Multiple Multiples: Andrew, Ellen, Ben & Sophie

The House that Ellen built.

2012-02-13T15:48:00.001-06:00

They imitate everything. good and bad. Here is "Momma Ellen" with her purse, phone, and baby. She strolled around the house talking to her "friend" for about 20 minutes. She only stopped once to give her baby a quick diaper change. And you better believe that purse was loaded with everything her baby could possibly need. (I could definitely take some lessons from her seeing as I have been caught without diapers/wipes twice in the past month.)

And, per her request, the house that Ellen built. And then documented with the camera before anyone could destroy it. (Because, let's face it, Ben is like Godzilla on a Lincoln Log city.) Smart girl.

Apple overload

2012-02-10T16:28:00.003-06:00

Apple products are taking over the world. The kids each got a homemade book from their class for their half birthday. In it, each kid drew a picture and wrote down what they would get them for a present if they could. Many, many kids (5 years old!) drew an accurate picture and wrote, in their messy writing, iPod Touch. Which led the kids to ask me, what is an iPod touch???

Apple products are already running rampant in our house. So, it wasn't a stretch for them to understand the iPod touch. After the basics, and in an effort to placate them, I showed them that they could (easily) play their own music using my old (but still used!) iPod.

Which led them to the discovery that all our Apple products can play the same music. So, they took over the iPad (which has 95% kid games anyway).

And then, because Sophie really wanted to listen to her Sunday School music, I made the mistake of relinquishing my iPhone. mistake. She is NOT the best answering service.

And, you know what's coming next... That was 3 out of 4 kids listening to their music, so kid 4 got some headphones plugged into the computer.

So, I decided that for Valentine's Day, maybe we could find them a small, used, iPod nano to listen to their music on and stop taking all my devices. (This is still yet to be determined and probably a big NO after feeling Appled-out.)

And then, Andrew and I were helping clean out my mom's computer room and came across her old, boxed up iPhone. And he asked for it. And she gave it.

Which, is making Ellen crazy that he has his own iPhone (that doesn't make calls, only plays music and a few educational games) and she has NOTHING. (I know, you are all just crying for this poor, mistreated child.)

So, here we are, in our Apple world. Wondering how the little Apple logo, nonexistent in our lives 5 years ago, has taken up every nook and cranny. I wouldn't mind it so much if I had purchased their stock a few years back...

Guess Who?

2012-02-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

On any given day, there is one person I can almost always count on to have the most colorful clothing. Yesterday was a mixture of mud, paint (red, of course), bugger (gross, I know), applesauce, yogurt, and a bit of peanut butter. I may need to get stock in OxyClean at this rate.

Lately...

2012-02-09T15:42:00.000-06:00

Lately we've been spending a lot of time looking for misplaced homework, forgetting to put dirty lunch boxes in the sink, not giving enough credit for artwork, and rushing to fill out forgotten paperwork.

So, despite the aesthetics of it, I implemented a new drop off for school stuff. Instead of being dumped on a hook in the laundry room and forgotten about until the next day, the kids have to put their backpack on their hook in the kitchen (where I can see it), put their important papers/homework in the folder holder, and attach beautiful works of art to the front of the magnetic holder for us all to enjoy and praise.

Because, at our house, out of sight IS out of mind.

Ben's Prayer

2012-01-31T19:15:00.001-06:00

Ben does not like to repeat the same prayer day after day. He likes to create his own using his own thoughts and emotions. Tonight, this is what we got:

Dear Jesus,
Don't get on the cross anymore. You'll get bad bo-bo's.
Amen.

Weather Report Station

2012-01-25T11:18:00.001-06:00

What do you do when school is cancelled, it is pouring rain, and the kids are scared of the thunder?

At our house, we built a weather report station. Where just about every single toy in our house has been collected to help them report the weather on their mission to the moon.

And we cuddle next to each other when the thunder gets really scary. (Ben, despite the cheese smile for the camera, is TERRIFIED of thunder. He gets a panicky look and runs to hide his head until he isn't scared anymore.)

And, a rainy day staple, we pull out the rice bins to create farms, monster truck rallies, and construction sites.

And, it is only 11:00...

A dainty princess

2012-01-12T15:19:00.001-06:00

with a big, ugly black eye.

I got a call from the school telling me that Sophie had gotten a "bump" on the playground. I was a little surprised because I always expect the bumps to be from Ben - not Sophie who is much more cautious. But, when I found out what happened, it made a little more sense.

The two of them were playing together on the see-saw, Sophie decided to get off, Ben decided to do a big jump. And, WHAM. He seemed to be upset about hurting her and kept asking to "help her". Unfortunately for Sophie, his help consisted of him trying to rub her black eye. Never a dull moment around here...

Why I don't cook.

2012-01-11T11:58:00.002-06:00

The reason I don't cook often is because while I am doing this:

they are doing this:

They were, literally, dripping in mud. So, in addition to the pile of dishes, I got to wash them as well this morning. :)

And for those curious, Pablo and I just got back from a great vacation in Monterey, CA. I realized last week (when Ellen was starting to get VERY anxious about us leaving) that we haven't had a vacation without kids in 3.5 years. And we haven't had vacation for just the two of us in 4 years. Time goes fast and we were (past) due.

When we were trying to figure out where we wanted to go, I told Pablo I didn't care what coast or city. My only criteria was a room with a view of the ocean and a fireplace. He did a great job! Here is the view from our window:

We spent a lot of time walking the coastal pathways. The weather was perfect!

Thank you to everyone who helped watch the kids. It was so nice to come back to a quiet, clean house with happy kids!

a short post.

2012-01-05T13:52:00.002-06:00

A little glimpse of our weekend fun... The kids had so much fun towing each other around.

Ellen loves pretending that Sophie is her "baby". It makes me laugh because there is only a 3 pound weight difference. :)

The boys wanted to get in on the fun.

And, just to make you jealous, soon I will be looking at this:

instead of hearing this:

Better late than never

2012-01-02T16:45:00.001-06:00

The kids were going through the pantry, desperately searching for some small remainder of Christmas junk food and came across the Gingerbread Train kit. I guess with all the holiday activities, we completely forgot about this little prize Ben found for us at the grocery store.

As you can imagine, the gingerbread pieces were a little brittle and started cracking when Pablo tried to build it. And the icing was the same consistency as glue that has begun to harden. But, the kids were in heaven and said that it tasted perfect. :)

Here they are with their sticky masterpiece.

Nerds

2011-12-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

Pablo and I decided not to really get each other anything for Christmas because our present to each other is our upcoming vacation for just the two of us. But, I really wanted to put something under the tree for him so I tried to think of something that would be a surprise, something he would like, and inexpensive.

I remember, years ago, trying out a scalp massager at one of the stores at the mall and thought it might be a winner. Even if Pablo didn't like it, I would!

So, Christmas Day came and this is what he opened up. He gave me a weird look and I figured he wasn't all that impressed.

Until I opened up my present.

What can I say, we are nerds. And no, we haven't discussed these products or seen a commercial for them. I don't know if we should be thankful that we are on the same wavelength or scared that we are becoming more alike...

The 3 Amigos

2011-12-29T11:46:00.007-06:00

Madeline, Andrew, and Ellen are BEST friends. They love playing with each other and love to have sleepovers. We had promised them a sleepover after Christmas and finally got around to it. The day started with a change of plans and a last minute ice skating expedition. We promised them a month ago that we would take them and time has gotten away from us. So, when a free afternoon popped up, we took advantage and took them ice skating before the rink closes for the season.

The girls think it is so cool to be able to match their baby dolls. They spent last night strolling, feeding, and changing their babies clothes.

Andrew tried to teach Madeline to play the Paper Jamz guitars. She wasn't quite as interested but was nice about it.

They have spent a good portion of their time together playing "Winter". As in Winter the dolphin from Ellen's favorite movie, Dolphin Tale. (Which she has watched at least 6 times since Christmas.)

Here they are on their scooters in a mad dash to save Winter. Andrew loves his scooter and has been attempting to learn how to do "tricks". They both love the fact that there are no "training wheels" on their new scooters.

And a few pictures from Christmas morning. The kids were very excited to find that Santa had come. Ben was so cute because he got excited about every present. As soon as someone handed him a package, he jumped up and said, "THANK YOU!" And when he ripped off the wrapping paper, he would say, "Thank you for this box!" and give a hug. It took a while for him to realize there was something inside of those boxes. :)

BTW, notice poor Sophie's face in the second picture. She was still not feeling good and was coughing on Christmas. After listening to her cry every 20 minutes Sunday night (and getting no sleep), I decided to take her to see someone. So, the next day I ended up taking her to the emergency clinic (our doctor's office was closed on Monday) and they gave her a shot. About a minute after the shot, she passed out cold and didn't wake up for about 15 minutes. I was sure they had put something in the shot to sedate her but no, she just passed out on her own. The doctor said she must have had a strong rush of adrenaline when she got upset about getting the shot and then her body came back down. She is feeling much better now though. :)

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T18:41:00.000-06:00

Christmas Cheer

2011-12-23T10:32:00.005-06:00

Christmas cheer is what little Sophie needs. She is on day 4 of high fever and still feeling absolutely miserable. The doctor told us to keep her inside and not be around elderly. Which cuts out all of our plans for the Christmas weekend. I am still hoping and praying for a Christmas miracle that she is better and no one else gets sick.

