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Everett,

Happy 2nd Birthday, sweet baby of mine. 

You are a pure delight;

you bring such charm and joy to this family! 








Proof

Motherhood is loud.  And while I don't know any different, my guess is that as a mother of four boys, my house might even be a tad louder than others? 

Oh the noise...the noise!

My days are filled with chaos - some of the organized type, most of it not :)

I feel like I'm in constant motion, but never moving quite fast enough.  It is hard work trying to be one-step-ahead of these busy bodies!

But there are moments of calm and still and quiet. 

The noise is gone. 

The wiggles stop. 

Just peace. 

And I have picture proof.

ETA: apparently this only happens once a year  :)

What a difference a year makes

3/16/11



3/16/12



I love this sweet baby!





Tradition



41.2

He's officially been here with us as long on the outside as he was on the in.

Happy 9 months, Everett Joshua! 

Happy Thanksgiving....

....from our house, to yours!

Happy Half...

...dearest Everett. 

Every moment of the day it is an honor to be your Mama,

my sweet, smiley, happy boy! 

You are much, much more than I deserve....

New Beginnings...

He did great!

It was his Mama that struggled...

Happy first day of Kindergarten, Jacob! 

Brothers, Friends

It's amazing to watch them grow...

from babies into toddlers,

and toddlers into preschoolers and Kindergartners,

and all the while,

from brothers into best friends. 


It makes me excited to see what's up and coming for these guys!

3 months

Everett, at 3 months you are:

-wearing size 2 diapers (but only at night, as you are cloth diapered during the day)
-wearing size 6 month clothing (some 3/6 mo, some 6/9, depends on brand)
-smiling, cooing, laughing
-ticklish - especially your collarbones!
-eating every 2-3 hours during the day, about 4-5 at night
-nap 3-5 times a day, and you have set your own schedule
-going to bed for the night by 8 PM, but definitely not STTN - you wake every 3-4 hours still.  Yawn.  But...you can mostly put yourself to sleep.  That counts for something, right?  even if it's in my bed?  :)
-rolling to your sides
-kicking like crazy
-holding things in your hands
-blowing unformed bubbles (not formal "raspberries", but it sure seems like it!)
-almost holding your head up
-loving, loving, LOVING your big brothers!

I can't believe it's only been 3 months with you here with us, Everett.  And yet, I can't believe it's already been 3 months with you here too!  Time is escaping me, and I am trying to memorize every moment of your infancy, but it is moving at lightening speed!  I want to remember your baby faux-hawk, the rolls on your forearms, the dimples in your hands and elbows.  I want to remember your gummy toothless grins, the sweet way you snuggle in my arms back to sleep at night. 
I love you Everett, and though I'm exhausted and busier than I ever imagined, I would not change a thing.  You are such a blessing to my life, and I thank God for every moment you are here with me, and that I get to be your Mama!

This Day

"When in doubt, choose the kids.  There will be plenty of time later to choose the work." 

~ Anna Quindlen

Today was my last day of working outside the home.  Tomorrow I start in my "new position", as a Stay-at-Home-Mama to my four baby boys.  (Squeeeeeeeee!)

I melt...

Have I mentioned just how much I love this boy? 
To the moon and back...

6

What have we been up to? 
It's hard to describe in words, exactly....but I'll try:
Loving little and big boys, feeding boys, nursing a babe, changing boys' clothes and diapers, potty training one boy, playing with boys, disciplining boys, napping boys, getting outside in between rainy days with boys....
and attempting to keep up on sleep, laundry, cleaning house, and drinking coffee :). 

Whew.  We are six weeks in as a family of 6.  I have never been more exhausted, nor more elated in all of my life.

Worth It...

It's busy, chaotic, loud, wild, crazy....

and SO worth it!

5.5 of us ~ December 25, 2010

Jacob, 4

Wyatt, 3

Nathaniel, 15 months

No. 4 ~ 28 weeks

Nathaniel - 8 months

Happy 8th Month Birthday,  Littlest Man!

My happy guy

At 7.75 months (last week) - you started to crawl.  (Insert "Yikes" here!)

You love being outside, in the grass...

...or a swing.

Nathaniel, you are such a joy.  You are happy, sweet, loving, and a delight.  You fall more in love with your big brothers every day.  And I say that every month, every day, but it's so true!

You love banana, avocado, carrots, and peas.  Actually, there are no foods you don't really like...you just really love eating!

You wear size 3 diapers, are around 19 lbs (guess), and wear 6-9 or 12 month clothes. 

I love you so much!

Easter

Highlights from Easter Sunday: Going to church as a family, singing, worshiping together, hugging husband, and my boys, and thanking my Savior for the ultimate gift of his life, that I might be saved from myself.  Thanking God for giving up his Son as the sacrifice for us.  Such as selfless, priceless gift.  As a parent, it is something I can hardly comprehend...

