The BEST Baby Shower EVER!!!

I have the best, most creative friends! They threw me a baby shower and it was absolutely adorable!!

It all started with the bedding set I bought . . .

Next came the most adorable invitations in a bottle, complete with sand and shells . . .


How cute are they?!!


Next came the cake . . .
Melanie asked what kind of cake I wanted. I said lemon sounded good. And she said she had never made a lemon cake before . . . so she tried out a dozen different recipes until she found the perfect one, that was SO very delicious!!


Then came the diaper cake . . .
It had little soaps, cute hair clips, a personalized onesie and wash cloth, and the tiniest bracelets! So adorable!!


And rounding it all up, the favors . . .
So cute and they smell so great!! I love them!!

All that's left now is the baby (12 days and counting!)

Thank you Laura!! Thank you Deena!! Thank you Claudia!! Thank you Andrea!! Thank you Melanie!!

I'm changing my look!

Have you ever wondered what you would look like as a cartoon character. No? Well, neither did I . . . until I came upon this website:
http://morph.cs.st-andrews.ac.uk//Transformer/

Here is what Josh and I would look like. I think I'll stick to human!!

Josh

Saturday was Josh's birthday. For him, the perfect day would be not recognizing it was his birthday -- not getting presents -- not having cake, just a normal day. Of course, being a dad, he realizes that his birthdays are no longer about him but about a chance for the boys to celebrate him.

So what did Josh decide to do on his birthday? He told the boys that he wanted to go to Chuck E. Cheeses! Once there, Josh spent all his "birthday" tokens playing games to win the boys tickets.

When it was time to open presents, Josh opened two transformers -- then gave them to Sam and Benjamin and told them that his kids gave him the greatest happiness in life, and to thank them he wanted them to share his presents.

Probably not the most exciting birthday for a 30+ year old, but what a fun birthday for his kids.

How lucky are we?!!

Handsome Haircut

I have always been a fan of short hair on my boys. If their hair even hints at touching the tips of their ears, off it goes. So, it kind of surprised me that I let Nicholas' hair get so long. I just couldn't bring myself to cut it, for whatever reason.




But, finally it got to be too much, and I took him in. When it was over, I realized why I had let his thin, stringy hair get so long . . . because it kept him looking like a baby. Now with his new "handsome haircut" (as he calls it), he looks all grown up. Baby Nicholas has been replaced by just Nicholas.




I knew it was bound to happen, but I was hoping for later rather than sooner. Bye-Bye stringy mullet hair, bye-bye baby . . . Hello Mr. Nicholas.

Sam and the Snake

Sam is a snake lover. He has at least 15 books on snakes. He's read the books so much that he can identify and list characteristics of most of them. And if we try to skip the snake house at the zoo . . . well, let's just say we don't. A few weeks ago, at the Father and Son camp out, Sam had his first real life encounter with a snake. It is priceless!

(just so you know, Sam is saying "a coral snake")

Things I need to learn to love

(WARNING: long post ahead!)

I was thinking today, as I pondered three whole summer months at home with three wild boys, that I should focus on the positive. To ensure my sanity, I started to make a list of all the things I love about my boys, thinking that if I could keep the good in mind, I could make it through the summer. Making a list of things I liked was easy. For example:

I love that Sam is so creative. You can give him a piece of paper and a string, and he can create a whole universe out of it.

I love that Benjamin is so self motivated. He taught himself to read because he wanted to be like Sam.

I love that Nicholas is so happy. All you have to do is say “Nicholas!” and he will smile and laugh and brighten your day.

Then I started thinking about the things I wish I could change about the boys. But, it occurred to me that trying to change them would not be easy. So I wondered if I could change the way I viewed the aspects of their personalities I found annoying. And that is how I came up with this list . . .

What I need to learn to love about Sam
1. His sense of humor. Sam loves to have fun! Although Sam can be silly at inappropriate times, I need to be grateful that he loves to laugh and he loves to look for fun. I need to appreciate the fact that he likes to make people laugh. He has a temper to match his sense of humor, so I should be doubly grateful when he chooses to look on the bright side of life!

2. His stubbornness. It is true that once Sam has set his mind to something, it is next to impossible to sway him another way. But at the same time, I need to be grateful that Sam knows what he wants and that he has a determination to get it. You have to admire the fact that a 7 year old will not back down when he has made up his mind (at least in some instances!)



