First Weeks of School

I love watching them walk off together.  M is already tired of walking Miss L to class, but she's not ready to find her own way yet.  I hope he holds out a little longer!

Mr. M is loving school.  The only problem is the common core math of which neither of us, nor his teacher, find easy to understand.  He said, "Last year I loved math.  This year it's just too hard."  The whole thing makes me crazy.  I can see why he is disliking it.  It has actually made him go backwards in some ways.  He doesn't trust his ability to just subtract numbers anymore.  He thinks he has to get all fancy about it and group numbers and do tricks.  Anyway, hopefully we all start to understand it better. 

 

We are excited because his teacher from last year is coming to dinner next week.  We love her and are excited to spend some time with her.

 

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Miss L loved the first few days.  She still comes home and says school was good and she likes it, but she doesn't want to go back.  I wouldn't want to go back if I was silent from 6:45am to 3:40pm either!  I hope she realizes soon that if she just speaks, it will be more fun.  I'm trying not to talk about it much with her, it's a stubbornness issue, and my trying to fix it is not helping.

 

Here's one of our recent conversations:

Miss L:  Mom, will you ask Haley (the girl who sits next to her) if she'll be my friend?

Me:  Miss L, you need to ask her.  If you want to be her friend, you need to talk to her.

Miss L:  I want you to do it.

Me:  I know Miss L, but I am not there and you are the one who wants to be friends.

Miss L:  You could come to class with me in the morning.  Other moms bring their kids.

Me:  Yes, Miss L, but the school prefers we don't walk you to the class and you are a big girl.  You can talk to her.

Miss L:  But I want her to be my friend.

Me:  It's hard to get to know someone who won't talk to you, baby.  You gotta talk to her.

Miss L: No.

 

This was last week.  Last night she told me that she smiled at Haley and Haley smiled back.  She also told me that they held hands.  Progress!  She was very excited.  Another little girl on the bus asked her if she would be her friend and Miss L says she nodded at her.  She is very excited to have a bus friend.  Too bad they are forced to sit with siblings.

 

Another conversation:

Miss L: Mom, I don't want to go to school tomorrow.

Me:  Why?

Miss L: They make me wear shoes.

Me:  Haha.  I get that baby.  I don't love wearing shoes either, but you still have to go to school.

Me: Any other reason you don't want to go?

Miss L: I just don't want to.  I want to stay home.

 

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Mr. D and I are struggling to figure out this new life.  We are both a little bored.  Both a little confused.  Back when I had M and L at home as small ones I planned little activities to do.  I'd like to get back into that, but I'm not as motivated when I'm pregnant.  Also, back in TX, I had Ashleigh and girls.  When the big kids started school she and I got together and did mom/kid things together. Our kids were the same ages and got along perfectly.  Going to the park with just Mr. D is not the same.  Making crafts without our girls (the Bauers), is not the same.  We just miss them. 

 

The first day Mr. D went out to the trampoline alone and just laid there.  I wasn't feeling well and my house was a disaster but I gathered my gumption and went out to play with him.  Ended up he had had an accident we had to go in and bathe and change anyway, but at least I tried.

 

 

I will say I like grocery shopping a whole lot more with only one kid!  So nice.  Miss L is really well behaved in the store, but it's still easier.

 

Mr. D is pure entertainment.  He's hilarious.  I laugh with him all day.  I used to watch one TV show during the day and fold laundry while I did it.  That is out.  The kid can't stop talking through the entire show.  Now we listen to music and he helps fold but I must admit, I miss that one show.

 

Here's one of our recent conversations:

 

D: Mom, will you make fartie food?

Me: What?  Fartie food?

D: Yeah, it's good!

 

I was also able to go shopping for maternity clothes finally!  It's so nice to have something to wear. Taking one kid is cake.  Mr. M told me I looked beautiful and wanted to take a pic.  That's how bad I've looked lately in my gym clothes and pajamas...my kid wanted to record the moment!  Haha.

7.5 months

 I know it was a long post, but I'm excited to have these memories recorded before I forget it all!  Time flies and babies grow.  It's all I can do to keep up.

First Day of Kindergarten!

I took Miss L in for Kindergarten testing last week.  It did not go well.  By the time they finally got us in, an hour later than our appointment, she was extremely stressed.  We had a hard time getting her into the room.  I went back out and told the other moms, "I know your kid has been in there two hours, I give mine fifteen minutes before they give up." 

 

Ten minutes later they came and asked if I could help.  I told them I would go in, but that I couldn't guarantee I'd be any help.  She did manage to whisper her colors to me and a few other things, but mostly she was completely un-cooperative.  After another fifteen minutes they told us we could leave.  This made my girly grouped with the low functioning kids, but you know, it may not be such a bad thing.  She may feel really confident that she knows the answers on the inside!

 

They gave us a note that day and a quick explanation that the girls were to come to the school on Monday with their parents.  They'd meet their teacher then and drop off their school supplies.  I DID NOT understand that we were then to leave our girls there for the day.  I thought they started on Wednesday.

