Today, our lovely babysitter friend came over and watched the three oldest so I could go out and get Ace’s birthday gift. I’m so excited and can’t wait for him to open it. I just hope he likes it because it was more than I’ve ever paid for a birthday gift for them. I usually can scour and find what we’re looking for on sale, at yard sales or at consignments…not this year.

I also got The Voyage of the Dawn Treader book for the kids. We have a set of the Chronicles of Narnia but they are over ten years old and the pages are getting brittle and our Dawn Treader book was a little torn in the back pages. I thought I had better get a new copy before we got to the back pages. We read a chapter each night (that we’re not out late). It’s been a lot of fun. I usually sit in the hallway between their bedrooms and read to them. They enjoy it. I’m not sure how much of the story they are comprehending but I predict the older they get the more they’ll understand. So far, we’ve read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Laura on the Banks of Plum Creek, and Prince Caspian. I’m anxious to read other great stories but for now they really like to read the Narnia books…so that’s what we’re reading.

Josiah is still being a good sleeper for the most part. It is getting harder for him to settle down with all the noise…but we’re working on that. He usually goes through one good stretch during the night (the first part). If we put him down too early, he gets up very early in the morning. That is what he did yesterday. Today, he got up around 6:30 ish so that was not too bad.

Liam is still a screamer but we’re working on it. He’s been having trouble sleeping at night. Which, if you know our kids, is highly unusual. He’s waking up screaming and very hard to console back to sleep unless you lay down with him. I lost count of how many times he woke up last night. I know this is a phase and an adjustment to the newness of little Josiah, so Mark and I are trying to be patient and work with him without encouraging him to stay up! Loads of fun. We have to grab ideas out of our parenting hat and adjust them to fit his personality. Right now, Mark is trying to stay in there until he gets settled and then leave.

So, on the way home from church Sunday night, Zoe decided to have a conversation with me about Jesus.

“Jesus does miracles, mom.”
“Yes. What’s a miracle Zoe?” (I was sure she wouldn’t understand what a miracle was)
“When Jesus heals people.”
We kept talking about all the other miracles did. I would name some and then Zoe would name some. Somehow we got on the subject of Jesus dying on the cross.
“Why did Jesus have to die?” she asked.
“So that we could be with Him and God forever.” We talked about how our sin keeps us from being with God forever but that when we ask Jesus into our hearts, that covers up all of our bad stuff. I went on to tell her that when she thought she was ready to ask Jesus into her heart that she could talk to mommy or daddy about it and we could talk some more. I was so pumped with her knowledge of God’s love and how close she is getting to “hearing” His call on her life to come to Him. All of you who know me will know that when she asks Jesus into her heart I’m going to be bawling like a baby!!

Okay, on to a funny growing up story. With all the birthday parties, Ace is really starting to talk about his age. At dinner the other night this was the conversation that could be overheard.
“Ace you’re going to be three really soon.”
“I don’t wan to be twee.” (insert whine)
“Okay, we’ll call all your friends and tell them you’re not going to have a party and take back all your party stuff and not get your gift…”
“I want to be TWEE. I want to be TWEE.”
Yea, I thought that might change his mind!!

And lastly…
Liam and Josiah had well checks today. Liam’s 18 month check up and Josiah’s 2 week check up.

First up, Liam. Stats: 23 lbs 6 oz (10-25%…improvement, yea!), 33 inches long (50-75%…big improvement), and 18 3/4 inches in head (50%, about the same). She was so happy with his development and got a good laugh out of his climbing and daredevil antics. She called him the “wild child” and I think that nickname may stick. No ear infections and all looks healthy. We talked about his small vocabulary but at this point there is to be no concern. My main concern is that he’s trying to say words but they don’t come out really clear. However, she said that they look for him to be understood about half the time by the time he is two.

Now, Josiah. Stats: 10 lbs 13 oz (90%), 23 1/8 inches long (97%), 15 1/8 inches in head (75%). He’s doing good, too. No major concerns. I have noticed that his reflux is a little bit more now. He is congested after eating and when he spits up it’s a lot…but it’s not every time he eats and so it does not warrant medicine at this point. He’s also not fussy with the spit up. Mark and I did notice that he was getting fussy and really gassy at night so I stopped drinking oj and he did MUCH better last night. Now for the early morning alertness that occurred today…

Phew! We were busy this weekend. We’ll start with Friday.

Friday, I took the kids over to my friend’s house for a grand 30th birthday party for her. We celebrated by throwing the kids in her kiddie pool and talking while they splashed and yelled. Josiah was a bit grumpy but settled down as I rocked him. It was a great chance for us to visit and celebrate her big birthday milestone. That evening we settled in with a wonderful meal prepared by another friend and watched a movie with the kids. It was hilarious and the kids really enjoyed it, too. The boys took a bath in their new bathtub and Zoe got her own bath in her room. They all really enjoyed it and it cut our bedtime routine in half!!

Saturday, we got up early…ate quickly, dressed and then headed to church for directory pictures. After making them very angry because we would not purchase any of the pictures (over priced and not very good…what do you expect from a 2 week old…and children who were rushed in to get pics.), we split up. Mark, Zoe, and Liam headed to a pool birthday party for one of her friends and Ace, Josiah, an dI headed to a birthday party for one of Ace’s friends. Everyone was pooped when we got home. Quick naps and Mark working hard to get the demoed bricks in the dumpster and then we ate yet another wonderful meal provided by one of our wonderful friends.

