so it's been a while

YES we are alive!! Ok, so life has been pretty crazy and hectic and honestly I wasn't even sure if anyone would notice my drop-off from the blogosphere... but I thank you my dear friends and readers who have sent me emails, messages, or just called and said "write more about your beautiful and crazy tribe" And honestly, I really appreciated it because your encouragement or prayers sparked my desire to share our family's life again. So thank you! I wasn't really sure where to go with it... until today.

Why? Well at this moment, I have three sleeping boys and an almost sleeping daughter, so I clicked some links and found this INCREDIBLE short video about adoption. As many of you might know, or maybe you don't know, SuperHubby and I are truly open to God's love through having a large family. And while we are constantly growing with our tribe, lots of news to follow, we also look at how God can multiply our love through other outlets like family volunteering, quality time with each child, and hey even the possibility of adoption :)


So without any further anticipation, I encourage you to watch this short video and then spread it to the world!!! Facebook it, tweet it, email your family and friends, everything you can to share this awesome family's video.

Since i don't know how to use this new blog set up stuff... go here I promise it's not some weird site. it's so incredible.. and once SuperHubby comes home, maybe I can get him to fix this :)

Happy Advent!!

3 months too big

Hi world! I am 3 months old! I like tummy time, eating lots of yummy goodness, and sticking my tongue out with my brothers and sister.

Growing too fast

My little guy is already 2 1/2 months old! I can't believe it! Favorites include: Sleeping 8 hours straight at night! Making silly faces with his tongue with his big brothers and sisters; during tummy time, little Bear can already roll onto his back and then he coos with joy! He getting getting rather strong with his little legs, since when he is on the floor, he can push off with his feet and move upward. Adorable, charming, and ever so sweet; our little Bear is perfect in all ways!

The day the princess cut her hair...

Bumblebee had wanted to cut her hair for a while now... So we finally said yes since it was getting pretty unmanageable. I think it was harder for us as parents to say goodbye to the hair she had since birth... We might have even shed some tears as they snipped her strands.

12 inches were donated to locks of love and our princess was so pleased when we told her she was making someone happy who was sick. She said she was just like Rapunzel with her magic hair..  Oh Disney Tangled movie!

Oh yes and they put glitter in her hair afterwards... The joy of glitter is that it stays with you for weeks! B loved it though...

The youngesters

Monkey loves his little bro so much! He even wants to help feed his little brother! Life is too cute!

7.5 weeks

He is getting so big so fast!!

The sand box

So i do not like community sandboxes, aka the community litter box. However, i did create a sandbox for the kids with a sweet plastic bin that has those great secure side tabs so it cant slide off! The kiddos love it as well!

Sleeping baby

One of my favorite moments of the day...

An essential part of our day....

Without naps, the kids grow into maniacs, the baby wouldn't get as much one on one time, and Bumblebee would become aggitated..... God bless nap times!

Mothers day present making

We have been busy with crafts this week! All three "big kids" were finger painting up a storm! But let me tell ya, their presents for their grandmas, great-grandmas, and godmothers are adorable! So was the mess worth it?

As the natives here would say, "You betcha!"

Happy Mothers Day Great-Gramdma Ellie, Babu, Grandmas Patti and Karen! You present are drying but will be to you very soon!

6 weeks!!

I can't believe it has been 6 weeks since were at the hospital having our little Bear. He has been our most content newborn yet. He still continues to sleep 7 hrs straight. He is a wonderful eater and he rarely ever cries... Well for Mommy anyway. He has thecutest gas bubble face and a ton of other interesting facial expressions as well. All his siblings are quite protective of him and love to help him with his nukey. Life is adorable here at our growing home!

A beautiful day

Enjoying our kids on the deck...

Why does B have her winter coat on? She got to pick her jacket today....

Growin' up

This week's updates include:

 

-My lil' Monkey, 18 mos, has learned how to climb into and out of his brother's crib; then he showed said brother the new escape route... No more nap times in our house.

- At our appointment last week, Bumblebee and T-Man weighed almost the same (3 oz difference) and only 2 inches difference (T is the shorter)! I guess I can believe it a little, lots of people mistake them for twins :)

 

- Monkey weighs only 6 lbs less than his brothers and only a couple of inches differences of his older siblings

 

-Our little Bear is still absolutely adorable! He's weighing in at 9 lbs 7 oz, a good weight; and he's growing fast at 22 inches already!!

