Running List in my Head

~Wash sheets I spilled coffee on.

~Grocery shopping with the boys.

~Meal planning for the week.

~Catch up laundry.

~Organize closets.

~Mail birthday invites.

~Make lists for Fathers Day and Birthday party.

~School planning.

~Schedule outings.

~Upload pics.

~Clean laundry room.

~Sort baby clothes.

Pieces of Today

~Aiden getting a good nights sleep, and being such a cheerful little guy this morning.

~Forgoing our scheduled 'Breakfast Time' & making a large pancake breakfast instead- just because they asked for it & because we can manage our own time.

~Nathan sounding out his words so sweetly- I taught him that.

~Aiden clapping his hands along as we clapped out our Days of the Week and ABC songs.

~Spending a few hours soaking up the sunshine in our backyard.

~The simplicity of crockpot spaghetti sauce for dinner.

~The aroma of homemade garlic bread.

~Daddy home early.

~Windows open wide.

~Sunshine filtered through thin white curtains.

~Yogurt, banana, granola & honey parfaits for snack.

~Cameron fast asleep in the middle of play.

Happy Mothers Day

Yesterday came & went like any other Sunday. Well, thats not entirely true- Shane's heroic deed (in his opinion) was that he prepared the boys breakfasts & lunches so I wouldnt have to do it. I had to make my own though. He did recently order me jewelry as my Mothers Day gift so he assumed that the day itself could just pass on by- he is not a Halmark holiday kind of guy. But in actuality it was a perfect day- I spent Mothers Day being a mother. I nursed my beautiful baby boy, packed the snack bag and headed to the baseball field to cheer on Brendan and his team. While we were there I watched the little guys blow bubbles and pick me buttercups. I dressed them all in green in the hopes to have a family picture taken but that didnt happen.

I spent Mothers Day being a mother. How great is that!?!? To think that God chose me to mother these 5 amazing people is just overwhelming- I feel so unworthy and so, so blessed. After they were bathed and dressed is clean pj's I cuddled with them and smelled their damp curls- beautiful & perfect moments like that are mommyhood at its finest.

10 months old

Aiden is 10 months old now! Time is just flying by! I wish that I could just capture these moments in a bottle because they are so precious. Aiden is the sweetest little guy in the world! He loves to give hugs and kisses, he is constantly babbling- and says Mama and Dada quite clearly. He enjoys eating solid foods such as banana, avocado, sweet potato, squash, yogurt, split peas, oatmeal, barley, brown rice, lentils, and beans. Aiden is also quite fond of drinking from his sippy cup.

Now if only he would start sleeping better at night.....

Soccer Boy

Nathan is playing soccer this sping and so far it has been quite an experience! He is so proud of his shin guards and cleats that Daddy took him out to buy. He was full of anticipation as we waited for the first practice, but when the time came he was actually quite nervous. He did well the first practice but the subsequent sessions have been hit and miss. Apparently he is so awesome he doesnt need to practice.

When his first game day arrived he spent the first few minutes standing still in the field before he finally sat down and was scooped off the field by his coach. Luckily he warmed up to the idea and ended up having a wonderful time running on the field with his team. He doesnt quite grasp the technical end of the game but he does love to run!

Nathan is a highly imaginative little guy and is constantly taking on a new personality. He has continued this at soccer and his coaches are wonderful about indulging this little quirk. It is precious to hear them shouting Go Leo, Go Mr. Incredible!

He is beaming with joy at the end of a game, even though he never goes near the ball! It brings us so much joy to see him so happy, Nathan is so full of life and such a sweet blessing!

In Stitches

I guess it was going to happen sooner or later- in a house with 5 brothers. Our little Cameron made a trip to the ER last night and came home proudly sporting 5 stitches in his forehead. Apparently all our warnings to Brendan that he can not tackle his brothers went in one ear and out the other as he tackled Cameron into a wall last night.
Who would have thought that dinky little head is hard enough to crack drywall? We didn't think much of the thud- those happen regularly around here- but Brendan's scream alerted us that "there's blood"! I ran down stairs to see my little Cammy's face covered in blood but he was remarkably calm.
I carried him upstairs and we sat him on the kitchen counter to inspect his injury. I wiped the blood away and discovered a good sized gash near his hairline. I was holding a rag on it and trying to get Shane's attention as he was lecturing Brendan. Shane kept saying 'he's fine' and continued to speak with Brendan. I was exasperated as I tried to express that he was not fine and he needed medical attention. I can understand now that his constant assurance that Cameron was 'fine' were for Cameron's benefit but Shane clearly became irritated with me and started to yell like a maniac for a moment.
Lucky for Cam, Mommy & Daddy got it together and prepared him for his trip to the ER. We bandaged his wound, bundled him up and occupied him with a snack. As Daddy drove away I was very sad that I could not be there with my little guy. I stayed behind at home. The other boys and I ate dinner and prayed for Cameron during our blessing. The evening remained quiet at home with the boys constantly inquiring about their missing brother. Brendan was quite overcome with guilt.
Daddy reports that Cam was a trooper at the hospital. He was active and happy through the whole ordeal. 5 stitches later they made a quick visit to Grammy who is spending a few days in the hospital herself. Cameron delighted her with his singing and spelling skills.
On the way home Daddy picked up pizza and ice cream for his brave boy. Cameron does not appear distressed in the slightest over this experience. As a matter of fact, he seemed to enjoy all the undivided attention from Daddy!
We praise and thank God for watching over our sweet son and for blessing him with such a resilient attitude. Let us pray that our ER trips are few and far between!

Precious Aiden at 9months