Our holiday in pictures

Jameson made a menorah at school and brought it home on the last day of Hanukkah   Russell had to work that night, but they sent candles home and all, so I really had no excuse not to light it!

Seeing Santa at Bass Pro Shop.  No one cried and two of the three are looking at the camera - not too shabby!  Oh and you can't see the giant hole that Delilah ripped in her tights in the van on the way there...unless I point it out!

Christmas with Gigi!

Notice the tiny fork in his beard.  He was using a dinglehopper.  My brother is weird, end of story.

Sledding with Papa Terry at his new house.  Everyone had a blast...that is, until Delilah got snow in her mittens.  "My hands is frozen!"

 

Let me reiterate...my brother is weird!

Milk and cookies for Santa, plus carrots for Rudolph.

Huh, the kids must have been good after all...Just couple things under the tree.  :-)

Love for the Bennetts from near and far!

...And to all a good night!

This time of year is often one of the most stressful for me.  In the past there has been added pressure put on me due to scheduling issues and other people's expectations.  Everything is further muddled by the fact that we work non-traditional hours.  So this year with Christmas on a Tuesday, I was worried about back-to-back-to-back celebrations.  But, much to my surprise, this holiday season went pretty smoothly!

Our holiday season actually started the weekend before, when we celebrated Hanukkah with Nannie, Papa, and the rest of the family.  It was fun because Jameson has been learning about Hanukkah at school, so he had an idea of what was going on this year.  We usually say that these get-togethers are a success if no one cries and I'd say this year was a success!  :-)

This weekend started with a trip to see Santa at Bass Pro shop.  It worked out pretty well.  We got there about 2:45 pm and were given a card to wait in the 3:00 pm line.  So we hopped in line.  We didn't have to wait too terribly long before the kids were able to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas - Jameson a "castle toy" and Delilah a "bicycle."  Afterwards, we dropped the two bigger kids off with some friends so that we could do a little Christmas shopping.

Saturday morning, we had family pictures with the Gordons.  I thought that Ephraim was going to be the difficult one, but it turns out it was Delilah who was going to be a bit of a diva.  Other than that, the pictures were fairly uneventful and I think we were able to get some nice shots.  Then we headed to Lincoln to celebrate with Russell's grandma and the rest of the crew.  It was a fun time, however as I saw Jameson cheat on "Pin the Nose on the Snowman", I suddenly realized that Jameson may have inherited my fear of failing.  He was far more worried about what would happen if he didn't get the nose in the right spot than having fun playing the game.  :-(  I'm going to have to work on that.

Sunday we had Christmas brunch at my Dad and Ione's new house.  After we ate and opened presents, the grand-kids (minus Ephraim), Papa Terry and Russell went sledding in the back yard.  The ladies - and Tyler )although he did eventually head out after a bit of teasing) watched, laughed and took pictures from the warmth inside.  The kids had a BLAST.  That is, until Jameson and Delilah flipped over in their sled.  Russell rushed a crying Delilah inside to me.  It was very hard to stifle the giggles as she exclaimed "My hands is frozen!" over and over again.  But, after a little hot cocoa from Mama O, she was good as new in no time!  On the way home, I dropped the bigger kids off with Aunt Ray-Ray so that I could finish up my last minute shopping.

Monday was Christmas Eve and as I have for pretty much every Christmas Eve since we bought the house, I hosted the celebration with my mom, brother and his family.  Kellie and her crew usually join us, but this year my kids developed a NASTY cough, so the L family decided it would be best to avoid that mess.  And this year, Russell had to work, so our celebration was quite a bit smaller than it has been in past years.  Nevertheless, we had a nice little evening.  Tyler, Nichole and the girls made the mistake of showing up early, so I put them to work!  We filled our bellies full of lasagna, opened some nice presents, and had some laughs.  Then it was time to get everyone to bed so the big guy could make his appearance!

