Baby got new shoes.

Picked up William's third pair of inserts for his tennis shoes today. He was such a pickle when we were at the PT's office. He didn't want to cooperate at all. The good thing about getting new inserts is a shopping trip for bigger shoes (my favorite thing to buy!). I am debating on going Monday, which is a day before his surgery, or waiting until after he's out of the casts in a week/10 days. I don't know that it will make that big of a difference.

I should pick up some sandals for the girls while we're at Stride Rite for William too. I try to get one good pair of sandals each summer so that something they're wearing has some support besides flip flops and Crocs. You know how it is - once school starts, getting them into a pair of tennis shoes after being practically bare foot all summer doesn't fly at first. Who likes to put their foot into a confining space after letting it run native all summer long? Not me.

I know that after a visit to Stride Rite, I feel like I've been robbed blind and that we'll have to eat mac n cheese for a month to recover. I have to say, though, in all honesty, their shoes hold up well and we usually get 6 months out of them when we buy our tennies there. It's worth the investment for good shoes, I say.

Take care of your feet, it pays later!

Somebody say wiener?

I used to think that the twins were great eaters. I actually loved eating with other families just to show off how great they were. They didn't balk at much and man, we looked like parents of the year with kids that ate so well. William, in particular, was amazing. He just ate and ate and ate. You can tell, he's a big boy.

Lately, though, ugggghrrr, they've both decided to swear off meat. They won't touch it unless it comes in a processed tube shape and is labeled Jumbo Frank. I can't talk them into a piece of chicken or beef to save my life. They've always been "anti" deli meat, which really limits my lunch selection for them, but at least, I knew they would eat other meat forms. Fish, in the stick shape (if that even counts as meat), still seems to be acceptable, but all other forms of protein are off the menu. Granted, they do like beans, so they get protein like that, but meat - just not happening.

What are you to do? Let them live on the Oscar Meyer palate pleasing wiener? They eat fruit and lots of veggies, maybe they'll be vegans? Maybe they're just going through a weird phase and if I keep giving them meat choices, at some point, I'll wear down their defenses and they'll eat it. I can only hope. Until then, have us to dinner, my kids won't amaze you with their eating abilities, but you'll be sure to save some money on food since they won't be eating their fill (ha ha).

New Pics!

It's been so busy lately with school wrapping up and summer kicking off. I feel like I am running in place and getting no where most of the time. Here are some pics of dresses I made the girls for summer. If you double click the pictures, I think you can tell that they have white pin dots all over the fabric. I'm working on Fourth of July ones in the same patterns. Also, they were coordinated for a BBQ last night in their Red, White & Blue. Finally, my new haircut. It's still an adventure styling it, but I'm getting used to it.

After Church...


Before BBQ

New "Do".

Living the Dream

Just an aside. The other day the older girls were fighting like cats and dogs. Then the twins would start in on each other and inevitably, Hayden bit William in frustrated anger. The whole weekend went on like this until I said to them, "You know I really wanted to have children so that they would fight and be mean to each other. I thought to myself, Kids? Yes, let's do it! They'll fight, scream, kick, hit, talk nasty to each other and I'm going to live for that! It's going to be awesome!" Quinn & Lydia just stood there and looked at me and said, "Really?" I said, "Yep. I'm living the dream!" They laughed and ran off to fight some more.

Rock A Bye Baby

Why is bedtime so trying? Is it just my kids or are all kids this way? By the time bedtime rolls around, I am just beat. I mean how can these little people just suck the life right out of ya? They have some alien powers that just drain your energy level and leave you zapped and like a limp noodle. They also scramble your brains, but that's another blog.

First, I have to wrestle the twins into their PJs and that usually breaks me out in a sweat because it's so physical to change them right now. Then they don't want to climb the stairs under their own power to their beds so they run away from me and laugh their cute little behinds off. When I finally catch one, the other one is high tailing it the other way. Eventually, I just drag one up at a time and toss them into their cribs. Then, I grab the toothbrushes and scrub them down in the crib, mind you, so they can't escape, before flinging an "I love you! Good night!" their way and some kisses and leaving. Then the cries ensue.....

Second, I beg, plead, yell, scream to get the older two in the tub/shower. By the time they're done playing, washing, and fighting with each other, my blood pressure has about bust an artery. We dry off, find PJs that are suitable for the night (and if I pick them out, they are most definitely not suitable), again argue with the brushing of the teeth, and then the bartering begins.

