Almost All My Mothers' Days

We try and take a special Mothers' Day portrait of me and the kids every year.  It's getting more difficult to catch a GOOD picture the more kids we have and the bigger they get: there's always someone blinking, crying, or picking his/her nose.  But here's the best we have!  First one's from 2007 and taken in our backyard in Lathrop, CA; Jack was almost six months old.

Not sure where our 2008 pictures are!  We have them on a backup CD somewhere.  But the next pic is from 2009, in Mammoth Lakes, CA, when I was VERY pregnant with Kate.

2010, when we were living with my parents in Lewiston, ID, for two months:

2011, in Las Cruces.  Again, VERY pregnant, but with Maggie this time:

And, finally, 2012's picture, in Las Cruces.  Taken in a hurry because we had people coming for dinner.  And it was hot and bright and... well, we were a bunch of complainers.  But just look at this gorgeous bunch of children!  I really have no reason to complain.

Ten months

Maggie was ten months last month (I know, I know... I'm getting behind on my monthly baby posts, but at least I'm posting, right?!). Already I'm planning for her first (and Kate's THIRD) birthday party in June! She is 28 inches tall and 15.3 pounds as of her last check-up... quite a lightweight still!  Jack walked at about ten months and one week, and it seems as if she'll start walking in the next couple weeks too. She is into EVERYTHING... and throws an absolute fit when we take something away from her.  She still plays happily in her crib after waking up in the morning or from her nap (this habit of hers is what keeps ME sane!).  But when we enter her room to retrieve her from the crib, she gives us a huge grin, bounces around, and talks like crazy.  She has especially expressive reactions for big brother Jack, who runs to her every day when we pick him up from preschool, exclaiming, "MAGGIE!" while she bounces in my arms.  She's transitioning into her one-nap-a-day stage (earlier than my other two did), and just started drinking from a sippy cup and saying "dada" when she sees Brian. Here she is, enjoying sweet tickles.

Concrete pouring day

One year in our house and we're finally making something out of our backyard!  The concrete truck was here last Thursday afternoon to pour a new patio.  Of course, the kids were glued to the window watching... and when my father-in-law arrived, he invited Jack to join him in the outside supervision.  Next phase of the project?  Putting in a sprinkler system and then, hopefully, some nice green grass.  More pictures to come!

 

 

First pony rides

Forgot to post these when they happened a month or so ago: Jack and Kate's first pony rides! We were at the Farm and Ranch Museum's Cowboy Days event after one of Jack's soccer games. Jack had never ridden a pony before; whenever he'd been given the chance, he was too scared. But after Kate decided she wanted to ride, Jack followed his little sister's lead.

Easter

Well, I was nervous about our Easter weekend trip up to Rio Rancho--Maggie and I hadn't been anywhere besides El Paso since last July, when she was just a month old, and she's not been a great traveler for even small distances. But, turns out, I shouldn't have been nervous. She did just fine! I made sure to pack lots of snacks for her, and of course her special lovey. She didn't sleep the entire way up, even after it got dark and the big kids had zonked out, but she was still content.
ANYWAY. We had a great weekend. The kids spent plenty of time with their Grandma Kathy and cousins Matthew and Marissa. I got my Trader Joe's fix. Brian and I actually had a date night (dinner at Chili's and "The Hunger Games"... thanks to Kathy for babysitting!). And we visited Bob and Yoli's church, Paragon Church, for Easter, and then had a hurried lunch and egg hunt before we loaded up for the drive back home.

Lately

We've been super busy lately. It's all good stuff--I can't complain! But it's been difficult to sit down and write any blog posts at the end of the day when, truthfully, I'd rather be climbing into bed. So here's a small, quick sampling of what we've been up to.

We got a new bike for Jack, and brought a bike from my in-laws' house for Kate to ride, too. It's still a little big for her, but she sure tries hard.



My MOPS group recently had a special meeting where we all dressed up in our old prom dresses, or whatever dress-up outfit we could find (or fit into!). I wore the bridesmaid gown from my friend Jaime's wedding. It was fun to actually wear it again. I would have worn the maid of honor dress from my sister's wedding, but I've lost some weight lately, and so the top was a little big. Here I am with Kate:

LOVE this picture... my two goofy monkeys at the neighborhood playground.


Jack is playing soccer again! His new team is the Ninjas. They've won their first two games in spite of the extreme cold at his first game... it was definitely not good weather to be outside! He says he made three goals that day (I only counted two, but I'll take his word for it). Brian is the team referee.


We just joined Sam's Club, and it's our new favorite place when it comes to shopping in bulk and saving money! Here's a picture of the girls enjoying the dual up-front seating in one of their carts.

"Mustang-ing"

Today, March 22nd, was my Aunt Joanne's birthday. She passed away in December of 2009, and to celebrate her life and her spirit, every year on this date we dance, along with many others, to her favorite song, "Mustang Sally." This first picture is from 2010: just two years ago past, yet a lifetime ago, it seems. Kate was Maggie's age (nine months), and it was just before we left California.

The next few pictures are from today. I put Maggie in the same outfit Kate wore two years ago. Unfortunately, she was not havin' it. Little crankypants.



See the carrots on her shirt?

Once the music started, the big kids really got into it.

Nine months... and the first sink bath

Well, Maggie really did enjoy her first bath in the kitchen sink more than this picture shows, but this was just too cute of a shot to pass up. She is NINE months now, which means she's now been outside of the womb as long as she was in (always an important milestone!). And she is ALL over the place. She just learned how to climb up the stairs, which means we're gating and blocking everything now. She loves to raid the fruit basket, pick up an orange (or apple, or pear... definitely not picky) and take a bite with those huge chompers. Oh, and graham crackers are her new favorite thing. She's definitely more wary of strangers now, but will give anyone a big smile as long as she's in the front carrier, snuggled up close against me. She still adores her "lovey" and her blankets and uses them to easily nod off, whether in her crib or carseat. And still, when she wakes up in her crib, she entertains herself for a good half hour--or more--with her crib surroundings. I often come in and find her wrestling her teddy bear, whose poor ears are soaked from Maggie's wet kisses.

Eight Months

My goodness, two-thirds of a year. My not-so-little baby Maggie! She's becoming more vocal, showing that, although she's sweet, she's not going to be a pushover. She's enjoying a lot more foods, still sleeping about 12 hours straight at night, and loving being in the front carrier. She has six teeth, and the front top two are absolutely gargantuan. I still can't believe how lucky I am to have her. She takes my breath away.

Giving "Nummies"

Jack and Kate spend a lot of time watching me, or waiting for me to, feed Maggie. We call it "nummies." And when she's finished with one side and about to switch to the other, we do a fun trick called the "switcheroo." The big kids are not quite sure how nummies works, but Kate sure likes to imitate. Most mornings, after Maggie's been fed, Kate borrows the Boppy to give nummies to Pinky, or Bubba, or any of her other dozens of animal friends. It's one of the sweetest things I've seen on earth.


And, of course, hugs are always in order:


Demonstrating the switcheroo: