Just Life

Life is busy right now.  The kids are growing, we are finally getting used to the routines of life, and now we are getting ready for our big move.  Wesley is doing great in school.  Its like a light bulb went off, and he is figuring out what he needs to do in order to succeed.  He BEGS me for box tops each day because he knows that he will get to "clip up" on the good chart and get a happy note.  He pretty must asks every person he meets if they have a box top to give him.  You would think they were made out of gold or something.  When he has good behavior (or brings in a box top) he gets to clip up to the next level on the chart.  At the end of the day if he is on the colors yellow or green, he gets one happy note.  If he is on blue for extra good behavior, he gets two happy notes.  After he has 20 happy notes in his folder, he can turn them in and pick out a prize from the treasure box.  He loves it, and has been doing so well with that reward system.  I'm really proud of him.  Chase goes to speech therapy once a week through our insurance.  He also recently got accepted through the school district and gets to go to "preschool" once a week for an hour.  He loves going to speech, but is a little more hesitant with the preschool setting.  With speech, he works with one teacher in a small room for the hour.  With preschool, he has two other kids, and he works with about 4 teachers.  He is shy and prefers the one teacher setting, but he overall loves going to both each week.  It is sooo hard to understand him, so it will be nice to be able to communicate with him better.  I have finally adjusted to all the driving I have to do between piano lessons, Wesley's school, and Chase's speech appointments.  Blake is a trooper, and for the most part does great being dragged all over.  I've been able to adjust his nap, so he takes a 2 hour nap while Wesley is at school.  It works out perfect, so hopefully I'll be able to keep the same routine after we move.   Chase is also potty trained - and has been for four months, but I never got around to writing about it.  He struggled at first, but boy - once he got the hang of it, he did great.  I kept going back and forth with diapers and pull ups, but once we ran out and went to undies, he caught on fast.  We also used a reward system with cars and trains and M&M's as bribes.  I'm very grateful it wasn't a huge challenge like it was with a certain little red head of mine :-)

Now that the initial shock of the move has worn off, I am actually pretty excited.  So far things are going smoothly.  It is just going to be a hectic few months trying to get our house ready to sell, while finding a new home in Utah.  I am super excited for a nice, big house with lots of space.  It has been fun looking at houses online.  Its hard not knowing anything about the neighborhoods, but with all the amazing online features, house hunting sure is a lot easier than it was when I was little.  I am excited for this new adventure, and I just hope everything continues to go smoothly. 

  Blake is 8 months, and he is starting to babble a lot more.  He says "Maaa Maaa" when he is crying and needs something, and can also babble "Da Da."  He doesn't crawl, but he rolls ALL over, and loves to chew on paper.    I have to keep a close eye on him!  He recently found a black marker on the ground that didn't have a cap, and he decided to use it as a teether.  His tongue was all black, and he had marker all over his lips.  :-(  He is also a wiggler.  When I am holding him he is constantly trying to grab anything within a two foot radius.  He loves to kick his legs while sitting, or in the bath tub.  He has super fluffy awesome hair that sticks up all over.  He still wakes up numerous times a night.  I put him to bed around 7:30 ish, and he usually wakes up to eat  around midnight, then again at 3, and at 5, and is then up for the day at 6 or 7.  It is super exhausting, but amazingly, I seem to be able to function during the day.  Maybe it is because I am always busy with the other boys so I don't have time to slow down.  He has two little bottom teeth.  He loves baby food.  He likes to drink water out of a cup, even though he ends up spitting out half the water all over.  He is starting to reach his little arms out for me, and it is the sweetest thing :-) Chase hates when he takes one of his toys and starts chewing on it.  Blake is starting to through fits when a toy is taken away from him.  It is amazing how fast he is growing, and his little personality is starting to develop. 

Blake was fussing as I was getting his food ready, and I came in to see Wesley reading him a book.  So sweet!

Angel on Earth

My little red heads

I love my little squishy!

I can't get enough of his cuteness while sleeping!

Who says ladybugs are only for girls?!

First day of his "preschool"

On Pirate Day we went to a Pirate Party at the Library, and came home and made Pirate pancakes!

Even though I am exhausted every night, when Blake does go to his own room, I am going to miss him.  My night stand is covered in baby stuff (and dust), but I love it.  I love that this is my life right now. 

Its a good thing Blake is a big baby, because Wesley is always trying to wrestle with him! Wesley sure loves him!

I guess Blake might be outgrowing his swing.  He doesn't want to lay down in it anymore.  He just wants to sit up so he can see what is going on.  Sleep?!  'Aint nobody got time for dat!

I took away that little pink toy seen in the previous picture, and this is how he responded.  Yup - its true that red heads have bad tempers!  :-)

Phone pictures: