Best Thanksgiving ever

That was probably my fav thanksgiving ever. We just had a great time. My sis and brother in law came in town on Wed night. We got up on Thanksgiving and spent a lot of time all together in the kitchen and living room. The parade was on, music was on and around 1 the drinks starting flowing. We made Thanksgiving dinner and apps to pick on throughout the day. I also made a berry/apple festive pie and it was yummy. The meal turned out one of the best ever everyone agreed. My parents showed up around 2:30 and then the party really started. We really had a nice time all being together. I love the holidays. It was such a nice start to the holiday season. I can't wait for Christmas!!!

Thanksgiving grocery list

We over bought food this year for thanksgiving so I wanted to get written down what we will actually need for next year and this was the best place I could think to keep it that I will have easy access to it.

16 or 17 lb fresh turkey

2 bags green beans

1 big bag corn

5 lbs potatoes

3 loaves of bread

3 sweet potatoes

4 packets of gravy

2 cranberry salads

1 can cranberry

rolls

1 pumpkin pie

1 festive berry pie

lessons to learn about having a boy

The other morning I was rushing to get us all out of the house. I grabbed a sound asleep Everett from his bed to change his diaper and leave. I put him on the changing table and was watching his face and arms as he stretched awake and enjoying every minute of it. All the sudden there was a pretty powerful stream of "water" hitting right on his face. He was sputtering and blinking and I was totally confused. Took me a minute to figure out what in the world was going on. Oh my so gross!! He sprayed his face. He has only squirted once so it's not something that is on my radar even though I had been warned and warned about it having a boy. I guess it's probably the first thing he does as soon as he wakes up. Lesson learned.

songs

Every night we sing songs to Camille before she goes to sleep. She asks for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Sunshine or ABC's. Usually all 3 but sometimes she wants repeats of one of them. It's super cute. She knows the words of all of them and sings along. She also knows Old McDonald and Row Row Your Boat but so far those have not been bedtime songs. I am sure there are many more she knows that we have not heard yet.

my monkeys

crooked neck

Everett was born with a tight neck from his position in the womb and not having enough space. We have been stretching it and it is getting a lot better but here are some pics of our cute little crooked neck. He's so cute. That first pic is totally him. That is how he looks at you with those big adoring eyes just dying to be picked up and loved on.

New monkey pj's

Wanted a pic of my two cute girls in their pj's but had to settle for these.

Nov. 19th 2010

We got Av a Leapster Explorer, PJ's, boots, 2 books and a plastic horse for her bday. Things she needed not a ton of plastic made in China toys and she loved every one of them. She is so simple and pure. Love to see the happiness on her face.

fire station party

busted

John busted using the girls markers and the posters he made for Av. Check out all her "friends" on this one.

Bright eyes

these 2 are going to be good friends

He does look a little scared in the last pic. heheheh

cake boss

Av went to a birthday party recently and it was based off of the show Cake Boss. I have not seen the show but I guess they decorate cakes. Each child at the party was given their own mini cake to decorate. They had lots of fun stuff to decorate the cake with including modeling chocolate which was like "playdough you could eat" according to Avery. Here is Avery with her cake. She was very proud.

belly time

naked camille

Camille has started a fun new thing. Taking her clothes off. She can pretty much fully undress herself and loves to practice it. I found her sleeping totally undressed the other day and every thing was totally covered in pee. Think she slept like that all night long. Now we check to make sure she is dressed before we go to bed. The other day when I went in to wake her from her nap and she was half undressed. A lot of times when we are all just hanging out one minute she is dressed the next minute she is not. The worst though was at McDonalds she hid and took her socks off, pants and started on her diaper. Av told me and I was able to quickly put a stop to it. She is something else that's for sure!!!

