Being 4 is FuN!

I've been wanting to update for weeks, but LIFE has been a 3 ring circus. This is mainly a post for/about Nolan.  He is a character!  On Sunday night he was stalling to get to bed, as usual, and I heard him come down the stairs, again.  He peaked over the railing and said "Mom, when I'm a grown up, I'm going to boss you."  I was howling!  Such a little stinker, and has just as much spice as the other 2.  He is loving school, it's been great for him. Next year he'll go 3 days instead of 2, and he will have the BEST Pre-K teacher on the planet...who also happens to be one of his "aunties" ;) He had a pajama day about a month ago, so he was able to go to school in his comfy cozies. Mrs. L brought in a pretend fire, they had breakfast goodies for snack, and then cocoa and popcorn with a fireside story. Too cute, and so much fun for the kids!

Working on letters with Mrs. L

Fireside Story time =)

Sweetness

Patiently waiting for their popcorn

Snack time!

A visit to the fire station never gets old for Nolan, especially if he gets to visit with his uncle Joey.  We took a trip out to see uncle Joe a few weeks ago.  He's now at a station just north of us so we take advantage of that when he's closer to town.  The kids had a blast touring the station, riding around in the different fire trucks, watching a few of the volunteer firemen go through some drills outside.  It was great, and always nice to spend time with my brother.  I think that most little boys are fascinated by firetrucks & firefighters.  Every time we leave Nolan tells us he wants to be a fireman like his uncle Jo Jo.  I love to hear about the hopes & dreams little people have, especially with my own children~so much curiosity along with pure, sweet, and innocent life!

Backing up~he makes it look so easy.  This is a huge truck.

Joe is so great with kids!

These are just random pictures. Like I said, this boy keeps me smiling often. He made a cozy little bed for himself the other morning while watching a show. Used my laundry basket. This is how I found him.

HOW did we get here so fast???

So Leo has hit the 6 month mark(sick I know, it's going too fast for this mama!)  When I took him in for his 6 month well baby a couple of weeks ago he was weighing 17 11.5 lbs, and was 27 1/2 inches long.  He nurses like a champ, and this time around, I didn't want to rush to solid foods.  Mainly because it makes him seem so big =(  But he needs to eat big boy foods now too.  He has been the least picky so far.  He eats whole grain cereal, pears, bananas, apple sauce, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes.
Leo is seriously one of the happiest, jovial little babies I've ever known.   He LOVES people, he smiles all of the time, is frisky, loves to give kisses, and squeeze and pinch ;)  He is sitting up a little, scooting around and trying to crawl(again, what is he doing to me, I wish he'd slow things down a little!)  The topper was this past Wednesday he got his first tooth!!  I couldn't believe it.  He was 6 months early in this area, Liv was over a year old before she got her first, and Nolan just shy of a year.  I was sure it would take him a year too, but nope, this kiddo is going to do everything faster, little stinker.  He still has the random sleeping patterns of a newborn though, especially at night.  I tend to walk around like a zombie, but what do you do?  It's life, and life with a baby.  All of my children tend to not sleep well during their first year, but become excellent sleepers after that, and good nappers too.  Took some pictures of Leo on his 6 month birthday.  Wanted to get the BiG kids with him, but poor Nolan wasn't into it(what kids are?)  He had just woken up from a nap and was being a little stinker.  These kiddos are my life, this chapter in their small years is very demanding, but I am really trying to soak it up,  because it is just flying by =(

So thankful for a healthy, happy, lovely little 6 month old baby boy, he melts my heart!

I couldn't say it any better~

"Your brother is your first male friend in life.  No one will ever understand your craziness like your brother...Even if you dont' get together, or talk as much as you'd like, he always remains your friend...While people come and go in your life, your brother will always be in your heart for a lifetime.  It's National Brothers Week,  so re-post if you have a brother that you love with all your heart."

