One Year Older

A year ago today I was an emotional, sleep-deprived wreck with four kids, one of which was less than a week old and another with head lice. We were talking about it this morning over breakfast, and I made the statement that there have been 3 really HUGE trials in my life: my brother's death, Joe losing his job, and what we will call the head-lice incident. Knock on wood, but I (we) are in a much better place in life right now!!

Grant's birthday: we woke up early and he opened his presents before breakfast, which was Captain Crunch cereal (Grant's choice). We had a daytime party, and Grant invited 4 four-year-old boys over for a pirate party. We read "How I Became a Pirate," walked the plank, looked for treasure, and beat the pirate pinata. For lunch we ate traditional pirate food. . . fish sticks, gold fish, chocolate milk, apple slices, and chocolate cupcakes. We continued the partying when dad got home with some pizza, salad, apple juice, and more chocolate cake. 

I bet you don't remember what a milestone "4" is. According to Grant, when you are four you become a superhero, you can kill bad guys, break out of jail, and make your own sandwiches. Grant was very sad, though, when he realized that being four does not mean you get to go to preschool the next day. We are working on getting him into preschool in the fall--but that sounds forever away for him.

It was stormy on his birthday, and the picture below is a friend's mom showing her bravery while holding the pinata (and talking pirate) for all those 4-year olds with a wooden bat. 

oops, I guess this picture didn't get turned the right way.

I'm pretty sure Grant took this picture. 

Ammon turned one on Thursday, but we took advantage of his innocence and didn't do a thing to celebrate until Saturday. OK, we sang him "happy birthday" at least a dozen times. He smiled. 

On Saturday we had cinnamon rolls and eggs for breakfast, pizza for lunch, and chili for supper. Chili, believe it or not, is Ammon's favorite food. He growls at us if we don't feed it to him fast enough. The other kids whine and complain that it is too spicy or too tomatoey. But Ammon loves it. 

Joe's family came on Saturday to help us to celebrate. This picture had the most people in it, so that's why I put it on. 

I love this picture because the three big kids were so thoughtful and helpful (lol) while Ammon attempted to open presents. PAHAHA! I just looked at the pictures and realized that is me sitting by Grant. . . I thought it was Madison. Madi is on the left in the fluorescent yellow uniform. 

I actually think he got the hang of it faster than the other kids on their first birthdays. He started ripping that paper off! 

Here he is with his stash! 

I did not feel like making him his very own cake like I did with the other kids on their first birthdays. We just ate cupcakes and cake a week ago for Grant's birthday, so I felt caked-out. Instead I made a berry-poke cake with whipping cream and berries on top. I know it's still not healthy, but it seems a little lighter somehow than chocolate and frosting. He got the biggest piece, though. 

As you can see, we stripped him down to his diaper and let him go. He ate about 1/3 of it, then he threw the cake on the ground and started licking his plate. I think Joe got a picture of that on his phone, but I don't have it right now. I'm not sure if a few silly pictures are worth the huge mess (which, actually, I didn't have to clean up because Joe's mom cleaned the kitchen while I bathed the boy. Thank You!). 

Here he is enjoying his second bath of the day. 

Happy Birthday Boys! 

S

Ammon's last day to be 0.

What a difference a year makes!! 

For some reason I have this idea with each baby that 

he (or she) is going to stay a baby forever. 

And then--BLINK! 

Tomorrow Ammon turns one. I look at him and wonder how he ever fit inside of me.

Just like I look at Logan, Madison, and Grant and wonder the same thing.

Ammon is walking almost everywhere. 

He's figured out how to stand without holding on to anything.

He is nursing twice a day. I think we could easily go down to one, or maybe none at all.

But for all I know this will be the last time I will ever nurse a baby.

And call me crazy, but the thought is really sad. 

So I'm hanging on to that last feeding. 

Ammon can wave, clap, blow kisses, say "MOM" and "DA" and "HI."

He looks really cute when he pulls his head down to the side to get your attention.

It's not so cute when he screams to get your attention.

His hair is wild. It's got the electrocuted, static-cling look all the time.

It's actually pretty cute.