15 times

Yesterday we had a very busy day. We did it all and got it all done but it was hard too. I got the kids in or out of the car 15 times. Wow that adds up. In at the house, out at school, in at school, out at the grocery, in at the grocery, out at the house, in at the house, out at school, in at school, out at the house, in at the house, out at music, in at music, out at MD office and in at MD office. I felt like no one got the attention they deserved or needed. I know life will have it's up and downs like that. Some days we have things we need to get done and then other days will be all about the kids. It's a balancing act and will all balance out but right now since being a family of 5 is still very new to us one day throws us off a lot. Avery came home with a birthday bag. She needed to write/draw in a school notebook what she had done for her bday. 4 other kids had already had it and written about their bday. I left Av working on that, Camille with her coloring and went to nurse Everett on the couch in the same room. Next thing I knew Camille had gotten my water bottle. I didn't think much of it until I heard Av scream, "No Camille!!" Camille was taking mouthfuls of water and spiting them on Av and the school notebook. Oh my!! Not good. Today is all about Everett while the girls are at school and tomorrow will be all about them. We will get back on track!

Thanksgiving grocery shopping

We are having Thanksgiving at our house again this year. We are all very excited and can't wait. AA, UM, G and PP are all coming soon!!! I made a grocery list and got started on it Monday after we dropped Av off at school. Everett was in his car seat in the basket of the shopping cart and Camille in the front part. You can't really fit much in a shopping cart with those two in there so we did what we could. Everett and I went back to day for the rest. Can't believe I am doing 2 part grocery shopping these days.

tricycle

Camille has been riding her tricycle and is obsessed. She would ride all day if you let her. It's amazing something so little can pedal so well. She rides it down the driveway turns down the sidewalk and will ride as far as you let her. When you tell her to turn around she will and ride back up the driveway and then start all over again. The driveway is slanted too so on the way back she has to pedal uphill. She just looks like such a little big girl riding all by herself down the sidewalk. She is quite the athlete.

7 hours

Everett has been sleeping 7 hour stretches for me!!!! Last three nights 9pm to 4am. It's so nice. He is the best baby ever. So easy. Has been from the start. There has not been one night that we spent pacing the floors with a screaming baby. He is so sweet and content. The nights he has been awake he just wants to be held and talked to and cuddled with and to have something cool to look at and love. He just stares at you, like he's trying to figure everything out. He will sit with you forever and just stare at you. The girls never looked at us so intently and for such periods of time. Sometimes he looks like he is trying to talk and tell you something and sometimes he does get some sounds out. So neat to listen to. He is smiling more and more. They are big cute smiles. He smiles the most at big sister Av. He smiles every time he sees her. He loves his paci. Much more of a sucker than the girls ever were. A paci at night puts him right to sleep (when he has a full belly). He is so amazing. I am so glad he is in my life and he is my son. I can't imagine my life without him. Things do happen the way they are meant to. I will always believe that.

5

My baby is 5!!!!! How did that happen? Seems like just yesterday I was holding my sweet little baby Avery. It's amazing. Soon she will be off to kindergarden all day every day and I will miss her so much. She is so sweet. She is the one that keeps me sane all day with her sister around. Makes me so sad to think she is already 5. I have memories of being 5. Things we do today she will remember forever. She's such an amazing little girl. Her school did a Kindergarden readiness assessment on her recently. She received a score of 73% in concepts. She is so smart and that just proves it!!! I am so proud of her. She knows things and gets things better than 73% of her peers!!!!!!!! That is amazing. Her speech and motor scores brought her down to a score of 52%, but that's still amazing. She does not need that stinking chromosome!!!! She is still completely average without it. Good thing for those other kids she is missing part of it, otherwise she would be way off the charts!!! Of course she is way of the charts to us and will always be!!!!

