Super Quick Update

For my personal records, I must get down in writing that yesterday, Friday, May 25th, Robbie decided he must now wear underwear. This was not my decision. In fact, I cried just a little on the inside (mainly over the increase in laundry that is now to come). But there it is. One accident so far. But he still doesn't tell us when he needs to go. I have to set the timer every 45 minutes or so to remember to take him. He always tells me he doesn't need to go. Yet, once he is sitting on the toilet, pee always comes out.

I'm not excited about the vigilance I now have to demonstrate to keep my floors pee-free.

So. Much. Fun.

Many Months Worth of Updates

I don't think I am a blogger anymore. I'm not sure what the acceptable definition of a "blogger" is, but I'm sure it must include something about posting photos, links or text on the internet more than once a month. I don't apologize for falling off the blogging bandwagon. There are many reasons for it; some easy enough to explain, others, not so easy. And while I am not going to bereate myself for not publishing daily, weekly or biweekly photos and updates, I do believe I need to at least give it a go once a month. How else will I know what to write in my scrapbooks when I actually get around to them? (Currently I am working on 2010, yet haven't even started Katelyn's "First Year" book.) But I'll tell you, keeping my blog up-to-date was not one of my New Year's resolutions. Just so you know...


So, here is an update of the last couple weeks and months to catch you up a bit. I'm sure I will forget many important pieces, but you'll get the idea of our current existence. These are in no particular chronological or importance order.

• I went back to work about 20 hours a week the week before Christmas vacation. I am working as an aide to the English Learner Specialist at the girls' school. The specialist is an old friend of mine. We used to teach together in days gone by and have trained teachers together for the last 10 years. So, it's not your typical teacher's aid position. Which is just fine with me. All the things I love about teaching without all that pesky stuff like report cards and grading essays.


• I work while the girls are at school, which means Robbie is with a sitter 3 days a week, 1/2 day two days, full day one day. She was our regular sitter before, and now she is really our nanny. Robbie loves her, but the first couple weeks were rough. By Friday morning as I was getting ready to go, he would cling to my legs and tell me not to go. Now, he has settled into his routine. I leave right before lunch on Thursdays and Fridays, so he is ready to lunch with M., take a nap, then I am home when he gets up!

Speaking of Robbie, there are many many many things to say about him. I probably should do them all separately...

• Potty training has begun. I wasn't really looking forward to it, and didn't want to push it, but it sort of happened and now we are on good path. After several months of pulling our hair out over Robbie's slow gut (read:pooping every 7 to 10 days, and being really pissed off about it), we finally make a dietary change. We totally upped his fiber and cut his white flour intake. It took a little bit, but he started pooping more regularly. Then, we finally figured out that when he pulls up on the back of his pants, he needs to poop. We started sitting him on the toilet...with my iTouch. Don't judge me. With the girls, it was M&Ms and stickers. For Robbie, it is Angry Birds. And we haven't looked back. We haven't changed a poopy diaper in over a month. The peeing on the potty took a bit more time to pick up, but just last week he started telling us when he had to go. Today is day #2 of a dry pull up all day. Those Angry Birds are miracle workers!


• Because of the regular pooping, Robbie is now a much MUCH happier little boy. No more crying for hours or holing up in his room to lie on his tummy all afternoon. No more screaming while having a bowel movement. No more fussiness for days on end. So so pleasant.


• Robbie has also undergone another language explosion over the last month or so. He doesn't just repeat sentences, he initiates conversations. He sings songs, reads books, and tells you why he wants something. He calls for his sisters to come play with him. He asks for specific games, books and toys. He seems to finally have caught up verbally with where his sisters where at this age. I think the most noticable change is he now says, very clearly, " I DON'T know!" instead of "Iuhknow." I kind of miss it.


• But unlike his sisters, he is super cuddly. We love that.
  

Now, onto other news...

• Phineas and Ferb has been a constant in our house for the last several months. I was told about what a fabulously awesome show it was a couple years ago by my friend, but since we didn't have cable, I just assumed we would never watch it anyway, so I didn't take it to heart. Well, we discovered it through instant Netflix probably back in the summer, and we now know every song and most episodes by heart. Even Robbie will sing and quote it. Daddy and I have been known to tell the girls they can't watch a particular episode because we haven't seen it yet and want to watch it, too. It's that fun for us. We now own two CDs and a movie. I thought they would have tired of it by now, but nope. It has staying power.