Last year, Russell had to work over night, so this mama was Santa's helper until about 3 am.  Then -and I'm still not sure of the exact sequence of events- but as R got home from work, about 6:30 am, the kids were already downstairs or came downstairs, so they saw their presents from Santa before I joined them.  Talk about a major let down!  So, this year, I not only got to bed a *little* bit earlier due to having a second helper elf, but I instilled in Jameson that he needed to wait for me.  So, everything worked out great.  Everyone loved their gifts!  Jameson was even excited about his clothes!!  :-)  The kids got just what they asked for from Santa - Jameson the "castle toy," Delilah a Minnie Mouse bike, and Ephraim a jumperoo.  And what was my gift from the kids, you ask?  Why, their cold, of course!!  Wah!  So, I spent the rest of the day resting on the couch!  Haha!  But, overall it was a WONDERFUL holiday season.  And as usual, we were absolutely spoiled!  Thanks to everyone who spent their holiday with us.

Merry Christmas, from the elves!

Someone is on the move!

Keep rollin' rollin' rollin' rollin'

What?

Uhhh…oops, sorry - my inner Limp Bizkit was showing.  I guess I reverted back to the year 2000 for a minute.  Haha!

On Tuesday, Ephraim FINALLY rolled over for the first time.  He’s been sooooooo close for quite a while.  (For the record – there has been a debate going on in the house for a few weeks.  Russell seems to think that it counts when he rolled over in the bouncer seat.  I said no way because he totally could get some leverage from the side – it only counts when he’s flat on the floor!!  What is this??  His first kid?  Haha!)  Anyway, back to Tuesday.  He rolled for the first time – from flat on the floor – from his back to his belly.  Well today, I left him on the floor in the family room for a minute and when I came back he was in a completely different spot than where he started.  I asked Jameson about it and he said “Ephraim just moved himself.”  So, I watched him for a while.

He would roll from his back to his belly, play for a bit, and then roll from his belly to his back, play for a bit – rinse and repeat.  Well, apparently that little booger knows how to roll both ways!  He will now roll pretty consistently from his back to his belly, but will roll less frequently from his belly to his back.  Sometimes he’ll sit there, get frustrated and cry – even though he has done it before!  Oh well, I know that it won’t be too long before he’s completely mobile!!

I’m going places, Mama!

Ephraim is 4 months!

Let’s see what’s new…Ephraim is getting stronger and stronger every day.  He can consistently hold his head up.  When he’s agreeable to doing tummy time, he’s able to keep his head up and push his chest up.  He’s much more likely to do tummy time if his brother and/or sister join him.

Ephraim has had a few instances where he cries inconsolably and becomes very clingy.  While I love me some baby snuggles, it makes it quite difficult to get anything done around here!  We’re not sure if it’s teeth or the cold that we’re all battling.  Whatever it is, I just hope that it passes soon!  Unfortunately, he seems to know when Russell and I get a date night out because that’s when he really puts on a show!  Dearest Ephraim, I love you, but your mommy needs a night out from time to time for her own sanity!!

At Ephraim’s 4 month appt, the only milestone that his pediatrician asked about that he hadn’t hit yet was rolling over.  He’s super close, but that’s an awful lot of body to move!  I’m sure it’s only a matter of days.  He weighed in at 17.11 lbs (91%), 25.5” long (69%), and head circumference of 17.25” (86%).  As you can see, my buddy is still a big guy – though his height percentile is dropping a bit (shocking, right?). 

Dr. Zimmerman did diagnose Ephraim with laryngomalacia or “floppy vocal chords.”  It’s generally a benign condition.  The soft, immature cartilage of the upper larynx collapses inward during inhalation – which just means that he’s noisy.  He always has a bit of a wheezy sound when he’s breathing and when he gets excited he makes this ADORABLE squeaky sound.  In fact, Dr. Zimmerman says that they call children with this “happy squeakers.”  His breathing seems fine, which is the only real concern, but we do need keep an eye on him for sleep apnea.  And, in most of the cases, the babies grow out of it by the time they are 1 or 2.

Weekend Recap - Thanksgiving Edition

Ah, my first long weekend since I became “self-employed.”  It was so nice.  But, as you probably guessed, we were busy, busy, busy!!  The festivities actually started MUCH earlier than usual.  On Tuesday, I was able to volunteer at Jameson’s school.  They had a Thanksgiving program and I, along with 2 other moms, helped the kids to roll out, cut, and bake cookies for refreshments after the show.  It was so fun to see him in his element.  I swear I could sit all day and just watch him at school!

