your teeth called...

Your breath stinks. Ahh.... gotta love The Office. Since Conner was sick Sunday we missed the new episode of The Office. So I had the pleasure of watching it tonight with Nater. Hilarious! It's by far my favorite show on tv these days. For those of you who don't watch it, you really need to check it out.

Little man is still under the weather. He has a wicked cough that kept him up for a while last night so hopefully tonight will go better. The other 2 are still healthy even though sippy cups and toys are being shared. Still keeping my fingers crossed.

Thanks for all the 'get well' wishes. He's a trooper!

Always the weekend...

The Little Man started coming down with something Friday night and by Saturday morning woke with a fever. By that afternoon it was in the 103's (he always battles fevers) and we gave him some motrin and watched him through the night. His fever never really eased up and by Sunday morning we did the whole "do we, don't we" on whether or not to go to urgent care of wait until morning and try to get in with his doctor. Thankfully we made the choice to go to urgent care. Nathan took him and I stayed with the 2 little ones. Conner had pneumonia 2 years ago and was hospitalized so we are constantly worrying about his immune system. Anyway, once he got in they took xrays, got him hooked up to an iv b/c he was dehydrated, did a breathing treatment and drew blood. It doesn't sound like he was very happy with any of it. Nater said after the iv and breathing treatment the fever came down. The xrays confirmed he had pneumonia in the right lung and after another breathing treatment and the doctors looking things over they decided he could come home and a nebulizer would be delivered to the house that evening so we could do the breathing treatments ourselves. Yeah! Nater dropped of the prescriptions and brought Conner home. It had been almost 4 hours by this point and I had the boys to bed so I was able to hang out with Conner. He kept saying "I was so worried about you mom". He cracks me up. The good news is that he seems SO much better today and has no fever. It's times like these my heart goes out to families with seriously ill children in and out of hospitals. I can't imagine what they must be going through. I'm so thankful for my children's health.

Some favorites...

Here are some photo's that I just uploaded off my memory card from December.

"Daddy's gonna kill Ralphie"

We got a couple inches of snow tonight so hubby took the boys out to play before dinner. They loved it. Here is some video. Reminds me of The Christmas Story with the way Biruk is walking around.

The good stuff...

Conner, our first born, was quite the challenge. His birth was awful and left me barely able to walk or sit. That was followed by a cranky baby with colic who spent most of his days needing to be held, followed by an evening of screaming (mostly 5-10). We used all the tricks - sitting him in a bouncy seat on dryer, swinging him in his carseat, running water (we must have used an insane amount of water those first few months), standing by the dishwasher at nights trying to get him to sleep, you name it - we most likely tried it. I avoided most raw vegetables because it seemed to make the colic worse. My mom (raised 11 kids) was known as the baby whisperer. She didn't stand a chance with Conner. He was quite particular and most of the time only his mama would do. I remember a friend of mine, who used to work in a daycare, said she had never seen anyone so young, know his mother so well. This was at 2 months when he would cry when in the arms of stranger but calm as soon as he was back in my arms. I should have known then that he was going to be unique. And that he is. By 12 months his vocabulary was huge and I talked to the little guy like he was an adult. He has loved books since he was a baby and now I find him sitting in his room, with a stack of books next to him, flipping the pages 1 after another and he says "I'm reading mom". We had a staircase, no gate. The house wasn't baby proofed in the slightest way, but it was never an issue. I told him "no", he looked at me and left it alone. No problem. He's now 3 years old, and other than being incredibly argumentative (which I blame on his intelligence) he is a pretty easy child.

Then came Biruk, baby-proofing is an understatement. There can be NOTHING left in his path. I repeat nothing. You shout "no" and he stares back at you and gets right back to work (be it shoving a cheerio in an outlet or climbing on the bed to get to the dresser - you get the picture). And boy can he climb. And if he can't get to it from the ground he just finds one of the cars or step stools, slides it over and gets what ever he was after. And the stairs. We have the gate at the top and the TWO times we've accidentally left it open, he made is break. Once found on the 5th step down, standing up, staring back up at me. Meanwhile my heart was racing out of control and I'm trying to act calm and cool so he doesn't freak out and fall. His latest and greatest is opening every dresser drawer and pulling all the articles of clothing out. It's a constant challenge figuring out ways to make it more complicated for him. And he graciously accepts those challenges.
(there is a point to this story).