Other sad news, we haven't seen Ben since Tuesday. He went to have a sleepover and then Sophie started getting sick and we wanted to keep him away from the germs. (And it is easier for me to take care of a sick child when the Ben, with all his lovable but crazy antics aren't around.) So, now that he is the only one not exposed, I am trying to keep it that way! But we are missing him!!! The kids have been drawing pictures and wrapping them up for him to open whenever he comes back home. But, from what I hear, he is having blast and is in no hurry to come home.

Annul cookie decorating

2011-12-22T08:04:00.003-06:00

For the 4th year in a row, we gathered up our supplies and started decorating our Christmas cookies. This year was, by far, the cleanest ever. (I credit that to another year older and Ben not being here.)

Here they are, hard at work.

Sophie was into the sprinkles and poured at least half a container on just one cookie. Poor thing is really sick right now and feels absolutely miserable. I can't remember the last time she felt this bad. I am hoping and praying she gets better before Christmas and the others don't catch it just in time for Christmas. That would be my Christmas wish. :)
And finally, a beautiful cookie to eat!

Boys and their toys

2011-12-21T16:44:00.003-06:00

Who gets themselves and their kids a Xbox 360 Kinect 4 days before Christmas? My husband. Seriously?? 4 days before Christmas? And we couldn't have wrapped it up???

Here is Andrew fighting off Captain Hook on the Jolly Roger. (I tried to get a better picture but was quickly told to turn off the flash. And I wouldn't want Captain Hook to have the upper hand...)

Ben...

2011-12-19T17:16:00.002-06:00

A neighbor gave Ben this pilot uniform. And he loves it. He insisted on wearing it all over town the day he got it. Including car line for the big kids, where he fell asleep. Ben is always keeping us laughing. :)

Sugar Plum Fairy

2011-12-19T16:55:00.002-06:00

Ellen and Sophie LOVED going to see The Nutcracker this year. And, now that I have a recorded version on the TV, they are watching it constantly and trying to follow the dance moves.

Once Ellen gets into character, she doesn't like to be reminded that she is Ellen, not the Sugar Plum Fairy. And she doesn't like anyone invading her royal dance space. It's a good thing Sophie seems to enjoy being bossed around and is okay just being one of the "other fairies".

his own person

2011-12-05T14:03:00.001-06:00

this is how Ben rode around at the grocery store today. the whole time.

december

2011-11-30T11:25:00.004-06:00

A belated Thanksgiving picture for all of you. otherwise known as our attempt to get a Christmas card picture of all the grand kids. (What can I say, we have had some trouble perfecting our picture poses lately.)

December is tomorrow. And we are already knee deep in Christmas over here. The girls are getting very excited about their upcoming visit to the Nutcracker ballet. We have been reading the book and practicing our dance moves.

All of the kids have been VERY enthusiastic about Christmas decorations. (However, we did send Ben & Sophie to my Mom's house while we did the bulk of the work.) Here is Ellen putting her special touch on the tree. Which Andrew redid at least 5 times. And then Ellen redid again. :)

The kids have had mixed feelings about the cold weather. I, however, am loving it. And the dolphin, a constant fixture in our house these days. If you know about Winter, the dolphin, then you know what Ellen is thinking about 99.9% of the time. She is holding out hope that Santa is going to bring her a plane ticket to visit Winter in Florida. Maybe the book Santa is bringing will be an adequate substitute.

And finally, and I say this every year, I can't believe how many stockings are hung on our mantle. It wasn't too many years ago that it was just 3 - Me, Pablo, and the dog's. You can see, the dog's stocking got boxed in the attic and has been replaced by 4 more.

This year, we added a hand print Christmas tree. They loved getting their hand painted green and contributing to the decorations. I love that I get to keep it as a memento of all the little hands in our house.

2011-11-28T13:40:00.001-06:00

School Pictures 2011 are in and they are better than ever... or not.

quiet and calm

2011-11-18T12:10:00.004-06:00

While the other three were digging for dinosaur bones in the backyard and I was cleaning up, Ellen found solace in the quietness of the playroom. It is normally a loud, messy, hectic room where it is hard to concentrate on creating the perfect picture.
But, despite the mess they left in their wake, Ellen took full advantage of having the space to herself.
A little quiet time is always a good thing. :)

Be still...

2011-11-17T14:51:00.003-06:00

Psalm 46:10

Straight from Andrew's backpack...

2011-11-15T15:10:00.004-06:00

Andrew rarely visits the art center at school because he isn't very confident in his writing/drawing skills. So, whenever he actually brings something home and is excited about it, he gets lots of hugs, praise, and encouragement.

Today, he was extra excited but I was left a little speechless; it took me a minute to start with the compliments.

Here is a picture of Mommy; I appreciate the rainbow. :)

And, here is Daddy. "I drew him with whiskers and a p**** because that's what boys have."

"Thank you, thank you"

2011-11-15T14:28:00.004-06:00

Sometimes, the kids are so grateful for the smallest things. I can't tell you how many thank you's, I love you's, and hugs I got this afternoon. All for some art supplies. Not even new art supplies - just newly organized.

All I did was take the lazy susan from the pantry, glue some magnets on it, and set some small metal buckets on top. Then I filled them with paper and supplies and let the kids go for it. And they are loving it.

Ellen wanted me to include her picture of the Earth on this post. :)

They are also loving these "slick" crayons. They go on the paper really smooth and make very vivid colors on the paper. And on their hands. And anything they touch.

Getting Bigger

2011-11-13T14:14:00.004-06:00

Andrew has been asking for months and months to get a new bike. His old one was not only too small, but also reclaimed by Ben (who rides bikes faster than anyone).
So, when the boys came home from their haircuts today, they also came home with a bike that seems so big for my little Andrew.
And he loves it.

sick vs. well

2011-11-07T11:44:00.007-06:00

Happy Birthday Ben & Sophie!!! We had fun celebrating their 3rd birthday this weekend, but, this post isn't really about that.

This post is dedicated to a certain mom and her son we crossed paths with in the doctor's office today. While waiting (for an hour) to get our well-check and flu shots, we had the privilege of sitting next to a very special lady. She spent the entire hour telling everyone around her in the WELL-WAITING area how SICK her son has been for the last 5 days. (high fever, throwing up, sore throat, bad cough - basically, a little of everything you don't want.) I bit my tongue and tried to stay out of their way. The sick side and the well side are marked, clear as can be.

So, while I try to convince Ben & Sophie that, yes, they can still move their leg and walk despite the pain of their shot, I am praying we didn't pick up whatever they were spreading.

2011-11-04T13:00:00.004-05:00

About the time I decide I am going to get rid of our big play kitchen
they decide that they are little chefs who need to cook for all of their "babies".

It happens everytime I am about to clean out. They get a renewed interest. Sometimes, I think they can read my mind and are trying to make me loony...

Our Week in Pictures

2011-11-03T17:55:00.004-05:00

{They spotted a shark in the ocean}

{Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance}

{Playing "Roll the Pumpkin"}

All Hallow's Eve

2011-10-31T19:47:00.005-05:00

It came... and went. And everyone is, thankfully, tucked in bed with visions of their candy loot swarming their dreams. (much like the mosquitos swarmed us outside)

I have to say, this was the easiest Halloween we have had so far. No one freaked out at their costume at the last minute, demanding a costume change. No one threw a tantrum when they were denied eating as much candy as they wanted. (They each only had two pieces tonight. We're mean like that.)

Pablo put an entire make-up beard on Andrew, only to have him insist that it be removed. Immediately.

The whole crew ready to go. Too bad it was still an hour too early. :)

Oh my. There are no words to describe the "Purple Fairy Princess Ballerina". No words.

I have to share this story about Ellen: This past week, her gymnastics class could wear their costumes to class. She was one of the only ones who actually wore her costume. (And she is, by far, the smallest one in a BIG group of girls.) So, it was absolutely hysterical (and embarrassing) to watch her on the trampoline. The horse kept bopping everywhere, the parents were laughing, the coaches were laughing, and Ellen looked like the smile was going to burst from her face. She truly loves this pink pony; although, when we got home, she did ask why everyone was laughing at her gymnastics class. And I didn't have the heart to tell her the truth...

They can be so sweet. And so very obsessive about pink and purple.

I decided, at the last minute, to throw on an old costume my mom had made me in high school. The hat had been lost many years ago and, I don't think, the kids were terribly impressed. But, it beat the yoga pants and top that I had been sporting all day. :)

Sophie seemed totally surprised each time someone gave her candy. It was really funny to watch the emotional high she got from new piece of candy.

Ellen wasn't as energetic as Sophie, but she trailed behind the little kids making sure they knew where to go and reminding them to say, "Thank you." She is a little mommy.

Ben was slow and steady. He wasn't the fastest, but he was the most thorough. He didn't want to miss a single house. (And he kept his pirate beard intact. But refused to wear his hat.)

The amount of candy the kids gathered is OUTRAGEOUS. Absolutely outrageous.

Hope everyone had as happy a Halloween as we did!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T08:06:00.002-05:00

Happy faces:

Spooky faces:

Silly Faces:

They woke up ready to go Trick-or-Treating; it's going to be a long day!

that time of year...

