More Room?

We've been here before...

I guess the bed wasn't crowded enough...so Shiloh got in on the snuggling too. Sheesh! Why do we have multiple beds? What a waste of space.

7th Birthday Boy!

It was Mr. P's 7th Birthday. Oh, how the time has flown. Cam and I got all teary looking at the photos of when he was born. We had waited and prayed for so long for another child. His big brother Tuba was over the moon. He couldn't really understand the concept of a new baby coming but when he came up to the hospital to meet the baby...he was thrilled! Here's that bundle of joy 7 years ago. Precious!
Tuba's reaction to meeting his new brother.

He jumped right into my bed so he could hold his new brother. Tuba was 7 years old when Mr. P was born. He was so tiny though due to the Ketogenic diet he had been on for 3 years.

Cam with his two boys. Look how proud Tuba is!

And...here is Mr. P today! So big. The birthday started out at 5:30 am when he woke up and realized his VERY loose tooth was out...he quickly located it in the back of his cheek. We had the traditional pancake breakfast with birthday candles in the pancakes. Then we were off for a day of fun. Mr. P choose to go to 321 Bounce. It's a big building filled with bouncy houses and bouncy slides. So fun!

Next we came home for a quick lunch and put the wee ones down for a nap. Mr. P, Busy Guy and I went to the mall to buy me a new pair of sunglasses....courtesy of Sis and her expert sunglass arm removal technique. :0 The boys needed a haircut so we stopped in and did that too. Since it's summer I let Busy Guy get that mohawk he wanted so bad! Doesn't he look tough? We came home picked up the tribe and headed to the beach. They were having a Farmer's Market which we perused and bought fresh raspberries. Off to the park to play for a bit. The sun was out and the breeze was lovely.

The train tracks run along the edge of the park. These two characters were so entranced when the train rolled through. They sat down to watch it go by.

Next on the agenda....led by the birthday boy...was a ferry ride. We can walk on and go for a ride and then back.

After the ferry ride we went to dinner at Ivar's for some fish and chips. Then off to home and swimming lessons. After swimming we went home for cake and ice cream! What a day!!! It was so much fun. I was so tired!

So tired that this morning I woke up to hear, "Mom, the tooth fairy forgot to come". Oh!!! Whoops...that tooth fairy. I told Mr. P that his shelf (where he put the tooth) was so messy she probably couldn't find it. LOL. He is cleaning the shelf today. ;)

Snuggle Fest

Tuba, Busy Guy, Cam and Mr. P all snugged up for bed.

I work hard to get my kids to sleep in their own beds. When Tuba was little it took some time to get him sleeping in his own bed. I sat on the edge of his bed and sang to him....for a LONG time each night. I'd lay next to him and then creep out when he was asleep. Then something happened. I got a job teaching at night at the community college. It became Cam's job to put Tuba to bed. Hmmmmm. In about a week's time Tuba no longer slept in his own bed! I'd come home and find the two of them all snuggled up and asleep in Cam and I's bed. I tried to explain to Cam that someday Tuba would be 40 years old and still be sleeping in our bed. Cam looked at e all confused and shrugged his shoulders and said, "so". Great! I cannot sleep with kids in my bed. They wiggle and snore and wiggle and sweat and wiggle and talk in their sleep and wiggle!!! I wake up each time. Ugh! So, I've worked really hard with each kid to have them sleep in their own bed.

Last night Cam and I put the kids to bed and then Cam went to bed and I went to the livingroom to read. When I came to bed this is what I found! Oh, good grief. As I carried Busy Guy to his bed he sleepily told me, "no, Daddy said we could have a snuggle fest". LOL.

Rowdy Bunch

We went to Costco today with the brood in tow. Yes, I was asking myself "why?" after about 5 seconds. The boys were super hyper and running around, clowning it up, giggling, constantly ignoring what I was saying, and getting into everyone's way. Now, if you ask my hubby he would say they were fine, great, just having fun. OH! I stopped and asked Cam if the kids were driving him nuts...he just shrugged and said, "not really". So, basically it's a good thing kids are usually given parents with somewhat different...okay, completely opposite tolerance levels. :) I decided to just loosen up (this is good for me) and enjoy our time. I saw a lady giggling at my cart. As I turned around I saw Sis and Liam were licking each other....on each other's tongue!!! The were hysterically laughing and as I tried to scold them and tell them not to do it I started to laugh too. We were all cracking up which only made them do it more. OH! When we got into line to pay we looked like a 3-ring circus. Mr. P was leaning into Busy Guy and making him laugh. All of a sudden BG smacked his hands into Mr. P's mouth and ripped out his tooth. Yes, it was a loose tooth. Mr. P was so shocked. He stood there with blood filling his mouth and then realized he didn't know where the tooth was. Cam quickly spotted the tooth on the floor and I scooped it up for the tooth fairy. By this time we had attracted even more attention and Cam and I were laughing. As I paid for our loot the checker asked "is it always this chaotic?". HA! Even more I told her while still laughing.