Jameson was sooooooo excited for his program.  He asked everyone he encountered if they were going to his “show” and if they said no, he would say “that’s okay, we’ll record it for you.”  Well, Papa Terry, Mama O, Cousin Alaina, Nannie Sandy, Aunt Rachel, Uncle Ben, and Aunt Becca were able to attend.  Let me just tell you, it was THE CUTEST thing that I have ever seen!!  And here it is for your viewing pleasure!!  After the program, we ate lunch at Pizza Pie Guys with Papa Terry, Mama O, and Cousin Alaina.  Then Wednesday night, Jameson attended his very first overnighter at the JCC.  Only, we weren't sure how he'd handle staying overnight (or how *I* would, for that matter!), so we opted to have him stay until 10 instead.  Then Russell and I took the chance to sneak away for dinner and a movie before picking Jameson up.  And after that, I had the AMAZING opportunity to drop off some gifts that a wonderful group of ladies and I pooled together to give to a friend whose daughter is going through some things.

Thursday, of course, was Thanksgiving.  We had a wonderful, family filled day.  Just like we have done for the past few years, we had lunch with my family (Dad’s side) and dinner with Russell’s family.  We were treated to two delicious Thanksgiving meals.  We were able to catch up with some family that we don’t get to see very often.  All with very minimal drama – pretty good for two family get-togethers!  I feel very lucky to have so many wonderful people to call my family!

Friday was a recover day.  We relaxed, watched some football and ate anything other than turkey!  Haha!

Saturday we took family pictures with my friend Amy.  This was a reschedule.  We were supposed to do them earlier, but something else came up…  :-)  Anyway, I am thrilled about them!  We had a lot of fun without any major meltdowns – pretty impressive considering we had 5 people to keep happy!  I’ll post a few pictures once our holiday letters go out!

Sunday was another lazy day – soaking up the very last day of our long weekend.  Then, on Monday stuff got real.  We submitted the last wave of paperwork to daycare licensing.  So, it’s just a matter of time before we get inspected and we’re off and running!!  Eeek!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

From the Turkeys!

Sunday.

Gah, I don’t even know where to start.  I guess at the beginning.  Haha!  On November 14^th, 2011, I had the opportunity to hear Warren Buffett speak at Girls Inc’s annual luncheon.  During which he made some comment along the lines of “Find something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life” – I can’t remember exactly how he worded it though.  Then I got to hug him...

The next morning I woke up and started thinking about my passions.  I started thinking about how I am kind of the “go-to” person within my circle for all things fertility/pregnancy/baby related.  So, I started thinking about ways I could build on that.  So, I started researching various avenues that I could take – including becoming a certified doula.

What is a doula, you ask?  Well a doula “is a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth” (DONA International).  It just felt right, so I decided to head down that path – which is actually quite terrifying for someone who has only actually been present in her own births, which were c-sections!

So, I officially took a leap of faith and became a doula in training!  I began my required reading and attended the workshop.  But, then I got wrapped up in my pregnancy, licensing the daycare, and other things going on in my personal life.  So, the doula thing kind of went to the back burner for a while.

Then, my wonderfully supportive friend (step-cousin), Jenny, started talking to me about her friend who was pregnant and wanting a doula.  So, we talked about Jenny passing my info on to her friend, but I never heard from her, so I didn’t think too much more about it. 

But about two months ago, I received an email from her.  So, I met with her and her husband.  I’m not going to lie – I was not 100% confident in my abilities and kind of tried to sabotage myself.  And at my second meeting, they kind of called me out on it.  Fortunately, I had Jenny in my corner pulling for me.  So, they decided to take a chance on me.

We met one other time and discussed her birth plan.  They also informed me at this time that her OB said that she was dilated to 3 and that she had felt some contractions.  I got weekly text messages after her OB appointments informing me that there was no change in her progress.

Well, Sunday morning Russell left –with the van!- to go to Kansas City to watch the Chiefs game.  And as luck would have it, I got a call around 7:20 am from the Mama saying her water broke and her contractions were 1.5 minutes apart.  So, I panicked for a minute trying to think about what I was going to do with my kids.  I made a couple of calls and finally BEGGED my super awesome friend Kellie to watch them – even though she has her own feisty two year old and a set of 3 month twins on her hands…what’s 3 more kids, right?  (Have I mentioned lately that Kellie is absolutely one of THE BEST friends a girl could ever have??). 

