One

It's amazing how slow time goes when you want it to go fast, and then it goes really fast when you want it to go slow.

One year ago tomorrow, I worked until 4:00, then drove myself to the hospital. I gave birth at 10:22 pm to my sweet Nicholas. It seems like yesterday.

He's such an awesome little boy. He smiles at me when he sees me. He knows when he's doing something wrong because he'll look at me and do this adorable little head cock that (I think) means "But I'm cute!". He'll give you five if you put your hand out. He eats almost everything I give him, even if he makes that funny little frown on the first bite. He likes playing in Lexie's water bowl. He loves taking a bath. He is very serious when he meets someone new. He loves to ride in the carrier on my back and often falls asleep.

He is my sweet, little Nicholas and I can't believe he's one.

From Drop Box

Nicholas 1 year

Kelly was so wonderful to take Nicholas' 1 year pictures this weekend. She did such an awesome job! I tried to put them in my post, but it didn't work. But all you have to do is click below to see them!

Click here!

More changes

Jackson is, well, adjusting to his new routine. He's started becoming very unhappy in the mornings. Okay, we're having huge, crocodile tears when he's dropped off at daycare. Hopefully, it will pass in a few weeks. I feel bad for the little guy though. I hate change, too. And it isn't until I was an adult that I realized change is the only constant in our lives.

We had Gavin's first birthday party this last weekend. I cannot believe he's already one! That means Nicholas' birthday is right around the corner. They're so much fun.

Here's a picture of the birthday boy eating his cake!

From Drop Box

I think he really liked the frosting!

And I love this picture of the two of them. I think Gavin's telling Nicholas to get off of his new toy. Nicholas didn't listen.

From Drop Box

Here's Papa Dave playing with the little boys. The little ones thought this was the BEST GAME EVER!

From Drop Box

Change

Jackson has a bunch of changes ahead of him. He's already started a new daycare this week, and Monday he starts Kindergarten!

The first day, he was so excited! Couldn't stop talking about how he was an after-schooler now and a big kid! And then when he got there, he clammed up and started looking nervous. He said he had a good day. He also said he didn't make any friends because everyone was a stranger and I told him not to talk to strangers. (Strangers are not easy to explain to a 5 year old.)

The second day, he was okay to go. I picked him up and asked him his teachers name. He didn't know and we had to find out. Asked if he made any friends. "Not quite yet," whatever that means. Sounds like he's analyzing everyone before he decides who is his friend.

This morning, he woke up crying because he wanted to stay home.

Sigh.

Change is so hard.

Swimming with the Minnows

Jackson's summer of swimming lessons is over. I'm so amazed at how much he's learned in four weeks.

When summer started, he never wanted to put his head underwater. Now we can't keep him up out of the water.

When summer started, he thought he needed his goggles all the time. Now he can open his eyes and see underwater without them.

When summer started, he didn't ever want to go near the deep end of the water. Now... well, now he's about the same. I don't know what it is with him, but he's deathly afraid of deep water. Maybe it was that one episode of Pushing Daisies where the shark came out into the pool and ate one of the syncronized swimmers that he accidentally watched with me. I keep trying to tell him that was just tv and there are no sharks in the middle of Texas, but it's hard to grasp that when you're only 5.

I'm so proud of the progress he has made. I definitely feel a little more comfortable while he's playing in the water, but I don't think lap swimming is on the agenda quite yet. :)

From Drop Box

Home Sweet Home

We made it home from our trip Monday night.

We had a good trip. The wedding is over. Had a lot of fun visiting friends and family.

One of my dearest friends from college took pictures, not pictures, portraits of my boys. You can view her awesome work at www.my3boybarians.com.

While we were taking pictures and chatting, her husband was taking pictures of my little sister. His work is pretty awesome, too. www.boybarianphoto.com.

Very glad to be home and back into the old swing of things. Very anxious to meet Baby Clara on Wednesday!

100 Uses for Avon Bubble Bath

We're actually going to split this into a few posts... 100 things is too much for me to read, why should I expect you to read that many?

So, here we go!