So here he is on his last day to be 0. See the blue on his hands and the books missing on the shelf? Some of his favorite things to do include finding markers, pulling the tops off, and writing all over himself. And pulling books out of the shelves. Lucky boy's got lots of book to pull out and some brothers and sisters who spoil him by hiding markers all over the house. 

The week

This week has had especially good comments, some of which included:

"Wow, you're busy, aren't you." (hear that one a lot)

"Did you buy all the strawberries in the store?" (bought 25 lbs to make jam)

"Are you done having kids? You should stop. They are so expensive." (who says that out loud?)


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Also, this week has been crazy. Every single night has been filled with meetings and activities and practices and fulfilling of church callings. I seriously cannot remember my house ever being this messy. It's exhausting. "Everyone" says this is easy, and my life will be chaos when I have teenagers. CAN"T WAIT! I'm going to crawl in a hole.
***fast-forward 48 hours to a better mood, and now I'm thinking, "Bring it on! I've got this!" Well, at least for today. 

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Grant just came and told me that "we have a mean baby." Together we look at Ammon, and Ammon just smiles sweetly.

Real Fast Before I Forget

Since this is my journal:

We were quizzing Grant about his birthday (pics and details when I have another minute), where we live, etc. Apparently I've failed to teach him some very important information.

Me: Grant, what is your whole name?
Grant: Grant McGregor
Me: But what is your whole name? Do you know your middle name?
Grant: Yeah. Grantee Pants McGregor

Also, last night was our ward's RS birthday celebration, so I ate a small amount of Grant's birthday dinner and then headed over to the church. When I got home I just sat in the car for a minute to enjoy the peace and a moment by myself. I was checking facebook on my phone and saw that Joe had tagged me in this picture of Ammon. I laughed SO HARD!! I guess Ammon got to practice eating some birthday cake and found it quite enjoyable--but I can't get over the shape his mouth is making!

Then I opened the car door and Joe jumped out from behind me and made me scream! Somehow he snuck out and had been waiting there for a few minutes. (He said he was cracking up because he could hear me laughing like a crazy woman from inside the car.)

Family!

Key Words

I was just thinking about how we have some key words at our house that help us all to understand without a lengthy discussion (blah blah blah) about what needs to happen.

Key Words we use include:

Good Listener (in reference to the decisions and choices we make, as in: "Are you being a good listener?")

Respectful and Responsible (in reference to cleaning up after oneself and to describe the way a person is acting, as in: what we say to someone who leaves the table without contributing to clean up.)

Acceptable (or Not Acceptable, as in: "this room is not acceptable.")

Appropriate (or Not Appropriate, as in: "your tone of voice {or the word you used} is not appropriate.")

I'm sure there are more. We use these words A LOT!

What are some key words in your family?

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!

Logan Pants and More

Today, while Joe was visiting a family that he home-teaches, I left the kids playing together and went up to my room, shut the door, and ate some dark chocolate mini Hershey candy bars while I stretched out on my bed. The silence and aloneness was lovely.

I spent a few minutes laughing to myself while I though about Logan. He gets up early. Like 5 a.m. early. So that he can spend time reading, playing on the computer, and making Pokemon cards before going to school. He doesn't want to wake up his brothers, so he gets dressed in the dark, and sometimes his attire can be a little interesting.

Like the time that his pants were on backwards.

Or the other day, just as he was getting ready to walk out the door, I heard Joe say to him, "Go ask your  mom if those are your pants." (I'm giggling just writing this down.) So he walks into the kitchen and says, "Are these my pants?" I look at him, and they fit him perfectly (most of his pants are pretty big, as you can see above). I tell him to pull up his shirt, and when he does, I see that the jeans are pretty tight around the waste with heart pockets that are pretty tight on his bum. Apparently they had somehow been put in his folded laundry pile (ok, it must've been me, but that's unusual!), and he had just pulled a pair of pants out of his drawer in the dark. I wish I had a picture, but he's probably glad I don't. When I asked Joe about it he said, "Well, I thought they looked a little too fashionable (think boys wearing skinny jeans) on him." We all had a good laugh, but good thing we caught it before he got to school.

