Fun times!

There has been a lot going on in our house and while I'd love to get to blog about each activity, I'm just going to post that covers a quick recap some of the things happening...

Noah's around...

We miss Noah every day, and when we see signs that he is near, it makes our hearts so happy!

This little bug has been sick.  

Night of the Open Door

A few weeks ago Dad, the kids and Aunt Annette came down to my work to enjoy the ASU's Night of the Open Door.  The kids (of all ages) had such a fun time.

Here's Isabelle meeting Sammy, our simulation manikin.  He talks, breathes, coughs and can even do other things.  Isabelle really liked him.  Here she's posing as one of our Nurses for the picture.

And here she is holding Josephina, our simulation baby.  She cries, turns blue, flails her arms, any many more things.  She's such a great teaching tool for our students, and Isabelle loved holding her.  Infact she asked me if she could get a real life baby like her to play with at home.  Too bad simulation babies like Josephina are several tens of thousands of dollars.  Sorry Isabelle, I hear Cabbage Patch babies are pretty cool too.

The boys thought the activity of playing with moulage (fake bodily fluids) was pretty fun.  Here they are getting a lesson on dressing an open wound.

 Michael had the hardest time getting his gloves on. 

 His finished wound all dressed.

 The boys also participated in writing a healthy change they can make in their life.

 Gabriel and Aunt Annette playing nurse

Campbells Crew

Here's Madelyn modeling one of our favorite t-shirts.  In honor of our friend Campbell.  We love being a part of Campbell's Crew

Madelyn's teething.... Here she is just chilling, gnawing on her chewing necklace.

Back to being under the weather..

We can easily tell when Madelyn doesn't feel well.  She's usually all smiles, but when we see this, we know...

We celebrated Isabelle's birthday at home with Nana and Papa.  Isabelle was perfectly happy having a cupcake and lasagna supper to celebrate. 

Isabelle with two of her favorite people

 Isabelle's Valentine

Special Person's Day at School

This past week at the boys' school was Special Person's Day.

Mom attended this year and I enjoyed spending some one on one time with the boys.  They are growing so big.

In fact, I can't even believe I registered this kid for middle school on Friday.  How can it be?

 Seriously, it seems like yesterday he was little, like this...

And this guy.  His bangs are about as long as mine, but he loves them. 

And I love him. 

It was nice to see him in his classroom.  Hard to believe he will be 10 next month!

In the midst of keeping up, I've come to rely upon the kids for help.  Here they are being big helpers as we do some cleaning.  I tell them I'm just trying to teach them some lessons they'll need for the future.  They don't buy it now, but still help nonetheless.

SPORTS

Yes we are in the middle of crazy sports season.

Isabelle is in soccer!  She's number 12!

And the boys are in flag football....

While the boys play, Isabelle and Madelyn try to shade themselves from the sun.  

 Michael's team is playing well.  He's right there in the middle with pants on.

Gabriel's chilling, eating before he plays. Saturday's have been spent at the ball field... almost all day.

Michael's in there on the play somewhere.

And then they switch and Gabriel plays while Michael sits and watches.

Gabriel's team has been doing well and for 11-13 year olds there are some smaller than Gabriel and some of the kids bigger than Jarrett.  Crazy how puberty comes to each person at different times, no matter how old one is. 

Daddy Daughter Dance

Last week Jarrett took Isabelle to the Daddy Daughter Dance at our church.  I would have loved to have gone to watch and I guess to talk to Jarrett from what I understand.  Isabelle LOVED going to the dance and danced her heart out, but I guess decided dancing on the stage with all the other little girls was preferable to dancing with her dad.

They still enjoyed getting to spend time together and Isabelle had so much fun she came home looking like this...

Embrace the chaos...

Yes, life has been busy. There's never enough time to get everything done but I ask myself, what would life be like without all the craziness? In the quiet moments in the middle of the night, I stop and think, wow, I'm tired.  But man am I blessed.  Then it hits me and I realize, its the life I dream of and wanted forever.

My life is blesssed.  How lucky I am to be their mom.

Until next time,

Angie

8 Months...

Given the fact that Madelyn will turn 9 months in only two days, I figured I had better move this blog post up on my to do list.  It's been on my list for well over a month and I feel guilty that I am just how getting to this.

