Hanging Around

Despite the fact that I often find myself wanting a small break, I keep reminding myself that next year Clinton will go to kindergarten...KINDERGARTEN!...and our lazy weekdays will be coming to a halt.  So, we've spent many days just sitting in the kids' rooms playing.  Just visiting with each other.  Just laughing together.  Just being.

I love watching the kids interact with each other.  I love seeing what makes them all laugh together.  And I love watching how much they each watch and react off of each other.  They're funny.

I find it interesting that Heidi Sage will sit for 30 minutes and play Batman and Robin with Clinton, then turn around and start playing dress up and baby dolls.

I love it that Rex is the only one Clinton doesn't get mad at for knocking over all of his Imaginext toys.

I'm entertained at Clinton's efforts to fight for the camera lens.  And, yes, he's four...just in case you didn't get that.  He's the oldest.  The biggest.  And most importantly, he believes he is the boss.  

While he won't admit it, I'm happy to report he is also quite the caretaker.  He loves on his brother and sister daily (with an occasional beat down) and won't let anyone else lay a finger on them.  He's our protector.

Rex is our little tag along.  He is DESPERATE to keep up with his brother and sister.  He's crawling, pulling up and cruising.  And a couple of times he's let go to stand alone for a few seconds.  I imagine it's just a matter of time before he's off with the troops.

Clinton makes sure to drop in and say hi from time to time...just to make sure he's not lonely.  :-)  Actually, if Rex wakes up and I don't make it in his room within 23 seconds, I can usually find one of the older kids in his crib keeping him company.  I just hope the crib holds up!

Yes, we're using this year to make sure we enjoy our down time.  I already have glimpses of schedules filling up, and car pools to run in.  I'm soaking up our 'lax routine and do-as-we-please schedules.  They will truly be missed one day....soon.

One Fish, Two Fish, Big Fish, Scary Fish

Right before the kids and I took off for Texas at the end of July, Rodney and I packed up the mini and made a day trip to the Tennessee Aquarium.  The kids had a great time, but I'm not sure if it was the huge fish or the toys at the gift shop or the amazing chicken strips at the food court that they loved best.  Maybe it's fair to say they loved it all.

As usual, Heidi Sage and Rex took full advantage of all the services provided to them.  Not gonna lie, I would have paid somebody a thousand bucks to push me around that place.  If I didn't exceed the weight limit on the stroller, I might have kicked HS out of her seat and had Rodney push me.

And while Heidi Sage enjoyed the ride from the car into the aquarium, it wasn't long before she was up and narrating the. entire. tour.  She told us about everything.  Big fishies.  Wittle fishies.  Scawee shawks.  And even pointed out about 3,248 of 3,400 butterflies in the butterfly room.

Clinton mostly just cared about the sharks.  Thanks to his Uncle Brian, Clinton has very strange love-hate feelings towards sharks.  He thinks they're too awesome, but at the same time they kill people...and that makes them mean.

Heidi Sage soaked it all in.  And while she has a larger than life personality, seeing her standing in this window looking at the "OH-shen" reminds me how little she still is.

And while sharks were Clinton's highlight, he was interested in everything.  As we got to each creature he wanted us to read some facts to him about the animal.  He needed to know what kind of animal it was, what it ate (specifically what kinds of other animals it killed), where it lived, and how big it would get.  I enjoy his curiosity and appreciate his need to know...but after a few hundred animals, I just need him to be an observer...not a researcher.  ;-)

Heidi Sage wasn't sure about everything.  Some things were strange enough she felt the need to return to her seat and instruct me to keep moving.

...but then again, some things (like penguins) took a good 30 minutes to view.

Clinton really wished this turtle hadn't died millions of years ago...he wanted to meet it.

But he, of course, found lots of other things to meet face to face (through the glass).

We also had to take a few pictures just of us...with no fish.  Here's me and my "big boy".  I'm no longer allowed to call him my baby.  He gets a bit irate over it.

And here's Rex who pretty much looked like this the whole time because he's not really one for crying, moaning, or complaining.  Just happy to be here.  Just happy we remembered to bring him...not like we forget him a lot....in fact it was only once...and I realized it just as I pulled out of the driveway...he was alone for maybe 30 seconds...but I digress.