2011-10-24T15:33:00.005-05:00

It's that time of year again. The time when germs seem to come at us from every direction. Our latest germ to take residence in our house is conjunctivitis. Otherwise known as pink eye. Ellen was diagnosed on Friday and, despite my best efforts, it has slowly made the rounds through each of the kids. Every day that we wake up, another kid is rubbing their itchy eyes. yuck.

So, here we are, crusty eyes and all. But, thanks to some wonderful party favors from our favorite quintuplets, the kids have a renewed interest in playdoh which is keeping them busy. They have spent countless hours making all sorts of creations in the kitchen.

I am normally telling/nagging them to put all the playdoh up immediately so it won't dry out. (Because it is no fun to replace playdoh just because they were too lazy to clean it up.) But, this time, I am totally relaxed about it and not saying one thing because it is all going to be thrown away anyway due to the germs.

Thank goodness Andrew & Ellen are old enough to be rational about getting eye drops. It is no fun holding down the other two and holding their eyes open to get a drop in.

Sophie is the most frustrated by the pink eye. She HATES the eye drops and despises her itchy eyes. Hopefully, we will wake up tomorrow and everyone will be feeling much better. (and I will have dodged the pink eye another day because I, much like Sophie, HATE eye drops!!!)

Best Friends

2011-10-19T14:02:00.003-05:00

If Sophie made the rules, she would be "fancy" all the time. She truly believes she is a princess and needs her adornments (sparkly dress, earrings, "slippers", bracelets, bows, nail polish, etc.) at all times. Give her some sparkle and she is almost always a happier person. In fact, she is adamant that her name is not Sophie Rebecca Gomez but, instead, Sophie Princess Gomez. How did these girls of mine turn out so... girly?

Ben loves to be included in all activities and will, sometimes, play dress up just like his sister. But, he doesn't always like to live in her fantasy world of princesses and royal balls - which drives her crazy!
But, for the most part, these two are best friends these days. While the big kids are at school, they have, for the most part, figured out how to play together nicely and provide entertainment for each other.

He loves mud.

2011-10-13T16:35:00.003-05:00

Ben. loves. mud. From the time he could squish it between his little fingers, he has always loved mud. So, when I sent them outside to play, I forgot about the storm the night before... and the mud...

But little Ben was in heaven!

And loved the sink bath that followed.

Isn't he the cutest?!

Rewind and repeat.

2011-10-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

I wish I could relive this weekend, every weekend. How can you not have fun with weather like this?

The green haired monster! Andrew insisted that he go to Sweet & Sassy with Ellen so that he could get his hair colored green. And he did. And he says he will never take a bath again because he wants green hair forever. Too bad Halloween isn't tonight. :)

The weather was too perfect to stay inside this weekend so we spent hours and hours getting fresh air. Ben has perfected the art of bicycle riding (with training wheels) and rode in circles around the cul-de-sac. We finally convinced him to take a break and he found a comfy seat in the shade of the garage. And Sophie, always ready for a place to relax, quickly staked claim on the other car seat.

Ellen found an old box of newborn diapers in the back of someone's closet. She quickly got to work diapering all of her babies and mothering them. Ellen was extremely stealth-like because, if Sophie had been aware of what was going on, we would have had a diaper war!

Oh, I love a rainy night

2011-09-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

Rain is here! And the kids love rainy day activities - like getting cozy in my bed and watching a movie.

If looks could talk... "If you make that flash in my eyes one more time we are going to have a serious problem!" They are a menacing looking bunch when they want to be. :)

We're getting by...

2011-09-29T12:16:00.003-05:00

Queenie and I had a bit of an adjustment getting used to everyone being out of the house for a few hours each week while all the kids are in school. But, I can now say, we are completely used to the new schedule and are getting by just fine. Queenie is enjoying her naps on my bed, which is (now) in a clean room because I actually have time to clean - without 8 hands getting making a mess faster than I can pick up.

I recently commissioned help from Ellen to make this fabric wreath out of all of the fabric scraps we had. It was a cheap way to fill up an empty wall in Sophie's room.

And she loves it! And she loves to dance. She practices her points, twirls, and high kicks everyday. I really must sign her up for dance in the spring.

She is really funny, too. This morning, as she was getting ready for school, she came in my room very upset. I asked her what was wrong and she, in the most pitiful voice, told me, "I have no beautiful dress that is twirly and sparkly. These shorts are not beautiful at all. I need twirls and sparkles." Her reality was that she was wearing denim shorts and the green t-shirt that was issued to her from the school. And so were the rest of the kids. (What can I say? I get a little lazy picking out 4 outfits by the end of the week.)

And, not to be forgotten, we had a birthday recently! Pablo celebrated his birthday this month and the kids LOVED having lots of cake and pool parties.

Ben and Sophie spent the entire time jumping off the diving board at Memama & Grandaddy's house. They are both so much more daring that Andrew & Ellen, who refused to jump off the board. Look at Ben's face - he is in heaven!

The Gymnast

2011-09-20T18:28:00.001-05:00

After 4 months of preschool gymnastics, Ellen has upgraded to the "big kid" gymnastics class. She was very excited and extremely nervous for her first class this afternoon. After being herded in with a group of about thirty 5 - 7 year olds, she just kind of stood and watched them running in a circle. Andrew and I were watching and he told me, "I think she is nervous. She isn't moving." We kept our fingers crossed and said a few quick prayers because she has been in plenty of activities where she spent the entire class standing in the corner.

But, after one of the instructors gave her a little guidance and they broke into their small groups, she was good to go. She spent the remaining 45 minutes with a bounce in her step and a HUGE smile on her face.

So, after wearing play clothes for the past four months, I finally gave in and bought Ellen her first gymnastics leotard. And she is very proud. And hasn't stopped practicing and teaching her gymnastics to anyone who will listen.

We can't wait for next week!

It's good to be me...

2011-09-16T19:16:00.001-05:00

Ben is happy. Almost all of the time. And he is curious. All of the time.

This is his current "happy place".

While the rest of us were busy swimming, I did a head count and found one was missing. After scanning the pool, I started roaming the yard looking for the lost blond head.

And there he was, climbing trees. (or Texas weeds as we like to call them.) And happy as a clam.

Ham

2011-09-16T16:46:00.002-05:00

This girl is a ham. She had me follow her around the yard taking pictures of her in various locations with random flowers, leaves, sticks, etc. Here is one of the poses she insisted on (with her new "pet" that she named "stick"). And then there were slight variations in her smile that we had to take. - all in all, a lot of pictures. But, they are all cute. :)

What happens next?

2011-09-16T09:57:00.000-05:00

Do you think this ended well?

Happy Thursday!

2011-09-08T08:12:00.001-05:00

New Beds

2011-09-06T17:25:00.002-05:00

If you know Ben, you know he does not prefer to sleep in his bed. He sleeps on the floor, next to his door, listening for any and every noise in the house.

But, he and Sophie have informed me that they don't need their beds anymore because they have new beds. And they spent about 45 minutes "sleeping" in their new beds.

And, after the first full day of school, they are loving it; Sophie was having so much fun that she didn't want to come home!! Although I wasn't quite sure what to do with myself for 4 hours, I sure did enjoy the quiet while it lasted. :)

Guilty.

2011-08-31T15:06:00.001-05:00

First of the First Day's

2011-08-30T08:04:00.002-05:00

Today is Ben and Sophie's first day of 2 year old school. They have been excited all summer but started getting a little more hesitant yesterday. They keep telling me (with a pitiful face), "Mommy, I just wanna stay home with you."

But, I am sure after we get over the initial drop-off drama, they will have a great day. Because, who wouldn't, looking as cute as they do!?

Off they go...

2011-08-29T08:13:00.007-05:00

For the first few years, it was all about survival at our house. Has everyone eaten, been bathed, etc. Then it was all about tantrums and discipline. Now, my babies are 5 and they are (most of the time) happy, helpful, interesting little people that are lots of fun to be with.

And, of course, now that they are so pleasant, they are leaving me for 4 days out of the week.

So, after filling them up with a pancake breakfast, they are out the door and off to school.

A quick look back at previous "First Day's"...

And this morning...

And tomorrow the little babies will be leaving for school for their first time...

"Summer's Over?"

2011-08-28T15:29:00.002-05:00

The kids all seem a little surprised that summer has already come... and gone.

And while I am sad to see our care-free days and no schedules going away, I am always anxiously awaiting the routine of school, structure, and activities.

Here's to another school year!

Coughing the summer away

2011-08-17T15:20:00.003-05:00

We have been hit by a terrible summer cold that is keeping us trapped in the house. The little ones (and myself) are coughing and sneezing constantly and (they) are crying about their ears. It is making me dread the not-too-far-away cold and flu season.

So, while wasting away the day in our pajamas, we have been busy defending our castle.

And blasting off to space in our individual spaceships.
I think Ben got hit by some aliens. (according to Sophie)
And, most importantly, we have been busy trying to comfort lots of faces like this when the tylenol wears off.

The good news about our current house arrest is that I have gotten lots of closet-cleaning, pantry organizing, and picture editing done. :)

Sophie

2011-08-16T16:31:00.002-05:00

This is the face we see on Sophie these days. She is testing my patience. And I am, miserably, failing her test.

