First Bites

     After several nights of waking up way too many times to feed a hungry baby, I (Julie) decided it was time to start cereal.  Originally, my plan was to wait until Jonah was 6 months old since nursing is easier than spoon feeding!  But since he's a pretty big guy (17 pounds), I decided to start today. 

He's not so sure about this.

Wow. What a reaction!  Does he like it?

                                           He does like it.  He keeps leaning in for more.

                                          Another milestone reached.  Jonah is growing up!

   

The Little Things

     Hi!  This is Julie today.  I have to share something I found a couple days ago while looking for something.  A few years ago, some of the kids and I each made lists of 100 things that we liked/disliked.  When I read down my list, I just laughed. I wonder if any would be on your 100 like/dislike list.  Glynne thinks I should list them all, so here goes.

  1.  Waiting rooms that have good magazines
  2.  Good reading chairs
  3.  Smells from cleaning supplies
  4.  Freshly mown lawns
  5.  Healthy flowers
  6.  When a candy wrapper seems empty, but there's one more bite left
  7.  Shoes that look cute on my feet
  8.  Smell of gasoline
  9.  Dislodging a big piece of food from my teeth (Glynne says, "Ew. That's so gross, Mom.")
  10. Clothes I want to wear are clean
  11. Folding warm laundry
  12. Freshly mopped kitchen floors
  13. Coffee made just right
  14. Cake batter for a snack
  15. A great sale rack
  16. A row of model homes
  17. Those "Aha!" moments of teaching
 -18. Frayed shoelaces
  19. A good hair day
  20. Strawberry shortcake
  21. Taking a nap while camping
  22. Volleyball games with good rallying
  23. Watching my kids play sports
  24. New school supplies
  25. Sharp pencils
  26. Finding something I've lost
  27. Looking at house plans on the computer
 -28. Waiting for anything
  29. Dressing up my kids in really cute clothes
  30. Bathing suits that fit well
  31. Boys dressed in church clothes
  32. Sister trips
  33. Staying in hotels almost by myself
  34. Clean refrigerators
 -35. Hair in bathtubs
  36. Cute socks
  37. Draped cart outside delivery room
  38. Snacking on cold coke and candy bars while doing a project
  39. Being home alone
 -40. Coming up with dinner ideas
  41. Art projects with the kids
  42. Looking at photo albums
  43. Getting an email from a friend
  44. Painted toenails
 -45. Smudges on mirrors
  46. Good fitting jeans
 -47. Awkward silences in conversation
  48. Walking around Walls (An outlet in Stillwater, OK) without a time limit
 -49. Bad smells
 -50. Crying babies in cars
  51. Favorite song comes on the radio
  52. Clean bedrooms
  53. Paying off big chunks on the credit card
  54. Drawing house plans with Bryan
  55. Waffles with REAL butter
 -56. Clutter
  57. Garage sales
  58. Spotless storage rooms
  59. Making schedules
  60. Looking at paint swatches
  61. Watching TLC, HGTV, and Discovery Health at the clinic
  62. Going to Wichita on errands by myself
  63. Reading the newspaper at the library
 -64. Hunting for lost library books
  65. Watching a bride walk down the aisle
 -66. The craziness of the Christmas season
 -67. Being really, really cold
  68. Being with Bryan on a date
  69. When the Pottery Barn catalog comes in the mail
  70. Sonic drinks
 -71. Baby wipe tub is empty
  72. Overalls on baby boys
  73. Clean camper with a candle burning
  74. Pulling weeds when kids are happy
  75. Doing projects with Bryan
  76. Watching Bryan do projects
 -77. When you have to stop working to get people drinks - like iced tea
 -78. Forgetting something at home
  79. Complimentary candy at offices
  80. Bryan orders me a coke at a restaurant
  81. Brand new socks
  82. Tennis shoes that make my feet look small
  83. Shopping for Easter dresses with the girls
  84. When Ally makes tea
 -85. Filling in the wall calendar
  86. Getting a new schedule worked out at the beginning of the school year
  87. Watching the dress rehearsal for Dance Camp
 -88. Riding on motorcycles
 -89.  Going somewhere on an airplane
  90. White bead-board
  91. Shoes matched in their cubbies
 -92. Hiding Easter eggs
  93. Really moist meat
  94. Bathtime for babies
  95. When a kid does something that's my job without me asking
  96. Back rubs from anyone but Bryan
  97. When the toilet paper isn't on the holder
 -98. When people wear clothing that's too tight
 -99. Cleaning up after parties
 100. Reading good books written by moms with lots of kids

I think this proves the fact that little things, do indeed, make us happy and that small things, over time, can drive us crazy (if we let them).  I love it that I don't need huge, awesome things happening frequently to make me happy.  I just need to occasionally dislodge a piece of food from my teeth.  :)

4 Months!

Jonah is four months old today! Here are some of the things he does...

• Smiles. A lot. 
• Grabs at his toys. 
• Grabs his sisters' hair. 
• Screams when he's put down unwillingly. 
• Sits up in his IKEA high chair. 
• Blows spit bubbles. 
• Laughs when we fist bump him. 
• Loves when we pull him to a standing position. 

"Hehe! You guys make funny faces."

"Seriously. You're scaring me."

"Mom... I like it when you bark like a dog. It's so funny!"

"What? Where do I have to go? To see Dad and get my four month shots?"

 "NOOOOO!"

"It's gonna hurt."

