One Proud Momma

6:10 P.M. - Experiment with me here, we shall see how long it takes me to post an average blog while finishing dinner and playing referee.

We had conferences last night and I was very pleased with the boys' reports. They both got great grades and great behavior reports. Skywalker has improved his behavior a LOT this nine weeks and I am very proud of him (although I just asked what color he was on and it was green). Dang. Talking and he doesn't even remember about what. You can bet if I was going to get in trouble for talking, I would make it good enough to remember the same afternoon. G just has problems turning in tests. Apparently it is a little like an Easter egg hunt to find his completed tests. We're working on that. The Diva got a good report from her speech therapist too. Overall, I'm one proud momma.

Sweet Baby did not like my being gone so late last night and we are paying for that today with one clingy child. Right now she is eating sweet peas for the first time, real ones not mushed up. And by eating I mean she is experimenting with how it goes when she smushes them into her seat. So far, she is pleased with the results. Oh, one just made it into the mouth, yum yums.

6:24 P.M. - 14 minutes, not bad if I do say so myself. I only had to stop to referee Wii players.

Blue = Jedi

We were all just hanging out in the living room, waiting on the shower rotation to be completed. G had a small light wand which changes colors, and man was he giving us a show. The Sweet Baby followed every move he made, watching the glow change hues as he sliced the air. At one point even clapping her hands and squealing with delight. Then he decided to get educational, "Look, this is red. Sith.*"

"That's right G, teach her the important stuff," his dad said, proudly.

*For those who aren't Star Wars privy, Sith is the dark side and uses red light sabers mostly. Luke Skywalker, for example, would never be caught with a red light saber.

Spring Break Friday

Today we've stuck around the house. The kids helped Adam change the oil in the truck...

Doesn't he look fabulous?

I cleaned up around the house a bit. Vera Lynn sported a new do...


That's what 15 minutes and determination looks like.

And then we attempted some spring pictures outside. Of course it was chilly and cloudy and the kids all were in the mood to injure each other. We still managed to get everyone in approved attire, faces some what clean, hair brushed and fixed, jewelry in place, headband secure. I had hopes that one photo would be perfect. The first picture snapped before any of them realized what was going on seemed alright, I thought. During the whole photo shoot I was clinging to that one picture as a fall back. Then I upload them and I get this...


Eyes Wide Shut

Currently the big kids are all at the Home Depot with their dad. He went for a new element for the stove and apparently is buying a new kitchen sink. He just called for measurements. Sweet Baby is napping. She went into her crib without even a whimper this time!!

Sweet Baby Sleeps



Sweet Baby Sleeps.

So I haven't been so good about making the baby sleep in her own crib. It is easier just to feed her and let her go back to sleep next to me. But she's getting older so we've started practicing in the crib. This is night 2 of independent sleep. It takes about 10 minutes of fighting and crying but then she settles right down to sleep. Now when she wakes up at 1:00 A.M. she's right back in the big bed, but it is the effort that counts!

Zoo Adventures

Today we graced the zoo with our presence. It was The Diva's first time as well as Sweet Baby's. All and all, it was a very good trip, usually we go in the summer or for field trips and it is so HOT but today was a nice spring day. I put suntan lotion on all of the kids but neglected Adam and I and now we're feeling it. I have the weirdest shoulder strap bag sun burn.

The Diva's favorite part was the giraffe and I have to say, I may agree with her. One was right up next to the fence so we got up close and personal.

G's favorite part was the new penguin exhibit, which was pretty cool just because it is new this spring. You can see them go underwater through a window but they weren't interested in that today. Here's a shot of them standing proudly, surveying the crowd.

Skywalker's favorite part of the zoo adventure was in the reptile house, specifically the Gila monsters. After some consultation I have found out for you that Gila monsters are big lizards. Okay, Adam just informed me that most of you will know what Gila monsters are, show of hands? Alas, I have no pictures of these. They  were in the reptile house. It is dark. And I wasn't impressed. Sorry folks.

Sweet Baby's favorite part was... the gift shop. Because that was the only part she didn't sleep through. She was the perfect baby and snoozed the whole way, didn't even fuss when she didn't get her meals on schedule.



3 little monkeys



And I leave you with a final picture of lorikeets. Just because.

