Book

Can I put a book on his butt without causing a problem? No kidding, I'm in the second day after the second night of getting up about every hour to turn L over. He's almost 4 months now, only a few more days, and he has learned to turn from his tummy to his back. It is almost funny to watch. Most babies I've seen lean their heads over and their bodies follow. Not L - he works his butt straight up into the air and then leans his butt and his body follows. He also will not sleep on his back. He also does not give up his screaming. It goes on FOREVER. I tried just leaving him to cry it out and over an hour later he was still laying there on his back - screaming - and I still wasn't sleeping. By then he'd also wakened W (one of the twins), so I went in and put him back on his belly. I wasn't back to our room yet when he had gotten himself turned over again!!! We also went thro this at every nap time today. He is sleeping now but only out of exhaustion I'm sure!!! My thought is that if I put a book on his butt, he won't be able to lift it and turn over (ha ha - good idea huh?). Since he is such a big boy, it would probably have to be a pretty good sized book so I probably shouldn't do it. But it is definitely a thought!!!! I'm sure that as soon as he rests a little he will be "turning it over again".

Other than that - life is good. It was a little cooler - the news has been announcing this "cool front" for several days! It cooled all the way down to 75. I'm excited. Papa actually turned on the heat this morning!!! Of course, by 8:30 when the boys wanted 'side, I turned if off so I could leave the door open and hear what they were doing. I found a couple of trucks and a little slide at a garage sale on Saturday and they've really had some fun with it. It is nice to find something that they enjoy!!

They pulled a new house into the empty space behind us. It may actually buffer some of the I95 noise so I'm kinda liking it. Don't know if it is the house yet or if there just wasn't as much loud traffic as usual - so I'll really withhold judgment on it for right now. It is a new house and looks like a nice one. I haven't really been in a lot of the new homes as I'm not really very good at making friends anymore. The older I get, the more time I seem to spend by myself.

We are getting ready for our next trip. It is planned to be a short hop to San Diego area. I have to go to the doctor there and we also get to see my little girl and her family. I'm getting excited. I haven't seen her since October 1. The longest stretch since boot camp!!!! We will try to get permission to take the babies but the siblings should be in their "forever home" by then - Praise the Lord. It is time for them to have a permanent Mommy and Daddy. We are just tooo old!!!

Papa is feeding PeeWee and watching basketball. March madness is starting!! He really doesn't watch a whole lot the rest of the year - he saves it all for now!

I heard via one of my cousins that the Steinhoff property has sold so now maybe the CC Sheriff's office will be able to take another look there. She said she will contact them to make sure they are aware that no one should mind if they have a more thorough look. That is the one selfish thing I pray for - to know what happened before I die. And of course, to make whatever I can right.

OK, I'm tired and getting morose so I'll sign off for tonight. See ya'll manana! :) BTW here is my solution to the tipping butt!! Maybe he won't be able to tip it with a little pillow on each side of him!! We will see - wish me luck.

CACA Dudes

I've got a name for my group!!! That's right - its the CACA Dudes. I've got 4 sick boys - all in diapers and all full of caca with every change!!! I'm not kidding. Papa took out a kitchen garbage sack full of caca diapers to the outside rubbish and it wasn't 11 yet. Right now the dudes and dudette are all sleeping the sleep of the fever and flushed. Some with a "virus", one with reflux and one with just caca. Today is had been one end to the other. I'm telling ya - my washer will never be the same and I'm with Monk in the scene where he states - "there's not enough wipes in the world to do this!" and he was even talking about caca. Things will get better - I'm sure of that. No children could possibly keep this up for any legnth of time!!

Our toddlers have met a possible adoptive family. I'm wishy-washy about them. Don't feel like they "clicked" with the kids but the agency is going ahead with it. They will go for a weekend visit this weekend - if the prospects call and make arrangements. I mean - it's almost 2 on Friday afternoon - when are they planning to call? Why wait until bedtime to make the phone call? The worker called and said she approved the visit and that the rest of the arrangements are up to us. Whatever we feel is best for the kids. We feel that the other couple that the "committee" didn't pick are better. But who are we? ?