Avery's bday weekend

As a Welsh (my mom's maiden name) you never celebrate a bday just once. It is always a week long thing. Av's started Friday morning on her actually bday. She woke up to a decorated house that her daddy did (a tradition his mom started and he always remembers looking forward to it). He even colored 3 posters for her. On one John had drawn the family and then included all of Av's "friends" that she carries around the house with her and has to sleep with every night. Periwinkle (cat from Blues Clue's when I took her to see it), monkey (whom John didn't think had legs, where has he been for the last 2 years), baby Rachael (baby named after her school teacher this sumer), duckie (the lovie she used to sleep with at school), mickey (horse named after first horse she rode), good luck bear, and school day blanket (blanket she slept with and yes that is what she calls it). It is quite the poster. Very cute and she loved it. Then off to school and a field trip to the Science Center she went. They rode a school bus and I think that was her fav part. After school I took them to Mcdonalds for lunch. Her bff Caroline came with us. After we got home another bff Jackson stopped by and they bounced for awhile. Before they left Grandma from WI got here with L&L. Avery was in heaven. They played for a bit till John got home and then off to have pizza we all went. We went to a pizza place that had games and John and Av played enough games to get 50 tickets. She was able to get a plastic horse with her tickets and you would have thought she just got a million dollars. She was so excited. Then home for cake, presents and then finally bed. Big day. The next day was her party. 18 friends showed up to the fire station for her party. They received a fire safety talk (little over their heads but I learned a lot), saw a fireman get dressed in all the gear and then got to explore a fire truck. Avery had a great time. Very successful bday for Avery. She is a lucky little girl to have some many wonderful friends. G, PP, AA and UM are coming this week for Thanksgiving. I am sure we will celebrate at least one more time.

5 year check up

We had Avery's 5 year check up yesterday. I took all 3 kids. Not the best planning on my part but it worked out. I thought I always take the girls and the boy is so good why not. It was fine though. Everett was asleep so as soon as we were in our room I asked Av if she had to go potty thinking I would just leave him there. She said no. After about 10 minutes Camille was getting restless and woke E up. Right then was when Av decided she had to go potty and it was right as the MD was coming in. Ugh, but we all went. Av is 42 inches tall and 36 lbs. That puts her right in the 50% for height and 25% for weight. Doc said that's right where they like them to be. He asked her colors, shapes, opposites, prepositions had her draw her shapes and a person and she did great!! He is very proud of where she is and how far she has come. This is the same MD that helped us so much in the beginning and has been pulling for us all along. They also tested her hearing and she passed that with flying colors also. All and all it was a great check up.

perfect day

This weekend John and I went to the U of L football game with Marci and Brent. We took Everett with us and left the kids (Avery, Camille, Jackson and Stella) home with Uncle Alex. We went and tailgated a little and then to the game. It was a perfect day outside and Everett was such a good boy. Didn't fuss at all. Alex did a great job at home with all the kids. Even Camille and Stella got a long. When we got home Stella called for her mom for help up the steps on the deck. Camille instead went to help her and they held hands the rest of the way. We still have hopes they will come out of it BFFs someday soon! It was a pretty perfect day for everyone!

best friends

The greatest thing has happened over the last couple of days. The girls are playing more together and fighting less. I think Camille is finally getting to the age where they can really be playmates. They are entertaining each other for longer stretches of time and pretending together. They have been dogs, mother/baby and student/teacher recently together. Without my involvement at all. They also are getting more use out of the kitchen and play food we bought Avery for her second bday. Sometimes they bring all the food into the living room and play for awhile on the coffee table. It's really cute and sweet. All this playing also has a flip side too though. Camille will do something she knows she is not supposed and Avery thinks it's very funny so she laughs and that just eggs Camille on. Then Avery joins in and that's really trouble. The other day I found them smashing goldfish and then rolling in the crumbs. Oh my, they both got sent to their rooms for that one.

snorts

When the girls were hungry as babies they looked like little birds. Open mouth and stretched neck searching for their source of nourishment and comfort. Everett on the other hand is all boy. He snorts as he moves himself down my chest and arm in the hopes of finding the prize he is looking for. His head bobbing and mouth sucking. It's just all so sweet and cute. I can't get enough of him.

first smile

I got the best gift the other day. A huge toothless smile from my baby boy. After a rough night it made it all worth it. It brought me to tears, happy tears of course. Hopefully I will be able to capture it soon and post. Wait till you see what a cute smile it is.

rolling machine

He rolls himself off his belly all the time. Getting him to do belly time is becoming impossible. As soon as I put him down he is working to get himself over. Very strong boy!

feeding time

When I sit down to nurse Everett Camille comes and sits next to me to, "feed her baby like mommy." She sits down lifts her shirt up and pushes her babies head into her. She really has never taken an interest in dolls until now. All the sudden she has a baby that goes everywhere with her and she has to sleep with it too. Baby Stella, named after one of her good friends that she has a typical love hate relationship that all 2 year olds have. Avery used to nurse her baby when I was feeding Camille. She has not done it this time. I keep waiting but so far no. Wonder if she out grew that?