• Katelyn seems to be outgrowing some of her more annoying clothing sensitivity issues, but they are far from gone. While she will now wear different clothes every day, and occassionally socks, the tags must still come out and there are many articles of clothing that she dismisses without even trying on. Her tantrums over other things come and go. Currently, they are in. But while her reactions are big and out of proportion to the slight or injustice, fortunately, they do not last too long. When she's done, she's a happy kid again.


• Padyn is content in third grade. She goes through a chapter book every couple days, yet I have to force her to study her multiplication facts. She loves learning about the planets and our solar system, and even tried out for a speaking part in the upcoming 3rd grade play. (She got one). She is usually very helpful with her brother and now has to make her own lunch every day. It only took a couple weeks for her to stop complaining about it!


• We have yet to ski this winter (seeing as how there has been no snow) and both the girls are eager to hit the slopes.


• Daddy and I just had a kidfree get away to San Diego for a long weekend. It was a much needed parental time out.


• We had new windows installed in our house back before Christmas. It now feels much cozier and quieter inside.


• I'm still getting used to all the trees we took out of our yard in November. The ones I have to plant keep falling over in the wind. I'm not sure they are going to make it until the spring. One that I planted has already passed away, its root ball having been too shaken up in all the falling over it did while still in it's pot.


• Katelyn is already asking when summer is coming so we can go swimming.


• Padyn is amazed at how quickly the school year is going.


• I keep writing "2013" on my checks and documents. Who knows?

Robbie is calling to me. Must be another no nap day. But I will leave you with my most recent picture of the kids. I took it last week for my dad's birthday.

Photo Monday-Because I Owe You

This past Friday I helped put together a fundraiser for Kate's preschool. It was a bit of a crazy week, so go figure as to why I didn't post photos on Friday. Then there was the weekend of recovery. And now it's Monday. So here you have it...Photo Monday.

This one was actually taken just a few moments ago. The girl who won't let you brush her hair suddenly wants to look like Princess Leia. Literally. That's what she said when she asked me to do her hair..."I want Princess Leia hair." She hangs out with too many boys...Robbie has a new word. EESE! Yes. He's gotten quite used to everyone taking pictures of him and can now say cheese. Unprompted.Like here....And here...Look! A new shirt! I think we are now at 5 shirts that she will wear.

Not many photos of Padyn these days. Mostly because she's not home as much as the other kiddos. And when she is home, you usually find her reading. Robbie decided to join her the other day. I'm shocked he shared his chair willingly. But then again, he does adore his big sister.

He just climbed right up there next to her to work on his block box.

Another new trick-he can climb up on the piano bench by himself. We've been introduced to so many new "songs" lately.

He's so proud of himself.

Happy Monday.

Photo Friday-Just Barely

It's hard to post pictures for Photo Friday when I hadn't taken any since December 27th. So, despite the hand foot and mouth disease, ear infections, cold viruses, goopy ears, and sore throats that have plagued us over the last couple weeks, I pulled at the camera today to show you what our typical Friday afternoon looks like...

The girls like to bring all their toys out to the family room and set up some elaborate scene to pretend around. Robbie just likes to hang out near them in his new shoes playing with his toys before the girls steal them to make part of their production.

Padyn is often writing some elaborate list or script or drawing some new creation. I'm not sure. But she prefers the floor to the table. Oh, and look. You can see Kate's new shoe, and the only pair of pants that she will wear these days. The shoes are the 3rd pair of Crocs I've bought for her over the last couple weeks. This is the pair she finally doesn't complain about. Well, she doesn't complain about them much. She still wears them, which is a huge accomplishment.

I'm really not sure what they are doing here but I do know that yarn is one of their favorite accessories lately. (See Robbie's blocks down there that they've stolen?)Oh look...here's the only other article of clothing besides the "snow dress" that Kate will wear. It matches her pants. BonBon got it for her for Christmas. You had to scrape my mouth off the floor when she willingly put it on the day after Christmas. Seriously. It's this or the snow dress. And usually she wears the pants with the snow dress. The pant knees already look like they are a year old.And here's the big boy. Hand foot and mouth (which he gave to Mommy), runny nose, goopy ear with infection...isn't he a handsome one? I think he needs a haircut.