Lots has happened with my family since my last entry. My sister Sharen and her boyfriend traveled to Chicago due to a tragedy in his family. My condolences to Mitch and his family for their loss. They traveled during the coldest week so far this winter. I watched the news while they were in the midwest and it was SUB-ZERO there. Now, I know it gets cold in Canyonville but I'm sure that was a little uncomfortable even for them. But I was glad to hear that they have returned home safely and no worse for the wear. Makes us all appreciate family ties when tragedy hits like that.

Speaking of weather, it's been in the 80's (86 actually) here. I am rueing this spring. I was hot and sweating yesterday during our trip to the Medical Center with the CACA Dudes. And it is still February. It cooled down to 76 last night and today it is cloudy and only to 80 so I feel better. And my babysitter called to say she WANTS to babysit tonight as she does not have anything else to do (and maybe she is broke!!). So I feel LOTS better now that when I started this post 1 1/2 hours ago!!

Another glad tiding was given to us a couple of days ago - Rod and S'te are expecting again. They are very happy and I am very happy for them. For those who do not read her Money Pit - Rod will be leaving for Bahrain in July for his overseas tour. The happy event is expected to take place in September so he will have a new family member when he returns. And I am confident that he will. Our prayers will definately follow him and I know that their Faith will bring them the help, stregnth, and courage to face the difficult times that there will be. Of course, I will do anything and everything I can (or at least that she wants for me to do) for them and so will Papa. S'te has been fascinated and followed every "big family" story that she could find since she was a little girl (growing up as an only child) and it looks like they are going to be able to write a book of their own :) We all know that there is no limit to a Parent's love - it is endless (of course patience is sometimes a different story) so love for this child will abound.

Now I'm rambling and all the kids are up and Papa is home - so I've got to pretend that I did something besides sit here forever !!!! Happy tidings to all and good afternoon!!

New Board Member

We have a new Board Member in the family. In addition to being Papa to 5 children under the age of 4, Papa is now an esteemed member of the Board of Directors for the Association where we live. I don't know where he will find all the time he will need, but I'm sure he will do a good job. Congratulations Papa!!

The other large family blogs this week are on chores. Well, I can't really contribute to that one as we have all very young children, so I have all the "chores". Of course the twins (they just turned 2) love to "hope" when I'm doing anything with the babies. Their jobs are to put dirty clothes in the jump and the diapers in the barg. Sis has to put the books and toys away in the playroom before bed. Now, if you have toddlers, you understood that completely. YeeYee and Gicky are probably just a little behind in language skills after being shifted around and in the shelter for as long as they were!! I think they are doing great.

Bedtime around here is VERY mundane. After dinner, we brush teeth and get jammies on. The boys and Sis are used to this routine so we definately don't have any problem with that. Then while feeding night bottles to babies, we put the twins back to bed another dozen or so times and Sis decided she needs to potty about a dozen times and between thier bedtimes at 7:30 and 9 or so, they all go to sleep. I've tried letting them stay up later - but it takes just as long for them to settle down and go to sleep - and they are crankier than ever the next day. The babies are usually down for the count by about 9 and WALAAAA - they have slept all night for the last 2 nights!!

YeeYee was a little ill yesterday, he managed to toss pizza (from the night before), his breakfast, his pedialite, and his crackers all over both Papa and I several times - he is such a sharing child :) but today seems just fine. So bless the Lord for that!! And no one else seems to have come up (or down) with whatever it is.

It's bedtime now, hope to read news of others soon.

He Tried!!