I'm pretty sure that's not the smile I was referring to when I asked you to say "CHEEEEZE"...but I guess it's still adorable even if it is a hurry-the-hell-up look.

Heidi Sage with her Daddy.

 And who do you think had the cutest bum at the aquarium?  That would be Heidi Sage.

Van Gogh and H2O

I find the summers to be exhausting.  Ever since I got pregnant with Clinton my body just can't quite handle heat the same...and it's flippin' hot!!  I also truly miss my preschool days when the kids get to be entertained by someone else for a while and I get a chance to breathe.  And the days are sooooooo long. So long.  My children seem to have an issue with their eyes being closed if there is even an ounce of sunlight.  With 5:30am sunrises and 9:00pm sunsets, I find myself with a lot of hours on my hands.

Even as close as my 3 kids are in age, it's still somewhat challenging to find activities that suit everyone.  Granted Rex is mostly content to just watch, but still it has to be an activity where I can find a place for him to watch.  And then it needs to be something that Clinton doesn't think is for babies, but Heidi Sage can still grasp.  Anyone now realize why I let my kids dig holes in the yard and make mud pies?

Anywho, we've been doing quite a bit of painting this summer.  Both of my big kids love it, and Rex enjoys the view.  The kids like to channel their inner "Van Gogh" and create masterpieces for me to "ooh and ahh" over.  

Heidi Sage likes to use as many colors and as many paint brushes as she can.  And as much paint as she can.  She, like her brother, doesn't believe in the "less is more" concept.  More is always more in our house...whether you're talking about cupcakes, toys, or paint...more is preferred.  But if you start talking about broccoli then maybe less (or none) is the top choice.

While Clinton also loves paint brushes, he does a lot of finger/hand painting as well.  His paintings usually end up with so much paint that the paper tears.  And if you look really close you can see the paint also on his torso and face.  This, my friends, is why we paint outside.

And as the big kids get their art groove on, Rex just sits back and chills...

...OR CHEERS!

Finished products.  Clinton's on the left, Heidi Sage's on the right.

Once the paintings are complete, some clean up is in order.  This is the part where I go turn on the sprinkler and let them run until I can't see a speck of paint on their little bodies.

They love it...and I avoid paint getting tracked in the house...and my grass gets watered.  So really, it's a win-win-win.

And while we've done a lot of fun things this summer, we're looking forward to the cooler breezes of fall.  And maybe some 7:00pm sunsets.  :-)

I Heart Boys, Too.

For as long as I could remember, I've been telling people I would be the mother of 4 girls.  No boys.

When Rodney and I met I stood strong by my claim.  As we neared our wedding day I sweetly reminded him of what his future would hold.  And a year and half later when we found out we were getting snuck in for an early ultrasound, I couldn't wait to see our little girl.

Only she wasn't...a girl.  She was a he.  And he was Clinton.  I remember sitting in shock.  And I called my mother and cried because I had no idea what I would do with a boy.

Now 2 boys later, it seems loving them is just as natural and joyful as loving a girl.  Imagine that.

There's less than four years between these two sweet boys, and I so hope they are close.  I already see how much they love playing together.  Clinton is so sweet and protective.  Rex is enamored.  They laugh together.  They scream in delight together.  And each of them seems deeply concerned when the other is crying.

When in a room together, you can often find them like this...

...and both are usually equally innocent...

...or not.

But boys will be boys.  And sometimes the girls will love it.  And sometimes....well, they've had enough.

These Are the Days

Whew...things here are busy.  Busy.  Very busy.

I'm very tired, running on coffee, and pushing through several slumps a day...but I still find myself smiling most of the time.

The kids are changing, growing, and each becoming more and more of their very own person.  

Clinton is definitely our ring leader.  The other two kids often watch him for cues.  When Clinton is wild and loud, there are often two others who are wild and loud.  

