james gives a play-by-play on the egg hunt

Easter 2010

Happy Easter everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful day remembering the Resurrection and life of our Savior. I'm still trying to figure out how to help 1 & 3 year olds understand the real reason for Easter . . . Maybe next year. ;)
Here we are on the Easter egg hunt. We missed a huge hail and rain storm by minutes. It was a ton of fun, even if they took awhile to get it!

Why clean the cabinets?

Many of you have responded to my last post wondering why I was cleaning kitchen cabinets at all. Well, it comes down to 2 things: 1) I don't want to be known as the daughter that moved in and trashed her mothers' house, and 2) after waking up from my pregnancy induced stupor I realized my children had "claimed their territory" in my mothers' house by gooifying the walls from about 2 feet on down. And doors. And cabinets. And windows. You get the idea.

How are things going? . . .

So, many people ask me how things are going. And things are going much as expected . . .that is sometimes things are going smoother than I would ever dream, and then sometimes I'm pretty sure there's an asylum with a room waiting for me. ;) So today I was reminded why my expectations for myself should remain VERY low for some time:

3:15 I get out a bowl with the goal of cleaning the kitchen cabinets while the girls and Andrew are still napping.
3:16 James sees the bubbles and wants his own bubbles. I oblige.
3:17 I start cleaning, James wants a scrubber to. I get him one.
3:19 I start cleaning, James gets bubbles on his "flower". I get him a rinse bowl to get the bubbles off.
3:21 I start cleaning again.
3:23 Andrew starts fussing. I shush him and quiet him back down.
3:26 I start cleaning.
3:29 James freaks out about something. I try to figure it out and calm him down.
3:30 I start cleaning.
3:31 Andrew fusses again. I change diaper. Nurse and burp.
3:45 I start cleaning.
3:46 I realize that in my absence James has dumped both large bowls of water out on himself and the floor.
3:48 I get out the floor cleaner. Someone left water in it and it stinks.
3:49 Floor cleaner is picking up water, but also leaking much back out. I empty it and fix leak.
3:52 I finally get water off floor.
3:53 I strip James of his water and dish soap soaked clothing and rinse him off in the kitchen sink so as to not risk waking up girls downstairs.
3:58 I dress James. Girls wake up. Andrew crying.
4:00 I give up on cleaning kitchen cabinets.

Sum: 45 minutes . . .1 kitchen cabinet cleaned.

Yes, I think for my sanity I will have to keep my expectations for myself VERY low for awhile. ;)

This week . . .

Here are a few of my favorite photos from this past week. It's been pretty crazy as a mom of 4 under 4, but we're adjusting mostly, pretty well. ;) Baby Andrew is a gem. He's definitely the easiest kid of the bunch. It's hard to be bad when you sleep 20 out of 24 hours! He weighed in at 6 lbs. 13 oz at his 2 week check up today--up 11 oz. from his birth weight. He definitely got his mom's appetite! Kate and James have taken to little brother very well. They both love to hold and kiss baby brother. Kate especially. She runs to the couch to hold him whenever I come into the room with him. Clara on the other hand . . . well we're working through the jealousy issues. We finally got a photo of her holding him. Before she would whack him in the head or try to throw him off her lap. But she's finally coming around. Here's some pictures!

The bonus of having to buy lots of shoes because you can't pass down shoes between twins:

Lots of boxes to stack up! I found a great deal and got 12 pairs of shoes for $70. Dress shoes and boots for the next year or two.

Daddy took the kids to the cabin for the day to give mom some time off. Here they are in the trail of two forests in an old tree trunk.

The first photo we got of Clara finally holding baby Andrew!

Daddy and kiddos at the cabin

Baby Andrew

Here's our newest arrival! Andrew Lawrence was born at 11:50 am on 02/20/2010. He weighed in at 6 lbs. 2 oz and 20" long. He was a little sleepy and pale at first and spent about 1/2 hour under observation from the NICU team, but then he came right back to mom and dad. He's a great eater, sleeper, & pooper! He was named Slow Poke Jochim for awhile because this delivery was the longest yet! We finally picked a name for him Sunday night. Andrew because we liked & agreed on it, and Lawrence is a maiden name from my Washington pioneer ancestors.
James came to see baby brother in the hospital. He really enjoyed holding & kissing brother and riding in mom's hospital bed. The girls have pretty bad colds, so they stayed at home. Now they love to see baby brother and have their own baby dolls that they love to hold. We're all doing well and adjusting to life as a family of 6!

Spring Cleaning

Here we are cleaning off the deck for everyone to play. You would think I would have learned by now if I bring one, I might as well bring three. It took me three trips inside to get enough brooms for everyone! Does anyone know where to get kid size brooms?

A week in our life . . .

