12 Weeks Old!

I can't believe Quinn is 3 months old! He is growing like crazy and starting to feel more and more like a baby and less like a newborn. Quinn loves his big brothers who are constantly asking to hold him.  He also loves to stand and smiles and coos every time he gets the chance.  Dale and I had to go to a training in Fort Worth this weekend and Quinn delighted us by sleeping through the night! You can see a cute video of Kannon singing to Quinn here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLZ-qKQjvg0

School is going great.  Again, I love teaching only reading and writing. I feel so much more focused and give my students the instruction they need to be successful.  My partner teacher is wonderful and we have so much fun collaborating on projects together.

Kannon had his first violin lesson.  Because our school is a fine arts magnet school, the kids get a weekly group lesson and weekly private lessons.  Kannon is excited to play because the strings remind him of snakes......yes, his love of snakes is extreme right now.

Clark is loving school and making lots of friends.  Clark used to cry every day when we went to school.  Not any more! Now, he's usually the first one up and doesn't even say goodbye when we drop him off!

Dale was recently hired as the assistant manager of Tomfoolery Toys and Books, a local toy and book store.  We are all so thrilled as it's only 2 miles from the house, offers daytime hours, and is totally stress-free and fun! The boys love that Dale is working in a toy store and have already started making a wish list :)

This Month's Big Milestones:

• Quinn rolled over
• Quinn slept through the night
• Quinn loves to stand
• We took our first trip to Ft. Worth
• Kannon had his first violin lesson
• Clark made his first best friend!
• Dale started his new job
• We've been on 6 hikes so far this month!

2 months old!

So school started and my weekly updates were thrown out the window.  Being a teacher and a mom to three kiddos is crazy!  Fortunately, I have help! We wouldn't have survived last week if it wasn't for Dale cooking, packing lunches, cleaning the house, and watching Quinn!  Dale is headed to Spokane next week for his sisters wedding which will leave me single parenting for 4 days. I am sure we will survive but we will miss him!

Kannon started Kindergarten and Clark is in PreK.  Both of them LOOOOVE their new school.  Even though they are busy each night with homework and projects, they love their new teachers and friends.  Kannon has introduced himself to everyone as "Cobra" because his love of snakes his extreme.  Clark is melting the hearts of all with his expansive vocabulary and dramatic attitude.

Quinn is 2 months old.  He is still the perfect baby! He wakes up once a night to eat and sleeps extremely well by our bedside in a rocker.  He smiles, coos, grabs things, and loves his big brothers.  He is cloth diapered like his big brothers and is already growing out of his  3 month clothes.  This boy weighs in at 12.5 lbs and 23 inches long.  He is in the 55th percentile for weight and length and 91 percentile for his head (big brain, I'm sure!).  After spending hours on the phone with insurance this week to resolve a glitch that left him uninsured, we were finally able to take him to the doctor.  The nurses and pedi all swooned over his chunky little rolls.  Quinn only cried a few minutes after his shots (he got 4) and continued to smile away!

School is going well.  I LOVE my 2nd graders.  I teach two groups in reading and writing.  I love being able to focus on just reading and writing. It makes my job much more enjoyable and my students benefit from targeted instruction.  My kiddos are a dream, although I sometimes miss the grit my old students had.  My partner teacher is amazing and I am so lucky to have been paired with her because we practically share the same brain.

Overall, life with the kids is amazing! I love these little buggers....all 47 of them (2nd graders + my boys!)

Milestones:

• Kannon started Kindergarten.
• Clark started PreK
• Quinn got 2 month shots and is cooing
• Took a trip to Brazos Bend State Park (first official Texas hike)
• Made zucchini noodles....delicious!

 Yep, that's a wild alligator!

 First official hike, Brazos Bend State Park

 First day of Kindergarten

 First day of PreK

 My 2nd grade class

My first day of school!

6 Weeks Old!

Again, I am going to keep it brief.  When I am home, it seems I only get to do things in 10- minute spurts without being interrupted.  I started at my new school this week and I am IN LOVE! Everyone I work with is amazing and has been so welcoming.  I have been trying to get my room ready but get so distracted talking to all the wonderful people on campus!! The kids got to meet their teachers and have spent quite a few days helping me in my classroom.  We have even met a few friends that live in our neighborhood. We are all so excited for school to start! Quinn is starting to smile and stay alert more everyday.  He has also started cooing so much more, just to let us know he is here!

This Week's Milestones:

• I started working at my new school! I love it!
• The boys met their kindergarten and prek teachers.
• Dale started his journey as a stay-at-home dad---he had all 3 boys this week and the house didn't burn down!!!
• Kannon started making snake posters for his room....it has gotten out of control!
• Quinn has started waking up only once at night!!
• Quinn took his first bottle!
• We showed Aunt Anne we can swim and snorkel!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

5 Weeks Old!

I am going to keep this brief....I have a screaming baby and I am headed out the door.  I go back to work in less than a week so I am trying to snuggle as much as possible.  Here is what we were up to this past week!

This week's milestones:

• Boys swimming without floaties
• Trip to Seaworld
• Flying home with three kids by myself
• Quinn sleeping for 6 hours straight at night
• Trip to the Children's Museum

 The boys learned to swim without floaties!

 Flying home with three kids...by myself!

 Emma attacking the sprinkler

 Kannon and Clark built a tower at the Children's Museum

 Children's Museum

Protected by Emma

One Month Old!

4 Weeks Old!

 He hijacked my attempt to pack :)

This week was full of milestones!  We flew to California on the 23rd.  I thought Southwest's policy on flying with a newborn was 14 days old, but apparently it was 21 days.  They stopped us at check-in to verify that Quinn was OLD enough to fly.  It was 7am, our midwife wasn't available, and having had a home birth, I didn't have a hospital record.  After holding up the line for 15 minutes, they let us go but encouraged me to find documentation for the ride home.  Everyone did great on the flight to California, especially since Gigi made each boy a candy bag with toys, 

Friday and Saturday we ran errands to get ready for my Nana's 80th birthday party.  We had fun introducing Quinn to all our family members.  Saturday night was my Nana's party, where she got spoiled like a princess.  Sunday we met a former colleague for lunch.  Monday, we spent all day at the pool, where the boys suddenly decided they wanted to swim without floaties.....and they DID!  Tuesday, we played in the water at my aunt's house.  Wednesday we did a one-mile hike at the nature center, where Kannon got a behind the scenes tour of the snake classroom.  Friday we are going to SeaWorld and Saturday we fly home.  This trip has flown by!!!

This week's milestones:

• Quinn has been smiling at everyone, but especially Papa! 
• First airplane ride
• Dipped feet in Pacific Ocean
• First hike
• Kannon and Clark learned to swim without floaties!

 Waiting at the airport

 Taking off... Clark's favorite part

 Meeting Nana and Papa for the first time

 Learning to swim....little did I know these floaties would come off!

 Kannon was so tired he slept in the cart at Wal-Mart

 We told them they could only get their feet wet.

 Clearly, they didn't listen.

 Meeting my former colleague, Neaz.

 Hiking at the Nature Center!

 One  month old!