 

Life goes by so quickly...and kids grow too fast!

My one month old!

He is the most expressive newborn we have had yet.
Make time stop! He is already a month old, and it is getting to that time where his newborn adorable outfits are getting snug. Thus far, we have been super blest with this little guy. He sleeps six hours straight, has not mixed his nights and days...yet. He only cries when hungry or dirty. Sadly, he has had thrush, but thankfully medicine has helped tremendously! Blaisey  Bear is loved by all his siblings and he is very protected by each of them. In fact, we can see their relationships already blooming in their own ways. Between Bumblebee's sweet nature of holding Bear's  paci to his mouth, or Tman's constant watch over Bear in his swing, and then Monkey's overjoyed willingness to share all toys with his first little brother, we are so excited to see their love for Bear.

Outside our door

So MN is known for three seasons, fall, winter, and construction/summer. Well, it seems to be the start of construction season since our city currently tore up our streets to redo the sewer lines.

      We are thrilled this is taking place so it can help the lake we live.close to. We are not thrilled that we dont have access to our driveway, or we have to hike to our car a block away, or that we get the joys of being woken by trucks at 6:50 a.m.each morning and the kids can't nap because of noise, and that the workers streadily work til 8:30 p.m. Geez, let us pray our construction season ends quickly!

I want to ride my....

Bicycle!!!!!!

Thats right folks, after four months of potty training, this little princess is completely dry. And after a month's worth of B talking about Dora the explorer riding a bike and how she wanted one, we caved and bought her one from a community garage sale yesterday. B had a super fun afternoon, picking her first helmet and then coming home to practice on our porch; she is a natural,on her bike so beware world because this little lady has wheels!

A sleepy Blaisey Bear

This is my favorite view all day long. And since he only sleeps when in our arms or is bjorned to us, it is perfectly fine by me!
  At two weeks old, he is the perfect little guy. He eats 20 minutes, every three hours, burps twice, then nods back to sleep. The only crying he sounds is for food or diaper changing. Like I said, he is perfect!!

Happy Easter

Blessed Easter!!

From our small, but growing family to yours!

One weeker

He is one week-old today!! Make time stop please...

Best shirt for a sassy pants

My hubby and daughter ran into Walgreens today to grab a few items. Bumblebee must have struck gold as she came back to the car with a bag in her grasp. As the car door opened, she immediately held her prize proudly for mommy's approval. Approval was immediate. Gotta love shopping with Daddy.

The Awesome porch gate

No more worrying about my kiddos escaping into the yard! Great-grandpa Ed designed it amd he with Superhubby's help built it for the kids and I! Perfect for this beautiful spring weather!

The Blaise Adventure

   We are thrilled to announce the birth of our son, Blaise Edward Allex! Last Friday, March 30. At 6:30 a.m., Super Hubby and I went to the hospital so I could be induced. Our kiddos were very excited to spend quality time with Great-grandma Ellie and Great-grandpa Ed, and we are so thankful for them coming to help us during this time.
    When we arrived, the nurses were able to poke the nasty I.V. in me without causing a panic attack for me. My doctor came to do a cervical check (3 cm) and hey! My water broke instantly! So we thought we would go an hour without pitocin to see if my natural contractions would progress...yea right, have I mentioned my womb takes my newborns hostage??
     Anyways, after an hour of walking the halls and lots of lunges, we got the pitocin started.  Walking, talking and spending quality time with Super Hubby and being visited by a priest for confession (you know to be spiritually solid for the delivery) was the rest of the morning.
      At noon I was checked again, 3.5 cm. Are you kidding me?!? More walking, tub time, and even an African tribal squat I picked up online.  The contractions were getting "stronger", and set in every three minutes, but nothing too horrible. My nurses were always suprised to come check on me with a smile on my face.
   At 3:30, my amazing mother-in-law/birthing coach/prayer warrior arrived, which clicked to my body it was a good time to get going...or so I thought. The nurses came and prepped the medical table, you never know when he could come they said..
      Then my fantastic doctor arrived at 4:30 to do a check and go hang in the dr. lounge. To my astonishment, I was only 4.5 cm at 4:30!! My dr said that his head was not in the right position, he was posterior hanging out and sucking his thumb. Gah!! Ok so another long walk we go, this time my hips puttin on a ton of pressure, but with Super Hubby pushing them together as contractions came it was still manageable. Got back to the room to sit n roll on the cool birthing ball and after twp contractions my body was yearning for the tub. So off to sit in the tub for what I thought would be an all-nighter.
    Through the contractions, Super Hubby would find some way to distract me, until at 5:45 p.m. when I thought, "My Lord, I am,not going to be able to take any more of this back labor pain!" So I asked for the nurse to check me; maybe there would be some progress like a 6.... And I felt like I needed to push, but there way no way I was there yet, at least I thought anyway.
   Well the nurse came in, drained the water (NO!!!!!!!!), checked me and BOOM! 9.5 cm! While I was bearing down a contraction,  nurse #1 asks if I can move to the bed... Umm, does she see what is happening here?? Meanwhile nurse #2 is a deer in the headlights and frozen so Super Hubby tells her go and get the dr...Super Hubby uses his Hulk-like powers and scoops me outta the tub and onto the bed... 6:00 p.m.
"he's crowning!!!" The nurse cries.    
    No time to strip the bed or grab the stirrups, nope not this baby. Nurse #2 pushes the emergency button, my dr races into the room. Contraction, push....... His head is out! One more push they tell me... But I can't, there's nothing for me to barr down on. And his arm is stuck... Dr manuevers quickly, and a push and there pops out our Blaise at 6:05 p.m. He was a perfect 8 pounds 3 oz, and 20 inches long. Adorable!!

