Move Over #7

Every week at church an older gentlemen will always say to me,

"#7 doesn't know what's going to hit her soon!"

(he always refers to my children by numbers. haha)

Right before I have a baby I get REALLY sappy towards my (graduating) baby.

Can you blame me? She is sooooooo addictive.

But she's not really a baby to me anymore. She tries her best to blend in with the older gang, whether it's putting on their shoes....

 Or joining in the hide-and-seek game for Family Home Evening.

 She is just REALLY REALLY fun. 

18 months is my favorite gap to have babies (probably because my mom told me it was her's) because the "baby" of the family is still young enough not to really get jealous or demand attention when the baby comes, but juuuuuuuuust enough independent to not be a second baby.
(I know what you're thinking......"aren't ALL your babies 18 months apart?!?" The answer is "no". Some are spaced up to 22 months apart!!!! ;) haha. This age gap apparently works for us)

Her favorite thing right now (besides her blankey and me.....those are the "usuals") is carrying around a cup. She fills it with everything. Yesterday it was rocks. Not just ANY rocks, she is pretty picky on which rocks she puts in there. It entertains her forever!

I MIGHT be paying a price for this later, but I can't help myself. Kellyn will come up to me, hand me her blankey, smile and put her arms up while opening and closing her fists for me to pick her up and snuggle.

She could just be there almost all day sitting on me if she could and I am soaking up every second.

I think she's REALLY going to miss sitting on "Magnet" when the baby comes out and she no longer has a firm seat to straddle. (In fact, it's REALLY easy to hold her with Magnet's help)

 My belly is "Magnet" lately. People just can't help themselves, nor can kindergarteners. They HAVE to touch it......or comment on it........or have their eyes drawn to it.

It was so cute when I went to eat lunch with Aleeya and all the kids in her class wanted to touch my belly. I didn't care and helped them feel something hard (the baby) and they would get so excited over it. The miracle of carrying another human. Infact, I LOVE it when people get excited over it like I do, so I don't mind.......even YOU, random Walmart lady.

But just don't touch my belly after she comes out.......for some reason it THEN becomes icky. What a difference a day makes.....

(The guess-which-body-part-this-is is a favorite game of all my kids when they feel my belly)

Enough about Magnet......back to my adventurous little active girly.

Ugh.....the "computer mess-up phase" EVERY baby has to go through. She REALLY feels bad about it, doesn't she.

 Today Miss Kellyn Pat helped me unload the trunk of the groceries (along with Iris and Royce......I will let you guess how fast this process goes). She LOVES it.

 Granted, she takes ONE item at a time.....but she has a smile on her face the whole time and runs as fast as her stubby legs could carry her in and out of the house. She really is getting so big.

(Huh.....it just dawned on me that my front porch looks like a giraffe print.....)

And yes, "#7" the time IS growing nigh for you to relinquish your baby-of-the-family status...... which I'm pretty sure she is ready to handle.

Competitive

 I think it's safe (REALLY SAFE!!!) to say my family is pretty competitive.

Anything for a win......or the winning prize.

Hence, we get pretty excited over March Madness and all have our brackets hanging up.

I divided the prizes (a box of Valentines hearts) into 4 "winners", and add up the points after each round. Camden won the first round by one point.....hope he enjoyed that win because after Oregon (his winning pick) was just knocked out I think he can say good-bye to his winning days.

Brooks won the second round.

Iris' and Royce's brackets are the best because I would just say, "Do you want 9 or 8?" and they would pick a number. "15 or 2?" and so on. The funny thing is, those two LOVE the sounds of "teen" numbers so they have a lot of 15s and 13s going pretty far. 

Along with treats, MONEY really motivates my kids.

Brooks went to the bank and got a bunch of one dollar bills a week ago and gave the older 4 a bunch of them. He told them they could have whatever is left after 2 weeks......

BUT, if we catch them not saying "Yes M'am/Sir" when we ask them to do something or (my favorite) them saying "WHAT?"/"HUH?" when we call their names (instead of "M'am?" or "Yes Sir?") then we could take back one of the dollars. 

Let's just say the first day we got a LOT of the money back. Now they're keeping their dollars (the few they have left) pretty well.....but it still doesn't stop Brooks from laughing HYSTERICALLY when he catches them not saying Sir to him.

(Note: ALL of the attitude in answering "WH-AT?!?!" to a mom vanishes when they say "M'am?" and they don't really argue back. It's really refreshing)

Yesterday Brooks decided to give them a chance to earn a few back.

We had a timer and he was going to dribble the ball. If they could take the ball from him before the minute was up, then they could have $1 back to put in their Sir/M'am envelope.

