Clayton-9

I'm falling a little behind on this blogging thing! Clayton turned 9 a couple of weeks ago, and I never posted a little tribute to him. I have already handed myself the mother of the year award...last week he had baseball and football practice on Wednesday and he kept coughing and sitting down, I thought he was being a smidge dramatic so I told him to quit making such a scene!! Of course, I said some other really great things too! When I brought him home, I took a listen to his chest and realized he didn't sound like he was moving much air in there. He does have asthma, but rarely does he have an issue. I gave him a breathing treatment and he seemed a little better after that. The next morning, I took him to the doctor and sure enough he had pneumonia! Mother of the year!! I think he still loves me, though!

Clayton has always been my buddy. He is the one who always senses when I'm having a bad day. Sometimes, out of the blue he tells me I'm pretty, or he loves me, and it just melts my heart. It doesn't take a lot to make me smile! He is a people pleaser. He never wants to disapoint anyone. He reminds me a lot of myself. I think one day he will make an amazing husband. He is a little more sensitive than Russ would like, but I think it will make him a great man. I can't believe he's 9. Which makes me even older. Love you buddy!

(And yes, one of the pics he is wearing a dress thanks to his big sister)

Everything happens for a reason...

So on the 15th, our celeste turns 13! I aplogize for my horendous blogging skills but I wanted a few pics from her scrapbook. Now you know what a terrible scrapbooker I am too! That is why it is no longer an option...on to the post.

From the moment she was born she has changed our life in a million ways. For starters, between the two of us at least 80 lbs has been added, 100 gray hairs, wrinkles have begun to appear, cellulite, vericose veins, muscles have atrophied... there is plenty more but I am starting to become depressed listing it all.

Celeste is honestly an incredibly genuine kid. She has a heart of gold. She forgives more often than I would, she is generous and kind, she is a second mom to her siblings, and a huge help to me. She is clever and funny like her Dad, and thank goodness she has his bottom half. Even her feet look just like his! She has always been miss independent, which drove me crazy when she was younger, but now I know one day she will be just fine on her own. Recently, we have become friends and she has been so much fun. I know she thinks her Dad hung the moon but, I know I am starting to grow on her!! I know why she's here and why she came and I am so thankful that she did. Happy Birthday Celeste! We love you more than you could ever imagine.

Organize me...

I know I am not the best blogger. I love looking at everyone else's , mine always seems to fall short in the photo category. I have all of these "mom" looking photos. Either the kids took them or I took them myself. Photography is not my niche. Which then brings me to how guilty I feel that every picture I have of the kids, if it's not professionally done, it is hidden somewhere on my hard drive. So this year my resolution is to get all my photos printed out and at least chronologically place in boxes for each child. Even the photos I have on snapfish I don't know which ones I own and which ones I don't. So if anyone, who has not completely lost interest in my very boring blog life, has any ideas to help me accomplish this, I would very much appreciate it. Scrap booking is completely out of the question!

Time Flies

My weeks being at home are dwindling. :( I go back to work the first week of December. However, I do feel so lucky that I have never had to use day care. We have always made two jobs work in a way that keeps are kids at home. I work nights so they don't have to come home to an empty house after school or be in day care all day long. I love being home with the kids except for the redundancy of cleaning every one's mess over and over again! I feel like I do have the best of both worlds. I am a mom all week long during the day and a nurse 2-3 days a week at night.
This week I am so excited that the premire of Twilight is coming out. I know how old I am but I'm seriously addicted! I've been able to get closer to Celeste through this book. So I am taking her to the movie Thursday at midnight.
Addison is still such a great baby! She is so happy all the time. Very smily. Sleeps awesome. 9 weeks old now. Can't believe how fast time flies!
Time to make dinner... more later

Jonathon's birthday!

We have been so caught up in the new baby, I didn't post about Jonathon's birthday! He turned 4 exactly one week after she was born. Good thing he's only 4. We just had dinner and cake here with our family, but he seemed to enjoy it.

Jon seems to like Addison the best so far he loves to kiss her and hold her. It's funny I thought he would be the most unattentive.

Clayton looks at her every now and then, but not too interested in her yet. I was nursing her one day and Clayton asked what I was doing and I told him I was feeding her. He looked shocked and said, "That's how she eats??" I said, "Yes, that's how all of you ate." He walked away mortified and mumbled "My mouth feels disgusting!" It still makes me laugh!

Celeste holds her mostly when she's asleep. She seems to be warming up to her slowly. The kids have been on fall break for a week and still have a week and a half left, so they are bored. They don't understand why we can't be zooming all over to entertain them! No one entertained me when I was a kid! We played outside all day until dinner time! What happened to those days?

Addison's first photo shoot!

Thanks again to my great friend Megan who came over to get some great shots of Addison. Although this particular shot made me cringe... afraid my baby was going to fall off this very small ledge in our house, it turned out adorable!!

Addison Grace

It's a girl! After waiting nine months, she's finally here! Russ and I left for the hospital at 2:30 am on Friday morning. (I had called my mom to watch the kids, and take them to school.) When we arrived to the hospital, I had to go through 12+ hours of labor, and she was still clinging tight to my ribs so we had to do a C-section. She was born on September 12 and weighs 8 lbs 13 oz. I was supposed to stay at the hospital for four days, but they let me out early on the third day. I'm still pretty sore, but I'm happy to be back home. Addison is beautiful, and reminds me of all three kids. At last, my family is completed with two boys and two girls!