Christmas Pics

I love these guys...



So getting them all 4 in one picture was tough to say the least. Not once did they all look at the camera at the same time. But aren't they cute???

Ben... this is your momma... stop growing up!!!

I mean it, little man... slow it down, you are 10 months old not a big boy.

He really is progressing quickly on the physical tasks. It wasn't very long ago that he started pulling up and now just yesterday he pushed my step stool about 3 feet walking behind it giggling the whole time. Then a few hours later I caught him on the 4th stair sitting there laughing his head off. Great, another thrill junkie. Just what I need.

Truthfully, I LOVE watching him learn new things, but it's so sad that my last little baby is getting big so so fast.

Zack is a MOMMA's boy

And I LOVE it... Seriously one of my favorite things in life is when he comes up to me and hugs me, wrapping his little arms around my neck and declaring "Mine momma"... how do I not just eat him up? Gotta love it!!

Christmas was GREAT!!

The visit with my parents was fun, and Christmas was awesome. My boys were thrilled with their presents, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the day.

Mark loves his camera! Yay Santa!!! Eric got a Solar System book & mobile that I think is his favorite gift. We, I mean, Santa got him a cars remote control car that I think will be fun for him once he uses it enough to get how it works. He runs it into walls a lot :) His other favorite thing is a Knex "bucket of buddies" set that he's using to create all sorts of creatures. That was actually Mark's gift from an auntie and uncle but Eric loves loves loves it! Zack's favorite thing is playing with the big boys toys but he does like his little ride on toy Santa brought (but not as much as I thought he would!) Ben got some jammies, some little soft shoes (like Robeez, but from Target) and a few various toys that he loves!

I was spoiled freaking rotten. From Kevin and the boys I got a beautiful necklace, a popcorn popper and popcorn (hehe LOVE the things the boys pick out for me!!!) My parents got US a chest freezer and a set of pots and pans (poor Kev, he's a good sport but I'm sure there are other things he'd rather have), his parents got me my food processor!!! I've wanted it for so LONG but never just got it! I love it!!!

Ok, I've rambled enough about material things... really my favorite part of Christmas was just hanging out with my family, watching the excitement and joy in my kids faces and just realizing exactly how lucky I am!

It's Granny & Poppy Day!!

I am SO excited they are coming today! YAY!!! Mark remembered as soon as he woke up that they were coming today and said "mom is it a special day" and I said "yes Mark what is special today" and he and Eric jumping up and down said "It's Granny and Poppy day!!!!!" Such enthusiasm... so fun! Of course then they wanted to go to the airport right that second which obviously wouldn't work...


Oops gotta run... they are fighting. Mark "Super Mark to the rescue" and Eric responds "no!!! I am NOT a bad guy!!!" Oy...

Tis the Season

... to run your children ragged dragging them through endless stores, hours of shopping until they are so worn out they crash and burn or have a melt down at a very inconvenient time.

Seriously, I can not remember seeing as many crashed out kids in their strollers as I have in recent days. Not itty babies, but 3 and 4 year olds. I 'm not entirely innocent either. I've ran Zack around and ended up dealing with a meltdown a couple of times in recent days. It's hard to avoid with so much to get done before Christmas. And it's not that bad, I guess for the little ones to take a little snooze in the stroller. Just part of the hustle & bustle maybe.

But I can't help feel a little sad for those kiddos who just need a nap in their own little beds but are being dragged around endlessly so mom and dad can get to just one more store.

Tape please mom

Tape is a hot commodity around here lately. It is funny and perhaps a teensy bit frustrating. It goes something like this. "mom can we draw candy canes" Of course, I say sure. We get out the crayons and the paper. Then they need scissors to cut the candy canes. And then it's the tape. I currently have candy canes of various shapes, sizes and colors hanging ALL over the house. It really is quite fun though, because every time I see a hanging candy cane I think of how much fun they had creating them. I mentioned frustration though, and this is caused by when they decide they need tape, and then get it themselves. Leading to me needing tape and unable to find it. I think I have it under control now. :) Bought a big 6 pack of scotch tape at Sams over the weekend. I may never need tape again. Although, the boys must hang several things a day each, so I may in fact run out sooner than expected.

So Much to Say

I have so many thoughts on my mind ALL the time and I really wish I had more of a chance to SIT down and type it all out. So many times I'll be driving in the car and just thinking and there is so much I want to post here or in a journal of some sort but by the time I have time to sit and type I can't for the life of me remember what those thoughts were coherently enough to type it out. I really do need some device to just "download" my ponderings so I don't lose them. I want to record every single thing these cute boys of mine do but it is really hard... but I will try to recapture some of my recent thoughts today.

I was blown away

I struggle at times with a declining faith in humankind in general. I get rather disillusioned with the dishonesty I see and just people treating one another badly in general. On Friday, November 16th I had such a great moment that renewed my hope in our society just a little. It didn't take a big event, just a small act of kindness.

