January 14, 2011

Once again we have reached a monthly milestone. Andrew is four months old today. One third of a year old. (Hold on a sec, I'm hyperventilating.) I know it doesn't make sense to anybody else, but I feel the swift passage of time quite acutely.
So let's take a quick visual tour through memory lane.

Chubba Bubba


Cute little Bug


Smiley Riley


Squishy, my AndyDrew

Overload

You may wonder why I always seem to be on overload. So I have given you a small taste. This video demonstrates what my WHOLE day is like. And this was just before 8 o'clock in the morning! It's not the best video quality, but I was going for sound more than visual. Enjoy a taste of my day.

This Is For You, Mom

Ethan was singing "Shake Your Booty" at snack time. It's supposed to be "Shake Your Groove Thing", but when children try to translate from listening to Alvin and the Chipmunks, well, you never know what they're really going to hear. And Ethan's "Shake Your Booty" somehow manages to be about ten syllables, rather than four. So I wanted to get a video of him singing it. I was unsuccessful. However, what I did get instead couldn't have been planned. In just these two tiny seconds, I received the greatest gift; laughter. I could not stop laughing. I could hardly walk up the stairs to show Nick what his son just did. I couldn't stop thinking of my Mom and how she would have loved to see this. Usually, I am reduced to trying to describe an event and leave it up to her amazing visualization. This time; I get to show her!

So this is for you, Mom. Enjoy these two tiny seconds as many times as you want. Believe me, I have already watched several minutes worth of this video and am laughing each and every time. It doesn't get old, to me, at least.

The greatest thing about it, was that Ethan just stood right up and kind of chuckled at himself. He pops right up and laughingly said, "Oh, sorry Mom."

Later, when I got the video uploaded onto the computer, I showed Ethan, over and over and over again. And he was laughing as hard as I was. I hope he keeps that attitude. He seems to have inherited my grace. That, coupled with his complete inhibition is a little scary, but can be oh, so funny, too. I hope he can always laugh at himself. It took me years to learn to laugh at myself, and I spent many a miserable hours watching others laugh at me. When I found to humor in my "gracefulness" I was a much happier person. Now, I'm usually the one laughing the hardest....unless my Mom or sisters are around.

We've Reached That Point...

Andrew is already in 6/9 mos size clothing! Just 3 1/2 months old and in 6/9 mos clothing. He's becoming more aware of his surroundings. He's starting to reach for things close by; mostly my fingers or the collar of my shirt. He is also becoming quite vocal at times. I love to hear him talk. He is not necessarily soft spoken! And there is a clear transition from him talking nicely to getting upset. It is so funny to watch, because there are times when his face looks happy but his voice is not, and there are times when his voice is happy but his face is not! Usually when he reaches that point, he is ready for a nap. By the time I pick him up and sit in the rocking chair, he is out almost before I can start rocking.
Andrew is such a happy, contented baby for the most part. I enjoy him immensely.

Joey went back to school today after Christmas vacation. He enjoyed his time at school, but was in a stew about having homework. He decided that he just wasn't used to doing homework and he shouldn't have to do it anymore. Poor Joey. I'm wondering though, why the homework sent home today was the same homework he had done before going on break. I wonder if there was confusion since there was a substitute, and if different homework will come home tomorrow. We'll see. In any case, Joey has even less of a reason for throwing a fit, as he has already done this homework and it should be that much easier!

Nick has highs and lows, and not a lot in between. In one half hour of time, he can throw the biggest fit about having to clean up, to changing it around and being the most helpful. Usually there is a paid consequence in between, and I'd like to think that he learns his lesson. But he does the same thing the next time it's time to clean up....or whatever the task may be. He can be very defiant and unloving (literally saying things like "I hate this family" and "Do you want me to punch you to death?") to being one of the most loving, cuddly kids, craving attention and affection.

