Late Winter

After no real snow last year and no snow days off school it was starting to look like this year would be the same way.  But winter just waited till the end of Feb to hit.  We had a Thursday and Friday off and then the next Tuesday off.  We enjoyed the bonus home time.

Shannon to the big kids to a Pittsburg park to sled one afternoon.

We went up to Mom and Dad's on Saturday to sled.  Tom's family came too and he brought the four wheeler.  We had so much fun.  Sledding down the hill and then behind the four wheeler.  Callie had poor Uncle Tom going time after time on the four wheeler.  Alisha and I even got in on the sledding down the hill.  At first when the kids sled down, Tom drove them back up but when we split and some went to the field to sled behind the four wheeler it was back to walking up.  So we would sled down to help with the walk up.  It was fun and we were flying.  I almost took out poor Rylan once but got myself wrecked in time to avoid him.  He thought that was hilarious.  He did such a good job walking back up with us helping him.  So much fun making memories with our kids and remembering ones from when we were kids.

I didn't get many sledding pics and the ones I did weren't great.  Poor Cole was always stuck inside.

We have a mover!

 His crawl the first week was so cute cause it was so so so slow and steady.  Each day he was quicker and now he is all over.  He pulls up to anything, loves to walk behind his toys and has even started cruising along the furniture.  

 Uncle Brett's four wheeler has been living at our house and as you can see the "kids" love it.  I don't watch.  They make me nervous.  I play with my baby and hope that Shannon keeps them safe.  Max loves running along side them.

 Our floor is completely covered in toys.  Baby toys, boy toys, girl toys, completely a mess!  But if I put them up then they drag them out to play with them.  I am trying to accept this is the season of my life and really it doesn't matter if can't see the carpet!  I want to relax and enjoy them and not stress.  Easier said than done but I am trying.

 I ran to use the bathroom and heard Chase say look at us.  This is what I rounded the corner to.  They were both smiling from ear to ear and loving it.  At first it panicked me but Chase actually had him on their very securely.  They road all over and have many times since.  Love it!

 Callie had her basketball little raider cheer and it happened to be that we were playing Riverton so that worked out nicely.

 Walking behind these toys are WAY better than crawling.  I couldn't believe how fast he picked up walking behind these.  I thought they would get away from him but he really stayed up very well.  He thinks he is such big stuff.  One night he would walk with it, it would get stuck against something, he would let out a grunt/yell, Callie would adjust so he could go again, and on it continued.  He totally knew he had her at his beck and call.

Cole Update

So he had gotten both bottom teeth a long time ago then more recently the top fang teeth.  But QUICKLY after that he got in both middle top teeth and one of his side bottom teeth.  Poor guy.  I am sure that was why he was sick and not sleeping well.

And in the last two weeks he started to really show an interest in crawling.  Then late last week he was off.  Saturday was such a different day for me.  I could sit and watch him go all over the living room.  He was so happy.  It is so cute to watch.  I will upload pics later.  He goes SLOWLY but he makes it where he wants to go (after all that face planting he is finally going).  I cleaned/organized the area by Chase's tool bench for him on Saturday and he was on happy kid playing there in his new area - thought he was somewhere he wasn't supposed to be I think.

The big kids kept wanting me to send them on "competitions or adventures".  It was nice outside and really keeping them busy so I would make things up for them to do and the organize away on the toys in the living room.  Chase came back in at one point and said this looks nice - it has been a mess for a long time.  Thanks - whose mess was it???  It is going to be a challenge to keep little things away from Cole as he gets more mobile and the kids have so many toys with little parts.

It was crazy nice outside and like I said the kids played outside some.  Compare that to a week ago when on Saturday early evening I was giving them a bath early cause it was icing so bad I was afraid we would loose power.  We did not and braved the roads on Sunday to go up to my parent's house for my dad's birthday.  Rylan, Dylan, Callie and Chase had so much fun sledding.  Rylan and Dylan had to leave mid afternoon.  Chase finally tired out and came in for a nap.  Callie even went back out later in the evening.  Mom got some good pics on her camera I will have to get later.

Riverton Homecoming

Chase carried the basketball out for the king at Riverton's homecoming on Friday, January 11th.  He had gone over to practice on the Wednesday morning before.  He wasn't too into doing it but what broke it for him was he didn't want to wear the fancy clothes.  We took him to the Deli to eat before heading to the game.  I literally had to dress him fighting me all the way.  Once inside he wasn't too much better but as long as I sat and held him he didn't fight it.  Close to time Shannon took him back stage while we went to the stands.  I knew he had a much better chance of doing it without me.  He did it perfectly.  Never cracked even a pleasant look but did it exactly as he was supposed to.  Twirled the ball a little and I could tell the boy with him was wondering if he would have to get onto him but he didn't.  I loved that after he had to give the ball up he stood there with his hands in his pockets.  Too adorable.  He was so excited to get to me afterwards.  They gave him a present for doing it.  Callie had really enjoyed watching the end of the girls game and he really enjoyed watching the beginning of the boys game.  But it was getting much later than I thought we would be and I was taking the home alone while Shannon stayed for the dance.  So after playing in Daddy's room for awhile and getting our bottles of pepsi - more bribery payoff - we headed home.

tie off, shirt out, smile back!

