Blog Hop

I'm *trying* to participate in Jenna's blog hop but I'm not doing a very good job so far!  I've read several new blogs and still haven't commented??  What's wrong w/ me?  ;)

Anywho.....got some somewhat good news today - I have an interview on Wednesday for a job at my #2 choice of hospitals so I'm hoping it will go well!  If I get that job, it would mean I would have TWO part-time jobs for a few months (plus being a full-time SAHM) while taking online classes.  So much for my life being easier!!!

We went to the zoo on Friday.  The night before, Easton decided to give "crying it out" one more try (okay - I decided) and was up for around 2 hours in the middle of the night.  This is the result:

Maybe he'll listen to his mother from now on!  ;)

And, we're back............

So, big changes here! We recently decided after lots of "Mommy Guilt" that it would be best for me to be at home with the boys (rather than paying almost half of my salary to a baby-sitter) while working part-time in the evenings/at night. So....I gave my notice at work back in April. Luckily, they asked me to stay on part-time (mainly from home) in the interim so I've been doing that while looking for a job at a hospital (which is NOT going well.) So, I'm hoping this big life change will inspire me to get back on the blog wagon but we'll have to see. I really want to do it since I'm not good at updating baby books or scrapbooking or anything like that. So, we'll see!

So far this summer we've been having quite a bit of fun. We've had several trips to the zoo. Easton and Zachary rode the Merry-Go-Round for the first time....Brady's a seasoned pro....

The train ride is always a big hit....

And poor Daddy gets to pull the wagon up and down and all around the hot, hilly Cincinnati Zoo!

Which has led to a lot of this....

Quite a bit of this.....

As well as some of this.... We've spent some quality time in the backyard.....

And Brady's been taking swimming lessons....which means Zachary wants to also so we're working on finding him a class....he tagged along last time and got in the pool and floated by himself!!! Quite a big feat for Zachy!

All this activity and Easton still doesn't sleep well! What's up with that kid? He certainly didn't inherit this "problem" from me!!!

A Day of Blog Silence for Cohen

This sweet baby boy is being laid to rest today. He was born on Monday, June 7, 2010 and fought very hard, enduring several surgeries and setbacks until he lost his battle on Friday, June 18, 2010. Please pray for his heartbroken parents, family and friends.

A few of my Favorite Things

I love to think about things that make me happy. When I got my first job out of college, I had one of those daily calendars on my desk - the ones where you tear off a page for each day - and each day it listed 5 things that make people happy. The morning after I met my husband, one of the 5 things was "meeting your one true love." I kept it....just in case....and it turned out to be true! Anyway, here are a few others:

• washing my face after a long day
• all 3 boys sleeping peacefully in their respective beds - at the same time
• the sound of any of those boys laughing
• when any of the boys hug/kiss each other without me asking them to (and even when I ask them to but it's way better when they do it on their own)

• reality TV
• the fact that at 4 years old, Brady has realized the importance of turning the light off in a room before he shuts the door - he should share this concept with his father who, at 34 years old, still hasn't adopted the concept fully
• removing an uncomfortable bra after a long day (TMI - sorry but it seriously makes me happy)
• my first Coke of the day
• FOUNTAIN POP
• wireless internet
• sound AND video baby monitors
• car seats - not only for the safety purposes, but for whatever it is about them that make kids sit still and be quiet without trying to escape (unlike high chairs??) for sometimes long periods of time - extra bonus....they also make kids sleepy
• DVRs
• pedicures
• shopping
• "monkey kisses" from my boys
• Easton's sweet smiles when he sees/hears me come into the room and when he first wakes up in the morning

• Naps
• When my 4-year-old holds the door open for his Mommy – I am bound and determined to raise 3 gentlemen who say please, thank you and excuse me and hold the door open for people
• air conditioners
• my comfy bed
• date nights - I vaguely remember what those are and hope to encounter them again soon
• chips and salsa
• black and white pictures

there are soooo many more....I could go on and on but I'll have to save some for next time!!

Crying It Out

I decided tonight was the night. I knew it was coming....I was actually planning on doing it two weeks from tonight. But, I took Easton upstairs for our nightly ritual of me laying down with him on our bed while he nurses himself to sleep and then very carefully moving him to his bed. But he didn't fall asleep this time so I decided to just get it over with. He screamed for 10 or 15 minutes and then went to sleep. It was the same with Zachary when we did this at around the same age....then when he woke up in the middle of the night and we wouldn't take him out of his room, he cried for 2 or 3 hours until he fell asleep - which made Brady start crying and Brendan had to go in and sleep with him the rest of the night. I'm hoping that's not the case with Easton. Either way, it will be a long night!

9 Months Old!!!

Sweet Baby Easton, I can't believe you're already 9 months old! Here's what you've been up to lately:

• You are wearing 12M and 6-12M clothes but I think you'll be growing out of those soon
• You're wearing a size 4 diaper - the same size as Zachy!
• You're still army crawling all over the place. I'm beginning to wonder if army crawling hinders "real" crawling? You get up on all 4's and rock back and forth but I think you've decided it's just faster to drag yourself along on your tummy. Maybe your arms aren't strong enough to support your big 'ole body!
• You weigh 22.35 pounds. The only reason I know your weight is b/c we had a lovely trip to the ER the other night for x-rays looking for some missing matchbox car wheels. Still don't know where they are but I don't think you swallowed them. We'll find out how long you are at your 9M check-up. Your doctor's taking lots of time off for some reason so we won't be going in for that appointment until you're 9.5 months. Doesn't he know that this totally screws up the baby book stats?
• You're pulling yourself up which makes me very nervous. I don't know if it's considered cruising yet but you're really, really close!
• You're into everything - still - hence the trip to the ER.
• I think you really liked Christmas. It was a little overwhelming for you but you seemed to really like all the presents. I'll have to post pictures of that soon.
• You went through a stretch of about a week of sleeping through the night until your Daddy mentioned it and jinxed it - ever since then you've been waking up twice a night.
• You like vanilla and banana yogurt, most fruits and sweet potatoes. You're still eating puffs and Baby Mum Mums but the Baby Goldfish are still a little too much for you.
• You still can't quite figure out how the sippy cup works
• You seem to like to watch Mickey Mouse and Blues Clues and you're quite the little dancer
• You love your brothers and your Daddy.....I'm still hanging onto the hope that you'll be a Momma's boy
• You've started going through a tiny bit of a bashful stage but you're very good at letting other people hold you - when Zachary was your age, he wouldn't let anyone hold him!
• We actually saw the same doctor and nurse that were in the ER the night you started throwing up blood so it was nice to be able to thank the doctor (who we thought was crazy and overreacting at the time) for saving your life. They were amazed with how big you are!
• You're the sweetest thing on this planet and we love you so much we can hardly stand it!

Now, let's see....how about Zachary James:

• You will be TWO YEARS OLD on Thursday! I can't believe it!
• I think you have started a tiny bit of the terrible two's. You've got quite the attitude lately but it's so hard to get mad at you b/c you're so stinkin' cute!
• You weigh 26.5 pounds
• Your two-year check-up is in two weeks so we'll get your official stats then. I think you're shrinking, though!
• You're still wearing a lot of 18-24 month clothes but you can wear a few 2T things
• You're a talking machine - it's hard to understand half of what you say but you sure seem passionate about whatever it is!
• I think your favorite words right now are 'no' and 'mine'
• You found your Crocs in your closet so that obsession has started again
• You love cows, Mickey Mouse and cars
• You still have the sweetest little voice and I love to listen to you talk....especially when you say, "wuv you"!