Heidi Sage is our caretaker and second mother.  She's always making sure that Rex has his blanket and paci, and if she can't find his she is willing to give up hers.  So sweet.  And when Clinton is in trouble, she can be found at my side pointing her finger and running her jibberish as if she, too, is letting Clinton know what he is in for.  Truly a site to see.  

And Rex is our doll baby.  He is so sweet.  He is so happy.  He loves sitting and visiting with each of us as much as he can.

Some days we're all out and about.  Some days we sit and chill.  Some weekend nights, we're out socializing.  Some weekend nights, we're sitting picking thorns out of our feet.  Because the mommy in this house doesn't insist on the kids wearing shoes.  Oopsie.

Rex is such a great go-with-the-flow kid...and thank goodness because I think he's got years of this ahead of him.

Keeping up with three kids is never easy.  Even when they're napping, I'm moving working on laundry, dinner, cleaning bathrooms, etc.  And sometimes when they're awake and I'm feeling productive, things in the next room are usually going like this.  It looks like a bomb has gone off...and at least one child is in the floor crying.

Not this child, of course.  He's still perfectly innocent and not responsible for anything...yet.  I'm sure his day is coming.

Our summer started off as a scorcher, but the past week or so has shown some great relief from the heat. We've been getting outside playing in the yard.  As Heidi Sage gets older, I see her and Clinton playing together more and more.  They get so tickled with each other I find myself sometimes shedding a tear or two just from the sheer joy I feel listening to their happiness.

Of course, we've done plenty of crafts this summer.  It just wouldn't be our house without some paint on the furniture and confetti on the floor.  Heidi Sage added quite a bit of color to our all-black patio set.

Clinton asks at least once a week to paint rocks.  It's easy, so we do it.  We just keep adding the rocks to our Pumpkin Patch.

We've also kept busy with some baking.  The kids love decorating with sprinkles.  I'm not sure my vacuum loves it.  The only problem with sweets is that my kids want to eat them until they're completely gone.  It's hard to explain rationing.  Especially when they're laying on the floor screaming so loud they can't hear me.  Seriously fun.

The kids love riding their bikes in our cul-de-sac.  Clinton also loves using Daddy's tools to "fix" his bike.  Heidi Sage stands by telling him over and over and over..."Dat's daddy's.  Not yours.  Dat's daddy's."

While Clinton is a child who constantly needs interaction with others, Heidi Sage is more like her mother and enjoys some time to herself.  You can often find her upstairs playing in her kitchen, in her room playing with her babies, or outside gathering up stuff.  She's often collecting things.  You can find her shopping cart and baby carriage both full of stuff at any given moment, and she loves carrying bags stuffed with as many things as they can possibly hold.

She's also my water baby.  She loves to play outside in the water.  Rodney has also taken her to the big pool a few times and says she's fearless.

Both of my little delinquents have a tendency to get a little out of control with markers.  A little tighter supervision might be helpful in preventing these incidents, but I'm not exactly a helicopter parent.  :-)

Clinton loves and truly values his rare one and one time with me.  He still gets quite a few outings with Rodney, but I usually have the little kids.  This picture was taken during one of our rare evenings when the little ones went down early and we had a chance to go play outside.  You can see the excitement in his face.  And he always says, "Go Honghorns!" when he wants me to smile...and it works every time.

We spent a lot of evenings this spring sitting on our front porch watching this mommy bird care for her babies.  They've flown the nest now, but the kids loved seeing the babies and were intrigued by how their mother fed them...and what she fed them.  Worms and cicadas!  Yum-o!

In the evenings, I try to get my kids outside and run them until they're worn out.  I have them race from one end of the yard to the other.  They LOVE it...especially when I join them.  It's one of my forms of exercise.  Rex sits in his exersaucer and watches us intently.

Heidi Sage gets lots of photo shoots for our DHS blog, and occasionally Clinton vies for my attention by giving me his best pose so I'll take pictures of him, too.  I've been trying to be more mindful of this and not make the photo shoots just about Heidi Sage, but use them as an opportunity to get more pictures of all the kids.

That's what's been going on here.  We've got some fun family events planned for the holiday weekend and upcoming week.  I'll try to get lots of family pictures and get a post up next week.  "Try" is the key word.  :-)