Responsibility

This is the first year that we haven't used daycare for the older boys. They have been walking home after school. Each day I have them call me to check in when they get home. They are usually home about a half hour by themselves.

This morning I told Evan to give dad a call instead of me since I had an after school meeting. Tonight, I found this by the phone. He had written himself a note...without anyone asking to. This was a pretty big step in responsibility....something that we have focusing a lot on lately.

This is what a princess looks like:

 

Oh, Sweet Cora. We can't wait to meet you! 

Welcome to the Family, Cora!

Cora Quinn Arias
5.9 lbs
18 in.

What a beauty! December is a long time to wait to hold her....

Waiting....

Ben's sister Jessi is at the hospital having a baby! Our niece should be here sometime today...This waiting is KILLING me! She went in yesterday to be induced and will be delivering sometime today. I can't wait to see pictures of this beautiful baby girl...Christmas can't come fast enough. She lives in California and will be home then.

Down goes the QB

Embarrassing

There was a 90% chance of rain yesterday. It might as well have been a 100% chance because it rained all day long. Before leaving for Evan's football game, I decided to put a hat on anticipating what my hair would do in the rain. Evan commented that I looked different in a hat so I asked him if he was embarrassed to have me wear a hat. He told me "No, I've been more embarrassed before." I was shocked! I thought he was talking about me and that he was embarrassed of me! All I was thinking was ALREADY? Isn't he too young to be embarrassed by his mom? So I asked him what he meant. He said "Well, when Eli pulled his pants down in Washington DC...that was really embarrassing." 
Instantly, I felt relieved....and instantly I started to laugh uncontrollably. 

Yep, you're right. There are worse things than mom wearing a baseball hat.

Sunday Football

Evan is the one with the red socks (white jersey) and the one that is a head taller than everyone else. He had a game today...so we sat in the rain for an hour and got chilled to the bone but BOY was it FUN! Evan had a blast and did really well. He had a quarterback sack and he recovered a fumble. He was pretty excited!




These three went to daycare together when they were babies. Luke and Dawson were Evan's first friends...I can't wait to watch them grow up together!

Family Walk

Family Day

We had family afternoon last weekend. Thinking about the events that took place 10 years ago on September 11th made us want to spend time together as a family. We went to a trail by Plainfield and took a family walk.

Zeke had so much fun walking and exploring on his own. It was a perfect walk for the boys.

All the boys are good to Zeke. They all make excellent big brothers...but there is something about the way that Evan takes the boys under his wing and teaches them about the world that just melts my heart.

Puppy kisses

These pictures are funny. They really don't need much explanation.

Tucker and Evan the other day.



The day we brought Tucker home.

Helpers

I love it when I have time to let the boys help me in the kitchen. Isaac LOVES to bake...I know I have mentioned that before. He is just adorable and so serious when he is helping.




And....this is what happens when the kitchen is left unattended for a few minutes and a bard stool is left too close to the counter.

Ick

I hate this feeling....

A former co-worker/friend of mine, mother of four boys, is right in the middle of a nightmare. One that she will never wake up from. Yesterday, the youngest son, a 9 year old, was killed in an ATV accident.  When we had Zeke, I talked to her and she was so excited for all the fun we would have with our four sons. We were pregnant together. They had their fourth son and we had our first. I remember thinking it was too bad that they didn't have a girl. I remember her telling me that she loved having sons and wasn't sure which one she would trade in for a girl! I get it now. There is something special about four boys. Not only does my heart ache for her and her husband, I see how close my boys are and I can't imagine the pain the brothers are experiencing. I cannot begin to understand or comprehend what they are going through.

I hate this feeling. The feeling that I want to lock my office door, pick up my boys from school and daycare, and hug them and hold them and NEVER let them go.

Please keep them in your prayers.

Dinner time

Last night, Evan and Ben were eating a quick supper before they left for football practice. Zeke was hungry and kept begging for bites from Ben. The begging wasn't working so finally he went over to the kitchen table, folded his hands like he was praying before a meal and then started stomping his foot to get Ben's attention. It was hilarious! He knew what he wanted and no one was listening to him! He is so funny right now because he is just a little sponge....he takes in everything!

Super Busy

We have been SUPER busy lately. It seems like there is something every night and I know this is just a small preview of what's to come. Currently we only have 2 kids involved in activities. Evan (and Coach Ben) has football practice every Tuesday and Thursday night from 5:30-7:30. He starts flag football on Saturday. The kids start church CCD classes on Wednesday nights and Isaac starts Boy Scouts on Monday. Holy cow! I love it but HOLY COW we meet ourselves coming and going.

There are a lot of posts in my head...I just have a hard time getting them down on "paper." One thing that should be noted is how much Eli is loving preschool. He only goes one morning a week, but he is loving it! He tells us more about school than the older two boys combined. He sings us songs and tells us about books they read. Another big change in him is that he is sleeping in his own bed still. If you would have told me two months ago that he would be going to sleep and staying in his own bed, no way would I have believed it! He has been doing such a great job going to sleep in his room. I was convinced this summer that he would be sleeping with us until he went to college! He is doing so well with it. We just wait for Zeke to fall asleep and then he goes in there and most nights, stays put. It has eliminated a lot of stress for Ben and I.

Eli Up Close

Thank you, Eli, for making picture night so enjoyable....