Gargantuan Boy

Happy 1^st Birthday (plus 2.5 weeks) to the first man child in our family! Each of the villains reminds me of God’s awesomeness in their own way, and The Boy being the 4^th child is just another example of how God has perfect timing! The Boy has BY FAR been the crankiest and least content baby… period. I tried finding excuses for it, “When his reflux gets better he’ll be happier because he’ll be more comfortable” “When he can roll over he’ll be happier because he can lay however he wants to” “When he can crawl he’ll be happier because he can play and get around” “When he can walk he’ll be happier because he can play and get around better” but I’m lying to myself, really. He’s getting more independent and more easily distracted, but overall, still cranky. He’s just a needy kinda guy, and that’s ok because I can handle it WAY better now than I would’ve if he had been the 1^st, 2^nd, or even 3^rd kid. I would not have been ready for him before now. God knows what He’s doing people.

At birth The Boy was absolutely gargantuan (hence the title Gargantuan Boy), weighing in at 10lbs 8oz. He kept his gargantuan physique right up until he started walking. Now he’s lost a lot of baby fat and is looking more and more like a boy instead of a baby. He is still keeping his gargantuan height though and was a little over the 98^th percentile at his 1 year well-visit. He comes up to FB shoulder already and she’s even our tallest girl so far! It won’t be long before he’s looking me straight in the eyes, and shortly after I’ll be looking UP to see his face! But if I think about that too much I’ll cry, so moving on.

Mr. and I can already see, even now, how inquisitive he is about the workings of things. He likes putting things in (of everything) and taking things out (of everything), he likes opening and closing, he pokes and prods and points as his little brain figures it out. There is no trashcan lid that can keep him out, nor baby gate that can keep him from turning off his sisters’ movies. He’s a thinker and a doer, and just like the girls, he surprises me every day with his intelligence. Oh, maybe that’s it, maybe his intelligence so surpasses his physical abilities that he’s just frustrated by his limitations! Yep, that must be why he’s always cranky. ;-)

I hope he stays inquisitive and intellectually curious. I’m looking forward to what this new personality brings to our family!

My boy’s first year went by faster than any of the girls ever did. I even tried extra hard to enjoy each and every little moment with him as a newborn knowing it would end too quickly. I tried not to rush through the things that seemed like chores, like diaper changes and baths. I stared at him while he nursed and didn’t mind so much when he preferred to sleep in my arms at night instead of in his crib only two and a half feet away. When he was cranky and uncomfortable from his reflux, I enjoyed him. When he was cranky and uncomfortable from who-knows-what, I enjoyed him (mostly, hehe). Yet no matter how much I tried to hang on to his “babyness”, it still slipped through my fingers.

I guess there’s only one thing left to do… get another one! Ha!


(Mr. Intelligent Man just choked on his coffee)

Catching Up

Our computer (a.k.a my right arm) was dead for about a month. It was awful at first but after I got used to it I actually got some much needed things done around here! I got a few more things sewn, cleaned out some closets, and found more reasons to get out of the house! Blessing in disguise, indeed!

However, there were also some down sides to it. Instead of creating an adorable monster themed 1^st b-day party for Gargantuan Boy, I had to settle for a completely unoriginal, store bought, football themed party (that’s ok, the cuteness will be redeemed next year).  We will also be starting school 3 weeks after I had originally planned. Which stinks but also not awful, I mean, after all, I am the teacher of my own school! Ha!

So this week I have spent oodles of time in front of the computer but for good reason. I am soooo close to being completely ready for school to start on Monday I can taste it! I will be able to finish today for sure! And that feels good! PP will be a 2^nd grader (and has literally been counting down the days until we start again for the past few weeks), Z Girl will finish the Kindergarten she started last year and perhaps start 1^st in January. FB will be doing Pre K when she’s interested, and The Boy will be undoing and ripping up everything we create. We are all very excited!

So now I’m going to (2.5 weeks late) get to writing The Boy’s b-day blog and then laminate some school stuff. My laminating machine is my best friend.

I. LOVE. Laminating.

Here's my pile for today (and I've already done quite a bit before this)!

It feels good to be catching up and hopefully I’ll be able to blog more frequently!

Mr. Intelligent Dad

Happy Father's Day Mr. Intelligent Dad! It's a privilege to have a dad (and husband) who is committed to his family in every way! Our well-being is always your priority and we are blessed to call you ours!
HUGS and KISSES

Here are a few of our daddy/baby memories...

Mr. Dad kissing Prissy Pants. She was about 2 months old here, and yes, that's her real hair!

 Mr. Dad and me checking out our brand new Z Girl. Our first taste of her "I'll do it when I'm ready" personality was the torturously long 2nd stage of labor (hence the slightly comatose mom)!



Mr. Dad teaching Funny Bones to walk, which we would later wish hadn't happened for a few more months! 



Mr. Dad constructing, Gargantuan Boy destroying (and tasting).



Here are a few desktop backgrounds I made for Mr. Dad for Father's Day!



SHMILY!

The Invisible Z Girl

Today my Z turns 5, it's very bewildering to me.

