The little things

Today the small things that I appreciate seems to shine through more than normal. It hit me on the way home after I took all three of you kids to eat dinner. We went up to Henry's or as Kaley and I changed the name to Henry Joe's. It is just a small deli so there isn't much to choose from when it comes to kids food. You both do pretty good about not being too picky, however Keegan you always have a belly ache or you say " Mom, I didn't think it was gonna be this big, when I ordered it" to prevent from eating as much as you should. The worst thing about going up there is keeping Alexander occupied.

Alexander, you have always loved to hear yourself scream. You don't scream because you are mad or sad, but clearly just to see every ones reaction. Your screams are usually occupied by flying arms and waving hands. Your brother and sister think that this is one of your funnier moves. Of course they laugh or scream back at you, and this just encourages you to do it again and again, however you manage to get louder and louder every time. Not only do you get your brother and sisters attention, but usually everyone around looks at you and is probably wondering why you are screaming, but not crying. Then they start smiling and giggling at you which again just gives you the ok to continue. I have to admit, it is funny.....

I was looking down at my shirt earlier today and realized that I had baby Alexander snot all over my shirt. Then I realized that I had been in public with this same snot on my shirt. It looks like I blew my own nose on my shirt!! CRAZY, and then I notice that I had some of Alexanders puff snack in my hair. WOW how things have changed, two years ago I would have never thought that having snot on my shirt and baby snacks in my hair would make me smile. I smile because I realize that for every drop of snot, meant that I held Alexander close to me. And someday he will not want to be as close to mommy. And if I have puffs in my hair that means that Alexander smiled today, because he always smiles when he grabs my hair. So if it takes having snot or sweet potatoes or drool all over my shirt everyday, then I happily take it, because that means that I was given a hug, held a sleeping baby, or comforted a crying child, and that means I have done my job for that day!!! I love my children more than life, I realize more and more everyday how blessed I am for having such wonderful children that make me remember the small things.

I LIKE TO MOVE IT MOVE IT

Yeah baby Alexander!!! You are finally crawling, and you love it!! You are starting to realize the actual benefit of crawling. Its great to watch the smile on your face as soon as you remember that you are able to get that toy you want across the room. Here is how our first full day at home went with you crawling. You also realized that once you got where you wanted that you could pull yourself up on everything!! You even got into things you weren't supposed to. IMAGINE THAT

New Pics

Happy Birthday to my daddy who is 60 years old today!! Dad you help me so much with my kids and all of them love you more than life. If fact, I am sure that if they had their choice that they would all love to move in with you! You let them eat ice cream in the living room, but yet you would have busted my butt if my toenail crossed the kitchen/living room line. I guess that is the true joy of being a grandparent. I love to watch you with Kaley, Keegan, and Alexander. You have an amazing patience with them, and you play much better with them than you ever did with Jeremy and I. I guess that is all apart of it. You joke all the time and when Jeremy and I ask you why they get away with so much more than we did, you respond with " Sorry but I love them more!"

Keegan and you have a bond that is amazing. Keegan looks forward all week to "Spend the night night" Everday when I pick him up from school, the first words out of him mouth are, " Are we going to Poppies today?" " Do I get to at least see Poppie today?" "Can poppie come to our house?" I usually let Keegan have "Spend the night nights", on both Friday and Saturday nights, but tonight he got in trouble at your house, and I had had enough of his back talking, so I brought him home. He screamed and cried the whole way home. As wild as he is, he is such a tender child. He kept telling me that he heart was hurting because he didn't get to stay at your house, and that his heart was hurting because he didn't get to give you a hug before he left. After we came home and 30 mins of crying he finally calmed down and promised he was going to be good so he could go back to your house tomorrow.

I know that it was just as hard on you for him to leave. I text messaged you once he went to sleep to help assure you that he was ok, because I know you well enough to know that you were missing him as much as he was missing you. Sure enough you texted back saying that you wished he would have not gotten in trouble because you love having him there.

You get blamed for "Ruining" the kids all the time. Its again all apart of you spoiling them. You are already getting accused of ruining Alexander.

Jeremy and I went and had all of our pictures made with all the kids for your birthday! We will be giving them to you tomorrow and I hope you love them.

