31 Days To Clean

So I keep seeing things about this book, and I NEED to read it!!! I am OBSESSED with having everything "just so", which is nigh unto impossible with 4 kids ages 6 years down to 20 months. Not to mention this bone contusion which I have on my shin from my escapade to find the new kittens on Easter Sunday. Ladders are NOT my friend! At least not when I climb one without unfolding it, or having someone hold it. Honestly, I know better, but I was just dying to see those kittens that I could hear on the shelf above. :{ 31 Days to Clean: Having a Martha House the Mary Way is not only something to help me in my life for the long term, but VERY much in the here and now!! Can't WAIT to read it! I will keep you posted on how it helps!

Thanks Grandma "Boots"!!!

New Slippers!!!!!

Great-Grandma Boyer made each of the kids a pair of slippers. THEY LOVE THEM!!!!! Never mind that it is July right now, they HAVE to wear their new slippers in the mornings! :~) They especially enjoy "ice skating" on the kitchen floor. A VERY dangerous sport that I am not exactly fond of, but allow them to do until things get out of control, which usually only takes about 5-10 minutes. That is okay because my nerves only last about that long. : }

Evrett is MOBILE!!!!

On July 10 (only 1 day after turning 10 months old) Evrett decided to join the ranks of the "on-the -go" in our house. He is at this point stuck in reverse when it comes to "scooting" on his belly. He can while sitting up spin in a circle, and lean forward, then sit up straight, and then repeat the whole process over and over until he is halfway across the room ( or able to reach WHATEVER it was that caught his attention in the first place!). It is soooooo funny to watch him! :~) He is very intense about the whole process, and doesn't stop until he gets STUCK. That is what most often happens when is goes backwards on his belly. I think that is why he prefers the "sit, lean, spin, reach" method best.

Evrett Joins the "Red Chair" Crew

Evrett LOVED his first time sitting in the little red chair! He cried when I finally got him down, but he was getting so excited and bouncing that he almost popped out several times. Elysia was MORE than happy to have Evrett sitting in her chair, but Ethan, on the other hand, was not so keen to have Eoin in his chair. The funny thing is that Eoin has been sitting in Ethan's chair for almost a year. I think the root of the annoyance was that Ethan wanted to sit next to Evrett. :~)
Ethan managed to dethrone Eoin for 1 picture, but Eoin promptly pushed him back off after that 1 shot. I love my kids!

Giving Evrett His Red Bull

The children always pick out a gift to get for the new baby. This time Ethan picked a Red Bull. Elysia & Eoin liked it too, so that is what they got for baby "Eagle". The plan was for the boys to wear their matching Eagle shirts to the hospital to meet Evrett & then all 3 of the kids would give the baby his bull. However, things don't always go according to plan, so they got dressed in their shirts and gave him the bull after we had been home a few days.

Evrett was "thrilled" with the red bull, as you can see! :~) He really does enjoy it now that he is older. According to Evrett "Red Bull" tastes really yummy! ;~)-

Here is Evrett wearing his OSU hat gift from the NICU. This picture cracked us up because it looked like he was saying, "Peace out, bro." Or, maybe, "Wazzz Up!" Also amusing, that the hat BARELY fits him!!

Here the kids are excited because we told them that we got them some surprises from the hospital while we were gone.

We bought them a Buckeye's Stadium puzzle from the gift shop, and brought them each a scrubber sponge from the NICU wash-up station. Ethan was informing us in this photo that Mimi had already brought home and given them each a scrubber from the hospital. We told him that was OKAY because you can NEVER be TOO CLEAN! (Wrong thing to tell Ethan! Over the course of the next few day we had to BAN him from using the scrubber because he was making a HUGE ordeal out of EVERY hand washing!)

We bought every a little pair of "kick-proof" booties at the gift shop. They really did work, too! At least for the few months he fit in them. :~)

This outfit was from Great-Grandpa & Great-Grandma Calhoun & Aunt Dawn. I LOVE it! It says "Mommy's Little All-Star" on it. It was also special because it was his ONLY newborn sized outfit. He only fit in it for about 1 month, but I enjoyed every wearing of it! :~)

"Is that food?!"

Welcome Home Evrett!

The children were SOOOOOO excited to FINALLY get to meet Evrett. 13 days was a long wait to be together as a family.

Ethan & Eoin wore their matching Eagle shirts to welcome home baby "Eagle" , which they called Evrett the whole time I was pregnant. Ethan came up with that nickname when we found out we were having another boy. Ethan said, "What are we going to call our new brother?" We told him that we didn't know yet, but that it would be an "E" name. He responded with, "I know a great name that starts with an "E"! Eagle!!! And it is a really cool bird, too!" :~) And the nickname stuck with Evrett until a few weeks after we brought him home from the hospital. Now days they mostly call him "Ev".

Mimi was excited to get to hold Evrett for the first time, at last! :~)

Grandpa was happy too, but his turn had to wait because Evrett pooped out of his outfit. :~) Grandpa didn't mind waiting a few more minutes, especially if it meant a CLEAN baby!