"Mom, can I read you a book?" asks Quinn. "If she gets a book, I get a book too", says Lydia. "Mommy, can I have two books? asks Quinn. "Me too!?" asks Lydia. I take a deep breath and answer, "Yes, Quinn, you can read me a book, but a short one. Yes, Lydia, you can have a book too. No, one book is enough tonight." I would rather read them both the same book and be done with it, but you can't really tell your first grader who's so proud she's learning to read that she can't read to you. It's a sticky situation.

Once they're read to and tucked in, kissed properly, shook up, bounced and all the other gimmicks of a bedtime routine, I shut off the lights and leave. It is a rare night that no one gets up two minutes later for a drink, a lozenge because their throat is itchy, a re-tucking in because they weren't tucked in right the first time, or the "I can't sleep" ploy.

There are days that I think, I should start this whole debacle after dinner so I can actually get them to bed on time. What a concept? It's 6:00 pm and we're bathing to get to bed and asleep by 8:00pm.

I know, I'm whining. I know these days are fleeting. Someday, I'll wish they wanted me to help them go to bed or read books at night. I also know that summer is coming and it's only going to get worse. Brace yourself, the best is yet to come.

Test failed

My brother asked if we had a bed rail that wasn't being used for his soon to be 3 year old daughter who's moving to a "big girl" bed. I told him that Lydia was using one, but that she probably didn't need it anymore. I said we would ask her about it and get back to him.

Lydia was more than happy to get rid of the rail, so last night we took it off as a trial run on being "rail free". At 3:00 am we heard it - the undeniable sound of a child falling out of bed. "THUD!" Then the onslaught of tears and crying which beckons a parent to their room ensued. Carl went forth into the night to save his darling daughter and ended up bringing her to me in bed where she promptly settled in for the rest of the night.

When I woke up in the morning and really looked at her, I was freaking out! Her hand she was sucking on was completely covered in dried blood. Her face had dried blood on it and there were spots on our sheets and on Carl's clothing where he'd carried her. He hadn't noticed in his half awake state that she had really split her lip open when she fell. Apparently, Lydia moved a small chair next to her bed and we didn't realize it, so when she fell, she connected with her mouth on the chair and split it open.

What's more, Lydia didn't mention that she could taste the blood or that it even hurt when she came to bed. I guess she was still asleep some too. Anyways, moral of the story - she's not ready to relinquish the rail so they'll have to buy their own - sorry bro'!

Recent Pictures

Quinn's Recital Costume

Lydia's Recital Costume
Fireman Will
Easter Morning
My Mommy Made This Ridiculous Hat and Made Me Wear It.

What a Weekend?

We had a crazy weekend, but it was all good.

Friday night I went to bunco in my neighborhood and thoroughly enjoyed it. Some of my neighbors paid me the greatest compliment and really, I was just so flattered. They said that if anyone in the neighborhood was to have more kids, it should be me because I'm like "Mother Earth" and just handle being a Mom well and in stride. I don't know about the "Mother Earth" notion, but having other women say that I'm doing a good job is really the epitome of compliments and I guess it could be compared to a peer review at a job. It's one thing when your husband or family says that you're doing a good job, but to have other women, other Moms, say that you're doing well, it's really beyond flippin fantastic. It just felt great. So, thank you to those Moms - you made my weekend.

Saturday we participated in the subdivision garage sale and did well - got rid of a lot of STUFF. The girls had ball games at the same time that Grandpa VH and Grandma H helped me with. That afternoon, we hosted Mother's Day for my Mom and BBQ'd with my brothers and parents. It was really a lot of fun and relaxing. We kicked off the celebration of Lydia's birthday too.

We played Mexican Train dominos - so much fun! Really...I liked it too much. I think it just felt good to do something adult and normal instead of half assed paying attention to something while simultaneously listening or juggling children. I had fun!

Sunday was Lydia's real 4th birthday (which is still hard for me to believe), and Mother's Day. We hosted Carl's Mom and family for brunch which was yummy!

Lydia got a big girl bike for her birthday and loved it. It seems like just recently she has grown up so much and isn't my squishy little toddler anymore. She's a bony, lanky, kid and it stinks! She has definite opinions and sassiness oozing from every pore and spoken word, really! She's something else. I adore her though and really, I couldn't be prouder. Today was so awesome because I got to celebrate one of my kids' birthdays and Mother's day which I wouldn't have without them.

