Little Man

Graham hates it when Eric goes outside without him. He likes to be right alongside him doing whatever he's doing. So when Eric goes out to mow the yard, Graham gets pretty upset. Once he calms down though, he loves to watch him out the window. He will literally stand there and watch the entire time he's out there mowing. So cute.











He also likes to imitate us, of course. As naptime ended, Eric and I were both sitting on the couch reading our Bible Study books and Graham thought he needed to read one too!





This is him saying "YEAHHH!!!" when I asked him if he was enjoying my book. lol


I'm hoping to get his hair cut this week. It's such a mop lol. It hasn't been cut since before Leah was born!
This is what it looked like right after it was cut back in early Feb. I don't think I'm gonna get it cut that short again, but I am glad I did it then. It let me get away with not having to get it cut for almost 4 mos!

3 months

I'm over a week late posting this, but better late than never. Leah turned 3 mos on the 22nd. Wow, those first 3 mos are kind of a blur - good thing I have at least some pics to help remind me of them - even if most of them are a blur as well...

At 3 months old, Leah:
wears mostly 0-3 mos size clothes, and can wear a few 3-6 mos
wears a size 1 diaper
is still exclusively breastfeeding, to the point that she won't even take a bottle
still sleeps swaddled
still won't take a pacifier
enjoys being worn now as long as she can face out and see the world
tolerates her carseat much better now, but only in the car
likes to sit in her bumbo
has discovered her hands and what a great chew toy they make
likes to lay on her back and watch the fan
loves it when her brother and sisters give her attention
smiles really big and makes all sorts of cute noises
sleeps well at night, though not all the way through yet
takes 2-3 naps during the day; one really long one in the afternoon and 1-2 shorter ones
is a relatively easy baby and pretty happy most of the time

School time

One of the things I love the most about homeschooling is the flexibility it offers. On a daily, weekly, and even yearly basis. We only "do" school a few hours a day. We don't have to do school every single day. We can do school on the weekends if we want. We could even skip an entire month or two if need be. Which is exactly what we did when Leah was born. So now we're working on the last leg of our school year as the rest of the schools are winding down. It's nice to not have to worry about "what are we gonna do with ourselves this summer??" :)

I've been thinking a lot about what curriculum I want to use for next year. I'm happy with some of what we're using this year, but looking for a change with some of it too.

This is what we're using this year for Natalie, who is in 1st grade.
Math - Alpha Omega Lifepac, 1st grade
Language Arts - Alpha Omega Lifepac, 1st grade
Phonics - Explode the Code, books 1-4
Science - BJUpress, 1st grade
History - BJUpress, 1st grade

Erica has been doing some schoolwork here and there from various workbooks and activities, and has sat in on a few of Natalie's science and history lessons.

Next year Natalie will be 2nd grade and Erica will be Pre-K. I really wanted to find a curriculum that I could do with them together as much as possible. One of the things I love about homeschooling is that my kids get to spend a lot of time together and foster strong relationships with their siblings. So here is what I'm looking at for next year.
Natalie:
Math - Alpha Omega Lifepac, 2nd grade
Language Arts - Alpha Omega Lifepac, 2nd grade
Phonics - Explode the Code, books 5-8

Erica:
Phonics - Get Ready, Get Set, and Go for the Code

Both:
Five in a Row, Vol. 1 unit studies

I've started the Code for Erica and she's doing really well with it. I haven't bought any of the other new curriculum yet, so I could change my mind. But I'm really excited about the FIAR. I think the girls are gonna really like it. They love reading books, and admittedly, we've been doing not near enough of that lately.

Recently we've been doing science and/or history in the mornings downstairs. Usually Leah is taking her morning nap and Graham is up and playing in the playroom. Then after lunch, Graham takes his nap and we go upstairs to the schoolroom to do the rest of our subjects. Erica gets done pretty quick and then usually goes to lay down for her nap or "quiet time". Leah is sometimes awake and sometimes napping. I took these yesterday during our afternoon school time.





I love this simple picture because it captures what school time is for us much of the time. Sitting on the floor in our pajamas, pondering the answer to a question with a wide-eyed baby looking on in delight. School time is together time for our family, and I wouldn't have it any other way.


Leah is learning too! She has learned that her hands are FASCINATING!



and she's learned to give the best smiles that completely melt my heart!

