This is what happens when Abby gets hold of the camera....

If I ever happen to leave my camera laying around, which I do too often for my husband ("Put things back where they go!" The precious guy can never find things in the same place twice. Thanks for still loving me in spite of this flaw, Babydoll.), Abby will sneak off with it and take as many as 50 pictures of just about anything....herself, her brothers, her feet, their feet, the ceiling, the wall, the door, up someone's nose, in someone's mouth, etc. It is interesting at times to go through the camera and see what ends up on there. Subconciously, I may do it on purpose at times. This time she did a super good job of getting some priceless pictures. As for the 10 or so of someone's foot (or other gross parts), thank goodness for digital cameras and the erase feature....

Wordless Wednesday

My baby boy is growing up

My littlest Collin Mac is quickly approaching the 6 month mark, and the time has absolutely FLOWN by! I say "littlest" tongue-in-cheek. He was the biggest of our 3 at birth weighing in at a whopping 7lbs 11oz. (Incidentally, if you are into numbers, he was born on 4-11 at 11:23am and was the 11th grandchild on the maternal side. I thought that was interesting.) By two weeks, he was at 8lbs 13oz. By now, I would imagine he is between 18 - 19 lbs, but I will update on that when we check up on the 12th. He rolled over before 4 months and is sitting like a grown up already. He eats like a champ and packs on the pounds like a pro. He turns his nose up at NO foods yet, and just itches to try everything on the table. He is growing, as all children do, much too fast, but I am loving every minute.

We have also begun the transition to the baby bed in his own room (shared with big brother of course). I would have let him sleep in the playpen next to my bed until he could crawl out himself, but Daddy said it was time. Daddy is a wise man, and he loves me. He is smart enough to know that, on occasion, I need a little "help" letting go. I would imagine the same may happen when the children move out, but we will cross that bridge at a later date. This was the first night in his bed, but don't let it fool you. He didn't stay there very long. We had several rough nights and a very tired and attached Mommy, but we are doing much better now. He sleeps most of the night, only waking once or twice to eat and then it is promptly back to bed. The boys don't bother each other with their various nighttime noises, which surprised me a bit, but I am very glad of that. All in all, we are doing great, but Mommy needs some "baby moments" to cherish every now and again. I grab them where I can....

Wordless Wednesday

This is what happens to hair when you get too close to Collin.

My typical evening....

This is how my day usually ends. Actually, this is about 25% of my daily living. I am tempted to say more like 50%, but in all reality, it probably isn't quite that much. It stressed me out when it began, but the more it happens the more I just have to look around and laugh at the situation. If I didn't, I would be in the nuthouse by now. I love my life and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. And that is how I ended up getting out the camera for this instead of crawling off into the corner and crying myself to sleep. God's blessings are all around if I will just SEE them.

P.S. In case you are wondering, Byron got his Daddy and he is sitting with him right now. However, he will be gone for 3 days to Chicago starting tomorrow. Prayer are needed for his safe trip and my sanity PLEASE!

The Healing Process

This morning.....Tonight...

Update for Wednesday.....

Sometimes things happen that need explaining and you just can't be wordless anymore. Here is what happens when big kids play around kids much smaller than they are. But, it was just an accident, so you can't really blame anyone for it. He bit clean through his lip, but Daddy the licensed paramedic says he is fine and doesn't need any stitches. He does talk a little funny now though....

Now, let the healing begin....

Wordless Wednesday -- Captivating Eyes

Alot of people say there is just something about his eyes....

Remembering.....

Does anyone else's children feel the need to stick out their tongues for every picture?

Why would a tongue be necessary in a picture?

As I lay in bed with my children, I remember all the things that have been part of our bedtime routine for several years and I want to jot them down so I don't soon forget them. Most of them involve Byron because Abby never allowed us to lay down with her until she became much older, but I have added one or two.

-When Abby was learning to sleep in a "big girl bed", her room was directly down the hall from the living room and Daddy's chair in our house in town. One of the first nights that she realized she could get out of bed (something she never learned about her baby bed...thank goodness), she wanted out but we ended up putting the gate at her door so she couldn't get out of the room. Instead, she feel asleep in the floor right in front of that gate. Wish I had gotten a picture...

-She was 2 months old when she decided to sleep on her own. I rocked her, nursed her, sang to her, walked her, got mad at her, and, finally, as 2 am approached, exhausted, I put her in her bed to just cry it out. She was asleep in less than 30 seconds.....

-Byron's bedtime routine has always been very structured. He thrives on routine. Before his trip to Missouri this summer, it was always a process. Where is your nite nite (blanket)? Ok, found it. Now where is your nunu (pacifier)? look, look, look....ok, got it. Can I have bunk (which eventually evolved into the proper pronunciation....milk)? And it had to be stawbilly bunk (strawberry milk, of course...you're catching on). Daddy laid down with him; Mommy got the milk. So then he and Daddy talked about who was his favorite Daddy, favorite Mommy, favorite Tooterbug, and favorite little Buddy. Daddy got done and then Mommy laid down with him until he fell asleep. When I was pregnant and laid down with him at naptime, he would say, "Mommy, do my footsies." That was simply my cue to hold his feet. Not rub them. Not tickle them. Not warm them up. Just hold them. And I had to hold them both in one hand and allow them to touch each other. I don't know what that was all about, but he doesn't ask for that anymore, and I miss it. (Incidentally, the nunu is now gone. THANK YOU AUNTIE NAE!!!! But he is less dependent on everything now. It must have been some kind of package deal in his mind.)

-He was always fascinated with the seam on his blanket where the two ends met on one side of the blanket. There was a seam in each corner, but he didn't like those. And actually, there was another seam on the side as well, but he didn't like that one either. He wanted the seam closest to the corner. He would ask us to find the seam, he would hold onto it, flick it with one thumbnail, and drift off to sleep. He doesn't ask for that anymore either, and, again, I miss it.

Collin has his bedtime routine, for now. I imagine I will have more to write about him later, but for now, I remember the times when the "big kids" were smaller and all the memories I have of them. I imagine we will go through more stages with each of them as the years progress. Abby not wanting ANYTHING to do with us, at bedtime or any other time. Byron creeping into independence. Collin ready for some alone time after spending all his years trying to sleep through the noise. But I cherish each moment I have with each of them. All too quickly they will begin to drift away from the nest and I will have nothing but memories of the younger years. Here are a few pictures of our memories of today....

This is how I discovered him after nap today.....

The cowboy on his horse.....

Brothers & baths.....

My Beginner's Blog

Ok, so I have decided that with my family spread all over the country and my youngest son closing in on 5 months old, I should try to do something to keep everyone updated on our goings-on. I am terribly, horribly new to this, so please bear with me while I learn! (If you have any suggestions, comments or tips for making this better/easier, PLEASE share it with me! I need all the help I can get!)

I decided to do this, also, after reading many other friend blogs (which I am going to try to include in this somehow....I know it can be done; I've seen it). It is such a good way to keep everyone updated, document cute/sweet/memorable moments, and sometimes, just vent. Of all the blogs I have read, it seems to me that the moms that do them are all very "real" moms, and if they can do it, why can't I?

So here it goes.........

I have also read that posts without pictures are frowned upon, so I will add the cutest picture I have for now. The 4 loves of my life. Maybe this blog thing will make me a better picture taker too.....just one extra benefit.....