The Sharks are Coming!!

2011-08-15T13:25:00.003-05:00

well, at least in our imaginations. The kids are trapped in their "boats" because of all the hungry sharks circling them in the deep waters of our playroom.

The girls are holding on to each other for dear life. Sophie is not quite sure whether the sharks are pretend or not...

Andrew has decided that, if the end is coming, he better be reading the Bible. So, they are sitting in their boat, avoiding the jumping sharks, hearing a sermon. or their interpretation of one...
By the way, for everyone thinking, "Wow, those kids sure play nicely together" - let me tell you, these wonderfully sweet kids had to have a nap at 9:30 this morning because of their atrocious behavior. After they slept like little rocks, they are much happier. (But still will be having an afternoon nap. It's just one of those days.) :)

Want a Ride?

2011-08-11T14:54:00.003-05:00

When Ben & Sophie are too quiet for too long (which, for them, means longer than 1 minute), you know something is not quite right. Sure enough, upon further inspection, these two were up to no good.

Today, they had commandeered Queenie's dog box and were taking turns "driving" each other to Grammy's. I think they must have that same trapped feeling when they are tightly buckled in their carseats. I feel a little sorry for them.

Freedom!!!

Slumber Party!

2011-08-11T08:00:00.003-05:00

...at 9 in the morning.

We stayed in yesterday and tried to keep everyone calm. (With the hopes that Andrew's head would heal and not get sweaty from running around.)

So, they decided to pull out the sleeping bags and have a slumber party. And all their stuffed friends came to join. Which, of course, turned into a stuffed animal/pillow fight. (which, surprisingly, resulted in zero fights or tears)

But, to their credit, they cleaned up every bit of their party and managed to use up half the morning!

My little Harry Potter

2011-08-09T15:47:00.009-05:00

Do they say that bad things come in 3's? If so, then we have reached our limit and shouldn't have anymore bumps and bruises for a while.

This morning, Pablo had to leave early for a Houston meeting so, I was on my own for the most part. (That is pretty rare.) After the kids were bathed and dressed, I straightened up the house because the housekeeper came today to clean. Then, Andrew's teacher came over to visit Andrew and introduce herself.

At 8:30, we left to take the big kids to Space Camp at the Children's Museum and then hurried back home to meet Ben & Sophie's new teacher.

Amidst the vacuuming and cleaning, we visited with Ms. Mary (the teacher) and then headed out to get my VERY dirty car washed.

While at the car wash, I noticed a voicemail (only 2 minutes old) telling me that Andrew had fallen on the corner of a table and had an injury that may need medical attention. I didn't think much of it but told them that I would go ahead and pick the kids up early.

When I got there, they carried him out to me like a little baby and I saw the blood all over his clothes. When I moved the paper towel from his forehead I saw the ugliest gash I have ever seen. Terrible.

So, I hauled all ALL the kids over to Kacher Dentistry - best dentists in town - everyone call and make an appointment! (Do you like that little plug for them?)

I got the 3 non-bleeding kids settled in the movie theater. (That's right, they have a movie theater. and a pediatric wing. and an adult-only wing. Have you made your appointment???)

Dr./Aunt Jessica got him started on some oral sedation and Dr./Uncle John rounded up some supplies. After everything kicked in, they started their mini-surgery. During their lunch break. Aren't they nice? Have you made your appointment?

Let me just say, this was not fun to watch. I knew that it was a bad gash but, until they started cleaning it, I didn't realize that it was to the bone. That's right. Jessica said she was inspecting his skull to make sure it wasn't damaged. nice. Luckily, John was able to put internal stitches to help with the healing.

I must say, I was very apprehensive about how he would respond to the procedure. But, to my GREAT surprise, he was totally passive and just laid there with his eyes closed and breathed in the happy gas.

And here he is now, the proud owner of blue stitches! He may end up looking a little like Harry Potter, but he will always look perfect to me!

I cannot tell you how grateful I am for Jessica, John, their medical knowledge, and their sedating drugs.

What a week

2011-08-05T12:00:00.003-05:00

The kids and I have been busy, busy, busy with VBS this week. All 5 of us have been there bright and early every day and we were dragging by this morning.

Andrew & Ellen got to participate in all the fun activities, Ben & Sophie got to hang out with their friends in the nursery and do the miniature version of VBS, and I spent the week chopping, mixing, and arranging snacks for all 342 kids.

But, I don't think it is possible to have a whole week of fun without a few snags. Wednesday, Andrew's teacher carried him over to the kitchen area with a bloody nose. He had tripped and fallen nose first into the edge of the table. He was done for the day and spent the last hour with me.

Today, Ellen's teacher carried her over to me with a bloody chin. She had fallen from the top of the monkey bars. (What was she doing up there???) On her way down, she scraped her neck and fell chin first on the steps. Which caused lots of bumps, bleeding, and swelling on her chin.

We headed over to see Aunt Jessica, got an x-ray, and found 5 chipped teeth but no permanent damage. But, she hasn't cracked a smile since. Poor thing.

So, here we are, home early, watching Beauty & The Beast, and ready for a long nap.

With Ellen not moving off the couch, Sophie has the jewelry beads to herself; can you tell she is happy to not be sharing?!
Andrew was VERY concerned about Ellen and was begging to see the x-rays to access the damage. He got less concerned when I gave him a lollipop from Aunt Jessica's office.

Ben is just happy to be playing the iPad again after I finally, after a week, recharged it.

How many more weeks until school???

She Did It!

2011-08-03T18:50:00.003-05:00

After several (failed) attempts to get her ears pierced, she did it!

This morning, she announced that she was ready and she wasn't going to chicken out. So, we made the appointment, waited for Pablo to get home, and headed out.

I think we succeeded today because (a)Madeline got her ears pierced last week and (b)we booked out appointment at Sweet & Sassy instead of some other (less girly) store.

Ellen quickly picked out the Princess Cut "Diamonds" instead of the more colorful flowers, butterflies, and other "baby" ones. This girl knows classy. :)

She even upped the classiness by asking for blue sparkle hair spray. See what I mean - CLASSY. If blue sparkle hair doesn't scream sophistication, I don't know what does.

Here she is with her new holes in her ears. (And she didn't cry once!!! Even though she said that the tears were trying to come out.)

The Masters of the Universe

2011-07-24T19:36:00.003-05:00

We have been running nonstop and we finally took a day to do... nothing. When Andrew asked what we were going to do this morning, I told him nothing. He asked, "So, are we just going to relax all day long?" YES!

Well, close to nothing. I did manage to squeeze in a little cleaning because it looked like toys and clothes had been distributed around the house by a tornado. I am happy to say that it is now in top shape again.

While I was busy with the tidying, the girls spent quality time snuggling in bed and reading books to each other. (Sophie has been wearing my old ballet costume nonstop this weekend. After almost 3 decades, it is finally starting to fall apart.)

Pablo introduced the boys to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Besides a little bit of play time, pool time, nap, and meals, the boys, especially Pablo, sat glued to the couch mesmerized by the powers of Grey Skull.

And once She-Ra was introduced, the girls were in on the action as well. They thought it was cool that He-Man and She-Ra were twins just like them. And, of course, they all want to be He-Man and She-Ra for Halloween. How do I explain that these characters were popular almost 30 years ago and I will never be able to find those costumes!!!

Here are the 3 couch potatoes.

I can't wait to start a fresh week back on a normal schedule. Here's to Monday!

Beach Picture Overload

2011-07-22T17:25:00.006-05:00

I wish I could post every single picture from our beach vacation. But, I am going to refrain. (mostly because I have reached the maximum amount of time I am willing to wait to upload pictures to Blogger)

I can't tell you how much fun we had. We rented a house in Gulf Shores, AL and started out the week bright, early, and on the road by 6:30. We caravaned with my parents and met Jessica, John, Madeline, and Emily at the house. (They cheated and flew into Pensacola knowing they would have to leave in 3 days.)

After Jessica and her crew left, my grandparents drove in and stayed the rest of the week. The kids loved having them around and we were grateful for extra laps for the kids to sit on. :)

Like I said earlier, when it was time to pack up and head home, Pablo couldn't bear to leave. So, as everyone else was leaving, we were getting ready for more beach time! And, during our extra time, I saw an endangered manatee swimming along the coastline. It passed by right in front of us, about 15-20 feet away, and lifted his head out of the water. Unfortunately, only Ellen witnessed this with me because everyone else was inside for naptime.

Here we are. Best family photo in a long time. We may need to work on this...

Ben has become enamored with his Grampa. All I heard from Ben this past week was, "I want my Grampa." Over and over like a broken record. He is still missing his Grampa.

Sophie Girl picked out an extremely appropriate shirt at the souvenir shop. She is cute but, boy, was she crabby! On the way home, Andrew informed me that he didn't want to take anymore trips with Sophie until she could learn some better manners. ditto. (Speaking of Andrew, he had the BEST manners during this trip and I was very proud of him! He has matured by leaps and bounds this summer.)

The kids loved all the attention they got from everyone. They don't really understand why they aren't getting the same amount of spoiling anymore.

The girls LOVED being with each other.

