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.

First Grade

I really can't believe that Carolyn is in the first grade.  When she started school, I was just so thankful that we weren't having the issues that we had at the start of school last year (with her not wanting to go to school) that I didn't even let myself get emotional over having a first grader.



Now when I look back at these pictures I feel slightly hormonal over my first baby growing up.



We are so proud of her!  She loves her teacher Mrs. Brown.  I love Mrs. Brown too!  Just in the short time she has been Carolyn's teacher I can already see the positive impact she has had on her.  Finally I am not pulling my hair out to try to get Carolyn to read or do homework.



I can't wait to see what this year holds for her!



Brian's parents were visiting us when Carolyn started school, which worked out great because Brian and I were able to drop off Carolyn for her first day with out having to bring our whole crew into the school.  Here is a picture on the morning they were leaving which explains why three out of four of my kids are in their pajamas.

Haywire

Fortunately for us and maybe slightly unfortunately for her, whenever my mom comes to visit things just kind of go haywire and she is there to help us out.  When she came to see us after Tommy was born at first everything was going smoothly.



We took the girls fishing at a lake by our house.



Shortly after this fishing trip though



I woke up with a tooth ache and ended up having to go to the emergency Dentist on base.  Brian was in class so my mom got to sit in my van in the parking lot with this one,



this one,



this one and



even this little one for three hours while they determined that I needed a root canal.  Whatever they did to try to help alleviate the pain I was in made my whole side of my face swell up.  I really should have taken a picture.  On top of this Brian had some "complications" with the procedure he had to ensure that Thomas was our last little one and was laid up in our bed.  Brian and I really were a sad bunch and I don't know how we would have managed that time without my Mom here.
I have promised her that the next time she comes we will have ZERO drama.  I really hope I can keep that promise.



The last night she was here my brother and Seana came down and Thomas got to meet his fellow male cousin's for the first time.  Covey looks so grown up holding his baby cousin.



Austin has been so cute with Thomas.  We went to their house over Labor Day weekend and he was my little helper.



And back to things being a little haywire when my mom is here.  Well I tried to get a picture with her and all the grandchildren and this is what happened.





These pictures just make me laugh.  And my sweet Sidney I am sure one day your own child will pay you back for the fit that you threw that day.

A Blur

How can Thomas already be seven weeks?  I feel like these past weeks have been somewhat of a blur.  A good blur, but definitely a blur.  During this time we've had lots of visitors, Brian started school, Carolyn became a big first grader (Which is so crazy!), and we've managed to leave our house with all four kids. (Which is just an accomplishment in itself right now.)



Thomas is such a sweetie but he does get the title of the most high maintenance baby we have had.  Maybe it is that male gene that makes him require extra attention ... who knows?? He is starting to be a little more chill here lately.



Now if only I could get him to not be such a party animal at night. Some nights I get 4-5 hour stretches, so I am hoping that before I know it he will be giving me longer ones.



I took all these pictures right after he was born.  I love the somewhat smile that he has in this picture.  Now our 7 week old is starting to give us full on real, melt your heart, goofy smiles.  So precious!



Love me some baby toes!



The girls are all still enjoying having a brother to dote on.



I can already tell he and Payson are going to be big buddies.  She is always kissing on him. I think Little Miss Sassy thinks that he is her own live baby doll.



Just a few more newborn pictures...





I went to the big Wetumpka Walmart all by myself with three out of four of my children the other morning.  As I was just trying to grab what I needed and get out with minimal break downs from my kids the lovely checkout lady proceeded to ask me "are these ALL your kids?"  For a split second I almost replied "No I just thought it would be a blast to round up as many kids as I could and head out to Walmart.  That's what I do for fun."  but I didn't go off on the Walmart check out lady.  I just smiled and said why Yes they Are.  (I should have told her that I had one more that wasn't with me and that really would have blown her mind.)

At some point though in the blur of the last seven weeks we have thankfully found quite the routine with the six of us. (Even if the Walmart checkout lady thinks we are crazy.)