A Little Privacy Please

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Over the Top

His hair was a little over the top.....

So we took some off the top....

 and now it is SO much better.

I was attempting to grow Drew's hair out...but I just couldn't do it. It was shaggy and he plays so hard the gel just comes right out...and it's getting hot...so off it came. I think I cut about a pound of hair off that boy's head. He has SO much hair!!!! I just adore that smile -

Smattering of my Thoughts and Daily Happenings

I stole a box of rice from Walmart...found it where Maylee was sitting in the cart only after I got all kids in the car (the thought did cross my mind to come back another day to pay for it and I even chucked it in the car, but new I just couldn't)....I had to load the kiddos back into the cart and go back in and wait in line AGAIN to pay $1 for the rice...sigh

I ate an entire Twix all by myself on the way home from Walmart...I didn't share one bite with the kids...and didn't even tell them I was eating it. 

My five year old told me I wasn't his friend anymore (I laughed) He then told me he was going to throw me in the mud. Nice.

Two year old is pretty much potty trained, except for the whole #2 part. Once he masters it all he gets a new bike.

Maylee had her first night terror. Very sad.

So thankful Lays decided to make "All Natural" flavored potato chips so I can enjoy sour cream and onion without MSG. Took long enough!

I think it is funny that people thank you for sending them a thank you card.

Carter informed me while riding home when the sun was setting and the clouds looked particularly dark that they were dirty and we "better wash them". Oh I love my son who loves to clean and help me around the house and apparently wants to clean the sky.

I took a push pin out of Maylee's mouth. #1 Mom award goes to me today.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed with prep for Drew going to kindergarten.

All three children were crying at once after we all had dinner as a family and then took daddy back to work...THAT was a fun ride home for me.

The weather cooled off here again. Thank goodness. SO not ready for the summer heat yet.

Shopping, shopping, and more shopping....Maylee's birthday, Easter, Carter's birthday, Father's Day, Bry's birthday....

Now time to wash dishes and then crawl into my bed to snuggle and sleep (love this time of day...the sleep part, not the dishes part). 

Rewarding

The boys filled their diamond jar!!! It took quite a long time, but they did it!!! We had a fun night Saturday night. We went out to dinner as a family and then took them to the store to pick out whatever toy they wanted. They didn't quite grasp that concept so we had to help them pick something out. Andrew was VERY excited about his own digital camera and clung to that...all the while Carter kept bringing me a bouncy ball or a plastic flute recorder thing.... I finally found a reading toy that he was excited about, but as we headed to check out he panicked and asked where HIS camera was. So back I went and put his toy back and grabbed another camera. At home of course Drew thought Carter's camera was better so Bry headed back to the store to return his and buy one like Carters.

    

They have had so much fun with their new cameras. Out of the 800 or so pictures they have taken I found 40 or so worth keeping. This time they are working in filling a much smaller jar which should happen faster and result in a smaller prize! Positive reinforcement works wonders!

Girl Time

Liz and Brynlee came to visit a couple weeks ago and we were SOOO excited...well, I know I was! It was so fun to just hang out as mommies and let the babies roam around. It felt just like old times with the addition of a few little people! We took a walk the first day she got here to our little park and attempted to get a picture of all four baby girls who are just months apart.

 

Needless to say....it was not very successful. Maylee was the only one without a morning nap so she was more than tired....and they just wanted to play! I just adore all these little ladies...all SUPER cute!

           

This was before the decided to venture off the blanket. Hailee and Brylnee were all over the place. It was a bit warm, but it was nice to get out and burn some of the abundance of energy the kiddos all seem to have a never ending supply of!

Drew and Katelynn had a blast playing at the park and going down the slide together. They are just too cute!

On Thursday we went to another park. The babies seemed to really enjoy the swinging. We were still able to fit the little half pints into the same swing together and they seemed to enjoy it more than they did last time. Super cute!

I love this picture, not because my daughter is in it and smiling...but because my dear friend is in the background being an adorable mommy. I just loved watching her love her baby girl. It is so fun to be at this stage in life and able to share it!

Cute little Brynlee and Maylee sure enjoyed swinging. I think Brynlee liked it more. She stayed in there for a long time just relaxing! She is such a dolly!

 

Thursday night we went out as girls and brought the babies. We ate, laughed, and talked. It was so fun to have Lizzy and Brynlee here to visit and to get some good girl time in. 

Love Him

I am still so very in love with this man....and he continues to remind me how lucky I am.

This weekend he played..

the IT guy (set up my work station with new monitors)
the socialite (spent time with some friends for dinner and chatting)
the pool man (pool almost ready for summer)
the yard man (one day we will get it all under control...smile)
the babysitter (thank goodness I got to run a couple errands with no children)
the peacemaker (helped remind me to keep my cool when my blood was beginning to boil with bickering children)
the chauffeur (took us to dinner and to pick the "prizes" for the boys filling their diamond jar)
the potty trainer (helped follow Carter around in efforts to potty train)
the hero (went back to Walmart at 10:30 pm after Drew decided he wanted the same camera as Carter)
the dish washer (got my dishes under control)

as always this weekend was mixed in some fabulous play time with the kids and snuggle time with me. I love having him home on the weekend.