So many cute photos of this week, I thought I'd just make a snapshot of them all. We've had a very eventful week with James starting to ride the bus to school, double ear infections--and the subsequent allergic reaction to the meds, a bad cough for me, keeping me up all night--but now I've got my own power meds so that's starting to get better. Everyone is actually well today so we might all make it to church tomorrow! The kids' current obsession is shoes. They love to drag all of our shoes out and stomp around. It's too cute seeing Kate in my high heals. I'm glad someone is using them!

At my latest Doc. appointment my amniotic fluid levels were borderline low (as opposed to being borderline high, which they had been on the previous ultrasound), so they'll do another ultrasound next week to see if they're still low. If they are, they might induce me. If not, I'll have to wait till I'm 39 weeks. So this baby should come in the next few weeks. I'll just have to hang tough a little while longer! Baby came in at about 5 lbs 15 oz (+/- 13 oz.) on the ultrasound. That's quite a margin of error, so I'm not reading too much into it at this point.

Big bellies all around

Here are some family pics of us all with our big round bellies! The kids think it's pretty funny to put balls up their shirts. James is definitely growing up and turning a little wise guy:

Dad: James! Go pick up your mess
James: No thanks. I'll go to time out.

He's also learned the "daddy says no, go ask mommy" game.

Daddy: No, James. The ball stretches out your shirt. No balls up your shirt.
James: (in his sweetest, sad voice) Daddy, where's my mommy? I need to go find my mommy.
Daddy: (not putting 2 and 2 together) She's upstairs on the computer.

James: (with his sweetest smile) Hi mommy! Mommy, ball up my shirt?
Mommy: (not knowing daddy said no) Okay.

And with that James runs down stairs to show daddy his shirt. What a little minx!

Clara with her "big belly"

James, Kate, Mommy & Clara with our "big bellies"
36 week preggie pics

A week in the life . . .

Well, this week has been to remember! Starting on Wednesday with Clara's double ear infections, continuing on to Friday when all 3 kids and I came down with stomach flu, and concluding on Monday when Justin got the stomach flu and Kate got the regular flu . . . We have been one sick house!
So, I thought it was only appropriate that my 34 week belly shot be as realistic as possible. No I haven't worn make up this week or done my hair, and yes, most days I never made it out of my pajamas. And yes, most days my kids either stayed in their pj's as well, or got to dress themselves. ;) See Kate's stylish composition below:

Kate wearing Grandma's apron (backwards) and her favorite rain boots. Somebody must have said the forbidden words--"outside, bye bye, leaving . . ." Any of these words send the kids dashing for their shoes and coats. I guess we need to get out more. ;) oh--fountain of hair on top of her head is because I tried to do her hair in a pig tail, and she just wasn't having it. She pulled it out as fast as she could. Clara, on the other hand, sits and preens in the mirror checking herself out from side to side when I do her hair. I guess we know who's the tom boy and who's the princess. And just so I can say I warned you--when it comes time to pick soccer teams--you want Kate on your kid's side. And if they're not, you might tell them not to get in her way--she doesn't go around, she goes over. Fast. ;)

I didn't get a picture of Clara this day, but the outfit she picked out for the day was her brother's pajama top and a diaper, one sock, one shoe (not on the same foot). And I was just fine with it, because let's face it--at this point ANYTHING my kids can do for themselves without my involvement it a step in the right direction.

Baby #4 is growing and getting strong. I had a mild week as far as contractions and pregnancy stuff goes, but little boy Jochim seems to be trying to make up for all that quiet time by doing jumping jacks on my bladder. Since I was 29 weeks, I've had 2 trips to the hospital for preterm labor, and 2 more close calls at home (large doses of meds stopped the contractions after about 4 hours) and now I'm 35 weeks tomorrow and officially off bed rest! I'm only dilated to about a 1, but that's ok now, since the doctors wouldn't stop labor anymore. Which means, I get to ignore the 10 contractions I have every time I stand up! Yippee for me! ;P For those of you who haven't had babies--flex every muscle in your arm and then try to write your name. That's me walking around like a penguin all day trying to walk through the contractions--not a very graceful sight.

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Babies born past this date do just fine and if he was born in another week or so, he might even come home from the hospital with us--a thought I haven't quite come to grips with after preparing myself for a preemie baby who would spend a few weeks in the NICU before we brought our bundle of joy home. All my kids have worn preemie diapers and clothing, and now I have to entertain the thought that we might just START with newborn diapers & clothing! Gasp.

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I have to thank the battalion of friends and family that have come to my rescue and watched my kids so I could rest these past 6 weeks since I first started preterm labor signs. As many of the sisters in my ward can now attest--it is impossible to watch all 3 of my kids and get any sort of rest. I couldn't have done it without all of you. Thank you again!

What dreams are made of . . .

So, a mom always wonders what her kids are REALLY thinking. What makes them happy? What makes them sad? What gives them nightmares in the middle of the night? Well, here are some insights from my dear 3 year old son . . .

