How many months!?

What??? I'm five months old aready!?!?!?

Wait, let me look at this number again to make sure that's right...

Yup, that's right... Five months old!

Wow! I'm tired... Being five months old is a lot of work!

Blakester,

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! You're almost halfway to being one year old and I just can't accept that right now! You're a pro at rolling over and you're pretty much sitting up on your own already! Seriously, if you knew how to pull your knees up under your body, I'm sure you would take off! The drool never ends and I can't hold you without you yanking on my necklace. I love that you caress your head when you're nursing (just like your big brother Isaac did as a baby and who still to this day plays with his hair when he eats) and when I catch you looking at me in awe! However, I don't like that you think it's time to play at four o'clock in the morning. Thankfully you are a self soother and can put yourself back to sleep. You love your hands. Your poor little knuckles are red from you chewing on them constantly... Still no consistent luck with that thumb of yours. Your brothers are in love with you! Thanks for laughing at their silly faces... It makes them feel special! I love every second with you... Even the 4am smiles. I do have one small request of you though... If you could keep the poop IN the diaper, that would be great! Oh and I'm sorry for locking you in the car the other day and then having to call 911 to come and rescue you... We'll talk details on that in the next post. That caused way too much trauma on my heart and today I just want to remember the sweet stuff!

I love you little man, Mommy

New Years Eve

 It's not too late to post about New Years Eve, right??? Saturday, the 31st, we headed over to the Copes house for a kid's party. Jodi and I (but mostly Jodi) planned activities for the kids every half hour. They started at six and ended at nine when the ball dropped in New York. It was chaos central with 12 little kids (3 girls and 9 boys) that were high on licorice and hot chocolate! I think it's safe to say they had the time of their life. Thanks Copes for being brave enough to open up your home to 120 sticky little fingers! Next year we'll find a way to make it even crazier so that you don't have to stay up til two in the morning playing xbox! I still don't get how you weren't beyond exhausted! :)

Dessert making

(this was the first thing the kids did... Even before pizza making for dinner)

Ligh saber fighting

(Isaac and one of his best friends, Caleb)

Luke Skywalker finding

(the kids had to take turns jumping into a big box full of stuffed animals. The one that found Luke Skywalker the fastest, won)

Peek-a-boo praying

(Parker and Nate on the stairs praying for our food. Forget folding hands)

Balloon tennis, friend cheering, and partying like it's 1999!

(the dance party was the best. These kids have moves!)

Craft making

(I love how it's all the parents finishing their child's project)

All the kids minus Caleb that fell on the floor and Blake who was upstairs sleeping! These little bodies had so much fun!

Over due Grooming

At the end of October we FINALLY took Isaac to the dentist! There are many opinions as to when a child should see a dentist for the first time but, we had been told it was when they turned 3 years old. I know, don't judge... Isaac was almost four when we went. A word to all you parents of preschoolers: The sooner you go, the better. We learned the hard way and Isaac suffered for it. He had three cavities. He did an amazing job non the less. He had no fear and opened as wide as he could. She was a pediatric dentist and knew exactly how to make this an enjoyable first time experience. Isaac had to go back early December for the fillings and even though it was a little uncomfortable for him, he did an awesome job again. We have changed some eating habits and are brushing more often. I'm so glad they're only baby teeth though... No long term problems with root canals and crowns!

Waiting to be seen...

She let him touch everything so that he would know the loud noises where harmless.

She's not even ready... But Isaac is!

Even Parker got his teeth checked... See, never too young! Thankfully he didn't have any cavities!

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Another problem in our family is the hair. It's wild and out of control at times! Isaac plays with his hair all the time, which makes it stand up and look super messy. It doesn't help that he HATES getting it cut either! Parker's hair is still baby fine so it doesn't take much for it to look like he just woke up. He doesn't mind getting it cut but, he does mind holding still. Shaun has always been the one to buzz the boys' heads but, lately there hasn't been time. I heard about a great kid's place called Monkey Dooz and decided it was time for the professionals to step in. I was tired of the screaming from Isaac and the constant movement from Parker. So, one morning Shaun left for work and the boys and I headed to the hair shop. I was a little worried but, to my absolute shock and amazement... Isaac had no problem. Maybe it was because the walls were covered in jungle animals, they had monkeys hanging from trees, a movie was playing, and you get to sit in a cool jeep! Parker on the other hand freaked out and had to sit on my lap. The only reason he stayed was because I was feeding him a lolipop.

Before!

You can see how happy Parker is to be there.

Totally zoned out and could care less with what was happening!

Best place ever!

After! So much better!

Super Preggo Strength

When I was pregnant with Blake I had what I would like to call, Super Preggo Strength! I was go, go, go 'til the day he was born. Yes, I was tired but, I slept hard at night and only got up once to go the bathroom (and that's pretty good. Right fellow preggers!?) I would hold Parker all the time... Or should I say, Blake would hold Parker. The belly provided the perfect seat for him. Everyone would comment on how heavy Parker was but, to me, he wasn't. I would lift him no problem and even go up and down the stairs with him, the belly, AND all the extra weight I gained during pregnancy. It was hard moving around and getting up and down but, somehow I just kept going. Even at 40 weeks Shaun and I would put the boys to bed and go for long walks (my mom was here for the boys).