Big boy

Everett's one month check up was this week. He is 10 lbs, 12 ounces. That puts him in the 75% for weight. He is 22 inches long which is in the 50%. He is doing great. MD was very pleased with everything.

Update

We are doing pretty well. Life is pretty much back to normal. We are just a family of 5 now. Camille has been a little jealous lately. I think the newness has worn off and sharing mom and dad with baby brother has set in. We are handling it though and it has not gotten that bad. Everett is not sleeping as well as he was. We had a week of him being up about every 3 hours which was a little much. He is back to doing a 5 hour stretch at night but then he follows it up with 2 hours which is hard. A normal night (for now) is him going to bed at 9 getting up at 2 and 4 to eat and then up at 7:30 for the day. For the first 4 weeks of his life he pretty much slept all day long. It was hard to keep him up. Now he is pretty much up all day. Hard to get him down to sleep a stretch of more than an hour. I took all 3 kids to the zoo the other day and he was wake the entire time. We were there from 11:30 to 4. It was a very pretty day and we had a blast. We all paid for it that night though. We were all over tired. Our other sleep problem is that Camille has hit a rough patch. She has been up at least once a night for too many nights. That is not normal for her at all. Plus the time change didn't help at all. She was up bouncing in her crib at 6 am most of the mornings this week. She has a cough at night and it wakes us all up. Can't wait for it to go away. They both still just love their baby brother though. They keep the kissing flowing and to keep them off of him is almost impossible. It's sweet but no wonder he has a stuffy nose. Breastfeeding is going great. I feel so lucky that it has been so easy. I love the time to just sit and cuddle with him. He is a very sweet baby. Camille was napping and Avery was having quiet time and I sat w him sleeping on my lap for 45 minutes. I just stared at him for most of it. Trying to memorize every sweet little feature that he has. So innocent and incredible. All too soon he will be a terrible 2's monster one minute and a 2 year old that just adores you the next. Right now he still thinks we hung the moon and I am going to relish in that as long as I can.

such love

I was feeding Everett and Camille said, "mommy hold you." I told her I was feeding her brother but to come sit next to us and cuddle. She didn't like that answer and started fussing. Av was standing behind her and said, "I'll hold you Camille." This is what came of that. SOOOOOO cute. I just love these girls so much!!!

a sleepy boy

A cute boy that was on the verge of sleeping until mommy starting snapping pics. Then he had to wake up and stretch.

Sparty

After Sparty beat Northwestern in that awesome game the weekend before halloween I was so excited for the team. My Sparty love came out and I decided I wanted to be a MSU football player for halloween. J was all for it and ordered me a MSU football jersy, socks and black things for under my eyes. Later that week we went to get football pants for me. I was very excited to wear it all. Yes I knew that they could lose to Iowa the day I had to wear it but my love for MSU is so strong that didn't bother me. What I didn't think would happen was the blow out that did. The 5 interceptions the QB threw were just icing on the cake. Of course it was the QB jersy we had ordered. Ugh. Yes I wore the outfit and yes I heard a lot of comments that night. After they lost I sent John out to the yard to mess up my white pants. Had to make it look like I had a rough night. I walked into that party and said, "Sorry we are late, coach gave me a good ass chewing. I need a beer!!" I got a lot of comments that night and had to defend my team. I love my Spartans and I will defend them proudly always. Win or lose they will always have my heart.

Halloween

pumpkins

On Saturday we went over to the Hoekstra house for a halloween and bday celebration. We had a blast. We were supposed to carve pumpkins with the girls. After being there for awhile we were reminded it was time to get carving. The girls were not very interested until someday told them to ask daddy to carve a cat face on the pumpkin. That piped their interest for a few minutes and then dad was left to carve a cat alone. He did a great job.