Greyson's First Christmas

Today Greyson is 9 months old and I didn't even realize it until I started to write this post.  These days my brain only keeps track of who is eating wheat these days and who isn't.  It only registers poopy diapers and cries of pain... while little milestones get overlooked.  

And its his first Christmas. He loves the Christmas tree... but there isn't much he doesn't love.  I call him the happiest baby in the world, because he is.  I think I can count the number of times he's really cried on one hand.  

Grey got his first tooth last month at my sister's house. It was a rough night for him but it finally came through and he's chomping away at Cheerios and puffs these days!

He's a sweet boy. I can't wait to see what he's going to be like when he's older. He's definitely my most relaxed baby yet... and I'm sure he gets that peaceful demeanor from his mother.  :)

He is one of the most precious gifts God has given us and it is my prayer that I will learn to enjoy him more and clean less. That I will show him how great my God is and that he will call Him his Lord too.  That I will be the display of the grace of God to Him and that his memories of life at home will be joyful, full of the Spirit and fun.... not just efficient.

My little Grey-bee.

Glasses Girl

My girl got glasses.

My girl loves glasses.

My girls insisted on pink glasses.

I love my girl.

John Mikey

Yesterday while I was making my free Walgreens photo book I realized that I don't take many pictures of John Michael!  And I don't know why because he is my most willing subject.  This boy LOVES the camera and he is FULL of personality. He a full dose of the cheesy-nses that Johnny & I both have and its a non stop show for him in our house. He's a true 2nd child, laughing one minute, crying the next. There's nobody like him!!

A few other things about John Michael.

He loves school. He BEGS to do school... and while his fine motor skills aren't very strong he rarely gets an answer wrong.  (I couldn't resist the rhyme, I know, I know...)

He eats more meat than Cookie Monster eats cookies.

His hair is adorable if he washed it that day... if not people look at me strange.

He's cuddly and snuggly.

His first instinct when he gets hurt is to ask me to pray for him.

He *adores* Greyson... but is often a little too rough with him. :)

He's still very attached to his "b" (Blanket) and wants to take it everywhere even though we try to limit it to his bed.

Addy calls him John Mikey, Nicholas calls him John Yichael.

He's really, crazy tall. 

We love him!

How I spend my time.

Someone very dear to me is often teasing me about the fact that I don't always answer my phone or my texts. I assure them that its not personal... but it is. A while ago it occurred to me that if I put down a child or a book or a toy to answer the phone every time it rings that I'm showing my children that something is more important than spending time with them at that moment. I work hard. Most of the day I am working... so these times when I am sitting with my kids, playing, reading, pretending... are precious. And few things could be worth interrupting those times.  Those personal, one on one, or one on four :), times of personally connecting with my kids.

I have the privilege of connecting with my kids just about every day.  This year we made the hard decision to homeschool. It was embarrassing if I'm honest. I feel like I'm constantly defending my choice to home school (is that word one or two??) with, "Well, you know, private schools are just SO expensive." And they are. And we might've sent Adeline to a private school if circumstances were different. And that would've been fine and good.       But as it is, circumstances aren't different and through MUCH prayer and MUCH conversation we've chosen to homeschool.  I kind of went into it kicking a bit... and stressing a LOT. I wanted to be a stay at home mom whose kids were in school all day! What if my child ends up illiterate? What if he/she ends up completely socially awkward? What if they are DORKS!?  What if it doesn't work? What if I choose the wrong curriculum?  But what it comes down to for us is this: every day for the foreseeable future *I* have the privilege of being the one to personally connect with my school age kids. I have the opportunity to train them live for God and not themselves.  I have the delight of watching them learn to read, to write, to discover, to love, to worship.  I won't lie, its hard.... but its personal. Its connecting. And its my life right now.

I took the obligatory backpack picture because all my friends were doing it and I didn't want Addy to not have one (YES, I have ISSUES.) but this one is so much more us. :)

Someone stole my curls.

I used to think pregnancy robbed me of my curls. 

Now I know it was John Michael.

2 months later

Two short, sleepless months later and we simply could not imagine life without Greyson. He is such an easy baby. I am still surprised at how little he sleeps during the day but he has officially started sleeping through the night. My friend Rebecca is going to have to take the cake for the hardest baby #4... and I'll happily let her have it!

Greyson started smiling early.. maybe between 4 and 5 weeks. He started sleeping through the night around week 7. Its not every night but its more nights than not! He's avoided a stomach virus - even sleeping through the night with me while I had it! Sadly though, he does have his second little cold and is handling it like a champ. :)

There isn't much more to say! He survives all his sibling's violent affection, 

spends more time in his swing than I'd like to own up to, 

doesn't get bathed as often as he should, 

is beginning to enjoy his blanket,

smiles easily,

cries rarely,

and is the perfect addition to our family.

I'm planning on getting this one printed. :)

Nick, on the move!

Nicholas is 19 months. He hardly sits still these days! It makes it hard to get a non-blurry picture of him!

Nicholas:

1. Is my only green eyed child.

2. stands up in his high chair no matter how faithfully we train him.

3. Just started eating meat without complaint!

4. Calls his paci "Fwa-see go!"

5. Loves his b.

6. Won't let his brother and sister push him around.

7. Laughs at just about everything.

8. Keeps us VERY VERY busy.

9. Is average in height and weight.

10. Takes 4 hour naps - hallellujah.

11. Lights up this home with laughter and craziness.

12. Has shaggy, poorly cut hair.

13. Cries more than he needs to.

14. Calls bananas manas.

15. Warms my heart.

One Month old

Tomorrow Greyson will be one month old. Wow. I might cry at each monthly milestone knowing that this is the last time I'll see it with one of my kids. I'm not a weepy person... but I have my share of post partum hormones these days.

