Balmy

We are being spoiled this week with a spell of warm weather.  Daily highs have reached almost 60 degrees and the snow is a-melting!  Michael, Ellen, and I have coasted around the block after lunch and my baby boy loves crawling around the deck in the sunshine.  Spring/summer (baseball!) jammies have even replaced footie pj's this week.  

Jude told me that Punxsutawney Phil was wrong and spring is here.  He also requested his summer shorts and tees be placed in his dresser while he was at school today.  (He hasn't checked the forecast for next week.)  Yesterday after school he changed into shorts and a T-Shirt, but left his dark socks on with his summer attire.  I'm hoping he looses those when summer officially arrives...  

11 Months!

This sweet boy is 11 months old! 

Passes the Time: Loves to look out the window.  The view here is snow snow snow snow.  Especially loves watching older siblings playing in the snow.  

Favorite Family Member: Jude!  Daddy is becoming a close second.

New Favorite Posture: Kneeling!  A lot!  Propped up on anything he can find and even on his own! We lowered the crib a few weeks ago because of his new trick.  

Also Seen: Crawling on all fours as opposed to his fastest method of transportation, the army crawl. 

Sleeps: Morning nap and afternoon nap.  (And I love that both are uninterrupted on snow days!) Usually up once around 1AM to nurse during the night.  

Favorite Foods: Loves noodles, especially spaghetti.  

Entertainment: Likes to "dance" to music.  Loves to clap.  Can do "SO BIG!"  

Loves to: Snuggle.  Especially in the morning and after naps.  Such a sweet sweet boy.  

I can't believe we will celebrate his 1st birthday next month!  

10 MONTHS!

I cannot believe this baby boy is 2 months away from his 1st birthday!  It seems like it was just yesterday I was starring down at my big belly wondering when he was going to make his debut!  Michael has been a bit more daring lately and is starting to pull himself up onto the bottom step and has also made his way into the cabinets more than once.  And so the "fun" really begins!

And his fans love his "model" pose...

Weight: 23 lbs., 2 oz.

Height: 29 inches

Eating: Thinks he is a big boy eating more table foods and feeding himself.  Especially loves breakfast time.  (Maybe because he is perched in the high chair with a good view of the morning action.)

Starting to enjoy: Books, especially ones with "touch and feel" pages.

Newest feat: Going from an army crawling to sitting position on his own.

Latest accomplishment: Growing more hair.  Mostly on the sides and over his ears sporting a bit of a Bozo the Clown do.

Disposition: Still very sweet and always snuggly.

Thanksgiving Long Weekend In Review

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  

Both Clare and Jude donned Native American apparel for their respective Thanksgiving play and Thanksgiving feast to start off the long weekend.  

We put our Christmas tree up on Friday, but not before cutting out all 1000 lights on our pre-lit tree. That was an all-day event in itself.  As we were nearing the end of that ordeal I began to wonder if the time we had "saved" by the ease of the pre-lits in years past was catching up to us in the time we spent cutting out the lights...   

We have our hay and manger out for Advent.  (Ellen is especially excited about this and has already put ALL of the hay in the manger several times.)

And she was very pleased with her seasonal Sunday best yesterday and asked Ryan, "Just how gorgeous do I look!?"  (She also wanted to show her puffy slip to the man and son behind us at Mass.  Thankfully she asked me first and was told no.)  

Happy December!

Happy Advent!

8 Months!?!?!

Our sweet Michael turns 8 months old today.  

8 MONTHS OLD!  He is getting too old too fast!  

Nickname: Bubbs.

Eats: Still nurses, but eats solids like no other baby I have ever had!  He especially likes peas, green beans, and bananas.  

Latest achievement: Mastering the army crawl!  He made his way into the kids' bathroom the other day and tipped over the trash for the first time.  

Newest talent: Clapping!  

Teeth: 4 - 2 on top and 2 on bottom.

Says: "Da-da" and "Juuu" (I'm pretty sure that means Jude!)

Diaper size: Yes, that's a 4.  