Going shopping with four kids is no picnic and the norm is for me to get stared at, and of course the comments such as "are they all yours?" and "you have your hands full!" Yep I do. These comments don't bother me anymore although I still fight off the urge to say "no they aren't all mine, I just like to bring extras with me cause it's SO fun shopping with kids." Anyway, not once until the other day has anyone offered to help me when I struggled. For the most part my kids are very well behaved. However, it's hard to control when the baby will get fussy or IF Zachary, who is very much 2 will decide to pull a 2 year old trick. Eric and Mark are usually fine beyond the expected asking for every.single.thing.they.see. So, I'm at the cash register. I had gathered my groceries with Ben in my arms because he decided the cart just wasn't working for him and was crying his sweet little eyes out. Pushing the cart with Zack and Mark pushing a large load of groceries. I was unloading my stuff onto the check stand as fast as possible while holding a squirmy baby but the man behind me didn't glare because I was going too slow. He didn't comment on how many kids I have, he didn't say "WOW, ALL boys?" he said, "You take care of that baby and let me help you." I was blown away because as I mentioned this has never happened before. It made my entire day. I must have thanked that man 7 times while he was unloading my groceries. I still can't believe it but I was so happy to see someone helping another person. I hope I see more of this. How refreshing and really really helpful this man was to me!

Conversation of the Day

From Mark --

Me "I love you Mark"

Mark "Mommy, I don't like pretty words... and love is a pretty word."

Me "So what kind of words do you like" (fighting back laughter)

Mark "Cool words"

Me "ohhhhhh what kind of words are cool?" (still stifling laughter--he was oh so serious)

Mark "like race cars, and stuff"

I'm shaking my head typing this. I guess the quest to be "cool" has begun... at four...

To end the conversation I laughed and said "well, buddy, I can't help it. I love you." and he was silent.

Ack!

It's been forever since I posted here... I did mention I wasn't good at keeping a blog/journal right?

Anyway, huge things have been going on!! Well, one big huge thing... we bought a house. I love it! It's much bigger than the rental and almost brand new! It was built in 2006 but a musician bought it and she travels all over playing her music so I know she wasn't here most of the year she owned the house. http://www.lynnearriale.com/ Anyway it is beautiful! I love it here!e

Other new things :) Eric is loving school! The transition switching was so smooth! He is reading more words every day. It is so fun to watch that develop. Mark loves his new Pre K too! In fact, we were having trouble at the old school with crying, etc. but for some reason not at this one. YAY! Zack is talking up a storm! I think he is probably caught up to his age level now. It appears once again, mommy was worried for nothing. Benjamin is crawling all over and he can go from sitting to crawling and back to sitting again. He's just growing too fast!

Thanksgiving is coming soon and we are going to Georgia to visit some good friends! I am so excited to be in the Atlanta area for a few days. I just love it there. I love it here too, of course, but I sometimes miss Georgia.

That's about all that's going on with life right now. Just busy as always, chaotic, but I love it all!

Zack hurt himself :(

This happened almost 2 weeks ago but Zack did the craziest thing. He climbed up into Eric 's bed (top bunk) when I thought everyone was sleeping. Somehow he fell off and busted his head open. It was awful. We rushed to the ER (piled everyone in the car & just Zack and I went in.) Thank goodness it was quick and we were in and out in 2 hours. 7 staples later. We got home at midnight and took the bunkbeds apart. I just can't risk that happening again. It was way too horrifying!



Zack in the hospital with his head wrapped (they put anesthesia gel on him & he kept trying to take the tape off... I couldn't hold the boy still even with his head injured!









The staples

The day of staple removal ( (Monday)

He's 2

Two years ago right now I was sitting in the hospital. My water had broken at 4 AM at home and I assumed contractions would start. They didn't so I waited. I was trying not to use pitocin, and to be patient and let things happen on their own. Again, nothing happened. Finally at 1 PM we started the pitocin and at 2:22 PM Zachary was here. I am so sentimental today! Right now he is playing with his toys with his big brothers and we are about to go for a walk and think of some fun things to do today. Tonight we will have cake and icecream.

Mother injures herself cleaning cobwebs... story at ten (rolling eyes)

Ok, mental note for the future. When picking a chair to stand in to reach the cobwebs in the entry way do not pick the rolling computer chair. I just about flipped the dang thing over... Leave it to me to get ambitious & almost hurt myself being lazy getting the closest chair...

