Life As We Know It

Life As We Know It

Thursday, May 08, 2014

Eight

He's finally 8.  When he was 3 he would always say he was 8.  Back then maybe he realized that he could get out of a car seat at 8! But he's excited he no longer needs a booster and that's one growing up thing that makes me excited.  A car without car seats - imagine all the room we will have.  I took a picture Sunday night after church of his last time ever in a car seat.  But putting it next to the picture of his very first time in a car seat and it makes you wonder where the years went.  Seems like we were just bringing him home from the hospital. Time can be very cruel sometimes.  I wish the years could be longer.  Or that the kids didnt grow up so fast. 
When I was pregnant with Colin someone told me that there was something special about the firstborn. And I dont think the first born is more special than the other kids its just that you go through all the "firsts" with them. Kindergarten doesnt seem so scary for Joel because we've done it with Colin. Not saying I wont cry when Joel goes off to school but we know what to expect pretty much at each stage with the rest of the kids. With Colin we are figuring it all out together as we go along. And he's a really great kid to figure out this whole parenting thing with.  Colin is such a great kid.  He is very responsible.  Listens well.  Is very helpful.  Very kind and respectful.  He has such a great attitude about things and rarely complains.  He loves learning and is always telling me different facts about stuff I never heard about it.  He is such an easy going kid and is so much fun to be around.  He's our easiest kid right now to discipline because you just have to tell him once and he listens.  We still joke that he didn't prepare us for Joel or Norah because Colin is such an easy kid.  He was a horrible sleeper for the first 3 years of his life but he's made up for it by being such an easy going kid.  The past 8 years have gone so fast but he's so much fun to be around that it makes us excited about this next year. 

Ma-ma-maa and Grandpa came over Saturday night for dinner and to give Colin his presents.  And mom helped me make some "Creeper Krispees" for Colin to take to school. We made rice krispes to look like minecraft creepers. 
 

On his actual birthday I woke up really early and went to Duck Donuts to bring back Colin's favorite donut. They have opened one in Virginia Beach and we are very excited.  I tried to get home before Colin woke up but he and Joel were up before I got home.  But those donuts are worth getting up early for. 
 Then Joel and Norah and I brought Colin Chick fil A for lunch and the treats for his whole class.  I got a few thumbs up from some of the boys over the creeper krispees as Colin named them. So cute.   And 2nd grade boys are really funny.It was fun eating lunch with him.     
I had to pick up Colin early for his pulmonology appointment which we are going to try decreasing his medication in a month so thats exciting.  She's hopeful to get him off all medicine.  So we're praying this summer he does great on the lower dose.  Colin had said going into the appointment that a great present would be no medicine so we are getting closer. His numbers weren't as great as she wanted to do that.  He's breathing at 79% right now.  Poor thing but the pollen had something to do with his numbers. So after that all passes we'll go again and try the new medication. It doesnt seem to stop him from running around.  Sometimes I wonder how fast he'd really be if he could breath normally.

We were going to go strawberry picking but it started raining on our way home from the dr's so we went to Pungo Pizza and gave Colin a whole bunch of quarters to play in the arcade there. 

Then on the way home we got this video of Norah claiming Colin presents for her own. Silly girl. 

 
I think we are going to have a pool party with a few of his friends this summer.  I might even get away with combining his and Joel's parties but we'll see.  He's guest list keeps getting bigger and changes constantly.
 
But I hope he had a great day.  Colin you are so loved by everyone.  We are so blessed to be your parents. 
 
 

Saturday, May 03, 2014

Flowers


 The azaleas are in full bloom finally and each year I'm amazed at how pink our yard turns.  Norah likes to go stand in front of them since I've been trying for days to get some pictures of the kids in front of them. 
 I love how girly she is and how she always accessorizes.  She loves shopping. Joel does not so getting him out the door to go run errands is not always fun.  So she keeps calling ant ant or face timing with ant ant while ant ant is at work asking "ant ant go shopping" and then will go look out the window saying "ant ant coming take Norah shopping"  and I have to tell my disappointed girl that Ant Ant is at work that she will come another day.  Ant Ant is coming soon to take Norah shopping. 
 Norah loves flowers and smelling them and picking them. 
 Sometimes its fun to see the outtakes of pictures before the good ones because I think it shows each kids personality. Norah is adjusting her purse and Colin is determined to stand there and smile so we can hurry up and be done with the pictures.
 Norah didnt want Joel to sit on Daddys lap. She doesnt want Joel to sit on my lap either. Ever.
 Joel loves to give her kisses when she doesnt want them :)  ha! 
  Joel is over it. and once again Norah is trying to get into the boy picture. 


