Monday, May 26, 2008

Weeks 39 & 40

Austin and his best buddy Zack at school!
Alex smiling so big!
Emerson, soooooo serious!
Max playing with his signature tongue sticking out!

Our Beautiful Graduate!
Weeks 39 & 40

We have been extremely busy the last couple of weeks. The boys seem to be running me ragged. We where having some problems with my computer as well so posting this blog became increasingly difficult. So I apologise for the wait. It seems I completely filled one of the two of my hard drives that I have in my computer. It could possibly be the 10,000 pictures I have taken of my four sons in the last year. What's a mother to do. I love taking pictures, all though I have slowed down in the last couple of weeks while fixing this hard drive situation.

Well, we've hired a Nanny. She is wonderful. She came very highly recommended by several people. She has a ton of experience and the boys seem to love her. We are starting out with her here 10 hours a week. It's a nice break for me to go shopping, spend time with Austin and pretty much just do those few things around the house I have been unable to do.
Austin is Graduating from Pre-School soon and I am beginning to panic. He will be home ALL SUMMER LONG. I'm sure it will be fine since the swing set is now up! The slide is yet to be installed (we need to dig holes and pore concrete), it will be soon and we are waiting for our landscaper to come a level the ground and order the recycled tires we are going to use. This hasn't deterred Austin from playing on the swings, climbing the rock wall and making himself at home in the clubhouse. All in all this summer should be interesting. Lots of fun times and surprises to come.

We are preparing for the boys first birthday. That's right...1 year in just about two months. I am trying to get everything ordered and invitations printed up in plenty of time for people who plan every minute of their summer. Quite frankly it will take me the next two months to plan it because I have little or no time to sit down and do it!

On a personal note I would like to say Congratulations to my sister Adrianne. She graduated from College this past week with her BSN. She is an RN, well waiting to pass her licencing but an RN none the less. She also got a full time job as an RN working at ECMC! I am so proud of her! Congrats AD!

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Week 38

Austin and his class showing the Moms some love
A Mothers day discussion!
Mother's Day/Week 38

It's been an eventful week. Mother's Day wasn't exactly what I had hoped for but in the end turned out to be a nice day. We had breakfast, took a nap than got ready and went to Dinner at Samuel's with the kids and my in-laws. The babies where wonderful. They all where awake for the most part. They sampled different foods and drank water from real glasses. They took turns sitting in the high chair and being held. They seemed happy to be out and socializing. The good thing about going out on a holiday is that most people where involved in their own families and not concerned about my kids. We did get a few nice comments though. All in all it turned out to be a good experience. While sitting at dinner, Max began to gag on a cracker so I reached my finger into his mouth and much to my surprise felt a tooth! I got the cracker out(he's fine)and felt again. Happy Mother's Day, our first tooth! I was so excited, I almost wanted to give him some meat and watch him chew! OK, ok I know, he's not ready for meat. But it was very exciting. Than this rush of fear came over me "Oh crap, now what! Let the biting begin!". By the next morning I reached in to feel he tooth again and OH MY, there's another one! Two teeth in two days! Man this kid just won't take the time to grow up slowly! He's trying to reach all his milestones at once! He's definitely David's baby...ADVANCED at Everything! He is starting to dance when he hears music...this is so funny to watch. He shakes his butt back and forth with the biggest smile. He's always looking behind him to see if your watching!

Emerson is rolling all over the place. He's not really crawling, just rolling where he needs to go. This is fine wit me since he is containable. He is really starting to play now. He will roll over to the larger toys that make noise and music and play away. He loves music. He sings which cracks me up! Whenever he hears music he starts this almost humming, maybe even a little moaning. I think in his head, he's verbalizing but it doesn't come out of his mouth yet. He loves American Idol and sings along with the contestants competing. Too Funny! He's turning into such a beautiful child too! He has the biggest greenish brown eyes with long eye lashes an definitely looks like the Gerber Baby!

Alexander is cruising right along. He mostly crawls backwards but can get where he wants. he is still so verbal and everyday there are new words. Not to be outdone by anyone, his first tooth(a top, front one) popped through on Wednesday. He has been so fussy and just wants mama all the time. He is really loving the outdoors. We have been going out almost everyday and he loves his little tykes slide. He goes down backwards and laughs. He's such a social baby. Whenever we are out he is the one making cutie eyes at all the girls. Man I am in for a rude awakening when they're teenagers. God help me!