Video

I just don't get it....video games that is. I've never played them. Never been interested in them. When I was a kid the first video games came out. Okay, I did play an occasional game of PacMan and one or two games of Space Invaders at a friend's house. Oh, and there was a time when Cam and I would go play a race car game at a local tavern. Picture this...I was pregnant, we'd go in at lunch time, play a few games, laugh our heads off, and go home (and yes, I was super competitive and beat Cam lots of times). :)

Truthfully though, I just don't get the video game craze. I know...I don't have enough testosterone! Ironically, I now live in a house full of boys who LOVE video games. UGH! And...a house stocked with an XBOX and all the games. I've had many disagreements with my lovely hubby about which games our kids are allowed to play/watch. I've also had many fantasies about throwing the XBOX off a very high cliff! The violence is one problem but actually the language is more offensive to me. Many of the games would be okay for my boys to play except for the language. Not any big time swearing but things like "what the he**" and a few name calling words that I certainly don't want repeated from my kids.

So, the boys have games that are rated for their age, approved by me, and they have a time limit each day. I set the timer and if I forget...you can be sure they do not remind me. It doesn't matter how much time I allow them to play...it is never enough.

Mr. P has been asking for a DS. Fortunately for me Cam was the first to say "no" to this request. For once I didn't have to be the bad guy to say no on the video game topic. He still wants one REALLY bad and asks for one each birthday and Christmas. Of course now Busy Guy is in on the asking too.

My sister J and my nephew D visited recently. D brought his DS. My nephew D is 3 years older than Mr. P so we told Mr. P that maybe when he reaches that age he can have one too. All the boys were so fascinated with the DS. Even with an extra boy in the house it was amazingly quiet. Hmmm....maybe I should re-think my position on the DS? I could buy each kid one and I'd probably never see or hear from them until they were starving? He-he!


Even more fun than a DS....a doggy! Sis chased the poor pooch around the house trying to catch him.
All the boys sat and watched how to play. My nephew made sure that Tuba got in an the action too.

Two Loves

There are so many things that Baby George LOVES. Anything with an engine is at the top of the list. Dogs and motorcycles are two of his favorites. He is using the little stuffed dog to drive the motorcycle. I love it.

Goin' Commando

I was getting the kids ready for bed and I sent Busy Guy to put on his pj's. He came running through my room naked. I asked him where his undies went and reminded him to keep them on and not change them at night. Busy Guy likes to wear new undies in the morning AND at night but this mean mom doesn't like to do that much extra wash so I veto his tidiness:) Back to the naked boy in my room....he tells me he couldn't find his undies. UGH...seriously? I say to him..."you just had them on, where did you put them?". I got up to go look for his clothes he had just taken off. Well, I found his pants and shirt...but no undies. He looks up at me and says again, "I couldn't find any. I couldn't find any this morning". OH! So, I say..."you mean you wore pants and no undies....to SCHOOL???". "Yes" he says with a bit of exasperation and then a smile. Great!

Big Boom

Baby George fell yesterday. The kids were all at the dining room table eating popcorn and his chair tipped and he hit his chin on the table as he fell. Poor baby. Good thing Papa was home cause the little guy needed to go get stitches. Ouch! This is the third set of stitches for our family...luckily all on different kids. I'd like to think there won't be anymore stitches to come but I think I'd be foolin' myself:) Cam said they had to strap him down....OH!...and he screamed...actually Cam's words were, "he was super pissed!". By the time they got home he was calm. He hasn't mentioned the "owie" at all. His only compliant was that he couldn't take a bath this morning and he cried cause the other kids were in the tub:( Poor guy.

But...check out this adorable pic of BG hugging his Papa. Oh! Be still my heart....look at his sweet little haircut. I love it.

Sleep Tight...

Mr. P has been sleeping with Tuba...in the bottom half of their bunk bed. Mr. P sometimes starts out on the top bunk but Tuba continues to call his name until he comes down to snuggle. Precious.

Palm Sunday

Check out this youtube video of Palm Sunday at our parish. If you look close you can see Busy Guy playing "air guitar" on his palm. I love the service...but seriously have you ever spent a two hour service with 4 boys with palms to hold/wave around/poke each other/play swords/play guitar...fill in the blank if you have boys of your own. LOL...seriously it is a beautiful service and my boys were very good and respectful with their palms...mostly;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocW4qgdd5bA

Oh Boy

If you give a boy a robe....

