March=Birthday Madness!

Or: Trying to get ahead before I fall behind.


Do you remember last year's Grant's Birthday post?! I was 9 months pregnant and too tired to plan anything for his birthday. Add that to some pregnancy hormones and I was a crying mess.

This year I am determined to do something!! Too bad his birthday is only 4 days away. . . So I talked to him and we made some plans and are inviting a few boys over to party like pirates. I will include pictures and details (hopefully) in about a week, but I wanted to talk about my two March babies for a few minutes before it just didn't happen.

 First of all, I LOVE having some space between #3 and #4. Don't get me wrong, I loved having Logan and Madi close together (21 months), and then there was a nice 2 1/2 year gap between Madi and Grant. . . but I feel bad for Madison. She never got me to herself! I was always tired and worn out chasing two toddlers around and then adding another baby to the mix. I think I have kind of forgotten that, but when I think about it I remember that it was kind of hard sometimes. :) But now. . . Logan and Madi head to school and it's just Grant and Ammon. Two! And the older two can do so much! I could write a long, long time about this.

Most of all I'm happy for Grant because he finally has some one-on-one time with me. And it's so good!! I have found that when he has my undivided attention for even 30 minutes in the morning he is so helpful and cheerful the rest of the day (and if not. . . life is harder for both of us). And he finally knows his letters, his speech has improved leaps and bounds, and we have a good time!

So here's how we do things: Dad takes the kids to school at 7:30. Ammon wakes up at 6:00, so he is ready for a nap soon after the kids leave, and Grant and I have the next hour all to ourselves.
We clean up breakfast. Then we hop on the wii to do "just dance for kids" for some exercise. And then we do something fun/educational for about 30 minutes.

After our time together we clean, cook, run errands, etc. It is so functional!

So about Grant: He LOVES to help. Lately, if I am cooking, he gets his apron on and asks to help. He also likes to wash dishes and help me clean whatever room we are working on. I love it! His speech, as I said, has improved SO MUCH. We are working on "sh" and "ch" sounds right now, and I'm so proud of him!! He loves to dress up--especially as Darth Vader, Superman, and a pirate. He is just so very fun! Also, he LOVES the headlamp dad gave him for Christmas.

And Ammon. This year we will have a small family party to celebrate his first birthday. And every year after. . . sadly. . . if there is a birthday party, they will probably get to party together, as their birthdays are 9 days apart, and I'm just not sure I will every be up to planning 2 parties so close together. Even getting one in is a feat for me.

Ammon is my baby. He is so easy-going, wanting to get into everything, loving his big brothers and sister, just a good boy. He is almost ready to walk! He gets a lot of love and attention. Sometimes I wonder if the older kids feel jealous that he gets so much of me, but I think they adore him as much as I do. Today Madison was holding his hand and helping him walk around the house, and he just looked up at her with happy eyes. And it was SO CUTE to look over and see Grantee sharing his precious apple (seriously loves apples) with Ammon, and look at Ammon looking at Grant with awe! I just wish that the clock would slow down a little bit. I'm not ready for him to be a big boy! (Also, I have had a lot of people asking me if we are done. Like the ladies on Madison's soccer team. . . I think they have a morbid fascination with someone who already has FOUR kids and might possibly want more? Anyway, you know, when the baby turns one I start wondering too!)

I tell you what, it is a beautiful thing to be a mother and to see your children talk and play and help each other. Yes, there is fighting. And I certainly have my share of mom time-outs. But it IS wonderful!