Preparing for baby

We're sitting at week 37 and hoping for a post Christmas baby. Our doctor and doula are both either out of town or hosting a huge Christmas crowd and unavailable. If history has anything to say about it we'll probably be waiting for another couple of weeks. Babies seem to have their own way about things though. I keep telling myself that we'll have this baby when it's God's time and whenever that is it will be just right. Now for that to sink in. . .

The note of what to do and who to call "when the time comes" is taped up on the wall by the door.

Hospital bags are packed.

The big brother's sleep-over bags are packed.

The middle-of-the-night babysitter has been prepped.

Baby clothes and blankets are washed up.

Papa fixed the bassinet and it's moved into place.

The boys have been busy planning/making presents for the baby.

My head has been spinning on the logistics of where to have everyone sleep once the baby moves out of our room, how to arrange nap time locations, what van to get since 4 kids don't fit in the back of a small Saturn, and all the other millions of details that go along with a major family change. Again I see the need to just trust God that all these little details will work themselves out. That old song "Trust and obey, for there's no other way" is running through my mind.











New diapers for this little one! So exciting!! They are made of bamboo (a renewable/anti-bacterial material). I also ordered some new prefolds and some snappies to use instead of pins. We practiced putting a prefold with the snappie on a doll today. The General picked up the doll and said "HUG!". He is so tender towards babies! It will be such fun to see him be a big brother, he's always patting my tummy and saying "baby".












Agent E drew out a stuffed animal. I stitched over his drawing and then we sewed and stuffed it into a special "softie" puppy for baby. Agent H is hoping to have a special pillow sewn up in time.

Agent E's Day & Party

Birthday tradition says that we go to EH's work and have lunch at SoHo. This year, predicted slippery roads turned our birthday lunch into a birthday dinner. At Chuck E Cheese no less.

It looks like he may be getting a head start on raising our car insurance premiums.

We gave him a sleeping bag for his birthday. The picture kinda says it all. I think he's been sleeping in it ever since.

I thought I had pictures of his cake in my iPhoto but I don't so I'll do some checking with the mister and update this post with them soon.

Ebug is 4 years!

A glance at Ebug's life at the grand age of four.

- First off, since over-hearing Ebug mumble to himself "I'm not a bug" he will now be known as Agent E. Sniff, sniff . . . at least in writing.

- He wants to do anything his big brother can do and have anything his big brother has. His friendliness toward his little brother is continuing to grow.

- He likes to be known as "gun puppy/bomb boy/bomb puppy" (or some such combination)

- He entrusted his heart to Jesus this year.

- He loves his preschool work and eagerly checks his drawers to see what he gets to do each day.

- He loves to eat pizza, hot dogs, and cheese. Dried berries and smoothies are still the only way he will eat veggies or fruit. Under parental duress he will nibble the aforementioned foods.

- He does NOT like his curly locks and can be found wetting and combing his hair flat if I let them dry curly after a bath.

- He is LOUD and his body language is too.

- He still loves to snuggle and hear that he is specially made for our family and for God's purposes.

To- ; Love-

The gifts that your kids pick out to give are hands-down THE best!

Example (results are from a shopping trip to the Dollar Tree):

Agent H to his papa (AKA: Dad) - denim trivits. He thought they were mouse pads
Agent H to me - a round pizza pan for serving snacks to them

Ebug to his papa - a cowboy gun and spurs
Ebug to me - a ping pong ball game
Ebug to LE Babe - a baby doll

The trivits really got me chuckling! Such sweet kiddos.

Music enrichment

Sunday evening was spent at Edinborough Park for a concert by The 1st John Philip Sousa Memorial Band.

The conductor told jokes over the kids' heads but Agent H laughed anyway and gave me a funny quizical look.

We folded and threw paper airplanes from our seats to the stage.

We munched on bags of peanuts.

The band was dressed in black & red and played Christmas music. It was festive and just the right atmosphere for Agent H to observe all the happenings and for his little brothers to be squirrly in the background. Oh, it's free the last Sunday of every month.

EH tells me these photos needed tweeking before they get published, so if you don't think the color is just right, you can blame me cause I don't understand all that nifty computer editing.

Preschool Theme: Horses

Ebug's theme for preschool this week is horses.

We've read books

Reviewed horse anatomy and "clothes"

Told stories of my brother's horse, of me jumping off his horse, of me falling in the mud from a horse. Fun times.

And I even hauled up the bouncy horse. Here are a few shots of the cowboys getting ready for the rodeo (or circus).

First snow

The boys loved it, except for LE Babe (as you can see).