Prepping for our New Arrival

It's been a crazy few months in our household... we've had a retreat, lock-in or pilgrimage for our parish's youth every month since June 2011. That's a long time. Thankfully March is nice and settling with only a few weekly meetings, which has given me quite some time to prepare for our newest arrival who is due April 8th (or hopefully sooner!)

I think the most excited toddler in our house is Bumblebee. She is ready and rearing to go for this little buddy to come and be held, or cuddled with, or fed, or burped, or diaper changed, or rocked, or sung to, or well anything.... this little "Mommy's helper" has reminded me every day about all the talents and gifts she possesses and yearns to share with her new little brother. Each morning, I am woken up to a little girl staring right at my belly, singing her good morning song to her brother.

Meanwhile T-man loves the game where he puts his hand firmly on my stomach and feels Baby move or kick T's hand back. When it happens, our home is filled with giggles from all the siblings, but most especially T-man's boisterous laugh. Although, I will say I think M is very excited to have his own "best friend" soon. Since B and T have 11 months between their age, Bumblebee has always stated that T is her "best friend" and M is their "friend", unfortunately I sometimes find M pushed out of a game since he is the "baby" to his older sister's eyes. M is super excited to have a friend, and to be moving into the big kid's room in the next couple of nights. I think Super hubby is anxious to see if any of our 3 kiddos will sleep when in close proximity of one another. I'll keep you updated! Until then, I've got to get some shut eye... hopefully this pregnancy insomnia will go away soon, to be joyous replaced with newborn insomnia :)

God bless!

It's been a long time! Gee, well I figure I have some updating to do on this blog.... first would be the Christmas 2011 craziness! So here are some cute pics of the kids with neat-o commentary...

First thing to think about was a Christmas tree! Since owning a home, our goal has been to have a lovely real tree for the season, starting in early December, however since we celebrate and reflect on the season of Advent our little family doesn't deck the halls until the week of Christmas so we can stay focused on the season at hand.

This year, our children were super excited about picking their tree! So we went off to adventure in the cold to our local Knights of Columbus tree depot, and our little T-man found the perfect tree! He was super excited when he found "the tree" and both he and B danced up a storm to find the 7 and a half foot tall tree (thankfully our home has vaulted ceilings so it wasn't too bad). Superhubby set up the tree and for a few weeks our kids just loved to admire it. This year the whole concept of Christmas really seemed to sink in for B; she was excited to find presents for her brothers and her favorite part was helping Mommy wrap them up and put them under the tree. Thankfully, my little curious boys did not try to open any of the gifts early this year! Christmas was fun, we celebrated at our home then drove to Fargo to see the family and celebrate together! Enjoy the pics below!

Our little decorator! She loved hanging ornaments!
Bumblebee with her stash of presents! She even received her first dollhouse!
T-man super jazzed about getting a boat with a shark! (He loves sharks!)
T-man trying to help his brother open presents!

T-man sad to take down decorations after Christmas