Christmas Photo Dump

Really it's for the Grandparents. It's a weak effort but when you consider what I have done since Emery was born (oh, you mean you didn't know about her because I never blogged that baby #4 actually arrived? yeah, she's almost 14 months old now.) it's quite an improvement.

So, here is our December in not particular order with no explanation.

I tried.

Christmas Eve

The title of the post pretty much says it all.

There are four of them.

I have no expectations when I attempt to take a group picture.

What are the odds?

Really, what are the odds that I would be inspired (i.e. temporarily insane) to take my four children to the zoo on my own in the first place? I wasn't completely on my own though. I did go with a friend and her three children.

But seriously, what are the odds that as soon as we let the three two year olds out of their strollers that a zookeeper would inform us that a monkey had gotten loose and we would have to evacuate the zoo. Fortunately as we were headed to the gate they decided to let people into the carousel and gave free rides to pass the time while everyone waited. And I'll admit, I did find it amusing to be on the inside of the zoo receiving updates from the workers; they had him cornered, he wouldn't go back in on his own, they would have to "dart" him. Come on though, what are the odds?

Fall Festivities

October was basically pumpkin patch mania with a little candy gathering at the end. I think I was the only one that really felt the mainia. Three seperate pumkin patch trips was almost more than I could handle but the kids had fun and that's what is important. Right? (If I keep telling myself that I may actually go to one next year.)



First, Ella had a preschool trip to The Farm. She survived the hay maze, pet a kitten, journeyed to the fields via tractor, picked a pumpkin, watched a pig show and ate an ice cream bar in the freezing cold.




Eli got to come too. (I thought that he would enjoy seeing himself in this picture but I can't get him to believe that it's not his friend Calvin. There is no winning with a one year old.)

Next, we took our traditional family trip to Craven Farms. We ate kettle corn, visited the animals, played on the farm and picked out our pumpkins. We were lucky enough to visit on a beautiful day.

Finally, I was a chaperone for Emilia's kindergarten class trip to The Farm. She rode a school bus for the first time, survived the hay maze, pet a rabbit, journeyed to the fields via tractor, picked a pumpkin, ate ice cream in the freezing cold, watched a pig show and the duck race. Then refused to ride the bus back to school with the rest of her class and rode back to the school with me.
We put our pumkins to good use by cutting them up. Emilia loved every minute of it. Ella wanted nothing to do with it. And Eli was beyond disgusted to discover what the inside of a pumpkin looks like.

Emilia removing the pumkin guts.

Eli the spectator.

Ella avoiding the pumkins completely. She did want to show off her chosen pattern.


Our little witch, cat and dragon collected far more candy than I will ever allow them to eat but had alot of fun doing it. We Trick or Treated with friends and even let Eli out of the stroller. He caught on quite quickly at one point running up to a door to get "mo cani".

Eternal Sunshine of the 5 Year Old Mind

Background: A couple of months ago I was driving in the van with the kids. The bar exam was soon to be in the past and we were looking to leave apartment managing behind.



Emilia: Our van is really big. We could sleep in here.

Me: Sure.

Emilia: It's OK if we don't find a house. We could just sleep in our van. We're really lucky that we have a van that we can sleep in.



That's every parents dream. Graduate from college. Daddy goes to law school. Live in a van.

All I Want For Christmas. . . .

She may have lost her two front teeth, but never fear, she received replacements at her school's Fall Festival on Friday.

Quick Update

So, I've neglected blogging a bit lately. Here is what we've been up to. Fletcher studied for the bar exam. Who knew something could make him busier than working full-time and attending law school. He also decided to apply for a LLM program at UW (one more year of school) to which he was accepted. By the time the bar exam was over we decided that we were finished with school. He can always go back to school for an LLM. By the way, he passed the bar. It really is over.

Here is what the rest of us did.

Ella finished preschool for the school year.

Later that same day, Emilia finished preschool-forever.

Eli stopped grunting like a caveman in order to communicate. He then developed his own language that we've been trying to master. He has finally begun to convert to English, i.e. airplane is no longer bama it is now ah-pane. He did become a huge fan of Barack Obama (Baka Bama) during the campaigns and I think he just didn't feel right yelling bama at planes any more.

Roller skates were made.

As well as knee pads.

Surprisingly, no bones were broken.

We hit Diego Live once more. Yes, you would think I would have learned the first time.

Eli became an artist. While he enjoys painting, he seems to prefer his creations be in ink and on the wall.

We moved! We gained a third bedroom, a fenced in backyard and left an apartment management job behind. No tears shed over the loss.

