Can his eyes be any bigger?

I just love this picture of him, even though he isn't smiling, I love how big his eyes are. That is the comment we get all of the time about him. (We got that with Hali too...and he favors Hali the most)

More to come later...

Our House

So I am finally getting to put some pics of the house. We are just renting it, but when I first came out here to look at houses the one I wanted looked just like this one. But it had a HUGE fenced in back yard that would have been perfect, but the owner's father stepped in and was being a little unreasonable so needless to say, we didn't get the house. But this house is in the same neighborhood, same layout, nice and quiet culdesac. It is 1768 sf, with 4 br, 2 ba, 1 car garage. It has a cute screened in porch on the back. There isn't much of a back yard, but we have a little side yard and the front yard. The kids like to ride their bikes in the driveway and down the street. I love the privacy and the fact that I don't have neighbors below or above us!!!! WHOOO HOOOO! So all the noise that is made is ours. That I can handle...sometimes. ;) It obviously isn't my dream home, but it works for us now and is great. I am very grateful to have it be our home. And the price isn't too bad either.


My cute red door...needs to be repainted, but that isn't our job and they are stingy. ;) And it wouldn't be my door if it didn't have my "Texan Spoken Here" sign. That is how people say they know it is my house! Thanks Mom and Dad.

This is the view from the main street as you are driving up to the house. We are on the corner of two streets. The bus stops right here so I LOVE IT!

This is the end of our property line.

Facing house on the left.

Front yard, lots of shade and squirrels eating pine cones on the porch!



Left side of house. I took the picture crooked, the house isn't that crooked! There was a little blue truck in my way.

Living room from front door by stairs.



Other corner of living room looking up the stairs. The ceiling goes all the way up.













Looking down hallway from the top of the stairs.

Looking down at the LR from top of stairs. (and my cute husband)

Hallway from LR to the bathroom, MBR, laundry room.

Bad days...good day

Do you ever have those days where all you feel like you do is yell at your kids and say no, or get out of that, etc...? Well that seems like my whole week this week. I don't know if it is from the kids being tired from school, or me being too tired. Although it is probably a little bit of both. So anyway, I just realized this post was getting too long telling the story so I deleted it and am trying something else...

Here it goes...

you ready???

1 :24 pm Ask husband if we should go out and do something as a family. Sure

3:04 What do you want to do? Not sure

Movie? $10.50 Adult $8 kid
Whoa

3:30 pm, boys down for a nap, mom finally getting in the shower...

4:10 Kids home from school running crazy, fighting, screaming, crying...

Mom about to pull her hair out.

5:44 Husband calls...stranded on I-64 at about Jefferson. Come get me. Crap. (realize that it really isn't his fault, but still CRAP)

Getting kids/self ready about to walk out door...

husband calls...don't come get me someone from other office can bring me home.

Now what to do about dinner??? Response - whatever you want to do. Not the answer I was looking for.

6 something... Take 4 kids to Blockbuster and try to get them to all agree on movies.

Mom: You-hold her hand, DON'T run, DON'T let go. You-right here. If I hear ANY whining, arguing, etc, we are out of there and NO movies, GOT IT?! Good. OK strap baby to me...1,2,3,4...let's go. Lock car and proceed to store. (people thinking this lady is crazy! Four kids!) Get inside, pick some movies, get 3D glasses. Waiting in line...STOP TOUCHING STUFF!!! Finally back to the car.

Husband texts: I'm home.
Mom texts: Be ready to walk out of the door when I get home.
Get home, go in to get sweaters for kids just in case. Husband tells me that he really wants to drive back down to get his car tonight (with a friend)! He wants to leave in an hour.
Ruins the plans I had for dinner. So pull into the garage, not happy, get everyone out. Call Chili's and order dinner.

Leave kids at home with dad, go pick up dinner...get to the car...they forgot my drink...go back in get drink..drive home.

Unload dinner...they forgot my dinner! Call Chili's (trying to be as calm as possible...don't know if it worked) They say you can come back and get it if it isn't inconvenient. What? I just drove 20 min to pick it up and back...why didn't you make sure you put everything in there in the first place. They offer gift certificates and my dinner for free. First of all... I already paid for the dinner...it isn't free. Second got two $5 gift certificates. That can maybe get a desert and a drink. I know, at least I got something. Hush. I am venting here!

Have husband go get it.
7 something...Feed screaming baby and hungry kids.

Husband gets home...I eat, he leaves to go get his car.

8 pm Let kids watch other movie (Coraline...DON'T recommend it) Why did I do that????

10 pm finally get kids in bed.

11:30 Text husband...How's it going? Chillin waiting for epoxy to dry before he can drive it.
Finally go to bed with cell phone in hand (just in case)

Next day 8 something am... find out car is at Blooms and needs to go get it. Get up, get kids dressed, fed and in car. Go get car. Go get papers (gotta get my coupons!), come home, pull in driveway realize need cash, go back out get cash, come home. Play outside, save a praying mantis (is that what this is?) from a spiderweb. (Isn't he cute?)

Try to convince Hali she can't keep him as a pet.

Husband says friends(and the whole family) on the way to help. Great. House a MESS. Stay calm. Have lunch with everyone, total MADHOUSE! Give a massage. She really needed it., and it was ok with me.

Invited to a friends house at 7 while boys are at conference. late bedtime the day before, still up at normal time (that ticks me off!) no naps for two year old today, not a good combo. Still going to try and go.

5 or 6 ish. Friends leave...clean house. Feed baby. Kids whining, falling off bikes, filthy...make all of them come inside...more whining, send one to take a shower.

7 pm Ok NOT going. Husband leaves to go to conference. Which is a good thing I know.

