This week has been a little of a downer. Mackenzie was sick with fever and cold Monday, but I couldn't stay home with her since my boss was also out of the office, so she stayed home with Caitlyn. Yesterday I wasn't feeling well either so I stayed home with her. I did get a lot accomplished around the house which was good, but probably didn't rest as much as maybe i should have, so don't feel too much better today - but hey, I get to go home to a cleaned basement, mopped floors, clean bathrooms, and laundry being done! And we made Mackenzie's new blanket for school. Ughh, I'm just no good at that being sick and laying around all day. Believe me, I wish I could. See, now today if I had been home I maybe could have been lazy, because I would feel like the other stuff wasn't sitting there just waiting to be done. I remember the days when I could literally not move from my chair/couch ALL day - but those days are long gone, I think that being a mother literally rewired me!
Monday night Mackenzie had her "Meet the teacher" night. I'm not so sure about all of this. She starts school on Monday and it is taking everything I have not to pull her out and just keep her at Nany's. It makes me sick to my stomach to just think about. And then on top of it, Austin has started sleeping through the night, and Turner did great on Monday and Tuesday without his Sissy at Nany's with him. Sure, you're probably thinking that this is great news, and while I do admit yes it is, it pulls at every heart string that I have that all my babies are growing up, and of course all at once. So I'm telling Aaron all this today and he was like "we still have Austin, he's a baby" Yeah right, the kid is almost crawling, doesn't wake up in the middle of the night and is starting to eat table food - heck he's half way on his way to college already! lol Aaron just laughed and said "Oh goodness, we aren't done yet are we?!" Well, I couldn't give him a final answer, but I do know for sure I'm going to have to find some little babies to love on soon - but not to the point that they have to be mine - I'll take any babies I can get a hand on! Oh, and Mackenzie is pretty weary of school - she flip flops back and forth between being ok with it and then not wanting to go. Don't worry, I keep on the happy face in front of her, and try to not let her smell my own fears coming through.
Last night after we had dinner, we decided to make some cookies so she could take cookies to Nany's today. I think they turned out pretty good. And the kids had a blast!

This is my attempt to give Mackenzie (and me) a security blanket for school. She has to take one for nap time, so I took her to the store with me and let her pick out any fabric she wanted. Shocker that she picked Dora! But my hope is that every day when she lays down for nap time she will think of us makig this blanket together and think about how much her mommy loves her and it will be her happy thought before she drifts off to sleep.

Who says you have to wait till Christmas to decorate sugar cookies...we'll find a reason anyday!

Camping Trip

So we did decide to go camping Saturday and it was wonderful. We went up to Cuiver River state park which is only about 20 minutes from home. I wish I would have taken a picture of the van at some point, we were packed up more than we were for the trip to Michigan, but we all fit and it was worth any effort it took, which really wasn't that much. You know what I love about camping - the fact that it takes us 15 minutes to walk up to the bathroom and back - and I don't mind one bit!

This was yesterday morning before we started packing up to head home. We left at about 1 on Saturday and got home about 11 yesterday.

The kids fixing dinner on Saturday night. They LOVED the campfire hot dogs and both kids ate 2 1/2 hot dogs!!

In case anyone wondered, a pack-n-play fits wonderfully in the tent!

Grandpy and Grandma Pat drove up Saturday night and spent a little over an hour with us. They brought KFC. So I had bagged up all of the stuff after we were done but still had it sitting on the table, and after the kids were in bed Caitlyn, Aaron and I were sitting around the campfire and heard some loud ruckus over by the table. We got out the flashlight and saw a HUGE Raccoon that had come by to get the scraps. All night long we were sweeping the perimeter with the flashlight!

We took along the training potty since we didn't know how far we would be from bathrooms and of course little kids never say they have to go until they have to go "Right now". Ended up being a very smart decision (and came in handy that night once I started drinking! - now that would have been a funny picture!)

We brought along a few modern conveniences. This was Austin's first camping trip. He didn't quite know what to think of it all, but he loved it and did great. I'm so glad that we don't let having a baby keep us from these kind of activities.

So Friday night we went out to eat with our friends and had a great time. Thanks guys, we should do it more often. Then Saturday was spent camping. And yesterday I got in a good nap and took Mackenzie school supply shopping.

The camping was SOO wonderful. I just can't say enough about it. There is something so relaxing about not having anything else to do or places to be. I am fine with the boring silence that camping entails, I don't need to have stuff going on around me all the time. I didn't do breakfast on the fire because I was worried that it would just feel like too much with Austin and then having to do dishes, etc. But next time we will, I mean when there is NOTHING else that you need to be doing or taking your attention away, it is amazing how much time you have on your hands. I did a little reading, took long walks with the kids, sat and had long conversations with my husband - basically I was in HEAVEN. I kept telling everyone thank you so much for the best present they could ever give me. I think we may go back this weekend if it isn't raining.

