Little things I love most

My sweetie babies of course!
Footy jammies
Mikey wearing only a smile, t-shirt, diaper, and his shoes!
The random "I love you, Mom"
My kids ALL getting along
Watching the older ones teaching the younger ones
The deep breaths of my sleeping babies
Wrinkly fingers and toes
Braiding my daughter's hair
Tucking my babies in at night
The random squeeze or love tap when walking by Rocky
Full belly laughs

It's the little things

Things have continuted to be crazy busy since my last post, TWO freakin months ago! Rock's basketball team is 3-1, games on Sundays, practices two nights a week. Briana has photography class on Thursday's and Mari has Volleyball on Tuesdays and Thrusdays. Thank goodness, Julia's dance doesn't start until January and Mikey is too young to be in a sport/activity. Some nights I go crazy, and some mornings at work I wonder if I spent enough time with (fill in kid's name). I brought the three youngest with me to work on Friday, day after Thanksgiving. We left around 2pm since it was slow. So, this Monday morning, I get to work to find a lil note from my Julia. It say's "turn over". I flip over the pink post-it to read: Hi Mom Just want to say I love you hope you have a good day at work love Julia (with a heart over the i). This little note made my day. I have to remember to breathe and love life and think positive even during the crazy times. Thank you my Julia.

So proud of my lil Hero!

On the first day of school, my kids were supposed to take the BIG YELLOW BUS home. This would be their first year, as years before they would be bussed to daycare. They were so excited! I reminded Rock to remember, Mari (my oldest going to middle schoo this year) wouldn't be there. He was now in charge to look after Briana and Julia. If there were any problems on the bus he'd have to stick up for them.

The first day of school came. Mari was home waiting for the kids to get off the bus. She called me at work to say she saw their bus come by, drop off kids at the stop but Rock, Bri, and Jules didn't get off. I was a little worried. Did they get on the wrong bus? Were they just not paying attention and didn't realize they missed their stop? I left work and tried calling the school only to reach their vcmail. Ugh! I was worried but told Mari not to be and to call me when they get home. She called just as I pulled up to our house. Bri and Jules were giggling in the driveway, and Mari and Rock looked serious.

It turns out, at the end of the day Rock, Bri and Jules lined up to get on their bus. But a teacher pulled Bri and Jules out of Rock's line and told them they were supposed to be in a different line for a different bus. Rock stepped up to say he was their big brother and they're supposed to be on the same bus. The teacher actually told Rock to get on "his" bus and they had to send the girls on the bus that is on their (stupid) list! Really?? This is the Hero part....Rock refused to get on the bus and told the teacher AND principal he's not going anywhere without his sister's! He said the teacher and principal stared at eachother for a sec then questioned eachother as to what to do. Rock tried giving his address, but I guess, this principal and teacher were taught to ignore nine-year olds, I dont know, maybe he should have raised his hand first so they would listen. A nice teacher stepped forward and listened to Rock, confirmed our address and sent them home on a bus together. I am so proud of him and have been telling him all week! He's gotten extra hugs and a trip to Jeff's Sporting Goods for a pack of baseball cards, along with Bri and Jules retelling the story in the most dramatic way possible over and over to anyone who will listen.

Love him so much!

Nervous Bellies and A Hero

My babies went back to school yesterday! Finally the day came! The supplies were loaded up and they finally got to wear their new clothes, shoes, and backpacks. (Something they've been asking me, everyday for the past month).

Mari was so ready for middle school. She didn't seem nervous the night before, just really exicted. We made sure to have her schedule, her locker # and comb in every notebook and folder, just incase she loses the one on her locker door and the one in her pocket. Better to be over-prepared, right? :)

