What day is it?

It is about that time of the week when I start getting lost in all of the chaos and have no idea what is coming up next.  The kids have a crazy tee-ball schedule and Kyle is still only semi-retired from track, so every evening we are busy with something.  Isabella has been begging daily to begin dance lessons, but I can't bear to add one more thing to the schedule.  It will have to wait till summer.

This weekend was busy too.  Friday...i can't remember.  Saturday morning I went running with my running buddies, then Kyle mowed grass at church, then I had a friend's baby shower, then we went to church, and then to a friend's daughter's 1st communion party.  It was all a lot of fun but the kids were worn out!  Sunday was the Germantown parade and Zachary first t-ball game, which started 40 minutes late, so we were up there forever!

Did I ever write a post about our spring break activities?  I don't think I did.  I'll just include pictures to catch you up.

This week Vincent has began attempting to pull up...mostly unsuccessfully.  He also said his first words..."Ma Ma, Ma Ma."  I'm not sure if it's aimed at me, but it counts because I said so!  I also decided I would begin making my own baby food, somewhat for fun, also for cost, and because a friend convinced me it was healthier.  I don't know that it makes a difference in the long run, but I'm trying it.  My first attempt was again unsuccessful.  The carrots were a little too chunky and at first Vincent gagged and then he puked them all up.  So my next batch was pureed much smoother and I think they will go down better.  We'll try them tomorrow.

School is going well.  Classes are full and kids are failing.  They just all stared at me blankly today when I announced they were not getting something for nothing and most of them wouldn't pass if they didn't get their stuff together.  I had another student shot and killed this week.  It's the second student I have lost and there is no way to describe how it feels when you open up the paper and read that news.  It's just a sick feeling.

Anyway, enough of the grim.  I have been working on my photography skills and I'm proud of lots of the pictures I've been taking.  I hope you enjoy reading about our family!

My favorite photos:

Spring Break:

The Zoo, enjoying a picnic lunch

Dino's at the Zoo

Zoo playground!  Vincent's first time in a swing!

Zachary with his favorite animal..the ostrich!

Bowling with Syd and a overcast day!

Vincent's first hike with Dad at Bernheim Forest.

A treacherous stream crossing!

Vincent's first ice cream cone!

Enjoying Louisville's best pizza..Papalinos..after Bernheim.

Germantown Parade

Rewind

Spring break started off with a bang with Easter festivities, but I guess I need to rewind about a week before that since I've been a little slow with the updates.  I've been back to work for two weeks now.  It has mostly been hard adjusting to the struggles of very little time in the evening to get everything done.  I've been skipping out of work as quickly as I can and I usually can pick up Vincent before 3.  I've also been accomplishing a lot at school, instead of wasting away my planning period, so I haven't had to bring home any school work!  That is one of the great benefits of teaching at an alternative school with 1/2 the number of students as a regular teacher.  I have 1/2 the number of papers to grade!  So my transition back to work went very smoothly.  Although Vincent still is refusing the bottle, he has done well.  Miss Aquilla says he doesn't fuss over it, he just chews on it.  She says he treats the bottle like he should a teething ring.  But he is eating baby food very well and doesn't appear to be wasting away, so I guess he's fine.

Zachary had a fun school project called the "wearable planet".  He got to dress as Mars, complete with two moons made of half Easter eggs.  It worked out well, because we actually found out that Mar's moons are not round, but more oval shaped.  He enjoyed that activity a lot and came home full of fun planet facts.

Vincent is officially a sitter-upper.  He sits up very well now, which makes it easier to put him down with toys and let him play on his own.  He is very content with that most of the time.