Chase turns 4

Above the kids are playing in the little bit of snow-sleet we got.  They had fun and were actually out there quite awhile.

We planned Chase's party for New Year's Day at 11 AM.  So New Year's Eve was the day to get the house in order, clean and cook/bake.  Shannon woke up sick.  I was stressed.  But the kids were good and I got enough done - after all it was just family.  The house was good enough and the food would be ready.  My parents came down early that day and stopped to get what I needed at the store.  I was holding it together but the cake about broke me.  I ran out of powdered sugar so as you can see the icing decoration left a lot to be desired.  But it tasted fine and he liked it so life went on.  Shannon didn't even come out of our room for most of the party.

Chase loves Bob the Builder but finding party supplies for this "older" character was hard.  I kinda improvised for the cake and just put a "bob" beside it.

He didn't quite know what to think of us signing to him and he wasn't going to blow out the candles but Callie helped him so then he was all about it.

After all the practice opening presents at Christmas he was ready to go at his birthday party.  He was having so much fun playing he really didn't want to stop for cake or for presents.  So he blew out the candles, tore thru the presents and got back to playing.  He had no clue what he had gotten.  Later in the afternoon, Rylan started playing with some of the presents and we got them out of packages and Chase finally started looking at what he had gotten.

Shannon and Callie playing the DS - a very common sight these days

This castle from my parents and dragon from Shannon's parents is a huge hit.  

It is so much fun to watch and listen to him play with it.

After getting around for the party on New Year's Eve the kids and I had pizza and played.  We played in the basement and it is so funny how you can go down there and feel closed off from the world.  We had a lot of fun playing the evening away.  And we were all in bed not much later than normal.


Shannon had to go back to work on the 2nd but we did not go back until the 3rd.  John and Linda watched the kids for awhile on the 2nd so I could get caught up. 

On Friday the 4th - Chase's birthday we waited until we got home to give him his gifts from us.  Shannon thought giving him his new "big boy booster seat" like Callie's but for a boy, was a boring gift but I knew he would love it.  He was so excited.  And a military play set - he was happy. 

We had told the kids we would go to Chuck E Cheese that night.  We went out to the car, got all loaded up and..... had a flat tire - completely flat.  It was 5 PM on a Friday night.  The kids were upset.  Actually Chase was pretty good with my offer of McDonalds that night and Chuck E Cheese the next night but Callie was distraught.  AFter much drama John ended up bringing over their vehicle for us to take to Joplin.  Much later start than planned but off we went.  The kids did have a great time.  Cole hung out in his stroller watching all the commotion almost all evening.  Chase was older and could do so many more games - like the basketball and would ride the big wheel.  He still loves to play in the play area.  Callie is all about getting tickets.  They are good and we just split the tickets up and they go back and forth getting whatever they want - no big deal on splitting/sharing there yet anyway.

Loving on Cole

 Chase especially has all of a sudden figured out that Cole is more "playable" now.  He loves to carry him by his armpits.  Every time I turn around to tell him to stop, Cole is grinning and Chase says but he likes it.  What do I say to that.  He takes him over by the TV and plays with him.  So cute.  k

So Cole has had his two center bottom teeth for some time.  AFter this last illness he had two more teeth thru - what appears to be his two top eye teeth????  They seem too far out to be the two outer teeth but maybe - not sure.  I am calling him my vampire for now!

A different post

I wanted a necklace like this for Christmas but the key question for me was whether to put Connor's name on it or not.  No doubt I have four kids but the reality is that i am raising three here on earth.  I have a ring with just Connor's name engraved on the back.  I have a necklace with his thumb print on it.  I have a bracelet with Callie, Connor, and Chase on it - will get Cole just haven't yet :-)  If I get a mother's ring it will have all four on it.  But for the names listed on this necklace somehow it wasn't an easy black and white thing for me.  My reality is I don't want to have to explain it all the time to random people when they casually look at it or make a comment.  I don't want to be slapped in the face with it and have to decide how much to explain.  And I knew it would bother Shannon to see his name on it and be confronted with it that much more.  But to leave him out seemed wrong to.  And in the end I felt I would be judged either way.  Not that that matter too much to me it was just I couldn't and still can't decide what would feel right for me or be the best for me.  This is what the end result was - the three on the outside and Connor on the back.  But obviously I am still not sure.  I haven't worn it yet.  I love it and don't want to seem unappreciative - it was my decision.  I just don't seem to be able to make it and stick with it.  I plan to wear it tomorrow.  We'll see how that feels.  I am thinking I need to get in to have Cole put on the bracelet and then if I wear them together I will feel better.  I wear his ring all the time and don't feel weird I dont' have a ring for the other kids... but no one knows...so is it about feeling judged.  Or being sad to "move on".  Or feeling like I am not being fair to him - he doesn't care!!!!  So many thoughts.  I could go on and on.  ANd this may make no sense as I have gone over and over it in my head but am quickly writing it here with not everything.  Not even sure why.