Happy Friday. I hope you are staying healthier than we are. We might be pathetic, but at least we are no longer contagious (fingers crossed).

18 Month Semi-Comparison

Today, Robbie had his 18 month check up. Sure, he'll be 19 months old next week, but who's counting? We do what we can around here...
Presently, the little man weighs in at 26 pounds, 7 ounces and 32 inches tall, which puts him in the 60th and 40th percentiles for each. But don't let that fool you. His head? 46 cm. That's right. That's at least 75th percentile. But really...have you met his daddy? We're surprised his head isn't bigger.And while I'm pretty sure Robbie outweighs his bigger sisters at this age, he certainly can't do things that Kate could at this age. Things like this......or this...

Thank you, son, for being such a calm mellow toddler!

(If you want to see and read about other things the girls were doing at this age, you can go here.)

First Steps

My son just took a couple unassisted steps between his chair and the TV table. We'll see if we can get him to repeat himself and get it on film at some point today.

Photos! (but not many....) Update! (but there's not too much to say)

So, Daddy finally returned home after his month long deployment. Everyone was very happy to see him walk off the airplane. Well, Robbie was kind of unsure of who he was, but that only lasted until the next morning. Then he was giddy again every time he saw his daddy.

To welcome him home, the girls made this sign. We also made peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and home made mint chip ice cream, per the girls' request. Katelyn, of course, didn't like either of them. Robbie did, though. He freaked out every time you carried him past the cookie Tupperware and continued to have a fit until you gave him some cookie. He loves cookies. This big guy is now 16 months old. He's not walking yet, but why? He's so fast with his tripod butt scoot that he really doesn't need to walk. He is doing the following, though:

Standing without holding onto something

Climbing onto anything he can-the couch, a stool, into the bathtub (he hasn't managed to get all the way in yet)

Sliding down slides by himself

Saying his very mangled version of "hello," "Momma," Dadda," and (I think) "Up."

Eating crayons

Pouring water on his head in the bath

He's very verbal without actually communicating anything. He'll repeat the same nonsensical phrase over and over, but we have no idea what intellectual point he is trying to make. I think he also tries to sing.

Robbie's new favorite activity-reading. He'll fit right into this family.

Padyn starts second grade on Wednesday of this week. I'm ready for her to go back to school. While she can be very sweet and helpful when she feels like it, we've been butting heads quite a bit over the last few weeks. I think she needs someone besides me to give her directions all day long. Nothing really new between the two of these ladies. One day they are best friends and can play beautifully for hours. Then, without warning, they are worst enemies and I become the referee for the remainder of the day.Katelyn technically starts school next Thursday morning, but doesn't really start back on a regular schedule until the 1st of September. I am ready for her to return to school, too. I'm happy to let someone else struggle with getting her to listen to them. She's pretty excited about going into PreK and getting to go to school four days a week.

Lately she's been really into coloring, usually in her coloring books, but she wanted to pull out the paints a couple weeks ago, which is what is happening in this picture. I am amazed at how coordinated her drawing and coloring have become lately. It's hard to tell in this picture, but really, it's impressive. She can draw and cut out hearts, draw very rudimentary people and animals, and color within the lines. Not that she stays within the lines in other parts of her life...While I am happy to be getting back to school and routine, I know Robbie is going to be sad without his sisters around all morning long. But, he'll probably just spend more time doing this....

Happy Saturday!

Photo Friday-A Hodge Podge of Random Updates

It's hard to believe that we are already in the middle of summer! Before I know it, it will be time to buy school supplies and new shoes. I'm doing my best not to think about it, so please don't inform me when August hits. I just don't want to know.

For now, I can reflect a bit on how we've spent the first part of our summer. I don't have photos to cover everything, but I'll do the best I can. (That camera really has taken a bit of a hiatus. I leave it out on the counter, but it's not doing me any good there, either.)

