Holy Yikes. Our last week of summer was crazy busy. But it was a lot better than I was anticipating which was a super nice surprise. I attempted another “vacation” with just the kids and I was expecting the worst. But thankfully we actually had a great time, for the most part. We headed for Boise last Monday morning and went to the fair in the afternoon. On Tuesday I got my hair done. On Wednesday we went to Roaring Springs and then headed up to McCall in the late afternoon. We played on the beach and in the lake at the cabin Wed night, Thurs, and most of Fri. We headed back to Boise Friday night. Saturday morning we celebrated Kiera’s birthday a day early because gramma wanted to celebrate it at her house and Saturday afternoon we left for home. Phew.

Part 1 ~ The Fair

I have to start by saying I somewhat unwillingly started the trip on Monday. I did not want to go to the fair this year with all of my little ones. But Kaylee and my mom insisted. So I did. I was a little grumpy to start out. Damen decided to scream his head off from gramma’s house to the fair. No surprise. So when we finally parked the car, my mom, Bri, and the girls headed off to the fair while I stayed in the car and fed Damen. When I finished, I called Bri to find out where they were and I was off. While I was walking through the massive crowds of people I thought to myself, “Why did I agree to come to the fair? I have a 5, 3, and 1 year old with a 3 month old baby. This is not going to be fun.” I finally found Bri and the girls who were with my mom who was holding Ben Alex, Steph & Ben and Max, and Ben’s brother Greg and wife Cathy and son Dylan. Kaylee immediately pounced on me and asked if she could have an animal pillow. There were cute little stuffed pillows that looked like farm animals in the booth right next to where they were standing. I told her that we were only at the fair because she wanted to come and I brought her to ride on the rides, not to buy stuff. So no, she couldn’t have a pillow. She immediately started crying and throwing a fit. I thought to myself at this point I was so glad I came to the fair. Especially for Kaylee. After talking to her for a bit, we decided to walk around and look at all the rides she wasn’t going to be able to ride if she chose to buy a pillow. While we were walking around, my mom just went and bought tickets and started putting the kids on the rides. Soon the pillow was forgotten and I was encountered with yet another Kaylee problem. She wouldn’t let Makayla sit next to her on any of the rides. And the Cinderella saga continues. Kaylee was adamant and complaining that she was not going to let Makayla sit next to her on any of the rides. Holy shiz bits. I sure am glad I came to the fair….again. So gramma got asked to go on the first ride because I was holding Damen in the Baby Bjorn.

The next ride? The Dragon roller coaster. Kaylee is in the first Dragon seat perfectly happy to have a stranger sit next to her because she told Makayla she couldn’t. So Makayla is sitting all by herself in the 3rd seat. Happy as can be. Thankfully. It was the most frustrating thing in the world standing off in the distance watching Kaylee tell Makayla she couldn’t sit with her. I couldn’t do anything about it since I was staying behind with Kiera and Damen and gramma was helping the girls on the rides.

And again, Makayla could not sit next to Kaylee in the car. Trust me, I was in tears of frustration and on the phone with Jarom about how to handle the situation. Jarom’s solution? Tell her she can’t ride on any of the rides anymore.

Finally something that seated only 1 person. The merry-go-round. Poor little Kiera was kind of “forgotten” about and didn’t get to go on anything but the helicopter.

So next year? Nope, we’re not going to the fair. My kids need to be older and the Cinderella story needs to end.

I bought the girls some corn dogs and cotton candy on the way back to the car and everyone was happy as can be. The pillow was thankfully forgotten!

Until morning arrived. I asked J. to watch Makayla and Kiera while Damen was taking a nap and I was going to have some one on one time with Kaylee. We were going to buy school supplies. I was hoping that by having one on one time with her it might help with the new defiant attitude she’s developed. So we’re in the car on the way to Walmart and I try making small conversation with her. Here’s it goes….

“Kaylee! Didn’t you have so much fun last night at the fair?!”

A very grumpy response, “No! I didn’t! I wanted that pillow and you didn’t buy it for me!”

“But didn’t you have fun on the rides?”

“No! I had dumb fun because of a dumb mom!!” (She knows “dumb” is a naughty word in our home so that’s her defiant way of using it.)

I had to gasp and hold my shock inside. I was really shocked to hear her say that. “Kaylee, that hurts my feelings when you talk to me like that.”

“Well you’re a stinky diaper head!!”

“Oh my word Kaylee. Please don’t talk to your mom like that.”

“Well you know what? You should ask Jesus to give you a better attitude so that you can be a better mom!!!!”

I really had tears in my eyes at this point. It was only a little funny at the moment, but more crushing to hear my 5 year old talk to me like that. But now? Laugh away. Welcome to real motherhood. I called Jarom to tell him about my shocking and crushing moment and he was laughing. Ha. Ha. I still wasn’t at that point. And his response was that if she could rile me up that bad when she’s 5 than just wait ’til she’s 13. Please help me.

And that ends Part 1. Thank goodness it gets better.

Yesterday I went to the bank to deposit a check and as the lady was giving me my receipt she asked, “Are you Kimberly?” I replied “yes” and she told me to have a nice day. While I was driving away Makayla said, “Mom…you are mom.” Yes, that is true. My entire identity is wiped away with one simple word, Mom. And I love it.