Call my Mom, vent. (much like I am doing now!) She makes me feel better. Kids eating cereal for dinner. I don't care. Making myself some coconut brownies. Can't multitask when stressed ...didn't read directions and make them too cake like, dangit! I hate it when they are like that! And I just used all of my coconut oil.

Bathe two other kids...say prayers...GET IN BED!!!! And STAY in bed! Oh and I love you. Go to feed baby again...realize...did I give ALL of the kids lovies? Go back to girls room (still nursing) kiss one kid, she's out... walk over to the other, she's out. First kid wakes up, I go back to say goodnight and I love you and I am sorry for being so cranky, and yelling a lot...Her response...

That's ok Mom, you still are the best Mom ever. I love you.

Totally makes it worth it. Good day. (yes, I am crying right now, deal with it) Would probably do it all again... in fact will probably do it all again tomorrow!

I'm tired.

Ok, and the fonts are not doing what I tell them to, and I am too tired to try and fix it. Sorry.

Swimming Lessons

The girls had swimming lessons for 4 weeks in a row Monday - Thursday! Those were some long days since they had classes at different times. They were back to back though, with a 15 min. break in between. They had fun and Milaya made some great progress. She is really good at the backstroke and getting better at going under the water without holding her nose. She is better at that than mom is! Hali is gaining more confidence in the water, but still won't stick her whole face in the water yet. She is like her mom! Sorry Grammie and Papa! I am totally "payin' for my raisin' ". Brock also had two weeks of a Mommy and Me class. (So that was a total of 6 weeks of swim classes!!!! Let's just say that the people at the YMCA know us very well now.) I didn't get any pictures of that because I was in the water, oops. He had fun, but wanted to do his own thing. Stubborn little punk! Oh well, what can you expect from a two year old boy!




Milaya floating obviously.


The girls in between classes.


Hali's hair is getting really long.


My cute little Hali Belly

This one is dark, I realized that you didn't really need the flash. It was an indoor pool and it worked better to not have the flash on. I didn't realize that until after Hali was out of the pool on her last day of classes.

Anyway, they enjoyed their classes and did a great job.

Breastfeeding - It Rocks!

August 1st-7th is World Breastfeeding Week (http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/) and I thought that I would add my two cents in and say that breastfeeding is such a wonderful thing! There has been tons of controversy over whether or not it is "obscene" to breastfeed in public or to show pictures of it in your Facebook profile...the list could go on and on. There is a protest on facebook right now to let them know how people feel about it and that it isn't obscene. The Mothers International Lactation Campaign has a post in FB to explain more about what it is about.

They are incouraging people...whether they be nursing mom's or not... to post a photogragh, drawing, sculpture, or even a pic of animals nursing on their profile and change their status to 'Hey FB, breastfeeding is not obscene'. They have some pics on the link that depict nursing moms and they are so sweet. I wasn't able to nurse as long as some of these mom's but sometimes I wish I could have. Mother's milk is so good for babies. I don't know why people don't realize that. I know there are certain sircumstances where women can't do it for medical reasons. I know women that have just simply chosen not to do it (and they aren't bad moms!). It is a personal choice and each of us has that right to choose. But I do think that nursing mom's need support, especially if it is your first. And those that choose not to. Some women feel guilty for choosing not to nurse their babies. I am not one to judge them. I have fed all of my babies formula at one time or another. Nursing is and can be a wonderful experience. It takes practice and lots of PATIENCE sometimes. You just have to stick with it. It is challenging and also rewarding to know that I am supplying my baby's food. I know exactly what it is in it. No fillers, no synthetic stuff. Just pure mom's milk (with a hint of chocolate in it!).

Nuff said...and speaking of breastfeeding...my little one is calling my name ;)

This is just an interesting picture that I found and loved. (Maybe it comes from the Massage Therapist point of view) I just thought that it was kind of cool. I love how you can still see the baby looking up at the mother and you can see the mother smiling. AWESOME! (tears coming to my eyes)

Learning to talk

Here is Hayden trying to talk to me. Or rather me annoying him again, and trying to get him to talk. He was pretty tolerant and dealing with it very well ;) He is just too cute not to do this video, so here it is.




Now wasn't that the CUTEST little baby you ever saw cooing?!?! I think so!

6 Weeks Already

Yes, the kids are in bed finally(well 3 out of the 4) and I am finally getting to post some pictures. (I will get to my birth story soon for those that are interested) Man, I didn't realize how much busier 4 is than 3, but we are managing. A new baby, new house, swimming lessons, kids going in all different directions. I am sure that we will get into the rhythm of it right? Right?

It is hard to believe that we went from this...




To this...




To this... in just 6 weeks!


I can't believe how much he has grown and yet how little he still is. And how grateful I am that my Heavenly Father sent this beautiful little boy to us to raise and teach. It is amazing to look down at him and see the changes, and how he is starting to recognize people, coo and smile. I look at him and think how wonderful it is to have him in our family and how peaceful he looks when nursing and asleep in my arms. Then I hear water splashing and one of the girls saying 'eww, gross!' and find Brock rinsing out his toothbrush in the toilet(which promptly went in the garbage!!!), or some other crazy thing happening in our house, and realize that I have to snap back to reality. But at least I can have a few sweet moments, even if they are just moments.

More pictures of the little one

Brock was the first to see the new baby. He was woken up when I went into his room for a few things, like diapers. He wouldn't go back to sleep on his own, so I got him up. He was up for more than an hour before finally falling back asleep on the couch with me next to him.

Milaya was next. She had woken up when Mandy's labor started, so she was expecting to see a baby when she woke in the morning.

Hali was last, but she was the most surprised. She kept looking at Mom, then the baby, then back to Mom.



I went to storage and got the bassinet, car seat, and swing. Brock found the swing a great place to sit and watch TV. We found him later, face down and asleep.



And finally a few other pictures of just Hayden.