It is now 9:23 AM. This is the morning that my wonderful husband has "let me sleep in" for my birthday!! Of course, he forgot about hte baby monitor on the nightstand when he got started this morning :) I woke to the mobile music from one crib (and baby grunting), the other kicking the chimes in his, one twin calling Papa (because he pooped), the other laying in bed crying (no one knows why), and Sis wanting her "dress". Keith was very busy trying to fix cereal for them. He had closed our door and shhh'd everyone several times. I laid there for a few minutes before I decided that he'd had enough torture!! By then he had the older kids to the table and both babies were having fits. One cries and the other is sympathetic :(

I grabbed a baby and stuck a bottle in his mouth - that wasn't what he wanted. So I started to change him (yuk). Of course as soon as I picked him up he stopped crying so the other stopped and started kicking his chimes again - content. Well to make a long story short - we have 4 in diapers and one in a pull-up. I had to give 4 baths before I could put clean diapers, clothes, and panties on. The chime baby just needed his poopy diaper changed. I didn't have to do a COMPLETE wash job on him!! So now, we have had 4 baths, 5 clothing changes, 2 bottles, 3 breakfasts, and now I have 2 sleeping babies, twins that want "outside", and have heated a cup of old coffee. Keith has gone off to his 9 am doctor appointment but he did leave a wonderful card on my laptop!! Bless him - and his Mom for raising him to be so kindhearted!!

I tried to do some work on our taxes yesterday, the twins absolutely hate it when I'm on the computer. If nothing else it's mama, mama, mama. There was something to do with feet - I only know that because both of them came over and stuck one foot at a time in my lap and wanted me to look. I never did find anything and SIS wanted to know what I was looking for - every time. She takes very good care of the boys!! Totally to distraction LOL

When Keith gets home I am going to have a LONG, HOT shower, eat a leisurely breakfast and then get dressed in my - I don't know yet - we'll have to see what my dream comes up with - but for now a baby is crying again.

Check back with ya'll later.

WOW

I've got news from the whole weekend but the most amazing part of it is the MICK JAGGER was the half-time show for the Super Bowl AND I RECOGNIZED HIM. Now, most everyone else in the world probably knew who was playing before yesterday. BUT NOT ME!! I couldn't believe my eyes. Ya know, Mick Jagger is almost 63! I read today that one commentator said he "dances funny, like he is waving flares for an airplane pilot" - I wonder how that person will dance when he is that old - most of us couldn't expend that much energy in that short of time and live to tell about it - and I for one am not that old yet!! So now that I've got my awesome news nugget off of my chest:

We actually had a time without children!!! One of the other FP's here who only does respite actually offered to take all 5! We talked on Thursday evening and she actually offered to take them all on Friday! I couldn't say OK fast enough!! I really love what we do and I enjoy every hair on their heads but same as with "real parent's" ; sometimes I (I don't know about Keith, he'll have to speak for himself) just need some me time. I feel better, my nerves are better, my store of patience is refilled.
We really didn't do much, we went to the Legion for dinner Friday night, stopped in at the new Sloanes on the way home. Saturday morning I got out and walked! All around the park. It was a long walk for me - who doesn't walk any further than 2 year old legs want to go. I sure miss a lot when I just drive thru. I didn't realize how DIRTY our park has gotten over the winter. Then we went to Mrs. B's for breakfast, visited friends, stopped at Lowe's and shopped (leisurely) for a ceiling fan. We actually got the fan installed in the morning room - laughing about how much fun the twins would have will all the pieces that were strung around. We then went to a training at Church that Keith has been attending and came home and I slept until 10 AM and we went to Church again and we went to pick up the kids. They were happy to see us and I think they missed us!!

So today is back to the normal - I poured myself a bowl of cereal at 8:00, started typing this about the same time and it is now 10:49 and I'm still at it. I didn't get nearly as much as I wanted done while they were gone, but enough that I'm refueled now.

How was your weekend?

Organization

The question this week is on "how we keep a large family organized". Because all 5 of my children are young (the oldest is 3 1/3), I may have a different take of organized. My idea is being able to find what you are looking for (in under 10 minutes ), be uncluttered enough to be sanitary and safe, and stay baby-proofed.

