Lately . . .

We’ve been doing our best to get into the groove of fall lately, and so far so good!  I feel like our days are very, very full, but we are doing well . . . the boys just finished their second full week of school this week (the first week was shortened days), and they LOVE school—especially the art room.  We’ve also finished our second week of Bible Study and are easing into our new “routine,” if you can even call it that.  Sugie is helping us some on Tuesdays so that I can get some things done, including a teensy bit of work.  Last Tuesday, I took William on a “special day” where we went to the eye doctor and got new glasses . . . Handsome, don’t you think?  These are actually his cousin Charlie’s glasses that he was borrowing . . .

But his new shades came in before we knew it!

Sister and I have started going to music class on Mondays while the brothers are at school, and it is a big hit!  Anna’s BIG cousin Charlie comes, too.  He loves Ba-beee Ann-eee!

Sister is especially skilled at tapping her sticks!  She LOVES to sing and dance and squeal—it is so fun watching her!

Someone has been taking some self portraits with my camera . . . (For the record, I think I have about 150 variations of this picture!)

Daddy has made us some cool robot costumes.  This robot had just gotten a hair cut and is such a big boy!

And, who wants to eat breakfast, when there are men working on a sidewalk across the street?  Who can eat when there is a truck and tractor and tools in sight?  NO ONE, I tell you.  NO ONE WILL EAT—even if they have to go to school that day.  And, in case you were wondering, we were late to our Bible Study today because we had to watch the recycling man and talk to him as he took up our recycling—I have informed him that he is one of our very favorite people, bless his heart!

After Hudson got wind of William’s special day with mommy . . . going to the doctor, the eye glasses shop, the grocery store and Chick Fil A (Hudson was literally gasping aloud when William rattled off our day’s events), we decided Hudson needed a special day, too!  Sweet Hudson has been having a hard time without his Daddy—we have had some tears in the morning, some tears after nap, and some mandatory extra-long night-time snuggles.  It was an extra special day that Daddy joined us for lunch!  Hudson sat next to Hatch with his arm wrapped around his daddy’s for almost the entire meal.  This boy loves his Daddy.  And, when we pulled up, Hud said “Me Yub Daddy.  He my Fren.  Me YUB HIM YOTS.”  This picture is so perfect to me, because you can just see the joy in Hudson’s eyes and on his sweet face!

And, sharing ice cream . . . could it get any better than this?

I used to think about things like new shoes and cute purses or earrings.  And, now, even when I am without my boys, I find myself talking about diggers and taking pictures like this to show off when I get back home: 

We’ve had some great time swinging and playing outside!

and, yooking for crickets, of course!

++++

And, OVERHEARD:

Highlight of the Week:

The boys were refusing to go to bed and doing what we call the midnight potty cry, so we told them to go to bed and that we’d see them in the morning.  William started screaming like crazy and didn’t stop.  Hatch went upstairs, and this is what I heard from the den:

Hatch:  HUDSON, YOU DO NOT HIT YOUR BROTHER. 

YOU DO NOT TAKE OFF YOUR DIAPER. 

AND YOU DO NOT TINKLE ON YOUR BROTHER’S BED.

I was laughing hysterically.  How is this our life?  Hatch did not think it was funny.  he he.

+++

this was a few weeks ago at the museum:

Hudson to another mom (who we don’t know) who had her baby strapped to her:  What you call your baby?  My baby is Anna. 

+++

this may have been a highlight from the summer:

William screaming and crying hysterically:

me:  William, what is wrong?

W:  I CANNOT FIND MY EYEBROWS!  I CAN’T FIND MY EYEBROWS!  I CAN’T FIND THEM!

+++

Hatch:  I want to tell you about David and Goliath.  David and Goliath were going to have a battle.

W:  What is a battle?

Hatch:  It’s like a fight.

W:  WE DO NOT FIGHT.  WE DO NOT FIGHT, DADDY.

+++

W:  Mommy, Hudson says “gra-do-da” because he cannot say “gran-o-la.”

Me:  Thank you, Professor.

+++

H (to Daddy, on the phone):  You at work Daddy?

D:  Yes, Hudsey.

H:  You have elevator at work?

D: Yes.

H:  You work in da elevator, Daddy?

D: No, I do not work in the elevator.

H:  WHY?

