mommy no more

The other night I was sitting next to Connor on the sofa and I could sense that he had something he wanted to discuss. I heard him sigh and I asked what was up.

Connor: I just don't know how to say it.

Me: Why? Just tell me what's going on.

Connor: I think I want to start calling you mom. (I have always been 'mommy' to all three of the boys)

Me: (said with lips puckered) Really? That makes me sad.

Connor: Well, mommy sounds really babyish. All of my friends say mom.

Me: Alright then, just start calling me mom.

Connor: OK mommy, I'm going to call you mommy for 3 more days and then I'm going to start calling you mom...if I can remember. (I thought it was funny that he was going to have to make a real effort to remember that I am mom now, not mommy)

I'm glad he's slowly easing me into this one. I don't mind being called mom at all. It's more the fact that my firstborn is really turning into a young man more and more each day....and this was yet another sign of that. Another thing that plagues me is that once Connor starts calling me mom, the other two boys will follow suit. I just want to be mommy a little longer...or maybe I just want my boys to stay little just a little longer. Maybe both.

I should note that we had this conversation 3 days ago and I have not once been called mom. It's always mommy! Old habits sure are hard to break. How lucky for me! :)

cold day at the ball field

Connor had his second baseball game today and it was FREEZING out. We had to be at the field an hour and 20 minutes before the game was scheduled to start so the team could fit in a practice. Then, the games were running about an hour behind schedule. It was 47 degrees, windy and raining (I know 47 isn't that cold, but with the heavy winds, it felt about 30 or less). It was not a good day to be at the ball park. Spending 3 hours in the wet, extremely windy, cold weather with Coby and Cale was not fun. Plus, I didn't know it was going to be so cold and was totally ill-prepared for it. It is almost April after all. I sure wouldn't have thought to bring our heaviest winter coats and blankets along. It would've been nice if I had though. Here are a few pics from the game...

Did I mention that they won? That made the three hours in the cold worth every minute (well, almost!). The boys were SO proud (they're a new team with mostly new players so we probably won't win too many, but I'm glad they got this win at least!) It was the second game and first win! Go Americans! (The score was actually 10-7, but I took this picture before the end)

In case you're interested, I am finally up to date on my March album (somehow I still haven't finished February though!? Weird!). You can view it here.

goodbye sweet Sadie Jane

We weren't ready to say goodbye to you today. We had NO idea we'd have to. It was just a normal day and we were enjoying Spring Break. Suddenly you were very ill and we knew we had to let you go. We would've never been ready, but today we knew it was time. You were the best dog a family could ever ask for and we are so thankful for the 14 years and 3 1/2 months we had with you. We'll miss you sweet Sadie girl.

Sadie Jane

12-5-95 to 3-18-10

just what I need

Isn't it funny how kids say the cutest things during our darkest moments? This week was full of them (both of cute words and dark moments (don't read too much into the dark moment part...I am woman and I am emotional sometimes...enough said!)). Here are two of many sweet moments shared with the boys...

Cale: Mommy, what are you going to be when you grow up?

Me: I am grown up and I am a mommy.

Cale: But what are you going to BE (said with much emphasis)?

Me: I am a mommy. (Simple answer as I know I am much more than that, but I didn't feel he was looking for a deep answer here!)

Cale (said in the sweetest voice imaginable): But are you going to be a princess?

Me: Yes, I am going to be a princess! (I wish the boys in my life treated me like a princess!)

As Coby was reading a book aloud the other day, I told him that he could also read it quietly. He looked at me with his beautiful brown eyes and said, "I don't know hooooow to do that!" I explained that you just read the words quietly in your head. He got quiet for a minute and I could see the wheels turning in his head as he looked at the page. Then he looked up at me with wonderment and said, "WOW, mommy. I didn't know I could do that. I just have the words in my head! I can hear the words in my head! Can Connor do this?" Now, keep in mind that I was in tears (just an emotional day) while he was reading and he looked up at me and said "Are you just SO proud that I learned to read in my head and that's why you are crying?" Of course I told him yes. Sometimes I wish that life were so simple...yet, sometimes it is.

They've been so precious this week and I could share so many things that they've done, but for today these are the things I want to remember. I am so thankful for these little guys.

nothin' but blue skies

All is well with the world.

We are seeing warmer temps and the boys have been able to play outside after schoolevery day this week!. Spring is just around the corner and we couldn't happier about it. (I love the cold and winter, but after our unusually snowy/cold winter, I am SO ready for spring so my boys can be outside playing and doing what boys do!)

Life is good!

behind...

Goodness, I feel so behind on here. Connor turned the big 1-0 (yep, he's in the double digits now as he likes to tell me) last Sunday and we had a great time celebrating. We had a family party to celebrate his and Cale's birthdays on Friday night (the 19th, not last night...yes, as I mentioned I am a bit behind on my blogging!). I will post pics from the party as soon as I get a copy of my MIL's pics as she took a lot more than I did. We had a lot of fun with the family and Connor and Cale got spoiled beyond belief.

On Saturday morning Connor and I headed out for some birthday shopping as he got lots of cash this year on top of everything else. Since he is just like his daddy, he had to be sure it was spent immediately! First we hit Target and Connor got the Super Mario Winter Olympics DSi game (can you believe they already had a game out for that?), a tech deck ramp (as if we needed yet another one in this house :)) and a Star Wars DVD. Then we went to Barnes and Noble where he bought 7 new books. He was in heaven. He spent the entire afternoon reading. I think the books were his favorite. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I LOVE that he loves to read. He got that from me! There's just nothing better than enjoying a good book.

