Thursday, April 28, 2011

Sisters























There is nothing better than a sister.  They truly make the best friends.  I can't wait to watch the girls grow up and develop a sister bond.  I pray that they develop a closeness that I have with my sisters.  I know there will be moments when they fight- all sisters do.   But I pray those moments are few and far between and that there are many more happy memories made. 

To my girls- I love you so much.  God truly blessed you by giving you each other.  I pray each and every day for you and anticipate all the opportunites God will bless you with in this life.  I pray that you girls will walk together through this journey and become best of friends and most importantly will grow up to be women that honor and love God.  I feel so honored that God chose me to be your Mom.  I will work to cherish each and every milestone.  Love you both- Mom

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Easter weekend

We went to Abilene for Easter weekend.  It was Peyton's first road trip and it went really well considering we were traveling with 4 kids for the first time.  We enjoyed lots of cousin time, an egg hunt, Easter dinner, and plenty of catching up. 



















As you can tell, Peyton had plenty of people fighting to hold her.  Pretty sure Chloe didn't play with any of the other kids when Peyton was around- she is quite the little momma!  I didn't get any pictures of the boys this weekend because they were playing outside pretty much all weekend.

Easter Morning


Poor Kate had to use a boy basket this year (this is one of my projects for the next year- all new baskets by next Easter)



















Sunday, April 24, 2011

Friday, April 22, 2011

Coloring eggs

Better late than never! We finally got around to coloring out Easter eggs at 9:00 tonight.  The boys had a lot of fun and we now have 3 dozen boiled eggs! 


Thursday, April 21, 2011

Bathtime















My favorite smell is a clean baby right after a bath.  Unfortuntately with Peyton, she doesn't keep her good smell too long because she spits up like crazy.  Everytime I have given her a bath, I take her out of the tub and wrap her up and as soon as the water is all out of the bathtub, she spits up all over!  The first time this happened I thought it was because she had just eaten.  But nope, it continues to happen no matter when I give her a bath.  So she then has to go back in for another bath which she does not like at all.  I then savor all my clean baby smell while it lasts. 

Easter party

















Today was Jackson's Easter party at preschool.  Zach was here so he was able to go with us to the party.  First we went to worship where the kids learned about the empty tomb and the true meaning of Easter.  I love that the boys have both been able to attend Little Angels where they can learn even more about the love of Jesus.  After worship, the kids worked on an Easter craft and then had lots of sugar!  We ended the afternoon with an egg hunt. 

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Boys















Zach is staying with us for the rest of the week and these three boys can get wild! They may have all been laying in bed at 8:45 but they were far from asleep.  The conversations between these three are hilarious.  Here are just a few things I have heard over the course of the evening.

Hayden: "So Zach how many girlfriends does your Dad have?"
Zach: "Only 1"

Zach "Hayden how many girlfriends do you have?"
Hayden "Four"
Zach: "Wow, do you kiss them"
Hayden: " No, but they are hot!" (What?! What 6 yr old talks like that! We had to address this)

Hayden: "Zach, at recess the girls pretend I am Justin Beiber and chase me around."
Zach: "How many girls?" (I almost sensed some jealousy in his voice!)

Jack: "I just can't quit talking" (after my 101st trip into the bedroom to tell them they had to go to sleep)

Zach: "Can't you two just get along? Here just shake hands and it will be ok" (after my 102nd trip in to the room to tell my boys to quit being mean to each other)

Zach; "You two are just wound up cause I'm here"

I love that my kids have cousins their age.  I grew up with my cousins and I love that my kids get the same.  They are making so many memories together.

Complete















The girls room is finally complete (except the closet needs organizing but that is for another day!) The walls are done and that's the most important part right?! I had Peyton's pictures taken with her name bloomers like we did Katelyn's and was able to fill in the empty frame.  It turned out just like I had it pictured.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Hospital

I have spent the last two nights in Children's Mercy Hospital with Peyton.  Sunday she started running a fever of 101.4 which for a newborn is considered very high.  After calling the pediatrician, I was told to take her to Children's to be looked at.  I learned that high fevers in newborns are taken very seriously.  Within an hour of arrival, we had already seen 2 doctors and were told we were being admitted.  They did a series of tests including a spinal tap and blood work.  The initial tests all came back negative, however they admitted us for 48 hrs while they grew the cultures to see if anything showed up.  By Monday evening her temperature had gone down.  She never had any other symptoms other than the high fever.  They suspect she caught that from Jackson and I as we had just come down with strep throat and were running fevers.  The good news is, the cultures came back normal and they discharged us tonight.  I am so glad to be home and in my own bed and have my family back together again. 


We had to keep the binky in her mouth or else she tried to eat her splint!
 













I love the care we received once again from Children's Mercy staff.  I am so blessed that we live so close to such a wonderful facility where we can take our kids if the need arises (and considering this is our 3rd kid to be admitted and our 4th will be admitted in June- I say we have a need!)  They took such good care of my little girl and did all they could to make my stay as comfortable as possible.  We were actually on the same floor that Kate will be on following her open heart surgery so we will likely see all these wonderful nurses again real soon!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Nature walk

This past weekend we enjoyed the beautiful weather and took a nature walk at Burr Oak Woods.  At the end of our walk, we saw some pinecones on the ground and the kids became obsessed with collecting pinecones.  When they were picking them up we heard sirens and Hayden asked "Are they coming to get us?"  I assured him we were not going to be arrested for picking up pinecones!  We came home with a sack full of pinecones.  Now I am trying to come up with some project to make with them.


(love the new "cheese" smile!)

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

2 weeks



Bedtime















Bedtime with this little miss is so predictible and makes me smile.  It is unlike any bedtime routine I have had with the boys.  It all started when we moved her to a toddler bed.  She goes and climbs in bed and we read one book.  I then pray with her.  I say "Now I Lay me Down to Sleep" prayer.  She folds her hands and puts them in front of her face with her eyes halfway open and she says the prayer along with me.  The cutest part is though you can't understand a word she is saying!  But it is all about her tone of voice, she does it just like I do!  Then she wants me to lean in real close to her and she first "beeps" my nose and then laughs! (sometimes several times!) Then she grabs me face in her hands and turns my head from side to side.  I have no idea where this came from but she does it every night!  Then we give each other bear hugs and she giggles some more.  And finally we finish with blowing kisses.  As I walk out the door, she stalls......she says "Mom" and I say "what" to which she replies in a long babbling sentence something I have no idea what she is saying.  I acknowledge and she laughs.  She then repeats my name and does this over and over, until I finally just shut the door!

I have come to realize that some of the most important things in life are the little things.  This is one of those little things that I want to remember.  I am trying hard to enjoy these little things more because all too soon they will pass.  So for now, I will enjoy my time with my "Kate time" everynight at bedtime. 

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Six

Happy 6th birthday Luke! He was my first dog at the age of 30.  I never thought I wanted a dog until I saw my kids fall in love with him.  Now I am attached and can't imagine him not in our family (except no dog hair does sound nice!)  Jackson even made him a birthday card!  And this brings to an end this years' "birthday season" in the Hermon household!














He even posed perfectly for a birthday pic!