Today's milestones

Holy moly, Addie has another tooth. I didn't even know it was coming in until I saw it today and it's already popped through. That's how good my little tooth grower is. No real complaining. I'll try to get a pic, but it's one of her second set of front bottom teeth. Those are supposed to come in long ago. Addie decided to wait until all her molars were in first. Needless to say, when she grabbed a French fry tonight I had no worries she could chew it.

Zach is a true monkey child. He learned how to pull himself onto the dining room chair by shear force of strength. Standing at the side of the chair he puts a hand on the back and just forces himself up. Of course, why stop there when the dining table is RIGHT THERE?!? So of course, up he went. Twice today. How did I finally stop him? If you move the chair so it's not in a normal table placement he gets confused and can't climb it. Haha, that's actually kinda funny if you think about it. Of course, I don't expect that confusion to last long.

Katie is getting better about walking for walkings sake. She is also becoming very aware of how clothing gets on and off. She tries to help take her clothes off I'm not sure this will be a good thing in the end, but she will need to learn eventually I suppose.

We went to dinner at the community center here on base tonight. A place they can roam some, get a dinner with no dishes to clean that mom didn't have to cook, and eventually watch people bowling. I'm hoping to spend a touch more time there this winter.

My week on my own 24/7 is almost over and really it can't end soon enough. Don't get me wrong, I love my littles but my gosh I AM TIRED!! I just want to get to late Sunday afternoon, then sleep sleep sleep. Now I need to plan my week at a spa - only fair right?


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Library Laptime

We went!! So exciting for me! I know many people understand we live in a small town, but maybe not just how small. There is very little to do here aside from taking them to the park. Which, with Mother Nature's anger at me these past few weeks that hasn't happened for a while. (as I type the wind is howling, yet again. Still. Always.) but back to it - there are no malls to walk, no gyms with daycare, no Y. Aside for going to laptime, I could go to MoPs, but as that is from 10-12 I don't know how much that will happen this winter. 10 is usually when we are just finishing up our morning routine of diapers, bottles, breakfast, diapers. Although I think tomorrow I'm going to try sippys of milk w/breakfast, but again I digress...

I left the house a tad late, had about 10+ minutes to get there. Great except my lucky butt got stuck behind the two trucks going 45 miles down the highway. Seriously!?! And our highway is not very passing friendly. It seems right when the chance arises either a car or a bend arises as well. So we were moseying. I felt like I was going to be late for a first date! Not a good first impression, especially since I wasn't sneaking in with my one child. Lucky for me, our friend Kristin and her daughter Ember, who came to our bday bbq, arrived at the same time. She offered to carry someone, so Katie was handed off. Yep, she cried until we were inside, but it worked. In we trod, two adults, four children. It was JUST getting started so I didn't feel too bad. We sat around the carpet and I introduced my littles. Mrs. Angie knew about the triplets (just not that we were coming today), so that helped.

Laptime starts with songs. She asked where the body parts were, then sang, head, shoulders, knees, and toes. Tidbit: John thought I made that song up myself the first time he heard me sing it. Little did he know I tortured my middle school students with it if there were too inactive! :). Then star wands were passed around and we sang Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and another star song I don't remember. Then the elevator song. Standing you ride the elevator up ( toes, knees, hips, shoulders, sky). I know Addie is our shy girl, so let her just watch. Katie wasn't comfortable standing yet, she was still just observing, but I helped Zach do it. Proud Mama.

Book time! Mrs. Angie had her stuffed frog to pass around for all to give hugs to. Zach hugged, Katie tried to eat the eyeball, and Addie copied her and smiled because she knew they thought Katie was funny. Then Mrs. Angie read the kids this book:




about a frog who is too big for the book. Her friends help her by making a bigger book. notice how the back cover is bigger, clever story. We then moved to the tables to make our felt frog faces. Yep, due to us showing up she was two short for the activity. Sigh. Kristen, from above, helped quickly cut more pieces. Here are our frogs from today:



My kids FIRST EVER refrigerator art!!!

