Swimmer

I am really loving this season of my life. My time is completely consumed with snack schedules, laundry, pick up/drop off, homework, soccer practice, volunteer hours, parent meetings, lunch boxes and backpacks. But I'm totally enjoying it. I know it's all new and exciting right now, and my enthusiasm will wain, but right now it's perfect. I feel recharged and ready to take on kindergarten, playdates, and the millions of parent hours I have to complete. Logan is in an amazing school with a wonderful, caring, exciting, creative teacher. Thank you God for taking such care of my boy. The twins started school in the Monkey classroom. Their teachers are sweet. I love BFC too. Nathan and Gracie feel so safe, happy, and loved when they're at school. Collin is just along for the ride, right now. He and I spend a lot of time in the car dropping kids off or picking kids up. But we do get a few precious hours alone together on Thursdays. Pure sweetness. he's starting to mimic, sign, and talk a lot more. He's still a rude baby but also the sweetest.

Big news Today: Gracie took off her water wings and swam across the pool like a fish. She's been dying to lose the wings ever since Logan became a swimmer at the beginning of this month. She was so proud of herself. She still swims a bit wonky, like she's drunk but she can get where she wants to go. Logan and Gracie are begging me for goggles and I think swim lessons may be a good idea as well.

Kindergarten

Today my big boy started kindergarten! I don't know how it happened, but it did.


We went to an open house/picnic on Monday night to meet his teacher. I of course was a nervous wreck. He did fine. Went right in a played with blocks. He even seemed happy to be there. Yesterday was his last day of preschool. He took his y shirt in for everyone to sign. He took pictures with his friends and teachers. He rode home from school with grandma and grandpa one last time. Last might we gathered all his supplies, packed his backpack and laid out his clothes. He was up bright and early this morning. Both mommy and daddy got to take him to school. He wrote his name on the easel outside his classroom, played on the climbing dome, said hello to his teacher and then headed straight for the blocks. Ell and I lingered a little and watched our boy become a big kid right before our eyes. No more preschool. He's not a baby any more. He's big. We both hugged and kissed him and said goodbye.no biggy for him but by the time I reached the car I was done. Tears all the way home. Time, you are a thief and a meany.


Logan, I am so proud of you. I am excited to join you on the kindergarten journey. You are do ready to be a big kid. I know you'll do great. I hope this year is fun and that you learn a ton. I hope you make some good friends. I love you so much, sweet boy.
xoxo,
Mama

Catch up time

It's been nearly 3 months since my last post. Life is crazy busy but I need to be better about recording our family life.
Logan graduated from the YMCA Preschool on June 6th. The class sang songs, got diplomas, ate cake and were all so proud to be graduates.


I'm so proud of the boy Logan is and so thankful to his Grandma/teacher for helping him grow so much this year. He knows all his letters, some sounds and can count really high. I know he is ready for kindergarten but the thought still makes me teary.


This summer Logan is going to the YMCA for "preschool camp" 3 days a week. The other 2 days he plays at home with the twins and Collin. It's been louder having him home but so nice. I love having all of my babies home. We got Logan's kindergarten placement from Ventura Charter. His teacher's name is Annie which I think bodes well.


Logan, this summer you are loving... Star Wars, Wild Kratts, Ninjago, swimming, science experimenting, baseball, soccer, Legos, bug collecting and building with blocks.


You are both excited and nervous to start at your new school but you can't wait to buy school supplies.


Nathan and Gracie finished their first year of preschool on June 14th. The year was so wonderful. Their teachers were the sweetest ladies and took such great care of my babies. BFC is an awesome school and I'm so thankful we found it.


We took the twins to Disneyland for their 3rd birthdays. It's such a great tradition in our family. They had a blast. Gracie was the flower girl in Richell's wedding. She didn't make it down the aisle but did like being around Ryan and Gavin and wearing her pretty dress. Richell and Randall got the twins cakes because their wedding was on the twins' actual birthday. Very sweet. This summer we decided to save a few bucks and keep the twins home. Some days are crazy and long but I'm so happy to be able to have lazy pajama wearing days or swim-all-day long days with these sweet kiddos.
Nathan, this summer you are loving... Building with blocks, drawing, everything Logan does, Ninjago, Transformers (even though you can't watch it yet), R2D2 and C3PO, and Superhero Squad.