So when it came time to drop her off, I thought she was ready. But, outta nowhere came tears. I almost lost it, too. She was scared, and had every right to be! Her middle school is huge! I reassured her that she knows where her classes are, knows how to open her locker with no problems, and she was as prepared as she was going to get. We went to parent info meetings, meet and greets, practiced her locker til she memorized her combination and walked around to each class in the previous weeks to this first day of school. She agreed she was ready, took a big breath, wiped her tears away, checked herself in the mirror and said she was ready. (I wanted to ball like a baby and just tell her nevermind, stay home, be little again, dangit). But I swallowed and gave her a huge smile telling her I know she's gonna rock today (which made her laugh, I guess, I'm a dork) told her I love her, and with an "I love ya too", she jumped out, caught up to a friend and was smiling and talking. PHEW! I thought I could let out my sobs now, but I had the girls in the back and Rock Jr. next to me, askin "You ok, mom?" So, I sucked it up again, smiled and told him, "Yeah, I'm fine", and I held his hand so tight while he laughed at me. Her day ended up going better than great! She has a friend or friends in every one of her classes which, I guess is THE most important thing in middle school. I love her so much! I gotta go for now, so I'll post about Rock being the girl's hero later tonight. Here they are! All ready to go!

My baby ::sobs:: is at middle school!

Mari went to her school's Meet and Greet tonight. I was excited to hear they were planning a Meet and Greet, because I assumed they wouldnt since it is Middle School, I mean it's the big time, right? Well, excited until I saw "NO PARENTS ALLOWED!!" Okay, really it said parents drop off your kids....but same thing. What? I thought. Me? Not invited? But, I'm her mom. I should meet her teachers too. Wrong. I dropped her off at the doors with a bazillion other kids and almost cried my eyes out. How will she find her friends in this huge school with a bazillion other kids? She walked in alone. Without me. I totally said a little prayer, made a wish, and begged thin air to please, please, please let her have a good time, not be too nervous, and find her friends easily. Ugh! My stomach hurts thinking about her, my baby, my first-born. She's so much tougher and cooler and awesomer (yes, awesomer!) than I was at her age so I'm sure she'll be fine. I know she's ready for this new "adventure" of Middle School, but I'm not. Forty five more minutes til I pick her up. If I only had the remote from the movie Click to fastforward time, or better yet, rewind time and hold her in my arms again as my little baby. Why did these years go by so fast?? How are we here, already??

I love my crazy lil man!

Mikey is now 17 months old and has been a crazy lil man lately!.He's becoming a lil naughty, but he's just the cutest thing in the world! I've learned from my four oldest not to laugh or pay too much attention to the naughty things (at his age) so it won't encourage them to continue. But when Mikey runs away laughing carrying something he shouldn't have, I find myself laughing too, chasing him, and scooping him up in my arms for hugs!  Yeah, I'm totally encouraging him. But he either has an infectious lil laugh when he's doing something wrong or a sweet inncocent look. Last, week Julia left her empty glass bowl on the kitchen table, before anyone noticed what Mikey's motives were, he had grabbed the bowl, headed to the hallway, and threw it, smashing into pieces on the floor. Then looked so innocently at it, like, he didn't mean it.

But, really...how could anyone get mad at this lil guy and those big, brown eyes?

I love him soo much!

I've got PROOF!

So, like most men, my Rocky has a problem with listening (which he denies).

Sample recent conversation...

Rocky: "When are Rock's games this week?"

Me: "Monday and Wednesday, they're both Away games, Mari has cheerleading and band practice on Thursday, and Volleyball camp all week, and Rock has Basketball camp, so it's gonna be a crazy week!"

Rocky: "Oh..."

Me: "Yup!"

Two hours later...

Rocky: "When are Rock's games this week?"

Me. "ummm...Monday and Wednesday remember?"

Rocky: "Oh yea, are they Home games?"

Me: "really??... no, they're both Away games, I just told you this."

Rocky: "No, you told me Monday and Wednesday but didn't say if they were Home or Away games."

Me: "Yeah...ah...I did, you're just a horrible listener..."

Rocky: "(laughing) No, I'm not...."

Me: ::Rolling my eyes::

So, onto last night....

I was sitting next to Rock looking through a magazine while he was watching something boring on t.v. I usually pull out the perfume samples and ask if he likes 'em. Well, last night there was a small advertisement for watches in the magazine. I showed it to Rock, and clearly said to him, "Ya think this one's pretty?" He leans in, eyes still glued to the t.v., and SNIFFS the watch ad, saying "yeah, it smells, ok".

Proof! He does not listen!! Gotta love him.