10 months!

In the business of life, the babies suddenly became 10 months old!  Yipes!  How can they be almost a year already?!?  To celebrate, mommy forgot completely but life went on;)

The babies right after the "official 10 month" day- we had a lovely bbq with friends & babies did awesome!

The girls playing with hat strings- I love how they interact with each other!  They are very girly together and I think they will be such good friends as they grow.

Earlier on the same day, Jenna went to her friend Reagan's birthday party and had a blast! 

The day before, Jenna's school had a field trip to a local horse farm.  She loved it!

I am totally loving get-togethers where the kids outnumber adults!

You might ask, Becky, why have you been distracted (besides the usual)?   Well, our family hit a milestone this past week...

Hello, Graduate!

Our *baby* graduated--- from Pre-School!  I thought I would not be emotional over this, but when she came home on her last day of school with a graduation hat in her bag & she placed it on her head, tears welled up in my eyes and I realized just how fast time flies!  She then, like a good little girl, started to re-assure me by saying, "It's OK, mom... I will still be your little girl even when I graduate".  
<Sob sob!!!>
Andy and I are so proud of her and thank God daily for the gift of Jenna in our life.  Grandma & Grandpa also came to watch the ceremony:

The kids performing a song for the audience.  Jenna is front & center.  It was so cute!

So now we officially have a Kindergartener!

And the babies?  They are getting more and more independent by the day!  The days feel busier and busier too, which is ironic because I thought with their growing independence I would have more "time", but nnnnnnnnno. Quite the opposite, let me assure you!

First of all, they are very serious about being busy.  Below is what our living room looks like these days, but to maintain realism also picture it gated in on both sides, toys everywhere, babies getting stuck under toys & crawling over one-another, a puddle or two of spit-up, the smell of poop in the air, Jenna picking them up haphazardly, Curious George on TV, and me frantically doing what needs to be done next.  And that scenario is just at 8:15 am!

It never looks this clean.  This is after all are asleep & I have cleaned up & sanitized the mats.

Seriously- they change daily!  Here is where the babies are today:

A typical feed.  The boys are nice & neat- because they don't like to pick up & eat food!  Hannah is ready to jump out of the highchair she is so happy over food.  Lauren is messy & happy.  The floor?  ugh.  Don't get me started.

HANNAH is the fastest crawler in the Mid-West.  We now have the play room gated but if we leave the gate open, don't you know there is a happy little escapee on the loose.  She likes to steal toys and is mesmerized with every finding.  She is dangerously close to pulling herself to stand and is so proud of her endeavors.

A typical Happy Hannah Face.  That girl has such a zest for life!

"Oh Lauren, what a pretty bow you have!  It's just like mine!"

"STRAWBERRIES!!!  YEAH!"

Hannah loves all. kinds. of. food!!!  She is like Jenna was at that age- ravenous for "people" food, and just can't get enough.  With Jenna, we simply fed her cut-up portions of what we ate for dinner.  However, since others are not as in love with food as she is (ahem... brothers), we can't realistically do that every night.  I fear we have about a week before she boycotts spoon feeds in general.  Tonight, she fussed like crazy as we ate dinner so I sat her down & fed her portions of our pork & potatoes- which she LOVED.  She then ate her fair share of the regular babies meal, too.  Hungry girl.

Hannah does not babble much, but she is very animated and gasps, giggles, and "ooohhhh's" a lot.  She is a happy girl and still a spark-plug, and we love her so very much!

TANNER

"Yo.  Whats up.  This is my serious face."  

Tanner does a mean army crawl.  Although I work with him to get that belly off the floor, he really is not interested.  I mean, why would he when he can army crawl almost as fast as Hannah?  He can be so serious but mama can ALWAYS get a special smile from her boy.  I love it!

Tanner's reflux is kept at bay with Prevacid and he still does not like food with texture.  I try to offer him a variety of foods in a nonchalant way, and the looks he gives me are hilarious.  He is slowly getting textures down:  he will take ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, and level 3 chunky baby food, but is not at all interested in picking something up with his fingers and placing it in his mouth.  Yet.  Tonight I did sneak a teeny piece of pork in his mouth and he did not throw up.  So let's call that progress.

Tanner is not much for babbling yet.  He will coo & say "hi" and "hey" (not sure if it's purposeful or not) but he is a smartie.  I know he is figuring things out in that handsome head of his, so I just continue to model lots of sounds & give him opportunities to grow.  I am so glad I am a pediatric OT and these are not my first children, because it helps me not worry so much.  I am doing all I can-- and I am confident he will get it in his own time!

LAUREN

Lauren doing her "scrunchy face".  It is Trademark Lauren: she scrunches her nose and breathes in & out fast all the time, just because!

Lauren is our little talker.  She just recently started babbling, and I love hearing her sing "dadadadada" and other sounds!  When I talk to her & make sounds, she looks intently at my mouth as if thinking, "Hmmm... if I put my lips like that I could say 'pa' too!".  She is so smart & sweet.

Lauren can roll anywhere really, really fast but she is also starting to realize there are other modes of mobility.  She is learning to get up a little more off her belly & move in that prone position.  She also watches the others for tips, I think.  Lauren has made such gross & fine motor progress in the past 2 months that I am certain she will be crawling soon!