You are the perfect little brother because you simply adore Logan and will play any game he suggests. You are really getting good in the pool. You were scared at the beginning of the summer but now you swim all around with your water wings.


You love to play outside and draw with chalk. You are always making makeshift belts and swords to wear while you play in the yard.


Gracie, this summer you are loving... The pool (you are SO brown from the sun), all things pony, having your toe nails painted, having girls only trips with mama and Phee Phee, building with blocks, playing at the water table, making mud, roller skating, and Pinky Pie.


You are such a sweet girl with a ton of sass. We are really working on not screaming so much and using a sweet voice.


You are such a fish in the pool. You can jump really far and do splashy cannonballs! You love to play baby mermaid or baby otter in the pool with mama.


You love wearing "sungweem" or any other lotion. Your obsessed with wearing your Crocs and have just started picking out your own clothes.


Collin 10+ months old. He is crawling everywhere. He pulls up on all everything and occasionally let's go and stands for a few seconds.
Collin, this summer you are loving... Eating big people food, bath time, swimming, climbing up stairs, playing outside, the beach, Magneto, and eating dirt.


Collin you just saw Dr. Roseman and got your shots. You weigh 23lbs 4oz and are such a big boy. You have 5 teeth and 2 on the way. Your favorite things to eat are bananas, grapes, bagels, and of course your baba.


You drink 4-6oz of formula and milk every 6-7 hours. You eat 3 meals a day and 1 snack. You wear 12m clothes and size 4.5 w shoes. You wear a size 4 diaper. You can say mama, dada, num num, quack, no no, and hi. You can sign all done and hi/bye. You have also just started shaking your head. You still sleep with mama but soon you'll transition to your crib. You love your brothers and sister. You especially love to destroy whatever they're playing with. You had a horrible case of HFMD about 3 weeks ago and you were covered in spots. Poor baby.


We have taken you to 3 movies and you're always such a good boy. You are loving your first summer, sweet boy.

So far this is a wonderful summer!

30 Days of Real Food

We started 3 days ago. No refined sugars, preservatives or processed foods. For 30 days. It's been hard on the kids. They love Goldfish and graham crackers but neither are allowed. We decided that at school the kids could eat whatever is served for snack but at home they must follow the rules. We've tried our best to replace their crackers with yummy things like fruit, cheese, rice cakes, banana bread, and veggie sticks. We're only 3 days in and I already miss Diet Coke. It's actually the only thing miss. Ell misses it too and chips. Next week I will tackle making my own bread and salad dressing. I'm sure we'll both get cravings but it's important to me that we stick with it for the entire 30 days.

The big FIVE!

On Thursday my sweet boy turned five. I can hardly believe he's that old already. I remember finding out I was pregnant with Logan. I was terrified and so so sick, all day,everyday. Logan arrived on his due date after 38 long, painful hours of back labor. I remember holding Logan when he was teeny tiny and thinking there never was a cuter baby. And now I look at him and think the very same thing, except he's 5 now.
Dear Logan,
You are such a good boy and I am so proud to be your mama. You are the sweetest brother to Collin and you're Nathan's very best friend. Right now you love Super Mario, Bakugans, racecars, watching Doc McStuffins & Octonauts, and Lego Ninjago. You love building, drawing and sword fighting with your brother and daddy. You are so smart. You know all your colors, letters, shapes, most numbers, and even some letter sounds. You and daddy are reading Narnia chapter books before bed. You just started sleeping on the top bunk, you can take a shower by yourself and get totally dressed on your own. your favorite foods are spaghetti and chili. Your best friends at school are Mason and Tristan. you wear a size 4/5 clothes, size 12.5 shoes, weigh 38lbs and are about 40inches tall.
Logan you are getting so big. Five years ago you made me a mama and I am so thankful to have you as my son. Five is such a big year. Lots of exciting things are going to happen, graduating Room 3, starting kindergarten, trying soccer, making new friends. We had a Super Mario party for you and your class. You had so much fun. We had pizza, cupcakes, and went on a scavenger hunt. Faraway grandma and grandpa made you a toad piñata! You got some pretty cool presents too. Uncle Paul got you a Wii! Lucky guy.
We love you so much, Logan. Happy birthday, sweet boy!
xo,
Mama

