End of Summer

This weekend marks the official end of summer and the change of season is very evident in the air outside. The summer went by so fast and I think for my sanity that was a good thing. The kids had a great time down the beach and stayed busy but I admit I was exhausted by all the togetherness and lack of structure. The boys played baseball every morning and did swimming lessons after that. The girls enjoyed their time on the beach and learned to really love the water, even putting their faces in to blow bubbles. Addison went with the flow and even dipped her toes in the water.

We finished off the summer with a family trip to Storyland which was a huge success. It was perfect for every age and we all enjoyed spending time together up in the mountains!

The summer winded down and we have settled back into our routine here at home. The boys are now into their second week of a new school year. I can't believe Jameson is a fourth grader and Cameron is in first. The transition has gone pretty smoothly J is excited about his class and Cameron has done such a great job getting himself up and ready for the bus. The girls do miss their brothers while they are gone all day but it is nice having some time with them alone and we are certainly finding ways to stay busy! We are all excited for Fall and all that it will bring...

Troublesome Twosome

It didn't take long after Addison's birth for my two little angels to lose their halos. They loved their baby sister from the start, smother her in kisses, play gently with her and still giggle excitedly whenever they see her, but they definitely started acting out in other ways. In fact while I was still in the hospital after delivery, the first diaper incident took place. First Avery figured out how to unzip her jammies and take off her diaper, dirty diaper, while still in the crib. Ella was so impressed that she soon followed suit. I bought a potty seat in hopes that they were telling me they were ready to commence potty training but at 18 months they were not quite ready! After several messy awakenings, I figured out how to thwart their efforts by putting their sleepsacks on backwards. This worked for awhile until they realized they could stretch the neck hole over their shoulders and pull it down to free themselves and again take off their diapers. Who knew I had two Houdini's? Next I tried putting them in onesies-smart,right? Well they were smarter. It didn't take long for them to master unsnapping the snaps. Utterly exhausted from the laundry and scrubbing and disinfecting their bedroom, I thought to cut off all the feet of their footed pajamas so I could put them on backwards. This worked to keep the diapers on, until they girls figured out how to push their cribs together, climb into the same crib and unzip each other! They looked so proud when we found them standing in the one crib-diapers off once again! The crib tents have arrived in the mail so soon hopefully the climbing out will be a thing of the past. Oh the things twins are capable of! There was the infamous Desitin incident not long ago, when I left the girls by the changing table while I went to the other room to open a box of diapers. When I heard giggling from the other room I knew I was in trouble! I walked in to find the girls smothering themselves and each other in diaper cream- water soluble, so that was fun to clean up! It took a week of tubs twice a day to get all the grease out of their hair. The last time the girls climbed out of their cribs was at the B-Bop. They were very quiet so I didn't suspect a thing. I walked into to find they had gotten into my suitcase and dressed themselves in all of my clothes. There were shirts on their feet, bathing suits on their head-oh they were having a blast!In addition to the climbing,and de-diapering, the girls have figured out how to unbuckle their highchair belts, and unbuckle their car seats. Good times! They have also been fighting, taken up biting, hitting and pinching! They are the best of friends but when they both want the same thing at the same time, watch out! We have been trying timeouts and the girls know when their timeout is over to give their sister a kiss. So we are in quite a phase now and I have to stay one step ahead...and hopefully Ill get my two little angels back soon!

Baby Addison

Now that I have a three month old, I guess it is time to update the old blog with news of her arrival. Baby Addison was born April 23rd, in the evening (Ive already forgotten the time, is that bad? It was definitely dark out.) weighing 8 pounds 1oz. I was induced a week past my due date and it was a very fast and easy delivery. So fast in fact that daddy almost missed the actual birth as he was advised by the Dr. that he had plenty of time to go grab some dinner before he met his new baby. No sooner had he walked out and stepped on the elevator was I ready to push! Luckily he had a cell phone on him and quickly made it back just in time. I was so surprised (pleasantly surprised) that she was a girl. She has been a most precious addition to our family since the day she was born. She is the sweetest little thing in the world and her siblings can't get enough of her. She was a great sleeper from the start and was sleeping for 8 hour stretches by 3 weeks old! What a keeper! Now she is so happy and smiley and just a joy to have around. I wish I could sit and hold her and kiss her all day long, but alas, their are four other children constantly vieing for my attention so now she is along for the ride...and what a ride it is!Baby Addie 3 months old!