1. Zillions of bubbles that leave no bathtub ring.
2. Does a beautiful job on washing cars, mobile homes, recreation vehicles, etc.
3. Use as a laundry detergent. (delicate laundry).
4. Use for hand washing.
5. Use for pre-soak on heavy soiled laundry, great for "ring around the collar."
6. Use to wash windows.
7. Use to wash appliances.
8. Use to wash "no wax" floors.
9. Use to wash dishes.
10. Give pets a bath with it.
11. Clean bathroom fixtures and mirrors.
12. Use to shampoo carpets (whole room or a spot.)
13. Use it to wash walls and ceiling. Great for paneling, no rinsing, no streaks
14. Use bubbles and sponge to shampoo furniture or vehicle interiors.
15. Cleans Chandeliers and light fixtures.
16. Use to clean toilets. (2 capfuls)
17. Cleans china and wine glasses.
18. Use it to wash your plant leaves, they will shine. Then pour into soil as a fertilizer.
19. Upholstery stains come out by rubbing with a damp cloth dipped in full strength bubble bath. Do not wet the cloth with water. Water may leave a stain, the bubble bath won't.
20. Use it to clean your Jewelry, even costume jewelry.
21. Use it to get out grease stains on clothes.
22. Use it to wash mini blinds
23. Put some bubble bath and a bit of water in your potpourri burner.
24. Use it to clean your eyeglasses.
25. Use it to clean your painted or wood cabinets.

Now that you know how awesome it is, go get some!! Click here!

Birthday Party!

We survived. Actually, we more than survived and, it was a lot of fun.

Even better, it only happens once a year!

Kidding.... kinda...

We had some great kids spend the night and we had a good time. Started out by making our own grilled pizzas. The kids didn't do the grilling... I had Kelly manning the grill and Jaime helping them with the toppings. They were so good! I highly recommend grilling pizza! Then, we decorated our own little dinosaur cakes. Unfortunately, they were all eaten before we could do candles and "Happy Birthday." After that, we opened presents. Jackson has some great friends who gave him some awesome presents!

Then the big fun - the Adventure Walk! I took the boys on a walk after it got dark and they all had flashlights. On a side note, I apologize to my neighborhood - I tried to get them to be a bit quieter, but it didn't work. The boys were so funny... one would say, "Hey guys! I found a clue!" and all the rest of them would crowd around the "clue" and put their flashlights on it. The "clue" was a leaf, a spider, a hole in the cement, whatever one thought was a clue. We walked over by the creek and spotted a bunch of bunnies. Then we played a the playground for a few minutes. Next was the pond. The pond was an awesome surprise because we spotted a frog that was the size of a small soccer ball. IT WAS HUGE!

Came home from the walk, and got all of them into their pajamas. We lined up all the sleeping bags in the living room and they watched Madagascar 2. When it ended about 12:00, they were all still awake, so Chris turned on ESPN... and they all fell asleep.

This morning, they woke up around 8 and IMMEDIATELY started playing. We had Pigs in a Blanket for breakfast. They were all gone by 11:00.

The funniest part was when all of them started chanting, "Jackson Rocks!" over and over. He does rock. His party did, too.

Birthday Party

I love checking out my favorite bloggers because every day they have something new to say. I would not be one of my favorite bloggers. In fact, I probably would have deleted myself a long time ago. Unless I just wanted to look at some cute kids. So I apolgize to my followers... I will try harder to post more often.

Anyway, we're getting ready for the 5 year old's birthday party tonight. Sleepover party with 6 boys invited and a dinosaur theme. It's going to be so much fun!

Making and grilling our own pizzas for dinner. Then go on a discovery walk with flashlights! Come home and decorate our own dinosaur cakes, sing happy birthday! Then the boys will head to Jackson's room and set up the sleeping bags. We'll probably turn on Land Before Time and then it will be a contest to see who can go to sleep first! (Yeah, right...) We're going to have Pigs in a Blanket for breakfast. We also borrowed mom's Wii and made Mii's for some of the kids last night. That will occupy any other time that they need something to do.

I'm excited. I hope the boys don't freak out and ask to go home in the middle of the night. I know we're taking a chance with that one, they are only 5. I hope Jackson enjoys it and no one fights.

Our adventure begins around 6:30.....

10 Things I'd Rather Be Doing Today

1. Playing with my boys.

2. Knitting

3. Baking cupcakes for no reason.

4. Swimming at a pool.

5. Visiting the zoo with my boys.

6. Manicure/pedicure. By someone other than me.

7. Laying on the couch and watching television that requires no brainpower to process.

8. Making birthday invitations for Jackson's party.

9. Yoga.

10. Shopping.

What about you???