Easter and 7 months

Happy Easter!!
We had big plans to split our day between home and Palmdale. However, our babies are still sick. They're all boogery, fevery, coughy messes. We went back and forth on what we should do but decided that since Collin still had a fever and was contagious we'd stay home. We are sad to have missed our Palmdale Easter celebration.
This morning the big kids let us sleep in until 8 o'clock. Hooray! We all showered and dressed before going downstairs to see what the Easter bunny had brought. The kids scored. Grandma bought them tons of fun stuff. We took the obligatory Easter morning pictures and then let the kids play outside. We skipped church this year so that we wouldn't share our awful sick germs. While Grandma and Phee Phee were at church I made brunch. We had quiche, bacon, sausage, fruit salad, sticky buns, and asparagus. Yum. We ate around noon and then worked of our big meal with and egg hunt.




The kids had a blast and Colly was content to sit on his blanket and watch his siblings run around.




The weather was perfect and so springy. It was such a nice, low key day.




Dear Collin,
Today you're 7 months old. Time is really flying. I hate time. I want to keep you small and snuggly forever. When I last weighed you, you were 18.5lbs. Big guy. You go to the doctor next week so we'll see how much you've really grown. You wear a size 3 diaper and 6-9 month clothes. You are sitting up really well. You're favorite toy is Gracie's Dora guitar. You love being read to, especially books about kitties. You cut your first tooth (left bottom) on April 2nd. You were miserable. Your second tooth should pop through in the next day or some. You're such a drooly guy. You are still eating 6oz every 4.5hrs but now you're eating about 4oz of solids a day. You love food and start smacking your lips when someone is eating around you. Collin, you're such a sweet, happy boy. I adore you. You're getting much better about letting other people hold you. You still live my hair. You live to smash your face in my hair and grab it by the fistful. You have such a cute belly laugh and your super ticklish. Especially your armpits. Collin, mama loves you so much. Today was your first Easter. You watched your crazy siblings hunt for eggs, ate your banana chunks outside for brunch, pulled all of the treats out of you basket, and loved playing with the eggs. This past 7 months with you in our lives have been pure joy and I feel so blessed to watch you grown and change each day.

The dentist and other things

Last Wednesday, Logan went to the dentist for the first time. Only 2 years later than he should have. Oops. He did great. No cavities, yay! The dentist said he needs to floss more and start using mouth wash. The twins and Collin went along to the appointment. They were very well behaved and let mama bounce back and forth between the play room and the exam room.


After the dentist we drove to Rachel's house to say goodbye to her. She's moving to Washington on Monday and we're going to miss her so much. Especially mommy. The kids played on her swing set and checked out her turtle before we hugged and said our goodbyes.
Because the kids were do well behaved I thought playing and eating at McDonald's would be a good treat. The kids gobbled up there happy meals and went to play. Not even 5 minutes later I see Nathan starting to gag. I run in the play yard just as he vomits. Poor sweet Gracie had explosive diarrhea at nearly the same time. I thought I was going to die. It was a mommy nightmare. I desperately wanted to scream and run away. Or burst into tears. My poor sick kids. I apologized profusely to the McDonald's employees and then cleaned my kids up in my van. Nathan barfed the whole ride home. When we got home I had a screaming, hungry, cranky baby, a disastrous carseat to clean, a poopy daughter, a barfy son, and one big boy who was sweet enough to help his mama survive the day. Logan was such a big help. He played with and fed Colly for me while I did damage control. I called my mom at work, crying because the day was so hard. It was a day only another mother could understand.
My poor kids are still sick. Gracie's fever broke last night and little Collin still has one today. All 4 of them have boogery noses and hacking coughs. I'm so happy spring is here and hopeful that healthier days are ahead.