Life of a Kindergartener

Yesterday was the first day back to school after a nice relaxing week off for fall break.  (I look forward to not packing lunches for 5 glorious days!)

Jude, who his teacher described as a "sponge" during his parent-teacher conference, was soaking it all up again today and was a wealth of knowledge for me after school...

With a real meteor he found in our yard.

"This kindergartener girl found a feather at recess and she told me that when she finds a feather she checks to see if it has rabies by licking it."  (gag)

"The secret at my table is that Mrs. 'G' (classroom aide) dances with gorillas."

7 Months!!

Somehow Michael is 7 months old today!  He continues to be a very laid back and pleasant boy, although I've seen better sleeping habits from him....

Weight: 22 pounds

Teeth: 4

Favorite Solid Food: Bananas

Naps: Around 9AM and noon/12:30

Size: 6 - 12 months

Mobility: Scoots and rolls to get around, gets on all fours and rocks.

Grabs: Ryan's glasses, my necklaces.

Loves: Jumping in the exersaucer, swinging on the swing set, and will still sit in the bouncer seat, that then almost sits on the floor.

Love this boy!

Happy Hour

A day in the life of...after school edition.

3:15 - Pull into garage.

3:16 - Unbuckle, unbuckle Ellen, carry Michael in the house.

3:17 - Realize Ellen has boarded a bike and is riding to the neighbors.

3:18 - Door to the house remains open to every fly in our city as Clare and Jude walk in.

3:19 - Clare tosses her backpack/lunchbox on the island and heads upstairs to get changed out of her uniform.

3:21 - Jude comes in the house in his socks, which are wet from his lemonade that spilled in the car.  (Thank goodness for good car mats.)  His shoelaces were undone when he walked out of school, so he just took his shoes off in the car.  And left them there.  Along with his backpack, lunchbox, and drink thermos.

Jude asks for pumpkin bread for a snack.

I tell Jude to take his socks off and put them in the washer.

3:22 - 3:24 - Jude entertains Michael with his 2 wet socks for several minutes.

3:24 - Jude asks for pumpkin bread for a snack.  

I unload lunch boxes and disassemble drink thermoses and water bottles.

Remind Jude to put socks in washer.

Ellen strolls in with the flag from the yard being sprayed earlier in the day.

Wash Ellen's hands, throw flag away.

Load drink thermoses in dishwasher, remove straws to be hand-washed.

3:32 - Clare comes downstairs dressed and starts homework.

3:34 - Jude has retrieved backpack from car and shows me his new book from the library "The New Baby" by Mercer Meyer.

3:35 - Mix cereal up for Michael who is getting fussy.  I know he is hungry, but if I feed him cereal now in the high chair I can monitor homework in the kitchen.

3:38 - Jude asks for pumpkin bread for a snack.

Empty Jude's backpack.  He has already started on his "Family Homework" that is due Friday and requires one action a night.  He is drawing a rug as something at home that is the shape of a square.  He asks how to spell rug and writes "R-U-D."  I say it's a "g" not a "d."  He erases and corrects the paper to read "rug."

3:42 - Clare helps feed Michael.  Now she needs me to quiz her on the spelling portion of her phonics.

3:43 - Listen to Clare read and spell her phonics.

3:49 - Ellen is in the junk drawer.  She sees a Santa PEZ dispenser and wants the princess one.  I tell her it's in her room.  She settles on playing with princesses from a game in the coat closet.

3:52 - Continue feeding Michael.  Clare needs timer set for her nightly math facts drill.  Find phone, set stopwatch.    

3:53 - Find word list in Jude's folder that he needs to read for homework.  He reads 10 words!  I'm amazed!  I'm proud!  I glance over at Michael in the high chair and realize someone left his bowl of cereal on his tray and he has dumped! it! all! over!  Stop stopwatch for Clare.

3:57 - Get Michael out of high chair and wash him off.  Remove his pants that didn't survive the cereal dump.

