In love with Miss Matney Paige

I've been remiss in not posting enough about my gorgeous little niece  - Miss Matney Paige.  Miss M has potential to be the most brilliant girl in our family, but I'll gladly turnover this taxing duty to a girl with great potential.  At a week shy of 6 months Miss M is army crawling better than most 18 year old cadets, sitting up very well and even getting into the sitting position all by herself.  She laughs out loud and takes little steps while holding on to her daddy when encouraged.  She is very advanced in this humbles aunts opinion.  She thinks her mama is the best thing ever and throws a not-so-becoming fit every time her mom leaves the room.  I keep trying to tell her the rest of us are pretty cool too.  Just look at this beautiful face. Love it.

Baby Kakes

Now that he is nearly 5 months old I have a moment to make note of Baby KK's 4 month stats.  He is growing so fast.  At his appointment he was 14.7 lbs. and 25 inches long.  He rolls front to back and back to front.  He laughs and coos at all of us, but mostly at his brothers.  He is taking fun interest in toys and reaches with both hands to pick something up or take it from someone else.  He takes 2-3 good naps during the day and goes to bed each night about 7:45.  When we get him out of bed in the morning he smiles and coos at us.  He spits up like crazy, but it seems to be getting a bit better.  He loves his toes and his bright blue eyes melt me.  His nick names include Baby KK and Baby Kakes.

Nighty Nighty Sleep Tight.....

At the end of each day as I tuck the boys into their beds and kiss them good night I silently reflect on our day - the happy moments, the hugs, kisses, conversations, laughs and learning moments, the raging fit moments, the incessant negotiating.  Most days, the happy moments prevail, but as much as it pains me to admit it there are other days the challenges three boys pose get the best of me.  I hate the moments when I yell or become inpatient.   Later, when the boys display the same inpatience and raise their voice with me I am reminded that I am their #1 influence and the behavior I display is the behavior they mimic very quickly.

In my nightly reflections of our day the end result is always the same.  Tomorrow offers a fresh new day to right my wrongs and make one more attempt at positive influencing my sweet, challenging, energetic, adorable boys.  It is so easy to gain a new and fresh perspective when the faces I kiss each night are as sweet as the faces below.  

A face of innocence by night....not so much by day.

Little Grayson still doesn't get the "big boy bed" thing.  We "tuck" him in on the floor nightly.

Paci and head to the side - Kennon's favorite sleep position. 

The commentary above really doesn't apply to Kennon (yet).



Brave Women and Wild Boys

After months trying to find a time to get our families together, Crystal and I finally decided to leave the big boys (husbands) behind and meet for a weekend with the little boys.  I was a little nervous driving for 2.5 hours with all three boys by myself, but they were angels the whole way there.  We met on Friday afternoon and the kids got reacquainted by splashing in the pool like wild men. 

After swimming, Crystal and I attempted some relaxation and opened a bottle of wine only to make it through half a hotel plastic cup full before having to usher the boys out the door to dinner.  Oh my, how times have changed. 

We showed our second sign of brevity (or temporary insanity) when we took the boys to a "throw your food up in the air" aka Japanese steakhouse for dinner.   As boys will be, they were mesmerized by the explosive fire.  The onion volcano never disappoints as evident in their mesmerized faces....

We ended the evening with bedtime stories.  Crystal read the stories with the three older boys piled on her lap while I fed Kennon his bedtime bottle.  The bottle of wine set on the counter, uncorked, hot and collecting dust.  After the boys were asleep, Crystal and I attempted to catch up without interruptions.  The only interruption was our eyelids closing.  We finally gave it up and were sound asleep by 10:30.  Coincidentally, I believe 10:30 used to be the time we tried to leave our apartment to "go out" back in the good ole college days.  Once again, oh my, how times have changed. 

The next morning my boys were up before the crack of dawn, dressed and ready to roll.  I was so jealous to see Crystal and Hagen snuggled up sleeping soundly.   I suppose, some things don't change after all.

Once the brood was fed, clothed and ready to get out of dodge we loaded up and went to the zoo.  We had a slightly less angelic experience at the zoo because it was hot and crowded with about 5,000 boy scouts.  Crystal and I spent a lot of time bargaining and running interference between the boys debating over who rode and who got to pull the wagon.   Boys! 

On the bright side, the polar bear was a highlight, along with the train ride and many rides on the carousel.  All the walking and excitement of seeing the animals wore the boys out which guaranteed long naps for everyone on the long ride home. 

