Quick.

Yes yes the baby is sleeping and I am watching the clock and realizing I am down to roughly maybe 14 minutes.   So here I am trying really quickly to remember what it was I thought to blog about yesterday afternoon while driving home from Target.  Of course I can't remember so instead I will ramble on about nothing.
Target is my place to go...as it seems many like to go.  Our Super Target is nice and quiet-ish and clean and going without children makes it quieter and cleaner.  So yesterday I ran quick out the door about 27 seconds after Robert got home...quick quick before the baby is hungry and ready for bed.  I came home approximately 45 minutes later feeling refreshed and surprised that just a few minutes of alone time and a few minutes of music playing and open windows on a sunshiney day does that for me.  I am glad for that. While I love spending every waking {and sleeping} minute with my kiddo's...from time to time I know I must go and hit a reset button.  Because it's hard.  Being needed this way, it's wonderful and happy but it's hard too.  And this baby oh we are loving this boy so very much and his happy smiles after a frustrating 15 minute nap and his talky talking.
I came home last night to Zachary trying to teach himself "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" on my iPad piano app and also requesting that we drag out the keyboard so he can learn there too.  And he did!  Wow.  It's not hard but wow...he kept at it until he got it.  And friends he also wrote down the keys--like on his own wrote them down so he knew which to hit.  That boy amazes me everyday.  And also Jakeb and Robert were trying to tackle some soccer practice--specifically soccer ball to the head practice.  Jakeb isn't keen on having a ball hit him in the head, on purpose?  No thanks.  And quite frankly I can't blame him--it goes against every bone in his body to let that ball hit him in the head.  Personally I think it's a relatively unnecessary skill.  Sure it looks cool but also?  Me thinks hard ball+head=no goodo for the braino.  No to mention I know what the guy is thinking aside from it hurting it probably looks a little goofy so he's not really feeling it.  He however has already scored 3 goals this season and loves to play so I think he's good.  I also think it's amazing that he is enjoying playing, if you knew Jakeb 5 years ago you would know why I say this.  He's come a long way baby.
And so as not to leave out the blonde boy--did I mention he is reading?  As in reading everything in site and did I also mention that I learned with Jakeb not to push it and also that's what kindergarden is for?  If not then here is some advice--if your kiddo just isn't interested and you are fighting more than enjoying learning to read.  Don't push it.  Because we fought and cried and lost our patience and somehow Jakeb learned to read and by the way loves to read.  So when Gavin came around and it seemed we were heading down the same path of him nervous and apprehensive about reading out loud to us...I backed off and by george if he isn't reading and enjoying it.   And also the kiddo will amaze you with his perfect penmanship.  Like not kidding around when I say perfect--it's perfect.
Have a happy day!

Storyteller.

I have a sleeping baby strapped to my chest....yes he snoozes quite well right here.  Everywhere else not so much.  He will however crash asleep in seconds if you catch him at the right time--he will not however stay asleep for more than 30 minutes.

Zachary and Gavin stayed home from school today one with a croupy cough and one with an upset stomach.  One will go back tomorrow and the other not sure just yet.  They spent a portion of their day watching home videos from nearly a decade ago.  Crazy.   

Of course now Zman is watching Karate kid which is several decades ago.  Also crazy. 

I wonder when I will start to feel like a grown up...I suppose the kids and house and you know life would lead one to feel older but not so much.  I still sit with my legs curled up like a 8 year old and I still drink kool-aid (had some for lunch!) but I also read labels and wash my hands before they are sticky and gross.  I wash my own clothes and try to eat things that are relatively healthy.  (minus the Kool-aid!)  