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Also, ever since my pregnancy with Ammon I have been getting extremely hot at night. Part of that is that we live in a warm area. Part of it is that I grew up in PA and we didn't have heat upstairs where we slept, so I prefer it to be very cold when I sleep. And it doesn't help that for some crazy reason the master bedroom is the hottest room in the house (even after closing all the vents, AND turning the heat down to 60 degrees!). So, without embarrassing myself too much, let me just say that I have been extremely uncomfortable temperature-wise when I sleep. In fact, I have been contemplating going to get my blood taken to see if I am going through menopause at the age of 30!!

I bought a duvet cover.

My plan was to put a very, very thin, old quilt (hardly thicker than a sheet) inside of it so that I would still have a blanket, but one that would not make me sweat all night.

Tell me, please, how you keep the blanket from bunching up inside of the duvet?

But I have slept better this past week than I have for a very, very long time.

Lucky for me that my husband is a good sport. :)

Broken Promise(s)

A long time ago my mom and I went to visit a family with a bunch of boys. I remember looking at the grimy walls and finger-printed t.v. and promising myself that my house would never display such artwork.

Today while wiping off blackened doors and walls, I realized that I broke that promise.

Here are a *few* other promises that I have broken:

• My children will not have dirty faces (how hard can it be to just wipe it off?).
• My children will never have snotty noses (read above).
• My children will not have temper tantrums in public (bad parenting).
• My children will be trained to not touch my breakable things (very teachable).
• My children will clean up their mess before making a new one (again, teachable).
• My children will always listen the first time (good parenting).
• I will be the parent who remembers what it is like to be a kid (how can you forget?).
• I will be the parent who is endlessly patient and loving (good parenting=good kids).
• I will be the parent who always has a clean home (good parenting=clean, helpful kids).
• I will be the parent who always has fabulous meals planned for each day of the week (what else do you do if you stay home all day?).

Failure or Perspective?

Shoe Tying

A few months ago I bought Madison some sneakers with shoelaces. In other words, it was time to learn how to tie. I gave Joe the assignment because I had previously been unsuccessful.

About 5 minutes later (or less) he said, "Good job! You are a fast learner." I abruptly turned around and said, "What? She can do it already? Impossible." Madison showed me her new skill, and I thought, "Wow! Joe is a good teacher!" I praised her and Joe for their good work.

Then Madison pulls me into the kitchen and whispers into my ear, "Don't tell Dad, but I already knew how."

Bittersweet

Sitting here

There is a nice breeze blowing through the window, and Ammon is crawling to me quickly, begging me to pick him up. Madison is playing the piano while Logan and Grant voices are playing outside, some sort of boy game I think they made up (Pokemon, I miss Star Wars). Joe should be leaving work soon. Marinara and meatball crock-pot smells are floating through the house.

Life is pretty good, it's pretty good.

what we've been doing:

Things I found around the house:

 Logan's schedule.
Click on it to enlarge.
Notice what time he gets up?
Yeah. . . 

Madison's "teast" (test). 

No matter how early we get her up, she will use the time

to not get ready for school. The thing is, she makes Logan tardy, 

but her teacher never marks her tardy! 

One day we really got onto her about getting

ready more quickly, and I think this is her plan

to be on time. 

Also, it looks like both kids are fighting over 

who gets to set the table.

I got tired of all the backpacks, shoes, and jackets piling up 

at the bottom of the stairs. Ideally, they all have a place

in the kids' rooms, but it just wasn't happening! Now there is a 

hook for each child. I don't know what we'll do if there is a #5. 

 We have a huge bathroom at this house--not fancy, 

but huge. I've been thinking for a while that it was 

a little out of control--I avoided cleaning it because

I just didn't love being there. For about $20, and using what I already

had, I got it cleaned up and feeling a little bit nicer. 

 I wanted something on the walls, but you know me--it 

needs to mean something. Also, art is kind of expensive.

Someday I will get something cooler (and bigger), but for now. . .

I bought some $3 frames from WalMart  and 

put in some pictures from China. 

 Joe took most of them--this is before we had
digital cameras and photoshop.

Isn't he an amazing photographer?

In real life they look even better, because here you can see

my shadows and the flash from the camera. Plus,

it's a picture of a picture.

 The top one is us on the Great Wall of China. 

I still want to put more on the walls, and I want something 

 on the divider between the tub and toilet, but

for now, I love it!!