Wake me up when September ends

Summer is HERE! It's official when the kids beg to go play outside and last all of 10 minutes before coming back in because it's too hot. Even Graham has given in. He would fight it for a long time because he loves being outside so much. But today, the heat won. And it barely even got into the 90s today. As usual, it's going to be a long hot summer. Wake me up when September ends.

I did manage to get some pics of all my sweet delicious little children today though. My babies are all getting so big. Every.single.one of them.



And no, our bumbo isn't that color. It's orange, but I love to change the color of it in PSPX so that it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. Yanira and Lindsey, you're both getting one of these from me, so don't buy one if you haven't already. Yours will be a much more pleasant shade for your girls though. ;)








(original Bumbo color)

May 26, 2010

I know, I fell off the wagon again. Once we got back from Houston, it took a little while to get back into the groove of things. I forgot to take my allergy medicine while we were out of town, and when we got back, my allergies flared up. I ended up losing my voice and sounding pretty pathetic for several days. My voice is just now getting back to normal. Erica's eczema flared up really bad again while we were out of town. It hadn't flared up that bad since last time we went to Houston. We still don't have it completely under control this time either. And I'm scared because we'll be going back to Houston again in a few weeks and I don't want to see it happen to her yet again. We are still working on our school work for the year. We took our break when Leah was born, so we'll be working through the summer. We may do something similar to that every year anyway. It's so hot here during the summer, that all I want to do most days is hole up in the house anyway. I'd rather take more time off during the more pleasant months and enjoy the outdoors. I kind of feel jipped out of our spring this year, because with Leah being so little, we didn't get out to enjoy it as much as I'd have liked, and now it's getting so hot. I'm just starting to plan Natalie's birthday party. It's going to be a Watermelon Picnic theme and I am so excited about it. At first she said she wanted a Princess party. I can't tell you how many princess parties I've planned between her and Erica. Oh wait, yes I can, SEVEN. We've done Ladybug Princess, Cinderella, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, and Disney Princess (w/ emphasis on Snow White). And while I am all for letting her choose her theme (within reason) and doing what SHE wants, I thought I'd offer other suggestions in hopes she'd go for them. As soon as I said, "What about a picnic party," she got really excited! She thought that was a GREAT idea and I'm so glad! I started trying to think of thing to incorporate and when I mentioned watermelons she got even more excited! So a Watermelon Picnic it will be! My mind has been racing with ideas for all things watermelon. I hate that it's so dadgum hot here in August, so most of the party will have to be indoors, but it will still be fun! Of course once we started talking about birthday parties, Erica chimed in that she wants a Cinderella party. ha! I still have a few months to try to sway her lol. Leah turned 3 mos this past Saturday and I hate that I am so behind on things. I need to get some new pics of her and make a separate post about that big milestone! She is doing so many new things, but I'll save them for that post. Graham just turned 19 mos this week and I just can't believe he's closer to 2 years than 1 now. He is starting to say more and more words (though it's still not a lot). His latests are "cah cah" for cracker, which is really for any food that comes out of the pantry lol, and "uh oh" which I just noticed him saying today. And as it is for most kids, it's become a game for him. *drops his sippy cup off his high chair tray* "uh oh!" *drops his pancake off his high chair tray* "uh oh!" *drops his sippy off his high chair tray again* "uh oh!" haha. yeah. I also found him with one leg over the rail of his crib when I went to get him up this morning. I guess we'll be moving him over to the toddler bed soon. We had started putting him in it for naps a while ago, but stopped and I don't remember why. I think it's about time to start getting Leah to sleep in the crib anyway, so this should work out ok. I don't remember if I've mentioned this yet or not, but I am going to be the Creative Activities Coordinator for my MOPS (Mother of Preschoolers) group this next year. I'll be in charge of coming up with crafts for our group of moms to do throughout the year and some other things too. At first I was a little intimidated by it, but once I started thinking of ideas, it was really fun! I just hope that I am able to get everything done. I thought it was funny yesterday... we had a thank you luncheon for the childcare volunteers and we were being introduced as the new steering team. Our coordinator was saying that we still needed some spots filled and that if anyone was worried about time committment, "if Amber can do it with 4 kids and homeschooling, then anyone can!" and I quickly said "we'll see if Amber can do it with 4 kids and homeschooling. That has yet to be determined!" lol. I've had several people offer to help me with shopping for supplies, prep work, and setting up, so I think it will all work out just fine. I feel really fortunate to have this creative outlet right now. Well, Leah is up and wanting some Mommy Time, so I better go. Sorry for no pics, but hopefully this will catch you all up on some of the things going on with us!