He's not a baby anymore... ***SIGH****

It has been coming to me for a long time that Zack is just no longer a baby. It didn't hit me hard even when Benjamin was born. He was only nineteen months old and obviously still a baby. There were just two "babies" in the family. I still refer to Eric and Mark as "the big boys" and Zack and Ben as "the babies." This has evolved from the bigger boys being "the boys" and Zachary being "the baby". Forever I used the excuse that Zachary was too good at being the baby in the family and used to that status so who was I to push him out of that just because we had another little bitty one. But now, I see him moving on. It started to hit me when I realized he will be two very soon. When the other guys were two they were big boys by golly!! But Zack was still my baby. He's starting to talk more and others are starting to understand him, and while it is late (possibly another factor in my denial at him getting bigger) it is so much fun! And now, with his second birthday imminent (two weeks from today) he is spending his very first night in a big boy bed. Now, I've put him back in bed three times since beginning this entry, but now he's sleeping and when I put him in there and said "Zack's bed, night night sweetie." He had the biggest smile on his face. I love it!

I put this bed transition on hold for so long because ... I don't know. I didn't want to go through the transition, I was worried he wasn't ready. But he has been climbing out of the crib on rare occasions for a while now and after our recent trip to Oklahoma he was getting out every morning. Even then I was hesitant but this afternoon I went to check on him in Eric's room and he was quite happily laying in the bottom bunk. It was almost nap time so I put the blanket on him and kissed him goodnight. He is just ready.

He's not a baby anymore, but he is still an awfully cute little boy!

What is a Momma to do????

Sigh. So it's nearing the end of naptime and I hear lots of giggles from Zachary's room. I'm okay with that as it was buying me some much needed quiet time so I let them play. It started sounding a little too fun so I went to check and... da da da dummmmm.... I walk in to this scene. Clothes & bedding piled into Zachary's crib with the little man himself standing on the pile.

But how could I be mad at the little guys when they are soooo cute.

Fun fun fun!!

We had the best weekend! Our friends were down from Atlanta & doing Disney and the whole bit so we got to meet up with them on Friday. FUN. & 7 kids 5 and under between us & everyone survived! We went to the Children's Museum in Lakeland & the kids ran (Shanna and I let the daddys chase 'em while we caught up) and then attempted to make it to the Shuttle Launch at the coast. Unfortunately noone really realized it was RUSH HOUR and it took us 2 hours to get 1/2 way there. By that time Benjamin was freaking out and the other boys were just DONE being in the car. I assume it was the same scenario in the other vehicle. So, we stopped 50 miles short of Titusville (where we intended to view the launch) and ate dinner at Cracker Barrel. So, after eating with a party of 12, 7 of which being kids (I'm SURE they fought over who HAD to take our table) Shanna, Lisa (Shanna's sister) and I took the kiddies outside to run a minute before getting back in the car & we saw the shuttle. The poor dads missed it. They were the most excited to see it too. Poor daddies stuck inside paying the dinner bill. I really felt bad but it was also funny in a twisted sort of way... So then we went back to their hotel, swam and left to go home. It was so fun! Always good seeing friends, especially these guys in particular.

Lizards and Smoke...

I can NOT get used to the lizards running around here in FL Yesterday I went to the mailbox and there was a teeny tiny lizard sitting on top and I jumped 5 feet! There was a guy standing outside on his cell phone and he cracked up. I don't know if I'll ever get used to the little things running around. Oh, and the boys really want to catch one to keep as a pet. I'm not sure I can handle that just yet. Yea, I'm a wimpy momma!

We woke this morning to this crazy haze outside and the smell of smoke. It was a little freaky. Apparently there are wildfires north of us (but not even close by) and the smoke is being carried down here by the wind. I came home from taking Eric to school with the nice aroma of smoke on me. And I can't get a shower til the boys nap! So, yea, that's what the smell is all about! :) But it's ok, cause everyone else around here probably smells like smoke too!

The Not So Cute...

I am sick. Not terribly sick, but enough that I decided to take a nap when the boys did today. When will I learn NOT to do that. Apparently they decided to take the mattress off Mark's bed (queen size) and remove the headboard from behind the bed. When I asked them why they told me they were making a new bed. I did not notice this until dinner time and at that point it was better that they eat and go to bed. Cranky mommy and naughty boys do not mix! They were arguing all afternoon anyway so I think a little extra sleep will be a good thing!

Now it's just Ben and me since Kevin is still at work. Ahhhh the joy of silence!!

Weight Watchers

So in an effort to lose the extra pounds on my body I started weight watchers online last week. I followed it perfectly (hope I keep that up) and lost 4.5 pounds! I am so excited! Now I just have 38.5 to go...

If anything will motivate me it will be going to the beach all the time. Nothing to make you feel bad about your body like putting on a swimsuit!

Kevin

I have to brag on my hubby a little today. Friday night he was up late and fed the baby so I could sleep through it. So nice! I made a comment about how nice it was and how I really need one night a week to sleep through a feeding or to sleep in the next morning and he got up Saturday night too. I am thrilled! I hate not breastfeeding Ben anymore but it is nice that I can get a night off every now and then.