One persons chaos is another person's organization. I only know that because we have 2 Personality Types right here in this home. I want "a place for everything, and everything in it's place" and my husband - Papa - is a "out of sight, out of mind" person (most of his "important stuff" is stacked on top of his dresser where I can't reach it easily). Even as he helps to put clothes, dishes, diapers, grocerys , and/or anything else away, the closest opening that can be stacked up is fine with him. Fold something? If it will wrap around your had 3 times and make a ball - it can be put away. Hang something up? Don't straighten the collars and button the top button - just drape it over the hangar and hope. Now - I know it sounds like complaints - but it isn't. Not until I spend an entire day going behind him and refolding, rehanging, and looking for the mushroom soup I know he brought home does it bother me. Even when I ask for Baby Rice Cereal and he brings home Rice w/Bananas for the 2 month old!!! I have a stash for just these occasions. Thus my "orginazation".

Step 1 - THE MOST IMPORTANT TO ME - Never run clear out of anything. The list on the fridge is added to when I get to the "next to the last" of an item that I use. Papa does the shopping while he is out-and-about most afternoons. When he "mis-reads" my list - I have another chance for the right purchase. This list is kept in 4 parts, actual groceries, diapers & other baby stuff, cleaning and laundry supplies, and "my stuff" (like ice cream, bubble bath, laundry baskets, or anything else that I saw in a sale ad that I want). This way he never has to do "big shopping". He can get whatever he desires. I do try to be as specific as I can on them - right down to supplying a picuture or empty container.

Step 2 - Never leave a room empty handed. Always take a backhaul. It is one less trip that I will have to make later. Going to the kitchen? Take whatever needs to go there with me. Kids following? Give them something to carry also. They have hands - they like to help. With the way Papa puts things away, I can always find something that needs to be somewhere else.

Step 3 - Like with S'te - Keep baskets and bins that the children can reach so they can actually watch you putting thier toys away - someday they may actually figure out that this is something they can do. I keep the toys for the babies in the living room in a basket. I also keep large amounts of toys hidden in closets to be taken out in rotation. Legos come out one day - picked up and replaced on the top shelf in the closet. Dress up stuff another time, Dora and all the dolls/stuffed animals with strollers etc, musical stuff another time. Otherwise everything is out all the time. I have shelves in the playroom with the "movies" on them and they take turns choosing what they want to see during the quiet time (ha ha) right after dinner.

Dressers have tape on the front of them with the size of the clothes inside. No one but me opens these drawers (well, sometime Papa does). My kids aren't old enough to do much besides help when it comes to clothes. Diapers are kept in the bags with their size on it until time to actually use it. A basket holding all the diaper stuff travels from the baby bedroom to the living room - but everything stays in it (no matter how many times I have to put it there).

Outside, the kids have a "cart" for thier toys. I don't care how things go on it but anything that does not "fit" goes into the closet.

Since we live in Florida, we don't need a mud-room and we only use jackets about 3 times a winter (but they are on hooks that only an adult can reach). Shoes are all kept in a basket in the boy's room. A gate crosses the kitchen door and my bedroom door. I also have an extra that hides behind the couch for when I am in "time out" and the kids need to stay in the playroom.

There are probably several other little things, but those are the ones that matter to me the most.

Now I have a baby up - so I'll get the colored pictures and put them away on my way into him. Have a nice day!!!

Morning Schedules

I'm going to do this too. Just because I want to. S'te's was rather funny - if you look at it with humor- but not as funny as the other two she mentioned in her blog. I love reading Chris (The Big Yellow House) and Carmen (Mom to the Screaming Masses) as well as S'te's Blog because they are all doing the same madness over and over again - just like we do. The only thing I didn't hear from any of them is the "Daddy" part in all of this. I am "lucky" enough to have a hubby that is retired. So he is home for most of every day. He is a great help a lot of the time. He also makes it so I have a hard time figuring out what has happened with each day. I never know when the last time a baby ate - or how much- what the twins were into - what they had - or even if they had. I never know what I'm going to fix for a meal - 'cause I don't know what he bought at the grocery. Just petty fun little things that I hope you can laugh with me on.

So here it goes.

I'm not exactly sure what they mean by morning routine. Is it just whatever happens after midnight? OK - I'll run with that one.

1 am - Baby 1 (dob 12/29) wakes for his midnight snack. He actually sleeps for 3 hours at a time so I've slept for 2 hours at this point. He feeds for about 30 minutes and downs about 4 oz.