How did we get from here...

to here, so quickly?

This girl is so much like her mom it's unreal! The ONLY difference between Z and myself as a kid is the eye color. Not kidding. She's a carbon copy in appearance AND personality. I love having a kid that's unmistakably mine!

It's really hard to explain her personality to people who don't know her well. She can be as brave as a lion one minute and as fragile as a butterfly the next. She's either on or off. She's always at one end of the spectrum or the other, there is no in between with Z. At home she's chatty, silly, and makes her opinions known! Out of the house she's all but invisible, most people will only hear a simple yes or no from her in response to a question!

Z came at such a special time for us. We endured two miscarriages in the months before our baby Z "stuck" in there. Which is why naming her came so easy, her name means 'life'. God chose to give her life here with us after giving the other babies life with Him. Other hardships had fallen on Intelligent Man and me at that time as well, and her little life gave us something to smile about again! And she was one smiling baby! She's always been so cuddly. Even to this day she'll curl up in your lap and dish out some hugs and kisses that only she can.


She's been doing "school" since she was 1 year old. As soon as I started Pre-K with PP, Z was determined to be involved and has enjoyed every minute of it! I'll never forget when she turned 2 and I was preparing to teach her colors and shapes. I printed them out and hung them up, she immediately walked over and named each and every color and shape I hung. I was speechless! Again the next year when I hung an alphabet poster for her she came right over and named each letter AND the sound it makes. I did it again this year. I was hesitant to start her in Kindergarten, I didn't want to push her too much (and had just given birth and didn't want to push myself). After a few months of being completely bored and doing 6 pages a day (that was all her) in her Big Book of Kindergarten, I finally decided to officially start K with her at 4 1/2 years old. And man oh man, she's blown me away again, though I don't know why I'm surprised. She took to math and reading like it was second nature! She's also been writing for a good year now too. So glad my little villains are taking after Mr. Intelligent Man!


For some reason Z's birthdays have always been the hardest for me. PP is so mature it's easy to see her physically catching up to her mentality, but when Z reaches whatever age PP left not long ago, it's like a dagger to the heart! Now that she's 5 she's lost all her baby fat, those chubby jowls of hers are gone and she's all skin and bones. She can now wear clothes from the "big girl section" too. *sigh* I'm so looking forward to seeing her grow and watching to see if she stays in such a likeness to me or if she takes off in another direction. Either will be fun to experience. Thank you Lord for my Invisible and Incredible Z Girl!

I'm a Lazy Bum!

You see this adorable, Minnie Mouse themed, Happy Birthday banner? I made that! Yup, complete with Disney font and Minnie Mouse heads. Isn't it cute? I thought so, too... for a while. Funny Bones' 2nd birthday was back in November, 6 1/2 months ago, and I took this banner down from our kitchen wall yesterday. YESTERDAY! After a while I just didn't notice it anymore. I seriously didn't notice it, it just became one with the wall. In the last 6 1/2 months the thought of taking it down crossed my mind maybe 4 times.

I'm a lazy bum.

But it's finally down!

And has been replaced with this one I made for the big girls slumber party tomorrow!

If it weren't for the Boy's 1st b-day coming up in August, this banner would probably last just as long as the other one. But soon it will have to make way for a more macho banner (I'm really looking forward to giving the boy thing a try, it'll be a first for me)!

I do so solemnly swear to try harder at getting these things down in a timely manner and to not be a lazy bum.



Madame Prissy Pants

Two days ago my oldest child turned 7 years old. SEVEN! I've been a mom for 7 years! It just seems impossible to me that we've come this far. If I'm this blown away about 7 years, I can't imagine how I'll feel when we hit double digits! The years that have gone are what stun me, the actual age doesn't, if that makes any sense. From the moment she was born she has been beyond her years (or, er, moments). As a baby she always seemed like an old soul. Content, quiet, observing the world without much expression at all. She was, well, bored. At least when we watched her watch us, she seemed bored. Our futile attempts at making her smile and laugh were met with an "are you serious?" look from our small baby girl. It wasn't that she was an unhappy baby, she rarely fussed at all, she was just serious... or mature as we liked to say.
Today she is a fun-loving girl, passionate and COMpassionate. Still, she has hung on tight to that old soul over the years. She's always had a deeper understanding and awareness of situations and surroundings than what her age would normally produce. She wants to know and learn things that sometimes I'm not sure I'm ready for her to know! I let God guide me in what I explain to her and what I tell her is for talking about in the future. If we discuss the topic further, whether it be about God, an event in the Bible, death, or girl/boy matters, she listens intently (you can really see those gears turning up there) and once I've explained everything I can (or am willing to) she's happy and ready to move on to the next subject. If I tell her the topic is something we need to save for when she's older, she's always said "OK" and moved on without any complaints. She's always been so easy to converse with, and I hope it stays that way!
She is an incredible big sister. She's always so willing to help and often "helps" without my permission! She will make one terrific mommy some day! I am honestly a better mommy to the 3 younger ones having PP here with me. She's taught me so much about being a mom. What is important and what isn't. I just wish she didn't have to be the "guinea pig" for us at each new stage. But God has made her a strong and loving girl, and she is quick to forgive us when we've messed up. She's a babysitter and an entertainer when I need her to be. She's a maid, a paperweight, a closet rod, a fetcher of items, a cook, a teacher, and many other things when I need her help, and she's always so happy to help out. Unless it's a chore of course!
I've found in the last few months she's getting to the age we can really connect on a new level. We can share interests (she wants a sewing machine!) and find things in common. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm looking forward to her getting older! I'm looking forward to this new phase in her life!
Thank you Lord for my amazing oldest daughter! He knew exactly what He was doing when He put us together!

