yucky.

My hands are dirty. Yucky. We don't eat that.

I'm stinky. No, we don't eat that. That's yucky.

Me: Are you stinky?

W: Yes, I'm stinky. I'm stinkin' up the place.

We're Sick

2011-02-21T14:14:00.002-05:00

We've been pretty fortunate this Winter to not have too much sickness. We've had a few colds, but nothing like the flu. Right now we've had another round of colds sweep through the family. Lovely germs hitchhiked their way into our house via E. She had a cold for several days. It then passed to Daddy, then O, and although I was so sure I wouldn't get it, it hit me Saturday...like a ton of bricks. How did W not get it? Sure enough, he was hit this morning.With sheer terror on his face, he yells Mommy!! I have a runny nose! and he runs for the tissue with his hand over his face. He has been very good about his snot etiquette.

At breakfast this morning, E was looking at me with an odd expression on her face. I was talking to the boys, and because of my cold, my voice is a an octave lower. E shakes her head.

E: Mommy, why are you talking like that? You're not supposed to talk like a boy.

Me: (Laughing)...I can't help it. My cold has changed my voice a little.

E: Just clear your throat. Like this (pretends to cough and clear throat).

Thanks E. I'll remember that.

Let's Bust A Move

2011-02-16T12:27:00.000-05:00

I have been wanting to get E into any type of class for awhile now. She would love to take ballet/tap, gymnastics, tae kwon do, swimming, ice skating, piano, violin, drums, voice, kinder music, equestrian, soccer, and basketball. Whoa...Since we don't have the time or money to pursue all of these things, I had to find something that fit into our schedule at a price we could afford. I finally found it.

Zumba! Zumba! Zumba!

Yes! It's great! There is a kid Zumba class during an adult class at a nearby school. They meet in a cafeteria. They learn a new dance each week and perform it for the moms at the end of the class. They also do several choreographed dances, free style and dance games throughout the class. It is a sight to see!

E tends to be a few seconds behind the instructor, but she does the moves! She really likes the class, especially since she gets to bust a move with her friend, who is right behind her.

Water break! Mommy, this is so fun to be dancing! I'm exercising! I'm so healthy!

I tried to get decent pictures of her in the class, but they were in constant movement and I was too far away. Her back always seemed to be towards me.

She and her friend are in the dance circle watching one dancer at a time show off. Those in the circle were encouraged to copy the dancer in the middle. It was so hilarious to watch everyone. I saw everything from jumping in place to The Snake and a ton of breakdance moves. Can you believe E jumped into the middle to dance?! She skipped in circles.

So. So. Cute.

What's Better Than Good Food?

2011-02-15T14:52:00.000-05:00

Good food shared with those you love.

E hosts lovely tea parties, lunches and brunches for all of her wee friends.

They always have such a lovely time together.

Speaking of lovely times. Our Valentine's Day was grand. Daddy was home and the whole family gallivanted around the neighborhood with bikes. I made lasagna, a fresh salad, and homemade bread for dinner. It was dee-lish. Dessert? Ice cream, of course. Lots of love and giggles.

Happy Valentine's Day L

2011-02-14T08:04:00.001-05:00

Well...here goes something. This is my first and perhaps last ever blog post. If L knew what I was doing she might have changed her password. I mean, this is her blog. But, since she doesn't know and she didn't change her password I'll keep on writing and suffer the consequences.

This post is about her and why she deserves my love and respect.

Her job is to manage the affairs of three wonderful yes, but also energy demanding, undersized employees. She also has to tolerate a very busy schedule from her business partner A (that's me). Between working late, working nights, and church callings, there are so many nights and evenings when she is pulling her weight plus mine. I love and respect her for all she does.

L is also very talented. I love and respect her drive to be creative. Halloween, church activities, home decor. You who read her blog know of what I speak. Blogs don't accurately capture the late nights and millions of bowls of ice cream that help us through.

L is very beautiful. Outward beauty alone would be a superficial reason to love and respect someone. Alas, she can't help being beautiful and I can't help noticing so I accept that I'll just have to live with it.

L is a very hard worker. She is self-driven once she gets started on a project be it cleaning, organizing, sewing, or painting. She doesn't distract as easily as, let's say her business partner, for example. She deserves and has earned my love and respect for that.

L is a great teacher. Though she doesn't always feel or admit it, she does work hard to help E and the boys. She often wishes she could do more, but who doesn't? I love and respect the effort and outcomes she puts into educating the staff.

L is no quitter. When things get rough she regroups and keeps going. She loves her family and her friends and she tries to do the right thing. I value her opinion and can't imagine my life without her.