Other highlights = Coordinating outfits for the boys.  Who says boys clothing isn't cute?!  Thank you, The Child.ren's Pl.ace!  We saw a couple of other families who had similar ideas, even some of the same boys' clothing at church.  CUTE!

Jacob was wearing a necklace stating, "He Lives" from the Children's Sermon.  Wyatt has one too, but he refused to wear it, and was simply appalled that we would even think to request it of him (request it?  Really?  Except we didn't...it was just offered). In this picture, Wyatt is putting his finger to the dimple on my cheek.  It was everything I could do not to laugh aloud during the photo shoot (courtesy of my FIL). Yes, Nathaniel wore a hat - and he left it on and looked adorable, much to my husband's dismay.  Love you, honey! 

We ate lunch out at a Con.ey Is.land.  We put the boys down for naps, cleaned up our house, and my inlaws came to visit.  We went out to enjoy the amazing weather, flew kites, and Nate sat in the grass for the first time (and did fairly well at actually sitting on his own).  Easter dinner was tacos.  Nothing was "traditional" about this day, but it was a celebration nonetheless. 

One of several shots of all three wiggly boys, dressed and smiling - truly a rare instance around here!  And this was following church, lunch, and just prior to naps.  Woo hoo!

Oh my, I love this family!  I am blessed.  Every day.  Always.

Half a Year

I blinked, and 6 months have gone by.

8 lbs and 15 oz. have turned into 17 lbs and 7.5 oz.

Sleepy Baby has turned into sweet, smiling, laughing, screeching Baby.

We celebrated your first Halloween and Thanksgiving,

your first Fall with tons of smiles and laughter.

We celerbated the first time you rolled over on Wyatt's 2nd Birthday. 

We celebrated your first Christmas; our first as a family of FIVE!

In late January of 2010, you became a "traveling man" and learned to roll as a form of transportation. 

You haven't stopped moving since!

On January 31, 2010, you enjoyed your first bites of solid food - rice cereal.  You thought the taste was okay, but what you enjoyed the most was being able to "eat" dinner with us.  You are wanting to be just like your big brothers, and now. 

Nate, you are a happy, sweet, low-key, laid-back, bubbly boy. 

Your disposition is almost always sunny. 

I said almost always sunny! 

 But even when you cry or fuss, it's brief and it's for a valid reason (and it usually makes me laugh!).

(this is my favorite sleeper for you - it's trucks and planes, and fuzzy and zips - it was a Welcome to the World gift from Aunt Molly.  It's a 6 month size, and you are quickly outgrowing it!)

Nathaniel Jude, I am grateful every single day for the joy you've brought to my life and our family.  Thank you for being you, and thank you for allowing me to be your mother.  It is an honor to have this role.  You've blessed me in more ways that I can even count!  I love you today, and always.

At 6 months:

-You wear 6 or 6-9 month clothing

-You wear size 2-3 diapers

-You eat a meal or two of solids a day

-You have tried rice cereal, avocado, sweet potatoes, and butternut sqash

-Your favorite food is butternut squash so far, with avocado as a close runner up

-You do what we call "the right hand pat" - it seems that you are learning about your world through the quick motions of "pat, pat, pat, pat" in a rhythmic motion.  You do this while sitting in our laps, on our open hands, while you nurse, while you sit in your high chair, while you sit on someone's lap at the table, and while you're on your belly on the ground.  It's something I never want to forget, because it's so unique to you!

- We nurse and then cuddle in the evening.  After you eat, I hold you upright for a few minutes until you burp.  While holding you, you "hug" me, and run your fingers through my hair, and rub your face on my shoulder.  Sometimes you will lay your head on me.  It melts my heart, because for just that moment in time, it's just you and me together again.  It makes me think of the song, "You're Gonna Miss This", because yes, I will. 

-You had your first sick visit with the doctor 3/2/10 - you have a barking cough, and ran a 101 fever on and off during the day, along with a runny nose.  I knew it was a virus, but in order for me to sleep better, I took you in anyway.  I'm neurotic like that.  24 hours later, you still have a cough, but the fever is gone and you seem to be on the mend.  Your sunny disposition never changed, even when you felt your worst.  Because you're YOU! 

Happy Half of a Year, Baby Nate! 

Sledding Adventures

Start with one brave Daddy,

Add in two excited Small Boys,

to One Very Large Hill....

...and you get "Snow Much Fun"! 

Again, and again, and again....until Jacob is done, anyway. 

(Wyatt was done after one run - he didn't like snow in his eyes!)

Nathaniel even made his debut on the snowhills.  (I think he was a bit bummed he couldn't join in all the screaming with Jacob & Wyatt!)

We are having as much fun in the snow as we can...but please note that we are all very much looking forward to Spring & Summer, when we can go outside and it doesn't take 20 + minutes to prepare to do so.  Love it too, when we get snow pants, boots, mittens, scarves, hats, and coats on, then Jake announces, "I have to pee!".  Of course you do.   

My Guys...

"How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways..."

~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning