whobody wants some chickens?

We have been thinking about getting some chickens around here for the kids to take care of.... (yes, we are certifiably crazy).  We think that it would be fun to have a few 'farm animals' around here...and the kids have no pets....and we like eggs....and would like an outside 'chore' for the kids to be in charge of.  Our answer: chickens.... (we haven't done anything about this yet...other than visit some chickens).  We have yet to find a chicken coop for them...or anything else...

Jason's brother and his wife, Chuck and Judy, have some chickens on their farm...and recently got a box of baby chicks (yes a box) in the mail (yes, the mail).  Crazy enough, that is how they get their new chicks every year!  We decided to go and visit when those chicks were just a week old.  The kids had a blast.

 First, we hung out with the full grown chickens... Keaton had gotten a bucket of corn ready at our house to bring along to feed the chickens...he had also pulled some grass and picked up grass clippings to bring along too.... The chickens LOVED these treats....below are pictures of the kids feeding this stuff to the chickens...

 We then headed INSIDE to see those little baby chicks...Judy has 60 chicks...and they were so. darn. cute. :) Lola especially loved them a lot...Keaton liked them too...and Nash was a little scared, but did great with them.  Each of the kids took a turn holding a chick!

 We then went in to collect some eggs... Judy left 12 eggs in the nesters for the kids to gather and then bring home...they thought this was really cool...and Nash didn't even break any! Amazing!

 As you can see....Nash is a little bit worried here....luckily Grandma Piano was along to protect him.

 And on the way out, Lola begged to hold another chick....

she just thought this was the best thing ever!

 The kids wanted a little more time outside with the big chickens...at this point, Nash DUMPED the rest of the container of corn into their pen. (This did not make Keaton very happy...)  But they had a blast!

I will have to keep you updated on the chickens...not sure if this is something that will actually 'happen' or not...but it is a possibility!  The kids are sure hoping!

whobody is celebrating small victories?

So...I am having a bit of a 'rough' day around here. I am grumpy...and things are just not seeming to go my way....but I have noticed a few things that can be considered small victories.

ONE:  we seem to have found a way to contain Nash...

he seems to be able to get INTO Cruz's exersaucer...but can't get out!

(yes, he is looking into a little mirror here)

TWO: the weather is actually nice enough for the kids to play outside today!

THREE: Lola and Nash had a fun tea party complete with apples, cheerios, and almonds.

FOUR:  I have been able to get Cruz to take 2 naps in his crib (like a big boy!)

*yes, I know he shouldn't have blankies and animals...the kid likes soft things*

FIVE: the laundry is actually caught up...AND put away (for now...)

drumroll please....

and SIX:

one of the older 2 kids changed the toilet paper roll and ACTUALLY put it on the RIGHT way!

(this really made me happy...and was the inspiration for my post...usually they put it on the other way...and I suffer through the whole roll...and no,

I don't change it...as much as I want to....)

It is the small victories such as these that I should be focusing on... :)  Hopefully tomorrow will feel a little more organized and peaceful.... I am taking a date night with my husband (and Cruz) tonight! That always helps...

whobody needs a binkie?

Elmo does, of course!  The other morning, Nash and Keaton came out of Nash's room with Elmo...and they had given Elmo a binkie and Nash's blankie.  Thank goodness Elmo has an open mouth...Nash has had lots of fun putting food and now binkies in there....

Someday we will get rid of Nash's binkie...but not yet!

(

whobody is getting SO big?

So...Cruz is 4 1/2 months old...and is SO big. It was just a little over a year ago that we found out we were pregnant...and now, look at him!  Amazing... amazing...amazing.   I look at this and am completely in awe of the fact that God created us SO perfectly...and so in awe of a person growing INSIDE of a person. Crazy stuff.

Cruz has been such a joyful addition to our family. 

He is such a happy and tolerant baby. 

He can still sleep 'almost' anywhere...and through lots of noise. 

He smiles all the time...especially at Daddy. 

I have only heard one 'real' giggle...and that was today when Lola was playing peekaboo with him. 

He is OBVIOUSLY a good eater...he has mostly been getting bottles of breastmilk during the day...and we have our nursing marathon session at bedtime (my favorite time of the day). 

 He likes to be held...but doesn't really snuggle in except at bedtime. 

He likes to squeal...and then Nash copies him.

 

He still has his cough from his battle with Whooping Cough...but it is getting so much better...and whenever he is done with a coughing spell he gives a big grin. :)

He loves to "kick" on the turtle mat....and bounce himself in the bouncy seat. 

He is very 'portable' and pretty much goes everywhere with me...he likes his carseat a lot.

 

Can you believe that less than 5 months ago...this was Cruz? I can't. Crazy.

I mean, really, look at that little peanut....

this was back when he actually had a neck!

I CAN'T believe how much he has grown...and changed.  I especially can't believe how much personality he already has.  He is so reactive (I don't know if that makes sense to you...but it does to me)...he really pays attention to what is going on around him....and responds to it. (AND there is always a lot going on around him...)