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Spring Break 2011

Today the boys took a boys' day to go hiking at Peit Jean Mountain. They had a blast going with their dad. There will be pictures coming soon, but I fear I will not have enough time to upload them before the natives get restless. They seem to have enjoyed getting to go all the way down to the falls. After they were done there they went to the P-ville playground to play for a while. G seems to have enjoyed that the most (he even got to see his teacher hanging out there with her kids). The Diva and Sweet Baby went to preschool to see their friends while the boys went hiking. I had to go get an oil change on the Mazda 5, and a haircut for  myself-- don't worry kids, you didn't miss any fun.

At the moment they are all outside playing knights, a storyline they have developed from one of the video games Adam has been playing. Sweet Baby is sitting next to me in her highchair, wondering what I'm going to feed her next.

From the Mouths of 5 Year Olds

After watching cartoons all morning, The Diva was in the mood for something a little heavier, a movie perhaps.

"Can we watch Star Whores?" she asked.

"Daddy's going to have to go to a special store for that movie."

"I wanna go with you!"

I think we'll work on the "w" sound sometime soon...

Campfire fun, minus the camping (thank goodness)

Today the big kids spent the first day of their spring break with their daddy. They went to run some errands and came back home to help him around the house. They tuned up the truck, cleaned it out, and then spent the afternoon preparing for the big event-- a campfire!

We just came in from outside, the kids had a great time. A fine dining experience was had by all, hot dogs and s'mores, yum yum. G and The Diva entertained us with a "S'mores Dance" in honor of our tasty snack. Even the Sweet Baby joined us outside, although she slept through all the fun.

She did not have a good night last night and in turn, did not have a good day. I am pretty sure she has my allergies, lovely, which lead to a sinus infection and possible ear infection. But that's just my opinion as the mother, I'm no doctor. If she isn't better by Monday, we'll get a professional opinion to back me up.

Busy, Busy

I haven't had the chance to post much this week. We've been rather busy, fussy, or tired this week and sometimes a combination of all three!

Spring break is upon us and the kids couldn't be more excited! The Diva has asked every day all week, "How many school days?"
"Oh, so then we stay home 9 days?"
I know she likes school but she loves those stay home days. Oh, she got to see goats today at school. They were still there when I came to pick her up, right there on the playground running around. There were 2 babies, so cute and fluffy. Her favorite was the brown baby goat because he was so cute. The Sweet Baby missed the goats, she left early with her daddy. Poor thing was sickly and doing her "mahmahmahmahmah" cry. She still doesn't feel well, coughing a lot and not wanting to eat much.

Activities on the "want to" agenda for spring break: camping (which to these kids means Adam starting a fire in the backyard and having marshmallows), a park or two, cleaning up, scrap booking, and maybe some art making for the kids. I'd also like to go to the zoo but that might wait for another weekend. Taking some outside spring pictures of the kids would be nice too. As we were leaving school Skywalker told me spring break was the "perfect time for me to get stuff cleaned up around the house." Well okay, I'll put that on my list.

At the moment, they are watching Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief with their daddy. Yeah spring break!!!

And it is only Monday

Sweet Baby is experiencing many firsts lately... first steps while holding onto someone's hands (last night she walked all the way down the hallway holding her daddy's hands, panting her "I'm so excited" pant), first wave (this afternoon she waved bye to her brother when he left the room for a shower), and tonight her first fit over not getting what she wanted!

I wanted to go to Target for nothing in particular, just to go. I picked up some clothes for all of the kids, bath toys for the Sweet Baby, and a tutu swimsuit because that is just too cute. So I walk past a display of stuffed animals that dance and sing when you push their hand. One push and she was sold, she stared at that thing like it was her new best friend. I let her listen one more time just because I'm a good mom like that then put it down to move on. Oh the screams. Oh the glares. Oh the kicks and squirms. You would have thought I had taken away her banana! So like any good first time mom, I picked it back up and took it with us for a few isles. i shamefully pushed the hand while looking at scrap booking supplies, toothpaste, pj's, and then again while browsing bath toys. I distracted her with bibs, balls, spinners, and tutus. Only the pacifier clip's ribbon could stop this fit, and even then it was touch and go. She held on until the car, but when we were buckled in, she let loose. And continued to do so until we hit the driveway. It must not have been too bad though, not a tear was on her face. The little stink.

Oh, she's getting better at crawling too, she can now drag herself a pretty far distance if there is something she wants badly enough. Just doesn't get the whole getting up on her knee thing yet.

Fun Times Carnival

Saturday we went to a parking lot carnival, all the kids had a blast. It was a first for Maddy and she really enjoyed it. We got the kids all bracelets so they could ride as many as they wanted. G started out on the Sizzler but the other two were too short so they went to other rides. A favorite with all of the kids was the slide, super high and just greased that morning.

 



Confident Brothers,
ready to take on the world



Adam and I wanted G to ride this ride that went upside down, he wasn't all about it but agreed once Skywalker acted excited about it. During the first round on his head, G was screaming, "I'm done!! I'm really done now!!!", and giving the guy in charge of the ride death glares when they came around for another round. Skywalker had a good enough time but did admit he didn't want to go again. From that they went straight to the swings (I thought G needed a slower pace) but during that ride he seemed to get a little dizzy. LOL. He took a break for a few rides after that. It was Puff the Magic Dragon that finally did him in; after so many circles his equilibrium just couldn't take it anymore and as the ride slowed he barfed all over himself. He went with me to Kmart for new clothes while Adam stayed with the other kids. After that, the only thing G was interested in was the slide and cotton candy. Poor kid.

Sweet Baby is going to be walking before she can crawl. She has been practicing steps all weekend, as long as you hold onto her little hands while she's going she is happy. And that's about all that will make her happy now, she is pretty fussy unless she is hanging onto the side of something or walking with you. Currently she is sitting in front of me wailing because I won't let her hang off the side of her pac and play while I type.

Girl Stuff

The girls and I took a short shopping trip this afternoon. I have to admit it was fun just taking them and looking for "pretties". We went to a consignment sale, mainly to look at their handmade bows and tutus. The Diva and I looked at every rack in hers and Sweet Baby's size, some racks more than once. She was very good at spotting pretty dresses for both sizes, mostly dresses with no occasion (or at least fancier ones than we have a purpose for). She came out with one pink dress and a Disney princess night gown for the baby and a denim cropped jacket and sequin skirt for her. THEN I saw a zebra print tutu for her and a deal was made. We put the sequin skirt up in exchange for a brand new tutu. Upon our return home, fresh pictures were taken to celebrate such a find!

Before we left on this shopping trip, Sweet Baby got a package in the mail. We love packages here! A brand new hot pink, silk petticoat was waiting for her. We had to put it right on. In her opinion, it was cute enough to eat- so she did. Ruffles taste yummy in the afternoon. She would take the edge of it and flip it around in the air, then wave it to her face and cram it in her mouth, cooing the whole time. Yum, yum.

The boys stayed at home with their dad during all of this "girl stuff" and talked about boy things that girls won't like "because they don't like cool stuff."

It is bedtime here at the ranch. The Diva is brushing her teeth, G is picking out clothes for tomorrow and supposedly picking up what he got out (sounds more like playing to me), and Skywalker is attempting to write another chapter in his journal (although I highly doubt anyone will leave him alone long enough to get the word "Chapter" written).
Now The Diva is pretending her legs are broken, one of her favorite pretends. She takes two swords and pretends those are crutches, then when she is asked to do something she can't because her legs are broken! Sounds like a good plan to me! All the kids seemed to have a pretty good day today, just ordinary school stuff.
Sweet Baby is pulling up on my leg to get a better view of my shoes. She also just said, "Blah, blah, blah," no joke. LOL
Adam will be home in about one hour!

A Notice to Her Public

Me: "G. are you getting in trouble at school for not paying attention to your teachers?"
G: "Uh, I don't know."
Me: "If you don't know if you're in trouble that means you aren't paying attention."
G: "Huh?"

Sweet Baby pulled herself up in her crib at school today! Her teacher texted me a picture of her during my 5th grade class, when I first saw it I didn't even realize what she was doing. Then it dawned on me, "Hey, no one is holding her up!!" We came straight home and tried it here, but her crib is a little different. She still pulled up but not as well as she did at school. Hope showed me a video she took on her phone, it is so great to have teachers at her school who really care and get just as excited and proud as I do. So great to get messages while I'm at work and watch videos when I pick her up. I hate missing her day, but I also know I would be a different person if I didn't work. I wouldn't be able to get my job back after taking off for years and then wouldn't get to be with her when she is in school later. I would miss being able to be there for the boys as they grow up in the school I teach. It is so great to work with the boys' teachers and be able to be involved in what is going on at their school.