Lauren likes solid foods and is learning to eat at a regular pace.  She gets as much food on the floor as she does in her mouth sometimes, but she is exploring and liking the foods she tries.  Tonight she enjoyed the pork & potatoes, but she also gummed & rolled the food in her mouth for a while before swallowing it as if to savor it (vs. Hannah, who I think just inhales & swallows).

TYLER

Tyler may be a little peanut, but he crawls, creeps, and scoots anywhere.  He also does a mean "downward dog" and will bear crawl too.  He is very fast at getting around and was also my first to successfully transition from tummy to sitting!  What a motor boy!

Tyler, like Tanner, is not a big talker or babbler but he LOVES to scream and laugh.  Man, that boy giggles.  He just cracks himself up!  And, if you hear a high-pitched scream just for the heck of it, chances are it was Tyler.  He gurgles and coos but is not too interested in saying mama or dada... yet.  Food-wise Tyler is like Tanner, but every day he seems to tolerate more.  He can eat some textures and he also did not puke everything up after I snuck a small piece of pork in his mouth tonight.  So, yeah.  Progress!

So that is what's new.  I can't believe the babies are almost a year old and I need to start planning a birthday party for 5!  (Jenna's BD is the day after the babies, so it will be busy).  I am hoping the nasty mosquitos get better soon, because they are putting a serious damper on walks lately.  Hannah has 6 bites on her face right now!  Vampires.  They must think she is sweet, too!

Have a wonderful Memorial Weekend!
Hugs!

Becky

Who needs toys?

My favorite thing for the babies to do after we eat is have a "social time".  Really, this is a fancy way of saying I need to keep the babies contained while I clean up!  Plus, after the boys eat they really should be upright for a while because of the reflux, so there are multiple reasons why I love doing this.  

Most of the time I clean them up, push them all together, and throw some toys on the trays in hopes they stay at least a few minutes before all landing on the ground (seriously, the other day I taped bead necklaces to the trays & attached all toys to the beads... and they still managed to get all the toys on the ground in 10 minutes!).

The other day I was bored with the regular toys, and then I realized--- hey!  I have lots of "toys" for them that are free and easily accessible--- in the kitchen!  Oh, what fun they had!

Who knew cookwear could be so much fun?!?

Hugs!

Becky

Happy Mothers Day!

Last Mothers Day, all I hoped & prayed for was to bring 4 healthy babies into this world to join their big sister Jenna.

Last year around Mothers Day (20 weeks along)

Last year's Mothers Day brunch with my mother-in-law Karen, sister-in-law Wendy & her girls, Jenna & I

One year later, Praise Jesus, I have five healthy and thriving children.  Thank you Lord!!!

Jenna & the babies at their 9 month check-up.  Everyone is doing great!

In the daily grind of life, I can get so bogged down with things I feel I need to do: clean up messes, change diapers, do laundry, make meals, prepare bottles, kiss boo-boo's, wash dishes, vacuum floors, feed family... that I need to often force myself to stop, lift my eyes to Heaven, and thank God so much for these "daily chores"...

... because these are what Distinctly make me what I am SOOOOO thankful to be today:  a Mommy.

I am so richly blessed beyond words.  

A Happy Mother I am.  Whether you are a mother or not, please celebrate the moms you know in your life.  It will put a smile on their faces!

Hugs!

Becky

p.s.  
Mom, I love and appreciate you more than words can say!  Happy Mothers Day to the woman who taught me what it looks like to trust in & lean on God.  You taught me what it looks like to shine love on your family and care for them unconditionally no matter what the circumstances.  I was TERRIBLE my teen years.  And you still loved me so much.  Because of you, I can pour that faith & love into the next generation.  Thank you mom, so much.  I love you.

My mom holding me as a baby (Hair & glasses were really cool like this in 1979)

Mom is an amazing and hands-on grandma to all the grandkids, including the newest batch!

Outdoor Fun!

What beautiful weather we have been having!  Finally!!!!!

Yesterday was sunny & 80 degrees, and I figured I needed to introduce the babies to green grass.  When I had Jenna feel grass the first time when she was about 9 months old, she was NOT a fan:

Flashback picture: Jenna sitting in grass the first time.  She did not like the prickly green stuff at all!!!

I thought the babies might react the same way, but they all LOVED the grass and being outside!  I had to quickly rig a system for shade using a blanket and highchairs:

At first, some were skeptical:

Tanner feeling grass for the first time

Hannah grabbing a piece of grass: she later shoved it in her mouth and approved of the green stuff.

Feeling it out...

Lauren is curious...

"We think we like it, mom!"

Notice how we have 4 independent sitters now?  Yeah, babies!!!!  Hannah, Tyler, Lauren & Tanner are so proud of this new skill and (some) are even thinking about crawling next.  Craziness.

In no time, the babies were enraptured by the cool green grass and the beautiful warm outdoors!

Lauren & Tanner liked rolling in & feeling the soft green grass!

Tyler & Lauren

Handsome Tanner caught with a dimply smile 

What a happy, handsome little boy Tyler is!

 Our Cutie Pie Lauren

Hope you get to enjoy something new, exciting & beautiful this Spring, too!

Hugs!

Becky