It may come as no surprise to some of you that Dave and I often fight over who gets to mow the lawn. Think about it: having to choose between a noisy, smelly, dusty, hot lawnmower versus noisy, smelly kids? It's a no-brainer. I've mowed more this year already than I probably have in my entire life. I just mowed 3/4 of the yard tonight (it got too late to finish) to the delight of our neighbors who keep their lawns nearly immaculate. While mowing the back yard, I began to be dive-bombed by a bird. At first I though, "Oh, isn't that cute!" as the bird would swoop just inches in front of me and the mower. Then, as it persisted, I thought maybe I was getting close to its nest. But then, I thought, "Isn't it a little late in the year to have a nest?" I still wasn't too worried as I finished up the back yard and then moved to the front. Out front, though, it was joined by a second bird and things started to get a little creepy. I saw Hitchcock's "The Birds" when I was a little too young to be seeing movies like that and I was getting flashbacks as the two birds began to circle me faster and faster as I made my way back and forth across the lawn. It was really strange and though I was enjoying the fresh air outside, I was relieved to be done and away from the odd scene. Wish me luck as I finish the rest of the yard tomorrow.
We were some of the lucky recipients of passes to a screening of "Cars 2" in 3D Wednesday night. We hadn't taken Ellie to the movies until she was almost 5, thinking she wouldn't have the patience to sit quietly through a movie until she was that old. But, as it often happens with subsequent children, we didn't make the littles wait that long. It actually was kind of a last minute thing and we figured we'd give it a try. I didn't even know it was 3D until we got to the theater. We were running late and were worried about getting 6 seats together, but the theater was huge and we got great aisle seats - perfect, we thought, in the event we needed to take anyone out during the movie. We didn't anticipate the folding theater seats, though- even Aidan wasn't quite heavy enough to hold his seat down, he sat down and promptly folded almost all the way back up with his feet to his chin! It was then I noticed someone in front of us carrying a booster seat - the best movie theater invention ever! The boosters had velcro on the bottom to keep them attached to the fabric seat, and not only boosted the kids up so they could see better, but they kept the seats down! We might have lost Zoe and Maddie last night if not for those wonderful boosters. But, I digress.
We had tried to be fully prepared for the movie - we'd packed our diaper bag with lots of goodies to smuggle into the theater - extra candy and juice pouches at the bottom underneath all the diapering essentials and plastic cups for each of the kids to have their own cup of popcorn. Since it was a screening, though, security was searching everyone's purses and bags to make sure we didn't bring any recording equipment into the theater. I'm guessing the young guys working security weren't too thrilled to have to stick their hands into a potentially landmine-filled diaper bag as when I told them that's what it was, they waved us through with barely a glance. We'd all been given Buddy Holly-type 3D glasses and the kids actually wore them for most of the movie; they were so cute sitting all in a row, staring intently at the screen wearing their glasses! If I were a better mom, I wouldn't have forgotten my camera AND cell phone and I'd have gotten pictures of the kids at their first move, wearing their awesome glasses. Oh, the guilt! There were a few somewhat intense scenes that had Aidan hollering out, "Oh no!" and bouncing in his seat in excitement, but they all loved the movie, they didn't make a lot of noise, and for the most part they stayed in their seats and we all had a great time. Overall, a success!
What else has been happening in the last month? Lots, as usual. Ellie finished preschool and the kids finished their ECFE class. Zoe just "graduated" this week from the Early Education/Intervention program she'd been in since about the age of 8 months. Because of her very low birthweight, she'd qualified for county services and we'd had monthly visits from a county health nurse and district early education teacher to help with her development. Those services can only continue past the age of 3 if the child demonstrates delays in at least 2 areas as determined by testing. Zoe completed her testing last month and while she still has some gross motor delays, she tested within the normal/average range in all other areas. So while we're sad to say "goodbye" to these women who've done so much for Zoe all this time, we're so pleased with how well she's doing! She was weighed this week too and is SO close to 19 pounds - she's 18 lbs, 15 oz., so just an ounce shy.
I started back at work two days a week at the beginning of June with Dave taking off the first 2 days to watch the kids, my sister Lisa watching them the next 2 days, and then my mom taking over after that. Lisa actually had them at the MN Zoo on the day that the wolf escaped; they were initially told it was a drill, and after finding out it was real, Lisa told me next time she'd be prepared with BBQ sauce so she could distract the wolf by saucing the kids while she made her getaway. Nice. Overall, though, the kids are doing great and the break from me has been good for them, and I'm not above saying the break has been good for me too! Dave and I have managed a few lunches out together, which hasn't happened - without kids, anyway - for a very long time.
I've been doing quite a few photo sessions too, which have been going very well! One of these days I'll update my blog on the photo site and add a few photos from the sessions there too. But I'm really enjoying it - I've found that when I'm on my way to a photo session, I'm not nervous, I'm excited! So that to me is very telling that it's something I need to continue.
Tomorrow, Friday, will be the start of an 8 week session of swimming lessons for all 4 kids! Ellie will make another attempt to pass her Pike class, and I signed up the littles for a Water Adjustment class, which is the first class they can take without a parent in the water with them. They haven't had any swim lessons yet as, well, they outnumber us. So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it goes well. I've also signed up Ellie for tee-ball which starts in July; I'm probably more excited about that than she is, but we'll give it a try.
