THE PINK SUPERBALL

Chris & I loved doing these valentines with him... of course Abby was first~ and of course her ball had to be pink... how does he know girls like pink?~ he calls Abby his best friend~ maybe they have shared stuff like favorite colors~ maybe he just knows more about girls than I think~ he's told me that girls like pretty things... he's told me girls are silly...

to be the only girl in the house gets funny~ to be the mom of boys is a gift~

he likes it when I fix my hair & asks me to wear it down when it's up... he always notices when I change my toe nail polish and always asks me why I paint my fingers~ silly he says~ he fixed my hair for me the other day~ a clip and a headband~ I should have taken a picture... the next day when my hair was different he asked me if he could fix it again... these moments~ scrumptious!!

Five Good Things

1. hard lessons... sometimes so tough but so good to make them strong~ and me... later that night he got a stomach bug and missed his valentine party... disappointments make us appreciate what we have... I'm not so sure he felt that way yet as the tears flowed... I was glad I was here to comfort
2. thinking of others... a lesson we talk about EVERY DAY~ harder for some than others
3. my valentine card from the boys... little handwriting... presh
4. Beth Moore... started another one of her studies and already have had some aha moments!! LOVE her!
5. My sweet hubby ~ postponed our valentines day and came home ready to help with all the sickies... we all got it except for Nate... birthday boy was spared!

ciao~alicia

OH MY, HE'S GOING TO BE 5!

he's so fun to talk to now... I live for his hugs~ they are getting fewer but more potent.

he has so much energy I just wish I had a bite of it ten times a day...

my firstborn... so big

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Five Good Things

1. His leadership qualities
2. His engineer mind... he HAS to know how everything works
3. His tender heart towards teaching the little ones and showing them the way
4. His songs he makes up are presh
5. This birthday will be one to remember

p.s. thanks Mom for this picture... it's one of my very favorites!

Ciao~Alicia

INDEPENDENT

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Christopher either loves or hates to have his picture taken... I can relate... I love 4... it's a time for him to start revealing all the stuff I've wanted to ask him about who he is.

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He makes "beds" in his room for all his little brothers... he chooses the blankets so carefully so that they have their ones Mimi made and also Coop's faves. I love that he is the biggest brother... my little leader

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He is also our toy repair man... if you need more batteries Christopher is your man... Nate has already figured this out and gives him "jobs". Whoever marries Christopher will love the way he loves things neat and clean... he didn't get it from me and now we go clean together... he's inspiring. There is nothing like a first born son.

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Five Good Things

1. Rain!!
2. Baby sign language
3. Parkfest in Willow Park
4. Coffee
5. Does that include caffiene?

ciao~alicia

CLEATS

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"Where is my other cleat Mama"? I heard an hour before we needed to leave...

My son had gathered all his "stuff" for the game and couldn't wait to prepare.

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Nate & I went & got M&Ms... Ems played on the bleachers with the smallest flip flops I have ever seen... Aunt Heidi was on Coop duty while Nana and I were taking pics... Chris got there before it even started... the announcer introduced all the players~ they called "Christopher Lee #20" and he had to take the batting helmet off~ he was ready to go!

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It was a good night

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Five Good Things

1. A Daddy's Love
2. Individuality
3. Gatorade
4. Camera instruction manuals~ I think I need to read mine~ these are shots out of about 50
5. Creative Friends~AW;)~ that get my juices flowing!

ciao~alicia

MY ELVIS

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eLViS...

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Christopher wants me to take his pic ALL the time... he tells me how far to stand and what to take it of... he then inspects it, tells me if it's good or asks me to do it again with his "tips"...

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he LOVES to play his guitar and write songs...

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painting~ they are vivid and amazing~ Christopher loves to make purple mixing red & blue (if you haven't heard yet, he loves all things purple), he asked me how to mix it when the purple depleted... stay tuned to see our outdoor art studio Chris & I are working on!

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I think I have to pick up the piano again... there is a band forming I think;) We have a harmonica player, a drummer and a lead guitarist along with his little jr.

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Five Good Things

1. Chris plays guitar beautifully
2. Siestas
3. Coop poked another tooth!
4. Watercolors
5. Heidi's piano

ciao~alicia

BABIES ON THE BRAIN!

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I love this day... I remember it well. It was the first place I took them both... the museums... the sound of water. I could hardly walk, I had a hard time bonding with Nate and I could barely keep up with my 14 month old even though he couldn't walk very well himself. I didn't know how I was going to do it... it was so hard and so beautiful.

