Monday, October 27, 2008

Raking Leaves...


...Is a whole lot easier, now that we have another man around here to help with the heavy work.







Hope you all got a chance to enjoy the beautiful weather this past weekend. We sure did!!!

Friday, October 24, 2008

Planning Ahead

ERIN (while climbing onto the back of the couch in preparation for a giant leap onto a pile of pillows): "Mommy, when I fall off of here in a few minutes, don't say 'I told you so, Erin'".

Friday night fun

Don't be too jealous, but Dan and I have exciting plans for this evening. We're going to spend our Friday night cutting out 30 fun-foam pumpkins, 30 stems, 60 leaves, and 30 sets of jack-0-lantern eyes, noses and mouths.

Yes, I am the first grade "classroom mother". And Beth's completed craft will stay on display in our house until next Spring...

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

One Shoe Off, And One Shoe On...

Brian has a new trick.

He loves to pull off his socks, shake them around for a few minutes, and then put them into his mouth. He chews on his socks until they're sopping wet, rendering them completely useless as footwear. He particularly enjoys this activity during long car rides. Inevitably, when we arrive at our destination and open the back door of the van, we discover a bare-footed Brian, waving his little piggie-toes in the air, while a damp sock hangs from the corner of his mouth.

During the warm, early-Fall days we have been blessed with recently, the sock-chewing was simply an annoying little habit. I began carrying an extra pair of socks in the diaper bag, and our laundry baskets were constantly full of tiny little white socks. But now that the cold weather is upon us, we quickly realized that we needed to put an end to Brian's sock-removing and sock-chewing. Yesterday morning, we walked to the bus stop in 35 degree temperatures, and it was a constant battle to keep Brian's little feet covered.

So today, after I collapsed into bed upon returning from an overnight nursing shift, Dan took Brian, Amy and Erin to the store to buy Brian his first pair of real shoes. When I came downstairs for lunch, Brian eagerly held up his little foot, and showed me his new brown loafers.



After 6 years of fancy "party shoes", pink light-up sneakers, and Hello Kitty slippers, there was something so fetching about these "boy shoes". They're miniature versions of the shoes his Daddy wears, and, coupled with his khaki pants and collared shirt, Brian appears so much older than an almost-one-year-old baby. He looks like a little boy. I'm not sure how it happened, but somehow, that tiny newborn that we met last November has morphed into a toddler. He might not be able to use his new shoes for walking by himself yet, but it won't be long now before he toddles off.

Just don't walk too far away yet, little Brian. You're my baby boy, and I need those cuddles and hugs that you love to give.

But when you do use those new shoes to walk away, Mommy will still be right here...with a clean pair of socks, just in case.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Thanks, Amy

When your six-year-old wakes up grumpy and cranky, whining about her breakfast and crying about her lost shoes...

And when your three-year-old has a temper tantrum at the bus stop, requiring you to walk all the way back home watching her wake up the entire neighborhood by screaming at the top of her lungs...

And when your one-year-old is fighting a nasty cold and breaks into tears at the drop of a hat, refusing to be put down for even a quick minute...

...All it takes is one little five-year-old, crawling into your lap with a storybook, whispering "I love you" into your ear, to make you realize that it really wasn't such a bad day after all.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Happy Birthday, Dan!!

Thank you for always being so flexible with our crazy schedules, moving mountains so that you can attend the girls' gymnastics meets and dance shows, or stay with the kids while I go to work. We all appreciate your efforts to be such an amazing, hands-on, 100% involved Daddy!

Thank you for coming home from work, rolling up your sleeves, and jumping right into the chaos that 4 children can create. Thank you for giving baths, helping with homework, cleaning the kitchen and folding laundry whenever you see a need.

Thank you for agreeing to a 6:30am birthday party today, complete with a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday to you", sung at a loud whisper because Brian was still sleeping, while we all enjoyed delicious blueberry muffins. It's the only time all day that we will all be together, and we loved being able to celebrate with you on your special day.

Thank you for all that you do. We love you and wish a wonderful day!

Friday, October 10, 2008

Here A Shot, There A Shot...

The next time I decide to bring all the kids along to the pediatrician's office for flu shots while Amy gets her annual check-up, please, someone, remind me that it is not a good idea.

We do this every year, but somehow, every Fall, I convince myself that doing all the shots at once is a great time-saver. I'm not sure how I manage to forget the chaos that results when so many kids become hysterical at the same time.

