Almost Wordless Wednesday-Better Late than Never!

We took the kids for pictures today.

There will be many more to follow, but I wanted share

the beginning:

And THE END (at least for Alex!).

Guess Who Needed Glasses?

Because the two older boys needed glasses at 4 and 3 respectively, we make it a habit to take the youngest in right before they go to school. Today was Michael's day. Yes, he needed glasses. He takes after his Mama. He has not one, but 2 lazy eyes! So, he has glasses. Michael will go back in 6 weeks. If there is not measurable improvement, he may need patches. I would like to ask for prayers that the glasses will do the trick. Thanks!

Remember this?

Back in December of 2008, Michael was starting to make potty training progress. Then, this happened. Long and short of it, he flooded the toilet, and did not potty train until after he turned 4. Guess what? HE STILL REMEMBERS. In fact, he is still freaked out about it. Last week, Drew flooded the toilet. Nothing major. It happens. Since then, Michael refuses to flush the toilet. Insists on having Andy or I do it. So, what am I to do?

I have images of him asking his teacher to flush. All.the.time. Help?

She has joined the club!

Finding the toilet paper is a right of passage in our house.
One that I try to avoid as long as possible!

Peter, 2001.

Drew, 2004.

Michael, 2006.

Alex, 2010.

Cheerfulness

Michael was drawing pictures yesterday. He drew 4 faces-2 were smiling and 2 were frowning. I pointed to the smiling ones and asked who they were. Michael responded, "Peter and Drew." Pointing to the frownies, I asked about those. His response, "you and Daddy." Guess we need to work on some cheerfulness around here!

Michael's Got a Feeling!

We added music to this video that Andy shot of Michael at swim class yesterday. Too cute!

Almost Wordless Wednesday-Sleepytime Edition

I love my blankie on my face!

Sound Asleep!

Very sleepy!

Notice here that Michael has cramped himself into the top third of his bed-so sweet!

Michael

We went to Mass this morning as Peter was serving at the all-school Mass. Andy is out helping with his Dad which meant that I was on my own with Michael and Alex.

It started out well enough. Alex snuggled into me, taking her bottle. Then Michael started, "Mom, hold me!" Could be heard throughout the church. "Love, love, love!" was next from my dear sweet son!

Then we went up for Communion. Michael screamed as I walked up, "BUT I WANT ONE! I WANT ONE! I WANT ONE!" He was speaking of Eucharist. I quietly walked back to the pew. As we knelt for the Blessed Sacrament to be exposed (we have Perpetual Adoration), one last comment from the peanut gallery 4 year old, "Can we go home now?" I am sure many in church were thinking, "Yes, please GO!!!"

Where's Waldo-I mean, Alex and Michael?

My laundry helpers!

Tonight

As a last minute decision, we decided to attend Mass tonight. We normally only do this when we have something like travelling on Sunday, but for whatever reason, we decided to go tonight. The older boys were ready as were Andy and I. Michael had been in a nice sweatsuit (I know, seriously? for Church? but it was Saturday night and it's very cold, and he is only 4, so I decided to be OK with it). I asked Peter to get Michael's shoes on while I got Alex together.

So, we run out to the van. As we are driving to Church, I realize that I forgot the diaper bag! I say a quick prayer that she would have no blowouts during Mass (Thankfully, she didn't). Then, I turn to look at Michael. He has his dress shoes on-with sweats. I sigh and let it go. As we are walking into Church, I look again. Not only is he in dress shoes, but they are two different shoes, two different sizes and both for the left foot! Next time I'll learn to either start getting ready earlier or insist we go on Sunday.

As an aside, even though it was my oldest Peter who caused this amazing fashion statement, his heart really is in the right place. Peter loves to draw, and as he sat making a map tonight, he scattered it with crosses. He explained to me that the crosses represented all of the Churches so that if someone wanted to go to Church there would always be one close by. "Isn't that a great idea, Mom?" Yes, Peter, it most certainly is! (He also recently told me that he thinks it is a great idea to go to Mass every day-I love this boy!).

Not just about the baby!

Lest you think that baby Alexandra is the only child who gets space on this blog, I thought I'd throw in a couple of my boys.

Sorry for the blur in this shot, but I thought I would post a picture of Michael's goose-egg from last night when Drew "accidentally" pushed him out of the way to save him from running into a shelf. It looks much better today-there may be a Christmas picture after all!

The boys were pleasantly surprised to find that, yes, their Mama had stayed up last night to finish all of their winter hats. In truth, I finished making Peter's last week. Today it is supposed to be around 32 degrees, so I'd say I finished just in the nick of time!

Signs...

that your child has watched too much TV:

Michael, "Mom! You know they make a snuggie for your dog!"