I could go on but I will be late to work so I must go. I love and respect L with all my heart. She is my best friend and I hope she knows that I will always be there (or here) for her. Happy Valentine's Day.

Note to readers, L may be completely aghast when she discovers that I have written on her blog without permission and about her no less. Please ask questions if my picture conspicuously disappears from future blog posts.

A

Mommy Homeschool

2011-02-10T18:15:00.000-05:00

Say WHAT?

Homeschool.

I stay home with my children...obviously. I am mom. I am teacher. I decided not to enroll E into preschool for several reasons, one being the fact that I was selfish and wanted to spend as much time as possible with her before releasing her into the wild, known as the public school system. Another reason was that I could teach her the basics for free.

For awhile, I actually debated whether or not to officially homeschool E, instead of registering her with the public school system. Let's face it, there are pros and cons to each option. The question was, could I actually pull it off? I was a teacher before a mom, so I have the capability to teach; however, did I have the discipline with two other young children.

There is a huge homeschool network where we live and I actually know of several families who successfully teach their children. And yes, they are normal children who are smart and socialized. They have online courses. They have co-ops. They have field trips. They can take a family vacation whenever they want. There are a lot of perks. It sounds fabulous. Could I do it? When the topic was brought up with other parents I heard quite a few comments.

"Why do you want to do that?"

"Don't you think you'd ruin her by keeping her home?"

"She won't have any social skills."

"She won't be prepared for Kindergarten."

"You can't prepare them for life skills."

I also heard

"I wish I could do that."

"You should do what's best for you and your family."

"They can learn in a safe and loving environment."

"It makes sense. If you could do it, why wouldn't you?"

"You could really teach your children in ways that they learn best."

"If you know in your heart this is what you want to do, you are more than capable."
"No homework woes!"

I decided to do a practice run of homeschool for a year and get a feel of how E and I like it. It's been an experience. She tells everyone she does Mommy Homeschool and that she loves it. The ladies at the fabric store think she's so lucky to have mommy teach her. It's been a challenge for sure, but quite fun to see her grow. At times, I want to pull my hair out. Other times, she doesn't feel like working. But what's great about having school at home is that we can take a break and come back to it.

One of the biggest fears for people might be socialization. People who are against homeschool may remember that one weird family growing up. They had the kids who didn't have any friends, who were awkward in social gatherings, and didn't quite get how to engage in a proper conversation. It was because of that one family that they are opposed to homeschool. How can they judge the homeschool experience by one or two families? Let's face it, I knew quite a few weird kids in school. I knew kids with few friends. I knew kids who were awkward. I knew kids who couldn't carry on a conversation. As a teacher, I taught plenty of kids with various issues and the public school system can't teach all of them to be socially acceptable. I believe that social skills are important skills taught in the home, as well as in life experiences. Can E socialize among her peers? Yes. She's shy, but very capable of playing with others. She attends Primary, Story Time at the library, Moppets (children's class for MOPS), play dates, dance class, activities with neighbors and family members, and she interacts with people in the community (garbage man, store employees, doctors, librarians, or A's coworkers). I don't believe E will have any unusual or awkward social issues. She's fine for now. Teenage years? That's a different story.

Will I continue homeschooling? I don't know. I do know that it's not out of the question.
Is she ready for Kindergarten? Oh, yes. She also tells me I'm ready for college and I can bring my Handy Manny lunch box with me!

I've been making note of some of the KN skills she already has under her belt.

*Responds to adult direction/ asks q's/ participates in activity/ seeks help/ enjoys playing/ shows reciprocity/ speaks kindly

*Manipulates small objects (crayons, pencil, scissors, buttons, zippers)

*Draws body with 6 or more body parts, shapes, and incomplete designs

*Writes numbers 1-10, letters, and some high frequency words

*Completes puzzles

*Catch and throw ball/ walk forward, backward, sideways on a line

*Identifies body parts & imitates their movement

*Can run, jump, hop, skip

*Follows 3 step directions

*Identifies meaning of basic concepts (colors, opposites, positional words)

*Uses facial expressions to communicate

*Listens to and responds to stories

*Identifies first/ last sound in a word

*Recognizes rhyme

*Speaks in complete sentences

*Uses language in imaginative play

*Retells simple stories and events in sequence

*Rote counts to 30, well, 29

*Uses one to one correspondence to identify how many to 10

*Counts backwards from 10

*Identify numbers, writes, and matches numbers to sets 1-10

*Remove objects from sets and describe results

*Recognizes shapes and some 3D shapes

*Describes likenesses & differences between plane figures/ objects

*Names the days of the week

*Sorts by given rule

*Identifies/copies/continues simple patterns

*Create/ describe results of a graph

The jury is still out on whether or not we'll continue homeschool past this year. There are so many things I love about homeschooling, but there are also great things about the public school system. There are a couple KN workshops, tours, and meet & greets coming up and I plan to be there to gain as much info as possible. As for now, we'll keep schooling away in our home.

