Our schedule is as follows:
Monday: Religion class after school
Tuesday: Nana day with library at 12:30
Wednesday: Mea comes 12-3:30 and school dismisses early
Thursday: MOPS 9-11 twice a month, watch Gavin after school
Friday: Mea 12-4:30
It has a really nice flow to it actually. Monday is catch-up day, where I tend to clean and tidy and knock as much as I can off my to-do list. The rest of the week ticks by easily and Thursday is another day that can be used to catch up. Having 4 kids isn't terribly hard but it occupies an exorbitant amount of time and I swear I get dumber by the day. I keep telling Jim it's lack of sleep and I'm sure hoping that is it. :P
As for the nitty gritty:
Elizabeth
3 years, 4 moths
- Elizabeth sings at every chance she gets. My favorite to hear is a song that is heard from her room. It goes something like this "Willlllllll some-one come and come and come-a-and-change-a-MEEEEEEEEEE" when she has a dirty diaper.
- Yes, she potty trained almost a year ago and poop only happens in a diaper. We have poop issues or phobias or something in this house. No child poops easily. Weird. Don't judge me.
- She also can't pronounce the /c/ sound. So she will say "Do you like your hoffee?" or "I need a new water hup, please." or "I like hitty hats" (kitty cats). :)
- She has this new thing where if she isn't comfortable, she just does.not.talk. Try as you might, she gives you the death stare and remains stoically silent. Then behind closed doors she will tell me what she was thinking at the time. It usually involves being scare of whomever was, God forbid, trying to talk to her.
- She loves her nails painted. She would have them done daily, I think, if I offered. Yet, she detests me doing her hair. De-tests.
- She also adores lip gloss, but she is not allowed to have any of her own.
- She's a tough cookie, yet is 136% girly girl. She loves pretty shoes and dresses or pretty shirts, details on her jeans, etc.
- Surprisingly though, she is not picky about what she wears. I still have the excitement of going into her room every morning and picking whatever I want for her. So fun.
- And as tough as she can appear, she is the biggest softy ever. She has thin skin.
- She also loves her daddy. Like really loves him. :) In fact, when I'm disciplining her she will always burst out with "I want my DADDY!" :P
Josh
4 years 11 months
- Josh is my trial. He's busy and emotional and busy and moving and busy. And he whines. A lot. I feel like I'm leaning something through this one, at least during the times when I am not ready to throw my hands up.
- He likes having people to play with and can imaginative play pretty well.
- He also is the easiest "only kid awake"... when the girls nap Josh will do his own thing (TV, play, etc) and not bug me or even ask me questions. It seems very Jeckle and Hyde based on his normal personality, but it does create calm afternoons.
- Josh learned/ is leanring letter sounds easily and well before letter recognition.
- He still isn't prepared for Kindergarten, but somehow I'm not worried. I think it will all click when it's supposed to for him. The exposure is there continually and he picks it up when he's interested.
- Josh has a happy chipper little demeanor when you aren't pushing his buttons.
- Josh finally grew into size 4T pants... just in time to turn 5, haha.
- Josh doesn't like the dark or being alone. He falls asleep with the lights on full blast (I did this as a kid too)
- He will often tell me that he is going to be big and strong and that is because he likes broccoli and green beans. This is not because he often eats those 2 items, but for the mere act of liking them.
- Josh will do a front flip on any item that has the smallest amount of spring: trampolines, diving boards, couches, mattresses, etc. He likes to jump off high objects too.
- I am convinced that he has a very sweet little heart. As batty and wild as Josh can seem at times, he comes out with really heartfelt things too, things the other kids would never say.
Emily
10 months
- Emily is going to be a HOOT as a toddler and kid. She likes to have a good time. She loves to laugh and have people try to make her laugh.
- She's also a dare devil. She has this game where when I turn away, and she's on my bed, she will flip over and scurry over to the edge. She looks at me and chuckles and will ultimately crawl over the edge. She has even fallen off once and still does it without absolute assurance that I will catch her mid-fall. Which, by the way, that's what she wants... for you to catch her mid-plummet. Whacko.
- After 3 months of army crawling, she finally crawls normal.
- She is pulling up on everything and cruising, but I think she'll walk later like all of the others.
- She finally started sleeping better. Why? Because she is now in Josh's room (without Josh)... dark, noise machine, undisturbed. Last night she only woke up at 3:30... that's IT! I am hoping sleeping 12-13 hour stretches will begin shortly (ish).
- She naps twice a day and is pretty clock work-esque: 2 hours each nap.
- She is a carbo loving baby. Give her something with grain, she'll eat it. Meat: nope. Veggis: good luck Fruit: maybe. I've never had a picky baby until her. It should make her toddler years fun. Maybe she'll be one of those "only eats 5 foods" kids.
- She loves the play kitchen and baby dolls the best so far.
- And she's just so darn happy. She gets fussy when tired or when she's strapped in the car or on the move for too long, but generally, she's a happy little thing. :)
June
6 years 9 months
- June is becoming such a sweet sweet boy. He's thoughtful and conscientious and has a tender heart.
- He can be bull headed and get riled up with the rest of the kids, and disobey, but I don't have worries for June. He has a good head on his shoulders.
- June loves baseball. I think the reason he loves it so much is because his dad is such an integral part of it. It eases the stress and unknown for June and gives them something that is their thing.
- June loves video games, which I'm sure I will be saying for the next 20 years.
- He loves being independent and responsible. He likes feeling important and helping out.
- He has gotten to the point where he just likes to spend time with you. He has always liked to "play up" to older kids and now he "talks up" and tries to be a mini adult (which I am fully aware that he is not). I enjoy having conversations with June.
- June does so well in school and really ends up loving his teachers. I love watching him experience this. I don't know how long we will keep him in school or what the future holds, but he has had such a good experience so far. :)
- Being an older sibling is complete second nature at this point. We were at the park and June was playing on a section of the playground where a 2 year old (with a parent nearby) was also playing. I watched from afar, hoping that he was being polite. When the 2 year old and mom was leaving she stopped by me and complimented me on how gentle and understanding they were around her son. It's cool how just having smaller siblings is embedding this into June (and the others but I see it the most with June).
- And just like he always has been... June is a lover. He needs hugs, lots of hugs and loves to give them too. I get about 4 at various points before he actually stays downstairs and falls asleep. :)
There are so many intricate things that get lost and glossed over, but they really are the things that bring a smile to my face and happy memories to mind. This is the meat of our daily lives. :)
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