What I need to learn to love about Benjamin
1. His Tenderness. Benjamin is so tender. The minute he has done something wrong, he immediately feels bad. Sometimes, in my impatience, I tell him to suck it up and quit crying like a girl (I guess he got the tenderness I lack . . .), but I need to appreciate the fact that he has such a caring heart. He would never dream of causing anyone pain on purpose. What a wonderful gift!

2. His sense of Justice. Lately, Benjamin has been asking, “what about me.” I told Sam that if he read 7 chapter books, I would take him out for dessert. Sam hates to read and needs encouragement. Benjamin, on the other hand, loves to read and needs no external motivation. But as soon as he heard my deal with Sam, he said, “What about me?” It has started to get annoying. However, I need to be grateful that Benjamin demands equality, not just for himself, but for everyone else. If I buy him a hot wheels car at Walmart, he makes sure I buy cars for Sam and Nicholas. He doesn’t like the feeling of being left out, and he doesn’t like to leave anyone out.


What I need to learn to love about Nicholas
1. He CLIMBS! Nicholas can climb up anything -- and he frequently does. It makes me crazy and I feel like I have to follow him around everywhere. However, on the bright side, I need to appreciate his sense of adventure. He loves the thrill. Along with that, he has the ability to keep up with Sam and Benjamin who are considerably older.

2. He doesn’t give up. This goes along with the climbing. He climbed on the chairs to stand on the dining table. So we keep the chairs on the table. His response? Push something over to the table to get up. He is so persistent when he has a goal in mind and there is no distracting him. And while I am afraid for his life sometimes, I have to admire that he doesn’t give up. Even at 18 months, he has set a goal for himself and he doesn’t forget it, and he doesn’t stop until he has achieved that goal. So far that has led him to the top of the bunk beds, the top of the kitchen counter and the top of the chairs that are on top of the dining table, among other things!

This is by no means the end of the list, but it is a start . . . and it has been eye opening.
I have a lot to learn from my boys!

Fun Things if You Have a Moment to Spare

I love the internet. I have always loved the internet. In fact, when I was in college I worked for an internet company and got paid to be on the internet ALL DAY LONG. Now, of course, I don't have that luxury. My moments spent on-line have to be brief and productive. No time to browse, got to get straight to the good stuff. So, I thought that I would share some of the things that I have found on-line and love!

Malie Kauai Body Treatments

This is the most luxurious thing in the world. I've only tried the mango butter bun, but it is heaven in a box!

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Michael Miller Cocoa Pink Collection

These fun fabrics make me smile. Who couldn't love pink and brown stripes and polka dots?

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Accordion Picture Box

I found this on line following a link. I haven't actually made one. But it is so cute and I want to. Not that mine would ever turn out like that . . .

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Thumbtack Tutorial

Ok, so I haven't made these either. But they look like fun. And if I actually had a memo board, I would totally make them!

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And last, but not least - I added some blogs on the right under the heading "Fun Blogs to Love". They are great blogs, with great ideas, and sometimes, great give-a-ways. They are good for when you truly have a moment to spare.

ENJOY!

The Antics of Nicholas

Nicholas is a very, VERY daring kid. He wants to climb and climb and climb. We have to put our dining chairs up on the table every morning because he uses those to get up on the table and jump around. We have to keep the boys' room door shut because he can climb to the top bunk bed. We have to keep the office door closed because he can climb up on the desk and cause all kinds of chaos. We have to keep the bathroom doors closed because he can climb up the drawers to the counter. We have to put the boys' bikes up on the trash can out back because Nicholas can climb on them.



This morning, someone forgot to close the bedroom door. Nicholas didn't run to the bunk beds like he usually does. Instead, he tried something new. He climbed up on the boys' dresser. Of course, when he realized he couldn't get down, he got nervous and called for help. I am surprised that Benjamin is the one with the broken arm!



When our safety precautions are done right and all the door are properly closed, Nicholas finds other ways to occupy his time. Instead of climbing up, he climbs in.



I can honestly say there is NEVER a dull moment with Nicholas around!

Not Again . . .

When Benjamin was 2, he broke his arm -- not a big break, just a small fracture. He was running in the hall, tripped and landed wrong. So he had to be in a splint for 8 weeks.


On Friday, he fractured the same arm again. The boys were playing in their room . . . Benjamin got "pushed" off the bunk bed ladder . . . He says Sam did it on purpose, Sam says it was an accident . . . 2 hours later, he's home with another splint on his arm.



