OCTOBER

Since October has passed me by and November is quickly disappearing I figured I should just do a month of October post.

When I was pregnant with Sidney and we just had Carolyn, we all came down with a stomach bug and I seriously rethought having children. I didn't know how I was going to be sick and take care of a living thing.  Flash forward several years later and I laugh at myself back then... O to only have one child to take care of and have the stomach virus go through.  We spent the first part of October with you guessed it the stomach bug going through all of our family.  Fun times and why my floor was covered with blankets.  We survived though and hopefully won't be dealing with this again anytime soon... knock on wood.



Of course we spent a lot of time through out the month of October watching football.



While we were in Germany most Carolina games were on during the middle of the night and I didn't wake up for them.  I had forgotten how entertaining Brian can be during a game.



Couple of pictures of the kids sporting their Gamecock gear....
Love Thomas's face in this picture.  He is still unsure about Payson but slowly is starting to not look like a deer in the head lights when she tries to love on him.  She is still totally in LOVE with him.





Another big thing for ME that happened this month is Thomas started sleeping through the night.  Hallelujah!!  He also started sleeping in his own room and crib.  He was definitely my toughest newborn and I am beyond thrilled that he is turning into such a chill little boy.



Brian's classmates here at ACSC and their families at one of the gatherings they had during October.  School has been flying by for him and luckily he is in class with a great group.  We will find out soon whether we will be moving this summer or next.  I am trying not to stress about if or where we may go next.



Also attended our first Halloween Carnival at Carolyn's school.



All the girls had such a great time.  They loved everything that led up to Halloween this year.



Most Tuesday and Thursday evenings and every Saturday morning during the month of October we spent on the soccer field. Here are a couple more soccer pictures...






Brian's cousin Chris came to visit us and got to meet the newest little Donehue.



And finally we celebrated the great American holiday of Halloween.



Brian and I had just as much fun as the girls watching them run house to house with



Miss Payson trailing behind them.



Now I can finally retire the giraffe costume (probably the only outfit I own that all four of them will have worn).  Crazy to think he will be running around next Halloween with them.

What's Important

Two things happened this week: the first was someone in my house, not naming names (but the only one who will not wear a dress and can feed himself) broke a piece of my Polish Pottery. (This person felt so bad that I really couldn't get mad.)  I was upset, though, and I guess the universe wanted to teach me what was really important because later in the day I lost all the pictures on my cell phone.  This might not sound like that big of a deal, but with things being so crazy around here most of the pictures I took over the last few months have been on my cell phone.  I'm still upset about it!  Way more important to me than the Polish Pottery.

With that being said, I decided that I needed to break out my camera more.  Below are just a few pictures of the kiddos that were home with me today.

I love this SMILE!




He looks like he is waving.  So Sweet!



This picture describes Payson and Tommy's relationship to a T.  Payson so excited to be laying with her brother, and Tommy slightly unsure of what she might do to him.



Sometimes for Payson, kisses on his head are not enough....



Tommy can honestly say his first kiss was from his sister. I soooo see showing this picture at his wedding.




Payson is obsessed with baby dolls these days.  She constantly has one in her hands, and of course, she thinks that I should feed them as well.



When I tell Sid to smile for a picture...this is the smile that I get. I think she has some pirate in her.  Carolyn went through an Olivia phase, and Sidney is going through her's now. We read this book tooo many times a day to count.



For now, Sidney is home during the day with me.  We just couldn't find a preschool that worked for us and



I have just been doing "school" here.



She has loved it so far, and luckily she hasn't complained or felt like this much...



We are on a waiting list at a preschool, but until then I am enjoying having her here around the house.

Soccer Girls

Soccer season for the girls also started while my Dad was here.  These are just a few pictures from their first game.



The league that we are apart of is organized by one of the churches here. One of the great things they do is announce all the kids' names. They are supposed to RUN through a tunnel made up of the parents.  Notice how I said RUN.  Well this is Miss Sidney's favorite part of the soccer day and both times she has done it she doesn't run.  She takes her time like Miss America and high fives each person.  Both times the man in charge has had to come and take Sid by the hand to get her to run through the line.  It is hilarious!  So Sidney!



Carolyn on the other hand runs as fast as she can.



And Payson, of course, has proven to be quite the handful to keep her out of the mix of everything.



Carolyn is really enjoying playing soccer, and she has improved so much since she played last.



Her favorite part so far is being the goalie.
One thing about Carolyn's soccer team is you know you live in a small town when your Labor and Delivery nurse's daughter ends up being on your daughter's soccer team.  Every time I see her I tell Brian I am sooo glad that we had Thomas before soccer season. Thankfully she was a wonderful nurse even though sometimes I have thoughts of "Oh my Gosh you had to empty my bladder."  Nothing can make you fast friends like having gone through childbirth together.



And then there is Miss Sidney and her soccer team.  Sidney loves soccer practice, but during the games she would rather chat with the coaches.  When all the boys are in a bunch trying to get the ball, Sid is just not going to get in the middle of all that.



She likes being the goalie as well, but not for the same reasons as Carolyn.  She cracks me up!



They get star stickers after every game for how well they did. To Sid, soccer is walking through a crowd of people (which she loves), getting a sticker and having a juice box.



Brian and I have had the realization that sports with our kids is going to be lively. Carolyn and Sidney's games are at the same time so between trying to cheer for each girl, keeping Payson off of the soccer fields, and keeping Tommy calm...we are exhausted after the games. Even with all that, I can honestly say we all have been enjoying it. Good thing it only last till the end of October, though.

Riverfront

When my Dad and Janice came to visit we decided to head to downtown Montgomery and check out



the Riverfront district here.  We were pleasantly surprised at how nice this area was and it had one of my favorite things...outdoor seating!



This is as close to Sittard square we have gotten since moving back to the US.  I love being able to eat outside especially with the kids.  Although this is more an Alley than a Square, it still qualifies as one of my favorite things because



the girls could run around,



and...



we could enjoy ourselves without worrying about this little one disturbing anyone.



Just a couple more pictures of the girls being silly on the Riverfront.