Ten years and going strong

Eleven years ago, as a nervous, far from home, little freshman, I walked into an upper division class that would change my life forever. Besides the fact that the teacher was a little nuts and that it didn't take me long to realize that I knew nothing about British Literature, there was this outspoken, super cute, sophomore that sat right behind me. He had bleach blond hair, bright blue eyes, and always wore cargoes and a plain white shirt. I had a crush but he had a girlfriend... Bummer! Regardless, the sad news didn't hold me back. I continued to enjoy my first year in college. Dating, going to banquets, hanging out with the girls, but never fully forgetting about my Brit Lit dream!

The year ended and I headed home for the summer. Mr. Blue Eyes told me that he wasn't going to come back in the fall so I decided that I needed to get over him... It was never going to happen. But of course his goal was to totally confuse me and I got a random email from him in July. He wanted to hang out if I was ever in town over the summer. Well, I happen to be visiting a friend that lived ten minutes from his house. I called him and he came over. Crazy timing!

Fast forward through the summer and it's now my sophomore year. I was in student leadership so I was there a few weeks early. AND can you guess who I saw in the hall registering for classes! Yup.... He's baaaaack! Turns out he broke up with his girlfriend over the summer (which is why he emailed me) and was now free for the taking. I'm a lady though so I didn't act interested anymore... I let him do all the work. Within three weeks we had gone on a few dates and it was now time to have the "talk." After lunch but before class on September 27, 2001, we headed out to the benches in the courtyard next to the AJ Staple's room. We talked and with his head down, twiddling his fingers, and shuffling his feet he said, "So, I'm ok with the boyfriend, girlfriend thing if you are!?" Yes, no joke... His exact words! Well, I was so far gone, head over heals, for him that it didn't matter how it came out! I took the invitation and said, "I'm good with it too!" I was in love and I knew it was only a matter of time 'til he realized it too!

Three years of dating, seven years of marriage, three kids, and many adventures later, we revisited this bench! That loud mouth, cutie that sat in the back row of my freshman year literature class is now all mine! I love you Shaun... Or should I call you my Everyman!?! ;)

One boy, one girl, and one old wooden bench... That led to this!

The scene upon arrival... A flood and under going yard work! :(

Of course I coordinated our clothes to match!

one + one = five

Little did Shaun know that ten years later he would be disciplining his children on these exact same benches! They work great for time outs!

Oh Blake!

I'm working on some blogs... So... In the meantime... Happy Tuesday from Blake!!!

Out Numbered: Big Time!

My friend, Nicole, asked me to write a short article about life with boys for our MOPS newsletter. This is what I came up with...

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Before I became a mommy I was an elementary school teacher. Like any job there were good days and bad days. However, everyday was crazy! When you put 30 plus kids in a classroom there is bound to be conflict and behavior problems. The issues between girls and boys were so different. I could handle the girls with their cat fights, hurt feelings, and trying to pierce body parts with plastic cafeteria forks. It was the boys I struggled with. They drove me nuts! They were so rough and tough and they really smelled. I remember coming home one day frustrated and telling my husband, “We will NEVER have boys! N.E.V.E.R!”
Fast forward a few years…

November 12, 2007: It’s a boy! November 18, 2009: It’s a boy! August 18, 2011: It’s a boy! Yes, God gave me exactly what I said I would never have… BOYS! Three of them (five if you count the cat and my hubby)! When people learn that I have three boys they either feel sorry for me or immediately let me know that I’m lucky because girls are so much harder than boys. Well, at first I did feel sorry for myself because I, of course, did want a girl. BUT, I believe God gave me boys because girls are too easy and He knew I needed to be challenged! FYI: Moms with girls, let me think this way!

Some days I feel like I am swimming in testosterone. I know the name of every super hero. It’s dirt bikes, quads, and sports all day long. Our family theme song is Star Wars. I am constantly being growled at. I would be rich if I had a nickel for every time I heard, “You don’t know the power of the dark side.” I wear more blue than pink and my house even has blue accents. At times I am scared that my second floor is going to cave in on me due to all the wrestling matches and light saber wars. I must say that living in a boy world is never dull.

Sure it would be nice to have a little pink among all this blue but, I am the queen of my castle and I make sure to leave feminine touches wherever I go. My husband’s manly truck currently has hair spray, lip stick, and a tampon in the glove compartment!

22 and 1

Happy one month to my Blake Tyler AND happy 22 months to my Parker James!!! They share the 18th which makes it super easy for daddy to remember!

Blake Tyler you are...

...filling out and becoming quite chunky!

...wearing three months clothes. 

...loving the swing!

...frustrating between 8pm and 10pm. Your big brothers are now in bed so this is typically MY time. BUT you have turned it into your crying time.  

...most happy when you are eating or talking with daddy!

...a great cuddle bug!

...hating the pacifier. You act as if we're trying to gag you!

...getting so strong and holding your head so high!

...quite the sleeper... but only during the day! You'll sleep through any loud chaos but silence is not your friend! 

...so alert and aware of everything around you! Seriously, are you really only one month!?

...A RED HEAD!!!

Well, maybe a little bit of everything. Some days you are blond and other days you are brunette. 

...our little rockstar! 

Look at these eyes! They're HUGE!!!

Parker James you are...

...H.I.L.A.R.I.O.U.S!

...getting so tall and losing some of your chunky monkey rolls!

...talking more and more everyday. You're favorite phrase right now is, "I'LL do it!"

