Happy Birthday to Sam.

We celebrated Sam's birthday in style by going to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
Sam's request was to get a tiger stuffie to be his Tigery's brother. 
We got there and explored.  When we re-grouped in the front lobby, we were all standing with a map trying to figure out where we were going next.  A police officer came up to us and asked us if we were okay.
We told him we were and Sam added "We're here to see dinosaurs for my birthday!"
The officer then asked Jim and Sam to come with him.  He took them to the gift shop and told Sam to pick out a stuffie.  Sam found Snowy the Tiger and the officer bought it for him.
We were floored by his generosity. 

The kids enjoy the "Human Origins" exhibit. 

The obligatory Herkimer Diamond photo.

Sam and his new tiger "Snowy".  The smile says it all. 

The dino exhibit is much smaller and will be for a few years until they finish the new wing for the new T Rex.

But fun tends to follow Nate - especially when hand dryers are involved.

No way we could get all four looking at the same thing at the same time. 

Sam got to pick out cupcakes on his actual birthday.  It was a weird mix of Christmas and Hanukkah decorations - but they tasted good. 

Hard to believe the little bugger that looked like this 7 years ago

Looks like this now. 
Did you know the Tooth Fairy pays double when she visits on birthdays?

It has been quite the ride, Sammy-Lammy-Ding-Dong. 
We love you so much and are proud of the young man you are becoming. 
Keep up the good work, Buddy. 

Christmas Redux

Ok.
So in true December fashion, the weeks before Christmas didn't go exactly as planned.  We were fortunate that we were ahead of the game, but still.  Almost all of Walkersville was felled in the past few weeks by ear infections, strep, sinus infections, the flu or some combination of various illnesses.  We were no exception.  Both CJ and Nate had nasty colds with fevers(which I'm not convinced weren't the flu), we had to bust out the nebulizer for Benjamin and Sudafed has been one of my closest companions for the past few days. 
Thankfully, most of the germs were out of the house by the time Grammy and Grampy got here and we were able to have a wonderful time during their visit. 
We adventured down to Udvar-Hazy (sense a recurring theme?) and chilled the rest of the time. 
It was great. 

Grampy and the 3 Olders in the air traffic control tower.  The fog was wicked dense and we didn't get to view much more than the parking lot, but it was still neat. 

Waiting with Grammy for our turn to learn to fly a little Cessna.

Only Nate could pull of that hat. 

Story Time under the Space Shuttle Discovery.  So. Flippin'. Cool. 

Daddy and CJ flying the Cessna.

Grammy and Grampy left today and we were sad to see them leave.  We spent the morning bumming around before cleaning up and watching some movies.  "Frosty the Snowman" is becoming a favorite.  We were explaining to the kids how the whole week would revolve around when Rudolph and Frosty and Charlie Brown's Christmas Special were on television.  They didn't understand the concept of something being on television at a set time.  We're glad they're enjoying the old TV specials, though. 
Christmas was wonderful.  We pared down activities this season and have appreciated some extra down time.  One of the traditions we started this year was a Jesse Tree.  Each day we would take an ornament off it and read the verses associated and learned about the lineage of Jesus in the Old Testament. 
We had a little glitch on the Friday before Christmas when Caroline came home from school very grumpy.  Two punka$$ kids in her class called her a "baby" and told her there was no such thing as Santa Claus.  She explained that Santa was St Nicholas and that he gave gifts to honor Jesus and that he does this now so we can celebrate Jesus' birthday.   They told her she was wrong.  She told me, "Mama.  I know St Nicholas is real.  He lived.  He's a saint.  They just don't understand," and was rather upset about the whole conversation.   If I ever get my hands on those kids...
Something that struck us on Christmas morning was just how excited and grateful the kids were as they opened their presents.  "Thank you!!" was an often repeated phrase.  It made the day. 
We laughed hysterically as the kids opened their stockings.  Nate was ecstatic.  Bouncing off the walls, really.  He opened a pack of bubble gum and we heard, "I got gum! I got gum!!!  What I always wanted!" accompanied by jumping up and down and screaming.  The funniest part was when he pulled out a pair of gloves and said, "I got a glove!  No I got TWO!  One for each hand!  That is so awesome!".  The boys got Hess trucks and Caroline got a new little toy puppy from St Nicholas.  They played very happily with those and we had to remind them that there were other presents to open. Everyone was so generous to us.  It's overwhelming.  We are grateful. 
I think the only thing better than being a kid on Christmas is being a parent watching your kids enjoy Christmas.

St Nicholas enjoyed his Stella and birthday cupcake for Jesus. 

Examining their stockings...

CJ opening her new puppy.  She named him "Carnation". 

Benjamin playing with his helicopter.  I don't think he has put it down yet.

Sam with is scout ship.

Nate and the Hess Scout Ship. 

Caroline and I were up early Christmas morning (the boys slept until after 7:30) and she helped me make frosting and make a scavenger hunt for Grammy and Grampy to find their presents.  They went all over the house to find things.  We got everything, we think.  We'll work out the kinks for next year.  ;)

Nate got to drink out of "real glass" cups for dinner.  This is his attempt to be careful.  Oy vey.  No wonder I have so many grey hairs.

Singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus. 

Merry Christmas. 

Punting

Seems this week hasn't gone the way it was supposed to.
So, instead of running like a mad(der) woman trying to get everything done before the kids get home, I'm sitting sipping my coffee from this morning and blogging. 

