Andrew gets Baptized

We finally, FINALLY, got Andrew baptized.  It went pretty smoothly, aside from forgetting the donation envelope at home (Typical for us). We still haven't turned it in, but plan to soon.  Of course, our child was the oldest at the baptism.  We joked that he could have practically walked to the baptismal font on his own.  It's all good though.  He's free from original sin and can move forward now.  I feel like the weight's been lifted from us as well.  Now if we can only get the will updated we'll be doing good.  Here are a few shots from the day:

I'm not sure at what point I developed such an amazing double chin.  Perhaps I should lay off the homemade chocolate chip cookies a bit.  HA.

New Beginnings

Eight weeks ago I began a journey at my church called MOMs and last night was the culmination of that time.  What a great group of ladies and a fabulous experience this was!  If I felt like I was different from everyone here in Charlotte, I don't anymore.  The women in my group were amazing and I feel like I will make some lasting friendships from it.  It also helped me to really get in better touch with myself and how I project myself to others.  I only wish I could take it a second time.  I can always moderate a new group, but I'll admit I'm a bit nervous about that still, so we shall see.  I challenge anyone that's not feeling connected to their church or themselves to get more involved with some of the groups and events their church sponsors.  I promise not only will it bring you closer to God, but it will also help bring you closer to yourself and others around you.  It definitely made a big church seem a little bit smaller to me.

Andrew makes a move

No, not walking - yet.  Although i think it may be coming soon.  I actually caught him standing next to the couch yesterday, with a lid in one hand and a bucket in the other, no supports, just standing there looking all proud.    I know I'll miss the baby stage once it's gone, but right now, I'm looking forward to evolution from 4 paws to two.  Hopefully I don't have much longer to wait.

Andrew also seems to have figured out how to climb up the stairs.  And I'm not talking just one or two stairs but the entire stairway.  I didn't even know he did it.  One minute I am helping Nicholas with his homework in the kitchen while the other two play in the adjoining room and the next thing I know, I hear Alex upstairs talking and playing.  

Um, wait a minute here.  Last time I checked he was playing with the baby.  Alex upstairs, baby.... CRAP.  Sure enough, upon running up the stairs to see where he his, I find him up with Alex happily stuffing a lite brite peg into his mouth.  Ugh.  So now it seems as though we need to have a gate at the top AND the bottom of the stairs.   Basically we'll all be confined to the downstairs for the next year.

 

Pukefest

OMG.  If one more kid pukes in this house I think I'll just launch myself out the door, still in my pj's and scream bloody murder while running full bore down the lane never looking back.  

Andrew, my youngest, started the puking spree in the wee hours of Saturday night (why must sickness always occur when there are no medical professionals available within a 48 hour radius?) and is still going strong as we speak.  There's something almost maddening about making the effort to nurse a child, only to set him up on your lap when he's finished and watch him immediately proceed to projectile vomit all that hard made milk across the floor and your clothing  (and your hair, and your furniture, but hey, who's keeping tabs?).  Yesterday, it was across the back of the car when he decided to eject his breakfast while strapped into the car seat.  I am so looking forward to the fun job of cleaning that up today.  And now I woke up to my 5 year old having thrown up this morning (at least he made it to the bathroom), so we have a full house of sickos today.  Bring on the insanity.

Ok, I realize I sound just a wee bit cynical and I apologize for that.  I think it's just that after being holed up in the house with the five and under sick crowd for multiple days on end, you just need to spit the words out to enable yourself to get through the impending day.   See, I'm feeling better already.  Love you boys!  Now off to play nursemaid.