YIPPEEE

I think we've decide that we are going camping this weekend. That ensures some great pictures and memories from the weekend, so stay tuned for Monday!

7 months old already??

Look at that neck!

My little Monkey!

Aren't they sweet!

"Look mom, I think I'm ready for the tight rope next!"

My little baby is 7 months old today....oh now, where has the time gone.

This little video shows you just how close he is to crawling. He sure gets around, that's for sure. So since he is getting so old now, I figured it was about time I stopped coddling him so much and started making him sleep through the night. Yes he has still been getting at least 1 feeding in the middle of the night, but I guess I've been a little reluctant to give it up myself. Sure I'd like to get the whole night of sleep, but then that means he doesn't need me anymore in the middle of the night. And this could be the last time I ever have a baby that needs to eat in the middle of the night :( I know people call me crazy, but it is hard on me. But I figure I'm creating my own monster so I better nick it in the butt now. So I called in the daddy troop. This whole week if Austin wakes up I have Aaron go in and offer him a bottle of water and put him back to bed. I didn't want to go cold turkey. He depends on me to come comfort him when he cries, if we just didn't go in there at all then I felt like he would feel abandoned and like I was being untrustworthy. (I know what you're all thinking right now...crazy!) So I figured this way he would still know that we were there for him, but that he couldn't have food. And I knew if I went in there it would get him more upset if I didn't feed him because that is what he would be expecting, and then he would give me those little puppy dog eyes that said "mommy, just one little sip" and then I would give and we'd be right back at square one. And I figured it wouldn't hurt Aaron to have to get up at night for a little while since I've been doing it for 7 months! lol So anyways, we've been doing this for the whole week and last night he slept through the night until 5:20 this morning. I'm not calling it success right now, might have just been a fluke, but at least it all seems to be working for us all right now. Now if I could just get those other two in their own beds for the whole night.......that'll have to be phase 2! They always want to sleep in their special bed, the blanket on the floor next to our bed, but mommy and daddy are going to have to find a "special bed" before long since there are always kids in the room! lol

So tonight we are going out to eat with some friends. The kids are going to a Parent's-night-out thing at a church, so we all have 2 1/2 hours to ourselves. I heard FREE babysitting and there was no having to talk me in to it! Yeap, the church offers free babysitting for a night, and they basically have like a 1 night Vacation Bible School. Mackenzie is so excited to be going with all of her friends (Becca, Kevin, Mason) and Turner is SOOOO excited that he is big enough to go to "school" this time too. Then afterwards i think Mackenzie and Becca are going to have a sleepover. This weekend is supposed to be really nice weather so we are going to get out and do something with the kids. Maybe we will finally make it to our annual Grant's Farm trip!
Tuesday we had Mackenzie's gymnastics and I decided to do a trial class for Turner to see if he was ready (they normally don't let them start the preschool class without parents until they are 3). Well, he kept wanting to come out to tell me what he was doing, and then when I told him I could go in there he wanted to be able to back with Sissy, and when i told him he wasn't old enough he lost it, so apparently even though he could physically do everything, he is not there maturity level wise. Which is no surprise since his gross motor movement has always been ahead of his speech, etc.