Due Date

So baby #5's due date passed 5 days ago. April 18th came and went and still no baby. Who would have thought a fifth child would come late? Perhaps he/she knows the craziness that awaits him or her on the outside and is relishing the last of the peace and quiet. The boys are getting impatient and have been expecting the baby for weeks. The girls point to my belly or theirs and say "baby" but don't really grasp that they will be big sisters. They do however sense that change is near and have started acting out a little bit. They have been extra clingy wanting to be held a lot, hard with an enormous belly and an extra 50 pounds! They have also been asserting their independence, saying "no", wanting to walk on their own (not hold hands or ride) and Ella even bit Avery the other day. I hope things settle down once we bring the baby home but know it might take some time. I hope they know they will still be my special baby girls even when we bring home a new baby. All my children are special to me in their own way and adding a new baby to the mix will only reinforce that. So tomorrow we head to the hospital so I can be induced and finally meet this little angel which has been moving and growing inside me for over nine months!

Easter Weekend

The weather was beautiful this past weekend and was the warmest Easter I can remember. It made for a very enjoyable Easter egg hunt with neighbors on Saturday and more fun outside on Sunday. The Easter bunny brought yummy chocolate goodies for the kids (and their very pregnant mommy) along with a few special toys tucked inside each basket. The baskets were hidden around Nanny and Papa's house, where we are still staying and Jameson had the hardest time finding his hanging inside a closest. After Mass we came home to another Easter Egg hunt outside with the cousins, then sat down to brunch, while the girls napped. When they woke up we headed down to NannyLil and Ampa's for Easter dinner. The kids found even more eggs and got even more treats and even got to enjoy some time on the beach. We had a great meal and some delicous desserts then headed home with our four tired bunnies!

Ella loving the swing on the beach

Daddy and one of his girls

A last family photo as a family only 6!

The cousins

Avery (left) and Ella in their Easter best

Avery on an egg hunt

The boys dyeing eggs

Two Girls and a Dog

Daisy is technically my parents dog, but we have a great arrangement worked out where we have custody of her much of the time. We have her most of the winter while they are in Florida and other times while they travel throughout the year. The boys have always liked Daisy and enjoy having a dog around. Thanks to their responsibility chart, Jameson takes Daisy out to for a short walk each day and Cameron feeds her and gives her water each morning (we learned he was also sneaking her half a bag of dog treats in with her food). Avery and Ella love Daisy and the feeling appears to be mutual. Daisy although almost 4 years old is still very much a puppy but being around the girls seems to have improved her behavior. She is very gentle and always stays close to the girls. She wants to be where ever they are, playing with the same toys they are. I have taken to calling her the "triplet". The girls spend much of their day following the dog around, calling her name, petting or attempting to sit on or ride her. "Day-dee" is one of the most common utterance I hear from them these days. Here's a couple of clips of the triplets playing in the front yard...

Happy St. Paddy's Day

Ever since my college days where March 17th was a huge holiday, I have loved St. Patrick's day. I'm 1/8th Irish, but happy to say that through good breeding my children are all 1/3 Irish. Cameron fully embracing his Irish heritage, set out a leprechaun trap before going to bed last night which involved a box filled with shiny metal objects to attract the leprechaun. His contraption was unsuccessful at capturing the leprechaun, but it did leave evidence of its visit, taking the shiny coins and leaving a shamrock and green glitter in its place. The same tricky leprechaun got into the milk, coloring it green before breakfast time. Tonight we all sat down for some corned beef and cabbage and Irish soda bread, and enjoyed our Irish roots!