One Small Step...

We have a new walker. Look out world, Kenna has taken her first steps! Laney had a horrible rash yesterday from some unknown source, but it seems to be better now. I guess she touched something she was allergic to. The G man is eating like there is no tomorrow. I'm not sure where he's putting it all, but seriously he eats more than Delaney. I'm still pretty sad about the cat. I keep expecting her to be there--like maybe she's just sleeping somewhere. I just feel weird without her and Des around. I realized that this is the first time in 13 years that I haven't had a pet. We finally got our storage unit emptied yesterday and then I ran errands all afternoon. Today I did yardwork and blew off the yard. There is something about blowing off the yard that seems to attract the neighbors to me. I'm covered in dirt and sweat and snot (allergies make me sneeze like crazy) so that is of course the time they all come to say hello. Yeah! They probably wouldn't recognize me with a clean face now.

Goodbye LC

I'm feeling bummed today. I need to take the cat in and decided this was the day (but we'll see if I don't chicken out later). I feel like there isn't a lot that is exciting to report. We don't seem to be doing much lately. Desi is doing ok at Mike's but she discovered skunks the first night there. She's also been trying to go home with anyone who opens a car door. That sounds more pathetic than it probably is though since she always tried to get in our cars if a car door opened and she was there. Kenna is doing a lot more stands on her own. Griffin is being Griffin. He's playing with the tank right now. They all love that thing--I bought it as a gag gift for Charles for Christmas and the kids think it's the best. It drove into G's tummy yesterday and he laughed like crazy. Swimming is going well, though G is still having troubles rolling. I'm looking forward to the end of it. A bug stung me twice yesterday at the pool and I had a brief panic moment, but it wasn't a bee.
Our big deal yesterday was that we had an entirely diaper free day and no accidents with Laney. Good job! Griffin was up last night a whole bunch of times and I was just not sleeping well anyway, so I'm fading already and it's only 8. Not good. I have to go retrieve Kenna from the time out pen now. I've instituted the time out pen for stair climbers...

Getting a Do Over

I think I need a Mother's day do over. The majority of my day was spent in the car with screaming children. Charles fought with Laney on every leg of the trip. We spent the day at Mike's place at it wasn't too bad actually. But it was hot hot hot and really dusty. The kids rode quads and horses, played with the chickens and turkeys and generally had a great time. I went around the corner and found Laney on a horse so I volunteered to get up there with her. The horse was not super cooperative and I was afraid to insist too much with my baby up there, so Mike had to come get us when we got stuck. At first I wasn't too keen on letting Laney go on the quads and Ernie gave me a hard time about it. Since I was willing to let her get on a horse I decided perhaps I was being unreasonable. I should have been more specific and said that I didn't want her to get on the quad without an adult. The babies both went for rides on the quad with Ernie. We returned home hot, dirty and tired after a long screaming trip. I put everyone to bed early and took a bath.
I called my own mom later in the evening since I thought she'd have company last night. She was pretty bummed that neither my brother or sister came by yesterday--especially since they told her they would and she got home early just for them. So I think she deserves a do over too.

Happy Mother's Day

Ah, Mother's Day. I woke up at 6:15 and thought "that's weird, the kids are still sleeping" and about 30 seconds later I heard Laney's door open and in she came. Chaos has ensued since. I need to be quick here because I have to get us all ready to leave at 8:30. We're going to Mike's today to BBQ and take him the dog. Hopefully she has a good summer with him patrolling for illegals on the property.
A small hawk just landed on our back fence. How cool.
It is supposed to be cooking hot here today again. This will be our 4th day over 100 I think. Makes me glad to be leaving for the summer, however I checked Idaho's weather and it's in the 50s. Yikes! So we will be having a rapid cool off. I need to pack warm clothes as well as summer stuff.
Charles and the kids are making me a mother's day card right now (I had to suggest it, but it got them all out of my hair long enough for me to write a post and drink some coffee).
Happy mother's day to all the moms who read this blog. Especially to my own mother.