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Nate's feet

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Maybe it's because if Coop was Christopher I would already be a couple of months prego with a brother... Maybe it's because 2 of my sweet friends are prego... maybe it's because my other friend has a newborn boy right next door... maybe it's because I want to have more babies... I don't know, a combination of it all. The other day all the boys were in the middle of the living room playing trains; I heard the boys say almost in unison "no Coopy... we don't want to play with you"... my heart winced as I knew he didn't even know what they were saying. I immediately thought oh, and I just can't do another pregnancy now. Not to mention 4 kids under the age of 5 may mean a breakdown for this Mom. Will there be another baby? I just don't know... and that's fine for now.

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Five Good Things

1. The boys are playing t ball together!
2. I have no doubt that every child is intentional by our Creator
3. I will be fine if we have 3 kids
4. I will be fine if we have 4 kids
5. I think Chris is halfway amused by my baby talk

ciao~alicia

THE MANTLE

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Christopher revamped my mantle...

Looks much better now don't ya think?

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Here's his little chair...

He moved my glass vases so carefully...

I can't move it yet!

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Five good things

1. I can't have this virus forever!
2. Chris brought home dinner
3. My head has not literally exploded yet... I think Chris is tired of me telling him it's going to!
4. 7 up & pineapple juice
5. Veggie Tales!

ciao~alicia

CHRISTOPHER'S BIG DAY

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I put Coop on the top bunk to wake him up... he never wants to miss his shower with Daddy!

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After breakfast he took this pic of a cardinal (his very favorite bird) on the fence... notice the little bitty cardinal in the center of the pic... that's my little photographer...

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He played on the computer for a while and complained about all the noise Coop was making... we talked about how we all have to live together and all that jazz; I left out the part that he is the LOUDEST person to live with and we all love to put up with his "stuff"!

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Then, after dinner he had to wash the dishes... I don't know weather to laugh or cry... He was so determined to finish the 3 pots, colander, 2 cutting boards oh, and a muffin pan. He wanted to finish it all... and he did. As challenging as he can be his gifts are twice as fragrant...

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and he loves to clean... he told me tonight he always wants to wash the dishes with me... I should have had him sign a contract... tonight was also the night he wrote his name... CHRIS.

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So, being the supermom that I was tonight, I dug out the Doug & Melissa Responsibility Chart and started "it" at 8:30 ahhh!... I'm so kidding about supermom; "Santa" brought these...

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When Christopher was about 2 I wondered why he would never sing the ABC's with me... a few months later he sung the whole thing... I didn't even know he could write an R until he wrote it tonight in his name... you can't really see all of his, it got rubbed off; it's burned into my brain forever.

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Maybe it was my big day...

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Five Good Things:

1. I had the energy to go until 9:30 with the boys... Chris got home at 9:45
2. Coop's ordeal was just allergies, no doctor visit
3. Beth Moore rox!
4. He knows my needs tonight
5. I have bags packed for tomorrow morning

MY FLOWER

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Christopher picked this for me... I think it's a weed... might as well be an orchid...

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Five good things

1. I spent about a half hour with just Chris this morning
2. The boys all slept in
3. Cooper is eating. I love the way he sounds drinking his bottle
4. I have some beautiful strawberries in the fridge
5. Mike has decided to get surgery

ciao~alicia

I'M TIRED

Yes, he's 4 and he still sucks his thumb... always... I pull it out all day long... I'm tired of pulling it out... I'm tired of hearing myself, "you don't need it son"...

It feels like Monday again today... there are dishes to be washed, laundry to be done and a kitchen that needs mopping; I hate mopping. I feel like Chris is never home lately... yesterday for the first time since Nate was a little baby he left before they woke up and came home after they went to bed. My heart winced as he came home looking a little defeated; the testing period is wearing on us. I feel like I am constantly doing, doing, and my toes are still not painted.

Every one needs something... help brushing teeth, help with the goggles, just the "hey mamas" today are making me crazy! Acceptance time: there are 3 little ones here who don't really do for themselves. Christopher is starting to become more independent but he still doesn't bathe without me there... they are just little... and needy. (I just stopped for the 10th time to help Nate with the tape~ they are doing a "project" and I have been posting for 30 min. now... ahhhhh). It's a wonderful life!

Five good things:

1. They won't be brain damaged if they watch 6 hours of movies today

2. Cooper is asleep for the moment

3. Each of them has kissed me today

4. Chris will be home eventually

5. Cooper is crawling...fast