After craft time it was play time. My kids were drawn to the balls, big soft ones *note to self, gotta find some of these*, and these cool round Lego type toys. They are Lego type in that they can attach, but they are round with four legs. It's at the legs that they attach. I'll have to find out what they are as all the kids liked them. Zach was also interested in the floor puzzle being put together because he liked watching the older boys. He was cute in trying to see what they were doing. One of their mothers offered to help me get everyone to the car, so we put our coats on and Katie once again went into a strangers arms. All in all a GREAT morning.

Can't wait for next week.

Funny out takes:
~ I was offered a big beanbag type pillow for the kids. Hello, thanks but no. They wouldn't all fit and I can see frustration written all over that thing!
~ class is cancelled....at...wait for it......30 degrees BELOW zero. LOL
~ ssshhhh, mommy created the refrig art. ;)

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Zach man

Zachary Michael
born 7-9-11 @ 7:58pm ~ 4lb 5oz
one year checkup ~ 19lb 11oz (29 7/8")

Zach's name was chosen years ago.  I remember the conversation.  We were eating at Boston Pizza in Fairbanks.  Not the greatest service, so we had lots of time to talk.  Not sure why we were discussing baby names, but we decided that night to name our child Zachary.  Much like Katie's name, we like names that can be formal or informal.  And yes, we considered what his name would sound like as we yell it at an athletic event.  I have known for even longer that my son's middle name would be Michael, after my dad and my dad's dad.  Luckily for us we both really liked the name Zachary Michael.  Unluckily for me, the name had extra special meaning when he received it as my dad was in the hospital not doing so great.  I'm glad my dad knew Zach's name before passing away. 

 

What makes Zach, Zach:

~ he's our boy - 'nuff said

~ he LOVES music

~ he was the only one to need some extra loving, in the form of caffeine, in the NICU

~ he was SUCH a stinker about eating while in the NICU

~ was the first to joke around with daddy while in the NICU

~ was the first baby to receive kangaroo care from mommy
~ sported the best gangsta look in his too big hats while in the NICU

 ~ took the longest to master breastfeeding

~ was the only one to go through a MAJOR fussy stage

~ suffered from some reflux 

~ he LOVES to dance

~ has the BEST smile

~ first to roll onto his belly

~ first to stand on his own

~ first to take a few independent steps

~ has the BEST laugh

~ is such a sweetheart and sympathetic to his sisters

~ taught his sisters to pound on their crib rail when they wake up

~ loves showing he knows where his belly and nose are

~ tends to put his finger *in* his nose when showing you

~ knew his version of the sign for "more" the very first time he saw it on Baby Signing Times

~ his version is fist in palm, more like a "put it here NOW" sign

~ boy loves his dance moves

~ often needed a good 5 minute snuggle before going to bed

~ had lungs on him like no other if he didn't want to go to bed

~ has the best pondering looks

~ has/had some texture issues

~ didn't feed himself with his hands until I tried to show our Infant Learning rep that he wouldn't feed himself with his hands (stinker!)

~ he is very determined

~ he is the only one we still have to strap in the high chair otherwise he will literally crawl out

~ mastered crawling when he saw something he wanted

~ the first speed crawler

~ he plays "chase me" very well and with a great smile on his face and glint in his eyes

~ he can dance and loves music like no other and has from a very very early age

Both Katie and Zach are working on walking.  Katie will only walk for a purpose, like to get from the couch to daddy and back.  Zach is trying to walk anywhere.  Had a stranger been watching in my window today they would have sworn I plied my son with alcohol!  He wobbles a few steps, falls sideways, looks through his legs, spreads them super wide to stand back up, falls backward, laughs, rolls onto his belly, stands with arms spread wide for balance, takes three or four steps and starts the process all over again.  All on his own.  Headed nowhere in particular.  Just learning how to walk.  A wondrous thing about Zach is that you can see the gears turning is his head as he learns.  He is very determined and will keep working at it.  The best part about when he walks to you?  He falls into your arms at then end, looks up at you, and his whole face lights up in a smile.  I love him.

                        

My sweet boy