Ethan! I don't think he could squish any more character and personality into that little body of his. He is an absolute riot! He keeps me laughing more than anybody right now. Unfortunately, I'm usually laughing when trying to discipline him...which isn't very effective. You would think that by my third child I would have learned some control. The thing is, as they get older, it is much easier to be ugly when disciplining. But the problem is, that by the time they are old enough for that, they have learned that I'm not an effective disciplinarian (since I laughed for the first few years of their lives) and they don't listen, obey, or respect me...hence, getting ugly!
But Ethan...I wish more people got to see him in his "natural habitat" because he is a ham! When we come to town, he can be funny and outgoing, but he never gets quite to the level that he gets to at home. And if he catches you watching him be funny...he'll stop and get all shy.

Well, even though I may have more to say, I should probably try to get some sleep. Goodnight.

Remiss

I know I have been remiss in my duties of keeping up my blog. I know it has been over a month since I've written anything. And boy, has it been a busy month! Of course, it's the holiday season...you've got to cut me some slack.
But more important, I've been remiss in keeping up with my "comparisons." Andrew turned three months old on the 14th of December and I'm just now getting pictures up. I have just one thing to say; they are most definitely brothers!

Joey was looking good all spiffed up!

Nick had his difficult moments (and it seemed like a lot of them, at the time) but when he was happy, he was the sweetest kid.

Ethan was a happy kid mostly. Even from early on, he showed a tendency to march to his own drum; never following, but forging his own path.

Andrew couldn't get any sweeter. He is such a calm, peaceful baby. He sleeps well at night, and as long as he has someone's attention, he is happy as can be. There are three things he doesn't like; to be wet, to be hungry, or to be alone. Not that he is ever alone, but I mean, if I have to put him down and fix a meal or clean something up (not that that ever happens!) he will scream unless, or until, someone pays attention to him. Even when he gets "floor time", time to wiggle and play instead of being held, he would prefer someone sitting in his line of vision so that he can see he is the center of attention. (He's gonna have to grow out of that!)

So here are all my sons at three months old!
(I will do my best to keep more updated on my blog.)

Don't

Ethan doesn't say the word "don't." So when he eats something he doesn't like, he says, "My like it." You can tell he doesn't like it by the look on his face, the tone of his voice, and his shaking his head back and forth. It's the cutest thing.

One thing I'm trying to work on with the boys is to resolve their issues between themselves. If something is done or said that they don't like, they need to talk it out together, rather than running and telling me every single time. These boys are CONSTANTLY tattling.

Poor Ethan. When I tell him to use his words and tell his brother he doesn't like something, I hear him say, "Please push me. I like it." Of course, what he REALLY meant was "please DON'T push me, I DON'T like it." He's too cute.

And here's proof!

Andrew's Doctor's Visit

As I promised, I would update you on Andrew's doctor's visit. He did really well. He had three shots and one oral vaccine. He enjoyed the oral, didn't so much enjoy the shots. Not that I blame him. But his mellow personality kicked in after I got him dressed and held him for a moment.

Dr. Lo said he was a big baby, but his height and weight are proportional so he was looking good and healthy. Andrew showed off a bit for her with his smiles and he even rolled over for her! She said he was advanced in his social development; normally, he wouldn't be as social as he is until closer to four months. I'm a proud momma!

Andrew was measured at 23 3/4 inch long which puts him in the 95th percentile, weighed 13 pounds 3 ounces which is the 91st percentile; and his head circumference is 41.4 cm putting him in the 97th percentile. Yes, and I blame my husband, all my boys had BIG melons!

After his shots, Andrew has been a bit sleepier and displays a general "icky" feeling. He just isn't his normal happy, mellow self today which is to be expected. I wish I had the opportunity to just cuddle with him all day, but the rest of the family needs my attention as well, so he has to be content in his bed while he's asleep to give me the freedom of taking care of my other duties.

Speaking of which, I have several loads of laundry to fold, so I better get to it.

Two Month Comparisons

November 14, 2010: Andrew is two months old today. Time is going too fast. I know I say that all the time, but I feel in a panic with Andrew since he is our last. I'm not sure I'm ready for this to be our last. Do I really want more children? Do I really want to put my body through another pregnancy? Am I ready to commit to another eighteen years after birth? Not exactly. But I am definitely not ready to give up my dream and deep desire to birth a girl. Is it going to happen? Not likely. In fact, my husband can't wait to make sure I can never have kids again. He just wants to get through my health issue first before he goes "under the knife." If he had his way, he'd throw himself a party, he's that ready.
But, once again, I digress. It is time for the monthly comparison of our boys at two months old. Andrew has his check-up tomorrow, so I will have that information later.

