Spring Break

Spring break is upon us.  Despite the fact that it doesn't quite feel like spring outside.  Nonetheless, we are happy to not have to go to school, and just hang out together all day.  We are busy cleaning up the house, preparing for Dexy's birthday, scouring the internet for homes, and becoming minimalists until we can finally move.   I feel like its been a while since I posted pictures, so here are a few just for fun.

Dexy accessorizes with stickers.  Dex is turning six on Thursday.  I can't believe he is getting so big.

Echo loves baths so much that she'll even take them with her clothes on!  Actually she was just putting her hands in while the tub drained.  She leaned over a little too far and fell in face first.  I'm grateful I was right there and that she didn't drown.  She was super happy about it.

Ivy and Malcolm are having a little tummy time.

Ivy dresses up as a "battle bat" as she calls it.  I don't know what that is, because she made it up, but this is what it looks like.....adorable.

Our little over-achiever Corbin receives the citizenship award once again this year!  (he got one in Kindergarten also, and an academic award in first grade).  He's such an awesome kid.

And finally Malcolm, who just turned six months, takes his first bite of infant rice cereal.  He didn't even gag...Maybe he'll start sleeping through the night now that his tummy will be a little fuller!

Anyway, I hope you all have a good spring break.  I'm looking forward to some sleeping in!

What I could do if...

I've been thinking about all the things I do as a stay at home mom. Lately, not a lot.  I feel so overwhelmed with the kids sometimes that I don't get the house very clean, I don't fold the laundry promptly after it is cleaned, and I don't make the fabulous meals that I envision.  I've been holding two crying, sick babies for the past couple of days, cleaning up a little while they nap, and serve the family thrown together, lame meals, or pick up fast food.  I'm no super mom, but at 5:15 this morning while I rocked my sick little baby boy I realized why.

I don't get enough sleep.

Last night I was finally able to lay Malcolm down at 10:30pm.  At the time I thought, I should go to bed now, to get some sleep before he wakes up again. But I had to finish Dexter's birthday amigurumi before his birthday next week.  So I worked on that instead.  At 12:09am my eyes were burning so I went to bed.  I closed my eyes and literally 3 seconds later Malcolm started to cry.  I spent the next 30 minutes nursing him and getting him to go back to sleep (which isn't easy when he can't breath through his nose).

By 2:15am he was crying again.  This time I rocked him back to sleep because he was not interested in eating, but every time I tried to lay him back down he'd wake up. It was very frustrating.  Another 30 minutes went by before I was back in my own bed.

3:45am more crying. This time I was too tired to try and lay him back into the crib 8 times before success, so I just brought him back to bed with me, and we both fell asleep while he nursed.

5:15am hysterical crying and flailing.  He wanted his pacifier, but couldn't breath with it in, so he was upset.  I rocked him back to sleep....again.  And had my epiphany.  No wonder my house is a mess, the laundry still sits in the basket, and dinner is always disappointing.  I wonder what kinds of things I could get done if I could just get a decent nights sleep....

Someday.  This is my last baby.  The end is in sight.

I can't wait.

Parenting is Hard

Sometimes when I talk to my kids I have to restrain myself from what I really want to say to them.  For example:

Dexter:  (crying hysterically while he talks)  "I bit my finger when I was trying to eat my lunch like cookie monster."

Me: "I'm so sorry, dude.  You should try to be more careful.  Are you okay?" 

  What I want to say: Duh!  What did you think would happen while you shove giant amounts of food into your mouth while chewing all crazy?  You're lucky you didn't pull back a nub!

Ivy: "My mouth feels hot."

Me:  "Do you need a drink?" 

What I want to say: How can your mouth possibly feel hot when you just ate pancakes smothered in syrup.  Just ask for a drink like everyone else.

Me:  "Did you brush your teeth, put on your shoes and go potty?"

Dexter: "You don't have to tell me everyday.  I can do it without you asking me."

ten minutes pass...school time approaches...

Me:  "Did you brush your teeth, put on your shoes and go potty?"

Dexter:  "Oops...I forgot."

Me:  "Well hurry up!  Its almost time to go."

What I want to say: See!!! I freaking knew it wouldn't happen unless I continued to nag you about it.  You'd be hungry, naked and dirty if I didn't remind you to eat, get dressed and wash yourself!

Ahhhhhh....I feel better now that everyone knows that deep down I'm kind of a jerk.

Happy Thursday!