He's being a pretty good sport about it though. He gets to sit on the couch and watch TV so his arm can be propped up to reduce swelling. And he doesn't have to clean his room -- too hard to do with one arm. And he doesn't get in trouble for saying things like "We need to break Sam's arm so he knows how it feels!!" I guess when you have 3 small boys in the house, something like this is bound to happen.

Poor Benjamin!!

Texas Traditions

Every year I want to take pictures in the bluebonnets. But every year I ask myself, why do I want to take pictures of three boys in a field of flowers? Will they have bad memories -- "Remember when mom made us take girly pictures in the flowers?" Am I going to permanently scar them for life? So I don't do it. But this year there is a field right around the corner from our house . . . so convenient, so simple. So, last night I made the boys get dressed up and trudge through a field of flowers. I don't know what I was expecting. Honestly, How excited and cooperative can three young boys be standing in a field of fragrant blue and purple flowers? Even the promise of cake at home was not enough to elicit total cooperation. The only thing I can say about the pictures is that they sure showcase each boy's individual personality!

The surprise of the century!
(for our family at least!)

The ultrasound tech said that she is 99.9% sure and hasn't been wrong in the 8 years she's been doing this. I am still a little skeptical . . . :)

How Hard is it to Take Pictures?

My kids usually beg me to take their picture. They ask me to take pictures of their sports, their hide-out creations, their artwork . . . But try to get them to pose for a "real" picture, and the have different ideas. After one hour and 30+ pictures, we gave up. Here are the "best" pictures.

All About Nicholas!

I have three kids, but Nicholas is king. The kid demands so much attention that he rules the house. Sam and Benjamin like him, but their patience is beginning to wear thin. There is a contest between the three of them -- To see if Sam and Benjamin can close their bedroom door before Nicholas gets there. So far, the big boys win . . . but I think in a few weeks, Nicholas will again reign supreme.
Nicholas' latest trick is climbing. He can climb on the coffee table, the couch, chairs, in drawers in the kitchen -- and now on Josh's desk. Oh yes, Nicholas will find a way to get whatever he wants.

With three boys, our house is always noisy -- but the loudest noise by far is Nicholas grunting to get his way. He only has to grunt about half the time because he's learning to talk very quickly. He can now say so many words -- besides Mama, Dada, Sammy (meee), and Benjamin (Be), He also says Stinky, Diaper, Light, Cheese, Bread, Milk, Water, Waffles, Noodles, Book, Blanket, Binky, Bottle, Ball, Balloon, Bath, Snack, Smarties, Cookie, Juice, Drink, Toy, Car, Bye-Bye, Door, Outside. . . There are more. But the special thing about the list is that the words aren't just things he notices. The words are all demands of things he wants. He only says words when he wants something, and then the word or words are repeated over and over again until he gets what he wants. (With the exception of stinky -- that's just a funny word he says). Nicholas is so demanding, that I'm afraid he's scarred his brothers for life. When we told Sam and Benjamin we were going to have a baby, Sam said, "Not another one!!" And Benjamin said, "Ok -- but only if it's a girl."

But at the end of the day, we still love him . . . and we'll keep him. After all, how can we imagine life without Prince Nicholas?

After weeks of enduring freezing temperatures, I was reminded why I love Texas. Where else can you find 80 degree weather in February? The boys spent several hours playing outside. They played baseball and soccer, rode bikes, had races . . . It was fabulous. And, as an added bonus, if all three boys are outside, there is no one inside to make a mess. Can life get any better than this?

p.s. -- Sam is at school, Benjamin is outside, and Nicholas is taking a nap. Otherwise, this post would not exist.

How do you do it?

It's been 2 months since I last posted a blog -- and I want to know how do people blog all the time? Right now, Nicholas is crying at my feet (arms waving, back arched, feet kicking). I'm not ignoring him, that would be impossible. I tried to hold him, he didn't want that -- but I guess, given his current state, he wanted to be put down less. So I have a crying baby, a five year old who is bored, breakfast dishes that need to be washed, one last load of laundry that needs to be folded . . . Not that I think my life is harder than anyone else's. But I do have something that no one else has -- Nicholas. He is the most demanding, opinionated (although adorable) baby. If he even senses that I am heading towards the computer, the tears start . . . Smarties can only cure the crying for so long. You'd think I neglected him all day long. So where to people come up with the time to take cute pictures, and then post them? Please, let me know your secret!
Anyway, there's my post of ramblings. :) At least I got 2 minutes.