Anyway, after dropping the kids off at Kellie’s, I raced to the hospital and got there around 8:30 am.  This Mama was already in active labor!  I’ll spare you all of the details, but this absolutely amazing Mama delivered her baby girl completely medication free at 11:46 am.  Her birth really went exactly how she wanted.  I am so thrilled for her.  I also am so grateful that she allowed me the opportunity to be apart of this truly incredible day.  Plus, I was done in time to eat lunch with Kellie and the kids!

Weekend Recap

Whew, what a whirlwind weekend!  (And some unintentional alliteration - Woot!).  :-) Let's start with Thursday.  That was Nannie Sandy's birthday.  So, all 5 Bennetts,  plus Nannie, Papa Bruce, Uncle Ben and Brooke (his fiancée!) met at Famous Dave's for dinner.  We had a really nice dinner and afterwards went back to Nannie & Papa's house so that Bruce could fill out our physical forms for Russell and I - part of next step in our daycare license journey!

Friday was fairly uneventful, other than Russell and I took epic naps! 

Saturday we met Papa Terry and Mama O at Green Belly for lunch.  It was delicious!  Then Jameson and I took a trip to Target to get him some new shoes, plus a few other goodies.  We got home just in time to pick up Delilah and Ephraim to head to a baby shower.  Ephraim slept for most of the shower, but Delilah and Jameson entertained the crowd!  They also suckered a bunch of people into giving them mor After we left the shower.  We went to HyVee to get some groceries.  We got home, ate some dinner, and the kids played a little bit.  After that, I needed to go pick up something from a friend's house.  The kids fell asleep on the way home.  So I got them in house and directed them to go upstairs.  Well, here was the aftermath while I was tending to the baby:

I guess they were tired!

And then there was Sunday.  Sunday deserves its own post, but I just don't have the energy to type it out tonight, so you'll have to wait!  Stay tuned!

Weekend Recap

This weekend was another fairly laid back weekend for us.  Russell started it off by having an outpatient procedure done Friday morning.  Everything went successfully, but he had to take it easy this weekend.  But, more on that later.

We had a pretty lazy Saturday.  We were able to sleep in.  After lunch, Kellie and the twins came over to watch the Husker game and then we ate dinner together.  And that’s about all we got accomplished.  It was GLORIOUS!!!  Every once in a while you need a day like that.

Sunday was a bit busier.  I ran around town getting some of the items we need for the daycare and for my doula bag (more on that later, hopefully).  Then, after lunch, Russell got ready for work while the kids and I went to a birthday party for a friends’ son.  Once we got home, we ate dinner and then I busied myself putting away my purchases from earlier.  Then, I let the momentum continue and I worked on some neglected areas upstairs.  And after all that, it was time to lay my weary self down in bed, reboot, and prepare for the next week.

Happy Monday, everyone!

Surprise!

Knock, knock, knock!

Who’s there?

The Fire Inspector.

The Fire Inspector, w….WHAT!?!?

I’m sure most people know by now that we are applying for our daycare license.  We submitted the start of our paperwork about a month ago.  I received a letter stating as much and informing us that the next step would be the fire inspection.  The letter said to allow some time for the fire inspector to receive the referral and then to schedule our inspection.  About a week and a half ago, I left a voicemail asking him to return my call.  I never heard back, so I called again on Thursday and left a second voicemail.  Monday there’s a knock at the door and it’s none other than the fire inspector!  So, he came in and got started as I tried not to PANIC!  And of course, while he’s here I have two crying babies and two insane toddlers who choose that very moment to LOUDLY chase the cats.

Fortunately, Russell had already installed the additional smoke detector we needed and most everything else was not even an issue because our house is big enough and new enough that it already met the majority of the requirements.  He did inform us that we were, in fact, able to use the bedrooms upstairs as a part of our daycare.  So, that will make the nap time and potential overnight issue easier.  So, we paid the man off….errr, I mean we paid the fee and we passed the fire inspection!  The next steps are some more paperwork and the State inspection! 

Whew!