First, we've been spending a lot of time in the pool. Well, the girls and I have been spending a lot of time in the pool. We go in while Robbie is taking his nap so I don't have to juggle him or try to keep him off the super hot concrete. Both girls are also on swim team. Well, Padyn is on it and Kate is doing the "mini" program offered to younger siblings. It has been the greatest thing ever for her. After one day, ONE, she decided she could swim by herself, without her inner tube. And now she's a fish. She loves swimming. It truly is a summer miracle. And Padyn will participate in her first swim meet tomorrow. She's still a bit reluctant, but because cousin Bella is doing it, Padyn will, too. Sometimes peer pressure does work in your favor.

We've been spending our later afternoons inside the house, getting on each other's nerves. Here Kate is bugging Robbie by sitting in his chair. You can see his little feet there. I think he was yelling at her to get out. Right after is when I took these pictures of him standing up in it.Currently, Robbie loves to climb. You saw the trampoline pictures. Those were taken on Wednesday. Yesterday he climbed up onto Kate's bed. The bed! Waiting for his sisters to finish gymnastics today, he crawled back and forth between two folded up mats...up, down, up down....giggle, repeat. I wonder what it will be tomorrow...will I come into the kitchen only to find him already in his high chair? Probably not too far off, that one.

He loves to climb up on the little blue couch and hang out. Here he is perfecting his hang out pose. He even has the remote. All he needs is a beer.We've been fruit picking several times. Here the girls were trying to figure out which peaches were ripe and which weren't. They weren't very good at it. They should stick to blackberries.

Not pictured: Our house is being taken over by ants. Today they are coming in from the attic. They have made a hole in my ceiling (a hole that seems to be getting larger), are crawling into my kitchen, down the side of the fridge, and disappearing underneath. I can't tell what they are after. I put one of those bait things on top of the fridge and they have finally discovered it. I'm sure I'll have many more tomorrow and then by Sunday they should be petering out. That hole is going to continue to bug me, though.

One really nice thing about summer...everyone is sleeping in. It's quite a dream. Due to that, we have some pretty late breakfasts. (I mean, like 8:30, 9am late. Not like college student late). Here's a random breakfast picture. I don't know why Kate dragged her blanket out or why Robbie is on the floor instead of in his high chair. Padyn lost her third tooth on July 3rd. She didn't put it under her pillow until the 4th, and then the tooth fairy forgot to come! The next night the tooth fairy left a note with the $2 explaining that her not coming was due to the fireworks. I'm not sure if Padyn bought it or not. This picture is right before it came out. I don't think I have one yet of the hole itself.

And lastly, Robbie turns 15 months old tomorrow. 15 months, and finally, he will eat a banana. What a weird kid. I mean, just because I don't like them doesn't give him a reason not to eat them, right? I thought all children loved bananas!

Happy Friday!

One and Four Year Stats

Katelyn Marie
Turned 4 on April 3.
As of today, she weighs in at 36 pounds, stands 40 inches tall and can see and hear normally. Oh, and she isn't anemic.
Favorite activities include dressing up like a princess, reciting movie lines with her sister (Cinderella is a current favorite), playing with her Littlest Pet Shop, wrestling with Daddy, and shouting at her brother in an attempt to make him notice her.
Most common phrase: "I want to do it myself."
Nickname: Drama Queen (we don't really say that in front of her)
Favorite Treat: Pink Lemonade Frozen Yogurt with Gummy Worms


Robert Thomas
Turned 1 on April 17
As of today, weighs in at 22 pounds and 9 ounces, is just over 30 inches long, and has a head that is 47cm in circumference.
Eight teeth are showing, one back molar has cut, and I think 3 more are rapidly making their way through his gums.
New communication: Signs "more" (but usually only for berries or other fruit)
New Games: playing with the sounds his mouth can make, cuddling with Mommy, Peek-A-Boo, biting (but not really sinking his teeth into) Mommy's shoulder.
Favorite Phrase: "Ahdada"
Favorite Toy: LeapFrog Fridge Farm
Favorite Activity: playing in the bathtub

Photo Friday-One Year Old Update

Well, we passed Robert's one year milestone almost two weeks ago, but I've yet to write down for future reference what Mr. Robbie is like at one. I mean, besides adorable, adorable and adorable, what is this boy like? How does he behave? What does he love and hate? What are his aspirations in life? Here's what I've figured out so far...

