Time for another chapter!

Marcus learned to walk in January and is now running around with over-confidence!  He's exploring and learning so much, so fast right now.  He's learning words and repeating what we say.  It's really funny sometimes.  He especially loves kids.  Whenever there's a group of kids or a whole class of kids, or even just one kid, he gets so comfortable and happy!  He really gets confidence and trusts kids to be as loving as his brother and sister!

He loves, Loves music and dancing!  He does this hilarious move that looks like he's bumping and grinding or "twerking" when he hears a song he likes. It's really cute and fun to have him dancing with all of us. :)

It's going SO fast!!!

updates

I know I need to write an update, since it's been forever since my last update, but so much has happened I'm not sure where to begin....

School:  Lexy is loving 3rd grade and her teacher, Mr. Thomas.  She's doing book reports and reading really well, finally.  She's doing research articles and giving oral presentations to the class. She's got lots of friends and I've finally branched out and made some more "mom friends," which has given her more time with her friends after school.  I'm really proud of her.  She's really helpful with Marcus and is just so loving.  She just turned 8 last week!  I can't believe I have an 8 yr old daughter! :)

Sonny is just flourishing in Kindergarten!  He is so smart and loves learning.  It's so fun and exciting to hear him talk about the new things he learns everyday.  He's got lots of friends and even Robert was amazed at how many "hi, Sonny"s we hear when we take him to school.  He always tries to do his best and really enjoys life.  He'll be 6 in a couple months.  He's also such a loving big brother to Marcus and tries to help me out when he's home from school.

Marcus will be turning 1 in a few weeks!  He is so sweet.  He loves snuggling and getting hugs, where he will pat your back!  He is crawling everywhere and pulling himself up on everything.  He likes to study and figure things out and is a quick learner!  He is babbling like crazy and saying "mumum" "baba" "uh-oh" and a couple other words.  He loves his family and just smiles and gets so excited to see them when he wakes up in the morning or when they come home.  It's so funny when they fight or yell at each other, he will do this fake scream that seems like he's trying to join in!  It cracks me up.

I've been so busy with school pick ups, drop offs, homework help, watching Marcus, working 6-7 hours a day, housework, all without Robert since he works all day, Monday-Thursday.  I really look forward to Fridays!

And all this is going on and suddenly life throws you another curve ball...

My brother, Chris, Sonny's Godfather (and best friend), was in a motorcycle accident a few weeks ago.  He fell off his bike going around a turn and hit his head.  He had such bad swelling that they had to do surgery and induce a coma, which lasted about 10 days.  He's awake now, but not talking yet.  They've moved him into the rehabilitation part of the hospital to continue his treatment.

I've been to see him while in the coma, but haven't been able to see him since he's woken up.  I only get updates from my mom, Sush, and dad and siblings who have been able to see him.  I can't seem to  get a handle on my emotions and am having a really hard time with this. Chris is such an important part of our lives and is always so involved with the kids and our activities, that it's hard not having him around and trying to explain what's going on to the kids.  I've told them the basic facts, that he's hurt and in the hospital, and they can't see him.  It's really hard for them to accept, because they always see him and really want to make sure he's ok.  So, I'm trying to stay positive and keep them from worrying too much and....we all really miss him and want him to get better soon!

Play Time & School Starting

 

Marcus finally learned to sit up by himself. I still keep the pillow behind him, just in case he decides to throw himself backwards.  It's opened up a whole new point of view for him and he has so much fun playing with his toys now!  It's really fun to watch him figure things out.  He gets SO proud of himself when he can do something he's trying to do...and SO frustrated when he can't!  He's definately got a temper, but he doesn't give up-very determined.

 

He still loves his baths!

 

He works very hard at organizing his toys.  Taking them out and putting them back in, over and over.  It's really cute to watch the determination in his face while he "works on" his toys. :)

Thank you again Caleb, Andrea, Emerson & Gabbie~ these are his 2 favorites!

 

He gets so tired after playing and working all day.

And he loves his big sister and brother!

Marcus Gets His 1st Haircut!

 

This is the finished product!...

 

 

This was the process...He did a great job :)

As you can see, it was time to cut it....

The final straw was bringing him with us to a store and a lady saying, "she's just beautiful!"  LOL.  We said thank you and went home for a haircut :)

Brothers Trading Teeth!

Sonny lost his 1st tooth this morning!  Very exciting!  Can't believe he's only 5!

Marky is getting his 1st tooth...and it's the same tooth, in the same spot!  It's like they traded! :)

Keeping Life Interesting....

Updates! Marcus 7 months old

I have to get these pictures on here!  It's so much easier to post to Facebook using my iPad, than using my blog.  So, now I get discouraged and don't do it.  I have limited time, so that means Blogging gets cut when it's not easy.