Weekend Recap

Although I was desperately convince myself that the runny noses around our house was just allergies, however it seems that the daycare kiddos have caught it as well, so I’m thinking we actually have a full-blown cold on our hands.  Oh well, ‘tis the season! 

Nevertheless, we foraged on in respect to our weekend activities.  Friday afternoon, we had a visit from my Aunt Judy and her granddaughters (my second cousins, once removed…I think?).  They brought some treats for the kids (like they need any more!!), we had a nice chat, and the kids had a lot of fun playing.  It was so nice to catch up!!  And most importantly, I was reminded of a few potential babysitters available to me!  Delilah had so much fun that she was convinced that we were going to “Grandma Jude’s” house the following day!!  Haha!

On Saturday, we were having dinner at Papa Terry and Grandma Onie’s house to celebrate the October birthdays - Papa Terry, Aunt Erin and Aunt Nichole.  I had been asking the kids what we should get Papa Terry for his birthday.  Their answers included: a cat, cat food, foot to eat, and “whatever he would like.”  Obviously they were very helpful.  Well Friday night, Jameson decided that Papa Terry needed a chef hat because he already has a chef book (?).  So, Saturday morning we were off to find a chef hat.  Russell had drill again this weekend, so it was a solo trip for just the kids and I.  Then we also decided stop by Vic’s to get him some popcorn because he likes it.  While we were there Delilah went crashing into some of the big popcorn tins.  Who’s shocked?  Anyone?  Anyone?  Yeah, I didn’t think so.  She was fine, but there I was with 2 wild maniacs and a baby while the man behind the counter took FOREVER to get some curling ribbon and made a pitiful attempt at tying and curling it.  Oh well, we survived!  Once all of our errands were complete, the kids napped while we made the trek to Council Bluffs.

Once we arrived at Papa Terry’s house, the kids made a beeline for the playroom.  I even had to drag Jameson out to see Papa Terry wearing his chef hat!!  Russell joined us after drill and we all enjoyed one last meal off the grill for the year!  Then it came time for cake and ice cream.  Delilah wanted so badly to help go get the cake and ice cream, but when it came time to eat it, she was not interested in it at all.  She happily played all by herself in the playroom.  Jameson, on the other hand, made sure he got his plate.  So, after we stuffed ourselves and the kids played some weird game where they were evil unicorns, it was time to go.  As we’re packing up, Delilah is suddenly upset that she didn’t get a piece of cake.  So, Grandma Onie graciously wrapped up a piece of cake for her to take home (although she snuck some on the way home!). 

Sunday was just a day to relax at home – see the aforementioned cold.  :-)

Ephraim is 3 months!

As you can see, Ephraim continues to be the linebacker in the family.  :-)  When he’s not eating or sleeping, he loves to smile at everyone.  If you’re really lucky, you’ll get an adorable little giggle out of him.  Here’s a little secret…his toes are ticklish!!  He watches his siblings in awe.  You can tell that he’s counting the days until he can run and jump and climb with them.  The kids are excited for Ephraim to be able to play with them as well.

Ephraim is able to hold his head up on a regular basis now.  He loves looking around and taking everything in.  He generally enjoys tummy time and he’s getting pretty close to rolling over!  He’s starting to sleep in longer increments – as many as 6 hours at a time!!  He’s also starting to babble a little bit.  The boy has a lot to say!

Ephraim loves bath time, snuggles, and smiling.  He gets so happy during diaper changes.  He just smiles and kicks his little feet.  If he’s starting to get fussy, the best way to calm him down is to have his siblings sing him a song!  He’s just an adorable, happy little guy!!

Happy Halloween

From the ghouls!

The much anticipated Halloween costumes!  Ephraim is a pumpkin (this costume has now been worn by all three kids), Jameson is a pirate, and Delilah is a "beautiful butterfly" (she choose this)!

Jameson's first field trip!

Jameson was able to go on his very first field trip to Fontenelle Forest with his preschool class.  I jumped at the chance to chaperon and have the opportunity to observe him with his classmates.