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Here is our Chubba Bubba at two months old.

Nick was sure a stinker with his colic at this age, but still an adorable two month old.

Ethan and those cheeks! This is why his nickname is Chubby. He is finally starting to grow into those things!

And my happy boy, Andrew. I've started calling him Chunky-Monkey. I'll find out tomorrow just how big he is, but he sure has filled out. He started out so tiny, and tomorrow I will have to start putting him 3-6 month size clothing. What a cutie! I love that smile (and I must confess pride in the fact that I'm the one he smiles the most for.)

I'll be back tomorrow with more information on how much Andrew has grown. Have a pleasant evening.

Conversation With Andrew

I tried to get a short clip of conversation with Andrew this morning, but what I got most of was Ethan standing on the bed beside me excited to see the baby on the screen and trying to take the camera from me so he could take the picture!

One For The Road

Just for kicks. What a CUTIE! (He sure is chunkin' up though)

Still Moving In

Yes, the process continues. We, or I should say I, am still in the process of moving in. I must admit that life gets in the way; four kids, three meals, two snacks, homework, dozens of diapers, and hundreds of interruptions a day make it very difficult to accomplish much else. I know I should get more work done when the boys go to bed, but frankly, by then, I just want to have a few moments to myself, and not have to think about being responsible.

But today we got a washer and dryer set so I had a weeks worth of laundry to start (I'll finish tomorrow, three loads was my limit today) and that inspired me to work on unpacking the linen closet boxes. I have found places for most things, even without a linen closet, and once all the boxes are unpacked, I will determine whether or not we need shelves for a "linen closet." Sure, it would be nice, but if we can find places for everything without them, we'll make do.

I still have a couple clothes boxes in our room to unpack and all the books. I think I will work on those tomorrow. Shameful as it is, I am just going to skip going to church. I want to find a church quickly, but I still feel unsettled enough in the house that I want to finish here first. One thing at a time, as it is. Finding and getting established in a new church is never easy for me, and I have a couple churches I can choose from. One church I know nothing about except that one of the pastors is married to my RA from college. So I would at least know somebody there. The other church was recommended to me from several people at my church in Yakima, so although I know nobody there, it came recommended by people I trust. There is also another family that used to go to Stone Church in Yakima that recently moved to Olympia and they go to the church that was recommended. Lori and I were "introduced" on Facebook by Gramma Cherryl from Stone Church, and although we have never met, we have a possible connection. Plus, Lori just had a baby girl a couple weeks after Andrew was born, so we have that in common as well. We'll see. I will make myself go to church next week and just go from there.

I know I said I did three loads of laundry today, but the fact of the matter is that all that laundry is still waiting to be folded, and I am determined to get it done before heading to bed, so, I better get to it.

Growing and Developing

Andrew is seven weeks old today. Seven weeks has gone way too fast, and has made Andrew way too big. He's such a good baby. He does tend to want to be held if he is awake, which makes it very difficult to get anything done. Either I'm holding him not getting anything done, or I am having to stop what I'm trying to do every few minutes to try to calm him down again. Between that and taking care of the needs of the other kids, I feel good at the end of the day if I have managed to end the day with as many kids as I started, let alone having any meals cooked, dishes cleaned, or toys picked up.

But, I'm getting off on a tangent. I was speaking about Andrew growing and developing. Andrew rolled over for the fist time on Sunday 10/24/10. He rolled from tummy to back about four times in a row. He only rolled over that many times because Ethan kept saying, "Mommy, do again." So I would put Andrew on his tummy and do it all over again. Each time, we would all clap exclaim over him.

On Saturday 10/30/10, Andrew really started focusing his vision a lot more. He made actual eye contact with me and smiled for the first time. He has been grinning some, but it was with no intention. I was finally able to see him smile on purpose.
It took awhile, but I was able to capture a smile on camera today.

One Month Comparison

Andrew turned one month old on 10/14/10, which of course means that it is time for another comparison. These pictures are of all the boys at one month old. You can definitely tell they are of the same parentage! Not that anybody doubted.