UNEVEN---- BUTT CHECK

We were riding home last night and I was tell Keegan and Kaley that I had to take Alexander to the Dr for his 9 month check up. Kaley asked if he was getting shots, and I said no, they are just going to prick his finger. Kaley wanted to know why. I told her to check and see if he is anemic. Well as we know a car with 3 kids and the radio can cause hearing difficulties. She said to me " Mom he isn't uneven, he is just a little chubby" Anemic= uneven??? She thought I said "check to see if he is uneven" I guess is a loud car it might sound the same!! I just died laughing and then to make it worse Keegan asked what is that? I said they are gonna check his blood!! Keegs response "CHECK HIS BUTT??"
Check his blood= check his butt??? AGAIN Loud car!! My kids need hearing aids or I need to talk clearer

Dear Little Monsters

So I have decided to take after my friend Emily Moore and start writing to my children. I have done this on several occasions before and my wishes are that I will somehow have a diary that I will be able to write in and give them someday. They do so many funny and amazing things and with my busy schedule and loss of daily brain tissue, I will never remember them if I don't get them written down.
Kaley, the funny thing about writing to you is that I have written to you in the past and I know that since you are a girl that someday you will probably appreciate it the most. Plus I feel like as much as I love you and your brothers evenly, that you and I will always be closest. Maybe its because we have overcome the most obstacles together. Maybe in my head they were obstacles but to you they were just a part of life since you were so young through most of them. Kaley you make me so proud. Most people know that if I am going to brag on one of my children that you are most likely the child I am going to talk about. Again maybe its because through everything you have come out strong, smart, and incredibly compassionate. You are pretty much the perfect child and for the most part always have been. You amaze me on how quick witted you are, its scary to me some of the things that you understand that I wouldn't think you would catch on to. You have been a straight A student until a recent midterm report in which you had a C in Social Studies. Yes, you knew you had messed up big time, and that I would be furious with you. I immediately told you that you could kiss your trip to the beach goodbye, and you would be in summer school if the grade didn't get back to an A. Now I know that I would not let you miss out on our beach trip and you are far too smart for summer school, but I knew I had to get your attention. Guess what it worked. You promised me that you will turn it around ASAP. I was concerned that your grades would slip since you just finished basketball season. You played on two different basketball team and you are already practice for softball. So with all of that you had practices 4 out of 5 weeknights and usually 3 basketball games and softball practice all on Saturday. We still disagree about your wardrobe and you are extremely mad at me tonight because you saw the clothes that you are being made to wear for family pictures. Sorry kiddo, its Poppie's 60th birthday this Saturday and we gotta do these pictures for him. After a stern talking to by Trent Trent and a couple slammed doors and you calling me Stupid (which almost got your butt busted) you have calmed down and realized that you are not winning this war!!!

Keegan- Oh my gosh where do I begin with you. I am sure by the time that you read this you will know that you probably will receive more spankings and time outs than any other child on the face of the planet. Your only saving grace in this world is that you are an extremely funny, charming and likable kid. Your love for life everyday amazes me. You truly believe the world is your stage. There isn't a time that we go somewhere that you don't run into someone you know. You are my social butterfly. Tonight you have been especially good, and the main reason is that Kaley has been in trouble. You love to see her in trouble because lets just face it, its usually you. You heard me say I was calling Trent Trent, when Kaley decided to throw a fit over the clothes, and you immediately said MOM NO WHAT DID I DO! Yes for once Keeg, we aren't calling Trent Trent because he needs to threaten you.
You have me quite frustrated lately, you have been going through this phase of being extremely scared of the dark and I can't figure out why. I have reassured you that there are not monsters, I have turned lights on, bought night lights, etc., and you are still freaked. I usually am only sympathetic so long and then I get mad at you and tell you to get tough and get over it. Oh wait then I say " The only thing in this house you should be scared of is ME!!!" I know I sound so mean, but you truly are scared of your own shadow. I am trying to get you used to doing things for yourself more. Poppie babies you and it drives me crazy. You even make him go into the bathroom while your pooping, and I want to beat your little butt. You go to the bathroom at home by yourself, but when you are at Poppie's house you turn into a 2 year old. So tonight, I could help but laugh when you first warned me that you were going to the bathroom. Then you said "Mom here is your warning, you might want to pick up Alexander, cause I am pooping and I am gonna clear the house out with the smell" Thanks for the warning Keeg!! But what was even better was when you came out with a smile and told me you wiped your own butt. I am a little concerned as to why you are so proud of yourself. You should of been wiping your own butt for the past 3-4 years, so why did you feel so proud that you wiped your butt tonight. Which makes me wonder what you have been doing for those past 3-4 years.
I loved watching you tonight, as you were flipping through the channels to find something to watch on TV. " MOM its the FUNNY SHOW" which mean America's Funniest Home Videos. I almost told you that you couldn't watch it because I was trying to get Alexander to calm down and have a bottle and you can NOT watch the FUNNY SHOW quietly. This is what it sounds like when you are watching it " Mom! WAIT! OH LOOK! HAHAH MOM! Oh MY GOSH! DID YOU SEE THAT! HAHAHAHA WATCH MOM! MOM WATCH! ARE YOU WATCHING!! DID YOU SEE THAT!! And it goes on the ENTIRE SHOW! Again it is just an example of your love for life, and I should just let you laugh, and I do, its just that after 30mins I wanna say Keeg BE QUIET!!! I love you buddy, even if you drive me completely crazy!!

