8 is GR8

Happy Birthday to our sweet Darren.  Everything is more fun when you are around.

Let's try this again

So let's try this again

So last years resolution to "document our lives" better didn't really work out. If you look at my previous post you will see I got as far as February.  As my boys say, "Can I have another chance?" So here are to second third fourth..... chances.  And the glorious phrases "starting over"  "do over" "another chance" and so forth.  Aahhhh where would I be with out those words. They define me.

Anyway, update on us.  2012, crazy. C-R-A-Z-Y.  You name it we did it (or tried not to do it) and it was all just a blur. A good blur and a good crazy so Im not complaining. Im just tired. Tired as in my body just shut down on Christmas eve to the point I stayed in bed for days and I still feel like Im still recovering. But anyway it has all been good but very very busy.

Lance - Has anyone seen Lance? Not sure how many jobs he has now and I don't even try to keep track of his schedule anymore but he seems to be able to do it all.  Work, church, husband, dad, vacations, volunteer community service. Can you believe he doesn't even drink coffee. Its all just pure Lance energy.

Me - I went from being at home all day every day to living in my car, at the school, at the grocery store and places far and near.

I can't even begin to tell you how many things I insanely got myself involved in last year. Learned my lesson on that one.  

 My boys

Individually, I love LOVE time with each of my boys. I try to have a date with each one as often as I can and love the time to really get to know each one at a deeper level. As a group though, hold on to your hat. What is that ride at the fair where you step inside and they spin you around really fast so you are stuck against the wall while they blare loud music so your ears are ringing then when you get off your nauseous and you have to sit down for a while until your head stops spinning. That is the best way I can describe my boys together as a unit. That ride.

 Joshy

Dont call him Josh or Joshua. He insists you call him Joshy. His choice.  Not sure where his toddler years went. He went straight from newborn to potty-talk little boy thanks to his brothers. He is very smart. By two he knew colors, numbers, letters and their sounds, and how to toot and burp on command. He has the mad evil scientist laugh and he loves to tease, play tricks and jump out and scare people. He is classic class clown material. He is super sweet too. He is always asking if people are happy and in any picture he sees he points out all the people that look happy. At night I have to sing good night to everything in his room including the door, his night light, and his pillow. And he is obsessed with Thomas the Train and can sing the theme song word for word.

Cordon

 Cordon my sweet little Cordon. The best way to describe him is a big bad Harley rider that cries at chick flicks.  He is a teddy bear until you make him mad. He loves to tell me all the things that he loves me more than. He still loves movies and he is my little snacker. He is always sneaking into the snack cupboard and stealing treats. I find wrappers hidden every where.  It is hard to tell what he is "into" because he just usually follows on the coat tails of Darren. Whatever Darren likes Cordon likes. They are like Harry Potter and Ron Weasley (sometimes more like Voldemort and Wormtail) and it is hard to think about one without thinking of the other. He still hates underwear and changes into his PJs the moment he gets home from school. He actually likes doing his homework and often has it done before we pull into the garage after I pick him up from school. He started piano lessons and loves to play the piano but is a bit of a perfectionist and gets mad if he "doesn't play it perfectly." He dreams of going to Paris someday and wants to meet up with his Aunt Mary at the Eiffel Tower while she is sill over in Europe. He loves to draw and his most valuable possession is his Artsy Fartsy set he got from Grammy and Grandpa for Christmas.

 Cameron

Cameron has had a big year. He has been in Speech therapy for almost a year now and has made tremendous improvements.  He is talking much more and is actually very animated in his speech. Right now his favorite toys are the pictures of Trains and super heroes that we draw and cut out.  He has a great imagination and can play with those for hours.  He still has a problem with sharing and insists that he always "had something first." He has a love hate relationship with Joshy mostly because he doesn't want to share. It could also be because (I hate to say it) Joshy is quickly surpassing Cam in speaking  and learning and Cam is starting to notice. But Cam is still a good big brother most of the time and Joshy does call Cam his best friend. Cam is starting to get into art and loves drawing people now. I love to look at his People heads with arms coming out where the ears should be and legs coming straight from the chin. 

Darren

Aka Smarty Smartington.  He is smart. Smart as in super absorbant sponge smart. But not smart. Not smart as in "What the .... were you thinking", not smart.  He struggles socially. He is friendly and outgoing but there is no filter between his brain and his mouth and he is very matter of fact so in short, he has a problem with tact. He has more energy than I think is normal so I think his body just sometimes just freaks out on him (usually around bedtime). He loves anything scientific and factual and fictional stories annoy him and is quick to point out that "Clearly, that is not possible." He loves it when I come to lunch with him and will still hug me in public.  He likes to help me cook and is actually good at it. He take piano and hates it even though he is very good at it and picks it up quickly. He is polar opposite when we have one on one time as opposed to being with his brothers. He is so super sweet and great to talk with alone. He is very much the boss of Cordon and sends him on errand to do what he wants.  However, Darren without Cordon is very melancholy and when we took just Darren to Chicago with us for a few days he hardly spoke the whole time and admitted he missed his brother.

So there it is. And update on everyone. Im gonna try to keep up on it this year so stay tuned. We have big plans for this year too and we want to remember it all!