Happy 6th birthday, Leah!

So I know I need to post other kids' past birthdays, but why get further behind. Leah had been waiting for her birthday to come for about 364 days!  I think she had a great day.  She wanted olive pizza and cookie cake to eat, so that was easy enough.  She also wanted more dry erase markers, "teacher pens", and a rainbow loom, and among other great things, she has received some of her top picks.  Thanks everyone.  She is doing well in kindergarten and really enjoys reading, playing soccer, and playing school.  Kindergarten has been a big adjustment and does tire her out.  She is a big helper at home and loves to draw and write (we go through LOTS of paper).    She will carry on quite the conversation and has an imagination out of this world. We sure love her and can't believe how she's sure seeming more grown up!

Who are these growing up kids?

Looking good to me.  Can't believe how much older they look in these pictures!

First big night

So we moved the crib back to Luke's room tonight.  It will be his first night sleeping in there instead of in our room.  I've never made a habit of having a baby in our room, yet tonight it seems just.too.quiet. In my room.  Hopefully I can sleep...oh wait, that's why we moved him since we thought we were waking each other with any little noises.  Sure love that little guy!  

Our Seventh Heaven

Whoa check this out - they're all looking & reasonably happy (except for our wonderful newest addition - Luke Joseph, but he's not unhappy and we can still see him).

And what, who's that?  Mom made it into a picture?!  Who has the camera?  Thanks, Daddy, for taking one for us.  Sure loving this crew!

A broken pot?

You may see a broken pot, but I see a broken heart!  On a school day just before Mother's Day, I was picking up the kids from school.  Leah was walking, so slowly, focusing very closely on a bag she was carrying, with two hands at all times, and with both eyes on the bag.  She made it to the van and got in.  She said it was a surprise and that I shouldn't look.  It was my gift she had made for me.  She brought it home and was keeping it safe for Mother's Day.  She did a great job!  She and Anne had also made a gift for me at home and they had put in carefully up on the mantle in the family room to wait for the special day.  

Well, it may have been Friday afternoon or Saturday when Leah decided she wanted the gift bag from school to also be on the mantle.  She reached as high as she could to push it onto the ledge, and in an instant, I heard crying.  She came running, full of tears, to tell me that she had dropped the bag and it fell on the bricks and the gift had broken.  She was so sad that I almost cried!  She was so proud of her creation and so sad that it broke.  Poor girl.  

After a lot of hugs and reassurance, she felt better about the accident and knew I would love the gift no matter what.  I told her I would glue it all back together, no problem.  That made her happy, too.  So this week, we spent some time planting other flowers.  She planted hers all by herself so that we would have the empty pot to glue back together.  I'm sure she'll help take good care of it this summer!  The cute little gift came with this poem:

"My fingers are the petals.

My thumbprint is the seed.

Put them both together - 

A flower made by me!"

The pot has little finger and thumbprints.  Most definitely a happy Mother's Day for this mom!

Spring Sports in full "Swing"

We had a nice break from practices and now we're back to practice 3 nights a week and typically a game at least one night a week.  It sure is noticeable when that change happens.  But, the kids are having fun and it's enjoyable to watch them.  Hard to believe we have just two weeks of school left!  YEAH!  We are all excited - Mom included!  Leyton & Nathaniel have had 2 baseball games already, Jacob is winding down on soccer games and his baseball games will start in the next couple weeks.  It is fun to watch and really see the difference each year.  These third graders are playing more and more like a real baseball game!  They are both having lots of fun and doing well - making good defensive plays and both hitting the ball.  My competitive nature still makes me want to say more than a mom should, but I think I am doing alright.  Sure is something about enjoying baseball games on nice days!

"...For Once"

I almost had to wonder recently whether I had a teenager in my house.  It was a Saturday evening and the kids were getting ready for bed.  We talked about what time we'd go to Mass on Sunday morning - we basically go to 9am ALL the time unless there's something odd going on.  The boys, especially Leyton, are starting to stay up a little later and sleep in more.  So that evening, I think Leyton must have been tired because I mentioned the idea of 9am Mass and he said, "Oh, sometime can we just sleep in FOR ONCE?"  Funny kid.