Girl Baths

I would like to start by saying i have all the blogs written about our short but full trip to Alabama. However, our computer is having some difficulties so i am having to wait on Eric's laptop and he has a hard time remembering to bring it home. They will be up soon so watch for the flood of new blogs. Given this information I still couldn't resist the urge to post a new blog. :)

We started talking to Ella before our trip about "girl baths". A bath that would just be for her and it would be by herself. At 5 we think it is time to move out of the bath with the boys and start going solo. Time to learn that she can't run around naked anymore and so forth. Time to grow up a little more. When we got home, i set her up with her own body wash, shampoo (the kinds that burns if it gets in your eyes, just to ensure she felt like a big girl), conditioner, princess wash cloth and pink towel. I accompanied her to the guest bathroom to make sure she was getting all clean. She caught on quickly. She says Sam can't come in because he is a boy dog and no boys allowed. I told her he didn't count but she assured me he did. Last night i took some pictures of Ella's "girl bath".

Yes. I am teaching her right.

I think she was enjoying it.

The boys bath. Not near as relaxing but lots more toys.

Jack thought he would enjoy the spa like treatment. He didn't.

For those who are having Ben withdrawals.

The boys didn't seem to mind that Ella had been replaced by Ben. Ben was certainly happy to get in and splash around with the boys. Jack did catch Ella with the bubble bath. He said "hey, wait a minute.....what is this?" I explained that Ella had taken a girl bath and he would get some special stuff for his boy bath. He was cool and back out the door. Another milestone for Ella. For all of us. :)

Round 2

Gheezzzz! It has been a week since i blogged. I can't say that i have missed it because i have been so busy. Last weekend, I spent my time taking care of sick kids. It was only natural that i too caught the nasty virus. Since Ella was running a fever on Monday and a small one on Tuesday morning, we rested. No gym and no gymnastics. I was sure we would all be better by Wednesday or Thursday and everything would be back to normal. HA! I woke up Wednesday and thought i was dying i was quite surprised. I never get sick, at least not bad sick. Anyway, Eric came home at lunch even though i asked him not too. I was so relieved when he walked in. He got the kids down for nap time and i sent him back to work. After realizing the terrible mistake i had made i called and asked him to come home when the kids got up from their naps. He did. He brought me sprite and a phenogren. I was out about 5 p.m. and not up until Thursday morning. Still groggy and in a fog but able to keep food down so we pressed on. By Friday we were cleaning up a storm. Washing all the beds, dusting, scrubbing bathrooms, and (most importantly) Lysoling everything. Ella threw up again Friday night but said she was fine. Saturday was good and then Round two. Yesterday Eric started by not feeling well followed by Ella. They rested most of the afternoon in the chair and had moments of feeling good. Bed time rolls around and I go to snuggle with Ella in her bed. She looks at me and says "mommy, what if i throw up in my bed again tonight?" (I guess this was because she threw up on top of her quilt Friday night and nobody knew until Saturday morning.) I told her that it would be okay she could just come get me and we would get it cleaned. Before i could say anything else i hear the unmistakable sound of vomit coming up. I escape the bed before it lands on me. I feel so bad for Ella. We get everything cleaned up and she falls asleep. Jack is up at 4 this morning with diarrhea followed by another round about 6 and then more vomit. After another trip to the bathroom and some more vomit, he is eating and assures me he feels better. John is still trying to get over the diarrhea he has had all week. However, Eric says he is feeling better and all the kids have been eating non-stop this morning. I am hoping it all stays down. If not i am in troub;e. We are preparing for our trip on Wednesday. We will be leaving at lunch (if Eric can get away). I am off to Lysol everything AGAIN and make my packing list. I feel like Santa, i am making my list and checking it twice. Here are a few pictures from the weekend. What few bright spots we had. :)

Happy Memorial Day!