Anyway, updates!:  Marcus is turning 7 months in a couple days!  Time is flying by.  He's sitting up with support, sometimes alone for a couple seconds, and wants to grab everything within reach.  He's very sweet and also very vocal.  He's screaming mad and screaming happy.  He LOVES music and we pretty much play music for him all day.  He will bounce or jump or just get happy/comfortable when music is playing.

He is nursing still and eating baby food a couple times a day.  He drinks water from his cup and loves to see what everyone else is drinking.  He is just getting over his 2nd head cold of his life.  Poor guy was so congested and pouring snot...oh, and got his first tooth at the same time! (Bottom left).

The kids have been enjoying summer vacation and driving me crazy! ;). They're really good (usually), but all of us together seem to make each other crazy some days.  They love Marcus and it's fun to see the dynamic between them and each of them with him.  He loves them so much and it's heart warming to watch his face light up when they talk to him.  

We are finishing our second round of swimming lessons, they are really working!  Alexya is learning all kinds of strokes and how to dive!  Sonny is learning how to swim forward for longer sections and underwater.  It's fun for them and Marcus's favorite part of the day.  I sit and hold him by the water for 1/2 hour, uninterrupted. :)

We are trying to pack in visits and family events this summer, but it's a challenge because packing for a trip is now a 2 day, organized event!  Not easy.  Visitors that want to come see us are always welcome! :)

Sonny Rides Without Training Wheels!

Sonny learned to ride his bike without training wheels on March 23, 2014!  It only took him a couple tries and he was balancing and riding on his own.  Then, the next day he taught himself how to start himself off and then ride!  Such a fast learner!  Go Sonny!

Sonny also likes to play basketball and do puzzles.  He starts Kindergarten in the Fall and already knows all his letters, except V and U.  He can write his name Santino and Sonny.  He loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and grilled cheese.  He loves Star Wars and quotes the lines from the movies all the time :)

Alexya is loving school and will go into 3rd grade this Fall.  She is excellent at Math and loves fashion design, drawing and coloring outfits on models.  She loves to sing and has a beautiful voice.  She loves to dance and constantly makes up dance routines to preform for us and for Marcus, who is her biggest fan!  She is fearless...rides way too fast on her bike, hangs and balances way too dangerously on the bars, and continues to push the limits on everything.  She is getting excellent grades at school and is an awesome big sister to both her little brothers!  She lost her first tooth on 2/15/14 and has lost another one since then=2 brand new big bottom teeth!

Marcus is 3 1/2 months old and is looking like a baby vs. like a newborn now.  He's very strong and can hold his head up and tries to pull himself up when he's laying down and you grab his hands.  He is always smiling and loves his big brother and sister so so so much!  He loves his baths and feeding time!  He is laughing at things now and it makes it fun to play with him.  We tried to take him to his first A's Game on 4/4/14 but it was canceled due to rain/poor field conditions! Boooooo!  We'll have to make another attempt soon.  Marcus loves just being held and watching all of the madness that is going on around him every day!  It is so fun having him in our lives and we all love him so much!

Love the A's and Love My Baths!

I'm trying so hard to keep my blog updated, but it's become very hard to find free time these days.  My typical week is Mon-Thurs Robert works all day (9:30-9:30).  Lex has school and Sonny has school MWF.  I try to work a couple hours in the morning and then a couple in the afternoon when Marcus is content or sleeping.  Between working, watching Marcus, pick ups, drop offs, homework, lunches, dinner, baths and bedtime routine, it's very busy.  My free time seems to be after the kids are asleep when Marcus and I watch my recorded shows for an hour before he finally passes out and I try to get some sleep before waking up to feed him at 3am.  I just want to get all this down, so that, when I think back and wonder,"where did the time go?", I'll know!:)

Another story I want to make sure I never forget is one about a moment I had with Sonny:  it was bed time and I was frustrated and tired and just trying to get the kids in bed.  I told them to brush teeth and put Jammie's on and get in bed if they wanted to get tucked in.  Sonny was taking his sweet time and I said,"forget it Sonny, I'm not tucking you in."  So I go downstairs and he comes down after me and says,"mommy, tuck me in!"  "No," I say, "you took too long, so too bad, go to bed."  He says, "nope, I'm gonna sit right here until you tuck me in."  "Fine, then sit there all night," I say.  "Fine," he says.  Finally Lexy comes down and says, "why isn't Sonny in bed?"  So I tell him to just have Lexy tuck him in and he says fine and they both go upstairs.

And then I feel bad.

So, Marcus finally falls asleep and I get to relax and ...feel even worse for not tucking him in.  So, I go upstairs and he is in bed and still awake.  I grab the covers and tuck him in and say, "there, I tucked you in.  I love you Sonny."  I give him a kiss and he gives me a huge smile.  I say goodnight and go back downstairs.

1 minute later he comes running down the stairs and straight into me, giving me the biggest hug ever. "I love you Mommy," he says, and runs right back up stairs to bed.

In that moment, I know...he is so sweet and sensitive.  This is a moment where actions speak volumes and I am SO thankful for my oldest son and look forward to the man he will become.