Ebug -Words to remember

More words to remember by Ebug (age 3 1/2) . . .

"Mom, you're my friend. Cause you give me time-outs."

"Mom, my tummy doesn't feel good. I think I'm getting a baby."

Just gotta write 'em down so I don't forget AND so they can laugh over them when they are older.

Bye bye curls

I took the boys to get their hair cut for the first time in a loooong time. One too many of my masterpieces equals "HELP"!

Agent H went for racing strips on the sides (inspired by his cousin's cool do).

Ebug got a nice clean cut.

LE Babe, well he lost his curly locks. One too many comments about the boys' little sister and EH wanted me to go out and buy him a monster truck shirt.

It's so helpful to have a big six year old along to take the photos!

Which foot?

At bedtime I told Ebug that he must have grown a foot this week. He (laying on his back) raised his feet in the air and said "which foot?"

To the Zoo

We started our zoo fun by stamping a trail of animal prints from our new Usborne Zoo kit and reading At The Zoo.

A little face paint resulted in one tiger and one lizard/snake boy.

Add a little brother, some Obi one Canobi and his sisters, and Ga and you've got a party at Como Zoo.

The first month of Acorns to Oaks

Placing the continents (index cards) on our earth (I heart blue tape)

Ebug engrossed in a book

Music exploration with the Boomwhackers









Ebug diving right into the sea activity bin (idea came from Pink and Green Mama)

Doesn't everyone practice their letter blends upside down?

A 3 year old being honest

Agent H: "Ebug, if I give you one of my Skittles will you give me one of your Mike 'n Ikes?"

Ebug: "Let's find out."

Fresh cough cherries

I have found myself in posession of a jar of freshly made choke cherry sauce. I think a thick stack of pancakes should be served pronto. Much love and thanks to my mom and dad.

A couple of my boys got to go along for the picking of the berries. As the hunt was retold at dinner, Ebug told me they found lots of "cough cherries". It took Agent H interpreting for me to understand he meant choke cherries. So sweet!

The words of Ebug

Take a moment to listen to Ebug and he has fasinating things to share:

He said this when he was sad "That makes me cheer down."

"Do birds have blood cells?"

"It's Tooty Toot's turn!" As in R2-D2's turn in our Lego Star Wars game.

"Momma, you're MY best mom ever!"

First day of school '09-'10

We've started our new school year! This week is a review week for Agent H and the beginning of Ebug's preschool program. I decided we'd use Sue Patrick's Workbox system for our schooling method. There have been some great reviews on what it is so I'll just direct you to them for more information. Click these titles to view their posts: 1+1+1=1, Joyful Mother of Six Children.

In the morning the boys complete their chore charts then I hand them their ID cards so they can go "clock-in" to school and grab their schedule strips.














Agent H's (1st grade, age 6) Curriculum: HOD's Beyond Little Hands for his Glory, Hooked on Phonics, Handwriting Without Tears, and Singapore Math.

This is Ebug's work area. With him (Preschool, age 3) we are using Letter of the Week and Totally Tot's ABC lessons based on Chicka Chicka Boom.

I did some rearranging and made this reading/audio story listening area.

I love that this system inspires the kids to be in charge of completing their schedule. They see what "good stuff" is coming up so they are inspired to move through work they may not enjoy as much. I also like that I am able to do extra activities that I normally wouldn't have planned or thought we had time to do (cool educational games, magic science, file folder games, etc). Time will tell how this system works for us but there appear to be hords of homeschooling families out there in the blog-o-sphere loving it.

Neighborhood Night Out

Thank you to our neighbor who hosted and even arranged for the fire department to show up!

Camp 2009

A Prayer for my boys

"Lord, I pray that You would teach my child to resolve misunderstandings according to Your Word. And if any division has already begun, if an relationship is strained or severed, Lord, I pray that You will drive out the wedge of division and bring healing. I pray that there be no strain, breach, misunderstanding, arguing, fighting, or separating of ties. Give them a heart of forgiveness and reconciliation. Your Word instructs us to 'be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous' (1 Peter 3:8). Help them to live accordingly, 'endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace' (Ephesians 4:3). In Jesus' name I pray that You would instill a love and compassion in them for all family members that is strong and unending, like a cord that cannot be broken."

-The Power of A Praying Parent by Stormie Omartian

I'm weary of breaking up fights. I'm resorting to praying. Which is probably where I should have started.

Photos of our family

Here are some (or maybe more than some, we'll see how post happy I get) photos that Jessica took of our family! We are so blessed by your work Jessie!