whobody did that?: whobody is back?

Okay. I just checked….and UNBELIEVABLY the last thing I have written about is Halloween. I can't believe it.

This has been a totally unintentional break from this blog. Life has really gotten in the way, and I just haven't made it a priority. However, I am hoping to get back at it! (Because, it really is important to me.) I just love to look back at past posts…it helps me remember the daily details that so easily can be forgotten. I have had the intention of writing SO many times. But, I always tell myself I will do it…as soon as I get the laundry done, or as soon as I clean out the fridge, or as soon as I get the flower beds cleaned out. You all know how it goes. There is never really a time that anyone is "caught up". So…here I sit, with plenty of other things to do….typing away.

So, here we are. Spring has arrived, finally. Jason is busy in the field…and the kids are loving having the nice weather. Since I have last written, Lola, Cruz, Dirx and Keaton have all had their birthdays! I wish SO much that I had taken the time to blog about each of them, because those are truly some of my favorite posts to look back on. But, I didn't. Too bad, so sad. Maybe next year, huh? Hopefully I can give good snapshots of them in these random posts instead.

First of all…Dirx.

(otherwise known as Shnerkel and Raindry….gotta love Jason's nicknames.)

He is one now. He is walking everywhere. He LOVES to be outside. Seriously, LOVES it. If he can't play outside, he is standing on a stool in front of the window…yelling at the kitties and chickens. He has changed a lot since this past fall. (Of course he has, he is only one!)

He is done with bottles and formula. (wahoo!). He sometimes eats table food. (I am not sure how he has gotten so big on just milk.) He goes to sleep without being rocked! (another wahoo!) He is usually content playing and can keep himself pretty busy. (This is a huge change from the needy, needy baby of a few months ago!) and…drumroll please….he is FINALLY sleeping through the night. (I am pretty sure that all of those things go hand in hand.) Dirx loves his big brothers and sister…and really misses them when they aren't around. He audibly says "kitty" and "lola"…and the rest is mostly babbling.

He is very sweet and has just started to 'give kisses'. He is also very stubborn and spunky…and has thrown some very impressive fits. (Mostly when we bring him inside from outside). He loves to make us laugh. I am pretty sure he is going to keep me busy for awhile!

Did I mention he loves kitties??

He also loves sunglasses and hats. I guess he is into accessorizing.

Onto Cruzie (the woozie)

This kid is FULL of personality. All of the time. He makes me laugh too. All of the time. Even when he is naughty, he makes me want to laugh. I wish I could give a great example…but, I am coming up blank. Just trust me.

He is still home with me all day…but he likes to talk about when he gets big like me he will go to preschool. (hopefully it will be before he is as big as me…) He loves bathroom humor (who doesn't?) and is constantly making the other kids laugh too. He tries his best to keep up with Keaton, Lola, and Nash…and most of the time they do a great job at including him. He is super sweet too. He loves to tell people that they are his "best buddy". Most of the time it is people in our immediate family. But sometimes he schmoozes the clerk at the grocery store…or the carry out boy….or just some random stranger by giving them a sweet smile and saying "you are my favorite girl in the world….you are my best buddy!". He is also hilariously sweet every time we get home….as I am pulling the car into the garage he chirps "Thank you for the ride mom, that was so sweet of you!". He is a charmer. I really love the three year old age. Pause button for Cruzie please.

Nash the Flash.

This kid is either HAPPY or SAD. There really isn't an in between. And…I love that. (Most of the time it is happy, thankfully.) He is full of love for Dirx…which is super sweet. He is so great at playing with him and entertaining him most of the time. He goes to preschool every afternoon…so is around each morning to play with the youngest two. I really like that he is here when they are awake! He LOVES to be considered a 'big kid' and do the big kid things like Keaton and Lola do. He always looks forward to preschool…especially every other Wed. when he gets to go all day. He is a little bit sneaky sometimes…and will occasionally sneak a treat or a toy into his backpack that I don't know about. We are working on that one. He really strives to be just like Keaton. That is a good thing. He plays hard…and then when it is time to go to bed, he sleeps hard! Most nights he is sleeping before his head hits the pillow! Just recently I have realized that he is still only FIVE. Even though he acts like he wants to be a big kid sometimes, I have been really trying to still treat him like a little kid. He loves it too…things like laying with him at night is what I am trying to do better at. For a while there I was expecting way too much out of him. I have to remember he is still my little boy. (Just don't tell him that.) Love it…and love him.

Lola

Lola is having a great year of 2nd grade. She loves school (most of the time) and doesn't seem to have as much drama with friends as she has in the past. (Or if there is drama, she isn't sharing about it as much.) She is another one that occasionally I have to remind myself of her age. Sometimes she just acts so old that I have to take a step back and realize that she is only 8. She is still a little kid and has little kid fears and needs. I also know that she is feeling a little bit outnumbered with all of these boys in our house. Lately, she has really been an easy kid to take care of…and has been pretty good at carrying through with her responsibilities. (Which is something we have been working on.) She has taken over caring for the cats and kittens around here. I love to see that nurturing side of her. She is still very adventurous and athletic…always climbing trees and doing other dangerous things. In fact, this last weekend, Jason had them at the field with him, the kids went for a little walk...and had to go help Lola.

She was stuck in a badger hole (of course). She stuck her leg in it "to see how deep it was".

She is VERY smart…really. She just isn't very careful. We are working on that one too… It is harder to find pictures of the older ones. Mostly because they are gone all day…and when they are around it is a little more chaotic!

Keaton (or Keato)

He is really SUCH a great kid. He has a very caring and kind heart and is usually very selfless. He is the very best big brother…especially to Cruz and Dirx. He is always watching out for them, and cannon wait for the day that I let him babysit! He is still SUPER into sports…and sometimes I have to cut him off from talking/thinking about it. He followed the UNI Panthers very closely this year, and is even naming one of the kitties after Seth Tuttle. He got to go to 3 Panthers games this year…which he loved. His speech is still something that he is struggling with at times, but has definitely improved. It seems to become a problem when stress is a problem. So, we are still working on that. He works super hard in school and is doing AWESOME! He is also very athletic, and shoots hoops as often as he can. It is nice that Lola and Nash are both getting old enough that they can all three play catch! (I tell Keaton it is good practice for fly balls that don't come right to you….). There are times that I look at him and I am amazed at how TALL he is and how grown up he looks. I can't believe I have a 10 year old! We are so lucky to have him as the oldest!