First Swim....and a Fun New Game

I have a feeling we will be spending a lot of time in the pool this summer. With gas prices on the rise and two active little boys, swimming will be the sure fire way to burn some energy...in the burning hot sun.

Grammy and Poppie came to visit about a month ago and we got to swim in their hotel pool and have fun together! **Yes, apparently I am behind on my blogging**

It was nice to enjoy our first swim time this summer outside in a heated pool and not melting!

We all hung out at our house...and the adults starting a fabulous game of keeping the deflated red ball in the air. It was pretty fun!

 

The ball game was followed by a lively game of duck duck goose. It is quite entertaining to play with adults and kiddos. I love making memories!

11 Months

One month away from the big first birthday. Time has gone by so quickly and I am soaking it all in. Maylee had a rough month of sickness, poor appetite, and sleeplessness. Luckily she is back to her happy self and is finally eating more and sleeping more! On top of being sick we had teething to blame for our not so happy little girl!

As for this past month - it as been a busy one for Miss Maylee....

Tooth #1 on bottom right 03/07, Tooth #2 and 3 top left and left lateral incisor (yes, that is its name) 03/09, tooth #4 top right.....still waiting for bottom left to pop through. I have to laugh when I see her teeth coming in....they sort of remind me of Nanny McPhee right now....but cuter of course!

She is a crawling machine and pulls to a stand all over the place. She does well getting down if what she is holding onto isn't too high. She gets stuck on our higher couch and calls for help all the time.

Carter has become quite attached to his sister with lots of hugs, kisses, toy sharing. head rubbing, and finger feeding. It is so cute to see him adore her.

Maylee still loves Andrew and prefers to pulls on his hair and climb up onto him. He is good with it unless she gets a nice fistful of skin!

Maylee has been sick for about six weeks, but is finally on the mends. She has a lingering cough and a bit of a runny nose, but I blame that one on teething (six teeth will do that to you!) The Tylenol bottle has been kept close at hand.

She is voicing her opinion much more with some adorable little sounds. I think she would talk more, but her brothers are so busy and loud I think she realizes the volume level is quite high enough and she can't compete!

Eating is coming along. She is still picky, but is eating a bit more. She is still nursing and can drink from any kind of sippy cup...if I hold it of course.

She is finally growing out of her 6 month jammies in length!

Swimming twice in one month! We swam with my parents at their motel when they visited. The kids had a blast! Then Shell and I took the kids to an indoor pool here...and that was an adventure. Three out of the four kids had a close call. Shell dunked Hailee while trying to get Carter and then Drew got stuck as well. Huge pool all to ourselves with lots of pool toys...but we had to use their swim vests instead of our own which caused problems. It sure was fun to get in the water though and the babies loved it!

 

 

Weight: 14 lbs (at sick doc appt a week before her 11 month mark)

Height: 27 inches

Still in my 20s

Another year has come and gone....and I'm one year closer to the end of my 20s! I have to say it is the strangest thing...I honestly forget how old I am! I think it started last year. I couldn't remember if I was 26 or 27...well, I am now 27. I think life goes by so fast these days that the years are turning into a blur. My goal this year is to try and slow down a bit and enjoy the little moments just a little bit more!

We celebrated my birthday on Sunday with the family. It was so fun. It is funny how excited kids get to see someone else getting presents!

I love love love Our Best Bites blog and was super excited for their new cookbook! It has great pictures which is a must for a great cookbook! I was given so many wonderful, thoughtful gifts.

Bry made me my very own necklace holder and I love it! I adore love gifts.

Shelley made me a fabulous cake with vanilla pudding and chocolate chip filling. DELICIOUS! She is quite the little cake decorator!

Yes, I was giving the eye contact of approval for the kiddos to help blow out the candles! Please take note that I was in deed out of candles...so I had two candles for the "2" and a number four and three to cover the "7". Any way you put it - I turned 27!

It was a wonderful birthday...well, day before my birthday. My actual birthday was filled with doctor appointments for my kids and the normal business of being a mommy of three. We did get to meet Bry for dinner which was so yummy! Here's to another wonderful, fun filled year...slowed down just a bit to savor the precious moments that tend to slip by too quickly.

0 to 6 in seconds

Well, maybe not seconds, but Miss Maylee is working on six teeth....if I counted correctly when I get a glimpse in her little mouth!!! This is on top of being sick for the past six weeks.  No wonder she has not wanted to eat and last lost a little weight! Four on top and two on bottom all at the same time. Three have popped through so far and the other three are not far behind. We have had some late night crying and midnight bedtime, but we will get through it. I am hoping we are on the tail end of teething and sickness so I can have my happy, soon to be tooth-bearing baby back!