And Happy Birthday Craig!

Weekend in Houston

We had a great visit to Houston this weekend. I can't believe that I didn't get my camera out once to take a single picture. I guess it's probably because I had one kid or another in my arms pretty much the entire time. So, without pics you'll just have to take my word for that we had a great time.

The weather here on Friday was horrid. There were tornado and flash flood warnings all day. In fact, the warnings kept coming across the TV screen while I was trying to pack and Natalie would run in to my every time and yell "There are tornados and floods in TEXAS!!! And WE are in San Antonio, TEXAS!!!" haha! I told it was ok because we were safe in our house. And she goes "But it says not to drive on the wet roads!" I assured her that if the roads were not safe enough for us to drive on that we wouldn't. So cute. Eric took off work early and we were able to leave at about 3:00. Between the bad weather and having to stop twice to feed Leah, it took us 5 1/2 hours to get there. Oh how the days of the 3 hr 15 min trips I made with the girls when I was pg with Graham are long behind us!

As soon as we got there I couldn't wait to go over to Jamie's and meet my newest niece, Scarlett. She is such a cute little chunky monkey! Of course it was good to see the rest of the family soon, but you know how I love me some fresh squeezed baby (I HATED that she was already a month old before I got to meet her!).

Saturday we attended Marcus and Kayla's wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony and I am just so so happy for them! Right about now they are relaxing on the beaches of Maui and I am insanely jealous. haha!

We were planning on going to Galveston on Sunday, to take the kids to the beach. But all the nasty weather scratched that idea. Instead, we met up with my mom at Katy Mills on our way back out of town. It was great visiting with her and we got some good deals on clothes. (Eric got some new shirts/ties/pants for work and I got some clothes for Leah). We ate dinner at the Rainforest Cafe and the kids really liked that.

We ended up not getting home until around 9:30pm and the kids were all pooped. Leah was so tired that she slept for 8 hours straight!!! I couldn't believe it when I woke up and saw the clock! Then she ate and slept for another 2 hours. The other kids didn't wake up until after 9:00, which is really late for them as well. It was sooo nice to kind of sleep in and relax after such a busy weekend.

And we get to do it all over again next month when MY brother gets married! (and I'll have ANOTHER new niece to snuggle by then too!!!)

Mother's Day 2010

**I know this is a week late, but I typed it all out last week, but wanted to wait til I could load pics, which didn't happen until today.**

I had a very busy Mother's Day.

It started off by "sleeping in" which quickly translated to "running late" lol.

We got to church just in time and it started with the baby dedication.



It was such a different experience for us. When we dedicated our other 3 children, we were still living in Houston and attending our small church there. There weren't many babies in the church, so they did baby dedications whenever the parents asked. So each of our kids was dedicated by themselves. Our new church here in San Antonio is much larger, and they offer baby dedications twice a year. On this particular Sunday, there were 17 children being dedicated during our service. We all lined up on stage (our whole crew in tow) and the pastor walked across the stage introducing each family/baby. Then his wife said a few words, and he prayed a prayer of dedication over all the children. It was still very special, but definitely very different than we had experienced before. The kids were so excited that their Meme, PawPaw, Uncle Jamie, Aunt Amy, and cousins Harley, Cian, and Aodhan were there! After church we all headed to our house for lunch (Rudy's BBQ). It was Pawpaw's 70th birthday, so we had cake and party hats to celebrate!









I also made a cake for Leah's dedication.





My mom was originally planning on coming and was going to make the cake (she made the cake for each of the other kids' dedications), but she ended up having to work and couldn't come. So I tried my best and think it turned out ok. A little lopsided but it did taste good! I definitely didn't inherit the cake decorating gene from her!



After everyone left, Eric cleaned up the kitchen and I went and took a nap. Happy Mother's Day to me!! Then we ate leftovers for dinner and I got to talk to my mom and wish her a happy mother's day too! I feel so blessed to have some wonderful moms in my life who are so special to me. They each teach me different things in their own ways, whether they realize it or not!

Here some randoms of my two littlest angels!

misc. pics

Graham's baby

We got Graham a baby doll to play with, so he can be a little rougher with it than with Leah and he LOVES it. He loves to touch it, pat it, hug it... poke it, throw it, hit people with it. lol He is a BOY afterall!






and my favorite: