Happy Birthday!

To my baby brother.

Who used to suck his two middle fingers.
Who took over on my snuggle blanket.
Who's horse left a scar on my leg.

Who fell asleep in the bath tub.

Who I had to share a bed with on vacation.

Who played babies with me.

Who had black fish in 50 different containers all around his room.

Who came to see me in Florida.

Who fathered my Beautiful niece, Lena. (with some help from his lovely wife...)

I Hate Being Sick

Stupid saying isn't it? I've never heard anyone say that they liked it.

I got the most horrible headache last Sunday. Thanks to Tracy's magic elbow, and Susan the massage therapist I did get some relief for a brief period.

Since I still had the headache today, I went to the Doctor.

She prescribed some pain killers. Oddly enough they make my hands warm and my nose cold.

I am just thankful that tonight I actually feel like I can function enough to maintain my children and house.

and it needs maintenance.

Naked Babies

Off to the bubble bath!

Lunchin' With the Ladies

Last Friday Jack and I went to lunch with the Ladies at Portraits by Kimberly.

He wore this cute little outfit.

I found it at a kid's boutique in a neighboring town. They had such cute things. I'm sure I'll go back.

I love it when he curls up like this.

Reminds me that he really is a tiny baby.

A Day In the Life....

Last week Will's teacher asked me if I would be willing to teach basket making to children while they learned about "A Day In The Life of Jesus". Basket making is fun, and I like to help out at the school. But as you all know, 1st, I am a procrastinator. 2nd, I am NOT a teacher.

Sunday evening I grabbed some stuff up out of the storage area, rounded up my kids and started 6 baskets with all three of them helping me cut the materials.

This is what a small, organized area of my kitchen looked like.



This is what I packed up to take on Monday morning.

And here are some of the kids working on the baskets.

It is a small school, with right at 100 students from Preschool through 6th grade, and they all participated. I would guess that 99% of them enjoyed it...they all did a really great job.

Monday night? I was exhausted.
Volunteering is such hard work.

To Be Totally Honest...

That baby does cry. And really seems that all I do is feed him, and change him, and rock him. But that is ok. Because I have to go back to work on Tuesday. And the laundry situation isn't really that bad. Not because I've been keeping it up, but because we have plenty of clothes. And not a single one of us has lost weight from not eating. Thanks to friends who think we need 3 squares a day. As for those toilets? yeah. They really are that bad.


He does sleep occasionally. In his bed. Occasionally.

And this week, when he has been sleeping, I've been making bags. 3 to be exact. For gifts I needed by yesterday. Done in the nick of time.

Yesterday, he ate every two hours. looks like every two hours today too. Looks like those toilets will be waiting a little longer to be cleaned.

He Cries Too.

And that is why my blogging has been irregular. As well as my personal hygiene, and Bea's hygiene. and the meals around here. and the laundry. and boy oh boy, you do not even want to look at the toilets.

He Smiles!

He has smiled at me one time before, a quick fleeting smile, and he has smiled and even laughed in his sleep.

But yesterday, he was all smiles when I talked to him.

How fun is that?

He's growing up so fast!

Princess Ashley

Being an Auntie is my favorite job. One of my major goals in life is to be THE favorite Auntie.

Last week, my brother and sister-in-law blessed me with a niece.

Ashley

Isn't she sweet?

Here she is with her big brother and sister, Lydia & Hunter.

I love you little Ashley!

More importantly, I've been shopping. You can expect a package in the next few days!

He's Growing!

Jack is a month old!

And getting bigger every day!

This coat is a bit big, and makes him look bigger than he is,

but, WOW! look at the difference!

Jack

1 month

11 pounds, 8 ounce

22" long

thanks for the adorable coat terry & kathie!

We thought Jack might like his swing now that he is more alert, and likes to be in motion.
He's good for about 3 minutes. You'd be amazed at what you can get done in that time.



Bea likes it for oh, a good 30 minutes at least.



He likes it better when she uses it too.

This was also the day Bea was experimenting with eye make - up. She needs more practice.

She Can Change a Mean Diaper.

I've told you all before that I am sure Elle is going to rule the world.

And probably not because she got all the votes.

On your way to dictatorship, there are a few things you should be able to master.

She's got diaper changing down.

My Great Grandmother Lived Through the Depression

I have to confess. I have an "issue" I've been dealing with since, well, as long as I can remember. I save everything. I'm in rehab now. It is working. Slowly, slowly, but sure! How liberating! I've always thought that the catholics were on to something with that confession thing. You really do feel better!

And what does saving everything have to do with this post? Baby clothes. I saved all of them.
A brief history: In 2005 before I travelled to Kenya, I sorted out half of the stuff I had saved for the fundraising yard sale.

When Bea was born, I again, culled off the baby things. Probably by 25%. And the girl things by maybe 40%. Take in mind, that I also purchased new things for Bea, and we received fabulous gifts from our friends and family.


Now, when Bea was born, I had already joined the "just give it" support group, and was much more selective in my saving.

A month before Jack was born, I brought all of our clothes out of storage and did a MAJOR sort. I threw away a small Wal -mart sack, and gave away a small garbage bag. That still left me with 2 overflowing tubs of "unisex" baby clothes, 2 tubs of girl clothes that Bea had out -grew, and 6, yes six tub of boy clothes. Not counting a large amount of socks, and an even larger amount of shoes.

Over the last four weeks, I've been grabbing a tub, and sorting out all the clothes that I think Jack will wear before the weather gets warm.

This is an outfit that was so very cute on Will.







But I'll tell ya'. After changing the diaper, putting on the onesie, socks, snapping and buttoning the shirt, getting his feet in the footies of the pants, snapping and buttoning those as well. Him: crying, me: working up a sweat in the process, (lactating will do that to ya.) I decided that the outfit didn't look nearly as cute as I remember.


Later, when he peed/pooped through the whole get - up, we changed into these, very cute, very practical, very easy jammies.

He looked more comfortable, and I decided that maybe he was perhaps more of a jeans & t-shirt kinda boy.

These are some jammies my mother-in-law gave when Elle was born. They are my favorite. little fishes and turtles on them. All of the kids have wore them. Worth saving. I think I'll save them forever.

I really hate when families have lots of kids, the poor things end up wearing all the hand-me-downs and get nothing new for themselves and end up looking like ragamuffins.

I personally have not purchased anything new for him. (ok, maybe a few things). But he has gotten some really great gifts. Like this little outfit from gymboree. HOW CUTE IS THAT!

Thanks Rachel!

Oh, and if you think me saving all these baby clothes is bad, someday I'll tell you the story of buttons and bags. Remind me.

Communication Skills

Bea has been using some new words this week. She came up to me the other day with a very intense look on her face and said: "I sew-we-us". About what, I'm not sure. Wednesday before Jack's bath, they were both laying on the floor, and he peed. And in a very motherly voice, she says: "We don't pee on the cawput". She's heard that before.

Yesterday she called me "muthah"

no more rap music for her.

Happy New Year!

New Years Eve found us with our friends. I would just like to take a moment and say that we have the best friends ever. Really. The love and support they have shown us over the years is well, like that of a close family. Without all the crap.

Thanks for being our friends!

After eating for several hours, and playing "battle of the sexes" (the girls won, of course) and scatergories, ("pretty, pretty, princess" IS a term of endearment that we use for Bea). We were home and cozied up in our jammies and on our couch to watch the ball drop.


New Years Day found Ryan at the annual auction, and me at the local quilt stores 50% off sale!

My fabulous finds:

I have some things cut out, and I'll show you the projects as I get them finished, but as you know, it's slow going here....it may be awhile!

The Week In-Between

The week between Christmas and New Year we hung out at the house...Ryan's parents were here for the weekend.