Unscrewed

The screws are out and Charles is at home recovering. Everything went well today but it was weird not being there with him. That is definitely something we won't do again. It wasn't good for him to be alone and I worried all day.
Kenna graduated from swimming class today with lots of long floats. She's so calm and collected as she works and then is all smiles when Shannon picks her up. Griffin and Laney also had good lessons. Two more weeks until we're all done. Although we will go back again in the fall for a refresh and to teach the babies the swim and float technique once they are walking.
Ollie came over today to help and who knew how incredibly handy that would turn out to be. Thanks to Olive for helping me out!!

What's Goin' On

Mom pointed out that it has been quite some time since the last post. I'm a slacker lately. Charles was in Hawaii all last week and I'm always a lot more pressed for time when I'm doing things on my own (and I read two books, naughty me). Pretty much same ol' thing around here. The kids have been swimming and doing the occasional play date. Somehow, the last week and a half or so I have been unable to have an uninterrupted night's sleep.
Swimming lessons are going great and today is Kenna's last day. I'll post some pictures once I get them off the camera. Griffin has another week and Laney has two. G is going longer because he's had a problem with tummy bloat and his lessons have been shorter. Laney is doing the swim and roll to breathe now. Diane and Leah came to lessons on Wednesday and we all went to lunch at Burger King. Charles went yesterday. It looks like Olive is coming today.
It's a good thing that Olive is going to be here since Charles went to the doctor yesterday for his follow up and he has broke one of the larger screws in his ankle. So he is going in for surgery this morning. This seriously throws a wrench in my plans, since I was counting on a functional hubby and now he'll be back in his brace for a week or so. Great. He had a big meeting this morning so he went to that prior to going to his appointment. I have to go pick him up after swimming lessons I guess.
We went to dinner with his boss and all our children last night and it was nice--as a dinner can be with three little children.
This weekend I'm supposed to go to Debbie's on Saturday but I'm going to have to see how functional C is. Then on Sunday we're taking the dog down to Mike's and bbq at Debbie's.

Week in Review

I've not been in a posting mood this last week for some reason. So here's what's been shakin' at our house. We've been busy with swimming lessons. Laney took a new tack this week in her attempt to avoid swimming lessons. The previous week she told me that it "scared" her and I wasn't biting. So this week she told me the "I don't like Miss Shannon". Ok, swimming lessons anyway. Then she told me that there were dinosaurs in the pool. No deal. So her next plan was to say "I don't want to go first." Ok, I told her that was fine and the babies could go first. To which she replied "they go first and I will leave!" I had to laugh. What a schemer. She did well last week and on Friday I got in the pool too. Shannon showed me how to use my hands as a target for her to swim to and how to launch her back through the water. She swam underwater between us a bunch of times and even turned in the water to find me and then swim to me. She can swim about 4 feet underwater with her eyes open now.
The twins did well with their lessons too and are working hard at floating and coming up from a submersion to a float. Kenna was sick last week and we finally went to the doctor on Wednesday. She had an ear infection. I asked about the weird crusty stuff I'd seen in G's ear the week before and the doctor said that it was likely drainage from a perforated ear drum. Swell. I'm still sick but seem to slowly be getting better.
[current events: as I write this, Laney is leading Kenna through the house like a puppy using a toy fishing pole and Griffin is assaulting the pots and pans cupboard]
I tried to do both playgroup and swim lessons on Friday and nearly lost my mind. I was trying to do a bunch of stuff in the morning and get everything together for our swim lesson and the babies were tired and wanted to take a nap but playgroup was at 9:30 so I was trying to stall them. They followed me around crying all morning. Laney was being kind of a pest too. I finally got everyone loaded in the car and to playgroup at the park. But I forgot an important task prior to leaving. Laney didn't use the potty. So we got to the park and she announced she was wet. Awesome. So everyone got woke up and unloaded and we sogged our way over to the bathrooms to change. Then she had another accident while playing. Live and learn I guess.
I've got to go wash an entire cupboard worth of pans now. Laney got in on it and they cooked fake fruit and then turned the pans into cars.