Nobody slept well last night.
Sammy needed some extra snuggles, so he came in and we watched "Ice Age Death Trap".  All was dandy until about 11:30.  Benjamin, who is still transitioning (poorly) to sleep in his own bed, hopped between us.  Being too exhausted to manage appropriately, I went back to sleep.
Until 2 hours later when Nate came in crying.  He had a nightmare where Chewbacca and I were eaten by a T-Rex and crawled in next to me.
All was well until 4 am when I am awoken by Sam and Caroline in the midst of  a fistfight over lack of rollover space.
"Where did you come from, Caroline?"
"Everybody else gets to be in here.  It's not fair there's not room for me."
*facepalm*
"I"m sorry - but the bed doesn't fit five people.  I think it's a good idea to go back to your bed.  I"m getting up.   The day needs to get started anyways."
And off she stomped.
Leaving me with this view:

I went downstairs, got a workout in, laundry done and a bathroom cleaned before urchins started stirring.
We had lunch at Sam's school and Benjamin is finally napping. 
I'm ready for a nap now, too. 

Yesterday was pretty interesting.
We were on our way back from carpooling Nate to school when a farmer dropped a load of manure on 194.
As we sat in the car, basking in the incredible aroma, waiting for a bulldozer to come and push the mountain of poop from in front of us, the theme song from "The Dukes of Hazzard" came on the radio.  Reflexively, I turned it up.  If I had to park behind a pile of manure, at least there was something good to listen to. 
Then it occurred to me that I AM the Southern Podunk I've been making fun of for the past 37 years.

Karma's something, ain't it?

It's not like this week was a *total* loss.
Here is Nate reading to Benjamin the other morning.   I found them snuggled up together in bed, too.  BenBen loves his siblings.  I thought Caroline was going to tear off his head when he lost the covers to her new highlighters (this was a 3 hour production - ugh), but most of the time it's mutual adoration.  "BenBen is the cutest baby ever, Mama," Nate told me the other night.
I would have to agree that he is our cutest 4th baby ever. 

And now it's time to start the afternoon roundup.
Provided no one coldcocks anyone else in the car driving home from school, we have a date to watch "South Pacific" and "Robin Hood" tonight. 

Time Flies.

I just realized that this is the last week we can say that the kids are 2, 4, 6 and 8. 
Sniff, sniff. 
Such nice numbers - almost as much fun as it was to say that they were 6, 4, 2 and new. 
They're getting so big. 
Benjamin is starting to potty train himself. 
Okay.  I'll be honest.  He's more in the pooping for M&Ms stage, but it's a step.   
We're going on 9 years of sponsoring Pampers.  This is the first time in 7 years that we only have 1 kid in diapers. Might our diapering days be coming to an end?
Oh, the thought!
That they're all growing up so fast makes me sad...saving $60 a month in diapers puts a spring in my step. 
Who am I joking?  It will go right into a 529, but not to Proctor & Gamble - I'll take that. 

It's nice to sit. 
Years from now, when I long for the good old days, I'll post this reminder that THIS was what the kitchen looked like today after a morning of projects and grocery shopping:

Yesterday was an interesting day.
Sam and Caroline got to get out of school early for Mass since church at 7pm would result in meltdowns.
It's always amusing to watch CJ altar serve.  She carried the Processional Cross and it was so heavy.  She was leaning backwards to keep it upright and needed Deacon Tim's help lift it high enough to put on the stand.  Her robe, even though it was the smallest available, is still way too big.  The best part was when she winked at us when bringing up the gifts. 
She's a piece of work, she is. 
Sam declared me the best Mom ever for taking him out of school early.  He was less ecstatic to be able to spend that extra time reading and on homework, but is seriously enjoying our reading "The Princess Bride".  ;)

Nate got in an argument with gravity and knocked his front teeth loose, resulting in an impromptu trip to the dentist.  
Sunday afternoon.  Jim was with Caroline at Town Hall, dinner was on the stove and the rest of us were hanging out at home.  Nate was being very un-Nate.  Walking around, being calm and sane.  He was wearing his slippers and walking into the kitchen to help me put some things away.  The kid tripped over air.  Seriously.  There was no warning and he face planted in the blink of an eye.  No time to put a hand out to shield his face.  BOOM.  Blood everywhere.  Tears - first from Nate, then from Sam and Benjamin once they saw what happened.  I get Nate positioned to see what damage was done and to try to calm him down when I see that dinner on the stove is boiling over everywhere.  Nothing I could do about it.  Then, with a screaming, bleeding 4 year old cradled in my arms, I got Sam talked down enough to get paper towels and a cube of ice out of the freezer for Nate to suck on.  He brings it over, but forgets to close the freezer door.  Nate is still hysterical.  Benjamin decides this is his next best opportunity to climb to the top shelf of the side-by-side and pulls out the wine ice cream.  He then, with Nate still screaming and bleeding, climbs down, pulls out a spoon and goes to town on the pint. 
I distinctly remember thinking that I don't get paid enough for this job. 
Nate can now wiggle his front teeth with his tongue and eagerly showing off his battle scars.  
After x-rays showed that his permanent teeth are not damaged, Dr Love told Nate that the Tooth Fairy would be coming early to see him.
Nate was initially very anxious at the dentist, but once he heard about a Fairy leaving money his reply was, "Good bye Teeth!!!" 
Nice recovery. 

Friday Night

My cousin Sarah just left after a great visit (Nate was crying, saying "I thought she was going to live with us.  I love her,") and we're watching the movie Rio.

It's 8:40.  WAY past bedtime for a Friday night.
Meltdowns should commence shortly.

We got up our Christmas tree. 
There are great pictures, but being the Type A personality I am, getting the tree up is a struggle every year.  There isn't enough vodka in the world to stay sane as the kids are pulling out breakables and putting them up - even as I furiously unpack the kids ornaments for them.
I sprouted at least 10 new grey hairs in hour it took us to get it set up.