Life snippets

Blog! Hi!

My MJ time has been dominated by figuring out hospital bills, sending in packets, and grocery shopping and so less blog. But we're still here! Taking it one day at a time!

Early 4 year old celebrations. Cupcakes as big as yo' face!

4 yr old birthday parties and neighbor boys. 

Little cheese

These girls are ridiculous! When will they stop doing this!?

A-B love. Growing more and more each day!

Covered in babies

Doing each other's nails (with markers).

These pictures make my kids look so sweet and docile! Which, sometimes they are - but I assure you most of the time we're losing our minds! Ana is geting better, perhaps settling in to being two. So fewer trantrums (she would just crumble to the floor and cover her face) and she can talk -even- more now so I think she fights back with Z a bit better, defending herself. "No, Zoe, you can not talk to me like that!" "You can not say that to me!" - I hear that a lot. A LOT. And good for her!

Ben. is. sleep. trained. Prase the Lord! We put him in his bed AWAKE and I can not express the immense amount of relief that produces in my soul. He takes two good, long naps during the day and sleeps from around 7p to 6 or 7a only waking up twice. I -almost- feel human again. The baby transfer - so rough! Especially when your other kids are getting into all sorts of other things. I got a musical toy for him so I can play it whenever I put him down to sleep. I think he likes it. He had been using the pink bunny that Z and A both used, but I just felt deep inside myself that later in life he may be upset when he wants to bring his lovee to show and tell and its a pink bunny with flowers all over it. I'm already using purple and pink pacis and strapping floral, pink and purple cloth diapers around his manhood so I figured I'd try a little harder this time. His name is Froggers and he plays music too fast (what I love about the bunny is that it actually sounds soothing rather than "Twinkle Twinkle" on crack) but at least I will tell my son I tried. 

Somebody! Put! That! FOUR year old! in! School! ... Everyday "I'm 4 now - can I go to school today? When do I go to school? Is it the day I go to school?" Man. She can't stand it! Thankfully, she need only wait 12 more days! She has an orientaion before then but I think I stay with her for that, and what she really cares about is me and everyone else she is related to and knows leaving. I love that about Z. She is set to conquer the world! 

Also, have I mentioned that Zoe reads? She doesn't like to read out of books very often - but if Matt writes a sentence, she can totally read it. Sometimes we'll catch her by herself sounding out words in actual books and getting them right, but I think it's too much pressure or something. We have a map up in our kitchen and we're always talking about states and cities, etc - and she looked at it, checked out the state above Texas and sounded out "O-k-la-hom-a, Oklahoma!" Matt and I always freak out a little when she successfully sounds something out totally self propelled. She's on her way! I want her to read because its her FAVORITE thing to do! Also, I'd just like to say while I checked out the book for the library and made up a sheet with the order to teach the letters and sounds, I totally jumped off that train after it left the station. Matt championed it after we moved into the new house and I would like to give credit where it is due - Matt taught her to read. I'm working on swimming and take her and Ana to Y a few times a week to have little "lessons" with me. Ben goes to childcare and it's actually a great way to spend the morning! Z has defintely made improvements and is very comfortable in the water. Ana always has been becuase she is the bravest little girl. She fell off our playscape ladder, busted her lip and after a few seconds of hugs was still crying hysterically and climbing back up the ladder to "try it again!" She won't let nothing keep her down!

I'm off to attempt to clean my house. We'll see how that goes.