3 am - Baby 2 (dob 11/3) wakes for his mid-morning feeding. We actually take turns on this one. Whoever wakes up first gets dibs. He has been asleep since about 9:30 so he isn't doing badly for hours. I'd wake him before I went to bed - but then I wouldn't make it until midnight. He feeds for almost an hour and downs between 4 and 6 oz once I get the bottle in the exact position that he can suck on it. Sometimes it takes 5 to 10 minutes for that to happen. Once his initial hunger is over - he loses interest in "all that hard work" and I have to coax him to eat more so he will sleep a little longer!! Papa just puts him back to bed after his 2 or so oz. (Which means he does not sleep long)

4 - 4:30 - Papa usually gets this one. It's Baby 1 back for more. He feeds him and puts him on his (Papa's) belly while they are reclined. They sleep this way until . . . either I get up and move him or

5-6 am - Baby 2 back for more. And whoever gets this one is the one that gets the

6:30 - twins (turned 2 on 1/8) are up and at 'em. We don't have to make any rounds to get anyone out of bed - I wish!!!

Usually around 7 - One of us turns the TV on to PBS and let the early birds watch until our Diva gets up and announces Good Morning. Then they all 3 go into the playroom and watch their TV until baby's 1 and/or 2 (by this time they might both be awake) are changed and given another whatever they are eating.

7:15 Kids Breakfast - usually cereal with choice of yogurt or milk, fruit juice, and whatever else they can scam from us. I check my e-mail and blogs.

7:30 Bath time and clothes - The twins first and then Diva since I have to be able to dry her hair right after (or she JUST CAN"T HANDLE IT!!). We then diaper and dress. Remind Diva to use potty. By now Baby 2 is looking around some. The twins and Diva are fighting over whatever they have. I mediate and find something different for "today's toy" in one of the closets. Sometimes legos, sometimes dress up, sometimes the cars and trucks, etc. all depending on how much stress I want when it is time to pick it back up!! This "new" toy usually occupies them for an hour or so. I check my e-mail and blogs

8 am - Baby 1 is awake - depending on what the twins are tearing up I can maybe bathe and dress him for the day before I feed him. Papa is on the computer doing his emails - or putting dishes in the top rack of the dishwasher (It's the only one he uses) - or putting the clothes from the dryer on the couch for me to fold - or putting garbage out, etc. that kind of stuff. If I get vocal, Papa will usually sit still to feed for a couple of ounces. I finish up the feed (force feed another couple of ounces when possible) so that he will sleep for a little longer. Wash my face and hands, fix myself a cup of coffee/tea, and maybe some breakfast - which I share 3 more ways. They have radar for food - no matter what or how much they just ate!!!!

9 am - Baby 2 is back awake. Maybe I can bathe him and repeat the prior posting.

10 am - Snack time - oranges, apples, banana, whatever fruit I have handy will be passed out. Meanwhile Papa has completed another load of laundry and deposited it on the couch. Here is where the routine gets diverse. Sundays and Tuesdays we have 11 am engagements. So on these days, I look for shoes, socks, diaper bags, cups etc. All the stuff we need to go somewhere. Then I hop into the shower, get dressed, smear lipstick, try and blow dry the front of my hair, and come out to a chorus of "where you going?" - as if it would change......

11 am - no matter where we are or what we are doing - Baby's 1 and 2 are ready to eat. They get together about this time and again in the evening and gang up on us!! Papa usually leave to meet with friends right after this time and then stops at the grocery on the way back home for whatever my "list" was, diapers, and whatever looks good to him. He usually gets back home around 2:30 or 3.

Noon - Lunch (leftovers or PBJ's) for kids and then NAPS.

From 1 - 2 is my daily SOAP. Most of the time the kids (all 5) are napping or at least quiet. I spend this time folding clothes, folding and putting away laundry, web surfing, checking e-mail, returning phone calls, ordering stuff from e-bay (etc).

And since all my kids are little the afternoon just repeats the morning with a few minor variations!!!

So.... How'd I do? Not as exciting as your descriptions, but busy enough for me!!