Today I put him in his discovery gym to see if he would be interested. He wasn't. But he looked cute being bored. :)

At four weeks he was 9-7 and 22 inches long so he's growing well. I think I'm done with chunky babies. :( My milk must not be as fatty as it once was - it sure isn't because I'm eating healthier. or exercising. Who has time for exercising when they're busy watching The Biggest Loser anyway?

He's sleeping better too... but the little stinker DEFINITELY loves sleeping in my bed.... and I'm a big advocate of having your baby sleep in their own bed... but not more than I love sleep. So, clearly... Greyson is sleeping in bed with me.

I have a few of post partum "issues." I wouldn't call it depression but I'm definitely battling my emotions more than normal. To top it off I'm not losing ANY weight. I literally only lost Greyson's birth weight... and then put on another 3 pounds. So, I'm basically a chubby, edgy recluse. Feel free to visit anytime - I'm seriously good company. :) hehe

Greyson. Day 19.

To put it simply, I have never had a newborn who has been this awake!

Addy, John Michael & Nicholas all shared a love for sleep. When they were newborns I had to wake them up to eat. I would literally have to take all their clothes off, rub them down with cool wash cloths, blow on their damp bodies and still... they would snooze on.

Greyson is totally different.

The kid doesn't sleep.

Okay, that's probably an exaggeration but he doesn't sleep nearly as much as my first three babies did! He's a happy little guy - as long as he's being held or paid attention to - but he doesn't want to miss a thing! And wake him up to eat? Psh! He wouldn't miss a meal if his life depended on it. Or a snack. Or a midnight snack. Or a second middle of the night snack. :) I joke around that I was determined to enjoy every minute of every day with this little guy because this is our last baby... and he's just as determined to make me do so. "You want to enjoy every minute of every day with me? Then no sleep for you!"

And I'll concede. Because, tired as I am (and I am seriously tired), I haven't yet tired from looking at this adorable little man who has book ended our family.

Greyson. Day 19.

And I'd like to say thanks to my mom and dad for staying the weekend with us. I got to sleep in, take a break from domestic responsibilities and even go to church with just Greyson for a little while on Sunday - and then have lunch with friends afterwards. Thanks Mom & Dad. You've helped make this transition so much easier.

My First Baby

Two weeks ago I had a baby.

Five years ago I had my first.

First of all, may I just say: Coupling post-partum hormones with your first baby's fifth birthday is *not* a good combination.  As if I'm not emotional enough! Then, to top it all off, one of the first things she says to me this morning is, "Mommy, since I'm five now do I still have to call you Mommy?" As my tears welled up in my eyes at the mere thought of her calling me "Mom" vs. "Mommy," I tried to play it off... "Well, what do you think you'd call me instead? Michelle?"   "No." she replied... and left it at that.  Whew.

My precious, beautiful, precocious little girl turned five years old today.  Her life is passing before my eyes. 

Thanks to our friends in the church I have not had to make many meals since Greyson joined our crew.... which meant that Addy and I had time today to make her a birthday cake. It was a simple recipe from the infamous Pioneer Woman and I think just making the cake made her birthday wonderful. She loves to help cook - much more than she loves to help clean. :)  But, to top it off she also got to pick out her breakfast and go to Tyler's Tender for lunch.  She rode the train, played video games, ate her favorite lunch (grilled cheese and apple sauce) and had an ice cream sunday brought out to her on a train while the staff sang Happy Birthday to her.  She commented throughout the day, "Isn't this the most wonderful day ever?" 

Well, I ruined that for her pretty quickly by forcing her to take a few pictures for me to commemorate the day. :) But, she jumped right back into "great day mode" by jumping on the trampoline with Johnny & John Michael and inviting guests over to share her cake.  

She loves guests.  I pray that this love for guests turns into a love for hospitality.  :)

Adeline loves to read.

Adeline loves to read the Bible.

Her best friends are John Michael and Faith.

She's bossy.

She's smart.

She has a memory that impresses me.

She loves to argue.

She loves to eat.

She loves to eat sugar.

She has a quirky little accent thats a mix between British and Region.

She loves to sleep in our bed... and gets to do so regularly.

Her favorite color is pink.

She still loves her Lucy.

She's our only girl.... and the joy of our home. 

We thank God for her every chance we get.

Our girl.

So, I hope the gazillion pictures I'm posting don't bore you. I simply couldn't narrow it down. And why should I? 

Sass.

I like this picture because even though she looks girly in most of these pictures she LOVES to get dirty. :)

This picture makes me smile. She's really so silly.

And this is SO her.

She has her Daddy's lashes.

And of course, eating her cake. :)

Baby Grey Grey

Everyone keeps saying things like, "I can't wait to see Greyson's newborn session!" Well... this little guy doesn't stop eating long enough to allow me to take his picture! He's seriously a non-stop grazer. 

So, I am hoping to do a newborn session in the next couple of days but until then I thought I'd at least take a few pictures. I have been terrible about taking pictures since I got home so here's an attempt at changing. :)

I have such a hard time deciding between color and black and white!!  Johnny chose color for these... I chose black & white... so I'm just going to mix it up and do a little of both. :)

Baby Grey Grey - day 9