But I managed to get a few good ones.  










Friday, May 02, 2014

Brothers

Its a shame this poor girl never receives any love from her older brothers

Friday, April 25, 2014

Her boys

 
She watches for Bubba's bus all day long.  Sometimes I think she thinks he just rides the bus all day and then it eventually brings him home.  I cant imagine what next year will be like when Joel goes off to school too.  She loves her Bubba but Joels her best buddy and they are always together getting into just about anything together. 

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Friends

We have really missed Laura and the kids this past year.  We used to meet at Fun Forest each week when the weather was nice and after they moved I tried it once or twice with the kids and they would start crying, I would be crying so we just didnt go there anymore.  I did take Joel and Norah the other week and I think time was good for us because none of us cried.  BUT we've gotten to see Noah twice and then this past week Laura and the rest of the kids stopped by when they were in town.  It was so good to see them
These girls both love jewelry.  Elsie was so cute when she saw Norah's collection of jewelry.  A kindred spirit for our girly Norah.  They were so cute looking at each other and giggling.  So sweet.
 
The best part was when Noah spent the night with us.  Colin and Noah were in the pull out couch and it was well after 11pm and we could still hear them talking.  So Brent went into the kitchen to hear what they were talking about.  And he came back and said they were having deep conversations for a 7 & 8 year old - peer pressure and what its like to not do what the other kids are doing. (for colin it was not being allowed to play violent video games) It made me really glad that Colin has someone he can talk to about that and then sad that Noah lives so far away. And then also a little sad that these boys are old enough to be having those conversations.Seems like yesterday they were two little boys who were into thomas the train.
 
 

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Rocking chair

 
 My grandpa made sarah and I these rocking chairs when we were little.  The kids love rocking in them when we go over to my parents house and if our house wasn't so small I'd take mine back with me.  But this weekend I thought I'd get some pictures of the Norah and the boys in it. 



 maybe another day....


Monday, April 21, 2014

Easter Egg Hunt

 Clearly the kids were so excited about taking pictures with their parents yesterday. 
 Our egg hunt got cancelled because of rain saturday so we had one before church yesterday.  Brent and I got there early so we could help put out all the eggs and while the boys watched Colin exclaimed that it wasn't a hunt.  We had lied to him - it was an egg run since the eggs were just put out in the middle of a huge empty field. So then he started to announce to the kids as they started arriving that they had all been lied to and it wasn't an egg hunt. I had to stop that fast.  Oh Colin....next year we will have a real egg hunt and make you work for your eggs. 
 It didnt stop him from having fun.  He ran to a spot where none of the other kids were and filled his basket pretty fast.
 Which is funny to me because Colin could care less about the candy. We still have valentines candy in his bag that he wont eat. Hes not a big sweet person - Joel and Norah are and will probably eat the candy Colin doesnt get to. 
 Norah found a piece of chocolate on the ground when she was helping me put out eggs for the next group of kids. 


 So then she went with the older kids and not her age group.  She found a few eggs and put them in her basket. 

 It was hard to get her to go get more eggs since she was so proud of those 3 or 4 and then opened them and started eating them. 

 I think she realized when she sat down with the boys she probably should've gone to get more eggs
 But thats ok since Joel and Bubba found plenty. 
She'll just try to help herself :) 



Spring Break

Colin heads back to school this morning.  So sad.  It was really nice having him home all week.   
And I'm pretty sure he's having a hard time actually getting dressed every day.  He spent half of spring break in his bathrobe.  He even ran errands one day with me in it and we went to get ice cream one night.  Both times I looked over at him and he hadn't gotten dressed like I had thought.  He had just put his coat over his bathrobe!

And now the countdown to summer vacation begins!

Sunday, April 20, 2014

UNO

 The kids are big into playing UNO lately. 
 Joel is very proud he can play all by himself

 Colin learned how ruthless MaMa-maa can be when playing




 Joel doesnt like to lose. Or draw extra cards. 

 Good times :) 
 I think MaMa-maa made Colin draw at least 16 cards this one particular game. 
At the end of the night everyone was playing UNO.