He will of course....do Karate!

New Shoes

I've been busy getting the kids new summer shoes. I always get them just before Easter. I bought each one a pair of sandals and then I also bought Mr. P and Busy Guy shoes for swim lessons. I wanted slip on...really easy to wear shoes...so I don't have to bed over and get wet feet into shoes while monitoring the other kids. I got Mr. P flip flops...my favorite shoe...and for Busy Guy (they didn't have flip flops in his tiny size) I got a rubber slip on...with...drum roll please...SPIDERMAN!!!! He loves them so much that he has worn them to bed every night...like slippers. So sweet.

Precious

Is there nothing sweeter than a little boy in a white t-shirt?

Snappy Dresser!

Wow...Busy Guy modeling my knee high boots...well...thigh high on him...cute!

Party, Party!

Well we just finished up a week of parties. Busy Guy turned 3 yesterday and Mr. P had his Patron Saint day. On Sunday we had the Batman and "Robber" birthday party and last night we did a big Irish dinner. I'm pooped...cooked out...cleaned out...organized out...and ready for normal. It was a REALLY fun time and the boys LOVED it!
Looking at his Batman cake....ohhhhhahhhh!

The capes I made the boys....Sis has one too but not yet finished. They love them. They are reversible and I got the pattern at http://www.pukingpastilles.com/

Showing off their Batman tattoos.

Superhero jumping.

Even Batman gets timeouts;)

Uh-Oh

So...this is what happens when I fall behind in the laundry! Poor boy had to wear GIRL jammies to bed. At least I put the hot pink ballerina ones on Sis;)

And...from the comments section (in case you don't read those). From my dear MIL...Grandma Sue.
I love this! I will always remember when I had to send my SON to his visitation with his own Dad wearing MY tennis shoes because they were the only ones that fit...after his overnight growth spurt! It was as if his feet changed two sizes overnight! And what did my son say to my ex..."I don't know what they are doing with the child support money!" I was mortified but it was a no-win situation. Things happen and they can only be turned into humorous memories. I love you all and thanks for sharing.

Poem

Cam's sister (most fun person in the world) wrote this poem about Tuba a couple of years ago. She sent it to Cam and I yesterday. Needless to say I was bawling and doing the "ugly cry"!


Tuba

Wet kisses
Sticky fingers
Easy grin
You have stolen my heart.
Grown men haven’t breached that fortress,
But with a crinkle of eye and a blossoming of round apple cheek
I became yours.


Here is Aunt Cinny with the boys last summer throwing rocks at the beach.

Boy Town

I grew up with sisters and was never a tomboy so it always cracks me up when I see the way my boys play. Here's two of the latest.

Busy Guy showing me how his Ninja is flying on top of his tinker toy space ship.

Mr. P and Busy Guy line army guys up on the railing and then use their Nerf dart guns to shoot them off.

Ohhhh Man!

So yesterday I took Busy Guy and Mr. P for dental appointments. Busy Guy has an abscess at the top of his front tooth. Which tooth...well...of course it's the one that he broke a year ago AND the one that he just banged again recently!!! We are going today to the specialist to have it looked at but I've already been warned by our family dentist...the tooth will probably be pulled! Whaaaaa! I know it's a baby tooth but it will be about 4 more years before he gets the adult tooth in....whaaaa. No, I don't think it looks cute...no, I don't think it makes a good story...at least not right now I don't. Give me about 5 years. I'm sure the pediatric dentist will remember me...I'm the nutty Mama who cried in his office, went home to think and then came back to have the procedure done (they took out half the tooth a year ago)....whaaaa! I'll update later. I'm the only one...including Busy Guy who is having any trauma over this...so lots of sympathy in the comments is a good thing:)

Scar Face

Busy Guy's new name shall be Scar Face. Poor little pumpkin fell on the sidewalk last night. We were on our way into church and he biffed it right onto his lips. That poor baby has had more owies on his face than I care to recollect. I'm going to put him in a big bubble suit so he just bounces. He is eating drinking okay...although I ruled out potato chips today...YOW...he didn't understand why he shouldn't have them? The picture looks like his teeth are missing but I assure you this time his teeth are intact...as far as I can tell anyway. We are all trying to decipher what he is saying with that big fat lip...A wan sa cera...translation...I want some cereal. I gave him some Motrin and he says it's not hurting. He's running all around playing...making me so nervous...he's the toughest little guy.