Sunday was church and we also had to say good bye to our church’s youth minister and his family. They are heading to Tennessee to be in charge of a youth camp there. I have grown quite fond of the youth minister’s wife and have truly looked up to her as a mom and a woman! It was tough saying good bye.

We have been so blessed to have meals all last week provided by our SS. I feel kind of bad because I’m up and running but admittedly by the end of the day cooking supper is soooo far from my mind. I get so worn out. It has been a true blessing. We’ll get meals through this week too thanks to several MOPS moms!!! And then next week we’re really on our own with food…at least it’s in the freezer and is going to require very little thinking on my part.

No pics from this weekend (kind of hard for the camera to be in two places at once) but I’ll try and get some this week.

Just wanted to post real quick that I have no time to blog! Withdrawal is seeping in. I have some really cute pictures of the kids that I tried to get up yesterday but the major thunderstorm kept me from doing that…

Also, trying to get ready for an open house where I’m going to have a booth set up with my cards, slings, and burp cloths. More on that later!

And, trying to catch up on scrapbooking as my summer of rest is quickly ending and MOPS work will start back up soon.

Planning Ace’s birthday party plus trying to get our family adjusted to a new baby…see no time!

So far this week I’ve had all four of the kids quiet in the afternoon (since Zoe doesn’t sleep, I’ll take the quiet play of a four year old).

On to today…
I got up and tried to get going by 7:30 but Josiah wanted to nurse and Liam needed to get dressed and Ace needed to get dressed. I fed Josiah and right as I finished, my doorbell rang. The re-bath guys were here! Exciting yes, but a bit embarrassing that they showed up and I was fresh from a rest with mussed up hair and my pjs still on. I eventually got ready and am now adapting to having them here. Liam’s still yelling and Josiah was pretty grumpy this morning. Oh, and Ace has decided that he is not going to eat. He refused supper last night so we’re following Dobson’s advice and he’s seen it at breakfast (choose not to eat), at snack (took one bite), at lunch (a couple more bites), and will continue to see it until he eats all on his plate (which was not a lot). So, Ace has been grumpy too. After a quick movie and lunch all were in better spirits though. I’m hoping the bath gets done today so I can go to a friend’s house tomorrow to relax and visit!

So, yesterday marked Mark’s return to work and me going solo with the kids during the day. Needless to say, it was very hectic. I did get all the clothes washed but not folded. Poor Sunny, our dog, had to stay outside for several hours before I could get her in and dried off (from the rain the previous night).

Liam’s having screaming issues…not just when he’s not getting his way it’s constant non stop…happy and sad yelling. So, I’m having to work really hard with him and by the end of the day yesterday, my nerves were shot and I had a bad headache.

Zoe and Ace played very well. They were bummed we couldn’t go outside…our insect repellant was all but empty and the mosquitoes are HORRIBLE here.

Josiah did good and slept like a little baby and slept extra good in the afternoon which allowed me some down time.

As for today…I did the inevitable and went to Wal-Mart with all four of them. Getting chores done and getting out the door took forever but we made it there and after feeding Josiah and heading to the potty, we were able to get our shopping done and managed to get everything on our list except milk…it’s up to $4.26 and that is tooooo much for milk. Thankfully, we’ve found that gas stations are usually a lot cheaper so Mark will pick some up on the way home. Not sure why the sudden price hike but I hate it. We go through milk pretty quickly around here! All did well. Josiah rode in the sling and Zoe walked/rode some in the big cart. My only major problem is that Liam likes to hit Ace since they sit so close. Not sure how or why Liam thinks this is funny but it is very aggravating. Ace did the same thing to Zoe at this age though.

And let me finish off by saying it is soooo humid and hot!!!! Aggghhhh.

The medicine seems to be working. I’m on prednisone (spelling?). I’m praying the hives stay away even after I’ve finished the medicine.

A cutie…Ace calls chicken nuggets, chicken maggots! Haha.

Everyone else is doing well. We’ve ventured out a little this week and all have been good. Zoe and Ace and Liam are all enjoying Josiah. Josiah is still enjoying sleeping but has had several awake times these past few days. He is very enjoyable and easy going. His eyes still look brown!

Thanks to everyone who prayed. The itching has been a little better. My doctor’s office called late this afternoon and called in something that should help with the hives/itching. Please continue to pray it heals. A little frustrating dealing with a large office and trying to find out if I needed to see another doctor, but finally…I should get some itching relief.

Gotta run feed my sweet baby!

Josiah is doing beautifully. He is adjusting well to our home and has slept great so far. Zoe, Ace, and Liam are enjoying him but wish he would play more.

I need prayer, however. About Sunday, my feet starting itching and by yesterday, I have broken out in hives on my feet. Today they have spread and are on my legs and now my thigh. We purchased some anti-itch cream today and that has curbed the itching for the most part but the hives are still there and spreading. I intend to call the doctor in the morning to see if this is a post-pardom thing or if I’ll have to see a doctor in a germy office to get some relief. I’ve read online that this could be a post-pardom issue in some women due to the funky hormone levels. Please pray that it goes away or I am able to take something that will help it go away. It is not only uncomfortable but painful. I can barely wear flip flops and shoes are out of the question.

HAPPY 4th of JULY EVERYONE!