Today I spent the morning organizing Biruk's room and moving Conner in with him. Tonight is their first night together. And normally Biruk falls asleep pretty fast and then we planned on lying Conner down. Well this is their first night and Biruk isn't in the mood to sleep (thanks to late nap) and so I sent Conner in the room and said "quickly crawl under your sheets and go to bed". Fast forward 20 minutes. The conversations coming from that room are hilarious.

Conner: It's okay Biruk-ee, go night night. Do you hear the baby crying (referring to Landon). Can you say baby? Can you say daddy? Huh Biruk-ee
Biruk: bbbllll bbblllluuu (making blowing noises with his lips). Bahh bahhhh....
Conner: Shh... Biruk
Biruk: dddooo doooo (tongue noises again).
(enter dad)
Biruk: DADDY

They are all in their together right now. It should be an interesting night. But I'm hoping after a few nights we will get a pattern down with them and then little Landon can move out of our room, into his own space. Wish us luck!

Report from Dad just now -
He said he shut the lights off, picked up Biruk and sang the abc's (easiest song ever) and he heard Conner say "I like it in here".

There are times I shake my head and say "3 boys - this close together" but in all honesty, I look forward to what lies ahead. I'm hoping Conner's level headed, cautious, caring personality will help to keep the other 2 in line. Otherwise, I'm doomed.

Time for a "date" with the hubby. Ya know the stay at home, popcorn & soda, watching a movie date. Peace out.

Daydreamin...

Last night hubby & I were reminiscing good times we've had at the lake. While trying to find a picture to post for the day I came across this one. Conner was only 9 months old. Apparently we were both tuckered out after a day in the sun. I'm looking forward to taking all the kids to the lake this summer and renting a boat. They will all be over a year so it should be somewhat manageable.

Dreams...

Last night, or rather early this morning (an hour before the kids wake up and I'm finally in REM sleep) I had a rather strange dream. I was back at my old place of employment and had been offered a 2 different positions One of the positions included an office with floor to ceiling windows of this spectacular view with the more serious co-workers. The others involved the goofballs of the company (which would mean I would get nothing accomplished). Anyway, I'm racking my brain trying to decide if it was worth putting the kids in daycare to take this sweet job. I'm walking down the hall and Genevieve (Dear Genevieve from HGTV) was doing all sorts of crazy exercises (apparently she was the fitness instructor). Thankfully I woke up to Landon's cries at that point (before Genevieve made me do some lunges). I laid in bed for a few moments wondering what position I would have taken and where this dream came from. I'm guessing it had to do with the following;

- I watch too much HGTV
- I fantasize about not being a SAHM apparently too often
- I love windows and being able to see the outdoors
- I miss work. I miss using my brain and interacting with other adults
- insert your own thoughts here :)

Better get to bed, not sure what's in store for me tonight in my dream world.

My newest favorite....

Oreo cookies. By themselves, with ice cream, or a glass of milk. They bring me great joy. Yum, yum! Moving on....

All 3 of the kids are in their beds. 1 is sleeping, 1 is reading or playing with cars, and the third is whining. I enjoy moments like this. They are few and far between but when it happens, I love it! The sun is shining, the laundry & dryer are running in the background and dishes need to be done. But I'm happy. I am thankful that my crazy days of strongly disliking (aka hating) being a SAHM are becoming less frequent and I'm getting more of a grip on my life. I think it's mostly a result of Landon becoming a little more independent and not in my arms 24/7. That is a big help. Not to mention the support of my mom & sisters. They listen to me vent and offer their advice. I am grateful for that. And when hubby's workday comes to an end, I have his help. And when bedtime rolls around, and his arms are wrapped around me I forget what I could possibly be upset about. We are blessed.