He really is such a great guy! I felt very lucky this weekend.

The weekend

Well, first of all we are past the diarrhea!! YAY

Saturday we went to the beach and played. It was so fun. Ben stayed in his carrier under the beach umbrella and I just relaxed in the sun. Kevin played in the water with the boys and they had a blast.

Sunday we stayed home and cleaned. Which should not be worthy of noting except that Mark as usual is hilarious.

"Mommy, cleaning is boooring." (Ok, I thought this started way later but my kids are allll about complaining about boredom.)

"well buddy we have to clean or else our house will be nasty. You don't want to have a nasty house do you?"

Then he comes out with "But mommy, we could just MOVE."

Hmmm that sounds like a lot more work than cleaning. We are messy people, we'd have to move about once a week. I'd rather clean! :)

Spoke to Soon

Without being disgusting, I spoke too soon and looks like the diarrhea is not over. 4 diapers already today. bleck!

Ben Smiled!!

He smiled at meeee!! I was just talking to him and bam. He made my whole day! I love him!!!

He's Eating!!!

Good morning!! Zack ate his cereal this morning. AND a half piece of toast. AND now he's eating goldfish. Oh, and a few bites of an apple... Whew. After three days of not eating I am so relieved. No diarrhea so far today (knocking on wood BIG time!) and this makes me so completely happy! Laaaa deeee daaa! *that's the sound of a happy momma!*

Zack & Ben

I 've written about Eric & Mark tonight so I feel like I should about the little ones too. Fun times in Zack world. Some tummy bug has hit him fairly hard. He threw up all night Monday night & we are on day 3 of diarrhea... Yea, really fun for Mommy too. I changed 10 (at least) nasty diapers today... But he's cute & worth the trouble... hehe

Ben is just a baby so there isn't much to say yet. I wish he'd smile but he loves to cuddle and I love that! He is fun.

Kevin is almost home so I'm out for tonight! :)

Stuff Up the Nose

Why do boys put things in their nose? Really, why? If you know feel free to enlighten me. Today I'm doing something (who knows what really) and Mark comes up to me. "Mommy, I have something in my nose." Sooo I look and sure enough there is a popcorn kernel up there. I have to fight back a laugh but ask him why on earth he put a popcorn kernel up his nose. His answer provoked more stifled laughter... "So I could stop sniffing." Perfect. So, I go into crisis mode. How do I remove said object out of his nostril without shoving it up further. Tried having him blow... nothing, tried the lovely blue booger sucker... still nothing. Chased him around the house for a good five minutes trying to convince him to let me try to get it out with tweezers all while he's yelling. "I'll DO IT MYSELF!" Uh huh. That would work. So I dial up the pediatrician and he yells "NO DOCTOR MOMMY!" So I told him he had to sit still so I could get it out. Got him settled on the couch and pushed his nose up toward his face and still can't get the damn kernel. So I kept pushing the nose and had him blow. And tada out it flies and all is well. Then I had a talk with both Eric and Mark about not putting stuff in their noses OR their ears (just so they can't say I didn't tell them.)

I wish that was the last of the stuff up the nose drama for the day, but sadly it is not. About a month ago Eric told me he had a sticker in his nose. He had been playing with one of the stickers the moving company put on everything when we moved to FL. Neither Kevin nor I could SEE anything so we had him blow his nose. My logical assumption was either it was a tiny piece & it would come out. OR that he was wrong and didn't really put it up his nose. In any case I decided to watch him & if he seemed overly stuffy or anything I'd take him to the pediatrician. SO, skip ahead to now and Kevin is working late tonight so I decided to slack & run through McD's drive thru for dinner. On the way home he sneezes and says "MOM, I sneezed a sticker out of my nose." You have to be kidding me!! I completely forgot about that sticker. I told him to hold onto it because I wanted to see how big a piece he put up there. We get home & it truly was a whole sticker. Maybe an inch by a half inch (I didn't measure it...I'm just guessing) Holy crap I felt like a bad mom. He's no worse for the wear I guess.

Again, I ask you WHY do they stick stuff in their noses? I still have to go through this with Zack & Ben... but they won't do this, right? Right????? :)

OH DEAR...

Eric just came up to me and told me he felt beans in his bottom.. Um, WHAT?? So then I realized he was touching his um, balls... Guess he'd never noticed that before. EEK. Always when Kevin isn't home. I told him they weren't beans, just part of his body and to go put his jammies on. This is why I need to blog. So I don't forget these random, hilarious things that really shouldn't be forgotten.

Where to begin?

I guess with today. I've been saying forever I need to get writing about the boys and the little things they do that are so cute (and some not so much) and I keep putting it off. So why not start now?

I hope I can keep it up. I am the worlds worst journal keeper. I do great for a week and then it's bye bye journal. I don't have time to do this either, but I will try to make time. It's important so I can remember days like today.