What really scares him?

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Monsters? Nope.

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Dark closets? Nope.

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Aliens? Nope.

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What does James wake up crying hysterically about in the middle of the night?

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Night 1: Kate ate my snack . . .

Night 2: Clara took my book . . .

Night 3: Daddy has my juice . . .

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Well, I guess the scariest things in the world are little sisters who take your stuff and Daddy's who hide your juice! Hahahahaha What a sweet little boy--no wonder he goes into a frenzy whenever HE THINKS his sisters are THINKING about touching his toys. It really is the scariest thing in the world to him. ;)

32 Weeks Preggie pics

Well, here's the latest on my preggie pics. This is the last photo I have of me pregnant with the twins--I delivered a few days later. The twin preggie pic is actually a bit deceiving because I had reached 40 centimeters a week or so before this and had started to grow sideways.

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Baby #4 is still doing well. He's growing and getting stronger each day. The rest I'm able to get is definitely helping the contractions to stay away. In another few weeks I'll be far enough along my doctor says that I'll be able to increase my activity level. I guess I better finish the last 5 books of the Wheel of Time series now while I'm being told to lay around. It might be the last chance I have for the next 5 years!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Day!

We had a wonderful Christmas. We got to celebrate with Grandpa Ron & Grandma Sarah & Auntie Debbie. Here are some pictures of the mayhem!

The girls at James' train table.

James with the girls' baby doll toys! Not sure what to say about the headbands--he wanted them on, and I wasn't about to argue on Christmas day. ;)

Clara in her baby doll high chair.

Kate in her baby doll stroller.

Clara in her baby doll stroller--

Day after Christmas

The day after Christmas we gave the kids their Christmas present from all their grandparents. We found a little tykes playset on Craig's list and it's awesome! They didn't quite get the knack of it yet--and it was a little cold--but I'm sure once it warms up a little they'll be all over it!

James took a tumble down the wood stairs on Christmas day, so here he is showing off his fat lip. We're still not sure if he's going to lose one of his front teeth or not--it's still going brown. Poor kiddo!

30 degrees out or not--we'll still fight over whose turn it is on the swing!
Nothing like a frozen trampoline!

Missing Camera!

Hey everyone!

So my camera has been missing since Christmas Day, which really bums me out. As for me, I've been on partial bedrest since the week before Christmas because of pre-term labor. I'm still hanging tight--which is great, but man I hate the meds I have to stay on to keep the contractions at bay. I have a ton of great help from my mom, sister Debbie, and starting this week my Relief Society, so hopefully I'll be able to stay down and stay pregnant a few more weeks. And hopefully I'll find my camera soon so I can post some Christmas pics before it's the 4th of July. ;)

Belly pics week 29

Well, here's another pic for kicks and giggles. Even with the twins people always thought I was carrying small--I guess this really shows the differences in pregnancies! You can imagine after carrying James, who really was small born at 36 weeks and 4 lbs 14 oz., I thought I was huge with the twins. In this pic with the twins I was measuring 37 centimeters--or about 8 weeks ahead. Baby #4 seems a bit more the norm, as along as I can keep him baby in awhile longer!

My first Gingerbread House!

I don't really have a lot to say about my first gingerbread house I made from scratch, except I'm stinkin' proud of myself and totally ready to make another! It was so much fun coming up with a design and decorating it. Those are syran wrap stained glass windows--yeah, I cheated. Maybe next time I'll be up for real spun sugar windows. Merry Christmas!

To Clear My Good Name

Having been maligned viciously by my dear, sweet cousin, I must clear my good name. I am not and have never been an OVERACHIEVER. I am simply my mother's daughter. This means I was raised to do exactly the projects that interest me and to put aside everything else. It's all about picking my battles.
Making two little girls dresses interested me enormously. On the other hand, I have precisely ZERO interest in protecting a Christmas Tree from 2 tree stripping toddlers and 1 tree toppling preschooler. So, I gave the tree over to them this year. I got a fake tree at Target for $6 after Christmas last year and we've decorated it with (hopefully) child friendly ornaments from the dollar store. The tree spends most of the day naked in a state of dismemberment, as you can see in the collage.
Now I have freed myself of the worry of keeping a Christmas Tree whole and decorated for the next 3 weeks, I can focus my time on things that interest me--like making Gingerbread Houses!!! I'll post pics soon--but I think this may be a new addiction for me!

2 Dresses Done!

Here are some pics of the dresses I made for the girls for Christmas. They're not exactly "Christmas" dresses since I wanted them to be able to wear them for all the next year--Yeah, I made them a little big on purpose. You can't see it very well, but they have a tulle under layer--which gave me no end of grief. I'm already sick of gathering and I have years of girls dresses to go! I added the tulle and bead flowerettes for a bit of retro bling. ;) So much fun! So glad they're done!