Although we do not see each other as often as we would like, we always make the best of our visits and pick up right where we left off. In the 13 years I've known Crystal I am always refreshed after talking and being with her.  Her cheerful personality, kind, loving spirit, fun disposition and laughter inspire me.  She is simply a wonderful friend, mother, wife, daughter, granddaughter and so much more.  Hagen has every one of her wonderful, endearing qualities and lots of his daddy's spunk.

Next time, though, we leave the wild boys (husbands and sons) at home so we can really catch up and - for pete's sake - make it through one bottle of wine.

First Day of School 2010

This week marks a new beginning for Brayden and Grayson as they start a new preschool.  To build up the excitement we spent a lot of time pack, unpacking and repacking our school supplies.  The boys were more excited about their new school supplies and backpacks than school itself.

Brayden showing off the new school supplies.

Brotherly love and photo op cooperation.  I couldn't ask for more in one day.

Showing off their new backpacks.

Brian and I spent a lot of time talking up the move to a new school and a "BIG" Pre-K class to Brayden.  I guess it paid off because by Day #2 the little turkey wouldn't let me walk him to his class.  When I tried to sneak in to take a picture of him working at his desk he practically kicked me out.  

This was the look on his face 2 seconds before he said, "Mom, get out of my class.  I'm playing."  Nice.  I'm not sure if I should I be proud of his independence or worried he doesn't like me.

 

After watching Brayden trek down the hall by his independent little self, I helped Grayson make his way to his room. 

He warmed up right away thanks to "meet the teacher day" last week and started checking things out.  All was well until I walked over to give him a hug and tell him to have a great day.  He got those big, awful tears that well up in his sweet little eyes and then spill over the edge and said, "No, mommy, I go bye bye wiff eww." 

Geesh, how can I have tears one minute because one boy is growing and becoming independent faster than I can keep up and different tears five minutes later because the other won't let me go.  Their personalities and responses to special milestones and new experiences are so moving and precious.    I love every second, but feel a little sad because they are passing so quickly...just another reminder to enjoy every day.

A Lesson in Gratitude

Before I threw in the proverbial career towel for a temporary "break" to manage our life and family, I dreamed of a perfectly clean house with the boys playing quietly together while I made nourishing and delicious meals every day for our family of five to enjoy together each evening.  In my dreams, once the meal was prepped I would join the boys in their imaginative play, reading books and teaching them everything they need to know from their letters, numbers, colors, how to read, add, subtract to proper manners, being a good friend and citizen, compassion and so many other wonderful life lessons. 

Then reality struck.  Six months into this full time mom and household manager gig, I realize my dream may have been a tiny bit unrealistic.  There have being many, many lessons learned along the way - probably more by me than they boys.  I think the most profound lesson I have learned so far is that structure is good, but letting life and spontaneity take over sometimes offers the very best lessons in life. 

Case in point - Just last week as Brayden was approaching his last day at the preschool he has been attending for more than two years I found myself in a panic to come up with a thank you card for his teachers without having to make another trip to the store. 

After a little digging in the art closet I uncovered a nice large piece of art board and our paints.  I stripped the boys down and they painted their thank you card for Brayden's teachers while I made lunch.  It consumed more than 30 minutes.  While they painted we talked about appreciation and being thankful for the gifts we are given.  On his own Brayden said, "Mom, I appreciate Miss Carrie being patient with me when I wasn't a good listener and helping me be kind to my friends."  In my head I said, "Amen, brother!"

I realized in that moment that I could spend every day being a slave to structure, sitting down to force certain facts into my boys minds and always reaching for my idea of perfection, but the very best lessons are those they learn in the moments we least expect.  The moments of spontaneous activities, conversations and through experiencing life.

In the end, they were both very proud of their first joint artistic venture.  They presented it to the teachers the next day with big smiles and bear hugs.  Several of the teachers eyes filled with tears as they told me how much they would miss the boys.  My eyes filled with tears too as I realized I owe a debt of gratitude to all those special ladies that taught my boys important lessons while I was away working. 

I guess it really does take a village to raise a family.

Artistic thank you painting in progress.  Nakedness required.

Brayden proudly debuting the end result. 

He wrote the "Thank You" and "Love, Brayden" all on his own.

Miss Carrie!  Love and patience beyond words.