Austin and I had a great day last Friday. It was Mother's Day at school. He made me a beautiful card and a plant. We had tea and an ice cream sundae. the class sang wonderfully and I was so proud, even though my son is obviously the class clown! I took lots of pictures. They grow up so fast. Austin was just a baby toddling around and now he's such a big kid. Building Lego contraptions and articulating like a grown up. Where did the time go.

So, I am starting to make plans for the 1st Birthday Extravaganza. WOW! it's going to turn into something close to a wedding! These preparations are endless. I know it will be worth it. They won't remember, but I will! I aways go overboard but tough! It's been an amazing year and it's almost time to CELEBRATE!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Mother's Day

The loves of my life!

Well, it's Mother's Day! It has me reflecting on what it means to be a "mother". This is the best and worst job I've ever had. I get to watch my children grow and thrive. I get to see all their firsts! But I get to see and feel their pain and watch from the sidelines as mistakes are made and consequences are given. I love my children I would never go back to the days when they where not here. People many times say how they would love to go back and relive their youth! Not me, my youth was not one worth reliving. Don't get me wrong there where good times, but there where bad times. If my youth wasn't what it was, I wouldn't be the woman and the mother I am today. Strong woman sometimes intimidate those around them. This isn't necessarily intentional. I know the fact that I am strong as a mother and a woman intimidates a lot of people. I just feel strongly and passionately when it comes to life, love, motherhood and most everything else in my life. My children especially. They are the reason I was put on this earth. I will feel all the love, excitement, pain and sorrow that they feel. I found this short poem that seems to some up how I feel for those Moms out there...



A Strong Woman



A Strong woman is one who feels deeply

and loves fiercely.

Her tears flow just as abundantly as her laughter.

A strong woman is both soft and powerful.

She is both practical and spiritual.

A strong woman in her essence is a gift to the world!

----Unknown----



To all the strong woman who show what it takes to be one, I say...

Happy Mother's Day!



Later in the week, I will post this weeks regular blog. I just wanted to tell all the Mother's out there how amazing they are! Happy Mother's Day and God Bless!

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Week 37

This is just a taste of the pictures taken.
I don't want to give away too many yet because of Mothers Day!

Week 37

This week was great. My boys are all happy and healthy. No major problems or dramas, just what every Mom loves. Just a week of happy babies.

David had a business trip so it was just me and the boys. The kids all went to get their picture taken on Saturday and that wasn't the ordeal I thought it would be. They where all so happy to be out of the house. Although we did have some tears and anxiety when the strange photographer woman was trying to position them. They are so used to me taking pictures that they did surprisingly well. I did a NEMO theme since they all love the movie so much. I brought their own Nemo stuffed animals and that's how we positioned them. It worked out really well for them to have something familiar in a setting that was very foreign to them. The pictures turned out great and I bought the CD so I can make as many as I want. This works out perfectly just in time for mothers day.

Maxim went and got his first pair of walking shoes while at the mall. He slept during the whole thing The shoes are so cute. All brown soft leather with little feet on the bottom. I only bought them for him since the other two babies aren't yet showing signs of walking. Alexander is crawling all over and trying desperately to get to the toys that Max is standing at. Max is pulling himself up and walking very fluently from one piece of furniture to another. I give him less than a month before he walks. Emerson is getting around great now. He is crawling enough to grab toys he wants and to occasionally grab a brother who is not paying attention to him. They are all doing so amazingly well! I have had lots of people ask me if they are delayed because of prematurity and guess what...they aren't not at all. Emerson and Alex are completely age appropriate with their milestones and Max is advanced for 8 months. It's a beautiful thing how God works! We have been blessed and we know that. We couldn't ask for more!

Everyday Austin is getting closer and closer to Kindergarten. We got his report card from Pre-K and he is doing well all the way around. Aside from some behavioral things like his listening skills(which all 5 year old have issues with)there are no concerns and he is good to go! He went for his school physical on Monday and passed with flying colors. He has some issues with his one eye, which he has had since birth but he sees a specialist in July and will probably get glasses or need minor surgery. That should resolve most of his issues. He got 3 shots and handled them like a trooper, not even a flinch. He said "wasn't I brave Mommy?". He sure was. I was very proud. Although it is time for him to go to big boy school all day I can't help but reflect on what an incredible child he is. He was the sweetest baby and has turned into such an amazing young boy. I know he will do well in school but I just wish he could of stayed my sweet little baby for a while longer. I miss that. It's his time to be a little more independent and I will just have to deal with my little boy growing up.