Tomorrow is the last day of the school year for the boys and as the babies near one year old, I look back on this year and think of all the highs and lows we have had...complete exhaustion, pure joy watching our sweet babies grow and change, and incredible gratefulness for what we have been given. One thing that stays consistent is that we NEVER stop.....with four the ages of our kiddos and with the zest and energy they all have, Kevin and I feel like we are constantly on the run, 24/7. It is a good feeling and our lives are VERY full of wonderful moments, but we are left depleted many a day! Some fun notes on the kids before our two week break before summer camp!
- Colt - Has mixed feelings about entering kindergarten, but deep down is very excited. He is anxious to write and read these days, although is just at the beginning stages of it all. He is making a lot of progress being a good friend (we struggled with this back in March) and is learning to be sensitive to others' feelings, although he continues to be incredibly strong-willed and feels safer when he is in control. He loves being with friends, being on the go, staying active, and eating "junk" as he calls it. He is a GREAT big brother and adores and protects his siblings, although him and Cade fight quite a bit, too! He and I continue to have very special bond and some of the best moments of my day are when I lay him down and he blows me kisses and tells me he loves me and goodnight, repeatedly. It is a little ritual of ours. I savor these moments...as soon enough I will be lucky he will utter good-night to me! His daddy and him (when he is home) love tickle time and as Colt gets older he really does miss his daddy a great deal when he is gone. We try to stay positive, savor, and make the most of the moments we get with daddy, rather than complain about how little time we get with him.
- Cade - This little boy is beating me to a pulp these days!!! Sweet little Cade-o, you are challenging me in all new ways your brother never did! So, lets see, where to start?! Night terrors...on nights you are especially over-tired, you will wake up 70-90 minutes after going to sleep shrieking and screaming...these are very scary episodes as you are still asleep but screaming in your sleep for mommy, daddy, etc. These usually last about 30 minutes but can go on for up to three hours! You are testing boundaries like no other and like to call me "stinky". You love your babies but are going through a real jealous phase right now and love to take anything of theirs and make them scream. You do seem to be crying out for attention and I worry about you getting into a middle child rut. The other morning your daddy and I were changing you all and feeding the babies their bottles and you went into the nursery, pooped on the floor and put your hands in it. I thought your daddy was going to pass out...I just swept you up and put you in the tub. Yes, it takes quite a bit to frazzle me these days. One thing you do now that does scare me is you like to run away from us in large settings...this has happened twice the last week and is just crazy. Yesterday we were at the park and you were there one minute and the next you were gone. You ran into the building and were hiding in a swimming observation room. Oh, and last week you climbed to the top of the tallest slide in the park, got your legs stuck in between these metal bars and I thought I was going to have to call the fire department to help me. Thankfully a group of nannies was there and helped me use sunscreen to lubricate and free your legs from the bars. Huge bruises were left behind. Yes, Cade-o, you worry your mommy these days! You can be reckless and I worry for you!!
- KJ - You sweet boy are a special package!! First, you are DEMANDING and love to be held and have attention, attention, attention and let your needs be known! But, more than that, we are unbelievably grateful for the progress you continue to make in your therapy! I am convinced there has been divine intervention in this situation and when I am feeling ultra-tired from running around, taking you to therapy, racing after big boys, and missing out on being with my sweet girl, I just stop and remember how BLESSED we have been!! Your progress is truly unprecedented and the therapists marvel at all you are doing after just 6 weeks in therapy! You can crawl everywhere, pull yourself up, roll over and get in and out of sitting position on your own, and even get down from standing...although we are still working on this. This is TRULY REMARKABLE for KJ!! I know to many of you it seems like normal development, but let me tell you, for this little guy, this is BIG NEWS! You now love to wave and give high-fives and continue to talk up a storm with words like more, mum-mum, ball, bubble, bye, etc. I think you have about 10 words..very, very grateful and thankful.
- KK - My dear little gal!! Oh, I miss your sweet smiles, waves, clapping hands, kicking legs, and batting eye-lashes. Girly, girl, you are just that...ALL GIRL!! You talk a lot too and just started standing independently yesterday. You are not much of a toy gal, you prefer music, phones, remotes, and people. You have such a beautiful and sweet demeanor. One new thing is that you have developed stranger danger and will let out a shriek and scream to anyone that comes near you and even talks to you that you do not know.
So, here my sweet four are on a walk up to school. It has become our little morning ritual and even Cade now runs part of the way along-side Colt. This is one of my favorite parts of the day, too, as I get to talk to the kids, be active with them, and get outside before the heat, which we all enjoy. Much, much, much love to you sweet kiddos! I just could not feel more privileged to be your mommy!!