Joey was a month old just before a couple weeks before Father's Day. This picture was taken on Father's day, but it was a better picture than the one taken of him the day he turned one month old, so I'm using it for the comparison.

Nick at one month old.

Ethan at one month old.

Andrew at one month old.

Even Nick (the adult one) had a hard time deciding which picture was which kid.

Where To Begin?

I can't believe how much has happened in less than two months. My head still feels like it is spinning, although the changes have been made complete. Let me give you a quick run down:
9/14/10 Andrew is born
9/17/10 Head to Mom's for a visit
9/18/10 Mother-in-law gets married
9/22/10 Go back home
9/27/10 Nick gets phone call saying the Boise branch won't be available anytime soon
9/27/10 Nick gets another phone call asking if he is interested in Olympia
9/28/10 Nick applies for Branch Manager position in Olympia
9/30/10 Nick goes to Olympia to meet with boss
10/1/10 Nick gets official offer for job
10/4/10 Nick signs offer letter, taking the job
10/18/10 Nick starts work in Olympia, leaving me to "single-mom" it for the week
10/22/10 Nick heads home for the weekend
10/25/10 Nick heads back to Olympia
10/27/10 Movers come and pack up house in about five hours
10/28/10 Movers come and finish packing and loading the truck. Go to Mom's
10/29/10 Meet the movers at new house to unload truck (only took about four hours)
10/31/10 Left mom's after "trunk"-or-treating to sleep in new house for the first time
11/1/10 Parents and Grandparents come to help set up new house; do an amazing job.

Whew! The kitchen, living room, and boys' bedrooms have been pretty finished. There is no pantry, although there is a space under the stairs where shelves can be placed as a make-shift pantry. So part of the kitchen, the food part, is still in disarray. There is no linen closet and very little storage in the bathrooms, so I haven't figured out what to do with all that stuff yet. (Hoping to get shelves for linens as well as pantry.) And I haven't unpacked Nick's and my bedroom yet. I will be working on the bedroom and bathrooms a bit tonight.

Joey had his first day at his new school today. He seemed to enjoy it and said that his teacher and the kids were really nice. He is starting at a transition time, as next week are parent/teacher conferences. His schedule for the next few weeks is; dismiss at 12:15pm the 8th, 9th, 10th, no school the 11th or 12th, dismiss at 12:15pm the 15th and the 24th, no school the 25th or 26th. It hardly seems he will be in school at all this month!

The other kids are doing well. I had the boys' rooms set up on Friday before we moved, and I think it helped them transition. They were able to see and know that they belonged, that they had a place, that all their things made it in the move and that the men who packed it up and took it away didn't keep it.

The new house is really very nice, and the neighborhood is great. The best part about it is that the landlords (not that I've met them) seem to be really nice and more relaxed than our previous ones. These landlords expect there to be a normal amount of wear and tear on a house rather than expecting the house to be in mint condition upon moving out. I feel more relaxed in this place and am not afraid to let the kids play.

I have a lot of work to do before turning in tonight, and I still want to post a few pictures, so I will say so long for now.

Newborn Comparisons

I have much to catch up on. Forgive me, I have been a bit crazy busy lately. But now that we are home and settling into routine, I will find more time to blog.
One question everybody asks me is "Who does Andrew look like?" Well, to me, he looks like Andrew. I haven't compared the other pictures side by side yet, so here is the first of many comparisons; the newborn comparison. I will let you form your own opinion and share them with me.

Here is Joey the day he came home from the hospital. This was the best picture I could find of just him with his eyes open, so he is a couple days old. But still newborn.

This is Nick the day he was born. He was still being checked out, as you can see, but his beautiful eyes were open and alert. He stole my heart right away.

Ethan was adorable at once with those cheeks. I don't think they have grown at all, just that he has grown into them.

And my newest; beautiful Andrew. Perfection, that's what I have to say about these four boys.

So tell me what you think.

Moment Of Panic

I am not a panicky parent. I leave that for Nick. When it comes to illness or injury, I'm more laid back. Not to the point of neglecting their care, but I am not one to turn a little cough into end stage lung cancer. Please don't think that I'm saying Nick reacts that way...I'm just trying to illustrate that I don't normally panic.

The one thing that makes me panic is the mere thought of losing my kids, or somebody taking them from me. That is why I don't take them to the park by myself. There is no way I can run in three directions at once, and if I'm running after one, than the other two are vulnerable to getting lost or stolen. I can't handle it, so I avoid all public places unless they can be contained, or I have another two or three adults to help watch after them.

Joey's bus stop is right across and one house down from our driveway. I am so glad it is close, I can't imagine asking him to walk a few blocks away, even. I like that I can see it from the end of the driveway and know that once I see the bus, he should be showing up a couple minutes later. I stayed with him at the bus stop this morning, but we talked about him being a big boy and coming home on his own. He rode the bus home for the last third of the year last year, so he knows where to get off and how to cross the street to our place. It's not that difficult, and Joey is one smart cookie. So instead of meeting him at the corner as I did all last year, I waited outside the house for him this afternoon.

I saw the bus pull up to the stop, I couldn't see the kids getting off, but I could hear when the bus left, so I knew Joey should be showing up any second. Then I saw one of the other kids that live in our developement walk up, but no Joey. I waited another minute thinking that Joey was just walking slower. Then I went to the end of the driveway where I could see the corner. NOTHING! There was nobody there!

Immediate panic set in. Nick and Ethan were still sleeping, and I was afraid that maybe Joey thought I was going to pick him up and he was waiting for an hour at the school. It was ten minutes to four by this time, and school gets out at 3pm. But I should have been called by the school if that were the case. So I called the school to make sure he did, in fact, get on the bus. In my uber-emotional state, I was barely holding on to my tears. I was frightened more than I remember being frightened since nearly drowning at the coast as a kid.

The receptionist paged the driver who confirmed that Joey was on the bus, and she was sure that he got off at the right stop. Could he possibly have gone home with a friend? No, not really....we don't know anybody around here, and he knows to ask first. Before the receptionist confirmed with the driver that he got off at the right stop, she asked if it was possible that he got off at a different stop. Of course, again, it's possible, but highly unlikely. But the visions I had in my head at that point of him lost and crying and having no way of knowing how to let me know where he was....I lost it. I was doing my best to keep the tears from my voice. Finally, the receptionist heard from the driver that they just found Joey on the bus. Apparently, he fell asleep, and popped up when she reached the barn. So they brought him home right away.

I couldn't keep the tears from my voice any longer. I was so relieved, but still feeling that absolute helpless fear. I felt bad when they showed up, because I couldn't stop blubbering all over Joey. Thankfully, they understood I was VERY pregnant and that possibly had an affect on my emotions.

So, to recap my first day of school memories:
Kindergarten; Joey cried when I picked him up because he wanted to ride the bus.
First Grade; Joey falls asleep on the bus, misses his stop, and scares the living daylights out of me.
I don't know if I will survive the first day of second grade.

Featuring Avi

Kathy takes amazing pictures of my boys. She is then generous enough to showcase them on her blog, which just makes me feel so spectacular. I mean, I think my kids are cute, but to have that belief validated by others, people who have never met me or my kids (based on the comments recieved) is refreshing and makes my heart smile.
I am not an amazing photographer like Kathy, nor do I have a fancy-dancy camera like her. But I was able to capture some cute pictures of her adorable daughter, and I wanted to show Avi off on my blog.
It was so nice that John and Cindy could come to the boys' birthday party and an added bonus that they brought Avi. Kathy and Ryan were out of town, and were sorely missed (okay, who noticed they weren't there?) so it was fun to have Avi. Ethan, especially, adores her.


Avi is doing her best to enjoy her cupcake. I didn't really see her smile until later in the afternoon.

Megan showed up and that is when Avi lit up like the Fourth of July. It was so sweet!

A beautiful picture of Grandma and Granddaughter.

And I just drool over those luscious curls! I am still feeling the loss of having to cut Joey's off. One more reason I needed a girl; I'd never have to cut her curls! Oh well.