Lola was doing a photo session with him...and this is a picture that she took of him AFTER he fell sideways onto the couch... (he was sitting upright with pillows...)  I just love how that didn't even phase him...he is just like "okay...I guess I'll lay like this!"

 He is not on a predictable schedule yet...which makes it hard for me to leave him with anyone else. (yikes...overprotective mom alert) He usually either sleeps through the night...or just gets up once at around 4. He is still sleeping in his little rock and play sleeper in our room next to my side of the bed...(overprotective mom alert again)...I just haven't had it in me yet to move him to his room. It is SOOOO far away from ours. (I have never been like that with any of the other kiddos...) We have been starting naps in the crib...and they are going fine. I am trying to move towards him being away from me more...it doesn't bother him at all...it is me that needs to work on it. 

I have been told (by jason) and I realize that I am really 'babying' him more than I did the other kids. :)  Let me tell you why...or at least why I think that is.... Whenever we have talked about how many kids we wanted to have...we have always said "at least 4."  Well Cruz is our "at least 4" and I am having a bit of a hard time with that. (I am just being honest.)  I don't know if we are 'done' or 'not done' but I sure don't want to end up being 'done' and feel like I rushed Cruz and myself through the baby stage.  (Yes...people...I know I am crazy for not being sure about being 'done' after 4...) AND for those of you who see me in public...and like to comment...you are right....my hands ARE full (but so is my heart!) :)

Come on....look at this guy....how could you NOT baby him?

By the way...he generally hates tummy time...but I caught him on a good day here:

Okay...had to do one diaper picture showing the 'muscles'.  NO I don't overfeed my baby...he is very happy and not fussy at all :) just well fed. (and hungry if I try to not feed him as much)  This is just how my babies grow...way. too. fast. AND yes...that is a size 4 diaper.  Ahem. Doesn't every one's baby's diaper size correspond with how many months old they are? Hopefully he isn't at size 12 when he turns one year (mostly because they really only go up to 6!)  And yes, in case you were wondering...we have totally surpassed all of the clothes sized below 12 months.... it just doesn't work.

This is his beloved bouncy seat (which I do not think is supposed to sit quite this close to parallel to the ground...hmmm could either be from Nash sitting in it...or Cruz being a bit heavy for it) He still LOVES it....

We love this little guy so much. :) 

I can't believe how blessed I am to be his Mom.

Lucky me.

whobody has a shell phone?

So...for Easter my parents gave Lola an Easter basket that had a seashell in it...she has now deemed it her "shell phone" and has been known to talk on it a lot this week... 

(she has quite the imagination...as far as I can tell, she has been spending a lot of time on the shell phone with her stage manager discussing upcoming rock star shows....)

whobody is SO silly?

I seem to have taken a lot of pictures over the last few days... :) That usually means more reasons for blog posts!  Below are some pictures of the "middle children" trying to get a little attention.... Enjoy!

3 binkies....looks really soothing, doesn't it?

Awful big bugs in here! (Don't ask me why he even had that at the dinner table...)

And this is how Lola came out when I told her it was time to get in the car to drive to Iowa City to the hotel (our "vacation").  Funny girl...it wasn't THAT bright out....

whobody is lots of help?

With 4 kids...it seems like it is harder and harder to get things done around the house... LUCKILY I have LOTS of help....

Lola wants to change diapers (with lots of assistance from me of course)

Nash, of course, likes to feed Cruz bottles

Lola reads books to Cruz....

Keaton reads books to everyone

(and actually read the books for bedtime last night while Jason was in the field

and I was nursing Cruz.)

Nashity Nash loves to vacuum (okay, really...this doesn't help at all....but he thinks it is fun)

and I have to bring back the picture of Lola holding Cruz....

(I really don't let her carry him around or anything....)

The kids have really done well with the addition of Cruz to our family. They love their new little brother and usually will do anything to entertain or take care of him.  :) This bottom picture is from the other night. 

 I hooked the high chair up and we had Cruz sit at the dinner table with us for the first time...

(His high chair is tipped back so he can drink his bottle.) When I originally put Cruz up to the table, he was only next to Keaton. (Lola and Nash's spots were on the sides of the table.) By the end of the meal, all 4 kids were squished together to be as close to Cruz as possible.

Too too cute!

whobody is Nash's newest bestest friend?

In the last month, Keaton and Nash have been having more and more fun together. It MAY be because Nash isn't quite the destroyer he was in the past...(Don't get me wrong...he is still a destroyer, but he doesn't completely ruin Keaton's 'set ups' EVERY time he walks into his room...just some of the times :) !  Anyway, lately they have been playing together more and more...and now when Nash wakes up from his nap and in the morning, he yells for "Keatie" instead of me! I love to see this relationship forming between my kids!

These are pictures from yesterday afternoon while Lola was at gymnastics...the boys and I went and played at a park for 20 minutes...and boy, did they have fun!

We ended the night with a pizza picnic.  (Daddy is in the field, so I am on my own...pizza was the easy answer for gymnastics night.) 

Notice the milk filling the applesauce portion of Nash's tray....