how to play with a toy

how to play with a toy (or anything within my reach will do)

by: Baby P, 6 months old

Step 1: Grab toy using one or both hands, depending on what the situation calls for.

Step 2: Look at toy and immediately bring to mouth.

Step 3: Mouth toy, chew on toy, visually inspect toy.

Step 4: Shake toy or bang toy on available surface like another toy or mommy's body.

Step 5: Transfer toy between hands and repeat steps 3 & 4.

Step 6: Become bored with toy, drop toy, look for and grab new toy. Repeat above steps with new toy.

Baby P

C ChitChat

Me to C: Please don't poke my chest.

C: What are those mommy? Why do you have them?

Me: They are called breasts. Men and women have them. Mommy's feed the baby.

C (lifting up his shirt): Look, I have them. But, why do I have them? I don't need them!

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Husband to C: Now, while I'm gone, you need to be the man of the house and help mommy take care of things.

C: Yes, okay! (Short pause) And L can be the mommy.

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C to L: Okay L, Okay. Which balls do you want to keep? This one? Okay. We are going to give some away to the children that don't have any.


Man, he cracks me up! That last one really made me smile.

Thankful

This past weekend was quite eventful. For starters our initial Easter weekend plans were cancelled. Husband is quite busy at work (can't complain about that) and had to get some work done over the weekend. So, we were unable to go out of town to visit his Dad and Stepmom like we had planned. Sorry PawPaw and MawMaw! :( To add to our weekend, we did get to visit with the other sets of grandparents and had our first emergency with one of the boys.

Nana and Papa decided to come to San Antonio for the day on Saturday. We had planned on stopping at their house for a quick visit on our way to PawPaw and MawMaw's.


























We enjoyed our visit with Nana and Papa. Saturday was a fun day...then we had our first emergency. The evening was winding down. I was sitting at the dinner table helping L finish up his dinner, and Husband was upstairs starting Baby P's bath. C was finished with his dinner and headed upstairs. He started to run up the stairs and fell. I didn't see it, but I believe his poor little mouth broke the fall. He came over crying in pain. Initially, I wasn't sure what happened. There was bleeding, so I looked to see where the blood was coming from. Then, I saw it. His top 2 front teeth and 1 to the side had moved...up and back! AAAGH! I am well aware that teeth can fall out or chip, but move?!?!?! Nope, I did not realize! We immediately put ice on it and called the Call a Nurse service. After describing the injury, the nurse told me we should take C to the dentist within 24 hours. I called our dentist's office and left a message with the number they provided for emergencies. In the mean time, we felt a little better because we could see that C's teeth were already beginning to move back into place. The dentist's office manager called me back, and the dentist was able to meet us at his office at 9:30 p.m. Thank you Dr. Klenke!!! After examining C, Dr. Klenke said that he should be just fine. His teeth should move back into position on their own. There shouldn't be any damage to the adult teeth. Worst case scenario would be that C would lose one of his baby teeth a little earlier than normal.



Here he is the next day, feeling better and distracted by the Easter festivities.

















I am thankful. Thankful that C was such a trooper throughout the incident. He really was very brave! Thankful that I have a wonderful husband to help keep me calm and help me to know what we should do next. Thankful that we did not have to go the the ER on a Saturday night. Thankful that our dentist was able and willing to meet us at his office that same night. Thankful that my parents were able to come over and stay with our other 2 boys so C could have both his Daddy and Mommy take him to the dentist. And thankful that C's mouth should be just fine.




With C feeling better, we enjoyed our Easter Sunday.




























































I was reminded of the true meaning of Easter as I read from C's Jesus Storybook Bible (which, by the way, I've come to love and learn a lot from, as my knowledge of the Bible is weak). The funny thing is I read the chapter on the crucifixion to C, and as I was reading, I was truly taken back by the words. They kept coming back to me during the Easter weekend. Then I read this blog, and she wrote about the very words that had been on my mind! So, I just had to mention it. The following is and excerpt from this children's Bible.


They nailed Jesus to the cross.


"Father, forgive them, " Jesus gasped. "They don't understand what they are doing."


"You say you have come to rescue us!" people shouted. "But you can't even rescue yourself!"


