Patrick - 9 months

Patrick is 9 months old today! I unofficially weighed him on our scale this morning and he was 20lbs 3oz. His 9 month appointment is next Thursday so I will get the official weight and his length then.

Patrick is a very happy baby. He truly laughs more often than he cries. Both Lily and Jamison are pros at making him bust out laughing.

As you can see, he has some teeth. He has four on the bottom, four on the top, and some more must be trying to poke through this week because he is leaving a path of drool and snot everywhere he goes.

He has been active for a few months - rolling or scooting around on the floor. Often, if I left him on the floor to make a quick trip out of the room, I'd return to a game of "where is the baby?" Here he is hiding underneath the bed. Luckily I was able to follow his toys to find him.

One of his favorite places to roll was under his excersaucer. I think he liked playing with it from a different perspective.

And then earlier this month he started crawling. I loved the look he had of "finally! I figured it out!" Ever since then he has been moving all over. Lily and Jamison have been quizzed numerous times on what items Patrick could choke on and have somewhat learned to put those things away. It's tough for Jamison, though.

Another thing that's tough for Jamison isrealizing that Patrick can touch Jamie's toys. Patrick knows exactly what to grab in order to get a reaction from Jamie. I frequently have to remind Jamison that there is no "my toy" or "his toy" or "her toy" in our house. I own them all and I share them with all three of them. He's not a fan of that philosophy.

You might notice Patrick's amazing yoga abilities. This is downward dog. He also has great form doing the plank position. Or is that pilates? Either way, he's really good at it.

Yes, I know what you're up to. But go ahead, Jamie isn't home.

And if I am in the kitchen cooking, I keep forgetting that he can follow me. It's a little unnerving looking into the next room to check on him only to see he's sitting right behind me.

I can't believe there are only 3 months left of his first year. He still seems so much like a baby to me. Soon, Brian will have to lower the mattress on the crib. I walked in to get him this morning and he was kneeling in bed looking over the edge. The pride that he felt with that accomplishment overshadowed that twinge in my heart that told me he is getting big, quickly.

Another Post! This Could Be A Trend!

Here are just some random pictures of the past few weeks:

My birthday cake. Brian took me out to dinner while Miss Sarah watched the kids. They decided to decorate a cake for me but we were out of frosting. Of course, we have plenty of decorative icing. Lily ALLOWED Jamison to have the lower left hand portion. Please notice the portrait she drew of me in the upper right hand corner.

Last week we had a trade show in Nashville. Since my sister lives there we took the whole family down. During the trade show (Sunday-Tuesday) Kristen and my mom watched all five kids.

Here are me and Brian working. I'm sitting down because I got DEATHLY ill the second night of the trade show and the next day I had to take it very easy in order to survive. It was not pretty. On a positive note, I lost 2 lbs!!

And if you couldn't tell, our booth had a golf theme. We showed Caddyshack and Happy Gilmore while potential customers played a putting game. The winner won...a putter. So exciting.

The day after the trade show Kristen and Brian took the kids to the zoo. I had to stay at home with Patrick or else my body would have zero capacity to travel the next day. The plague that attacked me was not in a playing mood and if I dared to push myself it would have pushed right back. Both Brian and Lily took pictures of the zoo trip.

This is Jamison's "cool guy" pose. We have no idea where he got this. Maybe The Electric Company? PBS is such an evil influence.

Lily took pictures of the zoo for a book she decided to make. The next week was "Z" week in her class so her teacher suggested Lily make a zoo book to bring in for Z week. Lily thought this was the best idea in the world and set out to make a zoo book that would be unsurpassed. She was slightly OCD about it.

Brian took a picture of his subject in her natural habitat.

Lily took the following pictures to document who went to the zoo. Why? Not sure.

Auntie Kristen. If Auntie Kristen is smiling at Day 6 of five kids then she truly is amazing. Or she is thinking "I want my life back with a Cherry Limeade and cheese fries from Sonic!".

My handsome husband.

Miss Ruthie with her new glasses.

Maddie Moo.

Jamison.

Lily obviously wanted to get a picture of the elephant but was reluctant to let go of the chocolate chip cookie.