Saturday was the first day of spring break.  In the morning, Kyle took Zach and Isa to get haircuts, while I took my friend Jen's children to the papa john 10 miler to watch her finish.   It was nice and sunny when I picked up Jen's girls to go to the race.  I had Vincent with me and intended on putting him in his baby carrier.  But when we got there it started pouring, so I had to leave him in the car seat (which weighs about 40 lbs!) and attempt to run into the stadium to get out of the rain.  When we finally got to the endzone, where the runners finish, I unsuccessfully attempted to avoid a whas 11 camera crew that we had to walk in front of.  The reporter grabbed us and Chloe, Abby, Vincent and I got a short interview about the run.  We met Kyle and the kids at the SSM Easter Egg hunt.  Zachary came running out to us shouting "We saw you on the news!".  It was so funny, they had seen the coverage at the barber shop.

The SSM Easter egg hunt was fun!  Isabella didn't find as many eggs as she liked but they got to pet a real bunny.  On easter they got nice baskets full of toy treats and candy, then we went to Pop's house for Easter lunch and egg hunting. We finished the day with Isabella's prize from her chores drawing...popcorn and a movie...so we rented the Princess and the Frog.   Zachary's prize was Saturday's dinner..which he got to choose, so instead of jambalaya (which we had originally planned) he picked hot dog for him and baked potato for Isabella.  He knows how to please!

On Monday we went to the Indiana Yochums and had lunch with a really cute Easter basket Cake that Great Grandma had made.  The kids gave us adorable hand painted easter presents.

The rest of the week we have lots planned, so I'll try to update at the end of the week!




More Easter Pictures:

 Easter at Church

 Easter Facepainting

Zachary decorating eggs

                                                                                Toby with an Easter basket stuck on his head!

Vincent's First Day

Today was Vincent's first day of daycare.  Overall it went pretty well.  I rushed out of school immediately after the bell rang and got there by about 2:45.  He survived and didn't look too unhappy when I went to pick him up.  He was sitting in Ms. Aquilla's lap and started crying immediately when he saw me.  However, when I picked him up he smiled and was fine.  He only ate 4 oz of his bottle all day and took two very short naps, but he did eat 2 jars of baby food.  He was a bit red eyed, either from crying or just lack of sleep, and he was ready to go to bed early.


Kyle sent me an email this morning about his drop off:

the morning was very good except for the I Spy books making Zachary need 4 attempts to put his coat on.  I didn't shout.

 The kids were very excited for Vincent's first day of school.  Isabella just kept asking, are you excited for school.

When we got in the van, Vincent smiled at Zachary and Zachary said, "oh he's getting really excited now."

  

on the way in I asked the kids to give Vincent advice for school.

Isabella - Don't worry, there are 3 bouncers for you to play in, if it's like I remember from my 2 year old class.

Zachary - They won't boss you around there like they do when you're 1 or 2 years old.

There was a sign on the window saying "Welcome Vincent" and the kids laughed when I held him up to see it.

Mr. John was there and he talked a lot to the kids.  He checked with me about feeding and stuff and he read your note.  Isabella told him about the bouncers, and Zachary talked about how he doesn't do much homework for school. 

They were very good - supportive and excited for him and we left with no fuss.  Vincent was eyeing Aquilla the way he does.  There was one walking kid there when we left.  It could not have gone more smoothly.

The Internet option is not up now, I didn't press John for details but he said you could call all day if you want.

So I hope you have a great day.  Isabella was sad that we can't go pick him up all together.  I hope you have a good day.

I should teach now.  I love you.

Kyle

Tomorrow is day two..we are interested to see how the drop off goes..mostly to see if he remembers he's going to be left again.

25 weeks

Tomorrow is Vincent's 6 month check-up.  I can't believe how fast this time has flown by.  Sometimes it seems like he's hardly a baby...he's growing into a toddler...scooting around on the floor, interested in all the buzzing and noises that are going on around him...and just this week...here come 2 new teeth.  The first one appeared on Friday, March 12th.  The second one appeared today, Monday, March 15th.