 

I did not prepare my little girl.  We both thought she was coming home with me.  It was horrible.  Miss L has a lot of anxiety and needs things explained to her beforehand.  I hated that my misunderstanding caused her more anxiety.  I felt terrible.  I was fighting the tears and she was gripping me in a death grip and getting ready to cry too.  I rushed to explain to her teacher that we were unprepared and she was anxious.  She told me her daughter is the same way and she'd take care of her.  I left and managed to hold in the sobs until driving away. 

 

I had to bring her lunch back to her.  I saw her lined up in the hall and she seemed fine.  She came and grabbed her lunch and then ran back to get in line.  I feel relieved after seeing her doing better.  I hope she has a fantastic day!

 

I wish I had taken some pics at home where there were not witnesses.  There is no way she will let strangers see that cute smile of hers!

 

 

 

Gymnastics!

Miss L was meant to be a gymnast.  I know it.  She even loves it.  She just doesn't like the close contact you have to have with adults in order to learn it.  I wanted our gymnastics teachers to see her practicing at home. Maybe in a few months I can put her back in, when school has opened her up a bit.

Damon had to get in on it.  LOL.  He cracks me up. 

 

She really wanted me to include the photo of her smooshing brother.  Silly people. 

First Day of Second Grade!

Mr. M started 2nd grade.  I can't get over how old he is!  I feel like I missed it, even though I was here!  Ah! 

 

We have heard only good things about his teacher this year. Yay! 

 

I love this pic.  He looks like such an All-American boy.

 He wanted a pic of his Angry Birds backpack.

I love his little grin. :) 

This year he is back in the same class as his favorite kindergarten buddy, C.  I'm so happy for him.  They are good buddies.   

Here's to hoping for another fantastic year for my sweet boy!

FINALLY!

Mr. M's last tooth was loose FOREVER!  It was driving me crazy.  He wouldn't keep his hands out of his mouth.  I

I don't think this picture does it justice.  The root on this thing was LONG.  I've never seen anything like it.  He lost the tooth on the other side, and it looked nothing like this one.  Once I saw that root, I understood why it took so long to fall out.  It was crazy. 

 

Hearing this tooth was lost was the perfect end to an already good day.  I was even more excited than he was! 

She Just Looks Cute

Miss L got herself dressed for church.  She looked so adorable I was happy to oblige her request for a photo.

Our 9th Anniversary

For our 9th anniversary, we went kayaking and geocaching on Lake Martin.  It was a blast!  Unfortunately I only have pictures on my phone and my phone is not working properly at the moment.  I'll post them when I can!

 

After our little date, we ran and got Chinese food, a cake, drinks, and movies.  We were excited to come home and share our anniversary with our favorite little people.  We ate in the living room (a very rare occurrence) and watched a movie.  Later we had cake. 

 

I ate until I was sick.  I haven't eaten that much in a sitting in a LOOOONNNGGG time.  I will not do it anytime soon either, I was so sick.  I also gained FOUR lbs. overnight!  I thought it would be water weight from the sodium in the Chinese food, but I never did get that four lbs. off.  Bummer.

Happy Anniversary to my crazy, silly, Ishka! Thanks for planning and executing the date with very little help from me! :) 

Little T!

Cabe laughs at my "weird" cousin relationships.  Where I grew up, almost everyone was a cousin.  If you went back through our family tree, you could find a relation to most people.  And we nourished those cousin relationships.  So naturally, when I found my friend Whitni and I were fairly close relatives (maybe fourth cousins), I immediately latched onto that relationship.  It's natural for me.  And it feels so good to have some family close by.

 

Now she and I both refer to each other as cousins.  Some look at us like we are crazy because Whitni is adopted from Korea so we obviously don't look much alike.  With her little guy, T, I call myself his aunt.  He will be confused someday.  Haha.

 

T is a GOOD BABY!  This kid is sooooo easy.  Whenever the opportunity arises for me to watch him, I jump on it.  He's a snuggler, he smiles a lot, sleeps a lot, and is just pleasant.  I'm hoping he's a good influence on my little nameless babe.

 

I do have to say though, T cries for the first bit, but we've always been able to get him calmed down eventually, and then we just enjoy him.

Cinnamon Rolls and Flour Party

We made some whole wheat cinnamon rolls last week.  The kids love to knead bread, so they had a blast.

Although the best part is always playing in a pile of white flour afterwards.  

Fort Building

When we came back from Utah this year,  I had a really hard time.   I was in a funk I just couldn't come out of.  I don't know if it was hormones or what.  After a

particularly rough day I decided I better do something to make our house a happier place.  The kids were fighting all.day.long.  I'm sure some of it had to do with the stress they felt from me. 

 

What better way to switch things up then to build fort and then take a ridiculous amount of photos.

 

I have no idea why Miss was crying or why Mr. D looks so miserable.  I thought we had a blast the whole time.  My memory fails me.  I thought their expressions were funny though.