Malcolm is 5 Months

Well he's a little older than that actually, but what can I say.  I have a very busy life these days.  

 Anyway, Malcolm is a totally awesome little baby boy.  He is so happy all the time, which makes things easier.  I can't imagine having a sad baby adding to the chaos of everyday life.  He just started rolling over last week, and now does it constantly and makes himself angry because he keeps flipping to his belly, but doesn't really like being on his belly, but can't roll the opposite way yet, so he's stuck like that until I can help him out.  Its so cute.

He weighs about 16 lbs, which is pretty average if I recall correctly....I can't remember the exact percentile and I'm not going to go search for the paper from the doctor's office.  He seems big to me, but both my girls were always way below average, so maybe I'm just used to smaller babies (The big boys were always at least average or bigger, but they're old now so I don't remember that well).  

He thinks his brothers and sisters are the funniest people alive.  He laughs at them like crazy when they just jump or something....Scott and I have to work super hard for laughs, but the kids walk by and he busts up!  So unfair!

Anyway, we love our little dude.  He's a great addition to our family.  Here are just a couple of recent pictures of Malcolm moo!

I walked away for 2 seconds, and Ivy and Dex decided to decorate him.  He loved it.

Here little Malco laughs at Bonnie (Ivy's favorite doll) while he sucks on his fingers.  (Hey members of my family-do you see the way he has his fingers in his mouth?  Remind you of anyone?  Britteny perhaps?  Luckily it was just a fluke that they were like that.)

Anyway, those are just the pics I had on my phone, my real camera's battery is dead, and I don't want to wait for it to charge.  I'll have to post those pics later.

I think I have Mastitis...

So I think I've done pretty well for myself.  Having breastfed most of our kids (didn't get to nurse Ivy, but she did get the milk that I pumped for her) and not getting mastitis ever...until now.

Yesterday afternoon I noticed some tenderness in my right breast while I was nursing.  It wasn't bad, and I didn't think much of it at first.  But by about 8:30 pm it was pretty painful and I started feeling sick too.  I went to bed at 10pm (which is pretty early for me).  During the night I was freezing!  I got extra blankets, cuddled with my warm baby and tried to warm up, but it wouldn't work.  I finally shivered myself to sleep and woke up at 3:30am soaked in sweat.   I felt terrible and I'm pretty sure I had a fever, so I asked Scott to give me some advil, and then I went back to sleep.

Morning came and I still felt pretty crappy, so Scott walked Corbin to school for me and I lounged around for a while.  Eventually I decided that a warm bath would help loosen up the clog in my breast, so that's what I did.  I noticed my breast had some red streaks across it and I tried to massage out the lumps.  It was painful.   Anyway, that was a few hours ago, and I'm starting to feel slightly better.  I read that Mastitis doesn't always need antibiotics to clear up, so I'm trying to wait it out for a little bit longer, but if I don't start to feel much better soon, I'm going to give the doctor a call.

Stupid mastitis.  Its ruining my day.

iPad Pics round 2

It was like a year ago that I last posted pictures from our iPad.  Well, I think now is a good time to post some new ones. They are so funny.  Most are of the kids, but some have Scott and I, cousins, and friends in them too.  Enjoy!

Warm Weather Makes Me Happy!

It was 57 degrees in Boise today.  57!!!  It was such a great day.  We did not let that sunshine go to waste.  We spent hours outside enjoying it.  We finally took our Christmas decorations down!  I know, I know.  But it started snowing the day after Christmas, didn't stop for a while, then the freezing temps came, then more snow, now its finally mostly melted, so it was a good day for it.  Tomorrow is supposed to bring snow again.  Boo! Anyway, our inflatable reindeer was frozen to the ground....so that was fun!

Here's Scott chipping away the ice, but if you ask me, it looks like they are booty dancing!

 While Scott and I took down lights and chipped away at frozen inflatables, our cute kids, got out bikes, pumped up tires, and had so much fun riding up and down the street for the first time in months, and playing hide and seek outside!  Imagine that!  They also got in some trampoline jumping.  What a great day!

Malcolm and Echo slept through most of the outdoor antics since they took place during naptime.  It was nice for me because I could help Scott with the decorations, and trim our ugly bushes in the front yard.  But just to prove that they are still alive, here are a couple of pictures of their cuteness!  

I really hope the meteorologists are wrong about the snow tomorrow....I might cry at the first sign of snowflakes.