Jonathan is Home!

Jonathan got to come home yesterday afternoon. He was SO excited to get to leave. He was up and ready to go in a matter of minutes. We made an error on leaving the hospital. After we paid our bill, we went out the nearest exit - which happened to be on the opposite side of the building where I was parked. The patient had to walk all the way around. I kept telling him I would come pick him up if he wanted me to but he went ahead and got his exercise! Anyway, he is home and we are settling in pretty well. He is feeling pretty weak but better. Thanks to everyone for the calls, visits and prayers - and everything else!

Our motto

Our motto is: Everyone makes mistakes but we learn from them and try to do better tomorrow.... I hope this is the case today because my motto yesterday was WHY? Why is it that your son colors his body and the stairs on the same day that the older kids get in a fist fight in Wal-Mart which just so happens to be the exact same day that children are pushing and biting each other in the backyard which is also the same day that they can't stop saying "poop" at the dinner table?

Jude is banned from markers

Do I need to tell you why?

Kid Pics

The beach pictures were disasterous but there were a couple out of about 50 that were ok!

Pool Pictures

Pink

Jonathan told Ella a few months ago that when we went to the beach we would put pink streaks in her hair. Well, I purchased the pink and he applied. It was pretty pink but it washed out in a couple of days!

Crab Hunting

Here are our crab huting pictures. Don't worry - it was catch and release!

A few pictures

I did take a few pictures on vacation. It is pretty much what I had said before - lots of swimming, lots of food and more sleep than Jonathan and I are used to. My mom made the sacrifice of sitting most of the vacation in the room with Gabe. Ella did some shell hunting for her school friends. Jonathan, Dad and Joe played golf the latter part of the week. Jude found that he loved to "surf" in the ocean and Gabe pretty much stayed in his "habitat" as Marilyn calls it when he was not in the room. He managed to make it to the beach twice - Once to crab hunt and once for some disasterous pictures.

What we are doing

First off, I have not been very diligent in my picture taking. It is much harder than anticipated to hold a baby while taking pictures. We have done the typical beach things...I will start with the eating ice cream part, which we have done LOTS of. The kids have also spent lots of time in the pool and two highlights were crab hunting (which I did take pictures of but will have to load later) and playing at the playground at the outlet mall! The playground was great and it had a fountain they could play in. Ella said it was her "best day ever". I got to shop while they played so I had to agree!

Family of five road trip

We did it, we made it, we are here. Honestly the trip was pretty uneventful. One thing I have learned is that 5 people have to go to the bathroom - ALOT! A few funny incidences...Jude HAD to go while I was sitting in a grocery store parking lot with the three of them. He was very happy to get to pee on the tire. I also decided to change Gabe's diaper in the empty seat and he proceeded to pee over my shoulder into the parking lot...but then a slight shift caused things inside the car to get wet. Jonathan had his own bathroom issues but I won't get into that - and I thought it was the girls who always had the problems with bathrooms?

Middle Child

Ella has been Miss Helpful with Gabe. Jude, on the other hand, has been suddenly thrust into the middle child role. It is not a role he is taking lightly. The only reason I am really able to blog today is because he is at school and I only have Gabe. He has been a handful. Last week he resorted back to peeing in his pants - on more than one occasion. It is quite hard to get him to do much that you actually WANT him to. Although, he is still sweet Jude, he became a harder to deal with pretty much overnight. All of that to say, he let me take his picture this week and do you believe anything bad I said about him from his sweet little face?

Visit to the friendly dentist

Jonathan called me while I was in the car rider line yesterday wanting me to bring Ella up to the office to get some sealants put on her teeth. While we were there Jonathan cleaned Jude's teeth. Ella was his helpful assistant. I was talking to a friend from church at the checkout and I was telling her that Ella was assisting. She laughed and said looks like she's doing a great job. I turned around and Ella was suctioning Jude's spit then putting the suction in her mouth...I guess we didn't go over the "germ thing" when helping. AND, I didn't have my camera!

WHCA Fish Fry

Saturday was the annual WHCA Fish Fry. It was a little trickier (is that a word) this year due to the fact that I had 3 kids to keep up with - not that Gabe was going anywhere but still. As soon as we got there Jude spotted his beloved Purity truck and Josh (the truck's driver). Josh let him and Ella get in the driver's seat and then showed them around the back of the truck. Ella asked Jude if he thought there would be lots of ice cream in there...but there wasn't - according to Ella, just a bunch of pickles. We then got our pictures made at a booth and pretty much after that I Ella ran off with Riley, Jude was hanging with Lofton, Audie or Jenna and I was cleaning baby poop off a baby. As usual, the food was great. At the end of the day Jude actually helped out by throwing the fish into the meal and flour (at least I think it was meal and flour). Regardless, he was a fishy mess by the time we left.

Meggy's visit

Yesterday Jessica and Megan came to spend the day. Megan was such a good girl. She did salivate after Gabe's paci but showed great restraint and left them alone! It's a good thing Jess was here because I had to frantically run out the door to pick up Ella, cookie dough order then Jude. I was having such a good time visiting that I forgot. Jess held down the fort with Megan taking a nap and Gabe hanging out. They also brought us a great dinner. Mark made curried chicken pot pie and Jessica made brownies and a salad...it was WONDERFUL! They did stay around for the chaos of Ella and Jude coming home. Ella enjoyed playing with Megan and Jude notified Jessica when Megan was heading upstairs. I am so thankful for great friends - thanks again for the visit guys!

Gabe's Doctor Appointment

My parents came down today so I could get Gabe to the Dr. for his 3 week check-up Jude free! We made it and all is well - besides me being irritated with the fact that he has not lost his cord yet....Anyway, my Dad mowed the yard and my mom kept up with Jude (which is a big task these days)! Thanks again Mom and Dad for making the 2 hour drive...yet again!!!

Tuesday's project

I am trying to keep the older kids busy in the afternoons. Partly because I feel guilty about putting them to bed at 7:00 and partly because they NEED something to do. Last night, we painted pumpkins.

Big helper

Jude answered the door for the UPS man today...nude!