I tried to tell Hatch that I thought he could do some good networking if he did work from the elevator, but he wasn’t interested in our opinion.

+++

W (to sis):  Hi Ann.  Hiiiiiiiiiiiiii Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.

+++

H: Weeyum my fren.  Daddy my fren.  Anna my fren.  Me YUBS dem.

+++

H:  Mommy, YOOK!  Anna standin’!  Good Girl, ANNA!

(For the record, she is pulling up, but not standing solo quite yet!)

+++

Every weekday morning:

Me:  GOOD MORNING!

Boys:  Where Daddy?

Me:  Daddy is at work.

Boys:  NOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Me:  Yes, but he will be home for dinner.

Boys:  I/me want to talk to him. 

Me:  Ok.

Boys:  Where me going today?  Where me going?

+++

Me:  (cooking dinner at the stove.)

W:  Mom, I got the mail.

Me: (turning around wide-eyed)

W:  I got the mail.  The man gived it to me.  Here the mail.

I turn around to see that Hudson is literally out the front door and standing in the yard.  They both went out the front door and I had no idea that it had happened!  What am I going to do with these two?

 

And, with that, a good night!

project-ing

so, we are still alive.  I think I may have done 10 loads of laundry this week in trying to find and wash fall clothes and clean and store summer clothes . . . and, we’ve done a project or two along the way.  more to come, but really quickly, our “new” fridge (we painted it with chalkboard paint!  my children do not yet know they can draw on our fridge!)

and, because I know noone cares about what my fridge looks like but me, a few camera phone  pictures of one of the wee ones:  Mimi with Willsey

Cheeseball Hudsey

And, Beauty:

Stay Tuned!

For my Nana

The piano was mine . . . the dress was our sweet friend Lucy’s . . . please notice her foot in the air.  This girl plays piano and dances at the same time!  I LOVE IT!

How does your Garden Grow?

On Thursday, the weather was gorgeous, so Sugie and I headed to the Garden with our favorite four little ones.  We all had a great time, and we stopped for a minute to take a picture on the bench that is there in memory of my grandmother, Granny Ann.

I know that Granny Ann would just love to see these little rascals of mine and Katie’s running all around the garden.  She loved her garden (she is the only person I know who grew cotton in the suburbs of Richmond!) and loved helping at the botanical garden, too.  I could definitely use her help at our house . . . our gardens never seem to do well!

I love that Charlie is the only one actually looking at the camera here!  Our little friends were not the best photography subjects!

These little ones are just so cute!  I think that people at the garden thought they were all mine.  I wouldn’t hesitate to claim them all, but I would be a VERY tired person if that were the case!

I love this . . .

The little monkeys had a blast!

***
and, in case you were wondering, sister has done a great deal of entertaining this weekend . . . some piano playing . . . (all of these were taken on my camera phone, so sorry for the poor picture quality!)

. . . and a good bit of cooking, too . . .

she loves to wave at everyone she sees—when we are out front, she will wave at every car that drives by!  she is quite hospitable and very friendly!

AND, Mr. William has done such a fantastic job of giving up his paci!  The dentist mandated that the paci go, so Hatch and I were the enforcers, but it was William’s idea that he could eat ice cream if he slept without his paci.  And, well, we have eaten A LOT of ice cream.  Except for a brief moment the first day he napped without his paci, he hasn’t even mentioned wanting it!  William has such a strong will and because he is two years old, I normally see that played out in his stubbornness . . . but, I’m seeing now that he can use his determinedness for good!  We just have to channel it in the right direction!  ha ha!

And, I will leave you with this:  Have a lovely weekend.  This beauty is so much fun, and so proud of herself and her new moves!  I love it!

life as we know it: Firsts and Lasts

This last week has held a host of firsts for us.  Most of the time, I feel like I am pretty resistant to change—I don’t like my babies getting bigger or growing up or going off to school and things like that.  But, this week, our little set of firsts has mainly been exciting—and change that I have welcomed!  I am grateful for feeling more at peace about these changes, too . . . the last several weeks have been tough around here, and the changes this week have made for a tiring, but good week for us!  (for example, my children have taken naps EVERY DAY this week.  thank you, jesus.  SERIOUSLY:  thank you, jesus!  and, as I type this, william is voluntarily taking his very FIRST nap without a pacifier.  we went to the dentist this week for the FIRST time—pictures of that in another post—and he confirmed my thoughts that the paci must GO for Mr. William.  While I don’t expect this to be an easy adjustment, we must do it.  And, today has gone well.  There may have been promises of bowls of ice cream for those who nap without their pacis . . . I like ice cream and I like naps, so I feel like we are on track here!)