Ellen and her "best friend" Sophie took many, many pictures loving on each other. They got especially excited when they found a matching nightgown or swimsuit in the suitcase and insisted on a picture together. Ellen is, persistently, asking me to print them out so they each keep copies of all their "sister pictures" in their room.

After getting stung by a jellyfish in the first few days, Ellen became Queen of the Beach and practiced her posing and gymnastics. What a ham!!

Ben and HIS Grampa. This was on the "I wish I could block it out of my mind" dolphin cruise. Otherwise known as, "Sophie screamed for an solid hour and a half in the heat cruise." Fun times.

Ben took his turn at "surfing" and loved it. The girls weren't quite as daring. Especially Ellen, who never got back in the water after the jellyfish encounter.

Ben. Digging dirt. And throwing it on the girls. Just to make them scream.

To say the kids enjoyed dancing and prancing around is an understatement. After everyone else left, and it was just us in the house, they had full run of the place and took advantage. They staged multiple gymnastics classes, dance parties, and school time. Here they are dancing to "rock n' roll".

And dancing on the patio.

utest baby ever. (aside from the 3 other cutest babies that live with me...)

Andrew took his job of pushing the kids very seriously. A little too seriously. Sophie got very upset by how high they were going and all our neighbors were aware of it. She has a strong set of lungs! (Look at Ben's hair - the sun has bleached it so that it glows!)

I am so happy to be home and back in my routine but, oh, I wish I could be at the beach too. So, until next year, the pictures will have to suffice!

**I hope this post is coherent. Ben came and pushed on the keyboard a number of times and I have no idea if he deleted or added random words/letters. And I don't have the time/patience to proofread!

don't blink

2011-07-21T08:49:00.004-05:00

After being gone for such a stretch of time, there is a LOT to catch up on. mail, email, laundry, groceries, unpacking, etc. So, I was hoping the kids would play nicely and give me some time to get some chores done. And I was pleasantly surprised when I had a solid 15 minutes of completely uninterrupted time without any screaming or fighting in the background.

Until I saw a flash of color running past me. My sweet but mischievous Benny decided that stamps were more fun all over his body than on paper.

I can't decide if Andrew is trying to protect him from me or holding him hostage. Either way, these two are a mess.

Beach Vacation Teaser

2011-07-20T18:19:00.003-05:00

After being gone for a week and a half, we are home again! And, yes, I know we were only going for a week. But, after our week was over, we weren't ready to come home! So, while the rest of our family packed up, the 6 of us extended our house rental and enjoyed some extra beach time. And, to tell the truth, Pablo still wasn't ready to come home and face the real world. But, reality won and here we are. :)

The whole time we were gone, I was upset with myself because I felt like I wasn't taking any pictures. But, now that we are home, I realize there are over 500 pictures to sort through, edit, andreminisce about. Which will take me more time than I am willing to spend after 9 hours in the car.

So, until I am sorted out. Here is a sneak peak at some of the fun we had. Enjoy! (And please ignore the pink floaties. He later convinced us that he did not need floaties, especially PINK ones, since "5 year olds know how to swim and don't need floaties like babies".)

Queenie Baby

2011-07-08T10:42:00.002-05:00

Poor Queenie Baby. According to Andrew and Ellen, she is very sick and in the hospital (otherwise known as the toy box). And her doctors have been busy "helping" her for the last 30 minutes. Let's hope she has a speedy recovery.

So Happy Together

2011-07-07T14:49:00.005-05:00

Our house has been bombarded with sibling love this week. All four kids have, for the most part, been extremely happy to have each other around.

They have spent countless hours solving Scooby-Doo like mysteries in my pitch black closet with just their flashlights to help them. They have arranged treasure/scavenger hunts and run around the house like a pack of wolves on a mission. They have come up with some interesting dances. (My favorite is "the clock". Imagine the hands of a clock moving (arms) and then add some hip action. Sophie is creator and master of "the clock".)

And, I have to throw this out there, I owe a big THANK YOU to the local Children's Museum and our church programming. Knowing that I would be on my own, with all 4 kids for the majority of the summer, I signed the big kids up for just about any day camp that would take them. My plan has worked better than I could have imagined. Andrew, for the first time, is actually participating and LOVING his activities. Every single camp that I signed them up for they have loved - and begged for more. This week, they participated in 3 days worth of Lego Camp. The creations I saw today (some sculptural, some robotic) were really incredible and the kids were extremely proud of themselves.

I will definitely be signing them up for more camps next year. I feel like they are staying social, active, engaged in learning, and not BORED.

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T16:37:00.003-05:00

I hope everyone had as wonderful of a holiday as we did over here. We had, in Andrew's words, "the best day ever!" We spent the day swimming, grilling, and having a great time with family.

The kids loved having their Aunt Patty here to play with. Pablo and I are going to be a sore comparison after their fun with her. :)

"SophieGirl" loves the pool and floats all over. Luckily, both she and Ben enjoy their floaties and don't fuss when we put them on.

Andrew mastered the art of retrieving dive sticks from the deep end. Pablo told him he might grow fins if he keeps swimming so well.

My little fishies.

The kids were, as usual, VERY excited about cake.

Now, if we could just figure out a way to make everyday a holiday...

Andrew dancing, take 2

2011-06-29T09:17:00.000-05:00

I just can't resist posting another video of Andrew dancing. We are, still, watching NKOTBSB at least every other day. The kids absolutely love dancing to "rock n roll" but no one studies the choreography like Andrew. I wish I knew how to show his dancing side by side to the actual video they are watching. It is too funny. He is trying so, so hard to do exactly what the "rock n rollers" are doing.

Cinderellllla!

2011-06-28T17:17:00.004-05:00

I read a post by a fellow blog friend about how easy it is to get in a pattern of TV watching, iPad playing, Leapster exploring, and snack eating. So, I decided to shut the power off all electronics, finish up our afternoon snack, and head outside.

The kids needed a quick, easy activity and I needed the popsicle juice cleaned off the patio furniture. So, I put them to work, each with their own cup and sponge (a crucial part of non-bickering teamwork), set some ground rules, and told them to get busy.

They LOVED it. They happily scrubbed every inch of the patio for an hour and a half. Then, I fed them dinner outside and, when they finished, they got out their sponges and cleaned up everything they had spilled.

Look at that concentration!

When I look at these pictures I hear the terrible stepsisters yelling, "Cindereeeellla!!" They are being put to work!!

Oh. My. Goodness.

2011-06-20T14:43:00.003-05:00

Ellen and I went to get Sophie up from her nap today and, in the words of Ellen, "Oh. My. Goodness."

Sophie, who is normally a great napper, decided to do some artwork instead of napping today. And she was proud. She couldn't wait to show us her big girl art. And how she had cleaned her hands all by herself. (on her bed sheets)

This was her medium.

And this was her canvas.

And this.

And this was how she looked after taking off her (now) purple shirt and getting a firm talking to.

So, despite the fact that I did 11 loads of laundry in the past 2 days and was just congratulating myself on how I wouldn't have to do anymore for a few days, I'll be washing pillow shams, comforters, sheets, clothes, towels, and cleaning the carpet, window sill, and blinds for the rest of the day.

Thank you, Sophie for your gift of artwork. And for the smell of your purple toothpaste that, I am sure, will be with us for days to come.

An apple a day...

2011-06-20T12:58:00.002-05:00

When you think about a preschooler, you don't think about large quantities of food consumption. And, for me, I continually misjudge the amount of food that 4 little people can go through.

Apples, for example, are a constant struggle for us to keep in stock. Everytime I go to the store, I feel like I am buying enough apples to feed us for a month. But, before it is time to go to the store again, we have an empty apple drawer. (Yes, that's right. We have an entire drawer devoted to the storage of apples.)

So, I did some simple math.

On any given day, each kid eats an average of 2 apples. So...

2 apples x 4 kids = 8 apples a day

8 apples a day x 7 days in the week = 56 apples a week

Good grief.

An apple tree is sounding like a wonderful Christmas present...

Fun with Friends

2011-06-16T20:32:00.005-05:00

The kids had such a blast playing with their friends this afternoon. It was so funny to see the backyard crawling with kids.

Here is the group of kids - it isn't easy to get them all looking in the correct direction!

And, if you zoom out, you will see that Sophie was busy doing her own thing and couldn't be bothered with a picture. (If you are really observant, you'll notice that Ben isn't in any of the pictures. We swapped kids with Jessica and had Madeline for a sleepover while Ben played at their house.)

*Is it just me, or does Madeline have Sophie as her projected target with a look of absolute mischief??

What a fun afternoon! The kids stayed up WAY past their bedtime but they had so much fun - it was worth it. :)

our oasis

2011-06-15T09:35:00.005-05:00

I am so glad we decided to add extra decking. It is so nice to have lots of room for the kids to spread out, push their cars, and relax. And, I love the jasmine that we planted on the back part of the fence. It will look pretty growing and it smells so, so great. We had jasmine at our first house in The Heights and it reminds me of those first few years.

Speaking of those first few years... Happy Anniversary, Pablo! Today we have been married 9 years. :)

We decided not to put in a spa/hot tub because 1)I don't think we would use it more than once a year, 2)I think Pablo would stress more about the cost of heating it up each time it was used instead enjoying it, 3) because the automatic sweeper cant get to it, it is harder to keep clean. We are very happy with our decision.