Alexander, my little Shithead, I know sorry but that is your nickname! You are so dang cute. I hate to be mean to your brother and sister but you are definitely the cutest baby. They were cute, but boy you got it going on. You have dimples, curly hair, double chin and the cutest 4 teeth that you smile and show everyone. We are attached at the hip and as hard as it is I am trying to enjoy every second with you. I can't believe that in 3 months you will be 1 years old. Time has flown by. You are almost mobile. I have seen you take several little scoots on your knees if you really want something, but for the most part, your lazy butt isn't crawling yet. I am scared that you are going to walk before you crawl. You have started standing without holding on to anything and you love for me to hold your hands and let you walk. I took you to the Dr today for your 9 month check up. You weighted 20 pounds and 5 oz. You are 28 inches long. Oh and your head is off the charts big!! Don't worry little man, its all those brains that you have to hold up. YOU WILL BE A DOCTOR!! I am so proud of you, in the past week and after several nights of crying you have learned to go to bed awake. YEP this is a huge accomplishment. I give you a bottle and once you start digging your head in my chest I pick you up and tell you its time for bed. I lay you down and you instantly roll on your belly and not even a sound comes out of you!! WHEW HOO!!!

Updates

Ok so I only do this for one of my best friends "EMILY MOORE". So here is the update. Heath and I are officially engaged. I got the RING!!! Woo Hoo Its been almost 4 long years since our first date. I want to get married in June 2010, he says June 2015. HAHA He says if we make it to that date, then our marriage is sure to work. We'll see who wins this one. Alexander is now 7 1/2 months and attempting to crawl. He has two bottom teeth and his favorite thing to do is scream and say DaDa. Kaley just had her tonsils out this past week and it has been a rough week trying to keep her occupied and eating foods that are the same consistency as Alexanders baby food. Keegan, well keegan is Keegan like always he is balls to the wall, Wild as can be and drives me totally crazy, but you gotta love him. The kids only have a few more days of Christmas break left, and I think they had a great holiday. I am still enjoying being a stay at home mom, however, it is the most demanding job I have ever had. My joy comes at the end of the day when Heath comes home to save me from the screaming kids. They all love him so much, and he is such a great father. I can't wait to be Mrs. Trent someday, in either 2010 or 2015 !! HEHE

Whats new in Oct

Well well lets see. I am officially a stay at home mom and I am enjoying spending time watching Alexander grow up. Heath is working in the ER at both Sevier Co Hospital and Jefferson Co Hospital. He is still trying to decide which hospital will be him main hospital. Alexander is already 4 1/2 months old and learned last week how to scream. He likes to scream just to hear himself. That is how he wakes us up each morning. Kaley is getting so big, and has braces now, which makes me look at her like a teenager. She can be such a fun kid to be around. We are so much alike, its scary to look at the way your child acts or responds to things and know that you used to act the same way. She loves Alexander sooo much and I couldn't ask her to be anymore of a big help to me. Keegan is same ole wild Keegan. He pushes my buttons on a daily basis, and will definately be the one who gives me all my gray hairs. He loves life so much and is so carefree. Our house continues to get smaller and smaller which is by fair causing me to be very stressed. I am looking for a cleaning lady to come and help me get organized and clean things up. I think that being at home more makes me more sensitive to all the imperfections of the house. We are hopeing to start looking for a bigger house, but I am not ready to move out of the community that we are in. I guess its bitter sweet!!!