She seems to be at a growing point, not physically but mentally. I can see her responding to more of what is around her, interacting with her brothers and sister, starting to wave and laugh more. She is sitting up a lot better now, I think she might have been crawling backward earlier today. She seems so alert, and always has, but I think she is learning a lot at 7 months old. This week, she has really wanted to just play. She loves to sit on her blanket surrounded by her toys and chew on them, wave them in the air, and talk to them. I'm glad Adam will be home soon to see it for himself.

Oh, the wave. She's been working on it at school for weeks now, but this morning while she was eating her apple sauce she waved. Both kinds of wave no less. First, she took her hand and looked at it, concentrating-- open. close. open. close-- looking at it the whole time she moved it, little eyes squinted slightly, mouth pulled tight. She took a few more bites of apple sauce then waved her hand in the air, smiling proudly as if she was addressing her public. Since the older kiddos had not gotten up yet, her public at that time was me and the toys she had thrown onto the kitchen floor from her highchair thrown, but she addressed us, none the less.

Spring  break is coming up and Adam has not two but THREE weeks off! I'm sure this will provide us with many memories to blog about!

On a Roll

Three days and three blogs, yahoo! I finally figured out that it was the blog domain that was keeping it from being visible, no sense writing the thing if I can't read it. Now we're on track with that but it seems I have a little helper beside me who needs to know every button I am clicking and what it does...

After our naps yesterday, Sweet Baby was up at 4:00 A.M. ready to go. I don't mind being greeted so early if she coos and laughs at me. So I pulled her close to me, gave her back her pink bear lovey and smiled as she batted my closed eyes with her sweet little hands.

On the ride home, during a moment of shared insanity, Dudley and I decided we should videotape the madness around us to entertain our coworkers. The Diva was in the back declaring every song in the afternoon line up as "THIS my sawng!!!" then proceeding to talk the whole way through it after asking for it be turned up. The Sweet Baby had just choked herself with her own pacifier. This was only a minor set back for her mood though. She let out when terrifying cry, followed by what we call, "The Silent Cry" which consists of holding her mouth open in the most pitiful, silent way followed by a full on sob. After that, there was a minute of complete whining then cooing as she had found her plastic hanging fruit again and all was right with the world. But all of that was followed by a play be play from none other than Skywalker in the back seat. The whole time I think G was just concerned about dinosaurs as fossils.

The Napping House

Sunday afternoons usually find us way more active than this.

Earlier I curled up on the couch to feed The Sweet Baby, we ended up drifting off. Between my eye lids, I saw Big Brother sulk into the living room after what no doubt was an argument he had lost in the bedroom.
"If you're going to be in here, you're going to have to sleep." I said, still half asleep myself.
So he shrugged his shoulders and curled up onto the other couch.
We woke up two hours later. I was amazed the other two didn't kill each other while I was sleeping.

Then the same thing just happened, only I had taken the baby to the back to change a diaper and ended up curling up in bed this time. I awoke to find the two brothers playing Star Wars Legos on the Wii and Maddy, you guessed it, curled up in a chair fast asleep. She had apparently been there the whole time I was asleep because I had not been awakened by a fight.

So Here We Go!

I'm not totally sure about this blogging thing but I'm willing to take it on. My husband suggested I start a journal to imprint the goings on of these kiddos of ours. There's something new going on around here almost everyday. The journal sounded like a great idea to me, but every time I pick up my favorite flower pen to write, Vera Lynn bats at the pretty white petals on the end until I end up wrestling her for it, she has black ink on her face and don't get anything written. So a blog is born!

But now I remember that every time I sit down at the lap top, Vera Lynn tries to eat the USB cords. Ah well, a mom can try.

This will serve as a place for me to chronicle milestones, phases, and hum drum that is our every day life. It will be a place for The Four to look back one day at what their experiences were, a place that will allow them to KNOW what their father and I did to screw them up permanently- no guessing like those kids without their own blogs!

So for the moment... Sweet Baby is in the floor right under my feet on a blanket, surrounded by her toys and whining because she can't be in my lap. The big kids are all watching Dinosaur (picked by G). Not a lot going on tonight but we did spend the day at my best friend's house after a 36c*a/9+* zoo trip canceled due to weather. There was a trampoline involved, plus Nerf guns and stairs so they are pretty tired and easy going. Come back tomorrow when the animals have had more rest.

*shortly before hitting "PUBLISH POST" Sweet Baby won her way into my lap and quickly tried to eat the keyboard, she added her own 2 cents to my first post too.