At the far end of the pool, you can see the "tanning shelf". I don't know how much tanning gets done there but, the kids love sitting, splashing, and playing with the bubbler.

We have 3 of these amazing fans. Each unit has two fans that that rotate in a circle around the light. I love them. Let me say it again, I LOVE them.

Here is Pablo's grill area. He has been waiting (impatiently!) for this to get finished. He is dreaming of opening that little fridge, having a cold drink, and cooking for everyone. This is the last bit to be completed and they are working on it as I type.

A view of the little ones enjoying a cold treat within the safety of the fence. I love how the fence divides the yard into 2 parts: pool and playground. I feel comfortable letting them go outside alone and play on the playset or have a snack without thinking they are going to drown. Of course, Andrew figured out how to open the latch within 30 seconds so we quickly purchased a padlock. Problem solved.

You can't see it from this view, but we got the Little Tykes table that seats 8 kids. Best buy ever.

So, if you are looking for us this summer, try the backyard. Because that's where we live now. :)

sleeping the day away

2011-06-14T15:24:00.003-05:00

These two girls just do not want to wake up today.

After I tucked her in bed, Sophie decided to get up, get comfy in her chair with a blanket, and read a book.

Ellen (who never actually sleeps anymore) has been sound asleep for 3 almost 3 hours! She managed to open her eyes when I took this photo and then went back to sleep.

Maybe they will get up before dinner?

Andrew

2011-06-05T08:06:00.001-05:00

If you know Andrew, you know he is extremely shy, often very serious, and prefers quiet activities. But, after seeing the Today show on Friday, he has found a new facet to his personality. He is a dancer. And he loves boy band music.

On a fluke, we saw New Kids on the Block/Backstreet Boys perform on the Today show. (Which is strange because it is the first time we have watched that show in over 3 years.) The kids (especially Andrew) loved it and begged me to record the rest of it.

So, we have been watching this mega boy band strut it's stuff for 3 days. And Andrew has picked up some interesting choreography.

Now, I realize that most kids dance and act crazy on a daily basis, but, for Andrew, this was a major big deal. So, here he is, 30 minutes into his high energy performance, last night.

An (almost) perfect day

2011-06-02T19:34:00.006-05:00

Today was about as good as it gets at my house. It was Andrew & Ellen's (actual) birthday, although they had no idea. The three of us picked up our friends and headed to the Museum of Natural Science to look at some dinosaur bones (per their request). They had a blast and were thoroughly entertained by Will's antics during the car ride. (You would have thought they had never ridden in a car with a silly 2 year old...)

After a kid-friendly lunch at Chick-fil-A, all four kids took a GREAT nap. The boys woke up first, thanks to the loud crack/pop from outside.

Yep, the yard people cracked my window with a flying rock. Which I can blame on my garage being full of patio furniture. Which I can blame on the pool area not being quite finished.

But, no matter where the guilt falls, it didn't faze me much because, as I said earlier, I was having a great day!

Speaking of the pool, here are some glimpses of our small backyard paradise. I think (hope) all will be completed in the next week.

It didn't even bother me that Ben began getting into Andrew's birthday presents (which drives Andrew crazy!). Here is Ben with a partially destroyed Spider Man car. Notice the guilty look on his face.

And, the reason it didn't bother me was because Andrew was busy with his newly acquired dinosaur fossil rock thing. (Thank you, museum gift shop!) He can focus (obsessively) on certain things and this was no exception. The sweet little thing dug, brushed, and excavated for 3 hours today! And, he is still at it. This has been the best $6.95 I ever spent. :)

Pablo, enamoured with the new pool and smoker he is assembling, came home early to work on said smoker. Ellen had outgrown her sneakers so the two of us snuck out to the mall while the others were busy swimming, working on the smoker, and excavating dinosaur fossils.

We had the best time looking at shoes, sunglasses, and stuffed bears. While we were in Claire's looking at all the girly stuff, I asked her if she wanted to get her ears pierced and pick out some pretty earrings. She thought about it for a few minutes and decided "maybe next time". I can't tell you just how much fun the two of us had together. We were only supposed to be gone for an hour but we stretched it out into about 4 hours. :)

She helped me pick out Crocs for both her and Sophie and the matching "jewels". Here are the (very enthusiastic and appreciative) girls showing their new footwear.

And, of course, if the camera is out, Benny comes running. He can't stand for someone to pose for a picture without him in it.

Ellen & Andrew have always been and continue to be extremely close. I have always wondered if Ben & Sophie would have the same close relationship as the older two. While Sophie adores, worships, and imitates her older sister, she also has a special place in her heart for her twin. As they get older, it is clear that their bond is getting stronger and stronger. Look at the mischief between the two of them in this picture.

One last thing to this extra long post - I have to give a hand to Pablo and his gardening skills. Unlike me, he has managed to keep out flowers in bloom this year.

He has even grown some kind of pepper that he enjoys eating. I may not like eating peppers but they sure are pretty!

five

2011-05-28T19:19:00.002-05:00

Another year has flown by. Lots of changes. And a lot the same. :)

They woke up this morning incredibly excited, giving birthday hugs to each other, and telling each other, "Did you know you are 5 today?!?"

Side note: I don't know if anyone else does this but, in our house, your birthday is the day of the party. Until they can understand a calendar, there is no reason for them to know that their actual birthday is in a couple of days. I just don't do multiple special days for the same birthday. They get ONE day. No more.

On the way to the party. (Poor Ben was a grump. He was on hour 27 of complaining about his ear hurting. Poor thing just can't catch a break when it comes to his ears.)

Andrew saw this cake in the "cake book" and had to have it because it included the tank transformer toy. And, just for the record, he has spent more time playing with that cake toy than ANY of his birthday presents.

He was VERY shy during his bday song. But, he told me that was his favorite part of the day.

Ariel cake - second year in a row. Ellen got a bag full of Ariel stuff for her birthday. She is still obsessed about this red haired Disney princess.

A little overwhelmed at all the attention on her during the bday song, but loving it.

She knew what to do.
This one screamed, cried, whined, and was pretty much awful for 90% of the party. The girl wanted cake and she didn't want to wait. True to her character, as soon as she got her one piece of coveted Ariel cake, she was content for the rest of the day.

After all the fun at the party, their most anxiously awaited present was waiting for them after naptime. The pool! The water has finally been filled and chlorinated and they swam until they could barely move. For those who have asked, I will post pictures when all the landscaping and misc jobs are finished. It still looks like a big mess in our yard. But, at least we can swim! :)

Making Progress

2011-05-06T13:44:00.003-05:00

The kids have been entranced by the pool building process. All 4 kids (plus Queenie) have spent hours perched on the couch watching the workers complete each step.

Today, the "cement hose" was a big hit...

My big hit of the day - Merry Maids. I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting the merry part as much as the maid part. But, they surprised me and were extremely merry. I enjoyed chatting with them for a while. And I also enjoyed them complimenting me that the house wasn't as dirty as they expected it to be when they heard there were 4 kids living here. They even asked me if I was a picky house cleaner because it was in such good shape! HA! Like I said, they have the merry part down great. :)

Here is a sample of my perfectly clean house. (It is going to be a great Mother's Day weekend because, for the first time in a looong time, I don't have to scrub the house!)

And, to top it off, I got the best card from Ellen today. I asked her what the hands were for and she spread them as far as the string could stretch and said, "I love you THIS much."

Random

2011-05-04T11:18:00.003-05:00

Today, much to the excitement of everyone in our house, people arrived to start digging a BIG hole in the backyard. So, by the start of summer, we should be splashing around in our very own paradise.

But, a slight damper to the excitement was poor little Ben. After his initial enthusiasm, he spent the next 3 hours curled up on my lap crying and moaning. So, after listening to him suffer for 3 loooong hours, I finally caved in and went to the doctor... again.

Some people in this house think I frequent the doctor a bit too much. And they also think that there is never anything really wrong with the poor kids. I say, that same person doesn't get to spend the many hours of the day watching them be pitiful and hurting.

Anyway, I explained to the doctor that the symptoms were moaning, groaning, and a little fever. And, after an examination, it was determined that Ben had ANOTHER terrible ear infection and strep throat. The poor little guy just got over his last ear infection about 2 weeks ago. And yes, for those about to give advice, he does have ear tubes and we have been to multiple ENT specialists.

I have always taken my ears for granted but now I am thankful everyday for the healthy ears our family does have.

And sweet little Andrew. He has figured out a way to keep all his "tools/weapons" with him at all times - my robe rope. And, much to his insistence, he sported this look all over town to run errands with me. The look includes (but not limited to) 2 swords, flip-phone, nerf gun, and pirate hat. He claims (depending on his mood) that he is either a pirate or a jedi knight; the look works for both.

There are no words to describe the looks we got as he protected me through Target, PetSmart, and the pharmacy. It takes thick skin to have my job. :)

Just for fun

2011-04-29T09:37:00.002-05:00

A happy photo op...

that a little someone wanted to be a part of...

and managed to wiggle and scream his way into.