But they were wrong. Jesus could have rescued himself. A legion of angels would have flown to his side-if he'd called.


"If you were really the Son of God, you could just climb down off that cross!" they said.


And of course they were right. Jesus could have just climbed down. Actually, he could have just said a word and made it all stop. Like when he healed the little girl. And stilled the storm. And fed 5000 people.


But Jesus stayed.


You see, they didn't understand. It wasn't the nails that kept Jesus there.


It was love.



And for God's love I am thankful.


I hope you had a wonderful Easter!

See?

A couple of weekends ago we did some much needed yard work and had some great help. See?

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In Baby P news...He is now sitting independently for several seconds and for a little longer time with the Boppy pillow behind him. See?

These developments never get old! I love watching our babies learn new things.

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Boy, oh, boy. L sure does enjoy a good push up ice cream! See?!

Mmmm, Mmmmm! Oh, he thought the stick was a straw. Cute, isn't it?

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Here is a little evidence that Spring has sprung! (I do realize it's pretty evident Spring has arrived...seeing as how it was in the 90's today.) See?

Hello Mr. Cardinal. So nice to see you again. Please feel free to build a nest in our yard!

(A couple of years ago Mr. & Mrs. Cardinal built a nest in a tree in our backyard and had babies!)

Sick Day and A Couple of Requests

This morning started out like many other Thursday mornings for the past few months. I showered and got ready for Bible study - trying to finish before the boys woke. I was finishing up when I heard walking/ running footsteps to our bedroom. I went to say my good mornings. Then, I hear C say in a very whiny way, "Mommy, my tummy hurts." Ugh! Since this was not the first time I'd heard this, I was 99% certain of what was to come. So, while caring for 2 other small boys, I helped Corbin make a run for the bathroom about 4 times this morning. Thankfully, he is in the process of taking a long nap! I just hate stomach viruses, but at the same time remind myself it could be worse.

















Poor baby!

However, today is a great day for a sick day. Well, if I can use great and sick in the same sentence. It's been raining with thunderstorms for the past few hours. I just love thunderstorms. I'm enjoying the rain as I write this post...while all my babies are sleeping.

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As of yesterday, Baby P is 6 months old!

Happy 1/2 year to Baby P!!!

I just love that big open mouth smile! It so makes my day! He's so happy he almost looks mad.

And I just had to throw that picture in of a fussy Baby P. Even when he's mad he's so cute! I can't help but laugh when I look at it.

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All 3 boys had well check ups this week with the pediatrician. They are all doing well and growing. And all 3 had to get immunizations, but poor C - well he had to get 4 shots! He was very brave.

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L enjoying an indoor picnic today:

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One more thing.

C's preschool (along with Bibleland, the children's ministry at Oak Hills Church) is doing this really cool thing to help others in our world who are much less fortunate than us! There is a project call The H2O Project. Basically, they raise money to build wells in places around the world where people so not have access to clean water. See, the thing is there is clean water right under where these people live, but they don't have the funds/ resources to build a well to access that water. What got me were these sad statistics:

• Women and children walk 4 hours to get dirty water.


• Preventable water related diseases kill one child every 15 seconds, that's 10,000 every day - and that's just children.

So, The H2O Project promotes what they call The H2O Challenge, which involves drinking only water for 2 weeks, then donating the money you save by just drinking water (You save money on things like soda, juice, coffee, etc.)
C is actually getting into this. He asked me to put water instead of juice in his lunch yesterday to help The H2O Project!
I'd like to use this blog to do some good in the world. :) I'll start by asking for anything you can donate toward The H2O Project. So, if you feel led to donate, please email me at ana.05.07.08@gmail.com . I'll collect your donations, combine it with ours and turn it in to C's preschool. Thank you so much!

Fun With Legos

Saturday morning fun with Legos.

And resting after fun with Legos.

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In other news...

Baby P now:

• Has 3 teeth and the 4th is closely following.
• Rolls from stomach to back and rolls half way from back to stomach.
• Chuckles and squeals instead of belly laughing (still very cute).
• Loves having his face and neck kissed.
• Falls asleep very easily (under the right conditions, mind you).
• Sleeps through the whole night, 12+ hours!
• Is eating solids including baby oatmeal cereal, avocados and pears.
• Into grabbing everything...and with such determination!
• Is able to move about on his belly by kicking his legs.
• Purposely shakes rattle type toys to hear the noise.