When I saw this picture on her camera, I asked her - "Why did you take a picture of the sign?" She said it was because she couldn't get a picture of the bird. She then tried to convince me that this bird was called a Banana Bird because it's beak looked like a banana.

Brian was able to capture a picture of the elusive "Banana Bird".

We had a fun week in Nashville despite my deathly illness, tornado warnings, electrical failures, and a few flight delays. It's always an adventure when all the cousins get together but we wouldn't have it any other way. Right, mom?

A Post!

I have no excuses so I'll just leave it at that for the reason I haven't posted in two months. Back in February (I know, I know, it was a long time ago) we had winter break and needed something to do with the kids. Mom and I decided to drive to Rochester to see some family and spend time in a hotel with a pool. Before this trip, the kids have always been exited about the idea of a pool but once in it for five minutes, were essentially done. For some reason, they decided during this trip to love the pool - and I was ok with it since we had plenty of time on our hands! Jamison's mode of entry: sliding down the rail. And Lily figured out how to swim with her face underwater (she's behind Jamison in all pink). He was a little hyper during the trip (at Uncle Loren and Aunt Linda's house).

Since all schools were out this week we knew we were asking for trouble, but we had no choice but to go to the Strong Museum of Play. It is such a fun museum and the older kids are the perfect age. We arrived at 2pm, hoping to miss most of the crowd and knowing that my kids couldn't spend more than 3 hours there anyway.

Here they are shopping at the kid-sized Wegmans.

Jamison has been HUGE into action heroes from Marvel comics lately. I've had to really search for age-appropriate shows that have these characters in them since they aren't exactly made for three year olds. The museum has a nice size area devoted to Marvel comics.

He studied this display for 5 minutes. I took a nap during that time since he never spends that much time on one thing. Must take advantage of opportunities when they come up!

"That is so cool, mom!!" He's a fan of spider man.

Of course, since it is a museum, there are lots of learning activities in each area. This activity was to balance on a black line that appeared to go across two buildings. Jamison was not as impressed by the challenge as with the detail work of the city below. During this shot, Lily was lecturing him about his behavior since he was preventing her from finishing the task.

And then she just gave in and did what he was doing.

My attempt to get them both to sit in Big Bird's nest. Lily pretended to sleep and Jamison wouldn't even sit. (But I got him in it! HA HA for little victories).

I wanted a picture of all three of them but it just didn't work out.

Patrick is apathetic and the older ones are focused on their milkshake.

So this is where Lily cracked me up. Her personality really showed through with the following progression. There is a stage in the museum that has a bunch of different features. Naturally, there is the stage and the dress up area. But there is also a sound board, a lighting board, and a movie camera. While many children can dress up and perform, only one at a time can man the sounds, lights, and camera. Lily's goal: conquer each of these areas.

Step One: Look nonchalant.

Step Two: Show interest AND (this is key) boss the kid around until he runs away.

Step Three: Swoop in for the seat!

Step Four: Expertly keep a trained eye on the next goal (camera) until the seat is vacant, then swiftly move in.

Step Five: Proceed to last goal - Music! Success! (Please pay attention to my mother in the background talking to a random person. She is obviously incredulous about something)

Step Six: Re-Write the title of the play - The Dress Up Play.

Step Seven: Sit in the dress up area and critique everyone's choices. I'm so proud of her strategy to utilize every area except for getting on stage.

While Lily was slowing mastering all activities for the play, Patrick was content chewing my mother's purse. I am sure he was watching and learning from his big sister, though.

Jamison found an area that completely appealed to him. Loading and unloading construction vehicles.

On our way out we found a video game area that had a Zelda character on it. A few nights a week they play Zelda with Brian - they were so excited when they saw this! They had me take a picture and email it to him right away.

So now you're caught up on our life through February! I will try to post more often!

The January of Our Discontent

January was not the best month for our family. Now, this is completely subjective since we live in a free country, have loving family, are free to worship as we choose, and thankfully, have health care. So when I say "not the best month" it's purely from our perspective understating that there are many people around the world who would give anything for the month that we had.