3:59 - Review Clare's math fact sheet - 100% in 1 minute, 32 seconds.  Initial her paper.  Initial her phonics.  Initial her assignment book.  Initial Jude's calendar.  Make sure all papers have made it into correct folders.

4:03 - Nurse Michael.  Quiz Clare on her vocabulary for her Friday test.  Ellen is getting the full pitcher of lemonade out of the fridge.  Ask someone! to help her!

4:08 - Michael is done.  Pour Ellen lemonade in her specifically requested La La Loopsy cup.

Realize Ryan will be home in about an hour and thank the crock pot gods that dinner is 99% done and wonder if it's too early to pour a glass of wine...  

6 Months Old

Michael officially reached the 6 month mark...I can't believe he's half-way to being 1 year-old!  

celebrating Ellen's birthday

Moves: Rolls, scoots, arches back, kicks, wiggles.

Latest Accomplishment: 3 new teeth!  He cut his bottom 2 and is p-a-i-n-f-u-l-l-y working on his top 2 teeth.  And has already figured out how to grind those itty bitty teeth together.  

Sleeps: Still likes to nap 3 times a day.  

Diet: Wasn't too sure about cereal the few times he has tried it.  

Hangs out: In the exersaucer or any place he has a good view of the action.  (He liked watching football this weekend!)

Favorite Toys: Starting to broaden his horizon and reach for "big kid" toys.  Likes to "play" Transformers with Jude.  Also was found with R2D2 this weekend.

Talks: Babbles a lot!  Says "Da-da."

Disposition: Still very pleasant although his teeth can quickly turn his mood.

The Things He Says Bonus Edition...

At the grade school open house when he saw the computer lab for the first time:

"Hey, it's like an army of computers!" 

Thoughts on the flies that came in the house one night when people were in and out and in and out and in and out and...

"Don't put the dead flies in the recycling or they'll turn alive again!"

And Clare's thoughts on what was in the Roku box (the size of a baby shoe box) we recently got:

"It might be a puppy in there!"  

Speaking of Clare, she has become quite the reader and writer!  Here's a journal entry I love that she wrote on her own a few days before school started...  

I love that she "wrote this by heart!"  

FIVE Months

I know it sounds extremely cliche to say it, but I can't believe Michael is already 5 months old!  He's getting too big too fast.  I feel like he was itty bitty for a day and since then has been a big boy.

He's not so sure about the "applesaucer" (as Jude refers to it), but still loves the bouncer seat.  Although now he has to be buckled because he's rolling all over and over and over.

He is the best nighttime sleeper I have ever had and slept ELEVEN straight hours the other night.  (I did not know this skill was possible at this age...)

He's discovered he has a voice and it's sweet to hear him babbling to himself or one of his admirers.

He was a champion in the car on our l-o-n-g drive to Destin.

His belly laugh is contagious, specifically when he's being tickled on any of his chins or thighs.

He is a very easy and sweet baby boy!

Destin 2013

We enjoyed a week of rest and relaxation (as much as possible when traveling and vacationing with 4 children!) last week in Destin, Florida.  The kids love the "squeaky" white sandy beach, and I'm a pretty big fan, too.  It was great to spend time with family, especially aunts, uncles, siblings, and cousins that don't live nearby.

Hang ten!

Looking for seashells.

Bathing beauty.

Grandpa treated us to a Pirate cruise on Tuesday and Clare and Jude had a blast!  

Jude wanted to keep his mustache for the whole week.  

He is the sweetest and most laid-back baby I've ever had!

Just the 6 of us!

Michael was a trooper in the car.  I'd have 100 babies if they all traveled as well as he did!  And now I'm somehow back to the reality that is Laundry even though our house had a washer/dryer...  

All worth it, though!

Living with a Bookworm

This summer we have been heading to the library on Mondays and stocking up with new books for the week. That means Clare can be found with a book in her hands the rest of the day. And then every morning after she eats breakfast. And always at night reading in bed. And many times in between. She brings books in the car, will read at the pool, and buddies up with Jude on the couch to read to him. We were so proud of the progress she made in 1st grade, graduating onto chapter books and her proficiency continues to improve right along with her love of books. It's a joy to watch her enthralled in a new book, soaking up every word and eagerly turning each page. I hope her love of reading only continues to deepen!