Currently there are blankets and snack bowls laying on the living room floor and a TV blaring and the washing machine washing and the dishwasher washing.  There are dishes in the sink {they wouldn't fit} and a snoozing 4 and half month old on my chest.  Yet most of my day I have to remind myself that I in fact need to put my own shoes away and that the socks I took off are indeed my responsibility.  Which of course blows my mind....I suppose I haven't hit the halfway point of grown up life just and maybe that is the key?  More of my life on my own than living at home?  So at 36?  Is that the magic number...I hope I just continue to feel young at heart.   That I am still ok to curl my legs up and high five my husband.  Which um hello...so our van (I mean for real I drive a van, duh) was missing a hubcap--which how it came to miss said hubcap is a story on it's own--it's been missing for months and months and it was one of those things that I would only remember when I was around certain people--like you know as Robert pulls the van up to the hospital to bring our new baby home.  I was embarrassed because you know only bad parents are missing hubcaps the shame.  No really--you know it's a silly thing really but a bit embarrassing none the less but at the same time I just didn't want to shell out the dough for a new one and also didn't put the effort forth to find a new one.  Just something about lady with a tiny baby riffling thru a junk yard didn't appeal to me.  Anyway.  Robert and I both have joked about how we glance at hubcaps on the side of the road hoping we will spot one that matches ours...well FINALLY we did.  Totally busted a u-turn the other day and rescued a lonely abandoned hubcap on the side of the road...who now has a entire hubcap family to call it's own.  Which picking up a hubcap on the side of the road is much better than the hats my dad used to snag.  Really he did.  I remember "Oh that's a hat!" and him also doing a quick screeching halt to grab the hat.  So funny.  

And the baby is still sleeping.  And my back thinks that have a sleeping baby in a carrier whilst sitting this way and typing this way is a not wise idea so I must move on now...but btw I do indeed realize I tell stories a bit too detailed.  I however cannot get myself to stop and leave things out because I promise it's crucial to the story...really it is.  

Twelve on Tuesday.

1.  I have a very loud, very cute, very drooly, crazy haired baby in my lap.

2.  I have been on a cleaning/organizing/purging everything frenzy.

3.  I want to get my bedroom painted...been thinking 'bout colors.

4.  We also really need to paint the basement.  Specifically the walls going down--they are nasty.

5.  I say it every month but just for some consistency I am going to say it again.  How is the month over already?

6.  Nolan and I went for a walk one day last week.  I am so out.of.shape.  Yikes

7.  Though in my defense I have never actually BEEN in shape.  So there's that...

8.  Nolan has several outfits he barely got to wear because the weather changed so quickly.  Not that I am complaining.

9.  We planted some flowers this past week.  

10.  And um.  Gavin is reading...he has been but now he's reading with confidence and reading full books.  Awesome.

11.   I still can't believe Jakeb is 10.

12.   And now we are doing the countdown to Gavin turning 6.   Love it...Birthdays are my favorite.

Green.

Everything outside is very green very early this year.  It's not even April and we have trees full of leaves by the end of this week the winter-spring transformation will just about be done.  Things will be blooming and the trees will be very full and swishy swish in the breeze.  We had to close the windows for a few days last week because I needed a few days to actually evacuate my house of pollen.  Georgia seems to have a plethora of pollen.  In fact one day last week the count was over 9000.  I know you want to say nuhuh no way...but it's true.  I am not bothered by this...though this year I have noticed a few times of itchy eyes.  Poor Robert gets pretty miserable.  So it was fitting to shut the windows so he doesn't suffer more than he has to.  But the pollen has come down a bit so the windows have been opened again and we are enjoying the breeze and will very soon enjoy the much lower utility bill.
The boysies are on spring break next week.   No plans to do a thing...Robert has the week off and we are really looking forward to just hanging out.  Maybe knocking out a few tasks around the house and maybe teaching a soon to be 6 year old how to ride a bike sans training wheels.  And maybe we can knock out tying those shoes too but we won't push it.
Cardinals are all over our yard this year and I hope they are enjoying the seed we put out this past weekend.  Which now has the boys convinced they need a bird.   To which we gave a resounding NO to.  We don't do birds, however I am pretty sure our cats do so definitely a no go to the birdo request.
Zachary stated last week that we need to be good about saving money so we "can get our Russian" which is mighty cute if you ask me.  (and maybe a bit inappropriate ?) That boy loves babies and little ones.  And he is the most excited about having another sibling one day in the future.
We have been doing some spring cleaning over the past few weekends and that makes me feel so very productive.  Because it IS productive...I even wipes out window frames.  Holla.
Ok little guy is over the exersaucer and the big guys will be home in just a few...enjoy the day!

Ten.