First week of January we all got a stomach bug. Oddly, we didn't all get it at the same time, but two to three days a part. First Lily got it. Then two days later, Brian had it. Next, Jamison said his stomach hurt but didn't produce anything (yay for tiny victories). I am a firm believer in mind over matter and I had told myself that I would not get this thing. It did try to get me but I was only down for a day and if I stayed very, very, very still then I would be ok. Patrick didn't exactly seem to get it, only had a few fussy moments. It's hard to tell with a five month old.


Then it was the snow days. Normally snow days don't bother me. Rarely is school cancelled - maybe 2-3 days a year. Except THIS YEAR. The snow has been unbelievable. When the kids are stuck in the house for more than one day it gets scary around here. They have so much pent up energy. I put them on the treadmill, on the trampoline, and try to create more structure in the day. But it's not easy.

I know what you're thinking - just throw them outside. And I do. It takes 10 minutes to get them dressed and then they spend 20 minutes outside; falling down everywhere because the snow is so deep, getting stuck in snow drifts, and if you're Jamison, face planting without the ability to lift his body up. Then it's 10 more minutes to get them undressed without (and this is the key) getting snow everywhere. They come inside all red and snotty and cold. And demanding hot chocolate. We do this twice a day.
Then, on January 21, Brian's Granny Pat lost her battle with cancer. She had beat it 20 years ago, but they found it again in August and it was advanced. Granny Pat was the first of Brian's grandparents to pass away. I was trying to think back and I think the last time I saw her was in 2008, when I took this picture of her on the couch with Lily at Jim and Karan's house.

Granny Pat was a very classy East Texas woman. Always put together, always level-headed. She was a wonderful woman - so wonderful that we named Patrick after her. Brian was already in Lubbock for a church conference when she passed; so Patrick and I flew down to Texas to meet him. We met in Dallas and drove to Troup (just south of Tyler, if that helps anyone with a knowledge of Texas geography) to get together with family and celebrate her life.

Patrick to a liking to Pa as soon as we arrived.

Four generations. We have the same picture with Jamison when he was 6 months old in 2007.

We returned home on a Tuesday. By Thursday Patrick's nagging cough turning into wheezing. So Friday morning we headed to the doctor and he was diagnosed with bronchiolitis. We were sent home with a nebulizer machine and instructions to treat him every 4 hours.

Within 24 hours he went from wheezing and couging to wheezing, coughing, panting, and not eating. It was scary. Our pediatrician is open on Saturdays so we headed back. They took chest xrays and decided it was just a really bad case of bronchiolitis. It's been five days and he's no longer panting, but still wheezing. I feel that it's slowly getting better.

I really hate this, mom.

It works best if I strap him in his high chair and let him mess with it a little. As long as it's near his mouth and nose I think it's being inhaled.

Needless to say, I'm thankful for February. We're still dealing with Patrick's breathing and more snow days then I'd prefer, but we've got God to get us through whatever else may come.

Mysteries

Like many mothers, I frequently ask my children, particularly my three year old: "what were you thinking?!?!" And he normally replies: "I love you, mom." That is never a good response.

Jamison hoards items in his bed. When I go to change the sheets enough toys, stuffed animals, and miscellaneous paraphernalia to fill a dumpster come flying out.

This weekend, his nerf ball came bouncing out when I changed his sheets. It looked like a methodical destruction, not the usual carelessness, so I was concerned.

And then I found the pieces under his bed. At least he attempted to clean up. I focus on the baby steps.

So I had to ask him.

Me: Jamison, why did you bite off half of you ball?

Jamie: I only wanted a blue ball.

Me: So you bit off all the orange?

Jamie: Yes, but it's still not blue. I'll go get a marker.

Me: NO. I have to throw it away. It's not even a ball anymore. It's just a lump of foam.

Jamie: It's a phone?

Me: No - I said foaM. With a M.

Jamie: I need a phone....

and he wanders away.

And not five minutes later I find a secret message of some sort from Lily. Apparently the English language does not have adequate vocabulary for her so she decided to use hieroglyphics of some sort. She later read it me but it still didn't make sense.