(I do have to mention that Connor tried to give his cousin John Michael $10 of his birthday money at his party. John Michael told him no, he couldn't take his money, but Connor pressed until John Michael finally accepted it. Connor really wanted John Michael to have it. Aunt Sara and Uncle Michael woudn't let John Michael keep it as they don't want him to think that every time someone gets money, he'll get it as well which I totally understand and would've handled it the same way, but we were thankful to see such a spirit of giving in Connor. He also tried to give me a twenty to spend at Bath and Body Works while we were out shopping. Oh, I was tempted, but there's just something not quite right about taking birthday money from your ten year old ;))

When we went to church on Saturday night, they tried to bump him up to the pre-teen room (as their system goes by age and not grade) and he freaked out a bit. He was soooo nervous. We took care of it and he can still continue to go to the same class as usual until he's in the fifth grade. I'm glad that he's not ready to be in the pre-teen room yet.He's only ten. There will be a time for that, but I don't want him to ever feel uncomfortable at church and clearly he was not ready to be in there.

Sunday morning didn't start out too well. Both Coby and Cale woke up sick. Coby had the runs diarrhea and it hurt when he breathed (I think it was because he had been coughing for a few weeks) and Cale had a sore throat (we found out on Wednesday that he has a Staph infection in his throat...yuck!). It was Connor's birthday however, and I promised him a breakfast out and a movie. So, we left Cale and Coby at home with daddy and Connor and I went to breakfast at Panera. Then we went to see the Blind Side. I was unsure if it was appropriate to take a 10 year old to a PG-13 movie and was very conflicted about it, but Kristen and Kennard saw it and said it was completely fine for Connor to see. I am so glad we went. It is the best movie I have ever seen and Connor liked it as well. I have to say that it is really wierd having a child old enough to take to a "real" movie now, but I loved having the Connor/mommy time. Plus, Darren and I have such different taste in movies so I am hoping that I'll have a buddy to go with me to some that D won't go to....at least until Connor thinks he's too cool for me, which probably isn't too far off.

Connor's favorite restaurant is Panda Express (isn't that funny?) so Darren went and got some black pepper chicken and brought it home for dinner on Sunday night (since we had two sickies) and with that, we wrapped up Connor's birthday weekend.

And here I sit a full week later and again we have two sickies. This time it's the stomach bug of 2010 and both Connor and Coby are infected so far. Poor Coby, this is the second weekend in a row of him being sick. Sadly, we changed up our Family Fun Friday last night and had chili rather than pizza. I bet my kids will never want to see chili again! We did get to watch 'Ice Age: Land of the Dinosaurs' in between the sickness and it's really cute. Cale loved it of course and just kept saying thanks for getting this for me mommy (he LOVES dinosaurs and while I did get the movie with him in mind, we all enjoyed it!). In fact, they're all laid out on the floor watching it again as I've been typing this. Hopefully, the boys will feel better soon and I pray that Cale, Darren and I will avoid getting it. I really don't want Cale to get it, Darren and I can take it, but Cale has had enough going on this week. :(

Cale is FOUR

Exactly one week ago today, this little guy turned four years old. I still can't believe he's old enough to be four and even more surprising to me is the fact that I'm okay with it. He's my baby and he's growing up just like he should be. I am completely content to be the mom of a 9 (just days away from turning 10), 7 and 4 year old. It's probably a good thing I am too because Darren would think I had lost my marbles if I wanted another baby around!

Cale had school on the day of his birthday and I forced kindly asked him to let me take a picture of him on his birthday. He happily oblidged for a minute or two, but as you'll see in a second, things quickly went south!

Oh yes, this kid already has an attitude (he learns everything he know from his brothers)! Sad thing is that he's been sporting the attitude for a solid year now. Maybe he's getting it all out of his system now and the teen years will be a breeze! ha

He wanted chocolate cupcakes with camo stars on top to take to school.

I have to brag on Cale for a moment. We really haven't celebrated Cale's birthday yet as we are having a combined family get together for his and Connor's birthdays this weekend, but I fully anticipated giving him a present on his actual birthday. You know what though? Not one time on his birthday did he mention wanting presents or getting them. I was very impressed by this. I mean honestly, who doesn't want a little something on their birthday? So, since he didn't ask I've just saved his gifts for his party! (I just remembered that he did get a very early b-day gift back in December...a train table, but I doubt he remembered it was a birthday gift).

There are a few things that I want to remember about Cale at this age. He weighs 32 pounds, which puts him in line to be the "biggest" of his brothers (which isn't saying much!). He loves to be read to and loves to "read" to me. He knows all dinosaurs by name and can tell you what each one likes to eat. He's even made up a few...let's see there's the diarrhea-o-saurus and the wipee-o-saurus. He has a very active imagination! He know what sound each of the letters make and often times when I say a word he can tell me what letter it starts with. He loves to learn and especially loves going to school. He is a momma's boy (and I love it!) He is the most outgoing of all the boys and he talks non-stop. He is hilarious and when he is around, there is NEVER a dull moment! I love this little guy so much and am so thankful that we were blessed with him.

• Cale had a great birthday and I think it wore him out. He did start out in his bed under the covers, but by the time I went to check on him before going to bed myself, I found him like this! At least he didn't roll all the way off this time! :)