The Things He Says...

(We love our Best Guy.  I cringe that he loves his summer mohawk...)

As he is getting his nails cut: 

"I wish my fingernails were long so I could turn off the light from my bed."

A few minutes after lunch: 

"I can feel my food going into my esophagus now."  

(Ed. note:  Confirmed over-exposure to "The Magic School Bus Inside the Human Body."

When told to come out of the rain because it's starting to thunder and lightening and it's not safe:

"Because I've been a really good son?"

4 Months!

Where is the time going??  Can't believe sweet Michael turned 4 months old yesterday...although I'm pretty sure I said the same thing when he turned 3, 2, and 1 months...

Hobbies:  Big smiles.  All the time.  Any time.  Also starting to babble more and more.  

Means of Transportation: Scoots backwards on his back by pushing his heels into the floor.  Gains speed when angry.

Recent Accomplishments: Rolled over from front to back TWICE.  (Although I missed it both times because I was treating Princess Ellen to an evening bowl of Fruit Loops.)    

Loves: To hold toy rings.

Wears: Size 3-6-9 month.

Sleeps: 3 naps a day.  And nice big 6 hour stretches at night.  I've hit the jackpot the 4th time around!

PS - Jude at 4 months after his first haircut!  (Just so happens they are sporting the same stripes.)  Michael must not have inherited the thick-hair gene...  

And don't forget to enter the current Firmoo giveaway here!

Who Wore It Best?

Outfit size 9 months.

Jude at 15 months

vs.

Michael at 3 months

(Linking up with Dwija.)  

Don't forget to enter my giveaway here.

Throwback Thursday

Kickin' it with Cari today for Theme Thursday: "Black and White."

I have a few favorite black and white pictures of my kids (these both just happen to be of my girls).

I love this one of Ellen on the deck at the OBX in 2011.  

(Picture by my sister-in-law Rosemary.)

And these of Clare way back when...  She was just learning to walk and standing up at the window was a favorite activity.  Things were much quieter and days were a lot slower then! 

Happy Thursday! 

The Things He Says...

On a recent stay at my parents' house, their front porch was being rebuilt and the men working on it told Jude they were also firefighters.  When they asked what job his dad does, Jude told them:

"My dad makes money."

Clare, Jude, and Ellen are occupied with paint sets.  Jude eagerly tells us what he has made:

"I'm painting throw up!"

I hold up a pair of camouflage cargo shorts (i.e. not elastic-waist/drawstring athletic shorts) for Jude to wear.  His response:

"Those pants are too church-able."

Public service announcement by Jude while I'm making dinner using crescent rolls:

"When dough is dry it's called crust." 

He definitely keeps us on our toes!

Happy Monday!

Five Favorites

Linking it up over at Hallie's with my five favorites right now...

1. Michael's new baby blanket.  It was a gift for his baptism and has become his "tummy time" blanket.  Of course the handsome lad on the blanket is also a favorite of mine. :) 

2.  Granola.  I was in a breakfast funk and granola has been my cure.  I made this homemade granola last week and it was really good.  (Thanks McSisters!)  And surprisingly enough a store brand's "granola with almonds" has also been really good.  Clare and Jude have also joined the granola bandwagon.

3.  Dry shampoo.  Why I've only just tried this stuff out is beyond me.  I blow dry my curly hair and once the summer heat kicks in (which it has!) it's never fun to be standing under the hair dryer for 15 minutes.  

image

4.  The pool.  As I mentioned summer temps are here and the pool keeps us all sane.  And wears us all out! 

I'm talking about the real pool, but couldn't resist this throw back of Clare!

5.  Arts and crafts.  Clare, Jude, and Ellen have been keeping themselves busy the past few days with paints, crayons, markers, "fun" scissors, and stamps.  I always enjoy seeing what they create!

Head over to Hallie's for more...