The thing about motherhood is it changes by the second. In 3 hours I may want to strangle my husband, be pissed at one of my sisters, and the screams of my wee ones may send me running to the laundry room with my hands over my ears. But for now, I'll write about a good moment (and the simple joy a cookie can bring).

My 3 little Jedi's

Whenever we go to Texas to see my sister and her family Conner loves playing with their Star Wars light sabre's . So their gift from Santa this year was just that. And since Landon will be running around in no time it was a good thing he got one too. Here are my 3 little Jedi's.

Just a few things...

I didn't know when deciding to become a mom.

-food and spit up on my clothes, no matter what time of day it is.
-that as soon as I wash and change my sheets, that there would soon be a pee/poop stain
-that I would actually sleep on those sheets b/c I'm too tired to change them
-how much I would dread making dinner every night
-that showers and brushing your teeth become a luxury

but, I also didn't know
-how much I could possibly love these tiny little beings (that cause all of the above)
-how sweet they look when they are sleeping
-how much more I would fall in love with my husband
-how contagious a smile and laugh would be
-that when I lay down in bed at night I would only remember all the good things that day (and forget the majority of moments that made me crazy)

A little cheese...

to go with my whine. With smiles this big, how could I possibly get frustrated with these boys? Wait.... yes I remember now. Maybe because the crayon Biruk was trying to stick in the outlet, or the fact that Landon screams his head off if he's not in my arms or my 3 year olds attempt at wiping his own butt. Nah... it can't be that :)

I love these boys. I really do.

And now they can all bite...

Proof of Landon's 2 new teeth (notice the foaming of the mouth) and a picture to show his droopy eyes from his days of a wimpy naps consisting of a mere 30-45 minutes (that's all day). So tonight he was asleep by 6:15. Poor guy is also fighting a cold. Yet he can still muster a smile and laugh for his mama.

day 4 of 2009

Today I came to the realization that I will not have my cousin (who was visiting from Ohio) or my hubby (who has been on vacation) home this week to help me out with the kids. I found myself getting overwhelmed thinking about everything that needed to be done. Which then made me hate where we live because we are separated from our family by at least one state in between us. Which in turn leads to you feeling fat because you ate too much candy and sweets the last month, which leads to feeling ugly. Oh and so on and so on. Why are my kids so clingy? Why don't they sleep? Ya know, the wah, wah wah thing that I do. But, then I refocus my mind, stare at the sweet little kids and try to get back on track. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

I don't know why I still feel overwhelmed. I was hoping when Landon turned 6 months old things would magically become easier. I wouldn't feel so stressed and overwhelmed. But I was wrong. But it's okay. I do realize all we have to be thankful for and constantly I remind myself of these things. Yet sometimes, you just can't shake it (until of course they are all soundly asleep - for the moment that is).

Just tonight I was reminded of just a few of the many things I'm thankful for:
clean water
hot shower
our warm, cozy home
my hubby (for talking me through my crazy moods)
my kids
my trip to Ethiopia (a constant reminder of so much we have in this country)
internet
fresh air and warm sunshine

The wee one has woken up so I must go now. Happy 2009!!

Little man is so sad...

Last night I told Conner I was taking down the Christmas tree just to warn him so he wouldn't be upset when he woke up. He objected and lucky for him it didn't get done. So this evening I told Conner again. He said "oh mom. I'm so sad that we have to take the tree down". I told him I was too and that we had to because the tree would eventually die b/c I wasn't very good at watering it. Then he proceeded to tell me he was so sad that the Christmas tree had to die. We talked about how sad we both were that Christmas season was going to be over and that we had to take down the tree. He then said "mom, let's listen to Christmas music". A child after my own heart. I love it! The Christmas season passed way to quickly in this home. And I didn't find my Statler Brother's cd until after Christmas (which I'm pretty sure hubby hid from me :)).