At one, Robbie loves life. He loves his sisters, his Mommy and Daddy, other children larger than himself, small animals, things that roll across the floor, and, yes, the television. The "small animals" and "things that roll" categories have been cleverly combined in his sisters' Zhu Zhu pets. He chases those little hamsters around until the batteries die. And fortunately, he has yet to put it on his head. That will be a sad day...New Skills! Robbie has figured out a thing or two about physics in the last couple weeks. Things roll...and bounce...and you can throw them...and put them in other things. All are new favorite games. He has also figured out that sometimes knobs turn and other things go up and down.

Can you see it? He just threw the ball in this photo.

Here he is demonstrating how to turn the knob on his gumball machine, a favorite toy. He also knows to put the balls in the top of it and hit the blue lever on the side to make the balls roll out and the machine sing.This photo was taken right before he bounced the socks off the floor. Then, he proceeded to pick them up and do it again. And again. And again. When he finally got bored, he stuck the socks in his mouth.Another very recent skill is screeching at the top of his lungs. It's a horrible, ear piercing noise, but apparently it gets him what he wants. Interestingly, it has multiple meanings. In this photo, he is screaming at me because he's so pleased to be climbing on my stomach. Tonight at dinner he was constantly doing it because he was tired and hungry and pissed that I wouldn't give him more blueberries. Sometimes it's because he likes something on the TV or he sees himself in the mirror. Whatever the reason, it's generally not a pleasant sound.

And yes, that is drool.

Favorite toys...while the gumball machine pictured above has been a favorite of Robbie's for the last couple months, just recently a new toy that I pulled out has taken the top spot. It's the Fridge Farm from LeapFrog. He LOVES it. He races over to the fridge, pulls it down, and repeatedly presses the button to hear it sing. He even dances. Ok, it's really just bopping up and down to the music, but for a one year old, it's a pretty slick dance move.

He also loves pulling the toy magnets off the fridge. Unfortunately, he hasn't figured out how to put them back on yet, so I'm constantly tripping on them as I walk in and out of the kitchen.

His new freedom found in his ability to crawl has finally sunk in for him. I swear, just this week, the light bulb went on and he realized, "I can go WHEREVER I WANT!" He's exploring new places everyday, and I am quickly remembering what it's like to have a crawler in the house and why we had those locks on the cabinets before. He still prefers the butt-scoot to the standard crawl position, but I think that's because on our hard floors, the butt-scoot is fast and he doesn't slip around as much. He does know how to crawl properly, he just chooses not to.While he may still shy away from vegetables, Robbie's appetite is back in full swing. He hardly ever has "baby food" anymore, except when I'm trying to hide said veggies in applesauce. This boy is all about finger food, and the meatier, cheesier or starchier, the better. He has loved every type of meat I've put in front of him, including fish. He's picky about the type of pasta you give him, but macaroni is definitely a fave. Any type of berry...well, you just can't pile it on his tray fast enough. He also loves oranges, kiwi, grapefruit, peach and pear puree (won't eat it in chunks), cheese, bread, dried fruit, pancakes, scrambled eggs, graham crackers and those sugary baby snacks that you think are healthy because they have the words "Baby" and "Gerber" on them, but are really full of sugar. He loves those. (So do Padyn and Kate!). For whatever reason, I can't get him excited about bananas and apples in their true form. Or avocado. And he hasn't wanted much yogurt lately. I'm sure next week it will be a whole new list. Quesadillas will be out and turkey sandwiches will be in. Or something.

But he does love his milky! Mommy's done nursing and this boy has moved onto cow's milk. As soon as he sees me pull the bottle out of the cupboard, he starts screaming. He keeps screaming until the bottle is in his mouth. Again, that horrible screaming noise. Kate was like this, too. Just something about that milk that they love. I can't say I understand it, not really being a milk drinker myself.

Other new stuff...he now sits facing forward in his carseat, he is back to (mostly) sleeping 11 hours at night, he poops ALL THE TIME, he loves loves LOVES taking a bath, he has to have his feet somewhere on your body when he's lying next to you, and the first thing he does when I pick him up is stick his hand down my shirt. All the boys think that's awesome.

Next week we hit the pediatrician's office for his one year appointment. At that time I will know all his other stats-weight, length, etc. I really have no idea if he's big or small or average for his age. I really don't care. Except for that screeching thing, he's really as close to perfect as you can come with a one year old. At least, compared to my other two one years old he is. I think we'll keep him around for a while.

Happy Friday.