This has been the first Memorial day that Eric has had off in a while. He was scheduled to work a few hours on Saturday and then off Sunday and Monday! That was awesome. However our awesome weekend looked more like this:

Plus
Equals

Yes, that's right. Rain plus sick kids. That was our weekend. It all started about 12:30 Saturday morning when Jack woke up vomiting followed by more vomiting around 6 and John was also running a high fever by then. Nice. Jack threw up for most of the morning but by mid afternoon we had the fevers under control and everyone was in better spirits. All was looking well. Until Sunday afternoon. Ella said she wasn't feeling well on the way home from Costco followed by vomiting until bedtime. She woke this morning with a high fever and has laid around all day. None really have their appetite back yet but they are all looking better than they were when their heads were hung over in the potty or the "throw up " bucket. Ben hasn't looked sick yet so for that i am grateful. We have gotten a few things done around here despite the bug going around. Ella and i had some girl time on Friday night. We got manicures and she is very proud of hers. Eric and i have a wonderful sitter that the kids love. Jack's soccer coach, Melissa, came and kept the kids while Eric and i went for dinner Saturday. We also got our monthly grocery shopping done. It would have been nice for the weather to have been beautiful and the kids feeling great but my life can't be perfect all the time. HA! Maybe next year. Between the rain showers we did get to go out and enjoy some watermelon.

Anyway, i would like to take a moment and thank all the servicemen and women who defend and protect our country and freedom. On this day of reflection, i don't daily thank God for the precious gifts i have here at home and i rarely think of those who are making sacrifices to protect me and my family. Shame on me. My Grandfather served and my cousin Shellie also serves our country. I think that is a very large sacrifice and i am truly grateful. In closing, here are a few pictures of baby Ben. More updates coming soon.

Ella and Jack's yearly Check-up

Today was the day. Ella and Jack had appointments right in the middle of nap time. It was okay. We made it there with time to spare and got called right back. The kids weighted and had their height measured. Ella had a mini eye test and a hearing test. Eric came in right as things were starting to unravel. John was spilling goldfish on the floor, Ben was realizing he was STARVING,(He is always starving at the most inopportune times) and i was trying to fill out the mounds of medical history paper work for two kids. Then we were corralled into a small room where the boys started playing tug of war with the bag of goldfish and then a chair while Eric tried to bounce a very loud and unhappy Ben on his knee. Finally i lost it and had Eric referee the boys while i fed Ben on the left side so i still had my right hand free to continue filling out the paperwork. Ella sat and drew in her notebook. God bless her. Anyway, they all settled in and the doctor came in and started with Jack. He looked right on track. Weight was 35 pounds and height was 42 inches. That puts him about 70th percentile for weight and the 98th percentile for height. Yes, he was just off the top of the height chart. Ella was up next. She weighted 39 pounds and was 45 inches tall. That is about the 36th percentile for weight and the 82nd for height. (the scale at home weights the kids a few pounds lighter) She has already had all her necessary shots so it was a Hep A today and a finger prick for an iron check and a urine sample. She was set. Then they handed us all the papers. All the papers i wasn't ready to receive. School papers. Yes, it is now time to decide whether we will let her start kindergarten in Troutman or if we will home school. A big, scary decision but one we have to make since they have already had registration. I am going to pick up a registration packet so it will all be completed IF we decide to go there. For the record, Ella's vote is to go there. :) Ella was a brave girl with her shot and finger prick so we said goodbye to daddy and headed off for some ice cream. The pain was nothing a banana split couldn't fix.

Kim's visit

Kim flew into town a week ago today. The kids were super stoked. We live about 40 minutes from the airport but it is an easy drive. Didn't get into a whole lot but I did get my soccer bottles done because I had her extra hands available. Thursday we had Jack's soccer game which is always amusing. Kim kept the kids Friday night so Eric and I could go out for our anniversary. Saturday, We went down town and walked around. It is a nice place but could use a few cooler stores. Eric took the two older kids to the race and with the little ones in bed we had good time to visit. Sunday came and I apparently can't add and subtract time because I dropped her off at the airport a little over 2 hours early. She never pointed that out as I said "see I told you I would have you here an HOUR early". She made it home safely. It is so nice to have such a wonderful best friend that will take off work to come to my house to visit and to keep the kids so Eric and could have an anniversary date. It was a great visit. I have the best bestie ever! :) Here are a few pictures from our excursion around town. Note: Kim will not allow me to take very many pictures of her.




