Peep..Peep

Cameron's first grade class recently hatched baby chicks. He has been giving us daily updates on the chicks progress and came home the other day excitedly asking if we could take the chicks home when they were ready. I told him I would think about it and then after much relentless begging from Cameron, I said sure, why not, we could take them in (for the weekend I thought, not knowing I had just agreed to give the chicks a more permanent home). Once you make Cameron an agreement or promise he will never let you forget it, so yesterday I went to his class to retrieve our chicks. Junior and Scotty as they were named have settled in nicely here. The girls are excited to see them, feed them and hold them, and Cameron and Jameson enjoy taking them out to run around in the front yard. Of course I am the one to clean the cage, feed and water the chicks, but I am not complaining YET! I see the joy the little feathered creatures bring to my gang and so we will keep them for a little while longer, until I find a nice farm that will take them in...

Weekend fun...

Saturday Jameson pitched in his baseball game for the first time this season and did a great job, it was fun to watch. He also got a great hit, so he is loving baseball for the moment. My neighbor and I took our boys to a battle re-enactment from the revolutionary war in our town after the game and it was really neat to see, and the boys were fascinated and learned a little something too.

We had a fun dinner at friends Saturday night and the girls managed to hold it together till almost 10pm. It was a late night! Tammy came out to go to Church with us on Sunday and then we tried to get some yard work done before we all finished off the weekend with another baseball game. Now we are just hoping for a return of nice spring weather...

My Sweet Boy

Last night when I went up to bed, several hours after the kiddos had fallen asleep, I was surprised to find Jameson sitting straight up in bed. When I asked him what he was doing, sitting up wide-awake at that hour, he replied, "praying". He explained that he had fallen asleep by accident before he had a chance to say his prayers, so now there he sat, hands folded together on his lap, light from the moon reflecting in his eyes in thoughtful prayer in the middle of the night. My sweet spiritual boy, so full of faith, reminding me once again of God's love.

Rain Rain Go Away...

A week of rain and freezing temperatures can't keep this gang inside. There are baby dolls that need to be walked, puddles that need to be jumped in, mud pies that need to be made, and lots of energy that needs to be expended.....

Jameson wearing Ella's coat!
Pushing the strollers through a puddle

We have gone to the gym twice so far this week and the Playspace once, filling up our mornings then after naps and homework we pull on those rain boots, snap on those slickers and head out on the street for some fun. No I don't enjoy the cold raw rain, but I soak it up (no pun intended) to ensure an early bedtime from all five kiddos!

Overheard...

Avery and Ella crack me up with the things they say recently. They talk about thier "Baby Gemmas" constantly. All of their dolls are named "Gemma " after their baby cousin. "My baby Gemma hungry," "My baby Gemma no yike this show," "My baby Gemma want bubba." When they are fighting over one doll in particular it's, "Baby Gemma want her Avie Mommy" or "No, Baby Gemma want her Ella Mommy". They have a little trouble with pronouns these days- Avery said this morning, "Mommy Addie all done nap, he's crying." And they both say "Hold you" when they want to be picked up, and "Change you" when they need a new diaper. Its no wonder as I often ask "Do you want me to hold you?" or "Should I change you?" Their manners are improving tremendously and as soon as I hand them something, usually food related they say, "Thank you Mommy!" and when I don't say "Your welcome" right away they either say "Thank You Mommy" again, more deliberaely or the other one chimes in "You welcome, Mommy."
Ella is quite chatty with other adults. A neighbor came over to say hello to Addison when we were outside yesterday and Ella said, "That my Addison, see her have boogies." She has been reversing some words recently. Instead of carseat, she says "sea cart." She calls Daisy Dog "Daisy God" (which I finally figured out is dog backwards!) Last night she was saying "Mommy, Ella need some pieapple." I was sorry to inform her that we were out of pineapple, and offered her some melon instead. She said "No I need pieapple," then went over to the counter and got the box of apple-pie that her brother had just eaten (pie-apple, apple-pie)! She has also been making up a lot of songs recently and as we drove by the pre-school where she will start in the fall, which I usually point out, she recognized on her own and started singing "There is Ella's school, Ella's School, Ella's school, There is Ella's school, Ella's school right there," to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb!
Avery is quite complimentary these days and when I wear something she hasn't seen in awhile says, "ooh I yike you new shirt Mommy." or "Oooh, I yike your pretty nails Mommy." So fun hearing all they have to say....

Yikes...I have another toddler!

It official, Addison is a toddler! She walks (sort of), talks (kind of), and is busy toddling about and getting into trouble. When the kitchen door is left open she bee lines it toward the stairs. When the back door is open she speeds toward the basement. She loves finding the bathroom door ajar so she can pull herself up next to the toilet, reach her little hands in and splash around! She now grabs at her sisters toys, would much rather crawl then get strapped into her stroller, and today during breakfast I turned around to find her standing on her highchair tray. I miss my sweet little baby and I'm not sure I'm quite ready for another toddler!

Mother's Day Makes My Monday

I was treated to a wonderful Mothers Day yesterday and that Makes my Monday! I slept in until 8:30 when the kids burst through the door so full of excitement for me to come down and enjoy the delicious breakfast they had been working on. The dining room table was set with our finest china, fresh flowers and a beautiful hand painted banner reading "Happy Mothers Day"! Jim made a delicious baked French Toast Souffle and had a yummy fruit salad and fresh squeezed orange juice to go along with it. There were handmade gifts and cards from the kiddos which I will treasure for years to come. Hubby surprised me with a thoughtful and beautiful silver charm bracelet with each of the kids symbols for charms.

We then went to church as a family and met up with my mom and siblings for brunch. We had a great day together before Jim took the gang to his parents to see NannyLil for Mother's Day.

I am such a lucky mom to get such love on my special day. I am also lucky to have such great mother figures in my life. My mom, grandmother and mother-in-law are all wonderful examples of everything a mother should be. Each nurturing, caring, full of compassion and giving of their time, and so in love with their grandchildren!