Nick makes dinner, Nick builds a lego leprechan trap

Yep.  A post dedicated to my oldest, Nicholas.  First up, Nicholas has been really into legos for the past year or so now.  A couple days ago he received a free lego magazine in the mail.  There was a page where kids had mailed in pictures of themselves with their lego creations.  He saw that and decided that he had to do one of his own.  I love legos for stuff like this.  You can really see the creativity coming through.  Here's what he made:

Next up, Nick and his father decided that Sunday night was the night to earn their orange feather for Indian Guides.  For those that aren't privy to Y Guides, an orange feather is what you earn when you make dinner on your own and clean it up.  And by george was it tasty.  Here's what he made: 

Doesn't it look tasty?  It was so delicious.  Kind of like a greek gyro made with ground chicken.  I gobbled it up and had the leftovers for lunch the next morning.  Yay for the orange feather!  I wish he needed to earn a second one; I could get used to someone else making dinner for me!

Real boys wear pink

So Alex, my four year old, is into pink.  This is nothing new; he's been into pink for a couple years now.  A couple days ago we went to the shoe store to find his brother and him some new sandals for the summer.  I'm sure you're seeing where this is going.  That's right, he picked out the hot pink jelly sandals.  Now it's not that I have a problem with him liking the color pink.  On the contrary, I've never been one to believe that girls need to be pigeon holed into pink and boys to blue.  But despite that belief, I couldn't in good conscience let him wear pink jelly shoes.  A shirt is one thing, but a pair of shoes is a whole 'nother ball of wax.  You gotta love him.  I know I do.

On another note, AAARRRRGGGHHH.  Ok, that felt better. I'm so frustrated with Nick's school situation.  I know I've posted about this before, but I just need to get it off my chest again.  We have been called in for another conference to the school.  I know the teacher feels he has ADD.  I'm not saying he that he for sure doesn't, but I'm also not going to just jump on the medication band wagon because he's having issues at school.  I need more evidence.  It's especially disconcerting to me because he's only seemed to develop all these issues since he's started to go to school here.  I sometimes wonder if it's more the school and the teacher than it is the kid.  Are we pushing him to behave this way?  Or did we just not see it in preschool because it's a smaller class and a more warm and fuzzy environment?  All I know is that I need to get some answers soon.  It's affecting all of us and I'm about at my wits end with all of it.  Ok, back to regularly scheduled programming.

The First Haircut

Well it happened.  I finally broke down and gave Andrew his first haircut.  It's never an easy decision to make, but I figured if his hair was long enough to put a bow in it, it was probably time.  With Nicholas, my first, he came out needing a haircut.  Alex, on the other hand, turned two and still looked like a balding old man.  Andrew has been the first child where it was kind of just right.  He didn't mind it too much.  His biggest complaint was when I sprayed him with the water, oh, and when I took him out after he was all done, only to realize I forgot to take the aftershot and needed to put him back in.  Then the waterworks really started up.  I needed to give him a toy just to get him to stop long enough to get the shot.  Despite all the adventure, I think he looks pretty cute when all's said and done. Here's the before:

 

And here's the after.  Yes, yes, those big bags under his eyes are from crying.  I actually photoshopped out the tears because I felt so bad for making him cry.

 

Isn't he cute?!  No more bows for this boy.  Now I need to tackle my two older ones.  I'm not sure what's more difficult, the baby or the older boys.  Anyway, off to enjoy this beautiful day.  It's supposed to actually get into the 60's today for the first time in quite awhile.  I don't know about you, but I am soooo over winter.  Enjoy the day!

Seinfeld, no, supper club, no Seinfeld

Oh my Gosh.  So we decided to join our neighborhood supper club since we were having trouble finding couples to get together with on our own.  Wouldn't you know we'd be the youngest couple by at least 20 years.  I just had this feeling when I was signing up that we might encounter something like this.  But when I asked the coordinator about it, she said you get what you get and make it work.  And in fairness, I will say the couples are very nice. But they are in a completely different place from us.  The youngest couple has a senior in college and the oldest?  Well, let's just say they rival my parents and leave it at that.  One of the guys is so out there, that it doesn't matter what you're talking about, he'll just bring up another story completely unrelated.  Like the time he fooled a realtor by making his own railroad crossing sign and putting it up in the neighborhood. Huh?  The upside is that I can't knock the food.  It was all delicious.  Wouldn't you know, we're locked into this for a year.  Next meetup is in April.  Seinfeld here we come. ;)