Death by Chocolate and a Half Birthday

If we had a choice in the way we left this world behind, mine would definitely be death by chocolate - if there were such a thing. Yesterday evening the girls helped me make the greatest chocolate cupcakes in the history of cupcakes (at least at our house). We added chocolate pudding to the mix to make them extra moist, sprinkled mini chocolate chips on top, then iced them in chocolate icing! Mmmmmm! You can't see the chocolate chips in the picture, but they are most definitely there! When Intelligent Man took his first bite I think he choked on the richness. He said it was chocolate overload. PULEEEEASE! Men just can't hang when it comes to chocolate.

A bit before that, while icing them, The Man walked up behind me and asked what the occasion was. "Ummmm..." I replied. I was quickly scanning my brain for an appropriate answer, I never stopped to think that I needed a reason for indulging myself, but to justify the baking I searched for an answer. I blurted out, "It's the boy's half birthday tomorrow!" and then smiled. And it's ok that he can't enjoy the sweets, because this celebration is actually mine! I'm the one who (completely naturally) hiked a 10 1/2 lb mass of chunky little boy from my gut, so I deserve all the celebration I can handle! I'll have my cupcake and eat it too! I may even inhale one while no one is looking so I can eat another one later, without getting the "Are you seriously having another one?" look, piercing my face. Mwahahaha! So all you health nuts go ahead and scoff - meanwhile I'll be sitting on a cloud in sweet tooth heaven! Mmm, chocolate bliss!

Oh, yes, and happy HALF birthday to my son! I can't believe it's already that time, the girls first 6 months didn't go by nearly this quickly! Here's a yummy treat for you - feast your eyes on this hunk of a beautiful male, all 19lbs 10.5oz of him!



A week away

I decided to take a week away from Facebook last week and direct my attention elsewhere. I have some big plans in the works involving our home life and needed to give myself a big kick in the right direction. First off, organization (or RE-organization in some cases). There are way too many "hot spots" in this house, you know, the places where all the junk without a home ends up. Those places needed to be cleared of clutter and the inhabitants relocated to a real place of their own. I made plans to join in the 21 day organizing challenge over at A Bowl Full of Lemons, and I did - I just didn't do it in the same way. I am by no means finished with this quest, I have more boxes, bins, baskets, and shelves to buy to finish up the other half of this mountain of a project. And some of the things on the challenge list didn't exactly apply to me so I varied slightly. I also have a lot of things already in some sort of order and just needed to give it a facelift. So, just to show you what I have done so far, here is the first half of what I've accomplished! I think I'll list them by rooms instead of in the order they were done.


KITCHEN:

First up, the junk drawer (or the one in the kitchen anyway). This drawer is barely big enough for all that we need in it so I could only organize it so much, but you gotta admit, it looks way better than it did before!

Then, under the kitchen sink. I have no idea why, but there were empty cleaning bottles under here. Can you say lazy? Ugh!

The pantry! In all of these places, the rules were to take EVERYTHING out, clean the space then refill in a more organized manner. And obviously when it comes to food, throw away what's expired!

The refrigerator - I think I was looking forward to this one the LEAST, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. Yay!

 

The freezer. This was easier than the fridge, perhaps because it's only a fraction of the space!

The spice cabinet. Embarrassingly there was a lot to throw away in here too. I really had to fight with that shelf to get it in there, but I was determined and I won! Much better, right?

SCHOOL ROOM:

The computer desk is in our school room. Most of what is piled here is school stuff (which I have yet to get to, I need another shelf first), so I cleared off all the school related things and will try to keep this desk just for computer related things. It won't be easy to do since it shares a room with our school, but I WILL try! Hopefully I can get that shelf and get to the school stuff very, very soon!!

MASTER STUFF:

Heading into my bedroom we come to the dresser and chest of drawers. On the challenge she cleaned and organized the clothes inside, my clothes are already separated and folded so I tackled the craziness on top!

And the last thing on the list for today is the laundry room, which is right next to our bedroom. This space just needed a good wipe down, and it got it! Now everything looks white again!

So like I said before, I need more bins, and boxes to finish up the other things on my list, and it will be coming soon! Here are a few of the spaces I plan on conquering this week: under our bathroom sink, the master closet (scary!), the mail, the medicine cabinet, and my pots, pans, mixing bowls etc. Here is the list of things I will get to after that, as long as I can get the tools I need: keepsakes, pictures, the play room, the school room, and my sewing closet. There, so now that you all know what's coming you can keep me accountable!