Well, you know that Aaron and i go back and forth on the more babies thing, neither of us is excited about the pregnancy part of it. I wouldn't mind being pregnant if it wasn't for the 18 weeks of feeling awful and the 45 lb weight gain, but both of those are pretty unavoidable, so who knows. But I did make 1 small step today to this being our last, I got an appointment with a plastic surgeon. WHOA, settle down, I'm not going to be doing anything soon, a year away at the very earliest, but I want to get an opinion on a tummy tuck and getting those permanent "wow my milk just came in" parts! lol Mostly I want a doctor's opinion on whether I am a good candidate for the tummy tuck or if I just need to get off my lazy butt and loose more weight and try to get more muscle, or whether all the working out in the world won't ever get my stomach to something that I can look at without being completely grossed out. I feel like I'm at a pretty decent weight, granted I'd still like to loose another 10 or so, but my stomach is still just HUGE - what's the deal?!! So the end of this month I'm going to go in and hear what he has to say.
So about the kids these days....
Mackenzie: My little baby is going to be starting school in less than 2 weeks. Granted is is pre-K and not Kindergarten, but this will pretty much be her first day of school. I'm certain that I am more anxious about it than her. I know that she will miss being at Nany's, but she will thrive being at school. She is still the best big sister ever. She really takes Turner and Austin under her wing. There are plenty of times that I see her with her arm around Turner telling him it is ok when he is upset, or laying on the floor with Austin and pulling him on top of her to play. She is also getting so grown up in the things she says, just makes me laugh all the time. Last night I was telling Turner to get away from the steps so he didn't fall down them, and when he asked why, Mackenzie piped in that "You could go to heaven before all of us, and you would wake up and be like where am I and you would be like Oh I'm in Heaven and I don't know where everyone else is because we would all still be here and you would be in heaven all by yourself. you don't want to go to heaven before all of us do you". OK, so I was telling him to get away from the stairs for safety, but I guess this could have happened too?! And the other day Turner yelled at me and she turned to him and said "Mom what's that word you always say...whatchyaself" Oh nothing like experience life through the eyes of children!
Turner: My little monster child - but the sweetest little thing ever all at the same time. I am constantly amazed by him and taken off guard. He has actually been listening a little better since I've been making a conscious effort to stay very calm with him. i think that when I yell or have the sound of desperation in my voice (which can be often with him) that he knows that he's got me. When I stay calm he thinks i still have control and listens pretty well. I would never say that Turner is a bad kid, just exhausting, but he is a really good kid. His big thing right now are trains and dinosaurs. He has his dino costume from last Halloween and wears it around "Rar"ing all the time. He is talking really well lately. I should probably start paying the kid money since he is my primary source of entertainment throughout the night.
Austin: Oh I'll never say i have favorites, but if I could play God and build a child from scratch, there isn't a thing I would change about him. All moms (and dads) now how we secretly like when our children are a little sick and they get that "sick cuddly", you know, where they just melt in to your hold, well that is how Austin lets you love on him all the time. I put my mouth on his cheek to kiss it and he just leans in to it until I'm done. It is hard to ever want to put the kid down since he is SOOO lovable. he is very close to crawling. He is SUCH a faker about his crying. He can be completely fine and if he sees my shadow walk across the room, his breaks out in full fledged crying and pokes out his lower lip so far, then of course as soon as I pick him up or pay attention to him directly he give me a big pout with that lip like he is saying "see how sad I am mom" and then he goes to full smiles. His laugh is so contagious, it is still the full body laugh that makes every bad thing in your day automatically disappear. And he gives away those smiles and laughs for free to anyone who asks.
I sure love those little kiddos :) Wouldn't trade or change them for the world.

Ughh, is it already Monday again?? This weekend feels like it was such a waste. Friday night Aaron got back in to town. His plane was supposed to be in at 9, but got delayed until 11. Which meant me loading the kids up late to take them to the airport and so no one got to bed until after midnight. Of course my children don't sleep in no matter what time they get to bed, so it was an early morning. Saturday morning I took the kids out with me shopping while Aaron was sleeping to get a birthday gift and get the kids new shoes. Then we came home and had to get ready for a birthday party for the kids. It was at The Little Gym. I have been thinking about putting Turner in a gymnastics class since his class would be at the same time as Mackenzie's, but the class usually is for 3 year olds so I was worried about how he would do. Well the party on Saturday completely convinced me that he is ready. The kid has no fear, and has a un-humanlike control over his body. I figure gymnastics will help him advance in any sport he does since it teaches muscle control. I think Aaron was in a little culture shock from coming from a week of hanging out with friends, to a home full of 3 overly tired super clingy kids and he didn't feel good on top of it all. Just a little of a transition period for everyone. By Sunday we were all starting to get used to each other again. My mom and littlest sister were up for dinner so I made us all something to eat. Not much more than that this weekend. So now here it is Monday and I feel like a whole weekend was wasted. Oh well, no use wishing I had done it differently.

Austin is so close to crawling. He gets up on his hands and knees and rocks. He's getting the motor going, almost ready for take-off!!!

Here is Mackenzie's official t-ball picture for this year. I think it turned out so cute (of course). They only have 1 game left, I can't belive it. They called themselves the Rhinos since they were gray - us parents tried to go for "Grey Goose", but that didn't fly (no pun intended, hehe) Then I think we have a few weeks off until the fall session of soccer starts up. She is pretty excited about soccer starting again.

Daddy comes home tonight!!! Tomorrow we have a birthday party for the kids, but nothing else planned for the weekend. I'm sure Aaron wants to spend some special time with his TIVO and TV remote. I don't think I watched a single show while he was out of town. I think I've reached a point where really I wish we didn't even have a TV. Well, maybe a little one downstairs or something for when we wanted to watch a movie or let the kids watch a cartoon, but it just seems like extra noise in the living room. But I'd have a divorce on my hands if I ever removed the TV from the living room, so I guess it can stay! lol

Anyways, hope everyone has a great weekend. BTW, I think we are tentatively planning another BBQ for the 16th, so stay tuned.