Kiera loves food as much as her mom. Enough said.

Yes, believe it or not, my little man is 3 months old. And thank goodness! I am not one of those mothers who cherishes the newborn moments. And I am sad I don’t. I wish I did. But I can’t wait for the little stinkers to get a little older. And the magic p0int, for me, where life seems to get a little better is 3 months old. So here we are.

Damen is a rock star sleeper. He sleeps from about 8 to 7. LOVE it!! He is a rock star eater. Eat all you want little man. And as a result of all this eating and sleeping? He weighs a whopping 18 pounds. Holy crud!!! And he’s 3 months old? That was above the 97th percentile for weight, but they don’t have a percentile higher than that. So they just put him in the 97th percentile. The doctor showed me his little dot on the graph and it was above all the lines on the graph. Watch out sisters. Damen will take you out! I think it’s a good thing he and tiny Makayla will more than likely be good buds. He was 24 1/4 inches long, which is in the 50th percentile, but I think they measured him wrong, but I’m not going to argue with the nurse. I don’t really care that much. So we do have a BIG boy. No wonder why I thought he was getting heavy. He is!

He is the most mellow, laid back baby. I’m not sure if it’s because he’s the 4th kid and doesn’t have a choice but to go with the flow, or if thankfully, he’s not as emotional as his sisters, who are women at no fault of theirs. He is our first baby that will fall asleep without having to be nursed to sleep. Which means he is our first baby that will let Jarom hold him while he just dozes away to dream land. Hooray for me! Seriously. I’ve been waiting for almost 6 years for that to happen. And that also means he is our first baby that will sleep at church. Ohhhhh, there is no better relief. He loves to smile. Loves loves to smile. He loves his sisters. All of them. Kaylee just got him to giggle for the first time the other day. There is nothing that makes you smile bigger than hearing a newborn giggle for the first time. I’ll admit I got a little teary. And the giggle is contagious. Kaylee, Damen, and I were all giggling pretty hard. It was awesome! He recently loves his hands. Possibly more than mom’s boobs. Yes! He loves to suck his thumb. Hey, suck on little man, I don’t care if it keeps you happy! And the drool. He drools like mad. I think he’s going to be like his oldest sister Kaylee and cut his first 2 teeth at 4 months. He looks different everyday. I think it may have to do with the hair. His mohawk is a bit unruly, unless I wet it and put gel in it to keep the curls. Which I don’t, except for church. But here are the pictures of our big guy at 3 months. We love you little dude.

Giving me the thumbs up!

Check out the rolls on those thighs! I just wanna squish him and love him!

Here’s the hair combed down….which I never ever do. I just did for pictures to see what it looked like. Not a fan.

And here’s my favorite…the curly mohawk.

He’s smiling at Kaylee in this one.

I love this chunk of love.

He gets plenty of tummy time since I put him to sleep on his tummy. Whatever about what the Dr’s think. I think it’s all about what competent mother’s think. He still gets  play tummy time though. (Check out the awesome farmers tan. Yup, we’ve been in the sun a bit this summer.)

Durr?

The best smiles are for mom. But don’t tell.

And he loves to talk to me!

I can’t resist the little toes.

The droooool.

Say What? Eeeeasy buddy.

And a full shot of the little big man.

So no, I don’t let my baby watch tv. But sometimes, when I ask Kaylee to hold him for me for just a minute, she sometimes happens to be watching tv. And he looooves it. How does he possibly hold that chubbiness up? The big chubby cheeks come from daddy. I hear it from his aunt’s anyway.

Love you little dude. Keep on growing!

So I will spare us the disgustingness of posting the “before” picture of Kiera’s poor big toe that she dropped the can of whipped cream on. (If you really must be reminded see the previous post.) The toenail fell off and you can see where the can split her toe under the nail. No wonder why she lost her nail. And no wonder why she didn’t stop crying for about an hour. And no wonder why it didn’t stop bleeding and oozing for a day. But, once the nail fell off it was healing quite nicely. (Yes, she does have a retarded fourth toe, like her mother).

The nail finally started growing back. Thank goodness! UNTIL….. she was carrying a jar of canned pears and dropped the dang thing on the SAME TOE! BLAST IT ALL!! She started screaming and shaking instantly. Holy crud, seriously little one? I was not happy, and she was even unhappier. I was so concerned that this time she may have killed her chance to get a new toenail and she may have even broken her toe this time. Those jars are not little. She did the same thing…. Cried and cried and cried. I was holding her on my hip trying to make Jarom a sandwich for lunch and she was squeezing me with her thighs she was hurting so bad. So as I was making Jarom’s lunch I felt a squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, all the while she was crying in my ear. It was a pleasant moment for both of us. After I get the sandwiches made, I get her to calm down, and she’s standing next to me and I’m sitting on the couch. She picks up the controller and tells me she wants to watch cartoons and then she drops the blasted controller on the same toe. For real?!?? So the whole process starts all over again.

And now we’re back to square one. I think she’s going to lose her new nail.

Oh the joys!