10 is a special one.  A big one.  And a big zero.  An entire decade and a preteen.  And my oldest guy is ten.  Wowza.  He's a decade of awesome.  I don't think I could get a better kiddo.  I mean for real the boy is Ah-mazing.
The first born.  The one who made us "Mommy and Daddy".  The first to walk around with our entire heart and our everything and now he's ten.  And he's a big brother times 3 and a fantastic one at that.  Like I don't think he could be more amazing with Nolan.  He is so incredibly sweet with him and loves on him and wow.
So Jakeb--my boy with the brown eyes and the fabulous hair that makes us jealous.  He's 10 years of creativity and 10 years of serious and 10 years of silly.  He's a thinker and a worrier and cautious and careful.  He's thoughtful and considerate and caring and helpful.  At 10 he loves to read and build bionicles.  He loves the animals and has mastered swinging (a bit late but he never knew the awesome that is flying on a swing) and loves to do it.  He loves to run and run and run some more.  He says "I like how it feels to run".  So we tell him to run.  He different and special and knows it.  He doesn't like too fast and doesn't like too high.  He's often quiet and often loud and always observing.  He's spacey and we chuckle at that because so is the rest of his family.

 Jakeb is full of so many wonderful things and my hope for him at 10 is that he always sees that and always knows that.  His sweetness and generosity and tender heart is perfect for him and perfect for us.  We need him and as much as he needs us.  He keeps us all grounded and helps us remember and stop and enjoy.  I have always said Jakeb is wise beyond his years but at the same time a little boy--and that is still so very true.  My old soul of a boy.   Happy Birthday Jakeb!  We love you more than you can imagine!

 

A little hello.

Is a hi.  I have a book that was apparently my favorite when I was a tiny tike...and that is one of the lines. A Little Hello is a Hi.   And that's what this is...
Jakeb turned 10 yesterday,  again I would really like to get some pictures of him--and um of Zachary before I post about his monumental birthday.  A Full decade old...wowza.   So I am not going to talk about him turning 10 just yet or gush about his awesomeness right now either.  Instead I am saying hi because it's been 6 days since I have done that and Nolan is sleeping and instead of doing the 97 things I need to do in the 30 min he might sleep I am sitting here listening to birds and sipping my coffee thru a straw.   And warm coffee thru a straw is weird.  But the 3 stitches in my lip require me to drink my beverages with a straw.   Monday I got a little gem removed from my lip and now have 3 stitches.  Little gem=a "mucosa" of gross and be thankful I didn't link to it like I want.  Things like that don't gross me out but apparently most folks of the world are disturbed by fleshy things.  No really it isn't that bad but bad enough that it needed to be cut out cus it was all sorts of annoying.
And now Nolan is awake and my moments of solitude are gone and also just that--moments.  He's lucky he's so gosh darn cute and sweet and snuggly because the no long nap thing is junk.  As in I am all about some babies and some spending time with the kids but fo real a girl needs some alone time once in a blue moon--and again I will remind myself to stop whining because I am so very glad to have this no napping little cutie and also this won't last forever.  As in soon enough he's going to be 10 and not needing me to bring his birthday treat to class because um he can do it alone.  Thank you very much.  Not to mention the theme for the past 28 posts has been "Nolan doesn't Nap" so I will try to stop but really....he doesn't and this baffles me.  I will give him some shout outs though because he did sleep thru the night the other night.  So that's 2 points for him.  

Full.

So there are like lots of kids running around here today and it's gorgeous and I am so glad they are all here and playing and happy.  However...it can be a lot.  Like kids outside...baby is tired and I need to put him to sleep.  But they are in and out and "MOM" and "We're thirsty"--and an aside to say they have no idea how privileged they are, the fridge water thingy broke like just now broke and they are all "oh em gee how are we going to get water...what do we do!?" and I am like "uh hows about you turn on the sink over there and fill your little cup up...viola! Water." *headsmack* Back in the olden' days that's what we did boys--sink=water.  So anyway...think we need to assess the summer situation and get a game plan or I will go i.n.s.a.n.e. With the running and the doors slamming and the loud and the chaos every.single.day.  

Totally going to need some downtime and some ok "here are the rules" Hanging out at the pool all day just isn't going to work with a 7 month old.  Romping around all over town just isn't going to work with the checking acct so I need ideas and a plan of attack.   But I do LOVE doing stuff too like going here and there and exploring and just hanging out.   

And I totally can handle a little willy nilly chaos just not with a napping baby no siree not ok.  Especially napping babies that only nap for short stretches as it is....no can do buckeroo so we must find a solution to summer days. 

