The Sandbox

Cement mixing container from Home Depot: $12.97

Measuring cups/spoons and sand toys on clearance: $4.50

Three fifty pound bags of play sand: $2.50 each

Seeing Sammy's cute dimples and smile while he played in our new sandbox: PRICELESS!

I knew we would need something fun today today while Gracie was away at school. Sammy is usually attached to Gracie at the hip. He wants to do everything she does. So we decided we would make ourselves a little sandbox today while she was at school. We spent the morning getting the supplies, and can I just say how awesome Home Depot is! They have the friendliest people working there and are extremely helpful. One lady that worked there almost wouldn't even let me push my shopping cart once she loaded the 150 pounds of sand onto it. It was actually still really easy to push so I was able to manage it. I waited until David got home from his lunch meeting to help me unload the sand so Benson was actually taking a nap and didn't get to play in our sandbox until after Gracie got home from school, but they all had a blast! And they were all covered with sand! And so is my kitchen floor, but honestly, I think it is worth it... for now. :) I am glad that they love it!

First Day of Kindergarten

Gracie had her first day of Kindergarten today. As a mom, I was filled with all of those normal mixed up mom emotions. Excited for her to start this new stage of life, worried and scared that kids might not be friendly, she might get scared, she might get lost, she might not have any friends... I can keep going... I should have know she would have a great time though. We cut out this giant "K" so we would always remember in years to come that this is her Kindergarten picture (thanks for the idea Jamie). I cried all the way home after she left. I thought Sammy would be pretty sad too, but he didn't really talk a lot about it.

Gracie climbed up on the bus, stopped at the very first seat, pushed her way between the two kids sitting on it, talked to them for a minute, and sat right down. What a brave, friendly girl. I just love her.

Here she is getting off the bus after school was over. Her happy little face lit up when she saw me waiting for her to get off the bus. She climbed off, ran to me and said, "It was so fun mom! Way funner than home!" I am happy that she had a good time, even if she did say it was funner than home. I know you will be amazing in Kindergarten Gracie. I love you!

Baby Shoes

I made these shoes (with some help from my super crafty sister-in-law) while our husbands and sons were at father's and sons a week ago. We stayed up late and sewed and ate caremel popcorn... just us girls (Sarah and Elsa, and Gracie and I). We definitely need to do it again soon. Hopefully my baby's feet won't be too big to wear them when he is born (my kids have HUGE feet).

Getting ready for baby...

I had to order a new car seat for this little fellah that is coming to join our family soon. Our old one lasted through the other three kids, but it expired. I decided I wanted to make a cute car seat cover for the new seat.

I used my cute sister-in-law's car seat cover (that her mom made) as a pattern and kind of went from there. Thanks Sarah!

I think it turned out pretty good. Gracie's "baby daughter woodpecker" seems to like it too because I keep finding her in the car seat. Gracie and Sammy seem to think she belongs in there. "Woodpecker" is going to be in for a rude awakening when she gets kicked out of her favorite spot in a few weeks. We are one step closer to being ready for our new baby to get here.

The Tooth Fairy

Gracie lost her first tooth last night. I didn't think it was loose enough, but David did. He grabbed some suturing thread and tied it around her wiggly little tooth. He yanked up hard once and out came the tooth. Her grown up tooth has been growing in behind the baby one for a few weeks. The dentist said not to worry about it, but that it would move up on its own when the baby one fell out.

I feel just a little gypped that I didn't get a little jack-o-lantern smile just yet. I am sure that will come though.

There it is. Gracie put it under her pillow last night in a little bag. The tooth fairy was very generous, hopefully just because it was a "first" tooth. I don't think she can keep up with this. She even let Gracie keep the tooth too! Congratulations Gracie!

From round foods to large aquatic mammals.

I figured it was about time for another belly picture. I am a little over 34 weeks now, and really I feel ready to POP! This little boy surely can't really grow for another 5 1/2 weeks. David is doing a month of OB/Pediatrics right now in his residency. He is having a fun time delivering babies and taking care of them after they are born. He came home from work a few days ago and told me about a conversation he had with one of the other residents. When a woman first gets pregnant all the books, web sites, and doctors compare the baby inside of you to a bean, peanut, or other small food when describing to you how big your baby is. From there they use apricot, plum, apple, orange, gourd, cantalope, squash, etc... always using a fruit or vegetable to give you the general idea of how big your baby is getting. Then all of a sudden the next thing used to describe the baby/woman's size is whale... Why is that? They don't use other sea animals when describing the size. It's not like they say, "Your baby is the size of a minnow, or a trout or a salmon." Nope, just whale. Well, whatever, I am ready for this baby blue whale to come out whenever he feels like it (preferably sooner than later after 37 weeks). If all you are waiting for is an invitation little boy, consider yourself invited. :)

Benson hearts "Diedo"

(Pictures taken by Jonae Cheger)

This silly little boy woke up crying this morning at 2:00 asking to watch "Diedo" (which means Diego). He LOVES Diego. I wouldn't let him watch it. I know I am a really mean mother, but I am not willing to give up my sleep so that my 22 month old can sit and watch some animal rescuer show where the main character's head is too big for his body. I got him a drink of water and brought him to my bed instead. Big mistake! He wouldn't go to sleep. I already have pregnancy insomnia (I went to bed last night around 10:30 but just can't shut my brain off for hours after I turn off the light) and adding a little boy to the bed who keeps reaching up to hug me or pat my face or stroke my hair didn't help (I know all of those things sound sweet in the day time, but not so at two in the morning). I finally made him go back to his bed (now close to 3-ish) because I was close to crying over lack of sleep. David carried him back to his bed, and he didn't cry or anything. He just lay there in his bed for about 15 minutes and then I hear the sweet pitter patter of little feet (not as sweet during he middle of the night again, but still sweet). He came and climbed back into my bed again and this time curled up to me and fell asleep almost immediately. I woke up with him still curled up against my back like a little kitten. After breakfast this morning I finally let him watch Diego. I got comfortable on the couch next to all the other kids and tried to catch a couple minutes of sleep while they watched (I am not a good mommy when I don't get enough sleep, it was necessary to try and get a little more). Benson climbed up next to me in my arms and within just a few minutes of watching his favorite show... he fell asleep. Guess he needed to catch up a little bit too.