I was lucky to have 4!  I was meant to have a family full of boys.  Every now and then I would wish for a sister, and ask my parents to have one more child...please, but 5 was enough, ha, imagine that ;)  Can't imagine life any other way growing up.  I had a blast with these boys, it was chaos at times, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Banana Crumb Deliciousness!

My friend Sheleis made & shared these muffins with me back in the Fall.  They were so yummy!  I get tired of banana bread, even when we try and jazz it up with chocolate chips.  I was staring at spotted bananas yesterday and they either needed to be tossed, or turned into something, so something it was.  This is by far my favorite banana muffin recipe.  Tried, and true(and easy I might add.)  Wanted to share it.  Enjoy!

Banana Crumb Muffins~

Ingredients
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
• TOPPING:
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon cold butter
Directions
In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Combine bananas, sugar, egg and butter; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Combine the first three topping ingredients; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over muffins. Bake at 375 degrees F for 18-20 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

We've been cooped up!

I took these pictures awhile back, and just came across them.  Man, I love these boys so much, I especially love the look on their faces while they look at each other.  Leo is so lucky to have such a sweet, loving big brother(and Sissy,) to walk through life with.  Leo looks for them all of the time, he is so happy when he sees Nolan or Liv walk into the room, when they hold him, play with him, read to him, you name it, he just LOVES them. 

On a side note, we've had a L-O-N-G week.  Poor Nolan had a cold that seemed to linger, and then get worse.  The long of the short, my mothers intuition told me to get him into the Pediatrician.  That I did, and as our pediatrician was looking into his right ear he said that Nolan had an ear infection in the right ear, then moved to the left and told me the same thing, and then, even worse, he said "he has walking pneumonia."  I couldn't believe it!  I felt so bad for him, he has never had either, been on antibiotics, nor been this sick =(.  Fast forward...the antibiotics kicked in by Friday, and I could tell Nolan was finally feeling better, no more ear pain, or coughing.  I have noticed a pattern with Nolan's colds, and they usually move to the chest quickly.  I could go on and on about what the Doctor and I discussed, mainly it is this~Kiddos with Allergies(Nolan has severe peanut, and tree nut,)  and/or are asthmatic(which is the next thing he will be tested for because we are pretty sure he has it =(, ) tend to have issues with their airway/breathing when they get sick.  As if the peanut/tree nut allergy isn't enough for me to worry about.  It could be worse, and other than these things, Nolan is a super healthy kiddo.  I am a worrier though, so this news wasn't something I wanted to hear.  Nonetheless, Nolan is almost back to 100% of his silly self, and is so ready to get back to school this week, to see his friends, and to play soccer!  As for me, I am so happy he's got a sparkle back in his eye, and a spring in his step.  I HATE when my kids are sick, it breaks my heart!!

Little Bud during his L-O-N-G week of sickness.

N-Y-E!

I think pretty much everything about our 2 week holiday break was low key.  So it was only fitting that we stayed home for New Year's Eve. 

Shane and I used to make homemade veggie pizzas and calazones on the weekends all the time when we were in college, and first married.  There is nothing like homemade crust, dough, anything homemade pastry is so good!  So we decided to start the tradition again with the kids.  We made homemade calzones on NYE and it was so much fun, and delish.  The kids had just about every topping to choose from and they both went with cheese...shocking, such a Hennessy thing.  I stuffed STUFFED mine with all of my favorite veggies, and Shane's=pepperoni, mushroom, olives, and veggies.  They didn't look the prettiest(I am still playing around with the dough recipe,)  but they tasted DIVINE.  They were a good size too.  Later we bowled, and danced using the wii, and then the kiddos hit the sack. 

Shane and I were talking about how much fun NYE will be when the kids are a wee bit older. To have family and friends over and play games, cards, to actually stay up past midnight and ring in the new year. We could have a giant sleepover, it would be a blast!  For now, we keep things simple, and quiet around here and I'm okay with that =) It's the chapter of life we are in, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.