By the way lots of kids is 3+2=5 +a baby =6 little people.  2 neighbor kiddo's are over for a bit today so the extra is extra and that's ok I am glad they are here and can be but also a little busy.   Hahaha I type that as I sit here typing that---so truth be told it's a few minutes of calm which almost makes up for the crazy.  Nolan is snoozing and they are happily collecting something from the dirt/creek or something.  Except Jakeb who needed some alone time in his room and is by his choice hanging out alone listening to his music while building his bionicles.  I'm Jealous.  So the 4 little big kids are digging and playing and I can hear them thru the open windows and the breeze and the birds and the dishwasher and the swish swish of the swing where Nolan is sleeping.  And it's nice.  

Twelve on Tuesday

1.  Nolan is only 4 months old but it feels like he is much older--as in been here a long time older...but at the same time how is he already 4 months old?

2.  I am really looking forward to spring.

3.  We are working on decluttering the house---we have so much just STUFF it seems.  Of course then I go thru things and see it's really not as much as it seems.  At least not a lot that we don't use or need.

4.  The boys have a short school week this week--no school Thurs/Fri.

5.  Jakeb will forever be out of single digits in exactly 1 week.  Craziness.

6.  So it really just doesn't seem to matter what or how I get him to nap but Nolan just isn't a long napper yet.  I can get him to nap regularly and I can get him to sleep pretty easily but he just doesn't nap long.  30-45min and that's about it.  However instead of 3 naps a day he takes 4 usually.   The exception is if he's in one of the carriers, then he will sleep about an hour or hour and a half.

7.  Summer and spring clothes are out...those are my weakness.  Please give me strength to NOT buy.

8.  We are trying to save. save. SAVE.   Wish us luck.

9.  The ants are back.  Ugh.  I guess it's a spring/warmer/rain weather thing.   They begin to invade our kitchen.  Drives me crazy we find them scattered all over the counter.  Never a trail just random ants.  Ugh. and Ugh.

10.  Nolan's hair has hit his eyebrows....It's going to have to be cut by the time he's 6 months.  Again Ugh.  I don't want to cut it...but bows to keep it out of his eyes isn't really an option.

11.  I have been going thru kid clothes again this morning....I think I do this too often but I hate the unorganized-ness of them.  Too many different sizes floating around!  And now we have baby stuff to add to the mix...oy.

12.  The baby boy is getting mad at me I think it's good I am at number 12...he's in my lap looking at me and yelling.

Changing gears.

Hmm...so here's the deal.  Over the past 6 months or so we have been on and off discussing how we want to go about the adoption process we so very much want to complete.   We began this journey about a year and half ago and knew it would be tedious and long and emotional.  However we had no clue that along the way a little perfect surprise would pop up into our lives.  Amazing is all that he is and all that all of it is.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think he would be here at the time he was...perfect timing?  Not in the slightest.   But perfect he is.  So to get to my point....We have seen some changes going on in the Col*mbia program the wait times seem to be getting longer and longer and while we know that the changes in the long run are going to be GOOD ones we also know that us having now 4 biological children may change our current approval status.    After some back and forth and what not and finally having a conversation with several from our agency we have decided that for us and where we are right now it is best for us to switch from the Col*mbia program to another.  One that suits us better in both our time frame and as a larger family.  

Honestly I went back and forth about this for months before we finally decided to get some more information about switching and exactly where we may stand with Colomb*a now that we have 4 children.  I feel like changing is like quitting and I am not all about seeing something thru until the end but in the end I know this is what's right.  It feels right for both of us. 

So with that said here's the break down...we are switching from C*lombia to the R*ssia program...we are staying with our same agency and working out how things transfer because not everything does.  We were just finishing up our home study update so we will still be able to switch the update to the new country without accruing any extra costs--good timing!  We will have to completely redo our Dossier--the new country is much more in depth and has a lot more needed for it's dossier.   We will have to switch to the I600 as Rus*ia isn't a Hague country.  A lot of the documents I already have of course but will need to get new copies and new forms and new apostilles.   Basically all new but not.  

We are hoping to be sending things to be translated and what not closer to Nolan's birthday and the wait from there is 9-12 months give or take 3-4 months on that of course or even more or even less.   It's a big ole wait and see from there...but we want enough space and we want more time for Nolan to get older but not too much as we like the kids closer in age but not the same age.   We would also prefer Nolan to stay the baby (THE baby...not a baby) so working out the timing may be tricky-ish.   Either way we will be working towards finishing up a new dossier for a new country and are just changing gears!  We are both very excited about this change and anxious to get moving on it--but at the same time not too soon either!   