Me, "Honey, we don't have a dog."

Michael, "Yes, I do! Puppy, Other Puppy and Baby Puppy." (Three of his stuffed animals)

Me, "Well, we're not buying them snuggies,"

Michael, "Then, can I have a Pillow pet?"

Here's hoping he feels better, and we will turn off the TV!

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Michael has turned into a big boy overnight! He has totally embraced potty training. He had only 2 accidents on Monday and none on Tuesday. That includes through a nap and overnight! I am so excited I can barely stand it!

On this Monday...

Although I am very tired, I am starting to see a very dim light in the potty training tunnel. On Saturday, I had to attend a Forensics meeting. During the 6 hours I was gone (longest I'd been apart from the baby and I missed her!), my dear sweet husband decided that he was going to kick potty training into high gear (so much for ignoring the situation for now). I came home to Michael in underwear and pants, his having had several accidents, and Andy being frustrated.

I spent much of the rest of the afternoon listening to Andy's frustration and trying to figure out how to handle this. The rest of the afternoon went pretty much as the morning had with Michael having an accident shortly after going to the bathroom. The pull-up went on at bedtime, and we left it on the burner for the next day.

Add to this that everyone is in various stages of illness. I think Andy may have flu and several of us have sniffles (not Alex, though, thank God!). On Sunday, I woke up to Andy being really sick and my being on my own to care for the 4 kids and Michael's potty training. I put a pull-up on him for Mass because I was not going to deal with it. After that I took all of the boys to swimming lessons. When we got home, I decided to give something a try the my sister-in-law used to do. I let him go bare bottomed. We did this once before with great success until Michael found the pull-ups and that was the end of that.

Soon after he was au naturale, I realized that he could not go like this because he was literally rolling all over the furniture! Gross! So, I tweaked the situation. I put him in just underwear. I did not expect success seeing as he did this the day before with pants over them and had at least a dozen accidents.

Well, my dear sweet boy is just in underwear, and he has not had an accident! He is dry and clean, and going to the potty (with reminders, but he is going none-the-less). I have tied rewards to his being dry and clean. If he is dry when he goes to the potty, he gets a candy and a sticker. If he is dry and goes #2 on the potty he gets 2 candies.

I know we have a long way to go, but on this Monday, I have hope!

Updates

This is going to be a quick post because, well. after 2 days of running, I am exhausted. I also have my first post-pregnancy migraine. I have issues with migraines except when I am pregnant, so I was wondering when I would get one.

I just wanted to give an Alex update as she had her 2 week check-up today. She is now a whopping 6 pounds, 1 ounce and 20 3/4 inches. The doctor said that her birth height could not have been 17 inches as there is no way that she gained 4 inches (they measured her twice today to be sure). The doctor is pleased with her progress. She has passed her birth weight which is what they like to see at 2 weeks.

Michael had his check-up as well. He is doing well too. We talked about his refusal to potty train. Our pediatrician said that this was obviously a case of him holding out and being stubborn (ya' think?). Her advice: IGNORE POTTY TRAINING! She said that he will pretty much wake up one morning and decide to do it, and that until then, just ignore the issue. We've tried just about everything-stickers, m & m's, praise, and he just won't do it (he totally gets it though). The older boys were pretty easy, both training at 3. Michael is now 4, and I am envisioning not being able to send him to school next year because of this. What do y'all think? When I told Andy what the doctor said, he wasn't too happy about ignoring this. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Almost Wordless Wednesday-Happy 4th Birthday Michael!

Four years ago, he surprised us by making his entrance 16 days early.

He continues to surprise us every day!

We love you, Michael!

So sweet!

Not the most flattering photo of me, but I wanted to share my baby boy snuggled up to my baby girl. I love that at almost 4, Michael still needs snuggle time. He fell asleep in my arms, and his sister proceeded to kick at him-hard! He didn't wake up once!

This boy...

I think my Michael is feeling some uncertainty about the impending birth of his little sister. Several times a day, he climbs on what is left of my lap and says, "Mom, I love your baby! Mom, I love you!" I give him a big hug and tell him that Mama and the baby love him too. Today, he informed me that yesterday, he was in my tummy. Oh, it may have been 4 years ago, but it certainly does feel like yesterday...

I am very thankful that I will still have Michael home with me this fall. I think that it will be good for him to have time with the baby and I, and to be able to be the big brother without his big brothers here (while they are at school).

This is what happens...

when Mama is working...

(Alternately titled, "Thank God for washable markers!")

While I was at Walmart...

Michael asked me a question, "Mom, how DID that baby get in your tummy?" I have expected this from one of the older boys, but not my 3 1/2 year old! I told him that the baby was a gift from God, and that God had put the baby in my tummy. Thankfully, that was enough for him!