On a side note:
I feel like I should add Dental Technician to my "what I am" list in my Mother's day blog. I realized it fit as I was doing the nightly brushing and flossing of three sets of teeth.
Another side note:
I have never doubted that my husband cared about me but when it comes time for gifts he has a hard time. Usually because he waits until the last minute and either buys flowers or something really expensive to make up for having not thought of something I would enjoy. However, this Mother's Day and anniversary I was bombarded with gift certificates for manicures, pedicures, waxing, tanning, facials, massages, and a tropical vacation with ONLY my husband. (looking for babysitters while Eric and I vacation if anyone wants to volunteer) putting all that together I finally asked Eric if he was trying to tell me something. Do I look that unkept? His response, "No I just thought all of those things would make you feel better about yourself. I just want you to feel good and be happy. I think your beautiful just the way you are." Obviously this is in response to my post-baby body complaints. :)Yes, my husband is the best.

Boogity Boogity Boogity.....

Lets go racin' boys! (my best Darrell Waltrip impression) Eric took Ella and Jack to their first race. I stayed home with Kim, John and Ben. It was a good time for Eric to spend with Ella and Jack. It was also the All-Star race. This would mean lots of fun and fireworks. The segments were short so the kids wouldn't get tired of it. They didn't get tired of the race but they were exhausted by 10. They aren't used to being up that late so after arriving, walking in, watching a race, buying shirts, earplugs, cotton candy and cokes, watching some more racing they were worn out. Jack fell asleep in Eric's lap and not long after so did Ella. She woke up and they left when the third segment ended. I am sure Eric was glad that she woke up because the walk to the car carrying two sleeping children would have been torture. They got in about 11:30 and Eric put the kids in bed but they were back up early with stories to tell. They had a blast and today all the kids are running around in their new race shirts.

Tickets to the 25th NASCAR All-Star Race: $150.00
T-shirts: $45.00
Food: $16.50
Memories of the kids first race with their daddy: priceless

5 Years....and one day.

The beginning

Eric and i celebrated our 5th anniversary yesterday. It is unbelievable to think that it has been 5 years. The condensed version of our last five years goes something like this: Wedding, move to Tuscaloosa, school and co-op, move to Auburn, school, move back to Tuscaloosa, school and a new co-op job, my graduation ceremony, Eric moves back to Auburn, another baby on the way, more school, Eric's graduation, FINISHED with school. Eric gets a job, moves to Florida, Ella and I move in with mom and dad. Move to Naples, FL, welcome baby Jack. Eric builds a hospital, we layout on the beach. Another baby on the way, Eric gets a promotion and a vasectomy, move to Boise, ID., welcome baby John. Eric builds a rehab hospital and i have a miscarriage. Move to Raleigh, NC, another miscarriage, another baby on the way, another vasectomy! Eric builds an addition to a psychiatric hospital. Move in with mom and dad, welcome baby Ben, move to Statesville, NC, Eric gets another promotion. Here I sit looking over the cliff notes of my last five years and i have so many memories, the one constant in all of them is my husband. The man who has stood behind beside me for better or worse, for richer or poorer, "for sicker or wellness" (in Eric's words, HA!), 7 moves, four different states, and four beautiful children. Most of those are because of him but i have to say i would follow him anywhere. Though my life is often difficult it makes it easier to have him here to help me. He does such a wonderful job taking care of me. He loves me when i have been in my pajamas all day, dirty hair, covered in food, poop, pee, spit up and any other bodily fluid you can imagine, dirty house, pile of laundry and no dinner made. Those are the bad days when he comes in makes dinner, bathes kids, cleans the kitchen and does the laundry and insists that i go lay down and rest. I am luckier than Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. I think i just might possible be the luckiest woman in the world. Our life together has been quite a trip over the last five years and i know that we have the rest of our lives for it to get even better and i can't think of anyone i would rather spend it with than my best friend, my husband.

Five years later