Jonah's Room

     When my mom first found out she was having another baby, she didn't really know where the baby would sleep. While they were designing our house, they figured if another one came along, they'd just figure out where to put him/her. During her pregnancy, my mom was so sure Jonah was a girl. She bought bags of clothes and pink bedding at Goodwill in preparation. I told her multiple times how she was jinxing our chances of actually getting a girl. Surprise! We got a boy. Now the pink room (that Kate so graciously gave up for him) must be transformed. You may be wondering where Kate is sleeping. Well, we made her a cozy, little bedroom under the stairs. Here is the door to Kate's room!

There's not much room... but all the kids who visit wish it was theirs. 

     Of course, you can't keep a little boy in a pink room. What does that mean? Redecorating! My favorite thing. Just kidding... It's not. But by now, my mom has learned not to ask me to help with stuff like that. I agree to cook meals while they paint. Anyway, here are some photos of the before and after!

Before

After 

We think he likes it. 

Best/Worst

     I'm finally back! This past week has been INSANE for me! I'm in a show called Vikings on Broadway, and it's been a little crazy trying to balance work, school, choir, dance, chores, and still think of blog ideas. I did come up with one idea that I thought would be really cute/funny/interesting. I asked all the kids (and my parents) what they thought was the best thing about having a large family, and what they think is the worst thing. Here are the answers I received:

Jonah (3 1/2 months)

Worst: Sometimes it gets really loud when everyone fights over who gets to hold me.  

Best: There are always lots of faces in front of me to look at! 

Isaac (7)

Worst: I have to share a bedroom with Jackson. I want my OWN. Ugh. 

Best: I pretty much always have someone to play with. 

Jackson (4 1/2)

Worst: I can't play with my big sisters. They're too big. The only one I can play with is Kate. 

Best: I have lots of boys to play with. They aren't too big. 

Kate (8)

Worst: We can't take a lot of trips. 

Best: There are lots of people to love you that you can love back. Not just strangers. 

Landon (11)

Worst: You don't get very many presents for Christmas and stuff. Oh, and when Kate sleeps in the jungle room, it's really annoying. She's all like, "Come help me make my bed!" 

She won't stop talking until midnight. 

Best: It usually doesn't take very long to clean the house when everyone helps, and I always have someone to play with. 

Emma (13) 

Worst: It's hard to get everyone ready to go places. 

Best: We all have really different personalities, so it's going to be fun watching all the little kids grow up.

Ally (15)

Worst: The noise. No, wait. The cleaning. That's really bad. 

Best: It's fun to have three of us girls that wear the same size of clothes. That means we have three times what normal people get. Hehe! 

Glynne (17)

Worst: When we try to take vacations, it's usually really crazy. Another thing is that when I go to college, I'll have to leave behind a lot of little kids whom I'll miss like crazy. That makes me sad every time I think about it. 

Best: I know that the relationships I have with all of them will last forever. When we are all old and have our own families, we will still be really, really close. I can't wait to watch all of them grow up. 

Julie (41)

Worst: Taking the time to plan and cook dinner and always having at least one person complain about it. every. single. night. 

Best: Having nine people love you no matter what.  

Bryan (41)

Worst: The constant noise and demand for attention. 

Best: Observing true love and affection between my kids. 

Being a Mom

     After a pretty decent night's sleep, I am up and excited to be a mom.  My attitude is good this morning as I look at each of my kids as the gift that they are.  I love it when I feel this way.  They talk to me and I really listen.  I look at their faces and make eye contact and just LOVE them.  So... I wanted to post some pictures of the kids that are so precious to me.  (Mind you, I'm writing this BEFORE lunch.  Things are bound to change as the day progresses, but I pray that I will still have this mindset.) 

Having kids is such a privilege.  If you have a second, you should read this quote...or passage written by Abraham Lincoln and found in Rhonda Hogan's book All Moms Should Have 4 Hands:

"A child is a person who is going to carry on what you have started.  

He is going to sit where you are sitting, and when you are gone attend to those things which you think are important.  

You may adopt all the policies you please, but how they are carried out depends on him.  

He will assume control of your cities, states, and nations.  

He is going to move in and take over your churches, schools, universities, and corporations - the fate of our nations is in his hands - so train him well."

All I can say to that is amen.

Bargains

     Hello. This is Julie (mom). I offered to write the blog today because I have something to write about. When I asked Bryan (my husband) what he thought about my choice of topic he stared at me, wrinkled his eyebrows and said, "Why? You think people care?"

Yes!! People... let me rephrase that... women... love a great bargain! 

     Yesterday, I had to take Landon (11 y/o) to a birthday party near Andover. So Ally (15 y/o), Jonah (3 mo.), and I made a quick stop (...2 1/2 hours) at my favorite store - GOODWILL. The following are just a few of the MUCH NEEDED, AWESOME, CAN'T LEAVE IT THERE items that made the cut. See? Isn't Bryan wrong?

These items are going to be spray painted red and put in Jonah's nursery.
4 picture frames and a rocking horse
Total cost: $6.99

Baby toy for Jonah who is awake a LOT more now. Much needed.
Total cost: $1.99

Miniature picnic basket and silver tray for Kate's Barbie house.
Total cost: $1.28

Shirt: Ann Taylor $3.99
Vest: Christopher Banks $2.99
Bag: (A bit of a splurge, but Ally made me get it...) $4.99   

There were lots of other things I could have shown you, but I figured five was enough. 

This quote perfectly sums up my feelings on bargains! 

"Buying something on sale is a very special feeling. In fact, the less I pay for something, the more it is worth to me. I have a dress that I paid so little for I'm afraid to wear it. I could spill something on it, and then how would I replace it for that amount of money?"

 - Rita Rudner