Big Boys

We have a couple big boys in the house. A big start to the week for Mommy to say the least. We took the crib down and separated the bunk beds yesterday and started Ethan sleeping in his very own big bed. We skipped over the toddler bed and went straight for the twin. He is so tiny in that bed! He is having a hard time adjusting to not getting down and playing, and of course, Nick doesn't help much because he still plays for awhile before falling asleep. But I'm sure he will learn soon enough.

And then today Joey started his first day of first grade! I can't believe it! It doesn't seem possible that a child so tiny, could be able to handle a full day of school. He had a hard time sleeping last night, was up three or four times wanting me to sleep with him because he was a bit nervous about today. It was so funny this morning though. He got up at 6:30am and came into my room saying "Something strange happened." When asked what was strange, he said his alarm clock wasn't beeping. I said, "Maybe because it's not supposed to go off for another half an hour!" I stayed with him at the bus stop this morning because he asked me to, but I told him that after today, he had to do it by himself. After watching him walk onto that bus at a quarter to eight in the morning, knowing he wouldn't be home until a quarter to four in the afternoon, made me teary-eyed. I have never been good at letting go.


Ethan took his first nap in his big boy bed yesterday. You can hardly see him in there.

I wanted to show how big the bed was compared to him. Find him if you can. He doesn't take up much room!

Joey is all set for his first day of school. First day pictures are a tradition I will carry on. Thanks, Mom.

Miscellaneous

Here are just a few miscellaneous pictures.


We had a lightning storm a few weeks ago. It was beautiful! I love watching lightning and hearing thunder. It was like 1:30am and Nick couldn't find me until he checked outside. I was standing on our patio trying to take a picture of the lightning. Of course, you never know when the lightning is going to strike, and with a camera that takes 45 seconds to snap a photo.....I ended up deleting about forty pictures of our back fence! Then I switched to landscape mode, which helped, because it took the picture faster. It still came out a bit blurry, and there is the bight spot in the middle of the lightning, but you can still see the fingers of lighting, and that it wasn't just a flash of light. Even though far from perfect, I love this picture.

Here is what I like to call Black Eye Number 5,492. I didn't even tell Nick about it when it happened, so he came home from work and said, "What did you do this time?" I think this happened when he walked into the corner of the dining room table, hitting at just the right, or wrong, spot on the bone to do the most damage. This picture was taken several days later actually. I threatened to wrap him in bubble wrap before going to his check-up at the the doctor...I didn't want to be accused of abusing him. Thankfully, our doctor is a young dad as well, having two boys that are six and four, and a girl who is a bit younger than Ethan. He says all the time, "That's what a little boys legs are supposed to look like. If I didn't see the bruises I would be worried."

Who needs a fork, huh? I don't know why he has started doing this. Ethan doesn't eat like this at meal times, just when it comes to dessert. Pie, cake, whatever (thankfully not ice cream) he is chowing down using his face rather than fork.

We made turkey meatloaf the other day and the boys each wanted a letter on "their" loaf for their name. So we have a "J" for Joey, "N" for Nick, "E" for Ethan, "M" for Mommy, "D" for Daddy, "L" for Luty, "A" for Andrew, and a heart because we love each other!

Angie's Visit

Aunt Angie came and stayed with us for a weekend. It was great to spend time with her, especially because Nick was out of town that weekend. She brought all sorts of treats for the boys, their favorite being the 3-D sidewalk chalk. And of course, they love to play all the games on her cool phone.


The boys are surrounding Angie, I believe, to watch a video of them that she filmed with her phone. The love to watch themselves "perform." It makes them ham it up even more. Just what I need.

Nick is getting ready to jump from the top of the play structure. It still takes my breath away when they play rough and rowdy. You would think I would be used to it with three boys.

Joey is taking his turn jumping from the top. They had so much fun impressing Aunt Angie.

Thankfully, Ethan couldn't quite make it up to the top all by himself, or he would have tried jumping, too. I'm sure I would have been taking him in for his first broken bone, if that were the case. This kid just doesn't know when to stop and take it easy. At least he is way cute!

Somehow, and I'm not sure entirely, (note the sarcasme in the voice) the boys and Angie ended up with more chalk on them, than on the ground. They thought it was hilarious to erase the chalk with their hands and smear it on each other. Angie was a good sport.