Now, let's see about that Brady Boy:

• You'll be 4 next month - I cannot believe it!
• Still no luck with the potty training. I'm trying to talk it up as being a big privilege of turning 4 but I really doubt that will work. Something has to happen soon b/c the size 7 diapers are getting too small and that's the biggest size I can find!
• You're mainly wearing 5T clothes and a size 11 shoe
• You're getting really good at dressing yourself
• Your memory is scary - so good
• You're such the negotiator - I think you'll be a lawyer. You like to negotiate with Zachy when he has a toy that you want.
• You absolutely loved and understood Christmas this year. You knew that it was Baby Jesus' birthday and you were so good at not even trying to open the presents until Christmas morning.
• You did GREAT when we went to see Santa - we were so proud of you!
• We're taking you to the doctor this week to see if you're "tongue tied" which may be part of your speech delay....if so, you may need a little surgery to fix it. Poor Pumpkin!
• I'm hoping that you'll be growing out of the terrible, whiney 3's soon....just in time for Zachy to start!
• You're a gentle giant and we love you to pieces! You've come so far in the 3 years since we brought you home!!!!

8 Months Old!!!

Easton, you're 8 months old already!!! Let's see what you've been up to lately:

• You weigh around 22.3 pounds and are about 30 inches long (95th percentile!)
• You have 4 teeth - the two in the middle on the bottom are all the way in but you're still working on the two "fangs" on top....I hope the top middle ones come in soon or you might look kinda funny!
• You had your hernia surgery on 11/19 and did really well - we're hoping that's the last surgery you ever have to have!!
• You're wearing a size 4 diaper - the same size as your big brother Zachary who is almost 23 months old.....this is why my back hurts all the time!
• You're wearing 12M clothes
• You're still army crawling but I think you're really close to officially crawling - you rock back and forth on your hands and knees all the time
• You're still on breastmilk and 2nd stage foods.....you love to feed yourself puffs, bread and Baby Mum Mums
• You love your big brothers and squeal when you see them
• You babble a lot - mainly "baba" but sometimes "mama" and every once in a while you throw in a "dada"
• You learned to wave last week - backwards of course - it's very cute!
• You also learned to clap last week; however, you're not quite sure when you're supposed to do it. I was changing your diaper in the middle of the night a few nights ago and you were crying (how dare I change your diaper in the middle of the night!!) and started clapping at the same time???
• I think that, as of today, you're officially a momma's boy.....my Christmas gift came early this year! I know it won't last once you stop nursing but I'll enjoy it while I can!
• You haven't been sleeping well since your surgery - I think it may have caused a little attachment problem for you....and now I think you're getting a cold so I predict a major lack of sleep for me for the next week or two
• I just can't get enough of my sweet baby Easton and we just love you to pieces!!

Now how about those brothers of yours.....Zachary James, you're almost 23 months old....what have you been up to lately?

• You're finally venturing into some 2T clothes but I'm pretty sure you'll be wearing a size 4 diaper until you're potty trained
• You love to "tackle" Easton....luckily, he's almost as big as you are so he can handle it
• You are talking up a storm - and you have the cutest little, high-pitched voice I've ever heard
• You're working on your 2 year molars....and you're not very happy about it
• We'll be taking you in for your 2-year check-up next month....I'm curious to see how much you weigh - probably not that much more than your little brother!
• You love Mickey Mouse and you and Brady are both currently obsessed with the movie "Cars"
• You love cows
• The shoe obsession has died down a little bit but I still think you'll be the fashionista of the group
• You're sweet and tiny and a little stinker and we love you tons

Now, how about Big Boy Brady

• You are 3.75 years old
• We've been talking about potty training again....we're going to try again when you turn 4.....hopefully talking it up for a few more months will help
• Your speech is getting so much better - you love your new therapists and can't wait until Friday every week so that you can see them
• You got a great report from your teacher for the quarter - much to my surprise, you're one of the best of your class at "circle time"
• Your teachers think you're pretty smart and we agree!
• Your toe walking doesn't seem to be improving much but we're trying to work on it
• You love the new Disney show, "Jungle Junction" and knew the majority of the lyrics within a few weeks
• I think you're going to be really into Christmas this year so it should be really fun
• You crack us up all the time and we love you lots and lots!!