(look at sweet Kellyn walking by)

 Emerson opted for the sit-between-dad's-legs so he could reach the balls dribbled behind his back and in front of it.

Camden (in his bathrobe) trying.

 (Oh, NOW Kellyn is up on the file cabinet playing by the computer......little busy body)

 And Bronson....

 (Kellyn, with the dumped out box of envelopes)

 I tried myself against Brooks (not for a dollar, obviously.....I would take one if I wanted one!). As I walked up to Brooks he just said, "Oh great, here comes ol' monkey arms!" 

He says I have the longest arms......which turned out NOT to help me out this time because my belly was right against Brooks' back and my arms couldn't reach ANYWHERE. Of course, I finally resorted to cheating/tickling to make him lose the ball.

I have NO clue where my kids get the gotta-win attitude from.....

THEN they had a chance to earn a dollar back by an ab challenge.

Bronson kept telling Aleeya how he could do this longer then her, so Brooks made this challenge.....

lay down on the ground with your (straightened) legs barely off the floor. The winner wins back another dollar.

 I HAD to make the picture big.....their faces are priceless. Bronson is dying.....DYING!!!!

Emerson appears to be chillin in his bathrobe

Camden can't stop shaking (and was the first one out)

And this competition doesn't seem to bother the girls at all.

The boys were out within 10 seconds and the girls went at least past a minute!!!! Aleeya ended up winning, but Brooks gave Iris one since she creamed the boys.

And LOOK who is back from the dead?!?!? ROYCE!!!!! 

He FINALLY is participating in normal life and over his zombie-like-illness!!!

Late St. Paddy's Day

St. Patrick's Day was on a rainy Monday here......meaning baseball games were cancelled and had plenty of time to fit in our Annual Jellybean Race 

(a tradition I did as a child growing up and never remember a St. Patrick's Day without it)

But when the older kids came home from school and saw THIS, I think they realized we weren't going ANYWHERE with Royce feeling like he did.

 Kellyn was running the fever thing (not as high as Royce's though) too, but she goes more for the route of give-me-a-popsicle and I-will-whine-all-day-unless-Mom-holds-me.

Royce on the other hand was dead to the world......all week (6 days really laying on the couch and consistently running a 103 temp.) He didn't really move.....which on ONE hand really relieved my stress level not wondering where that rascal always is, but on the other trying to keep the fluids in him like crazy since he wasn't eating much.

This picture reminds me of the song from Frozen, "Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?" They just are so used to Royce playing with them and he wasn't budging.

 On Wednesday, since baseball games were later in the night we decided to slip in the Jellybean Race regardless of how Royce was feeling. 

Here is the first heat: Iris, Aleeya and Emerson

TIMEOUT: gotta move Kellyn, aka- the Jellybean Snatcher

 Okay, NOW we are ready to start. Emerson won last year, so he was in the back. We allowed the girls to put their hands on the floor, but the rule for everyone else is hands-behind-the-back.

 Here's the play-by-play:

-Emerson easily passed the girls

-Aleeya then nose-butts the floor pretty hard

-Iris doesn't care and keeps going at the pace of a grandma snail

 -Emerson has finished and Iris has moved 2 inches

-Aleeya is still crying

 -The ever persistent Iris continues to move the jellybean a centimeter at a time and NEVER gives up until she finishes.

 The next heat: BRONSON vs. CAMDEN

 It was kinda a blow-out. Camden creamed Bronson.

Now the winner's match: EMERSON vs. CAMDEN

 Camden had one REALLY good hit (wood floors are good for that) and he WON!

The winner gets to pick where we go out to eat.

Now to most families that may not sound like a fun prize, but I remember growing up wanting to win SOOOOOO bad so I could pick. We don't go out to eat much, so it has the same effect on my kids. I love that.

Camden said, "Golden Corral" in such a "DUH!" tone that it made me laugh. I think we have gone there the past 4 or 5 years straight.

But BEFORE we left Brooks and I have to race just for bragging rights. 

After I looked at the picture Bronson took I started laughing and couldn't stop thinking of toads.

The female toads are bigger then their male counterparts......and apparently I'm part toad.

It was neck and neck the whole time (keep in mind I had a hard time getting my nose to the floor with a BOWLING BALL preventing me from getting low). I was in the lead, then Brooks got a good hit and he got in front of me with his backside in my head's way so I couldn't go. I was so worried of losing that I quickly just used my hand and threw my jellybean over the finish line. Brooks called me on cheating.

I said, "Honey, your BUM was in my HEAD'S way!!!!"

and he smiled back and replied, "No, your HEAD was in my BUM'S way!"

Either way, there was no winner declared. Which I guess was lucky for me this year.