Today, I picked up my book "Babies first year week by week".  I have to admit that I have rarely looked at it, this third time around.  With Zachary I studied it religiously, always checking to see if he was up to date on his next milestone or ahead or behind the curve.  I secretly was satisfied each time I checked the book to find he was already doing at 20 weeks what the book suggested was typical behavior for a 25 week old.  Now I realize that the book is probably just playing it safe with the weekly milestones.   But today when I checked the book, I smiled as I read about the milestones that Vincent, now at age 25 weeks, has achieved.  Week 21 includes protest and resist someone who tried to take toy away.  Whew...he just started that last week when I tried to take away a paper choking hazard.  I'm glad all babies are doing this at that age and that he's not special in that category!  Week 22...leans over to look for fallen object...he just started that this past weekend when he dropped a toy off of his high chair.  Week 25..likes to play with food...he also just started this annoying habit of wanting to stick his hands in his food bowl and make a baby mess!  Thankfully he hasn't started the other week 25 milestone of crying when parent leaves the room.

This week is my last week of maternity leave.  I was very blessed to get 6 whole months off, however I am still sad that I have to return to work.  I've been trying to spend extra time with Isabella this week because I know things are about to get very hectic.  Today I picked her up early from school.  First we got an ice cream and then we went to the pet store and the library.  I let her pick out books for her and the boys and we had lots of girly fun while Vincent napped in his car seat.  Zachary and Isabella are both starting t-ball.  They are also involved in the upcoming St. X play Jesus Christ Superstar.   Tomorrow we have play practice and two t-ball practices.  Thursday is the same...and then Monday will be Vincents first day at daycare.  I have been working on storing up lots of Mommy's milk so that I can continue to nurse him when I go back to work.  I know it will be challenging but I have talked to a lot of people who have pumped at work and made it work!  I do have to remember that it will only be about 10 weeks before summer rolls around and I will get to be home again.

I am so lucky to have 3 wonderful, beautiful kids.  I can't help but want more, but it already seems like there is no time in the day.  Once we come home from work we have 3 hours, at best, to give them all of the attention they deserve.  There is no time for TV or video games...it is rush, rush, rush from one thing to the next. . Homework, piano practice, dinner, baths, story-time, and in bed by 7:30.  How could we fit in more?
 I absolutely adore everything about the baby stage, except for maybe the lack of sleep.  People at work thought I was crazy to have a third child.  But of course, I can't imagine life without Vincent.  He has brought so much joy to us and to the kids.  They pet and coo over him.  I am pretty much always exhausted all the time, however I forget all about how tired I am the second I see that adorable baby smile. 

About 2 weeks ago was Zachary's conference/report card.  All was pretty good.  Zachary got all A's, but his teacher brought up his often lack of focus/listening while she was teaching.  Just a week before Zachary had gotten into trouble at school for coloring on his desk and his teacher sent home a "bad" note.  He lost a week of tv and computer time...not that we really get that much time to do that anyway, but there wasn't much else we could take away.  This past week to our shock we got an email from his teacher.  Apparently, Zachary had colored on his desk for a second time.  Again, she sent home a note, but this time he threw it in the kitchen trash before mom or dad could see it.  Kyle was furious!  His teacher actually downplayed the whole thing.  She said he was really sorry and that he almost cried in class when she confronted him with the absent note.  He confessed to her and apologized, but now he has to go without 2 weeks of computer or TV.  It was funny because today he began to tell us a story about library class and then he immediately stopped and said, "Dad, is it ok for me to watch tv at school?"  He looked really worried.  Then he said, "Ok well today in library we watched..."   He is a good boy..but I still don't know why he colored on his desk twice!

There will be plenty to write about next week...if I get time.  Things will get really busy, but I will try to make the time to write down my stories for the kids.  I never did a good job of keeping a journal before this blog.  I really wish that I had written things down when Zachary and Isabella were born.  I guess it's never too late.  I will write what I remember and hopefully preserve a few memories for them as they get older.

10 Days

I just finished spicing up the blog site a little bit!  Hope you like it.  It's 10 days until I return to work.  I'm trying not to think about it too much and just enjoy my last few days off.  I had to turn in the daycare paperwork today and I practically had to run out of there to avoid breaking down into tears in front of everyone!  I know it will be super hard the first few days back, but hopefully Vincent and I will adjust well.  I really don't mind going back to work so much...it's just leaving Vincent that kills me.