Emilia began kindergarten.

Many tears have been shed on both our parts.

Ella began preschool.

No tears shed. Quite surprising since she cried every day (and I am not kidding when I say every day) last year.

I resumed my role as full time chauffeur.

Emilia turned 6!

And child #4 is on the way. I intended to blog about this months ago but since I haven't blogged in months. . .

We have been told it's a girl. But after two strikeouts with Emilia and Ella, I've become a "see it to believe it" girl when it comes to ultrasound predictions. I am due on Thanksgiving day. Two days after Eli's 2nd birthday. Since the first three came early I've been counting on this baby to come a little early as well. And I am fully aware that I am setting myself up to be in a really bad mood the week of Thanksgiving by possibly giving myself false hope.

Grocery Shopping With Daddy

Let me just say that a trip to the grocery store is so much more enjoyable when it isn't just me and the kids. If I am going to do the awful chore, I might as well have someone to keep me company, other than the three tornadoes I bring with me.

Fletcher's reaction to the experience: "Are they always like this?"

No. They don't always do "ballet" moves as they maneuver the isles. And no, I don't let Eli out of the cart to walk halfway through the trip. There is usually no joy to our trip. I rarely have a smile on my face. Usually, through clenched teeth, I am issuing threats in an attempt to keep the girls from destroying the store and am doing everything to keep Eli from escaping the useless seat belt on the cart. And by the end Eli is screaming his head off because I am shoving him back into the cart wondering if I can get that belt any tighter and the girls have apparently gone deaf because they don't hear anything I say to them.

If he thinks tonight was bad, he really should take them grocery shopping on his own.

My Little Gumby

We have been making up for lost time by cramming every activity possible into Fletcher's first week out of school. Is is sad when you feel like you are on vacation because your husband is only working 40 hours a week? So, on Memorial Day we hit the aquarium and Emilia hit the bin of scuba diving gear.

Getting a little help from Daddy.

Here she is! Our little scuba girl! Thanks to "Finding Nemo" Emilia and Ella spent a period of time thinking divers were evil.

Down she goes.

And she's not getting up.

This is better.

At Fletcher's Request

For the most part Fletcher doesn't say much about what I post on our blog but yesterday he was congratulated on his graduation by someone who had read it on our blog. Now that he realizes that people (it's really not many) actually read our blog he told me he wishes I hadn't made my "take that" comment, essentially throwing it in the face of the full-time students that my husband was able to graduate Magna Cum Laude while working full-time and having a family. So, if you happen to browse the graduation post, please skip that part. Fletcher would appreciate it.



*Sorry honey. I can't help myself. You are amazing and I have to brag about it. At least I admitted it was bratty.

Introducing. . . .

The newest addition to our family!


And if you don't think I welcomed this baby with open arms, you haven't been scared to death waking up at three in the morning to a one year old staring at you or put the little dear back to bed five times in 15 minutes.

It's arrival was not a moment too soon. My only mistake was ordering it online rather than giving in to instant shopping gratification. While Fletcher was in St. Louis for work last week, his darling children (in cases such as this they belong solely to him) decided to wage war against mommy each and every night at bedtime. It would seem logical that if you spent three hours getting out of bed, for the most part they took turns, and staying up until ten and getting up at seven in the morning, and sometimes visiting mommy at three in the morning (not just Eli) you wouldn't have the energy to do it again the following night. You would think that, but you would be oh, so wrong. What's more perplexing (i.e. infuriating) is that since Fletcher has been home, other than a quick visit from each girl tonight, we have not heard a sound out of them after they have been put to bed and Eli has slept through the night every night. Let me not forget to tell you (complain about) how Eli got up one night at 2:45 and didn't go back to sleep until after 4:30.

I love my Original Cozy Crib Tent. Eli was so excited to try it out. He laughed, jumped up and down in his bed and put on a show for his sisters, then screamed "mama, stuck!" for about 45 minutes. And while Fletcher was sending me pictures of his view of the St. Louis Arch from the Cardinal's game (he has a rough job), I sent him one of my beautiful tent. Yes, it is mine because apparently we have no use for it when he is at home. And no, I'm not bitter at all.

Chocolate Fondue = Messy Baby

Warning: This blog post contains far too many pictures. Unless you are a grandparent, you may need to look away.

So, the baby of the family gets all the attention because he wasn't the only one dipping fruit in chocolate. Although, he was the only one not allowed to reach across the table and dip into the fondue pot. We may give Eli sharp, poky objects to stab his fruit with but we try to keep him away from the flame. And when I say we, I should actually say me. Fletcher was vocalizing is disapproval. (Once again I can feel that mother of the year award slipping from my grasp.)

