Ramblings: Posts with Updates that never made it to Post

Dear Grandma,
In that adorable, shrinking, 87 year old little body hides a sneaky, evil genius. Of course I cannot refuse your one Christmas wish that I keep this dying blog going! Question: Were you prepared to fake chest pains, too? Well-played Grandma, well-played.  So Merry Christmas to YOU!

And while digging through pictures on my computer, I found this one of you and the boys from a couple of years ago. Look how cute!


OCTOBER: (written back in October, yet it never made it to post...)

Since the poo poo on the block incident, I needed some time to calm down. Although life around here is never that, I've managed to accomplish a few things. We celebrated our little red-headed kid's first birthday--complete with four lovely shots in his flabby thighs and more antibiotics for his never-ending string of ear infections. (And if you're wondering which side of family he resembles most--take a look at the shape of that big round head. Fielding all the way. Good thing he was a c-section.) He's weighing in at 24 pounds and is 31 1/2 inches tall--which means he's BIG. No amazing breakthrough there.
He's been chatty for awhile--he can say uh-oh, mama, Maddie, cracker, bye, hi, cookie and he screams LOUDLY  to get whatever else he wants. He signs milk, hi, bye, more, and all-done--at least when he wants to.  He's not walking yet but he can stand for a long time and string about four or five steps together before he falls. I'm in no hurry--he can crawl fast, but once he starts walking, then comes running. And the toothless wonder is still just that--with nothing showing on the horizon. At one point do I get the kid some dentures so he can eat real food?


Update: Trace is now almost 15 months, is finally walking, and has sprouted those two middle bottom teeth that make babies look like adorable little squirrels. He pushes food the front of his mouth to enjoy this new found chewing freedom. He carries on constant conversations with us and himself, although I'm pretty sure only one of us (him) knows what about. He's got quite a sense of humor and loves when he can put on a good show for anyone willing to watch--including fellow shoppers at the grocery store, the pool guy thru the window, or mom and dad . And he will insist that everyone clap and holler "yea!" for him because if we don't, he will stop doing his funny routine, give us some major stink eye, and then clap for himself. He also thinks using his razor sharp nails to pinch the flab on the back of my arm is funny. It is not.

He typically identifies when he is doing/ or has done a "pee poo" and will come and find me to report his stinky diaper, waving his hand in front of his nose to communicate just how stinky he is.  Don't worry: I'm not unrealistically optimistic that he will potty train easier because of this. Mostly I just think it's funny when he comes ambling over in his drunken new-walker stumble to loudly report what everyone in a 6 mile vicinity already smells. And he spends most of his time "helping" me around the house.

Halloween: I love getting into costumes, but this year was a challenge. I've got too many kids concerned with being cool instead of funny. Aidan submitted to my s'mores costume and wore a marshmallow pillow and 2 painted foam graham crackers velcroed to his chocolate layer. Avery went as a bloodied and scratched tiger trainer and Trace was the ferocious tiger. As expected, Avery's "whip" was confiscated 20 minutes into the evening.

Maddie was a Queen and Alex went as the World's Worst Burglar--complete with nametag, giant head flashlight, a bell necklace, and a tag on his stash reading "If lost, please return to..." He managed to evade being in any pictures. The only picture I got of Maddie was looking super annoyed at the neckline of her dress running through the church's trunk or treat.

 I've been meeting with a landscape designer to plan the revamp of our landscaping and I'm excited to see the project unfold next month. He's already lectured me about having to go out and hand water the multitude of new plants and trees that we'll have to tend to. Should I be worried that I forgot to check with him if they will withstand being frequently "watered" by four boys? Is a little extra ammonia deadly? We shall see...I love a good project.

Thanksgiving came and went fairly uneventfully.  I avoided any Black Friday shopping. But I went to sonic and was embarrassed for whoever made this sign, laminated enough for every booth, and then didn't realize for about a week the spelling error. I don't know what the "hole" menu is, but I'm not interested. Doesn't sound very appetizing.

Alex celebrated his 11th birthday at the beginning of December. Oh my gosh. I have an eleven year old. Freaky. I very well remember being 11 myself. Weird. Grandpa  hooked him up with one of Texas' required possessions: a giant gun. Well, it seems giant in the hands of an 11 year old. Some sort of air rifle that can be potentially dangerous. The box described it as an "excellent form of small rodent and pest control." Right. That's what it's best used for.  Lucky for them, Grandpa keeps it at his house or else its best use around here would be "to regulate the performance of chores, piano practicing and bedtime enforcement." What? No good? you guys won't let me have any fun.

We survived the tons of holiday parties, piano recitals, and other festivities this month. FYI Trace attacks people and licks their hair when they're not expecting it...Aidan got body snatched by his cousin Dex at the church Christmas party. He's about the same age as the twins and they are crazy when they're all together--gives me a shot of what life would've been like with triplets. I wouldn't have survived.

We posed with Santa. And although it looks like we adopted a blonde Korean boy and threw him in a sweater vest, we did not. Avery was really trying hard to look pleasant despite having to "wear church clothes." And yes Jessica, we do indeed look like the Duggar family.

We forced the kids to submit to the yearly photo taking. And once again the outtakes did not disappoint. This first one was about the most normal looking of everyone. Oh, but what a journey to get there. At one point, Trace became obsessed with Alex's crunchy spikes and we couldn't get him to stop playing with them.

Then, sensing he had a keen audience, Trace decided to get funny--he loves looking at me and then making this face because it makes me laugh every time. We finally let the kids down and Trace took off like a wild baby in his old man sweater vest.

And then everyone got a bit kookie. Hair got licked, shoes got flung,  folks started wrestling and we knew it was time to call it quits. I almost think it's worse when the moaning and groaning is replaced with the giggles and silliness. At least the deformed body poses and open mouth smiles are much more obvious in the pictures...

Jer and I managed to sneak a shot that turned out ok. Which is a miracle because look what was behind the scenes: Maddie was poking my rear and climbing between my legs, Alex and Avery were about to throw down, and Aidan had tackled Trace in an attempt to keep him from taking off across the field--you can barely see fingers flying in the right corner.  I'm sure I'll have more funny pictures and stories to share post-Christmas. Until then, FELIZ NAVIDAD!