Basketball was over this past weekend, just in time for t-ball to start up.  Zachary had his first practice on Monday night.  Zachary had parent teacher conferences last week and he did very well on his report card.  All A's!  We were very proud of him.  His teacher praised him for his love of reading.  He has even gotten in trouble a few times for sneak reading while the teacher is talking.  Other than that he had a very good conference.

Zachary's Last Basketball Game

The weather has been beautiful and we have been enjoying our time outside.  Vincent and I walked 4 miles today.  He loves being in the stroller and I love being outside.  We also spent some time playing in the grass in the front yard today.  He had fun grabbing handfuls of grass and crunching leaves in his hands.

                                                       

Vincent has met a few new milestones...He's growing up so quickly.  He used his first sippy cup this week.  He is just drinking little sips of water with his rice cereal.  He really likes the cup.  He thinks he's a big boy!  He also started crying when you take away something he likes!  That is a really fun one!  It just started this week too.  He is still experimenting with funny noises.  He likes to blow air through his lips, which is really cute.

                                                         First Sippy Cup!

Isabella is doing well in school.  She loves to hang after her big brother.  She began reading step 1 books outloud...all by herself!  She is going to be a great reader too!  She loves school.  Just this week the preschool teacher began sending home homework.  She rushes right in the door and does her homework in about 3 seconds.  Today she was so proud to show us the "Awesome!" sticker that she got on yesterday's assignment.  It's too cute!   I hope she keeps up the enthusiasm for homework throughout her school years!

                                                                Playing in Bed!

                                                                     More bedtime fun!!!

                                                                            Knitted Slippers!
                                         I intended for these booties to be for Vincent..but they fit Isabella!

Another crazy week!

Right now I'm wondering how I'm going to do it all when I go back to work.  I've been sick for over a week so that is contributing to my pessimistic mood.  I went to the doctor two days ago because I was certain that I had strep throat and I also had a nagging pain in my hip.  She made me feel like a hypochondriac because apparently nothing is wrong...other than a bad case of tonsillitis/head cold.  I guess there is nothing they can do for that.  The hip just is likely a strain from running/slipping on snow and ice for 8 miles.  I guess I haven't been very smart lately.

The kids have also been sick.  Vincent has the same chest cold that I have.  Zachary and Isabella have both spent days home from school throwing up.  I think we are all worn down.  Kyle is the only one who has maintained his health!

We spent some time out in the snow when it snowed last week, building snow men and having snow ball fights.  The kids had lots of fun doing that...while Kyle was in the warm/toasty house with Vincent...hmmm..maybe that's why we are the sick ones!

Kyle had a great birthday.  He got a flip-video camera!  It's really easy to use and fun to play with.  We've been making short videos of the kids and soon we'll be able to burn them to dvd to preserve them forever!  Nice!

 

 

 

Delicious Nords Bakery Birthday Cake!

I finished knitting my first baby hat.  It turned out pretty nice.  It looks great in the pictures but if you were to inspect it up close you can see a few mistakes.  I had trouble with the double pointed needles.  I tend to lose track of what I'm doing with 3 kids and 3 animals running around.  There are a couple of small holes in the top and it looks a little messy...but maybe next time will be better.  Currently I'm working on a pair of booties that were supposed to be for Vincent but they may instead fit Isabella!  Yes, they turned out a little too big!

                             First baby hat! Made with love by Momma!

We did have a day of nice weather this past weekend and we were able to take the kids out to the park to practice ball.  Isabella didn't last long, but she was also coming down with that stomach virus too.  They did have fun though.

 

  

Zachary..Turn the glove around!

  

Isabella gets the glove down

  

Vincent showing a little baby attitude!  

Kyle made an awesome soup last night.  It was a Bolivian recipe that he got off of the Lenten rice bowl.  It was a great cheesy vegetable soup.  He even followed the recipe and included the red and green peppers!  It tasted great!

That's it for the new news.  Sounds like Vincent is awake so I better attend to him!  Until next time....