Fantastic Four!

Celebrated this little firecracker a week early... He was so excited to have a "birthday party".  Family came, loved on him a lot, ate and drank to their hearts content.

4 Things I love about you...
1. I love that you are so expressive - your face is a window inside your head and heart - you love to get a reaction from whatever facial expression you're providing!
2. I love that you look both ways before crossing the street - at 4 - every time.  The older boys still don't do this.  You are very conscientious about following that rule.
3. I love that you still enjoy sitting on my lap with a blanket.  You are my cuddle bug.
4. I love that you make me laugh - every day.  Along with #1 you can cut up like anyone older than you and know when things are funny.

We enjoy you so much Seth Patrick. 

double digits

Oh boy what a birthday!  Double digits!  I cannot hardly believe we have had this wonderful human being in our lives for 10 years.  That's how long it took me to pay off my college debt!  He was born the year I had my 10yr reunion from High School.  He had a good real birthday day - went to school, took Oreo's so all the kids in his class could enjoy (allergies) and even shared with his teacher, a past teacher and the school nurse!  He wanted pizza for supper so we ordered Pizza Hut and then had soccer practice.  He got to open his presents from us - a new Yeti cup and a pocket knife.  I can't hardly believe we bought him that, but so far he's been very responsible with it.  We had a wonderful birthday party with the rest of the family on Saturday - everyone came to celebrate him and enjoy spaghetti, salad and pineapple upside down cake!

10 things I love about you Noah:

1. You are so patient with me - all my yelling and demanding "put this here/ or why did you do that?" you take it in stride and are so so patient with me.
2. You always love to try new recipes for healthy dinners with me - cooking chili with quinoa and egg & veggie frittata.
3. You are getting so much better playing and including and enjoying your brothers - both of them - they are both so different from you personality wise and have different levels of experience, but you continue to amaze me with your patience and kindness towards them.
4. You worry about everyone - from the kids in class who can't have milk to the kids that have been affected by Hurricane Harvey and now Irma.  You are willing to do whatever it takes to make the other person feel included (having Oreos) to buying composition notebooks to donate to Houston kids.
5. You are still a wonderful sleeper and always allow me to enforce naps on you if I feel like they might be warranted.  I love that you love sleep!
6. You are trying to hard to grow into a responsible young man.  Trying to think about what you say and how you act before you do it - practice makes you better right?
7. You take such good care of me and my diabetes - you always can tell if I am low and can even check my blood sugar for me if I need help - the blood doesn't bother you and you know what all the numbers mean.
8.  You are becoming quite the soccer player - I can see the growth in your running steps that you are trying to hard to keep with the other kids and play hard and really think about where the ball is going to go and what is best for the game.
9. You love your quiet time.  You are already realizing that sometimes being by yourself and quiet - mindlessly watching TV or reading a book in your room is good for you to make sure you are relaxed.
10. You are quite the artist - you really love to let your creative juices flow and create new patterns and draw things you see.

# 7

He had a nice easy going day.  Filled with donuts for breakfast and lunch (because why not?) and burrito bar for dinner... but didn't even have his dessert because he was too busy playing with his new toys... the kid loves his dinosaurs / dragons / slugs... love you marky mark.

1. I love your sweet voice - you hardly ever raise it unless it's really really bad
2. I love your ability to sing and remember lyrics like no one else and really jam out to the music in the car with me
3. I love the way you ALWAYS give your dad a 'marky morning hug'...
4. You have a kind heart.  Even when you don't want to.  You have begun to let Seth be your tag-a-long... teaching him the ways of the dinosaurs / slugs / dragons and how to play
5. You are learning how to be reserved and keep your mouth shut when things are tense or I am upset.  You know to stop and think before you act.  Its so crazy to think at 7 you can do this and I at 38 still have loads of trouble with it.
6. You are so patient with everyone in the family - being in the middle you are easy going enough to let all of us just be the way we are and still give us hugs when you think we might need them.  You are very keen on people's emotions and tone.
7.  I love that you think you're going to get a toy with each food purchase / every time we go into the store.  You have an ease about your life that things are always ok... and never really a hard time.

when #3 turned 3...

oh boy.  my last little boy is 3.  he broke the mold.  has done zero like his older brothers.  into everything since he could crawl.  not afraid of climbing, jumping, falling.  loves all sorts of cars, trucks, anything motorized.  still likes to be held.  loves to be read to.  loves to read by himself.  loves anything his older brothers are doing (tablets, cartoons, playing outside, food!)
 

oh but one more... of all the things he loves... he HATEs the potty... happy 3rd birthday sweet boy!

maybe we'll try at 4... diapers til 4... eh.

3 things I love about you Seth!

1. you don't mind being silly and love to laugh.

2. you love being sneaky... like the song "shut up and dance with me"...has "shut up" in it...but it's okay to sing it because it's a song... ;)

3. you make me smile everyday.  every single day.  

new label - description finally fits!

well well well... we did it... we finally made the description of this blog - true again.

'the life and times (crazy or otherwise) of a gal, with a family, a dog & the American dream...here goes nothing'...

yep - we got a dog!  a puppy really.  9wk puppy.  she might as well be a newborn they way we watch her, dote on her, freak out if she starts sniffing to go potty... and the whimpering at night... poor thing.  i'll be glad when she is comfortable and happy in her kennel... and knows its her safe place.

but we are all in love with her - heck the whole neighborhood loves her... all the kids love to see her and pet her, talk to her... she's spoiled with attention right now :)

her first night...boys were so so so excited!

having fun with her new toys!

Noah felt like it was a dream come true!

such a sweet girl!

She really is such a pretty girl - love the little white patch on her chest!

She got to go on her first field trip yesterday (monday) and had fun at the park with Curt and the boys!

chilling with dad!

and my little turkey having fun on the rocks!  'i'm king daddy!'