Here we are leaving to go Golden Corral!!!! OBVIOUSLY we left Royce at home with Brooks (he eats dinner at the hospital when he works nights), along with Kellyn and Iris (who had the nasty cough part of the sickness) too.

I took this when Camden said, "Mom, you have GOT to try this shrimp, it is SO good."

 Ummmmm, no. Like, no forever and always.

I prefer to stick with my usual potroast, potatoes, carrots and sauteed mushrooms. It has ALWAYS been my favorite comfort food (reminds me of Sunday dinners growing up)...and without fail, I get it every.time.

 Bronson's plate was piled with weird looking meats that were grilled, hamburgers, wings and whatever.

Emerson's was of course, filled to the brim with spaghetti and refilled with that same stuff over 3 times.

Aleeya? Well, she was a typical kid and stuck with pizza and mac-and-cheese.

 The kids love the dessert bar and ice cream stuff.

I was JUST fine with my strawberries, whipped cream and brownie......and of course my ice water.

 But the MOST favorite thing (for all of us really) at Golden Corral is the cotton candy!!!! The kids liked it how the guy made it with a "tail" this time.

 We took some cotton candy home for Iris..........and offered some to Royce, which of course he didn't eat. He just stuck with his Gatorade.

Opening Day!!!!

Today is the BIG opening day for Spring Baseball!!!!

This is one of those SUPER competitive leagues and they mean business (read that as: a LOT of practices and games)

How cute is my little Brave?!?!?

(Anyone ever heard Jimmy Fallon's song "Everybody's lookin' at my tight pants"?!?! I can't help but sing it when I see this picture!)

(Emerson is standing in front of the "family" wall. My friend Andrea had one and I loved the idea....a different family in each frame....so I have a separate family picture for each of my siblings, Brooks' siblings and the grandparents. I smile every time I see it)

This picture is just priceless to me.......the difference between genders.

 No, Aleeya isn't in ballet, she just is wearing that to the baseball game. Isn't that a given?

(I will NEVER get used to this straight bill of the hats fad. Ugh.......U...G.....L....Y)

Bronson and Camden are NOT on the same team (one is in Majors and one in Minors) but they happened to have the same team name......which works out REALLY well when last minute we can't find.....oh, I don't know, a HAT or something!!!

This is the picture I told the boys, "Hold still and give me a guapo smile". They both had the cutest smiles on their faces when I said, "1.....2......." and then on "3" they both thought they were funny to pull this on me.

THERE are my guapo smiles!!!!!!! Gosh, they are cute.`

Iron Woman

6 more weeks left!!!!

(and yes, towards the end I tend to wear brighter colors because if people are going to stare at me, I mind as well give them something easier to stare AT!)

Ever since I returned from my trip to Utah I have been DOWNING ice water. Mostly for the ice. Anyone who knows me well knows I don't drink water a ton. In fact, I specifically remember LOSING a water-drinking contest with my friend Rachel a few years back and having to clean her toilets because of it (don't rub it in, Rach). Anyway, we're talking 15-20 glasses of ice water, and me chomping on ice all day. The baby likes.

But my DENTAL bill didn't like.

I broke off one of my teeth and had to go in to get it fixed. I have spent 5 visits in the dentist office since January (for a root canal, crown, broken tooth, infected gums, cleaning....you name it.) so when they saw me walk in they started laughing.

Rewind one day to my OB appointment when I did my Glucose test (first test I have NEVER gotten sick and I even drank that nasty drink and didn't do my Twix-bar switch-a-roo! Guess the 8th time is the charm) and they took my hemo levels. They came back and said I was REALLY low on iron and asked, "Have you been feeling like you've had less energy lately?"

What a silly question to ask a mom of 7 in her 3rd trimester. Yes, I'm tired, but like I said, I'm a mom of 7 in my 3rd trimester!!!!! I didn't feel anything EXTRA on top of that.

They gave me iron pills to take on top of my prenatals (that would be REALLY nice if I remembered to take them, but I digress)

Okay, BACK to my dental office and my broken tooth. He said it was a clean break and I must have been eating something really hard. (EEK!!!!)

I sheepishly admitted I've been chomping on ice like a mad woman and he said, 

"Wow, you must be low on iron!"

Just like the scriptures say folks, by the mouth of two or three witnesses!!!

So lately, I feel like such an Iron Woman popping my pills

(and no, I don't feel like I have extra energy now because of them)

Yes, I usually have a sweet tooth, but if someone put a jar of THESE in front of me, I would definitely opt for this salty/yummy snack.

 or a whole package of raspberries. Every time I go to the store by myself I buy a small package of raspberries for $2 and eat them on the way home as my little treat. I'm sure there is a cheaper way to satisfy cravings, but don't argue with a pregnant lady.