Lovin' the chocolate. He is definitely my kid.

Finally, his own stick. He knew he was missing out on the true experience. And you can see he actually had some fruit to go with that chocolate.

I don't know what he is doing here but I think he would have gone in face first if her weren't buckled in.

Licking the plate is much easier.

In reality, I think he got more chocolate on his body than in his mouth. He certainly wasn't successful at getting it to stick to the fruit.

Clean baby! I was told I wasn't allowed to buckle him out of his chair until he was clean but a washcloth sure wasn't going to get that boy chocolate free.

It Happened! (a while ago now)

You see that ticker at the top of this blog? It used to be counting down but not anymore. Yes, Fletcher has graduated!

There's my amazing husband. I still don't know how he did it. He's spent the last four years working full time and going to law school part time. He has changed jobs twice, once to work for Boeing and then a new position within Boeing. A year and a half ago he welcomed his third child into the world, two weeks before finals and managed to get the best grades of any that semester. And it wasn't because he was slacking on Daddy duty, poor guy got far too little sleep for someone who's entire semester grade depended on one exam. With all the time he had to spend with work and school he definitely managed to put his family first.

(Working from home a month ago during a week of rotating stomach bug. Fortunately he was spared infection.)

On top of all that, he also managed to graduate Magna Cum Laude. Take that all you job-free, spouse and child free, full time students. Ok, that was a little bratty.

So, here is the big day. I was worried that we would freeze sitting outside but we (meaning those of us not graduating) were able to enjoy one of the few beautiful days this spring. Poor Fletcher was stuck in sitting directly in the sun wearing thick black robes. I couldn't help but look at the other side of the stadium and wonder why they couldn't have set us up along the first baseline instead of the third. See all of that shade? I can't complain. I was sitting in the shade. Then again, when does it ever hit 80 degrees before noon in Seattle (other than those random days in August).

If you can't tell, because really, who can, Fletcher is being hooded. He's the guy in the black robe.

And despite dying of heat stroke, he humored us for a quick post-graduation photo sesssion.

Congratulations Fletcher! Although Emilia and Ella couldn't understand why you would want to miss the Cheese Festival, I know they are proud of you, in their own way.

Sabbath Meditation

Yes, I know that my time during Sacrament Meeting should be spent listening to the speakers, pondering their message and discovering how it can apply to and better my life but it just doesn't always work out that way. I blame the 5, 4 and 1 year old sitting next to me. If it weren't for them I am sure I would be hanging on every spoken word because that's just how holy I am. (And if you don't know that I am joking, just sit next to me sometime at church. I'm sure I will ruin your concentration at some point by whispering to you when the teacher isn't looking.)

These are the things I couldn't keep out of my mind last week.

• Why do I even bother to iron the clothing I wear to church? By the end of Sacrament Meeting I have been laid on, crawled on, sat on, drooled on, spilled on, slept on and it doesn't look as though I touched an iron. (OK, I probably didn't. Fletcher usually irons his work clothes for the week on Saturday night and irons anything we need for church as well. Yes, he is amazing.)
• Why do I bother doing anything to my girls hair before church? I can fix it 15 minutes before we leave and by the time we enter the building it looks as though I got them out of bed, put their dresses on and sent them off to church.
• Can one red vine, on our way out the door, cause all the wiggling, whispering, moving, crawling, silliness and, basically, insanity that we experienced from the girls during that first hour? If so, that is what I get for trying to sneak a treat when the eagle eyes are always watching.

Yea! I've completed my first blog post in over a month! And pretty much insured that no one will sit next to me at chuch from now on.

Teaching Moment Turnaroud

The girls and I were watching Sesame Street the other morning (we've been watching it a lot since we've all been taking turns with a stomach bug) and they had a segment about getting out and staying out of your house when there is a fire. There was a little song stating specific things (teddy bear, doll) that a kid might want to go back into the house and save from a fire. The chorus sang "get out, stay out, don't you go back in." By the end my girls were singing along. Once again I thought I would turn this into a teaching moment by using their "most special" toys as examples. After they each had their "lesson" Emilia decided it was my turn. "And what if your phone was inside? What do you do Mommy?" It's great to know that I've led my kids to believe my cell phone is my most special toy.

Breakfast Conversation

This morning, during breakfast, our topic of conversation somehow turned to immunizations. Emilia spent a moment reflecting on her last experience as the recipient of shots where it took mommy and two nurses to restrain her. Somewhat pridefully she let me know that next time it will take five people. Next time Daddy is taking her. Knowing that shots are not something that my children dread I thought I would take the moment to remind them why mommy allows strangers to stab them will needles. So I asked, why do we get shots? Ella jumped in with the response, "Because they keep bugs from getting into our bodies (good-we sometimes refer to germs as bugs) and insects (wait) and grasshoppers from getting inside and eating our brains (hold on a minute). Obviously I've gone wrong somewhere. Not only did I have to explain that immunizations are to keep them from getting sick but I had to explain that grasshoppers don't eat brains. And despite my efforts they walked away letting me know that they may not eat brain but they can eat body parts. I don't think I want to be there when they run into their first (man-eating) grasshopper this summer. I can already hear the screams.

And the Oscar goes to . . . . .

A long time ago (it has been a long time since I have blogged) my sister's ward had their own version of the Oscars. They got into groups and made movies then later watched them and presented awards at their own Oscar party. I agreed to allow my children their five minutes of fame (or whatever the expression is) and they were cast in the film. Yes, they were paid for their labors, in quarters and Popsicles. It was the only way to get them to cooperate. In addition they were invited to attend the grand affair held at the glorious stake center cultural hall. They dressed in their "fancy" clothes which Aunt Leslie accessorised with purses, white gloves and hair bows.

Here are my little divas ready for a night on the town, handbags stuffed with as many toys as they could fit.

They walked the red carpet.

And they came home with this (of course):

And this:

I threw Eli in for scale. It's the biggest Elmo I've seen (I'm sure there are larger) and it even asks for kisses. Although when he came home with the girls he was dressed in a white shirt, tie, vest and suit jacket. Elmo had a role in another film and could not be seen at the Oscars in anything but his snazziest outfit.

And I am sure you are on the edge of your seats wondering if their movie won the best picture award. Best picture was a "People's Choice" award. All in attendance were given the opportunity to vote on their favorite film, including Emilia and Ella. One would assume the choice would be simple, vote for your own film, but they just couldn't help themselves and had to choose Elmo's movie. So, by two votes, Elmo's movie won best picture and by two vote's Aunt Leslie's lost best picture--that may be the last time 5 and unders are given voting privileges at the Oscar's.

The Family Dog

Poor Eli. Usually he's only useful for dressing up or locking out of the bedroom so he doesn't take toys but now he's been give the role of family dog. The baby of the family just doesn't get any respect from the older siblings. Last night Ella knocked her dinner onto the floor. Emilia let her know she had nothing to worry about because when mommy got Eli out of his high chair he could clean it up for her by eating it. And again today Emilia called to me letting me know that Eli wanted a snack so she dumped some fish crackers on the floor for him to eat. What a lucky little boy.

Sleeping Through The Night

It only took fifteen months but I think I can finally say that Eli has slept through the night. A couple of nights ago he slept from about 7:30pm until 5:45am. I'm fine with 5:45am if it means he's not getting up two or three times before then. Although, I am still waiting for a repeat performance.

And while I am on the subject of sleeping babies, I am convinced that whoever coined the phrase "sleeping like a baby" was a moron that never had children. I've been "sleeping like a baby" since Emilia came along and I haven't had a good nights sleep yet. My babies are worth it though. I wouldn't trade a good nights sleep for any of them.

Death To The Groundhog!

Sorry, Phil, if that sounds a little harsh but seriously, you have got to get over that shadow thing because I cannot take another six weeks of winter. I am tired of being sick and stuck in the house (especially during the first sunny days we have had in months). I am tired of being the receptacle for my children's vomit and so is my bed. I am tired of getting over one illness just in time to catch another. I'm also tired of purchasing mass quantaties of Kleenex and using them all in two days.

I am tired of having so many antibiotics in my home that I could start running a black market pharmacy. I am tired of ear infections and goopy eyes but I am grateful for our pediatrician who offered to check Ella's ears during our second visit to him and our third to the clinic in three days. I was also grateful to find that her ears looked good and could leave with some confidence that I wouldn't be back the next day.

I'm sure Emilia is tired of being given a roll of masking tape to play with because the rest of us are too sick to play with her. She did have a great time making giant spider webs which goes to show you that kids don't really need much to entertain themselves.

And I'm sure Ella is tired of have lids tossed on top of her when she falls asleep on the floor. I'm sure she is also tired of being so sick that she falls asleep on the floor.

Ok. Maybe the groundhog isn't to blame and I should realize that these things just happen. But if Target starts selling HazMat suits in preschool and toddler sizes you'd better believe my kids will be wearing them until May.