Playing catch up...

Ok, well I haven't been blogging like I would like to.  I can't seem to find the extra time.  I have been busy with other things as you can imagine.  I like to think that my blog is a type of journaling that one day the kids can look back at and read.  I got way behind with my scrapbooking though, and it has taken all my time to get up to date with that.  I always just did a scrapbook for each child (so I did two).  Now, I have been scrapbooking for the girls, Jaren, Ellie and I do a big family book.  So now I have been trying to keep up with 5 at once.

I want to get back into blogging though because it helps keep my extended family up to date.  All though, if you are my Facebook friend, you will probably get the most updates and pictures.
Also, I have had requests to go public again. Im not as worried about someone stealing my newborn anymore.

So, lets see what I need to catch up on.

Ellie is getting a lot bigger.  She is such a happy baby now.  Ever since she started eating real food, so is so much better.  Also, we FINALLY let her cry it out at night to learn to go to sleep herself.  Greg's parents came to visit and his mom convinced us to do it!  I thought it would be so hard to listen to her cry for hours and hours, but she was still waking me up at least twice in the night.  So, one weekend when it was just her at home, we decided to do it.  She cried for about 20 minutes and that was it.  Then about 5 the next night.  And now she is our sleeping champ!!!  If we would have known it would be that easy, we would have done it months ago!  She sleeps about 11 hours a night now!
She has two teeth now.  She is not interested in learning to crawl at all.  She has started to stand up against toys, so we think she might just start walking.  :)

Jaren is getting bigger and talking a lot more.  We can actually carry on conversations with him now and he tells us all kinds of stuff.  He still loves hanging out with his big sisters.  The 3 of them love playing and doing everything together.  But he is also very sweet with Ellie, he calls her "Baby Ellie" he likes to make sure that she is taken care of.  He is defiantly a daddy's boy though.  He loves having daddy throw him around, tickle him, chase him and snuggle with him.  He cries just about every time that Greg has to drop him back off and keeps saying, "Daddys house, Daddys house."

The big girls started school and are both doing great.  They didn't have any friends in their class this year so it was like starting all over.  They both like their teachers though.  Both girls are signed up for gymnastics again.  Kaden also goes to achievement  day activities and Brylie has joined the city soccer team.

I have just been staying home.  I babysit an almost 2 year old girl three days a week.  We spend our time playing, reading, coloring, going on walks to the park, and playing in the backyard.  Then when its nap time, its cooking and cleaning time.

We really have been so blessed.  Our lives couldn't get much better then this.  We have 4 awesome kids and love the great family times that we get to share together.

 The first day of school

 First time at the Circus!

My handsome boys

6 months

Ellie turned 6 months and of course we got her pictures taken!

 Our sweet girl

 You can see her first tooth

 With her favorite blanket that Gma Kelli made

Our favorite pic!

Photo Shoot

We had our first professional photo shoot with the whole family.  The photographer did a great job.  She took 99 pics!!  The kids did great.  I though pictures with a new baby and a toddler would be a disaster...but they turned out great!

Here are some of my favorites:

3 months old!

Ellie is 3 months old!  We have a doctors check up next week and I will post how big she is getting.  She LOVES being talked to and smiles all the time!  We cant imagine our lives without her!

We love you Ellie!

job shadow day.

Last week the girls school had job shadow day.  The girls were allowed to go to work for the day with someone from their family and be excused from school.  Both Greg and Matt's work do not allow children in their facilities.  Most of my other family members work in the medical field, which I didnt think would be appropriate.  So, I asked the girls if they would like to job shadow ME!


I feel bad that since the baby has been born, there are times when I have to tell the girls they have to wait until I am done doing whatever with her before I can help them with what they need.  Sometimes if the baby cries right in the middle of us doing something, their time gets cut short.  They have complained sometimes about this, and I try to explain that they  had their turns as babies and now it is Ellie's turn to be first to get my attention.  Also, some days when they get home from school I am so tired that I dont have the energy left to do all that they want me to do!


I thought this would be a great teaching opportunity for them to see what I really do on a daily basis.


The girls were told that if they stayed home and didnt do the things that I did, started complaining, or wanted to give up, that they would be taken back to school.


They both decided to job shadow me!


We were up about a half our later then normal (bc the baby slept in!) We got up and I taught the girls how to make a bottle.  One of them fed Ellie while the other fed a baby doll.  Then I burped Ellie while they both burped their babies.  They were complaining about being hungry and I pointed out that when your a mom you have to take care of everyone else first!


Then we ate breakfast. After that we started some laundry, folded some clothes that were done the day before,  loaded the dishwasher, and those type of things.


Then I told the girls we had to plan what we wanted for dinner.  They decided to make tacos.  We listed all the ingredients we would need.  We fed our babies again and got dressed and ready to go to Walmart to get our ingredients. (We also went through our coupons and the ads to see what was on sale that we needed.)


We went to JCPenny first b/c I was looking for outfits for the girls to wear in our next family picture soon.  We found some.  Then we went to Walmart.  Brylie was tired of walking before we even got there.  I told her mommies have to walk and push the cart!  I gave in after a while and let her get in b/c I could tell how tired she was.  


We got our groceries....we were there for like an hour!


While we were shopping, this couple asked me a question and I talked to them.  Kaden said, "why do moms get to talk to strangers."  I  told her that when your older you can talk to strangers in a store because you should be safe.  She said, "Oh, no one wants to kidnap mommies?"


We came home and Ellie had a screaming fit, where she cried for about 20 mins.  The girls were frustrated to have to stay in the same room as her and her that.


When school time was over I told the girls that they could go play for a while, but they would have to help me make dinner when it was time.


We made our tacos, and it was time to start our evening routine and get ready for bed.


I dont think the girls had fun at all.  It was hard for them to sit still and feed there babies.  Brylie would set her doll down and tell me she needed to go grab something real fast and I would tell her no, she cant do that.  She said she would take her baby and feed her while she got the thing.  I told her that you cant feed the baby and be doing things because you dont have enough hands.


The funny quotes of the day were:


"I wish you worked at Schlitterbohn(a waterpark) testing all the rides" -Kaden


"I don't want to go back to school but I wish your job was more fun." -Kaden

2 months

Ellie Update

Ellie is 2 months old now.  She is so precious.  We have put her on soy-formula and it has made a world of difference for her.  She no longer cries everytime she eats.  We have taken her off the acid reflux medicine, this seems to be the answer.

She is awake a lot more during the day and has started sleeping from about 10 pm to 7am with only one feeding in the night.  It is a lot better then waking up every three hours.  Although, it is still not a whole nights sleep without interuption....but we will get there.

She is smiling up a storm these days and even has a "giggle" that is her sucking in air and sounding so excited.  She loves watching her siblings.  Kaden has been a big helper and will watch her so I can shower when they get home from school!  She is great at feeding Ellie her bottle, but she has yet to try changing a diaper :)

CELEBRATION TIME!

Gregory is Cancer-Free!

We had a suprise party for Greg when he got the news from his doctor that he is officially cancer-free.  The girls, Taylor, Nic and cousin Kari decorated the house while we were out.  It looked amazing!  There was crate paper and balloons everywhere!  Greg really was suprised.  We had an ice cream cake and then played games.