Now, post baby five months, I'm exhausted and Parker is heaaaaa-vy! By lunch I'm dragging... No motivation. When the boys come running in every morning with guns and costumes in hand I tell them, mommy just needs five more minutes! I can't have caffine due to nursing (I just tried it for two days and while I felt more awake, so did Blake at 5:30 in the morning). I find myself dreaming of living in a one story house because the stairs suck the last few drops of energy out of me. These boys go and go and go and go and go and go... Get the picture!? They want ME running around with them all the time too! I'm thankful when I have to stop and nurse or change a diaper! I didn't think adding one more kid to the mix would be that bad. However, it's just one more person to need me at the same time everyone else needs me. I must say that I never realized how easy the baby stage is. Sadly, I'm figuring out that each stage does get crazier! Not to mention the pile of laundry! I should have asked for laundry soap for Christmas!

The other night I re-indroduced myself to Shaun. I just wanted him to remember he had a wife and that someday she would be able to talk to him again. Last night we took the boys to Ammah and Papa's and went to dinner... Just the two of us. As we were hugging the boys good bye, Isaac asked Shaun,  "Are you going to kiss mommy while you're out?" And when we got home Isaac asked me, "Did you kiss daddy?" I love that even though Shaun and I don't get much time together, our boys still see how much we love each other.

I need to add that even though I am beyond tired, I wouldn't trade the day to day chaos for peaceful nights and relaxing days. I know this for a fact because when I do get a little time away on my own, I can't even begin to tell you how much I miss my boys! I'm always rushing home to see them. I love how excited they get when they see me! I can't get enough of their hugs, kisses, smiles, and endless stories of what they did while I was gone!

Some favorite comstumes!

We go on nightly walks and the boys like to ride their bikes. So, of course, they have to be Finn McMissile and Francesco!

Anything can be a gun in our house. Even a straight edge and Dusty, the saw from Handy Manny.

Seriously, it never ends! We put them in their pjs and two minutes later they have capes and helmets on.

And this sweet little guy is just taking it all in. It's amazing how fast he can turn his head back and forth to watch his brothers fly by.

Disneyland x 3

We've been to Disneyland three times since we got our passes for the boy's birthdays and I am just now blogging about them. Each time it was pretty crowded seeing as how it was Thanksgiving and Christmas but, we were relaxed knowing we didn't need to see everything. As long as the boys get to see Mickey, defeat Zurg, and shop in the Star Wars' store, we consider it a successful day. The first trip was a little overwhelming for all of us. We tried to do both parks (Disney and California Adventure) and realized it was too much... One park at a time! My sister and her family and my brother joined us for the second trip. More adults meant more chances to go on bigger rides. Isaac tried Space Mountain and Star Tours... Not a huge fan of either! Bummer. It's back to Autopia, ToonTown rollercoaster, and Buzz Lightyear. Our third trip was yesterday and we thought Christmas stuff would be down and everyone would be back in school. Boy were we wrong... We'll try again in a few weeks!

Trip one (Nevember 14th).

The boys ALWAYS have to get their picture with Mickey!

November was a hard picture month for Parker! Notice how he turns his head away from the camera!? Oh how he hit the terrible terrific twos right away and with no problem!  

He's looking here but, I was either super fast or we asked him if he saw Buzz behind us! Hehe!

Trip two (December 7th).

The usual picture...

Didn't take many pictures this day... There were too many adults, kids, and strollers to keep track of!

Trip three (January 5th)

Because it was so crowded we didn't even try getting a picture with Mickey. Woody and Jessie were the next best thing!

Funny how Blake always happens to be sleeping on me!

Parker dreamed about shooting Zurg the night before! He even took a gun to bed with him. He was so excited!

It must stink being two... This is all you ever see!

So, we helped him out!

There always seems to be a highlight each time we go. The highlight of this trip beats all the previous ones by a long shot! Isaac was chosen to be a part of the Jedi Training Academy! He was focused and proved to be a good student. Even when Darth Maul, Darth Vader, and the Stormtroopers appeared, the force was with him and he was never tempted to join the dark side.  

A perfect jedi stance!

Two things I love:

1. Isaac activates his light saber fearlessly.

2. Isaac swings away, completely ignoring his fighting instructions. The Jedi Master tells Isaac, "I don't know what you did but, it still worked out!"

Real men wear PINK

Not only do real men wear pink but,...

...They also smile while wearing it! Man he looks good!

Maybe this was taking it too far!?!

I love these big blue eyes but, these pictures don't do justice to the true color of this little onesie! It really is a beautiful shade of pink! I guess I have to do it again in better lighting! ;)

Extra info: Real moms also know to do stuff like this when daddy's at work. But, it's oh so fun to send him a picture and snicker when he replies, "DON'T EVER DO THAT TO MY SON AGAIN!!! Just so you know Shaun, Tati bought him this outfit!

Higgins Hunks

Happy New Year from three handsome little men!