Would you believe we just got back from CHINA???

No? You wouldn't believe it? Well you shouldn't. We didn't go to China, I've just been slacking off in the blog department.

I wish had some riveting stories to tell, but I don't. Things are going well though! The boys are busy with: school, T-ball, and a new bike (N) army-crawling, sitting up, snacking on lots of new foods, and being absolutely precious (J) and getting into trouble, chatting relentlessly about nothing in particular, and calling me a "mean old lady" every chance he gets (R).

The baby is eight months old already. I can't believe how fast the time as gone - it seems like he was just born! He has eight teeth already - one for each month. I love him. He's fantastic. So happy, so gorgeous, such a nice little fella. He's super friendly to people which is great, but he always has to know where I am. If someone else is holding him, he'll smile and play along, but he's always looking around for me - "wheresthemama, wheresthemama, wheresthemama....OH! THERE'S THE MAMA!!!!" (big smile) and then all is well.

In celebration of his turning eight months old, we decided it was time for him to sleep in his crib. I know. So crazy. He's been in the co-sleeper all this time. He sleeps great in the co-sleeper, but he's also about to crawl and is pushing his big self up and I just don't need for him to fall out and hurt himself. Wonder boy that he is, I put him down in his crib for the first time the other day when he was really tired, turned on some music, and he fell asleep on his own and stayed there without a problem. What a peach.

R. is his complicated and hysterical self. So sweet. Such a nightmare. So thoughtful. Such an instigator. Big sweet eyes that well up when I put on my scary voice and REALLY yell at him because I've HAD IT. Sneering little lips that call me every name in the book on his way to the time out spot. He hugs me, kisses me, tells me I look like a princess, and can still fit in my lap while we read books. Snags things out of N's hands just to drive him crazy. *Screams* at anyone who dares to cross him: "JUST BE QUIET YOU STUPID DUMMY" (just an example)Is a VERY. LOUD. TALKER. ALL. THE TIME. Slaps. Is only quiet when sleeping. He's wonderful to Jack. Gentle. Sweet. Encouraging. He truly adores his baby brother. Dances a lot.....prefers to do so naked. Imitates people. Well. Makes us laugh until we cry. This is R. All these things and more. He's a cool kid. He's exhausting. The next Jim Carey? I wouldn't doubt it for a second.



N. is doing wonderfully in school and truly loves the time he spends there. I like going through his Friday folder and seeing his work from the week. His handwriting has improved so much, his journal entries and pictures are so great. I'm proud of him. He recently got a new bike with 20 inch tires. His old bike was just too small. Still, when I saw the new bike when he and Big Al got home from the bike store, I couldn't believe his BIG it looked! Such a BIG KID bike!

Yesterday, Big Al took the boys fishing at a local reservoir. They didn't catch anything, but had a great time. Next time they're going to rent a row boat as they insist that it's impossible to catch anything from the dock. I think it's impossible for R. to catch anything because he is just SO.LOUD. We're so lucky to live where we live. This is about 15 minutes from our house. Fifteen minutes in the other direction would take us to the beach. I hope we never have to move away.

Big Al and I are fine. Just trying to keep up with these boys. I've been dropping hints about trying just one more time for a girl. He thinks I'm out of my mind. I'm not out of my mind - I'm just stupid. Not stupid - a dreamer. A very, very, impractical dreamer. I've always been sort of proud of my impracticality. As if I'm above making wise decisions. "I Live in the NOW,dammit!!" I'm the kind of person who throws her hands up and says "Who cares if we only have one bathroom and we'll never be able to move to something bigger/better in this market! It'll all work out! We only live once! Let's do this!"

I've been scrapping a lot more lately, and have been meaning to take pictures of all my new layouts. I'll get to it eventually. I'm thinking of starting a second blog that is all about scrapbooking, and creativity, and pictures that turn out really well (I'd call it "photography", but being that any 'good' pictures I end up with are because of luck.......it doesn't seem right) and crafty inspiration. I LOVE crafting, scrapping, etc. and just wish I could find more time. I feel so good when I'm making things. If only I could feel that good when exercising. My ass would be considerably smaller.

My dear boy is six years old.

And "dear" he is. So, so sweet and good. I know, I know. This is mushy....but really. This boy is everything a Mother could want in a son. Kind, easy going, smart, SO caring, funny, polite, expressive, curious, honest, generous, understanding, TOLERANT (he has this one brother in particular.....), and the list goes on and on. One thing I've really noticed since he has started Kindergarten is that he's really bloomed socially! Kids love him, teachers love him. He seems to be...dare I say it....popular! When I pick him up from school, so many kids go out of their way to say goodbye to him. He's friendly now - not painfully shy like he used to be. He's happy...and I love that. Anyway, the main thing is this: I just *know* that he'll take care of me when I'm super old and have strange hairs coming out of my ears. And that really means something to me.

