More July

I had to take a quick stop from updating to fix my blog. I have no clue what happened, but it appears to be fixed. Enjoy the new background!

The first of July was busy with lots of fun things. The boys finished up their last two weeks of preschool ever!! I can't believe it, and yes you will hear me post about how I can't believe my babies are going to school in probably every post until they start school. They had a blast and loved being in the 5 year old class, hopefully this is a good sign for kindergarten. We then went to a birthday party at the fire station! What a great idea for a birthday party. It was fun, free for the parents, and what little boy doesn't love firetrucks? It was a great time!


Mack appropriately in front of the Mack firetruck

Mack turned 10 months old! Yet another, I can't believe my baby is almost 1! It really does seem like yesterday I was pregnant and giving birth. This first year has gone way faster than Cale and Carter's first year. I should have been blogging then. If I did everyone would find it amazing that we had another baby. Times were not tough, but unbearable at times. Our experience with Mack has been much different, completely opposite in every way possible. He is so happy and easy and we are so much more laid back and easy going. I wish we could have been this way with the other boys. Oh well, maybe we are this way because we learned so much from them.

Here is my cutie pie!


Here he is in his new bath seat. He loved it! He had gotten way too big for the infant to "toddler" bathtub. Really what toddler can fit in those things?! I love this seat. We had two with Cale and Carter and we used them until they physically wouldn't fit in it anymore, at about age 2-3.

July 4th (only a month late)

Sorry for the lack of posting in the month of July. It was a crazy and very fast month!! I can't believe it is already August!! Less than a month before my babies start school. Here are some pictures from the 4th. The boys in there festive outfits! Andy says that Mack's outfit is pink and I say it is light red. Please let me know what you think! I love that outfit.

Mack (still standing, I don't think he will ever take that first step!) and Cale

Carter and Cale on their buckets, I did go get them some little chairs after this.

Mack and Andy enjoying the pool. Mack loves to be on Andy's shoulders!

9 Months or So

I totally forgot to post that Mack turned 9 months old on the 16th, well I guess I did post that he was 9 months, but didn't include pictures. It was also mine and Andy's 9th wedding anniversary. This picture was actually taken on the 21st. I really think I have lost so many brain cells it is just not even funny. Mack did have his 9 month check up about week before he turned 9 months. At that check up we discovered that he had gained only 1 pound since his 6 month check! He also had only grown 1 inch! Apparently he decided that he didn't really want to nurse and didn't want any baby food. So we went to table food. He does still eat baby oatmeal and an occasionally jar of Stage 3 baby food. I have also gone to only nursing him in the morning because that is the only time he will nurse. He does get three formula bottles a day, I have not and will not switch him to whole milk until his first birthday. I say that because unbelievably there are people out there that switch their children long before the age of 1 year to whole milk. Do these people not realize the health problems this could cause?! Sorry, but that is a big pet peeve of mine along with turning your child forward facing in the car before the age of 1. These are not crazy mommy things, they are doing what is best for your child and actually it is recommend that they sit rear facing until age 2. Anyways, some days he drinks his bottles good and some days he doesn't. Thanks to my friend Brooke the nutritionist, we have a really great schedule now. Although yesterday for some reason he decided he really didn't want to drink very much. It is so frustrating when he does this! Hoping today he has a better day because when he doesn't drink I totally stress out. He doesn't seem to care and is totally laid back. I hope he stays this way!! I can't believe he is only 2 weeks away from being 10 months old! Where did the time go?! I really don't want Mack to grow up. Some days I really struggle with the fact that this is my last baby. I am really sad that Andy doesn't want any more. I am ready to move on and get back to going to a job that actually makes money one day, but I am loving this time with my babies.

Here he is with his two most favorite toys. I really don't know what he would do with out that penguin!



I made a new crock pot meal the other night and he was in love with it! It was called Scalloped Chicken. It was 4 chicken breasts, 10 oz bag frozen peas, a box of scalloped potatoes and 2 cups water. Put in chicken, scalloped potatoes, potato seasoning, and peas. Then top with water. Cook 4 hours high, 8 hours low. So easy!! Mack loved it!! Andy and I liked it, however I thought it needed some salt and pepper. Carter and Cale barely ate it. Good thing I bought that apple pie to bribe them with.

Yesterday I made country style ribs in the crock pot. Put in ribs and 1 bottle of BBQ sauce, we only us Sweet Baby Rays, and then cooked on high 4 hours. It was fall off the bone goodness!!

Our Garden

Our garden has been doing ok this year. It got off to a pretty decent start only to have high temps reach the 100s and not much rain lately kind of slow things down a bit. We have gotten quite a few cucumbers. I might have picked the wrong kind this year. For some reason they have been really long, like at least a foot, and kind of skinny. They are also really tall plants. We have them in tomato stakes and they are as tall as me! I don't know what kind I got. We have a couple different kinds of squash, some zucchini, jalapenos, bell pepper, egg plant, and tomatoes. All we have got in squash, cucumbers and today Andy picked some peppers. I am so ready to have some tomatoes!!

We also have our fruit trees back this year and better than ever! I have never seen so much fruit on these trees!! There was actually so many apples on one branch that the entire branch broke!! We were very sad to see that happen. I know we probably should have thinned it out and pruned it last year. Last year because of the drought we had maybe one or two apples. I am not exaggerating. This year we have double and the pears are like that too. Usually the squirrels get all the pears and we get a handful, not this year. The tree is still loaded! Does anyone know when to pick the pears? We have never had any on the tree this long. The kids love pears and are so excited about eating them!