Oh, and how could I forget? The girls are finally out of their cribs and into big-girl beds! Ellie had decided she wanted both girls with her in her room, and Dave and I weren't too thrilled with the thought of separating Zoe and Maddie, so for now, we have a "Girls Room" and a "Boys Room". In other words, Aidan has his own room. Ellie is sleeping on her top bunk with Zoe down below, and Maddie has a twin bed in there too. For the most part, it's been a pretty smooth transition with only a couple hairy nights. The littles are still napping and so far, so good! It's hard to believe that after almost 6 years, we no longer have a crib in the house!
With as many photos as I've been taking lately, I'm sad to say very few have been of my own kids. Here are just a couple from the last few weeks, I'll try to do better next time!
We were some of the lucky recipients of passes to a screening of "Cars 2" in 3D Wednesday night. We hadn't taken Ellie to the movies until she was almost 5, thinking she wouldn't have the patience to sit quietly through a movie until she was that old. But, as it often happens with subsequent children, we didn't make the littles wait that long. It actually was kind of a last minute thing and we figured we'd give it a try. I didn't even know it was 3D until we got to the theater. We were running late and were worried about getting 6 seats together, but the theater was huge and we got great aisle seats - perfect, we thought, in the event we needed to take anyone out during the movie. We didn't anticipate the folding theater seats, though- even Aidan wasn't quite heavy enough to hold his seat down, he sat down and promptly folded almost all the way back up with his feet to his chin! It was then I noticed someone in front of us carrying a booster seat - the best movie theater invention ever! The boosters had velcro on the bottom to keep them attached to the fabric seat, and not only boosted the kids up so they could see better, but they kept the seats down! We might have lost Zoe and Maddie last night if not for those wonderful boosters. But, I digress.
We had tried to be fully prepared for the movie - we'd packed our diaper bag with lots of goodies to smuggle into the theater - extra candy and juice pouches at the bottom underneath all the diapering essentials and plastic cups for each of the kids to have their own cup of popcorn. Since it was a screening, though, security was searching everyone's purses and bags to make sure we didn't bring any recording equipment into the theater. I'm guessing the young guys working security weren't too thrilled to have to stick their hands into a potentially landmine-filled diaper bag as when I told them that's what it was, they waved us through with barely a glance. We'd all been given Buddy Holly-type 3D glasses and the kids actually wore them for most of the movie; they were so cute sitting all in a row, staring intently at the screen wearing their glasses! If I were a better mom, I wouldn't have forgotten my camera AND cell phone and I'd have gotten pictures of the kids at their first move, wearing their awesome glasses. Oh, the guilt! There were a few somewhat intense scenes that had Aidan hollering out, "Oh no!" and bouncing in his seat in excitement, but they all loved the movie, they didn't make a lot of noise, and for the most part they stayed in their seats and we all had a great time. Overall, a success!
What else has been happening in the last month? Lots, as usual. Ellie finished preschool and the kids finished their ECFE class. Zoe just "graduated" this week from the Early Education/Intervention program she'd been in since about the age of 8 months. Because of her very low birthweight, she'd qualified for county services and we'd had monthly visits from a county health nurse and district early education teacher to help with her development. Those services can only continue past the age of 3 if the child demonstrates delays in at least 2 areas as determined by testing. Zoe completed her testing last month and while she still has some gross motor delays, she tested within the normal/average range in all other areas. So while we're sad to say "goodbye" to these women who've done so much for Zoe all this time, we're so pleased with how well she's doing! She was weighed this week too and is SO close to 19 pounds - she's 18 lbs, 15 oz., so just an ounce shy.
I started back at work two days a week at the beginning of June with Dave taking off the first 2 days to watch the kids, my sister Lisa watching them the next 2 days, and then my mom taking over after that. Lisa actually had them at the MN Zoo on the day that the wolf escaped; they were initially told it was a drill, and after finding out it was real, Lisa told me next time she'd be prepared with BBQ sauce so she could distract the wolf by saucing the kids while she made her getaway. Nice. Overall, though, the kids are doing great and the break from me has been good for them, and I'm not above saying the break has been good for me too! Dave and I have managed a few lunches out together, which hasn't happened - without kids, anyway - for a very long time.
I've been doing quite a few photo sessions too, which have been going very well! One of these days I'll update my blog on the photo site and add a few photos from the sessions there too. But I'm really enjoying it - I've found that when I'm on my way to a photo session, I'm not nervous, I'm excited! So that to me is very telling that it's something I need to continue.
Tomorrow, Friday, will be the start of an 8 week session of swimming lessons for all 4 kids! Ellie will make another attempt to pass her Pike class, and I signed up the littles for a Water Adjustment class, which is the first class they can take without a parent in the water with them. They haven't had any swim lessons yet as, well, they outnumber us. So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it goes well. I've also signed up Ellie for tee-ball which starts in July; I'm probably more excited about that than she is, but we'll give it a try.
Oh, and how could I forget? The girls are finally out of their cribs and into big-girl beds! Ellie had decided she wanted both girls with her in her room, and Dave and I weren't too thrilled with the thought of separating Zoe and Maddie, so for now, we have a "Girls Room" and a "Boys Room". In other words, Aidan has his own room. Ellie is sleeping on her top bunk with Zoe down below, and Maddie has a twin bed in there too. For the most part, it's been a pretty smooth transition with only a couple hairy nights. The littles are still napping and so far, so good! It's hard to believe that after almost 6 years, we no longer have a crib in the house!
With as many photos as I've been taking lately, I'm sad to say very few have been of my own kids. Here are just a couple from the last few weeks, I'll try to do better next time!
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