A Little of Big O

2011-02-09T13:49:00.004-05:00

I want mo moke (milk)!

Oh no. Where are your manners?

Peas (please) mommy...I want mo moke, peeaas!

Yes, you may. Thank you for using your manners.

Yeah! Tankyou!

Oh, and we had another HULK incident. This time we had Big O rip his pj's from his body. He wanted me to sew them, but...I'm not sure they're salvageable.

Boys...

More Snow!

2011-02-07T15:25:00.000-05:00

Oh! We love snow around here. Throughout the winter months, we get several snow days, a few snow storms, and maybe some ice. Some years we get more snow than ice, but other years we're heavy on ice, which makes us powerless and unable to go anywhere. We don't have Utah snows, that's for sure, where you can't see the ground for several months. Here, we may not be able to see the ground for a few days. That's just fine with us. Ah, the beauty of snow as it slowly covers the earth. Time slows, we get cozy, we read books and bake.

2010

2011- E helping scrape snow off of the car.

Singing, of course.

W helping out on the lower half of the car.

Stomping through the snow with E's old boots. We just haven't found boots that fit him yet!

Eating ice and snow.

Some of the neighborhood boys (ages 8-12) were playing football and guess who absolutely HAD to be there to play? Yip! My big O joined in the fun. W and E looked on, surprised that O ran after the ball and tried to throw it to the big kids. Daddy went over and helped him out. They all ended up playing football for about an hour

I can hear him now...Daddy, watch this!

Daddy's Birthday

2011-02-03T15:25:00.001-05:00

We celebrated Daddy's birthday with singing, cheers, pie, and presents.

Daddy loved the very first pie I made, so I made it again. He was supposed to get vanilla ice cream on the way home from work, but he walked through the door with Chocolate Oreo. Not the best combo with an apple pie, but awesome for me! He's the best.

E had everything planned out for the day. Where to put decorations, how to decorate the pie, what presents to make him, how to wrap the presents, where everyone sits, what we ate...

She made baseballs to stick in the pie because Daddy loves baseball and he'll really like it. Those are the laces on each ball.

Being silly.

Opening up E's presents that she planned and wrapped herself. She was very proud of herself for accomplishing such a task on her own.

She got a plastic cup from the kitchen and put baseballs all over it, you know, because Daddy loves baseball and he needs a baseball cup to drink out of everyday.

The second present was a tangerine because O ate the one Santa gave Daddy and he needs a new one. He'll love it!

Tangerine tricks to entertain the young folk.

Oh, the giggles.

Fits of laughter, I tell ya.

That Daddy...

We love you!

Budding Artist

2011-02-02T23:17:00.000-05:00

E hadn't really shown much interest in coloring or drawing until this past year. Within the past few months, she's come a long way in her drawings. I should take more pictures of them so you can see her progress. Here's headshots of the family from a few months back.

I'm lovin' O in the front.

Snow Is Not The Only Thing Falling

2011-01-31T21:38:00.001-05:00

W started the whole ghastly affair. Only a day or two had passed before he fell off the back porch stairs, which resulted in a few scrapes and tears. Little did we know, that was the beginning of several horrible occurrences with stairs.

I was the next one to fall victim. My parents have a rather larger wooden staircase in their house and I managed to fly over a few before plummeting to the bottom. I wish I only had a few scrapes and tears, but my entire left side, from elbow to ankle, felt broken. My hip and thigh took the worst of it and quickly displayed a black and purple bruise the size of my head! It was extremely painful to say the least, and I quickly realized how often my left leg was touched throughout the day...A revelation I could have lived without. The funny thing was that as my bruise grew, it formed a perfect giant heart. The not so funny thing is that it lasted for a month.

O was next to challenge the stairs. He fell down the same wooden staircase and 'bonkaded' his head.

He slowly re-enacted what happened.

Wight he-uh. I bonkeded my head, wight he-uh.

E fell going UP the stairs, and yes, it was just as traumatic. O then fell again going down the basement stairs. This time he was holding onto the railing. He managed to hold on and slide down the railing as his lower half fell down several stairs.

Watch out A! You're next! We joked that A would be the next to fall. He took extra precaution.