milestones for the boys

And here we go... Sam is doing new things.
Monday night, he rolled over. Not once or twice, but 4 times. Back to front.
Cutie patootie was chasing me across the bed. I would move him away from me, and he would flip over and scootch to my side. :-D
I even woke Cotton up and made him watch! Then he did it once more Tuesday morning, and hasn't rolled again since.


Tuesday, after picking Jacob up form school- I found a package in my mailbox. A free playtex bottle that I had sent off for!
I opened it and started to laugh. "What?" Jacob asks.
"It's pink, they sent him a pink one." (Jacob has no way of knowing this, pink is one of the colors he can't see)
"BAH!" he exclaims! "He's a BOY!" then he adds "but can we still use it?"
OF COURSE!
I just happened to have fresh milk pumped, so as soon as Sam starts getting hungry- I warm it up and get everything ready.

Does he look ready?
Jacob gets the honor of going first!
(Christian was spending the day with us, and waiting patiently for his bottle while I snapped a few pics)

Sweet boys!
"am I really supposed to drink this thing?"
then little mama wants a turn!
"maybe if I push a little milk out..."
Jacob moves on to another baby, one who will happily gulp down a bottle

"taking care of kids is hard work..."
Meanwhile, Sam wants some REAL food!
*mom's eye view*

this is what I look at all day... beautiful eyes, and the top of my booblittle man finishes his meal
and Sam points to his star and reminds us who runs this show
later that night, I warmed up some more milk, and tried a different bottle and a different feeder... DADDY!
He actually drank the entire thing!
This is HUGE!
Not that I have the slightest inkling of an interest in being apart from my little guy... we've been attached to each other for 12 weeks straight now! But just the thought that I could, that someone else could actually feed him here and there... wow!

And by the way- I did in fact go up to the school with Lucy, Sam and Christian.
I very strongly debated not going. One baby was asleep, one was on the way, and Lucy was really reluctant to get up. How cozy my bed looked- so inviting... but Jacob knew I was coming. He LOVES it when I go to his school, and I was expected. I couldn't let him down, no matter how sleepy I was. No matter how peaceful my morning could have been...

My 3 littles were SO good for me, I was majorly impressed
Sadly- the weather was not as cooperative as the children. We played for a while, and had a BLAST, but ultimately got chased away by a huge storm blowing in!

Then today it was back to the school for a HUGE milestone for baby #1.

KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION!

Are you ready? You know it's coming.
:sob choke sniffle sob:
Of course I cried. Just a little.

I'm tearing up a little looking at that face!
Isn't he sweet, innocent and precious? Still? And yet so big... he is all done with kindergarten. just a couple of silly half days to go. Parties. And then summer break, and getting ready for first grade!

I had to crop out most of his certificate for safety reasons, but it says:

Kindergarten Coyote Award, _________ elementary 2007-2008, Jacob has learned everything he needs to know, Class of 2020

His reaction?
"It isn't a cool certificate, momma. It isn't even cool looking!"
I beg to differ. It is, in fact, VERY cool. And it is already tucked safely into his keepsake box. :-)

Memorial Day weekend

We kept it low key, of course. That just seems to be our style these days.

The kids did some splashing, and Cotton fried a big heaping pile of fish and fries. mmm...
a good time and a good meal were had by all!

Miss Baby helping me in the kitchen
Abs and Baby Joe

Little Man, doing guy stuff

My little diva

And the many faces of Samuel






(he's new here, btw. one of my favorite onesies! lol!)

Last week of kindergarten

Coming right up!
He's off tomorrow for memorial day, Tuesday is "kindergarten survivor," Wed he gets his kindergarten diploma, Thursday he wears his pajamas to school, and Friday is a pizza lunch and luau. And then it's over. :sniffle, sniffle: He'll be a "grader" for the next 12 years. And then he'll leave me for college... :sob: ....... but I am getting ahead of myself.

So Tuesday, I have signed up to volunteer for the games.
Tuesday, I am watching Christian.
The last 3 times I have gone to the school- the other moms have scolded me for not bringing Lucy, to which I reply "I'll bring her next time." Tuesday is the last "next time."
Soo... I could leave Lucy with BJ, I could opt to not volunteer at the school, OR I could lug Lucy, Christian (if you typo on Christian, which I do a lot, you often type Christina- interesting) and Sam, and just go do the damn thing.
Hmmmm.... so here is what pops into my head while debating this.
If Chantel can do it, and you know she can, then I can do it. Lol!
Not that she has gone anywhere with the twins so far (that I know of), but she will. And when she does, she'll have the rest of her brood as well. And she'll be fine, because she is a badass.

I can manage that, right? I can wear one baby, put the other one in the stroller... Lucy is not so much work to take out, she'll likely just cling to my leg with all of the unfamiliar people around. I'll be there for Jacob, and he'll be thrilled. He LOVES it when I come to the school. I'll have to mull it over.