We took pictures of Jack on the couch,

In his bassinet,

In the bath,

His belly button fell off, ~whew!~ I love when you can finally let them soak.

with his sister,
She wore the princess outfit for days.


without clothes on,

rocking,

and with lots of friends who visited us!

Sorry Adam, you are such a natural. I don't think you are going to get out of "birthin' babies" with that wonderful woman of yours.....

Christmas!

I thought Christmas was fun when I was a kid.

But it is way funner now!

We got Bea this dee-lux dress up set...

She loved it!

"Pretty, Pretty, Princess"

Will now has a complete John Deere toy store in his room. I went and got him things, Ryan went and picked out some things, and then went again and purchased more.....

Elle loved her football, outfit, computer game, American Girl clothes...

And EVERYONE loves the Wii!!

Usually we attend the candlelight service at our Church on Christmas Eve, and have an elaborate dinner with close friends. This year, it seemed to be a bit overwhelming to get everyone dressed and ready to go, and I was NOT in any condition to make a big meal. We still had our close friends, but they brought the food, and we supplied the wine... My brother Reuben came with my nephews, and a fabulous time was had by all.

Elle made these for us at school, a plate and ornament.

I love giving gifts.

I love getting them too.

Ryan has always been a FABULOUS gift giver, and this year was no exception.

He got me this, a single cup coffee maker. I love it.

And this. ipod nano. in silver. Elle chose the color.

And This.

A book of all the photos Kimberly took of Jack's birth.

I cried.

And those of you who know me, know that I'm not really a cryer.

Especially over a gift.

But, I've been hanging with Kim and Elizabeth...and they cry about everything...

Ice Storm

The Friday before Christmas, we had a terrible ice storm. The electricity went out at 6:30am, not to return until Saturday at 11:30am. We had snow on the ground, and what seemed like 2" of ice on top. Ryan of course went outside, the cows still need to be milked! Unfortunately, we only have one generator, and yes, the cows get that one. He worked hard all day, fixing down wires, moving limbs, thanks to *Ben*, a local electric company and some generous neighbors, we had generator power at 7:30pm.

During the day, we still had to function without ~ We have a wood stove, so the house was warm, and our cell phones were all charged up. I feel better when I can communicate! Jack was still on the bili blanket, and his counts were still really high, we needed electricity! Luckily, T.'s power was still on! Woo Hoo! So, Jack and I spent the day at her house while Nana made the big kids clean their rooms. How's that for a trade off? The last day of school before Christmas break is cancelled, no fun Christmas parties with your friends, no cartoons, and your grandmother makes you clean all day... but she let them cook their lunch over the fire in the basement. All was well.
~real time update~ it is 11:30 Tuesday, and I have not had a shower since sunday morning. yes, i stink. Jack likes to be held.

Christmas Program

We had two Christmas programs this year (last year), and I missed them both. All three kids were in the Church program the evening that Jack was born. I had promised Elle that I would be there...we never would have guessed that one of our babies would be born so close to the due date. Elle had a solo in one of the songs, and a speaking part, Will was a sheep, and Bea sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus. I heard that it was fabulous, but have yet to see any video.

The School Program is more of a concert, but the 1st graders put on a short play with the 2nd graders. Will was a soldier and a shepherd. Nana was my replacement. (Is really a substitute if they would rather have her than me?)

After painfully practicing those lines for what seemed like years, I was a little sad to miss it... Will is on the left.

Will is in the black pants with red shirt, and Elle is in the black dress. Both on the left.

More updates to come!

Ok, for some reason, I cannot get the video of Elle on this post. grr.

Kitty Cat Bath

Tonight begins the first night of our "new normal". Ryan went back to work, and the big kids have to go to school tomorrow. Hopefully I will be back on a regular blogging schedule. I miss it! So, tonight begins the first of "catch up' blogs.

Here is Jack's first "bath" at home.

He was a little chilly....didn't mind getting his hair washed, after that it went downhill fast!

Nana made it quick as possible, and he smelled much better afterwards!