Big day tomorrow!

He's ready.

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Fake laughing

it's almost as much fun as real laughing!
Sammy has started doing this over-exaggerated fake laugh. Either because he thinks something is funny, or he wants US to laugh at him, or just for the heck of it- who knows?
But it's really great.

I am having so much fun with this kid. I told Cotton the other day "Babies are so wonderful Everyone should have one."
He said "No. Everyone who has a baby should appreciate them as much as you do."

I guess I am probably worse than a first time mama with Sammy. I know how fast he will grow up, and while I look forward to it, I also really do know that I have got to savor every second of this little baby phase. He's already outgrown sleeping on my chest all day. He's lost that raw, unmatchable newborn smell. The arm shakes and the crazy eyes and the little leg curls they do when you pick up a newborn, attacking the breast like a little shark... all gone. That sweet, heart breaking little mewling cry... I'll never hear it again from one of my own.
As a first time mom I looked forward to the milestones... I just couldn't wait for Jacob to crawl, walk, eat real food, talk.
I knew better with Lucy, but with 2 babies so close in age- I didn't have a lot of time to treasure her infancy. I was in survival mode. lol.

Sitting up and squealing, laughing like mad when I hold him over my head, randomly grabbing every blessed thing he can reach, completely ADORING Jacob and Lucy and Daddy, fussing at us while we eat... and most recently- stretching his little arms up wanting momma to hold him... these are the tiny every day joys of the moment.
And don't forget fake laughing!

With Sam being my final baby (okay- no one has been surgically altered YET- but we won't be trying for any more!), and even more so my "bonus" baby ( because Cotton swore we'd never have another, right up until the day we decided to start trying) I just see him for exactly what he is. What they all are.
Gifts. Beautiful, amazing gifts. And they change so fast, it breaks my heart. Look how far Sam has come in 5 months! Look at the pictures of Jacob and Lucy from last August, or hell- 3 months ago!

Okay, that is probably enough rambling for tonight. I blame it all on the hormones.
And the fact that, no matter how NUTS they were all making me just 4 hours ago- while my family sleeps, they are so easy to love. heehee.

Girly stuff

I am trying to make the most of my last year with my sweet baby girl at home with me all day. We're doing girly crafts, and watching chick flicks, going for walks, cooking, and cuddling a bunch...
I also plan to start doing some home-schooly type stuff soon to give her a bit of a head start (or at least an even start!) since she is not one who would attend preschool. hehe.
But that's a post for another day. THIS day, we wanted to make flower hair clips. She had a few- some bought, some made by me. But she wanted more, and I thought she needed bigger ones!

So.... TA DA!
A few of these are form a previous batch- but these are all made by me, or me and Lucy. I'm pretty proud of our little creations!

And instead of modeling one flower, I thought she should model about a dozen.




But wait... there are flowers left who need a head... lol!
(I look pretty rough here. But that's not the point, now, is it?)
We had such a great time "doing" each others hair, that I just had to snap a few pics for her.

pep rally!

As I duck my head in shame, I give you the pep rally pictures.
No- I have not a one of Jacob, up close, in his jersey. Forgive me.

I do have Lucy in her brand spanking new spirit shirt.


I have the cousins, who all came to cheer Jacob on!

And I have team pictures, from afar.
Jacob is there, between number 23 and 25. lol. He is #24!
the little blondie between the 2 darker complected children.
And Cotton is there, in the gray shirt and purple hat. :-)



It was a lot of fun. Everyone got all fired up. Especially my baby girl, who was going NUTS over the "Cheeweadews."
She can not wait to be 5 and be able to cheer. And if you know her, her energy, her enthusiasm, and her volume- lol- you know she'll be dang good at it!

I promise to have better Jacob pictures after his first game on Saturday! Woohoooooo!!!!

FIRST GRADE!

It seems like I was justing boohooing over sending him off to kindergarten, and now look. He's a big first grader. :-)
I wasn't nearly as tearful this year, although I have really missed his presence the past couple of days. I have NOT missed the noise level or the bickering. But I do miss my Pooh Bear.

He had a great first day, and a great second day.
He woke up excited and happy to be going, and barely even kissed me on his way out the door. My baby is really growing up.

random cuteness

Mommy was having a sad day with my big guy off at school again, so Daddy and these 2 took me out for a cheer-up lunch date!

I am really starting to be amazed at just how much all 3 of my kids look alike!

Sitting in the recliner- thinking he is BIG. STUFF.

I call him "Lucy Jr" when he does this. And he does it a lot. He even grabs MY ears, just like she used to do.


And raspberries- minus the audio. Lol.


and finally, this is where Emmitt sleeps every night. He has his run of the house, all 4 bedrooms, the living room the (sigh) couch (when momma's not looking). He sleeps next to Punkin. The dog knows who loves him!

Krispy Kreme

This was a fun little outing- our little playgroup was treated to a tour at the doughnut shop!
The kids listened and watched the yummy goodness go down the assembly lineThey all got official Krisy Kreme hats. heehee

They played with dough

SUPER SQUISHY dough
SQUUUIIIISSSHH!!!

and they got to dip their very own doughnut in chocolate and sprinkles


Faithie looks like she's supervising, hehe

I'd be licking my fingers, too.
Lucy moves on to sprinkles and our buddy Luken takes over the chocolateEnjoying the final result of the day...
Yummy!

quotes of the day

"Mommmmm-uuuuh! I can't fight EVIL if I can't button my pants!"

And when I asked Miss Thang how ballet class went tonight, she replied nonchalantly
"It was cool."
How old is she again?

And even one from the wee one- a resounding
"Pppphhhhttthhhh...."
as he has learned to blow raspberries. Heehee.

Taking advantage of the autumn preview!

How GREAT has this weather been?
Nothing makes people want to play outside like suddenly dropping 10 or 15 degrees!
We had a free evening, so Cotton loaded up the bikes, the football, the stroller, and our many children and we went to the park!





Look at that smile! How can anyone not want to have lots of his babies?

Lil Miss and her cutie pie training wheelsZippy here was on cloud nine. Oh how he loves that bicycle (and what's the girl up to in the background?)
"Cheese, momma!" (I'm still looking at Lucy...?)
:sigh: My daughter found some mud.
Huh. Imagine that. She's dirty.
While everyone else is biking it around the lake, Sam and I have our own forms of travel. Namely my feet and his very snazzy wheels. (have I ever mentioned how much I adore my stroller? Well I do.)
Me and my giant chunk of baby love

Punkin pulls baby duty so I can snap some pics of the guys
Cotton throws it
Jacob catches it. Woohoo!
Then a pass to Lucy. She doesn't catch it, but how cute is she with her arms all "okay, here it comes..." heehee

"Daddy will throw you the football soon. Yes I will!"He's a little Cotton-clone, I tell ya.

And it seemed like a perfect day for Sam to learn about grass. So I plopped him down, and the cuteness was almost too much to bear.
Exhibit A- in Jacob's old baseball cap
B-backwards hat, big baby smile
C-oooh, GRASS! and teeny wittwe baby fingers...
D-ridiculously chunky legs and nibble worthy toes...