Friday is also Lucy's final dance class, and then her recital is on Saturday. She goes on stage at 11:30.
I have a really cute video of her practicing her routine- but it isn't JUST her, so I can't share it here, where everyone can see. Sorry. You'll just have to trust me, it is CUTE!
I wish that she was going to have a bigger audience. As of now it's just us and Tish. I need to call Alex. I talked to Nana and she's not sure if they'll make it. :-s
Cotton, Jacob, Tish and I will just have to be REALLY loud to make up for it. Quality over quantity. I care way more than she does, but she does want Nana to come, and for Abby and Uncle BJ there. I forgot to tell him the time- hopefully he can get the girls and bring them, even though it isn't his weekend. And Bonk might be able to come, if he finds his niece's recital worthy of getting his hung over ass out of bed. BJ and Bonk- there's some noise for ya! Lol.
Too bad Aunt G and Brian are so far away- I know they wouldn't miss her recital for the world- if it weren't a 4+ hr drive. :-(
(don't you love reading my thought process as it happens...? Lmao. Any respectable blogger would erase all of that, but nope. not me. You come here for me- you get ME!)

I have got a horrible case of the hiccups. They hurt. And I need to start chopping veggies for dinner. Ever since that Mother's Day batch of pico de gallo, we've been craving some more. Fajita "bols" tonight. Yummmmmmmmmmmmm....

random cuteness

Just some random shots, since I've just emptied out the camera :-)
(I also feel compelled to offer proof that I photograph the girl once in a while)

A sleeping angel. I still can't get used to the fact that he's mine.
I get to kiss this face any time I want. Does it get any better than that?
My pretty girl, adding some flowers to our bushes.
The child is positively OBSESSED with flowers! I am so excited about her recital- because I get to take her a bouquet of flowers! Yay!
(I'm not sure what she was gesturing about- she does that any time she talks, lol)

"cheese!"
still gesturing

silly Jacoband then they burst into spontaneous dance. That actually happens a lot around here. Lol.

hahaha
My cuties!

That's it for now!

Superstars!

Lately I have a horrible habit of taking pictures of everyone but Lucy!
How on Earth...? It's not like I don't love the kid, or that she blends into the background!
I don't even notice it until I sit down to go through them. :-(

So here are a bunch of cuties, minus one VIP close up. I promise I'll make up for any missed shots of her next week when she has her dance recital!

feeding my addiction...

I was so good last month when I saw cute, matching plaid shorts and hats for both of my boys at gymboree. I decided that it just wasn't worth THAT much money, and refrained from buying them.
Well... a couple of days ago I see even CUTER plaid at The Children's Place. For all 3 kids, no less. Eeeks!

(and lest you call me a cheezeball and say I am going to humiliate my kids- they LOVE to dress alike. Absolutely think it is the best thing ever! Who am I to deny them that kind of fun- especially when it's so CUTE to boot!)

Lucky for my pocketbook- none of the shorts fit Lucy quite right.
The boys, however, are easy to fit. And this shade of blue looks way too good on them to pass up, so... who could blame me?

I plan to have some great pictures taken in these, along with Lucy in something coordinating.
Until then- here's a sneak peek!

(that is a combo of tooth fairy, charming Papa, and cleaning his and Lucy's room money, lol)
(see that smile? he thought it was awesome that they got matching hats!)

And baby perfection. Swoon.

A weekend with family.

I had both of my sisters, and all 3 of my brothers (including those "in-law," Brian and BJ) over for the majority of last weekend. It was FUN, and also exhausting...
Crazy loud, crazy busy, crazy chaotic, and crazy, well..... CRAZY!

One of the things we did was Krysta's babywearing school! Lol!


I taught Tish and Geri how to wear their babies in a wrap! Woohoo!
I gave them each a wrap, and then we went and bought fabric to make a few more (which we didn't take pictures of- but will soon, I am sure!)

(someone get this girl some make up!)
"Cheeeeeze!"

Tish picked it up after being shown just once! Christian really loved being snuggled up tight to his mama! Tish loved giving her arms a break!

How cute are they?


Geri had a hard time strapping a baby on top of her own growing baby bump, but she did learn the wrap and did it perfectly! First she put Sam on herself (no pics, Sammy was too uncomfy to stay on), then strapped Christian onto Uncle Brian!

And then we spent a lot of time just chillaxin'. Being a family.

4 little angels. Can't wait to meet the 5th!
Those are some good genetics if I do say so myself! ;-)
Momma's boys. Does it get any sweeter?
Christian's mommy looks almost as tired as him!
I feel so blessed lately. For a long while I had little contact with any of these guys. Getting to know them all again, as adults, is really fun!
And being moms together with my little sisters is great. Especially when I kiss Christian's chubby cheeks, or when Geri asks me for advice- my heart just swells!

Let's do it again soon! (but not too soon- it's been 2 days and I'm STILL tired! lol)