Lots to catch up on!!!

Christmas

We had a really nice visit from my Mom and Hilary. Unfortunately, we ended up sharing our stomach bug and Hilary got REALLY sick. Sorry Hil! Santa was great to the kids... and so were Grandma and Hilary. One of the most popular toys they racked up were the big wooden kindergarten blocks just like Jack, Hil and I had as kids. They are AWESOME! Thanks Mom! Sooo universal. They build all kinds of different things and incorporate all of their "guys". I love watching their creative juices flow! Hilary got very creative and bought each of the boys a t-shirt of a great band or musician and a CD to go with it: Isaiah got Pink Floyd, Gabe got Bob Marley and Luke got the Beatles. This morning Isaiah said "I wish it was called Blue Floyd"!!! HAHAHAHA! What can I say, they're boys! Mommy got a great new travel mug, UGGS and a beautiful handmade necklace from Hil, straight off the California beaches! Justin scored some priceless fresh "mootz" from Hoboken's greatest deli! YUM! It was a great Christmas. Definitely a whirlwind! I guess that's how it goes with kids. All I can say is that I hope I have my act together a little more next year!









Isaiah turned 6!!!

I can't believe my little guy is a six-year-old! I have a SIX-YEAR-OLD!!! The big 3-0 is creeping up just around the corner and it's such a reminder of how time flies! I am so proud of the way Isaiah has adjusted so well to going to full time kindergarten. It's been great to watch him make new friends and have some time out from under my wing. As a mother, it's been hard to let him go a bit, but he is starting to grow his own wings and I am proud of the fruits I am seeing. I love you Spud!

Lukey walking!!! (with a walker :)

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

funny Zaya

Isaiah came in from playing outside the other day and gave me these "flowers" :) such a sweetie

Gigi sent the boys home with a gingerbread house kit. There was a lot of eating going on, so I was very surprised that they had enough to decorate it this well! This is Isaiah's side.


...and Gabe's side.

Thanksgiving

We had a great time with Gigi, Old Bob, Grandma and John in Hilton Head. Mom (LIFESAVER) helped us get a hotel on the way down to split the ride in two. Luke is not a big fan of long car rides. As babies, the other two boys would sleep for three hours at a time. We are lucky to an hour out of Luke. Don't turn me in, but I did turn Luke's carseat to face forwards about halfway through the ride home. I felt like a terrible mommy, but the screaming was just too much :0 Gigi had a whole table full of toys and games for the boys, including gingerbread cookies to decorate (pictures coming soon). I must say, I sure have a lot to be thankful for. My family is just amazing. Watching them love my boys is the most special thing of all. I need to remember these things when I find myself postponing trips because of the car ride. A few hours of stress is nothing for a lifetime of memories.

So thankful I get to be a Mom : )

I will be the first to admit that being a Mom is HARD. H. A. R. D. HARD. But it is also brings me the greatest joy that my heart has ever felt. Isaiah drew this for me the other day ad I almost teared up when he presented it to me. Whenever he draws me, he always draws a lot of hearts. He takes my breath away sometimes. This pictures says "My Mon. is speshell. sh is m my mom e" I could just stop right now and go to heaven. Does it get any better than that?! I mean, really! Motherhood can be so tough, because while it can be physically draining, the hardest part is that it is emotionally draining. I am the worst at disciplining without feeling guilty. I absolutely believe that children need serious boundaries and that we are their parents, not their friends, for now anyway (my Mom and I are best friends now :) No other job on this earth could pull at your heart like motherhood. I am living everything I have ever dreamed of. (I know I just ended with a preposition) Yes, I get exhausted, yes, I get cranky, and yes, I complain, but when I step back, I am in awe. Life IS good :)

Reality check from my 3-year-old son

The other day, Gabe was messing with some glass samples I had left of my desk. I quickly said "Gabe! Don't touch those! The edges are sharp, honey! It could cut you." To this, he replied "Mommy, chill out. I hold them all the days. They don't hurt me." I was a little taken back, to say the least. My THREE YEAR OLD just told ME to "chill out"!!! And it was funny how he did it. He wasn't trying to be disrespectful. He just didn't want me to worry. Like how you'd tell your best friend to calm down. I have such hilarious moments with these kids!

Trick or Treat!

Eat your heart out ladies, he's taken :)

Halloween Preview

Fun with the camera

We decided today that the boys are going to be the Chipmunks for Halloween which thrills me because when faced with making homemade costumes, these should be a cinch! So tonight while we were talking about it, Gabe tried to say chipmunks, but instead, this is what came out:
"chickenmunkets"
I would say that was a combination of chipmunks and chicken nuggets! I love these kids! I cannot wait to see them dressed up on Saturday. Isaiah will be Alvin, Gabe will be Simon, and appropriately, Luke will be chubby little Theodore! :) I'll be dressed as the proud mommy of three little boys/chipmunks/chickenmunkets/whatever :)

my 3 boys crawling!

Isaiah

Gabe

Luke

Luke's expression in this picture looks so much like my Dad. He IS Luke Arthur:

Justin and I are getting a new camera for Christmas but still trying to figure out which one to get. We took these with his dad's Nikon. I love the close-ups where you can see every little detail, like you're there. I want to have those kind of photos to look back on when these guys are grown.

I have to share something Gabe said yesterday in the car. He hear Justin suggest get a smoothie since he has a cold. Gabe yells "I want a smooshie!" It was like a combination of smoothie and slushie. Soooo funny!