Fun with Sophie

2011-04-27T16:38:00.006-05:00

Sophie and I were having a lot of fun playing with the dollhouse people (all of whom she and Ellen have picked out at the store over a period of time - these decisions were not mine - not that I minded).

Anyway, she was deciding which doll was going to be Ellen, which one Andrew, etc. And then we had to choose a Mommy. And there were 3 options. Which one do you think she chose to represent me?

If you guessed the one in the middle, you would be right. I actually think it had more to do with the fact that this mommy had purple - her current obsession.

Then she decided it was time for a cupcake picnic with doll Daddy and doll Sophie (again, her choice) .

Here is our (partial) happy doll family. (Doll Andrew & Ellen were quick to join the picnic.)

What a funny girl! And, for the record, she is like a new person after we cleared up her massive ear infection. It is amazing the difference in her personality! She is (once again) a silly, happy, giggly little girl who is convinced she is Dora Mermaid. (I won't even try to describe her attitude pre-medication. Although I do feel badly that I didn't catch it sooner and she had to suffer for so long.)

Easter Weekend

2011-04-25T13:04:00.005-05:00

Our Easter weekend in pictures

Lots of these:

And more of this:

What a great way to celebrate and enjoy a special weekend. :)

However, I think all the sun might have fried my brain a little bit. Because, after packing lunches, getting everyone dressed and out the door by 8:15 for school (A& E)/nursery (B& S)/school related meetings (me), I got to the church to unload everyone and found this:

Empty parking lot. Yep. No school today. No meeting today. No nursery today. Good job to me for being organized and knowing our school holidays. Or not.

2011-04-11T10:17:00.004-05:00

A picture (or three) are worth a thousand words.

I'm sure you've guessed it by now. Ben, after spending the weekend with persistent high fevers, coughing, and wheezing, has been diagnosed with another lung infection/ear infection. But, on the bright side, it isn't the flu! If only he could breath without sounding like he just ran a marathon...

Sophie has been in her big girl bed for a few weeks now and is doing great! She loves not being the only one in a baby bed and is a great sleeper. I have only found her asleep in her rocking chair 2 times. Unlike Ben (who still falls asleep on the floor next to his door), she loves the comfort of a warm bed and soft pillow. And, although it was a little sad to say our last goodbye to cribs, I love the bed we found for her. So, I guess this means we officially have no more babies!

Just another night at our house

2011-04-08T09:45:00.002-05:00

Toy Update: I'm sticking to my guns and the toys that we packed are still in trash bags. Yesterday, everyone but Sophie got to get out one toy. Ellen & Ben were very excited but Andrew opted to not choose a toy. I'm still not sure why but I guess he doesn't really want his toys back. He was happy doing hours and hours of art projects.

Last night, the girls (Ellen) wanted to do a dance party/big show for me and insisted that it be recorded. The funniest part was Ellen bossing Sophie around and Sophie doingeverything Ellen told her to do. She wants to be just like her big sister.

So, here are the bits that made it to YouTube. And, if you make it to the end, you will get to see why Ben is always banged, bruised, or bleeding.

done

2011-04-06T20:12:00.002-05:00

I am done. And I have done it.

To be more specific, I reached my limit today and told the kids I was done with the whining, fighting, crying, bickering, and other unpleasant noises that I heard non-stop from 2:00 (no nap) until 5:30 (the time when I made my proclamation).

So, I told them that ALL of their toys were going in trash bags. And they would be getting to choose ONE toy for each day they had absolutely no fits. And I started loading them up.

I was anticipating that they would get upset and promise to be perfect angels for the rest of their days. Well, maybe just the first part. :)

That is not what happened. They joyfully helped me put every last toy in the bag. They, including (and especially) Andrew reminded me of the few toys I had (purposefully) forgotten.

And, in a matter of minutes, with nothing but empty, stacked boxes and bare shelves, it was done.

2011-04-05T14:12:00.003-05:00

Ellen is VERY into sight words and beginning reading skills. Her idea of fun is to get a pile of flash cards and sort them into words she can read and words she can't. She also loves it when I write a word (noun) and then she has to read it and draw what it says. She is very intrigued by the "silent e" and tries to figure them out. (To say Andrew isn't quite as interested would be a drastic understatement. He has NO interest in reading.)

Did you notice the trash bag in the picture? I have been watching the hoarding show on the new Oprah network and it has inspired me to throw out "stuff". I didn't tell anyone I was doing it and no one has missed their "stuff".

My new favorite shirt. Because I am tired of people making this comment to me. And I am tired of people asking me if Andrew & Ellen are identical. (So dumb, I can barely answer this one without being a little snappy. Sorry if that's rude.) And I am tired of people asking me if they are "natural". If I have to answer these silly and rude questions for the rest of my life I might go crazy!

Andrew & Ellen started swim lessons today. Why didn't I do indoor swim lessons last year??? No sunscreen, no sweating while watching them... It was extremely pleasant! (Although, I did have to endure the previously mentioned questions for the first 10 minutes.) They did great and are looking forward to another 4 weeks! Hopefully, Andrew will catch up to Ellen and be swimming without floaties this year.

Growing Up

2011-04-02T10:13:00.004-05:00

My little pirate is growing up. This morning, he left to go to his first party without mommy or daddy. He is being dropped off at the door - and he is okay with that.

Ellen's last piece of advice as he was walking out the door, "Don't go poo poo in your underwear!"

We realized, last night, that it as a costume party - and we had no costume. So, off to Wal-mart where the pickings were slim. Very slim. Luckily, the pirate costume appealed to him (thank you Disney and Jake and the Neverland Pirates). It didn't hurt that the kit came with 3 temporary tattoos.

Last night, he stayed awake for hours. When I went in his room at 9:00 and he was still awake, he told me he couldn't sleep because he kept thinking about the party.

Did I mention that the party was for the little girl in his class who he has been obsessing over all year?

So, off he went this morning to his first big kid party. And I will be worried the entire time wondering:

Is he having a fit? Is he being shy and scared to do anything? Does he need to go to the bathroom but doesn't want to ask? Are the kids being nice to him? Is he bothering people or breaking things with his sword?

wow

2011-03-30T10:09:00.003-05:00

Apparently, Andrew & Ellen run with a tough crowd.

On the way to school:

Andrew & Ellen (in unison): Mommy, when can we get tattoos?

Me: Ummm, never.

Andrew: But, why? We love tattoos.

Ellen: I am the ONLY kid in my class without tattoos. I NEED a tattoo.

Andrew: Me, too. I am the ONLY kid in my class without a tattoo. Please, can we get some.

What????

Here is my tough girl (with tattoo), Spring 2008. She still remembers this beloved tattoo.

Stir crazy

2011-03-28T16:17:00.003-05:00

After a good, long nap, I think the kids are finally starting to feel better. And getting more and more energy to play. I can only imagine the mischievous thoughts that were running through their little brains when all four were giggling in their "cave". But, it was welcome laughter!

Ben's interpretation of his mommy going crazy. The kids thought this was hilarious which encouraged him to keep doing it again and again. I was praying he wouldn't (a) hurt his eye or (b) make his eye go crossed forever. But, it was funny. :)

Monday

2011-03-28T10:01:00.003-05:00

After a week of ear infections, wheezing, and coughing, Ben has been hit again with the bug Sophie had over the weekend (and still suffering from). So, while his fever goes up, he is getting fussier and fussier and watching more and more Thomas.

Ben has started hiding under furniture when something is about to happen that he doesn't like. (diaper change, medicine, bedtime, etc.)

And both of them are insisting on blankets to "feel better" as Sophie says.

Sophie's phrase of the week, "DON'T LIKE THIS." She says it loudly and repeatedly. About everything. She is very opinionated. But she is also very loving and tries her hardest to take care of the rest of the kids. She is also very, very silly and thinks everything is funny. And she follows me around the house like we are connected by an invisible rope. :)

2011-03-27T18:29:00.000-05:00

Okay germs, we have had enough fun. Please leave us alone.

again

2011-03-25T07:57:00.004-05:00

I really thought these days were behind us. We haven't had to hear wheezing in so, so long. But, here we are, again.

Ben has been sick all week and, starting yesterday, is back on the nebulizer. I can't remember a time when he was as miserable as he is now. It is really sad. (But isn't he cute trying his best to smile for the camera.)

So, now I am trying to figure out a way to juggle 1 sick, miserable, two year old, 1 cranky, teething, two year old, and 2 four year olds who don't have school and were promised a fun trip to Bouncin Bears and now get to sit at home with cranky siblings and wait for a mattress delivery.

Happy Friday!

Mudball

2011-03-23T16:49:00.002-05:00

While I wrote the last post and let the kids play (unattended) outside for less than 10 minutes, this is what one little stinker managed to do:
He dug the dirt, put it in his dump truck and hauled it to the patio, added water from Queenie's bowl, did some artwork on the brick wall, and threw it all over the patio and Queenie. He can move fast...

And he was so proud!

Adoration

2011-03-23T16:12:00.004-05:00

Sophie adores Ellen. She follows her around and wants to do everything and say everything exactly like her big sister. I hear, "Where's Ellie? Where's Ellie?" And, "Look, Ellie. Look, Ellie." All day long.
The relationship isn't one-sided. In fact, it is completely symbiotic. Because, "Ellie" loves being adored and getting every ounce of Sophie's attention.
So, I am going to enjoy every second of holding hands, singing, dancing, putting on Barbie make-up (for hours), and being as girly as they can be. Because it sure beats bickering. :)

Goodbye, forever

2011-03-22T17:41:00.004-05:00

I feel terrible and mean. Ben is in his room sobbing for his best friend... the paci.