The kicker was we went out for dinner - Steak n Shake (fancy, I know!). The first disaster was Lydia dropped her water and the glass shattered under the table. Nobody came to help clean it up, so Quinn and she had to sit with their feet up out of the mess. Then the waitress comes and we tell her what happened - still no clean up. Then the food took so long to come that the twins were jumping out of their skin by the time we ate and William began to yell (loudly) to either pass the time, or just be a boy, or who knows!? It was pretty loud (we tried to shush him) and at a nearby table, two men were eating and the one looked at us and shook his head (like he's eating at Tony's). I just wanted to freakin' get up and give him a piece of my mind (but I didn't). I mean - really. At this point, we were actually getting ready to go and Will was unruly. His lack of ability to communicate with words leads him to effectively, if annoyingly, communicate by yelling and he was definitely saying, "I'm ready to leave".

What I would have said, had I the nerve, to the head shaker was, "Sir, I'm sorry we disturbed your meal. I can see that you're not sitting with your Mother or wife, so I'm sorry for your losses. I know that my son was being unruly, but he's not even 2 and we should have been out of here before you even sat down, but the service was slow and our meal took forever while they actually killed the cow out back that made our steak burgers. I just want you to know though, that while your ears were assaulted by my son's cries, my eyes were assaulted by the four inch butt crack hanging out of your pants that I tried to avoid looking at while I ate my Mother's Day dinner that my family was so kind to take me out for because as you can see, I have four beautiful children. Have a nice day. Oh, and by the way, it's my 4 year old's birthday and she had to look at your ass too!"

I need to work on my people skills...don't ya think?

Happy Mother's Day!

Joined the Gym

First of all, in my last blog, I said, "My therapist", really it's William's Physcial Therapist.

Now for the reason I'm writing. I re-joined Riverchase yesterday and it was a bittersweet transaction. I know I should take advantage of it and GO, but just starting off is so hard. Why is that!? I know that once I get in a routine and go, it's a great break for me and I love it, but the first two weeks of just getting there are daunting.

The kids are thrilled to be members again so that we can swim this summer. Swimming presents a whole other ball of waxy issues that I avoid every year. Unfortunately they are all entangled with the first issue of exercise. It's a viscious cycle. If you work out, you can find a swimming suit that fits and that you feel good in. If you don't work out and lose weight, you can't find a swimming suit that is flattering to save your life. At least, that's been my twisted thought process.

I hate swim suits. Not only to they expose everything I try so hard to cover up all winter, but they are EXPENSIVE. The ones with all the bells and whistles and super sucking power to hold you together are $70 per piece (Top & Bottom). In the end, I toss it all in and say, who cares? Obviously, I'm at the pool with four kids so people know my body has been ravaged by at least 27 months of pregnancy and a combined 37 plus pounds of babies.

Ah, the joys of summer!

What's up with Us!

Several things.....

1) My therapist made note today that the babies are 22 months old! I was shocked. I mean, I usually keep track of that stuff, but this had completely caught me by surprise. When did that happen!?

2) I have a ton of pictures to post, but will probably never have enough time to do it. Sorry! Hopefully soon.

3) I gave Hayden a haircut today and it was a doozy! She now has bangs (sort of) and it's SHORT, SHORT, SHORT in the back. She was so straggly and it was all baby hair, so I chopped it off. Now, it looks like I have twin boys, instead of a girl and boy, though - it's that chopped. Have to bust out the major pink outfits until it grows back - oh well, should be cooler. : )

4) I love this time of year, but I hate how the end of the school year stresses eveyone out. There is soo much to remember and do. Teacher gifts, class parties, practices start for tball and coach pitch softball, games on top of practices, recital information, recital costume fittings, Mother's Day, birthdays, and the list goes on and on. It gets so out of control.

5) I'm a little stressed that I have too much scheduled for Quinn this summer. She wanted to do so much and I'm afraid once we get going, she'll wanna quit everything.

6) Signed Lydia up for soccer on Sunday, but not Quinn. I think she's hanging up her cleats at the young age of 7. Let's hope Lydia is my soccer player - and if not, I still have two more to put through their paces in cleats and shin guards.

7) Trying to get organized for the garage sale this weekend, anticipating a week of very late nights with everything we have going on this weekend.

8) William said "Ma Ma" today and I was so excited. Melted my heart!