The big day was last week. After dropping R off at preschool, we went to Starbucks for a celebratory hot chocolate (him) and coffee (me) before school. I made some fun surfboard cupcakes for him to share with his classmates, which were apparently a big hit. That afternoon we went to the park as is our daily routine. I don't hate the park the way I used to now that N's friends, and their very cool Mom's come as well. It's sort of like a playdate for everyone. All 7 kids play together (siblings too) and we get to talk.

We had planned on going bowling on N's birthday, but because Big Al took him a few days prior - we skipped it. It worked out fine though. N opened his gifts, and then we went to the boys favorite pizza place for dinner. It was hard to tear him away from two particularly cool gifts - The Razor E100 electric scooter from Big Al and I, and Heely's roller-shoes from Grandma. I was sort of worried about the Heely's but he took right to them - he's actually really good at it.

After the boys spent God-only-knows how many dollars worth of Grandma's quarters on video games, and the "grabber" machine, we went home and had cake. The bowling ball/bowling pin cake. The grand finale of the birthday season. That's it. No more. No more cakes, cupcakes, baked goods of any kind. Well...not until....Friday......when I have to make 4 dozen cupcakes for a bake sale/silent auction at R's school. Oh well. At least I had a week off!

All in all, N had a great birthday. At least that's what he told me as I tucked him in that night.

However - Six has brought with it something sad.

He calls me "MOM" now. Not the usual "Mommy.........."

"MOM"

He very sweetly but seriously told me that it was time for him to start calling me Mom. Because that's what six year olds do. He got this idea from a friend of his, but I can tell that he really feels that it's time. I'm trying to get used to it, but every time that sweet face looks at me and calls me something other than "Mommy" it's like a knife in my heart. Silly, I know. I just love him so much....and dammit I'm still his Mommy.

Baby Talk

My baby. He's getting so big. Now when he's in the bath, he splashes and looks at me for a reaction. I laugh. He laughs. And then we do it again. And again. And again! He still loves to blow raspberries. Yesterday he did it for about 15 minutes straight while we were driving. When he's on his blanket in the family room surrounded by toys, he'll scootch himself around. I'm not sure if he's "aiming" in any particular direction. I just know that if I leave him in one spot and then go throw a load of wash in the dryer - he is usually about 6 feet away from where I left him when I return. He's also starting to push up onto his knees and rock back and forth. I love how he looks at me to see my reaction when he's doing something new. So sweet. He's already too tall for his little entertainment/activity/circular thing. He LOVES his rain forest jumper thing though. He gets a serious workout in that one! He's sitting up pretty well, but appreciates the support of a Boppy. The whole tip-on-over thing gets old.
Today I brought him up to his room to take some pictures. Having gotten quite a few scrapbook pages done this weekend, I was in the mood to take even more pictures! Of course I did what I always do....I played the "lets see if I can avoid using the flash!" game. Every good photographer (which I am NOT) will tell you that the best pictures come when you DON'T USE THE FLASH! And whatever you do - DON'T USE THE AUTO SETTING! Do I use the auto setting? Yeah. But I'm working on that. Ultimately, I need to take a class.

And as for my wonderful owls...I mean JACK's owls....I love them. HE loves them....I meant to say that HE loves them. I don't have a problem and I don't need an owl intervention. I can quit owls anytime I want to. I wouldn't hold your breathe though.

Cheerios!

Can you believe it? Baby Jack is eating Cheerios. He loves them. He loves the challenge of the pincer grasp, and of the Cheerios long journey from the side of his slimy little fist into his equally slimy little mouth. I love watching him work out the cereal-y details, and even had a little bit of a moment the other day when I realized I was putting Cheerios into a ziplock for the diaper bag: No! We can't be here already!! Is it Cheerio time already? Wasn't he just born??

What I'm *not* loving is.....Cheerios on my socks, Cheerios under the table...Wayward Cheerios smashed under his chin, in his diaper (talk about the amazing voyage)....they are everywhere. Sweeping be damned - they are everywhere.

I have video! The "footage" isn't exactly riveting and there's a whole lot of background noise (In *my* house?? Imagine that!) "Logan" is N's friend from school who was over for a play date....just in case you were wondering. Honestly, despite how things look - I'm not growing a "boy tree" over here!