My BFF

(Pictures taken by Jonae Cheger)

Dear Little Gracie Girl,

On Saturday we went to a primary activity at the church. We played in the water and rode bikes and you had a great time... until a couple of unkind children told you that you rode a baby bike (because you still had training wheels on your bike). After that you wouldn't ride your bike any more and you only wanted to hang out with the adults and it made me sad. Last night your Daddy took the training wheels off your bike and we went to the same parking lot and you learned how to ride your bike without them. You are so big and smart and cool and you are 5 years old and I forget a lot of times just how big you are getting. Kindergarten starts in a few weeks. You can read and count to 100 and write and you love computers and science and Littlest Pet Shops and Polly Pockets and pump your feet when you swing and now you can ride your bike too. Don't forget that you promised to be my BFF. Last night we wished on the "first star I see tonight" and that is what I wished for... for us to be BFFs for the rest of our lives. I sure love you chickadee.

Love,
Mom

after 9 years...

(Pictures taken by Jonae Cheger)

We have been married 9 years today, and look what we have to show for it! 3 almost 4 beautiful children, not to mention you are one heck of a doctor .
I love you David. You have been an amazing father and husband. I need you in my life every day. Thanks for choosing me.

Sammy

(Pictures taken by Jonae Cheger)

David's cute cousin took some pictures of our family when David graduated. These are a few of the pictures she took of Sammy. I just love his smile and funny personality.

***Warning***Warning***Warning*** Poop and piddle info coming up... stop reading if you think it is TMI!


Sammy is going to "poop school" right now. That is where you learn to poop in the potty (and piddle too). He used to want a "potty train." He didn't want to be potty trained he just wanted a potty train... you know like a train-train... like chugga chugga choo choo train. But now we are sending him to "poop school" and he is pretty excited about it. He has been struggling off and on with this for a little while. I can get him to "go" any time I put him on the toilet, but he would never tell me he needed to go. Well today, a friend of Gracie's invited her over for the day. I thought it was a perfect time to take Sammy's underwear off and see what happened. About 5 minutes later he pooped on the carpet. Lovely. This was after he had pooped in his underwear and piddle in a couple of other pairs as well as dropped his clean ones in the toilet. Wonderful day... But then he got it!!! after pooping on the carpet once he has run to the potty all by himself all afternoon when ever he needed to go (helped along by lots of caprisuns and juice and a little diareah that just happened to come along on the perfect day). We have turned a corner. I know we will still have plenty of accidents, but I am so happy that he is starting to figure it out that I could seriously throw a party... if my house didn't smell like piddle and if my little boy wasn't running around naked on the bottom. Guess we will have our own little party.

Buckets of fun!

I bought each of my kids a big bucket for sorting laundry in at Walmart for $5. Turns out to be the best $5 I ever spent. Not only do they keep my laundry organized, they have turned into great swimming pools...

(Benson just carries the water from one bucket to the other... he isn't much into getting into the buckets)

(another one of Benson not in a bucket, but he is just so darn cute)
These buckets are also the best seat in the house for watching a movie.

I haven't been able to get it on camera yet, but the buckets are also good for climbing into while they are on their side and then rolling in, as well as putting on your head and walking around like a robot (I don't really know why they think they are robots when they have buckets on their heads but whatever...). Seriously they have been awesome. I want some more, but when I went back to get some they were gone. Guess everyone else figured out how much fun they can be too.

Crusty

Benson has perfected the art of giving a crusty. Would you quit glaring at me kid!

Here fishy fishy fishy!

We went fishing for the 24th of July. David loves fishing and thought it would be really fun to share it with the kids. But boy did we pick the WRONG day! I think we picked the hottest day of the year so far!! We thought we would be going somewhere that we could fish for a while and then let the kids get wet to cool off for a while, but there was no swimming aloud at the lake. :(

The kids became disenchanted with the fishing when no fish were biting (another fisher person told us we were using the wrong bait and that really it was just too hot) and soon found some ducks to feed Cheetos to. We hope no ducks have heart attacks as a result eating too many Cheetos.

Just look at these HOT kids!

Since we couldn't swim, we soon resorted to splashing while looking for turtles and fish. Sammy is sure he touched a turtle or a crocodile (he wasn't sure which).

It was a fun way to spend a few hours on Pioneer day. I think David was a little disappointed that the kids didn't love fishing more. I was so hot and pregnant that I could barely breath! Hopefully next time it won't be quite so hot and maybe we will have a fish or two to show for our efforts.

Ducks:1 - Kids:0

We went for a Sunday drive last night and found this very picturesque park. It made me think of a puzzle or a post card or something.

The kids had a really great time chasing ducks.


David thought it might be cruelty to animals, but I thought it was only cruelty if the ducks got caught.


They just waddled away over to the pond and into the water where the kids couldn't get them.


I figure it was probably good exercise for the ducks... and the kids.

Gracie got a blister on her foot and was very sad.

Sammy found a great feather.

Chasing ducks is hard work!

Next time ducks... next time.