L now:

• Repeats a lot more!
• Is adding new words to his vocabulary all the time.
• Is starting to put 2 words together.
• Likes wearing his new crocs. :)
• Enjoys watching his new Baby Einstein Baby MacDonald video and pretty much anything else that features animals.
  AND just to make things really interesting...drum roll please...
• Open doors all by himself!

C :

• Is becoming quite social! He wants to say hi to everyone!
• Is quite the biggest brother. He is very patient with Baby P and so helpful with both little brothers(when he chooses to be so).
• Did not go through the "terrible 2's". But did/ does have a case of the testy 3's and fiery 4's!
• Loves school.
• Two of his favorite things include wrestling with Daddy and running!
• Enjoys watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny, Cars, Toy Story, Toys Story 2

Like my sister in law said to me about having 3 little boys just a couple of days ago - "I bet there really never is a dull moment." She is so right! And I wouldn't have it any other way!!!

Just for Fun

C, L, & P at 5 months old

Can ya tell they're brothers? OK, maybe just a little...

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

"The Invisible Woman"

Do you ever feel invisible?
Check out the video below for a little inspiration. A friend of mine sent it to me in an email the day before Baby P was born. Perfect timing!

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C Speak:
"You get what you get and you don't throw a fit."
Something one of his teachers at school says. I love it!




To mommy,"Oh, I want to watch you feed Baby P! I'm not scared of it anymore. I'm not!"
Keep in mind his reaction to it from this post. And, yes, he still is "scared" of it. It's getting better, though.

A Busy Day

Before we get to today, here is Baby P enjoying the exersaucer for the first time. Cute!


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Today was a busy, but fun day. The boys and I met a friend and her kids (along with their playgroup) at the McKenna Children's Museum in New Braunfels. The last time we went was when C was 2 and I was very pregnant with L. The boys had a blast and it wore us all out. I think I'm the most tired. It's great going with a friend and having the company and help!

C with a space helmet on

Enjoying the water table outdoors

L on a seal and saying 'cheese' for mommy

Admiring a longhorn

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Potty training...oh what fun! Ha! We've been doing some pre potty training with L. For example, before his bath we have him sit on the potty. So..I decided to put some cloth training underpants on him today for a short while. He wore them shortly before dinner and during. He then 'went potty'. Yes, in the toilet. Before I could get a diaper back on him (I let him choose between putting his underpants or a diaper back on), he ran off. He has this problem where he frequently does not come when I call him. What gives?! Is he 2 or something?!!! I digress. Shortly after running off, I hear him say "Uh oh". Well, during about an hour of 'potty training' we had a couple of accidents on the floor. I'm so glad I've done this once before. Makes for a much calmer mommy...well so far.

I Don't Like That!!! and Not Me! Monday

I've been pretty good about periodically getting the boys' pictures taken at a studio here in town. Last week I attempted to do my own 2 year pictures of L. A friend of mine was taking her kids to a nature area in Boerne to take pictures of her kids, so I tagged along (thanks L!). Anyways, here is our newest 2 year old being stubborn about smiling. He is doing his best trying to not smile as my friend L tries to in fact extract a smile.

Finally...a smile!

On Sunday, Baby P had his first taste of solid food! He caught on quickly and did great!

Our newest 4 year old was excited to watch and be a part of this important milestone with Baby P. However, it totally grossed him out!!! Check out the photos below. You can see a smiling C in the background as we got started with the feeding. As things progress some, you see C in the third picture below with his hand over his mouth leaving the baby feeding situation as fast as he can! Poor thing was gagging and everything! He kept saying, "I don't like that!" I think it's the texture of the baby cereal...sensory overload!

Husband and I did not crack up laughing at C, as he was totally grossed out by Baby P's first feeding. We would not bust out laughing at our poor son's misery! That would be a little mean. No, not us!

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And here is Baby P practicing his sitting...and so happy about it!!!