For Bronson's Brazil Project he had to bring in a traditional Brazilian treat/food. 

Besides fruit (and palmito.....pictured above) my all-time favorite treat from Brazil are these Brigadeiros. I had never made them before and found a recipe to follow. 

Seriously, they surpassed all my pregnancy desires and more.

Other favorite foods for this pregnancy (I like to remember):

-Hersey Kisses WITH ALMONDS (like the whole bag)

-turkey sandwich meat wrapped around a piece of mozzarella cheese (yes I'm being specific)

-Ice water (really really BIG cubes so I'm not tempted to chomp)

-Apples with peanut butter

-Boiled eggs (IN ANYTHING!)

-Fruit snacks (to the seventh power......as in hiding a box just for me that the kids don't know about)

-FRUIT PARFAITS!!!! Yogurt, granola and fruit....preferably frozen raspberries. (during my sickness period the ONLY thing that got me out of bed in the morning to get the kids off to school was the thought, "If you get up, then you can have a parfait".......yes, I bribe myself.)

My other favorite thing right now is going to the gym. Not to really WORK OUT!!! (silly, why were you thinking that?!) I do cardio to build up stamina but the best part is I go by myself and on the way home sometimes I stop by McDonald's and order a hot fudge sundae and just sit......by myself......in the parking lot......and SLOWLY enjoy every bite. Don't judge, the doctor said I need to gain more weight, so I'm just following "doctor's orders". ;)

Weekends

I LOVE weekends even more now. Brooks has Saturdays off and Sunday mornings/afternoon before he starts nights again. Saturdays are a day for play and ............well......putting the kids to work. ;)

As Brooks says, 

"TRABAJAMOS!!!!"

(and he says it really loud and obnoxious in their faces)

While everyone was off working Brooks had to work on putting in a new battery and starter in our car. Thank GOODNESS he had his assistant there.....ready and willing.

 Actually he just likes playing with the tools........Royce that is. Brooks does too, I guess.

Speaking of playing with tools, Bronson grabbed some pieces of wood, hammer/nails and the drill/screws up into the Magnolia Tree and made a few benches to sit on up there. Apparently it was supposed to end up being a treehouse, but the branches are kinda "bendy" I guess.

(What mother doesn't like hearing, "Emerson, can you throw me up the hammer?"?!?!?! Seriously, I had to go out and make sure no one was ever under the tree.....ever.)

Our neighbor came out and said, "I've haven't seen kids now-a-days who know how to play outside better then your kids in a looooong time." (said in a southern/country accent of course). HUGE compliment in my book.

 With a lot of work comes a lot of dirt that needs to be washed off.

(If Royce dumps out ONE more entire bottle of soap into the bath again I'll.........I'll....... I don't know, but it will start with wiping that innocent look off his face! ;) )

It's really all about keeping these three from sneaking around and getting into things. I'll pull out whatever it takes sometimes to not sit and wonder, "Now where are those rascals.....".

(Infact as I typed this post Iris, Royce and Kellyn just came in from downstairs and Iris said, "We were REAL good downstairs and didn't get into ANYTHING! See? Smell our mouths, we didn't eat any chocolate!" Ummmm, I didn't know there was any down there.....nor did I ASK if they ate anything or did anything.......sounds a little fishy to me.....and if there WAS chocolate, HAND IT OVER TO THE PREGO LADY!!)

While the boys were having a read-a-thon Saturday night, me and the girls snuck out to get some free ice cream. The trick was, in order to get it free, you had to dress up in your pajamas. I got in my comfty pants (yes, they ARE velour, R.A.) and t-shirt. Brooks saw it and said they might not KNOW those are pajamas because some people dress like that, so he convinced me to wear my bathrobe. (since he wasn't going to have to be seen with me in public wearing it). 

I'll be darned if I didn't show up there to see all these adults wearing pajama pants and hoodies/t-shirts!!! Oh well, I gave everyone a biiiiiig ol' smile seeing me in my not-so-discrete pink bathrobe BARELY being held together going over my big basketball belly.

(actually I think the few grown women in their footies fitted zebra and cheetah pajamas may have shown me up a bit)

But hey, anything for free ice cream. Might I suggest ordering the S'mores flavor.....it was divine!!! 

 My love for bathrobes have transferred down to Camden and most recently, Emerson. Brooks asked him to play basketball with them outside but Emerson didn't want to take off his bathrobe, so he put his shirt on OVER his maroon bathrobe to go play.......that's my boy.

(Could Kellyn be any more cute?!?!?!? Standing there innocently, finger in mouth, with her church shoes OVER her pajamas so she can go outside too)