Life with 4 littles

Well life with four is a bit...well chaotic.

Sometimes its grand and I'm loving and well sometimes its just plain and simple survival.

Wouldn't trade it for the world though!

These special littles are definitely SPECIAL!

Our Star Student

Our elementary picks star students each month of the school year and they honor each student at a special assembly. Every child gets picked throughout the year until they are all honored. 

Shadd was honored along with two of his classmates at the Sept 8 assembly plus others from each class. Thanks to Grandma Darcy I got to attend the assembly solo and it was a surprise to Shadd. 

When they called his name it took a couple seconds for him to get up. I think he was a bit shocked! 

We are so proud of him and that he got selected as a Star Student this month. He is loving every moment of school.

Of course as we left that day I got to take the classic photo I didn't get to take on the first day of school. Still in shock I have a kindergartener. Seems like yesterday I was snuggling him on the couch and in the middle of the night like Z.

I'm so proud of you Shaddy. You were honored for your hard work. Your teacher commends your responsibility in the class room and she says she can always count on you to make good choices and be a leader. 

Wow. Talk about make a momma's heart soar! And daddy's too! 

We love you big guy! 

Special Grands

We are so so very blessed to have a lot of great grands still living to love on our littles. 

In fact...one very special couple of grands are my grandma joyce and papa don as the kiddos call them.

They are truly the best. 

And lately I have been reminded of that at every turn. 

When I was admitted for my second stay at the hospital and little Z was a visitor, he had to have an adult with him. Well D needed to get into the office after a week of not working so who to the rescue...these two. 

I just love this picture.

I enjoyed every moment I got to spend with them as they hung out in my hospital room from 8 to 6 that day. They changed diapers, gave bottles, snuggled, brought lunch, and we even had a hot game of poker.

I am the oldest of their grandchildren and I think I'm the most spoiled.

My grandpa always saves me barn wood (cutting and delivering it to size) and he even taught me to drive. My grandma shares all her secrets in sewing and cooking. She always remembers my favorites and is always thinking of the little things I tell her I'm in search of.

The two of them searched and prepared elderberry juice for us to make into jam. They love to share their goodies from the farm like sweet corn, apples, and grapefruit from down south.

We are just so blessed to call them ours.

I have so many great memories of all my times with them and I am just so so thankful that my littles get to know them too.

I love you grandpa and grandma. Thank you for loving on us anytime we need you and even when we don't! We are blessed!

Baby Z's birth pics

One of my besties took some amazing shots of little Z man. He wasn't super cooperative. Since we had to move the photo shoot back a week due to my little extended hospital stay. But I think she captured some pretty special images of our newest sweetie.

Thanks so much Ali.

Of course...there are way to many but these are some of my favorites. Love the chubby cheeks and sweet rolls of skin.

Another Tooth

Shadd lost another tooth. This time it was top one. Thats 3 teeth now. And mommy pulled this one after school (something that is a big accomplishment for this momma..yuck)

Oh the famous toothless grin. He says it tickles. He even put his straw through to drink his smoothie the other night. Oh dear! 

Quick Random Photos

Just some photos on my phone that I want to remember...

So no particular post and in random order.

Our new loungers...that is what happens when momma takes daddy shopping!

Oh the joy of dress up clothes. Silly silly kiddos.

The giant pre go lady...look at the double chin. Oh my. Its nice to see my face again. And that side angle as I tried to exercise him out on the elliptical. Didn't work obviously. 

A visit from our sweet friends and there new adopted crew. The girls had a blast. And the boys well its hard to tell those red heads apart.

A trip to Monkey Joes on my due date. So thankful for our friends that love to do crazy things with us. To bad most of my pictures didn't turn out. But they had a blast.

And why not run in the sweet corn festival race and have the best spectators around support you. Go Dad! Plus catch the parade when you are 40 weeks plus prego. At least it wasn't hot out!

Haircuts on Sunday night prior to baby Z's arrival.

Baby Zeph- 3 Weeks

I can't believe this guy is almost a month old.  It literally seems like we just got home from the hospital but we are already into September.

Well this little dude is a little high maintenance. He loves to be held and snuggled. And sometimes that isn't even enough. He is also a burper. Like 45 minutes after a feeding kinda thing. A bit annoying in the middle of the night. 

But he is changing. He looks different all the time. Sometimes I think he has red (orange) hair and other times it looks darker. I do think he is gonna have blue/green eyes instead of brown though as they are dark blue and the other boys were brown from birth but only time will tell. 

At his 2 week appointment..

Weight: 10lbs (90th)

Length: 21.5 in (80th)

And head circumference was 90th too. Oh those big headed boys of mine. 

He is growing that is for sure. 

We went to the chiropractor today and she said he is really tight in through his neck and she adjusted him so I'm hopeful he will lay down at evening and throughout the day better. Maybe then I can get some things done around here. I doubt it.

Of course, he is loved by all his siblings. Shadd is such a great helper when he is home. Ells loves on him and helps me out a ton but retrieving things and even carries him some. She really wants to feed him so a bottle might be on the docket tomorrow evening with Dad.

But then there is Sage. He is constantly up in his face, tickling him, rocking the swing or bouncy seat. His famous words as of late... "he is lookin at me". And of course in true Sage fashion the phrase is repeated multiple times over and over. If Z is on the floor, you will find Sage right next to him. He loves his brother. And if you can't pronouce Zephen, well ask Sage because he does a great job and I think the number seven will forever be Zephen to this big brother.

And then there is the snuggle only daddy can provide. So so thankful we have the BEST!