This past month has been crazy to say the least.  Jarrett and I feel like there is never enough hours in the day and often times on our way home from work we take turns feeling overwhelmed and stressed, but I guess that's just what life looks like with four kiddos, two jobs and so much happening.  Not that I'm complaining, I'm just saying, it's been really busy.

So excuses aside, let's talk about our wonderful Madelyn.  SO much has happened and changed in the last few weeks.  Madelyn went from barely rolling over at 6 and 7 months, to now she's unstoppable.  She's always on the move.  At 8 months she was constantly practicing getting up on all fours and rocking back and forth, not quite sure she was confident enough to move that arm ahead and begin to crawl.  

Madelyn's 8th month also brought about some big changes as far as sleep.  Madelyn has always been such a good sleeping and as much as I bragged about that in her earlier months, it came back to bite me.  After being in the hospital and getting used to falling asleep in my arms and me hold her frequently to make sure she was still breathing, she became quite used to it and decided it was her now preferred method of sleeping.  Great for her, bad for mom.  

Coupled that with her desire to only drink milk from me and not from a cup or bottle, she has decided on days when I work that she's going to make up for the 10 hours of me being gone and instead wants to eat at night.  Several times during the night.  Great for her and I understand it, but not the greatest for mom.

So this past month has been spent trying to correct sleeping mistakes we made and finding ways to help her like her bed again.  Not gonna lie, there were some few weeks we really struggled, putting her in bed with us and me just giving in and "sleeping" in a chair to just get some sleep.  We're doing better after mom stuck to her guns one night and refused to pick her up.  I would just get up once she'd wake, tell her night night, lay her back down and tell her I'd love her.  It wasn't pretty or fun but after 37 times getting up time after time, she finally fell back asleep.  I felt horrible, but it finally worked.  Not that each night is glorious now, we are far from it, but it's better and I'm telling myself, this period doesn't last forever. 

Other than the sleep issue, Madelyn is such a happy baby.  She smiles, laughs and giggles more than any other baby I've ever seen.  She loves her brothers and sister and her eyes light up when they get home from school or wake her in the morning.  

She is now wearing 12 to 18 month size clothes and is talking a lot.  She says "Momma", "Dadda", "Nana" "Papa", "Baba" and other talk.  She loves to bop up and down when music is played and her favorite toys are anything she can put in her mouth, a guitar that plays music, an airplane which plays music, and a large Coca-Cola bear she thinks is real.

I've tried really hard to make sure Madelyn eats meals when we do.  She sits in her high chair and has lunch and dinner with us as a family.  She's loving her sweet potatoes, squash, pears and blueberries and other options of veggies and fruits mixed together.  She seems to prefer her yogurt melts and sweet potato puffs.  She still only has the two bottom teeth although that top one has been trying to come through for a few weeks.

She takes 2 naps a day, most days, although there really isn't a schedule.  With three other kids, activities to run them around to, and just life, Madelyn follows what ever schedule we are on.  Thank God for her easy going personality.  

So many people tell me that she looks like Daddy, but I'm starting to get some comments that she has my eyes.  What do you think?  It has been fun guessing whose traits of each of us she has...

Mom and Madelyn

Dad and Madelyn

Here is a video we captured this month that I love.  

Madelyn is such a gift to us and not just for us as her parents.  As I mentioned before the other kids LOVE her.  Isabelle asks me frequently, "Aren't you glad I brought you sweetie pie to be your baby?"  almost as if she was the one we have to thank for her.  I always answer "Yes I am, thank you Isabelle for bringing her to us." 

And the boys adore her too.  They ask each night to kiss her goodnight and even though I'm holding her at their beds to say good night too, its Madelyn who gets the love.  "Good night Madelyn. I love you!"  they each say.  And the boys have, each on their own time, said, "I love having Madelyn so much.  She's so wonderful." 

 Yes God really did answer our prayers with her.  I like to say she is a heart healer.  She's brought us so much love and joy for her and for each other. 

And so, on that note, I'll conclude with some of the highlights of Maddie's 8th month.  Stay tuned, coming soon (hopefully) will be her 9 month post... 9 months.  How can it be?  I feel some days like I just found out I was pregnant with her.

 

Madelyn, we love you so much and you have been a great gift to all of us.  Life is wonderful with you!

Until next time,

Momma