 This is more how I remember it:

 D's little fist under his chin made me smile.

 I love those little people.  Even when I'm a grump.

Random, Random, Random

I don't even know why I'm posting this, other than she asked me to. 

This one too: 

Green smoothies are a huge hit around here.  It doesn't seem to matter what I throw in.  As long as it has a banana to sweeten it up, they are happy.  This one had tons of spinach and some flax seed and plain greek yogurt. It may have had some frozen berries too, I can't remember. 

I went to hang clothes on the line and this cicada shell was wrapped on my clothesline.  Freaked me out.  It really attached itself before exiting it's skin; it took me quite a bit of time to dis-attach it. 

Cabe just caught a live on outside a few minutes ago.  He is so excited to show it to Miss L in the morning.  He said, "You know how awesome it is to have a daughter who loves for me to catch her bugs?!"  She really doesn't need any help.  She's amazing at catching them herself.

 

This may qualify as most random post ever, but I love to capture the day to day happenings around here.

Zoo Camp Week

Mr. M and Miss L had Zoo Camp a few weeks ago.  Mr. M loved it as always.  Miss L cried a little bit the first few days but eventually adjusted.  They both had tons of stories to tell about the animals.  Several people commented on Miss L's quiet demeanor.  Their teen leader told me they are the best behaved kids she has ever had a Zoo Camp.  :) 

Lil' Guy was so sad.  He badly wanted to go to Zoo Camp.  He thinks he can go next year.  Unfortunately you have to be five, so he still has three years to go! 

Look at him cuddling his little blanket.  So cute.

I was excited to have a week with just him.  I considered it preparation for when school starts.  It was sad though.  He was so lonely.  We did lots of fun mom and D activities, but he missed his siblings.

So we invited over a buddy!  He was so excited.  This is Little T.  I love this kid.  They are sooooo  stinking cute together.  D asks to play with T every day.  I enjoyed so much watching them play together.

I have no idea what he was doing but it cracked me up.

They talk and giggle all the time. 

We'll probably be having T-man over a lot.  D needs his kid-time!

 

We're Gonna Have a Baby Around Here

(Stocking up on supplies,)

We are going to have a baby. 

Does that seem crazy to anyone else.

A whole person is coming into my household.

It's so exciting.

 

I decided I need to document some of this pregnancy.  I've barely written a thing!  Poor fourth baby.

 

I don't know that I officially announced on here.

We are having a BOY!

We've been struggling in the name department.  We have a few contenders.  If he were born tomorrow, we know what his name would be, but who knows if we I will change my mind in the next three months.  I will tell you the current name has Louisiana roots to it.

 

Baby is due to come November 5th.  It feels like he is due in two weeks.  Okay, maybe not that soon, but he feels big, like Miss L was.  I spent the last couple of months of that pregnancy with my feet propped up on Ashleigh's (Heaven bless her!) couch. When I went home from the hospital after having her, I had lost 34 lbs. I'm hoping that's what is happening again because I have gained tooooooo much weight. 

 

With Mr. M I gained 14 lbs.  I started out around 90 lbs. heavier though.  With Miss L I gained 20, again I was around 90 lbs. heavier.  With Mr. D I gained 35, I started out 25 lbs. heavier.  I was my smallest this time around which accounts for some of the weight gain.  Also, I ate myself out of nausea that first trimester and gained much of the weight that first couple of months.  Then I went on vacation and gained quite a bit on vacation. Anyway, the weight gain has slowed down and I hope that trend continues!  

 

The pregnancy has been otherwise pretty easy. I've been extremely tired the last two weeks and very uncomfortable, which usually doesn't happen for me until around eight months.  I just keep plugging along.  I think everyone is tired in this excruciating heat and humidity.

 

I very much enjoy feeling the little guy move around.  I watched videos of Lil' D in the hospital and it got me all excited.  First of all, I LOVE labor and delivery.  I know I'm crazy, but I really enjoy it.  Also, I love newborns.  I love looking into that sweet babe's face and starting to learn about them and their personality.  It's so exciting.   A whole human!  I get the joy of bringing a whole human to this earth.  Lucky me!

Little Munchkin Models

Yes, this is the same girl that won't speak, look, or smile at anyone but Mom, Dad, and siblings.  I tell you, she's a nut!

All of these clothes are second hand.  She's excited for her uniforms for school.  She wanted to model them.

D got a couple of "new" clothes too.  He actually needs them, L and M have hand-me-downs, but I sometimes can't resist girl clothes. 

Little D wanted to model too.  Love the poses.

I have been enjoying this monkey so my lately.  He's a hoot.  His smile melts my heart.  He loves to give loves.  He loves to earn smiles.  He's a joy. 

I'm not an early potty trainer.  I hate it.  I have potty trained all my kids right before they turn three.  Damon will be three in a month and we ran out of diapers, so we are training..  He has had NO interest until recently.  He is doing so well (Knock on wood).  I'm excited that it's going so well.

Love my little models.