So fingers crossed and good vibes and good prayers and good thoughts and all that are much appreciated!

For now we are soaking up this sweet little chunka-cutness and enjoying every bit of him that we can because we know how fast they grow and change.  

Four Months.

The littlest of the littles turned 4 months old yesterday {Thursday}.   Today {Friday} in celebration he got to get one shot and get all checked out and he is looking mighty fine.  Weighing in at 15lbs and 25 3/8 inches long putting him somewhere in between 50-75% ie just a bit about average.
In the past month he has all but mastered rolling over from his front to his back and also from his back to his front.  He has learned to t-totally freak out if anyone other than his people talk to him.   His favorite toy is his hand and is often found with it shoved completely in his mouth.   Just this past week he seems to have found his feet.   He is digging toys he can chew on or just hold.
For some unknown reason he has decided that he loathes the car and if he isn't sleeping he is usually not happy.  However we have discovered that either video's of ME talking to him or Baby Einstein videos calm him down.  Which goes completely against what I would like--as in who wants their infant watching TV?  But it's that or he screams--so he can watch some TV and we will all be much happier.
At 4 months he loves to chat it up with his toys and familiar faces.  He seems to like snuggling with a blanket or something soft.  I also noticed just today that classical music or just instrumental music in the car seems to help.  He can actually sit for a few seconds and I suspect will be sitting well on his own by the end of this month.  All of his big brothers were earlier sitters and it seems he will follow suit.
Sleeping is as we know not his strong suit.  Sleeping thru the night is no were in sight at this point and I am still ok with that--though longer stretches would be nice.  He is good about going to sleep at night however and is usually out for the night by 8 often 7:30.  This is because napping is a joke--and he cat naps his way thru the day and is exhausted by nightfall.
We are all quite enamored with him of course.  He is starting to enjoy his exersaucer and bouncy dealio for longer stretches but still prefers to be held over anything else.  He is currently sitting next to me in his exersaucer getting upset that I am not picking him up!  His favorite spot is in my arms or in one of the many carriers I often use for him, strolling thru the house.  His eyes are ever so bright and his smiles light up a room or cure a grumpy face.

We think his eyes are turning brown but they could go green we just aren't sure!  And oh my has his hair grown!  I don't think we will make it to 12 months without at least a trim...but we will see!
This month has been a bit harder--he has gotten more demanding and while still a very happy baby he has become very sensitive to his surroundings.  I say this as just now I sneezed and sent him over the edge with fear--poor guy!  Loud sudden sounds and new faces scare him.  But he calms easy and smiles are plentiful!   End of first attempt at posts...Begin new ending...2 days later.  He is now snuggled in the Ergo and sleeping soundly.   Now rocking his 3rd cold and either a low grade temp from the cold or a slight reaction to the Pentacel shot he received on Friday.  :(  I didn't delay shots with his brother but am opting to do so this go round so he gets one shot at a time.  He even has a doctor that said "He's not going to get Hepatitis B we can wait on this one until he's older..." How awesome is that?   Pentacel however is 5 vaccines in one so yeah waiting is good.
He loves to be held and snuggled and is very content to be doing one of those things.   I am trying to slow down and enjoy him and and enjoy the snuggles and let the dust and dirty house be while I enjoy this baby, every ounce of him.  Some days that's hard--enjoying him isn't hard--relaxing about all that "needs" to be done is hard.
He still loves the Baby Einstein mat and is loving toys more and more.  Seems to be liking to snuggle blankets and soft things.  His big brothers can't NOT kiss him and love him hence him rocking cold number 3.  We are  constantly telling them to "get out of his face."  He is a love and a delight and squishably awesome at 4 months.  25% of a full year and 100% fantastic.

This is my favorite new face he is making.

1 Month.
2 Months.
3 Months.

The post in which I whine.