First harvest



The apple tree pre-broken limb

The little pears

The garden

Cooking

This week I am really on top of things, or so I think.  I have been cooking supper every night this week!!  That is a major feat for me.  Monday night we had Brinner (breakfast for dinner) with french toast and fresh local fruit.  Tuesday night I felt like mother of year, we had fish sticks.  Yep that's right, right out the box and fries, that were from the freezer section also.  As it turns out one box isn't enough and there were 18 fish sticks in there.  Wednesday night Andy grilled out steak, veggies from the garden and farmers market and corn on the cob, also from the farmers market.  Then tonight I was really proud of myself!  I made homemade lasagna!  It was so yummy!!  Cale had like 5 helpings!  I have had fixed garlic bread (that was bogo last week at HT) and salad.  In case you want to make the lasagna, which you know for me to make has to be incredibly easy, it is the recipe on the back of the Muellers lasagna noodles.  It is that easy.  Just pick up the box, then get the ingredients, then allow your self about an hour and half or so before dinner and start cooking it.  If I can do it then anyone can do it.  I also use the ricotta cheese in mine because I am not a big cottage cheese fan, but it says you can use either one. 

I have also been on top of the dishes, well most of the time.  Although I have fallen a little behind with the laundry, but today I got all caught up.  I have started getting back to my sewing again.  Two weeks ago I had a little accident with the rotary cutter, I nipped the tip of my thumb.  It is just now feeling almost normal.  Still a little tingly.  Don't you know it had to happen at 9 at night.  Luckily we have some great friends and neighbors that watched the boys so that Andy could rush me to the Urgent care before it closed at 9:30.  I have now made a new policy not to sew after 8:30 unless I have just had a huge cup of regular coffee. 

I am busy sewing getting ready for the Designers Downtown Market in Raleigh on July 17th.  Please come out, if you are local, or spread the word!  Last time I was very very disappointed with the turn out.  I didn't do even half as good as I have in past, but it wasn't because I just didn't have many sales, it was because there really wasn't the crowd there that is usually there.  I was really bummed and it was hot and windy.  I am hoping for nice weather, although I am sure it will be hot, and a really good turn out.  Spread the word!!!  I am going to have some really good deals going on!!!

Mack on the Go

Mack's pictures of him on the go.

Crawling


Andy flipped him over the other day and after only one time he started doing this!

No Hands! Here he is not holding on! I tried to get a better picture, but it was hard with just me since he kept wanting to lunge for the camera

And the return of the Superyard aka Baby Jail
This is me improvised jail, but I have the feeling he is going to figure out how to get out of this one before long.

On the Move

One more post for today...

Mack is totally on the move and ready to even walk!  Last week he started really crawling, like on hands and knees.  Before that he was doing this really weird and slow belly, army crawl thing.  Well now he is really going.  I had to put the baby jail back up, tomorrow I promise I will have pictures.  I had to work it in differently than when Cale and Carter were babies.  They had each other and didn't feel so lonely.  Mack sat and played while I put it around him yesterday and then about 15 mins later he noticed...he was trapped!  I only did it because I had to get dinner ready and he always go straight for the floor lamp and my very old glass case that his brothers never touched.  I know, no one has to say it this kid is going to be TROUBLE! 

He has pretty much perfected standing and not holding on.  He does fall, but while standing he can chew on his fists and pick his fave penguin up and swing him around, I will have to post pictures of this as the penguin is almost as big as Mack and has a plastic bottom.  Today I really thought Mack was going to take a step.  I know it won't be long.  Cale and Carter were 15 months before they walked.  I was only 10 months, so I guess Mack is going to be fast just like his mommy, ha ha. 

He is also on table food now.  Still no teeth, which the other boys had two by nine months.  He will still eat some baby food, but he loves table food.  He ate a whole banana today!  He loves, the dole fruit cups, green beans, chicken, carrots, pretty much any fruit or veggie.  I gave him toast yesterday and as soon as it hit his mouth he gagged!!  I do the same thing when plain bread hits my mouth.  He doesn't really like any bread, which I remember the other ones didn't either at first.  I am just shocked that he doesn't like waffles.   Although once again I think his brothers were the same. 

I am really sad that he is now 9 months old and growing so fast!  I feel like he is already getting that toddler attitude.  I love him so much, as well as his spunky brothers!!  I know I do complain about needing a break  a lot, especially now that school is out, but I really do feel so blessed.  Being a mom is a really awesome experience and I am so thankful I was given the privileged to be one. 

As for Cale and Carter, they are still asking 900 questions a day.  About 400 of those are the same question just asked a different way.  By 5:30 I am about ready to scream, sometimes by 8:30 in the morning just depends on the day and they amount of coffee I have had!  They are in their first week of VBS and are surprisingly loving it.  I didn't have anyone refuse to go in, I fully expected Carter to refuse.  They have made crafts and told me they did the motions to the songs.  Oh how I wish I could be a fly on the wall in their class.  They are doing great at reading!  I am so proud to hear them sound words out at the store or where ever we are at.  I am just so amazed at how anyone learns to read!  Sounds silly, but I always thought that seemed like a hard thing to teach.  Andy has done a great job at teaching them, he he not their mother who was a language arts teacher.  Cale shows a lot more interest than Carter, but Carter will definitely bust out something intelligent when you least expect it.  Those kids are like crazy sponges!  I love it!!  I am one proud momma!! 

Our summer is really flying by and then my big babies will be kindergartners and my little baby will be in MMO.  Everyday I remind myself that this will be over in a flash and I need to enjoy even the hard days.