...not interested in being yourself. You only want to be Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon! I have to call you Hiccup if I want you to do something!

...my favorite nap buddy! You cuddle in so close and then rub my face with your blanket to put me to sleep. works every time!!!

...always trying to steel the show! Compared to your brothers, I think you get the most attention when we're out!

...a counting machine. "Nine, nine, nine, nine..." Who needs one, two, three!

...a little athlete. You insist on hitting the baseball out of the air and not off the tee.

...a tease. You call your brother over so you can give him something. Then right before he takes it you pull it back and laugh. Not funny my child!

...a dare devil!

...so in to Star Wars! Especially Star Wars gummies. You ask for them by humming the theme song!

...my middle child!!! 

Look at these eyes! Yes they are open!

Smile

On Tuesday Blake started smiling! Not the gassy or sleepy dream smiles either. They're the on purpose-interactive-I have a personality-and I think you're funny smiles! While they're still hard to capture in a snap shot the video camera has proven successful!

Now I'm curious... When did your child(ren) give their first REAL smiles???

Stinks being the baby!

 

Thankfully Isaac and Parker didn't try dressing Blake with any other Mr. Potato Head parts!

Yesterday Blake had a doctor's appointment. He, just like his brothers, is at the top of the charts.

11 pounds 10 ounces (an impressive 3 lbs in three weeks!)

22 1/4 inches long (he's stretched 2 1/4 inches since birth)

Again, it stinks being the baby. Here's a one minute video for proof. One obnoxiously loud big brother and another one wanting to play a suffocating round of peek-a-boo!

To the park we go...

Even with as hard as it is and as long as it takes to get out the door, I can't just sit inside all day! Yesterday I braved my first park adventure with all the boys! Seeing as how it's been so hot, we haven't been lately. But, yesterday was a high of 84 degrees so the morning temperature was perfect... Even needed long sleeves! Blake didn't really care to play but Isaac and Parker were able to release some pent up energy! I didn't get many pictures but you should be impressed that I got any at all! Three boys and a camera... Phew!

Trying to sleep in the bright sun!

They had baths as soon as we got home!

Weeeeeeeee! Their favorite!

Please don't share with your brother...

 Isaac and Parker have been great at trying to share their toys with Blake. Even if he shows zero interest, they still love to include him in their playtime. This may be a parent's dream -siblings sharing and getting along- however, I am quickly learning that there is one thing I DON'T want them to share but they ALWAYS do anyways... colds! Not sure who got it first, Isaac or Parker, but it was quickly passed to Blake. What a way to say, "Happy three weeks!" Fevers, coughs, and runny/stuffy noses... Awesome! Nights have been even more challenging! Let's just say Shaun and I have had to do a lot of tag teaming with naps. At least everyone is still smiling though!

It's not easy being the baby!

Boys will be boys

Shaun went to work yesterday for the first time since Blake was born! Good thing the big boys didn't expect me to do this! We miss you daddy! It's so boring without you! Mommy just doesn't bring the craziness like you do!

Post pregnancy thoughts/facts/useless information

I am so glad I had Blake BEFORE summer came! Yes, summer doesn't come to Southern Cali 'til the middle of August... One question: Why did it even have to come!?

At first I thought Blake was a quieter sleeper than Isaac and Parker. Last night he proved me wrong! He grunted like crazy ALL night long! This boy has some major gas issues!

It's super hard to find anything in my closet that fits and is convenient for nursing!

Blake is going to have huge personality! Check out this face!

Milk coming in and nursing contractions are way worse then anything I felt during labor and delivery!

I love the smell of baby breathe!

I love that Isaac and Parker have adjusted so well to Blake! Right now Blake is sleeping in the swing and Isaac is begging to hold him!

Getting up at night to feed Blake isn't exhausting. What IS exhausting is when I feed, change, re-wrap him, put him back in the bassinet, and then I hear a lot of grunting followed by a big juicy toot! The vicious cycle begins again!

I love that Shaun can wrap his big, strong arms around me and there is no belly to get in the way... Just the sounds of chaos in the background!

I am planning to be in Hawaii for my 30th birthday. That gives me 9 months to slim down and find a cute bathing suit!!! :)

When I was pregnant I couldn't shave my legs 'cause my belly was in the way. But now I can't shave my legs 'cause I don't have time...

I smell like spit up!

My wish for diapers has been granted! Amazing friends and our Bible Study class has been so generous! See. And this was just the beginning!

  Blake has his own room but in his two weeks of life I don't think he's even been in it!

I can't believe Blake's already two weeks old!

I love how Parker says, "Baby Bake!"

This messy loft energizes me! The boys are usually good at cleaning up but some days I would rather do it myself. I need to make sure toys are put back in their rightful spot so when one goes missing, I know exactly where to find it!

I am beyond thirsty ALL the time! Blake is sucking me dry! I never have to go to the bathroom either. I guess that's a good thing though 'cause I don't have time to go anymore!

Sometimes I still feel Blake move inside me!

Had my first outing with the boys the other day and it was a success! Oh how I missed Target!

I am so thankful for all the meals friends and family has brought us. They started two days after Blake was born and are set to continue through September! Amazing!

Blake is definitely the little brother, but he's learning to deal with it... Or should I say "sleep through it"!

Last, but not least: My mom had my older brother in November and then 3 years and 9 months later, in August, during their 7th year of marriage, had my little sister. I had Isaac in November and then 3 years and 9 months later, in August, during my 7th year of marriage, had Blake! So crazy, but pretty cool!