Sweet Birthday Things

So much happiness was spread throughout our home around my birthday! Thank you for the cards, gifts, phone calls, and texts! I felt so loved. Here are a few of the delightful things we did/saw:

 

Surprise bouquet on my doorstep.

 

The Eldest's favorite story currently: Noah's Arc.

 

 

DH sent me out alone after 10 days of being a caretaker with literally no time by myself. (Really unusual for me, but you do what you have to when your people need you!) We are finally healthy again and feeling much more sane!

 

The weather was pleasant almost the entire day.

 

 

 

Here is the necklace DH bought for me. We looked at several and finally found a pretty one with a good price. The most hilarious (though beautiful) piece we looked at was a Kate Spade priced at $148. I asked the salesman to look up its materials: glass and imitation pearls. LOL! Anyway, it was pretty. But not 148-dollars-pretty. So, we settled on this one we both liked. I can't remember the last time I wore a necklace! The kids like it too!

 

 

We used some of the gifts to go out to dinner. I ordered halibut for the first time ever. It was so tender!

 

 

I spotted one of DH's favorite cars ever made: the Pontiac Firebird. I don't recall ever seeing one before this. They went out of production in 2002.

 

 

Read More

Morning Ritual

Engineer: Is Daddy home?!

 

Mom: Daddy had to go to the office; but he will be home for dinner. Would you like a hug?

 

(Hangs head, walks away.)

 

Read More

Swim Lessons

[Pardon the zoomed photos. Phone zoom doesn't maintain resolution.]

 

The boys have really needed one-on-one lessons. We were able to begin this summer, thankfully! So far, we've had to promise an ice cream sundae in order to get the Engineer to go into the water with his teacher. But the first day was a success! And the teacher even said the boys listened well! I could get used to pool life.

 

Read More

Air & Space Day

It took the Cautious One a while to decide to enter the aircraft. Hence, the uneven number of photos:

 

 

 

 

Read More

Little Dale Carnegie:

"Mom, my brother is not helping clean!" -Eldest

 

"Well then he will not get a treat; and only you will get a treat."

 

"But I really want Mom to get a treat too!"

Read More

Frying Pan Farm

Listeria tests came back clear yesterday!

Meanwhile, three of our people were sick again. So we are easing back into activities until everyone feels 100%. I was reminded recently of Frying Pan Farm, which is always a win with kids and FREE! The best question of the day came from the Engineer: "Why do horses have really big poop?" My answer was following by more "whys," of course. I may start simply making up answers.

 

 

 

 

Read More

Home Brew Collateral Damage:

I just found this gem from April!

 

Read More

Sweet Pea Turns One!

Here is a photo/video medley. Stats here.

 

 

 

I see a lot of DH in her here:

 

 

This poor little girl has been sick a lot. We've taken her to the doctor four times in the last month. Each time, they listen to her and can't hear anything in her lungs. So, it just sounds like an unlucky coincidence of cold upon cold. Once we are better, we will spend more time in the sun. I'm hoping the Vitamin D helps. She's under the weather in these photos:

 

 

She has several words including: Mama, Dada, brother, and bottle. She is also our sweetest hugger. She wraps her arms around your neck and squeezes. I've never had a child so young give me a real hug. Such a sweetheart! :)

 

 

Her brothers love their siblings' birthdays.

 

Read More

UPDATED: Big Boy Stats for Our Three-Year-Old!

This boy grew 3" in the last two months, which explains his sudden afternoon napping! He is now in the 58th percentile for height and the 40th percentile for weight at 30 pounds. Doctors do not measure kids' heads at this age. The stats are pretty consistent by 3 years of age. So, presumably, he'll be similar as an adult.

 

Picture taken from Big Brother's vantage. You can tell he "looks up" to his brother literally and figuratively.

 

He is such a sweetheart! Everyone needs a laid back child in his family! I don't know what we would do without this one. He is so easy to please and so affectionate. Food and hugs are his love languages. Broccoli with cheese sauce and oranges make him happier than anything! He tends to be cautious. It took him a half hour at the pool to try this. Each day, he walks in about 6" deeper.

 

 

 

Even though he is cautious, he still tries dangerous and mischievous things (E.g. wall writing). We need to keep our eyes on him. Here he is walking around the walls of a fountain.

 

 

Here he is smiling about the French toast he will order at IHOP!

  

He had another eye screening but had a hard time holding still and looking forward this time. We had to do the test twice. Regardless, he passed. I so love looking at our kids' eyes! So sweet and innocent!

 

 

He still LOVES all things orange: Orange clothes, orange food, orange cars. He believes all orange things belong to him. So, he has yelled at our neighbor as he drives by in his orange SUV. "No! That's MY orange!" We are working on this. He sat on this orange slice for about a half hour, occasionally switching directions:

 

 

He also loves to wear jeans. He asks for them every day -- not jean shorts, jean pants. We need to buy him new ones as he's outgrown his 2-year-old clothes. He's also a huge Dada's boy. I credit it to the skin-to-skin time he had with DH immediately after birth while I was coming out of the anesthesia.

Our most observed 3-year-old developmental milestone for him has been asking questions, especially "why?" Here is a great snapshot of his personality:

 

 

Check out his: Birth, First Year, and Second Years.

 

We love our sweet little Engineer!

Read More

So Many Boys!

The waiting room is no place for four boys! Thankfully, my sister had a well-visit for a child at the same time as Andre's. So, we were able to take the edge off of the waiting room experience. The boys enjoyed McD's cones, sunshine, and lots of movement!

 

 

 

 While we were there another pregnant woman with an 18-month-old-ish boy came by and kept trying to get her boy to stay off the fountain walls. I kind of felt bad, but not bad enough to make the boys stop.

 

 

There are just so few places where we let boys release their extra energy today! It seems to me that if they aren't doing anything wrong, why fuss? It could be much, much worse than walking around a fountain!

 

 

Watching this level of energy is pretty fascinating to me. And also relieving! I can relax while they burn energy -- not the other way around. Also, everyone got enough Vitamin D, which is surprisingly deficient in more kids today.

 

 

Yay for sunny days with friends!

 

 

 

This is as still as it got. It lasted 15 seconds.

 

  

  

 

Read More

Big Girl Stats

Baby girl has gained 3 lbs. since her last visit. The doctor is happy with her growth. She seems to be settling into the "petite" end of the chart, though we won't be certain for a couple of years.

 

 

 

Height: 29", 41%

Weight: 16.37 lbs., 6%

Head: 18.5", 93%

 

The one thing our people have in common are huge heads! Check out my big brothers at one year. (Mom cannot believe she was concerned about the Eldest not weighing 20 lbs. at one year!)

 

 

 

Also, Mom thinks I have the Engineer's eyes. I get complimented on them wherever I go, just like my brother!

 

Read More

Learning to Ride

I have no idea how old most people are when they learn to ride a bike; but I was 7. We are proud of our 4.5 year old! Also, this is an excellent energy burner, which he desperately needs!

 

 

 

DH bought him a bike and taught him to ride while Sweet Pea and I were in Wisconsin. He learned in a day. Yay for easy-to-teach kids!

 

 

 

Of course, we have to keep The Engineer (Hopefully, we can return to calling him Phleg Boy after his terrible threes are over!) engaged and challenged too:

 

 

Read More

Wisconsin Medley

This one decided to spike a fever and require a lengthy clinic visit in the middle of the service and memorial events for our Uncle Jack. We are nothing if not high-maintenance.

 

 

 

She is still super cute and so loved! It turns out that her white blood count was above range. So, we are administering another round of amoxicillin. (She had experienced different symptoms since 5/29. So, after her temperature spiked, I decided it was time to see the doctor.) She is much happier now.

 

Yes, I disinfected that handle and bar she is touching, as always. We don't need any extra germs!

 

 

 

All of the nieces and nephews came as well as several cousins and half of the great-nieces and great-nephews. I do not have any pictures from the service as Sweet Pea was fussing the entire time. Aunt Julie was kind enough to hold her for a little bit so I could have a couple of conversations.

 

 

 

 Aunt Maria picked up Lord of the Rings.

 

 

 

My bathroom never looks like this anymore. Sometimes, I cannot believe I came from this and now have so many boys!

 

 

Also, Culver's is amazing. I love going there when we are in town!

 

 

 

My mom planned a few Women's World recipes for a birthday dinner for Sweet Pea.

 

 

She also prepared a B&B for us!

 

 

 

 

 The sisters and nieces enjoying ice cream:

 

 

 

 

We have decided that the next time everyone gets together, it needs to be for a wedding! But it was good to see family. Rest in peace, Uncle Jack!

 

Read More