I love being around my kids I promise I do...I really do.  But right now this very second I would like them to go to school and give me back my quiet non arguing non sassy mouth house.
But they are sick but not sick enough to not be obnoxious.  Not that I want them to be that sick but while they are sick enough-ish to stay home they are not so sick that they are laying on the couch not moving.  I keep having to remind them they are sick and home from school so GO.LAY.DOWN.  Don't argue with me just do it.  No you can't play with your toys or the wii or fine ok FINE play the stupid wii.  Except we don't say stupid but we do and try not to.   And so they are playing the Wii and arguing about it and I am sitting here whining because I want them to feel better and go back to school.  Which makes me feel sorta guilty.   But seriously they used to be sweet and snuggly and nice'ish and then they turned like 7 or 13 or something and all hell broke loose.   And apparently we dropped the ball on teaching respecting and for the love of god DO.NOT.ARGUE.WITH.ME
Recently I watched a friends 2 kids when they arrived to pick them back up...they were watching the last 15 minutes of a movie.  Kids Dad said Ok time to go...kids got up and left.  I stood there dumbfounded.  They didn't argue or whine or plead to watch the last of the movie.  They just got up and walked to their car.  What the What?  We so have some catching up to do.

Wordless Wednesday.

A "few" pics from Nolan's 3 month home "photo shoot" earlier in the month

Twelve on Tuesday.

1.  The view out my window to my right is turning out rather pleasant we have put mulch and pinestraw down and also a new little walkway Robert made.  Plus past all of that is the bright green of the baby grass growing in...soon the Azaleas will be blooming and we will have lots of pink too.

2.  Nolan is currently snoozing in his crib...I am determined to get the kiddo napping for more than 30 minutes at a time.  As my lack of sleep has caught up with me it seems his may be too...while he's not super fussy he has gotten more fussy recently.

3.  I was reading in the big boys' baby books last night doing the compare and contrast thing and A)Nolan takes the cake for worst sleeper thus far and B) I am so glad I have written in their books like I have because what a great reference they are and also it's amazing the things I forgot.  Like um hello I took Zachary to the ER at 5 months--say What!?  How do you forget that...totally forgot.  But so did Robert so it's all good.  Enter baby book for memory, Yay.

4.  And a shout out to my mom for being so very diligent in writing in mine and having it out so I could read it so often as I did therefore instilling a since of importance in A)recording memories and B)writing in general.  Enter blog...thank you very much.

5.  It's all very sunshiney here today and apparently Nolan heard me commenting on how his brothers were sleeping much better at night by this age and felt the need to step up his game and totally slept from 8:30-4 last night.  Again thank you very much...because not only is it sunshiney outside it is inside too.  Sleep is a wonderful thing.

6.  Plus I think he's realizing we are fast approaching the 4 month mark and he must start sleeping better so when I do go to record it I will be all like he sleep's GREAT!  Sorry brother I am onto you and also onto your brothers because while I WROTE that they slept great and all night I also remember that not being the case always so maybe they too knew to behave right before I went to write in their books.   The truth comes out.

7.  And he wakes.  He did snooze for roughly 45 min so progress?

8.  I should have titled this Twelve ways in which I talk about Nolan's sleep.

9.  My desk is very clean right now.  I dusted it and shoved everything into the drawers.  I was once a very organized person....and then I had kids.  Multiple kids as in 2x2=4...like they are totally multipliable now...what?  Makes sense I promise.

10.  And also Jakeb is home sick today...code for Jakeb is in his room playing with Bionicles and will likely do that all day.  Code for Jakeb gets a little "obsessed" with certain toys...right now it's Bionicles.  Jakeb who will be 10 in exactly 2 weeks.  Holy.Crap.We.Have.A.10.YEAR.OLD.What.the.What.

11.  The chatter is turning to fussing coming from the crib.

12.  I have done all I need to do for our update for our Adoption paperwork.  A big ole' Check on that.  Both figuratively and not.  Because really I wrote checks that I didn't know I had to write and that's really not cool.

Quiet

First off, it's Monday and I don't have much to say really.  I just thought I would pop a little Hello out there and that's that.  Plus Nolan is "napping" which really means I do a mad dash to do something....haha He is fussing already--Cat Napper Extraordinaire. .  Perfect timing my boy, Perfect.  Gavin is on the iPad, Zachary is on the Kindle, and Jakeb is in his room as he came home sick early with a stomach ache.  It's sunny and windy and a wee bit chilly and they 2 middle boysies are off to soccer practice in a little bit,  I will sit this one out with the biggest of the big ones and the smallest of the small ones.  That's about it...I now will do the mad dash to get the 2 middle of the middle ones ready to go do their thang.