After almost 2.5 years, it is time to get rid of the paci's. (Thank you, Kim, for the motivation!) I decided tonight was the night because (a) Pablo isn't here to talk me out of it, (b) the babies were really tired and I thought that would help them fall asleep faster. (And yes, I put them in the trash so I wouldn't be tempted, after long periods of screaming, to give them back.)

Here is the (now land-fill bound) pacifier collection.

So, even though it is only 5:45, they had an early bedtime and Sophie is already sacked out. She cried for about 30 seconds and was over it.

Ben, who is much more attached to his paci's, is very upset with me. When I told him they were going in the trash because he was a big boy, he screamed, "NO, NO, NO!" as loud as he could and tried his hardest to grab them from me.

Wish me luck. He hasn't slowed down...

And for those who haven't seen his big boy bed and were asking about it (Jessica), here it is:

Update: 7:40 and he still is upset. So sad.

Sea World

2011-03-15T18:56:00.007-05:00

Pablo and I decided to do a spring break getaway this year with the big kids. After asking their opinion (and quickly ruling out Disney World), we decided to go to Sea World.

The kids have been talking about it non-stop for the last 2 weeks and were so excited when we finally left this past weekend. Pablo and I were excited too, until we realized that *someone* forgot to put our hanging clothes in the back of the car. Once we realized our mistake, it was too late (in my opinion) to turn around and go home.

So, what did we do? We made lemonade out of our lemons and went to the completely wonderful indoor/outdoor new shopping mall in San Antonio, The Shops at La Cantera. If you have been in San Antonio and haven't checked it out - go.

After that we headed to the hotel and let the kids play in the heated pool. Even though it was heated, it still looked cold to me but the kids had a blast.

Despite the lack of nap and overall tiredness setting in, we decided to take a trip to the Riverwalk for some good mexican food. The kids LOVED seeing the boats continually going by as we ate right next to the (green) water.

The next day, SEA WORLD! We asked them their favorite part and they listed the following:

Elmo.

Climbing the huge net and play structure.

Riding the (kiddie) roller coaster. (Despite his face and "nervousness", he loved it and rode it 3 times.)

riding the "other" roller coaster. (Because, according to Ellen, a carousal IS a roller coaster and was the only ride she could be talked into. And she white-knuckled it the entire time.)

feeding the ducks.

feeding and petting the dolphins. (except for Andrew who got splashed, got wet, had a major meltdown, and missed out.)

the shark tank.

the shark tank that also included zebrafish. (Ellen's class at school is the Zebrafish class and she felt a special connection to this particular fish.)

all of their acquired "treasures" and "friends" they convinced us they needed.

especially "Dolphiny" whom Ellen is currently in the process of training to do tricks.

fishing for prizes at the incredibly over-priced gaming area.

and winning the prizes.

Seeing the sea lion/walrus show.

getting to share a room and be silly the whole time! These two love each other so much and got along so well. They truly are lucky to have a best friend to play with all the time.

And a big thank you to Grammy and Grampa for keeping Ben & Sophie happy and entertained while we were gone. They are already asking to go back!

It had to be done

2011-03-12T18:22:00.002-06:00

Goodbye baby curls and scraggly mess.

Hello cute little bob.

Learning Curve

2011-03-11T14:51:00.004-06:00

I shared with all of you about my newly acquired sewing machine - with the intentions of making Sophie's bedding for her soon to come big girl bed.

Well... it is a learning curve. Everytime I think, no problem, I make another uh-oh.

I have 90% completed the curtain, 50% completed the bedskirt (lots of work), and 60% completed the big king pillows to go across the back of the day bed.

Here is a sneak peek at some of my "practice" projects. I tried my hand at making a small, travel size pillow to throw on the bed before I went all in with the main pillows.

Most of the fabric is going to be the blue/grey and a little bit of pink thrown in. I kind of threw most of the patterns on this pillow just to use scrap fabric and see how it all looked together.

Let me tell you, ruffles are hard. And time consuming. And you can see that I sewed the ruffle onto the back which makes one side not stick out. whoops

Speaking of the back, I got distracted and sewed 1/2 of the backside of the pillow on backwards. whoops. Like I said, I did the little pillows to practice. And it shows that they were made with love, not a machine. :)

Here is another small "practice" pillow. The pom-pom fringe was much easier than the ruffle and I didn't mess up the back. Ellen said it was perfect. so it must be. :)

On a side note, Sophie has refused to be put down on the floor all morning. She wants to be held or in a chair because, according to her, "alligators eat me. too scary". I guess we have an invisible alligator infestation.

Smelly Situation

2011-03-10T09:29:00.000-06:00

And for once, I'm not talking about the kids

We have a nightly stalker who visits a couple of times each week and is making me crazy. About 2:00 in the morning, I wake up to a terrible smell... skunk. And, unlike Pablo, I can't sleep (I can barely breathe) when that terrible smell comes around. He must be close because the stench infiltrates the air in our house.

Any suggestions?

Another tidbit of information, Andrew has given me some cooking suggestions. Squirrel meat. He said that Grampa likes it, all meat tastes the same, and there are plenty around the house for us to shoot. All good reasons. But not going to happen. Maybe Grampa can cook that for him. :)

trouble

2011-03-04T14:03:00.004-06:00

trouble is what Sophie is currently in.

I need the mental break of nap time. Even if the big kids only rest for an hour and a half, I need it.

Sophie, cute little thing, came in my room about 10 minutes after nap time started. That's right, she climbed out of bed, opened the door, and brought her happy self to play with me in my room.

She was shattered when she realized that she was going straight back to bed.

About 45 minutes into nap, I heard a herd of footsteps coming down the steps. Sweet little Sophie had taken it upon herself to get out of bed (again), leave her room, and release all the nap time prisoners from their collective rooms.

And they were very happy about their freedom. And not happy when I put all 4 of them straight back to bed.

Now she is in her room screaming for her Daddy to save her because her mommy is so MEAN.

I think it is safe to say that I can say goodbye to today's nap time.

Spring!

2011-03-03T09:57:00.006-06:00

If the weather could stay just like this all year, I would be a very happy person. But, I know it won't so we are soaking it up while we can.

Ben was not happy when he realized someone had used his construction hat as a dirt collection bin.

Andrew gave everyone a job and made sure they stuck to it. He takes his construction work very seriously.

Ellen was more interested in posing for the camera than doing her designated "job".

The boys had the run of the house this morning and enjoyed flying their planes and turning the upstairs into an airport.

Until Andrew had to spend some time in time out... And Ben missed his flying buddy. Here is Ben trying to convince Andrew to leave time out (his room) and play with him.

2011-03-02T15:27:00.002-06:00

Got these shoes in the mail today. They are so comfortable, it's like walking on a cloud. I may wear them every day until next winter. :)

Andrew's First Fishing Trip

2011-03-01T18:51:00.004-06:00

Andrew was excited beyond belief to go on his first fishing trip with Grampa this past weekend. The two of them headed off to east Texas to meet up with Papaw and have a "boy time".

Andrew got to spend time without any pesky siblings getting in his way, ride in the tractor to feed the cows, drink coke, and fish, fish, fish. His idea of heaven.

According to both Andrew and my dad, he was able to cast and reel in this "monster" fish (3 lb bass) all by himself. Andrew is adamant that when the fish took the lure, it was like "an earthquake". He was/is so proud of that fish and has been walking around with his lure ever since.

He still doesn't know that Pablo finally through out the fish because Andrew wouldn't let us do anything with the fish except look at it. in the cooler. getting smellier by the day.

The proud fishermen:

Now that he is 100% fishing obsessed, he is already planning/begging for his next fishing trip "to catch another monster". Grampa may have created a monster, a fishing monster!

Me and my pirates

2011-02-23T16:03:00.003-06:00

Still obsessing over the new Disney pirate cartoon, my little pirates have been very good lately. Especially considering the fact that I haven't let them play outside, despite the nice weather.

All four of them have been suffering from seasonal allergies but Ben (as usual) has gotten the worst of it.

So, it has been inside playtime and pirate cartoons or us.

But, I did get one very nice surprise from Andrew this week.

Here it is:

In case it's importance was lost on you... Andrew is a very non-enthusiastic writer/reader. He doesn't enjoy practicing either one, doesn't have much confidence about his abilities, and is an overall grump about the whole thing. So I don't push it.

But, this wonder was in his backpack.

His class is studying about transportation (his favorite) and he wrote down some of his favorite words.

Here are the ones I could decipher:

Bike

Airplane

Boat

Bus

What an achievement for him!!!

dinner, or something like it

2011-02-17T20:36:00.003-06:00

Pablo got home after 8 tonight. I (wrongly) assumed he had eaten dinner. So, I didn't worry one bit when the kids cleaned out the fridge. This was what he came up with on his own.

That's right, peanut butter, jelly, and animal crackers sandwiched together. What can I say, we have a very refined palate at our house. :)