Jameson's buddy Joonas rode with us in my car.  The talked the whole way there.  In fact, at one point I answered something he asked because I thought he was talking to me.  Jameson responded with "No Mom, I was talking to Joonas."  Oh well, excuse me!  It was so freaking cute to hear the boys chatting about pets, TV shows, their families, school...  Once we got to the forest, Jameson was so nervous that Joonas would get lost that he held his hand nearly the entire time.


On the way to the forest, Jameson and I had the following conversation:
Jameson: "Are we going to a REAL forest for the field trip?"
Me: "Yes"
Jameson: "Will there be animals there?"
Me: "Yes"
Jameson: "Will there be talking animals at the forest?"
Me: "Um, no.  I don't believe so" (While stifling laughter).

Well, turns out there was a little puppet show before we actually went into the forest, with -you guessed it- TALKING ANIMALS!  Whoops!  Anyway, they talked about their 5 senses.  The squirrel puppet said that he uses his nose to find food.  The kids all promised to gather some acorns and nuts in a pile by a tree for the squirrel to find.  Jameson did a great job of finding yummy treats for Mr. Squirrel!

The kids were asked to gather an armload of leaves.  They used their noses to smell the leaves.  Then they used their hands to touch the leaves.  And then -and this was one of the highlights for Jameson- they threw the leaves in the air to make a leaf storm!


After all of their hard work, it was time to sit down for a delicious snack.  It was just about a perfect day for a field trip to the forest.  So, they decided to have snack at some tables outside.  I just think this wooden chair was cute!
 

After snack, we still have some time before we had to leave, so the kids decided to explore the play area.


Overall, I'd say it was a pretty successful field trip!  Jameson is talking about taking the rest of the family the next time we go!

Weekend Recap

In typical Bennett fashion this weekend was another busy one!  We had lots of fun Halloween festivities planned!  The kids were chomping at the bit to wear their costumes and fortunately we had plans to attend a few events around town that required such attire!

Saturday afternoon, we hit up trick or treating at our Hy-Vee.  We thought it would be convenient to kill two birds with one stone – we needed some groceries and the kids could get some candy.  It was not the most organized event, but the kids didn't complain.  They got some candy and their picture taken with the Great Pumpkin.  What’s not to love?? 

Later that day, we stopped by the trunk or treat event at a friend’s church.  Each car had a different theme.  The kids had so much fun going from car to car gathering a bucketful of candy!  But toward the end, Ephraim had enough and started to get fussy.  So, we all grabbed a cup of cider and some popcorn on our way out.  Then we had ourselves a little picnic in the van while I fed the baby.

Saturday evening was Nannie Sandy’s annual Halloween party.  As you might imagine, the kids were the hit of the party.  Before going, Delilah informed me that the party couldn't start without them!  They immediately found the candy dish and began gorging themselves in M&M’s.  Then Jameson proceeded to ask everyone in attendance if they knew his name.  He then told me that he introduced himself to everyone at the party.  Such a little schmoozer already!  But, then Delilah fell while trying to get off a chair and Ephraim started to get fussy.  I decided that since 2 of the 3 kiddos were crying that it was probably time to go!

Sunday morning, we got up and headed over to Wenninghoff's Farm to meet Kellie and Maddie at the pumpkin.  It was a nice little place.  We got to see some animals and we went on a hay-rack ride.  But, I think the highlight for the kids was all of the different activities they were able to do.  There were different things to climb on, slide down, or crawl through.  We went through the corn maze.  The boys took off in one direction, while the girls (plus Ephraim) went in another.  I do want to point out that directed by our fearless leader, Delilah- the girls beat the boys out of the maze!!  Haha!

We were all pretty weary after all of our adventures, so it was time to head home for a family nap!!

Mommy Daughter Date!

Every year the preschool hosts a Daddy & Me night.  So yesterday, Jameson and Daddy left for their guy time and ate pizza and played in the gym at school.  This left Delilah and I to fend for ourselves for dinner.  We jumped on the opportunity to have a Mommy and Daughter date!  I asked Delilah what she wanted for dinner and she decided on peanut butter and jelly.  Well, who am I to question that?  So, it we decided to head to Panera (with Ephraim in tow, but he slept the whole time). 

We get our shoes and jackets on and get ready to go.  Delilah asks me what car the guys took and I told her that they took the Escape.  She responds with “Oh okay, then we will have to take my van.”  Huh, guess I didn’t realize the van was hers…  Haha!  So we load up and head out. 