Last week, Sister began to crawl and crawl fast for the FIRST time.  Gone are the days where she would sit in one place and giggle and clap at her passers-by!

Although he seems unfazed by this, I have informed my husband that life as we know it is over.  We now have three children who can get away from us whenever they so desire!

Most of last week, she tried her hardest to pull up to standing!  Look at those lashes!

Although we didn’t see it happen, we went into Anna’s nursery twice last week to find her standing in her bed!  So, we lowered her crib for the LAST time.  It won’t go any lower than this, folks! 

Anna crawled around her room while Daddy and his “workin’ helpin’ men” took their orders for their project!

“Help” is a relative term in our home!

But whatever they are doing, they are BUSY.

(can you see william beginning to tackle hudson in the background?  THIS IS MY LIFE.)

Hey there, curls!

And, for the LAST time this week, William took his final dose of propranalol.  We are grateful for the ways that the Lord has used this medication to heal William’s eye, and we continue to pray that Jesus will fully heal our boy!  The doctors are all very pleased with the progress, and they believe that the hemangioma itself is probably smaller than the size of a pea.  Most of what we are seeing these days is tissue that has formed under William’s eye.  Our doctor thinks that it is completely possible for this to go away on its own, although surgery (one day) is an option if it does not.  Would you please continue to pray with us that the hemangioma would completely go away and that we would not have to make a decision about surgery for William?

More curls! 

Hard at work:  Lowering the crib (Daddy and William), destroying the room (Hudson), and trying to stand (Anna)

Anna took a brief break from her attempts at standing to play with the drill.  (This poor little girl.  She sings songs about tractors and plays with hammers and drills!)

And, then, IT HAPPENED. 

It was the FIRST time we  saw her stand, and she was so very proud of herself!

Yay, Sister!

The Encourager came over to congratulate her, too.  (Oh, my heart!)

And, while blurry and a shot of my daughter’s puddin’ hanging out from her diaper, I love this picture because you can see both Daddy and Hudsey grinning from ear to ear while watching their tiny love stand!

And, then:  back to work!

Some goodnight snuggles . . .

. . . and some giggles . . .

And, then:  the FIRST day of school!

The boys were quite excited to start their school year this week!  They go to school two days this year and two of their friends are in their class.  How exciting!  Their class this year is big time:  they’ll be using the potty and not using sippy cups while at school.  My hat is off to their teacher!  ha!

Before we look at this year’s pictures, I have to flash back to LAST year . . . Oh, what babies!

Look at their cheeks and chub!

What sweet babies!

And, this year:  I’m not exactly sure what was happening when I was taking these, but I think a large truck was driving down our street . . .

And, seeing a truck before school makes for a “good mornin’ day” as they say!

We wanted to try to grab a picture with Sissy in the mix, but she was not too excited about her brothers leaving to go to school two days a week!  (Sister is wearing one of my old dresses!)

I ADORE this picture!

Oh, the sweetness!

And, more pictures on the steps of the school, of course!  The boys had to bring in a picture of themselves for their classroom wall, so that’s what they are holding in their hands . . .

Showing off their photos!

Daddy was there with us for the walk into school, and it was quite exciting—I worked the first two days as part of the co-op program in their classroom, so it was great to have Hatch’s extra set of hands for dropping them off that first day!  (The boys were not interested in taking more pictures at this point!)

And, Mama with her BIG boys.  I woke up before school one morning this week and realized that my boys are about to turn THREE.  It feels like I have blinked my eyes and my little loves have gone from tiny babes to big boys who run and play and go to the potty and help their mama . . . and, it occurred to me that in just three more years, they will be starting kindergarten.  While these recent weeks of toddler-life have been a bit trying around here, I know that this time is going to FLY by . . . and, I just want to enjoy this time with my loves and remember it. 

Have a WONDERFUL year getting’ messy with Mrs. Sawyer, boys!  Mama loves you!

(and, an update:  As I am typing this sentence my little no-paci man has woken up and is quite sad to find himself paci-less.  So, I’m off . . . )