Hopefully next year I'll be a bit wiser...

Thursday, October 09, 2008

Happy Birthday, Amy!


In five years, you've grown from a squalling, squirming bundle of pink into our beautiful, blond ballerina. It's been a joy to watch you grow, and I thank God each and every day for the gift of you.

Happy Fifth Birthday, Amy. We love you.

Monday, October 06, 2008

Rise And Shine

It's 5:30am. I'm sound asleep, curled up in soft, warm blankets, when suddenly Brian's loud, piercing cries resound from the baby monitor on my bedside table.

I feel my body tense, and I hold my breath for a moment...as if this small gesture might be enough to send him back to sleep. I try to ignore his cries for a few minutes, hoping and praying that he's just having a bad dream and will soon quiet down once again. It doesn't happen. His sobs grow louder, and I know that I must act quickly to prevent three little girls from joining us at this early hour.

I drag myself out of bed, recoiling as my bare feet hit the cold, tile bathroom floor. I grab a warm bathrobe, and tiptoe into Brian's room to feed him. Inwardly, I grumble to myself about early-rising babies, little boys that just can't seem to sleep until a decent morning hour.

But then I reach into the crib and pick up my little boy. His fuzzy blanket-sleeper feels warm and soft, and the weight of his baby-body feels just right as he settles into the crook of my arm. As he eats, his chubby baby hand slowly drifts upward, lightly touching my eyes, my mouth and my cheeks, before stopping to rest on the top of my head. His little fingers gently play with my hair, and we sit together and enjoy the peacefulness of a quiet, sleeping house.

I think he knows. Somehow, at only 10 months old, he has realized that this is the only time of the day that belongs just to him. No big sisters are around to demand my attention. If he rises early, he can have 30 minutes of quiet time to enjoy breakfast alone with me. I feel both of us beginning to relax, until finally, his belly full, he closes his eyes and drifts back to sleep.

I hold him for a few minutes, then kiss his soft cheek, and gently place him back into his crib. I close his door, and tiptoe downstairs to make coffee.

There are very few good reasons to get out of a warm bed on a dark, cold morning.

But this is one of them.

Saturday, October 04, 2008

Being Prepared

Every year, Dan and I spend the last two weeks before Christmas running from store to store, frantically trying to finish our last-minute Christmas shopping. It's exhausting, a bit stressful, and it certainly takes away from our enjoyment of this special season.

So this year, I'm determined to be one of those people. You know. Those people that have all their holiday shopping completed by Thanksgiving, with the Christmas cards all stamped and addressed. They can relax and spend time listening to Christmas carols, watching Christmas specials, decorating the house, and participating in all the other festive activities that are difficult to enjoy when you're involved in a frenetic search for just-the-right gift for a close friend or family member.

This year will be different for me. I'm sure of it.

In accordance with my new plan, I decided to schedule a photo shoot for the kids for yesterday morning. Beth had no school, so it seemed like a perfect time to beat the holiday crowds, and maybe get our Christmas cards a bit early. Dan had to work, so Grampy came along to help keep the children happy and smiling. I dressed them in their bright red, matching outfits, and off we went to the studio.

The children that had their pictures taken before and after us were all wearing Halloween costumes, smiling for the camera in front of a background decorated with pumpkins and spooky ghosts. Their parents looked at my children with a bit of curiosity, but I didn't mind a bit. After all, I was being organized. I was getting my Christmas cards during the first week of October!

It is not easy to keep four small children smiling and happy for 30 minutes of scenery changes and various poses, but these photographers did an outstanding job. The children were very well-behaved, although Amy was not quite as accommodating as we would have liked. She was determined to keep the dog that decorated the front of her sweater in full-view of the camera at all times, so there were many poses that did not meet with her approval. She absolutely refused to lie on her stomach or turn sideways, but once the photographers realized that she was not going to budge, they simply worked around her. She sat in the same spot, sweater facing forward, while they moved her sisters and brother around her.

And so, after over an hour in the studio, I walked away with a giant headache, but I carried my Christmas cards, Christmas gifts, and various other sheets of pictures in my hands. It was Brian's first time in front of a "professional camera", and he thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Now, I just need to get started on that shopping.

I think I'll start that next week. Or maybe the week after that. Or maybe...