However, it's now time to focus for the new year. I am not one to make New Year's Resolutions and this year is no exception. But I do have high hopes for another wonderful year with my hubby and 3 beautiful boys. I wish for health, happiness, memories to be made and most of all an uneventful year with no surprises.

Happy New Year!!

Merry Christmas!!

Hope you are all are enjoying your holiday and surrounded with family & friends. It's just Nater & I celebrating with our boys. Yummy food, watching movies and playing games is what we have planned. What about you?

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Our 1st Snow....

And hopefully not the last. We don't get enough snow to justify snowsuits around here so you'll have to excuse little man's outfit.

Just in time for the holidays...

It has finally happened! Hubby and I just finished packing up 45 ComfyPacks!! We will load them up in the van tomorrow and deliver them on Monday to our local department of social welfare office. Please visit my other blog for all the details (more pictures and excitement). A big Thank You to everyone who helped make this happen.

Slow down, you move to fast...

My littlest of all, baby Landon, turned 6 months old today. I'm not going to lie, the first couple weeks after he was born, I thought this day would never come. And now that it's here, I'm ready for things to slow down. Landon, I love your laid back personality, the way your face lights up when you smile and your contagious laugh. While watching you sleep tonight I realized what a blessing it was this past 6 months that you had to be held or else it was listening to you scream. Had you been any other way, I would have spent so much more time cleaning house instead of getting the cuddle time with you and hanging out with your big brothers. Thank you! You are getting so big Landon. You are starting to sit up by yourself, you are constantly watching your big brothers, and you reach for everything you see. But most importantly, you are such a happy baby; with 2 brothers and parents that adore you. We have realized how lucky we are for things to have turned out the way they did. I have a sneaking suspicion you and Biruk are going to be quite the pair. And Conner smothers you with kisses and tells you just how cute you are and calls you "chunky cheeky". It's quite adorable.

You are 19lbs (a lightweight compared to your biggest brother and a heavyweight champion compared to your bigger brother at this age) and still wearing 6 month (some 9 month) clothing. You don't babble very much but maybe it's because you aren't given the opportunity. You have 4 other people talking over you. We'll have to work on that.

Thanks for being such an easy baby and for constantly reminding me to slow down and enjoy you and your brothers.
love, mama.

Here are some pictures to attest to how stinking cute you are...

Mmm mmm good....

We are still alive and kicking over here. The boys are getting bigger every day and thankfully have only given me ONE gray hair. My sister thankfully yanked it out for me while visiting her in Texas. Currently my nose is filled with the wonderful aroma of pine needles!! LOVE IT!! Today was the day we got our tree (well hubby and Conner b/c it was 30 degrees outside and the wee ones were too cranky to leave the house). But back to the yummy pine needles; they just smell so stinking sweet. I am not sure there will ever come a day that I switch to artificial. I think I would miss the smell too much. Tomorrow the kids and I will put up the lights and hang the ornaments. We have so much celebrating this season. Last year it was just the three of us and the 2008 year has blessed us with 2 more beautiful children! We will not be traveling this year (first time EVER) and instead we are going to spend our time as a family. I can't wait! 2 more weeks. Since I count Christmas eve as the start of Christmas. Happy Holidays!!

Comfy Pack Blanket Success!!

Thanks to all who participated in the Turkey break blanket parties. The turnout was spectacular. My friend Emily and her family sent me 30 blankets. She said her family had a great time and her daughter even ran the sewing machine some of the time :). Then the Colorado clan (sister and her hubby, her sister in law, my brother and my little sister) have made 16 blankets so far!! woohoo! And a big thank you to my mom and 2 of my sisters, my little brother and my dad. We all spent the Saturday after thanksgiving cutting and tying knots and made 24 blankets. My mother in law contributed more soft fleece blankets and some jogging outfits for little kids. And lastly (and not least) was the surprise waiting on the doorstep when I got home from my cousin in Ohio who had shipped 2 adorable fleece tie blankets with the cutest patterns. You all KICK butt and I will post more pictures when I get my other memory card handy. I will keep you all posted!
thanks again!!
Chandra