It is so fun to see Delilah by herself.  She is absolutely infatuated with her older brother and feeds off of him – unless she’s straight up imitating him!  When it’s just here, you can see her individual personality shine through.  She is such a funny little person!!  So, as we enjoy our Panera dinner – followed by the all-important pumpkin cookie – I got a chance to enjoy my spunky little girl!!

Weekend Recap

Another weekend has come and gone. It has been a running joke in our house when R is on his weekend that I still have a full week of work ahead of me. Now don’t get me wrong, I actually do bust my booty when I’m caring for all these little ones, but it’s hard to call it work when I love what I’m doing and I get to do it side-by-side with my wonderful family!! It’s really funny to think about how the mood of Sunday has changed since now I just have to walk down the stairs for work.

This was a pretty busy week for me, plus all the wind and rain this week kicked my allergies into high gear, so it was another relatively low-key weekend. This week, I met with one and lined up two future daycare clients. Additionally, I met with a potential doula couple. So, I guess I had a lot of interviews this weekend! That’s on top of going out with some friend’s of R’s before one of them leaves on deployment. We were out for about 5 hours or so, that’s the longest I’ve been away from Ephraim since he’s been born! It was a lot of fun.

So, this weekend we took it pretty easy. The kids did get haircuts by the very talented, Jenny! And we finished up our last minute Halloween tasks. The kids got to pick their own pumpkins and gourds at the pumpkin patch. Jameson officially settled on a costume –Delilah has known what she wants to be for quite some time and Ephraim doesn’t get a say this year- but, you’ll have to wait to see their costumes! The last task is to get decorations up. That’s on the list for later this week!

Weekend Recap

So, this weekend was a bit of a deviation from our usual go-go-go!  Poor R had drill this weekend and decided to work, so he basically came home to sleep, shower and do it all over again.  So, the kids and I stayed home and I managed to get some work done around the house without them tearing up other parts of it too badly.  :-)

I made room for the rocker in our bedroom, in order to make room for D's toddler bed so that Ephraim can move into the crib soon (Waaaah!).  In the process, I purged a bunch of junk and added it to the pile that was already starting to accumulate in my living room.  So, then I took the initiative to schedule for DAV to come pick it up tomorrow!  Ah, that felt good!

And while I had the momentum from rearranging & decluttering our bedroom, I also gave the bathroom a little TLC that it had been missing.  Oh!  And I should mention that I squeezed in a solo trip to the grocery store, thanks to my Mama!  So, I was able to manage this weekend without any food runs!

So, I'm feeling pretty good.  We're steadily knocking stuff out on our list in preparation for the daycare licensing inspection.  I'm going to bed tonight weary and sore, but feeling quite accomplished.  And my reward for my hard work this weekend is that R has the next 3 days off!  We're going out with some friends without the kids tomorrow.  This will be our first night out since the baby!  I hope I make it!! :-)

Whose kid is this??

Today we took Ephraim for his 2 month appointment today.  We like to do as much as possible as a family – and now with 5, things can quickly become a circus.  And this doctor’s appointment was no exception!  But, Dr. Zimmerman took our climbing monkeys in stride.  Ephraim weighed in at 14.2 lbs (87%), was 24.25” (91%) long, and his head was 16.5” (88%).  He is waaaaaaay bigger than his siblings were at that age.  He may just turn out to be the BIG little brother.  Of course, everything was perfect.  E was already agitated at the appointment (I think he was hungry), but he was not a fan of his shots – but it was nothing a little Mommy’s milk and Tylenol couldn't cure!

These cheeks don't lie!  I'm a big boy!!

Ephraim is 2 months!

Happy 2 month birthday, Ephraim!  As you can see, our little guy is really filling out!  He loves the usual – eating and sleeping.  Haha!  Little Ephraim is such a cuddler!  He gives the best snuggles!  We are starting to get lots of smiles and a few coos.  He is still waking up every 4 hours or so, but he does have a solid bedtime routine – he’s usually ready to go down for the night between 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm.  Ephraim is loved by his brother and sister.  They are always talking to him and touching him.  They ask all the time to hold them and little E doesn't seem to mind the attention!