To Play or Not to Play

I figure it takes me on average about 15 minutes per little one to get them ready to go outside and play. Now, this is when we are playing in the pool. If you factor in the time it takes to put on a swim diaper and then trunks, and let's not forget the sunblock. Sunblock takes so long because I have very pasty children. They are so light skinned that they instantly burn when they are let loose in the sun. So sun safety in very important. Then, getting them downstairs with everything we may need while we are out is another task. I still pack a diaper bag just to go out in the back yard! This is so I don't have to leave them unattended or keep having their sisters run back and forth. Now, we can sit and enjoy a little sun and watch the kiddos act crazy in the water! Not so fast! They are more interested in the huge umbrella and everything else that is going on. Instead of cooling off in the pool, they would rather climb on whatever they can find and throw all the things out of the bag I brought with me. I am just beginning to wonder why they clamour to get out the door just to bang on it to get back in?? There are a few moments of playing in the pool, but they are usually followed with the boys wanting sit in my lap and watch their sisters play. This always leaves mom with really wet pants. Perhaps they are just being thoughtful...thinking that I was hot and needed to be cooled down!

Over and Over

Today I am wondering why children do the same things they have been asked not to do again and again. Let's use Addy as our example. She has gotten into a very bad habit of using her body as a canvas rather than...um PAPER!! I give her quite an assortment as well. Anything from magazines, spiral notebooks, construction paper, old mail! Still I can find her with ink all over her body. Yes, I have banned her from markers and pens! She will inevitably come up with another one. For about the last two weeks I can clearly see everywhere Addysen has been in our house. That happens to be because her path is either blue, purple or green!! Two days ago she marked an entire wall in the hallway with a pen. Thank goodness for paint that wipes easily. That is not the point though. She is old enough to know better. I asked her, "what do we color on?", and she answered, "paper."! So, I know she knows! Also, when I saw her come upstairs and she was looking more like a smurf than she used to, I asked, "what is that on your tummy, and your legs?", and she actually asked me, "where??". I was baffled. What do you mean where?!? So, for a while now she has had some sort of markings on her that she was clearly not born with! I am not sure where she keeps her stash of markers and pens. All I can do is hide what markers I can find, and hope that she can't find them!

Who's Kids Are Those?

Oh, yeah, they are mine!! We went to a birthday party yesterday at a really wonderful park right near 9 news. It was an awesome day to be out as far as the weather was concerned. Saturday was sort of a waste. We had a good lightning and thunderstorm so we were not able to go out and play. When my kiddos are used to going outside each day, skipping a day is hard on them. We still had overcast skies, but that made it cool enough to not be a bother. All five of our kids ran around and played for hours, which made for a really easy bedtime. I found some great spots for pictures, and I think my little ones are actually starting to like having their pictures taken. We are going to go soon and play at the Platte River. They have made areas with grass and tiered sidewalks for families to come and play safely. Even just walking along the river is nice. We probably won't be venturing too near the water anyway. Picnicking in downtown Denver is fun. There are so many buildings and shops to see, that we can keep everyone entertained for a while. Apryl always loves the historic parts of Denver while Lexy looks for the vendors selling ice cream! Matt and I both enjoy seeing Denver through new perspectives. The Denver Library is also very neat. They have an awesome area just for little people, and it is cooler inside than out some days. Another good thing is that Denver is only 15-20 min away. Not being in the car for a long period of time is a good thing.

Happiness

It makes me feel great to see how close the kiddos are with their Dad! Apryl and Daddy talk all the time about school and sports. I find Apryl trying to memorize sports stats in order to impress her Dad. She is awesome at retaining information just like he is. Alexys connects with her Dad on a different level. She brings out his silly side. She has him pretend to be many crazy people such as her son or even her husband "Jim". He seems to understand her need to be loud. He can sit with Addy and read a book and tuck her into bed. She hears the garage door and immediately runs to find Daddy! Addy looks to him to kiss her "owies" and help her boo-boo's. Then we have our sons. Whenever they are playing with a phone, they are always having a conversation with Matt. They never say, "hi mom". They will put the phone to their ears and say, "Dad?". They both jump onto the couch each morning to wave goodbye to him. They are usually waiting at the gate in the living room when they realize Daddy is home again. All five kids like to wrestle with Dad and run around in the yard or at the park with him. They enjoy being the center of his attention. Maybe when they are famous and on t.v. we will see one of them mouth "hi Dad!!". We all know he would deserve it!

Eating With Brenden

My guys both really enjoy eating. They especially like Pb&J's, goldfish crackers and fruit. What I have yet to understand is why they feel the need to shove in as much of whatever it is they are eating. They will do this with anything! Today I was feeding them apples I had purposely sliced extra thin. I would give them a piece and watch to make sure they were alright. Then I started wondering how is it possible for them to eat these so quickly?? It was because they put as many in their mouths as possible before I notice, and I unknowingly give them another. Then, sure enough, they choke due to the fact that they are trying to take bites big enough for a rhino! I can tell them about self control, but that basically falls on deaf ears seeing as how they are only 18 months old. One would think that my boys have not been fed in weeks with the way they shovel the food in. If this is a sign of things to come, I think Matt may need to take on a second job just to keep up with our food bill! As it is now, we are already looking into the city ordinances about housing farm animals in the backyard! That way we wouldn't be running to the grocery store every other day to buy milk!

Where the Wild Thing Are

Trust me, a few of the wild things are at my house! Lions, and tigers and bears, oh my!! Eight months after Halloween, and now they like their costumes?!? Well, better late than never. They are starting to really like dressing up. I dug out a few of the girls' old animal costumes like a dog and Blues Clues, and they will wear those all day! I don't have a lot of "boy" dress-up things, so, I guess I had better start looking. Fireman, policeman, superheros and dinosaurs have yet to find their way into our dress-up repertoire. Until now. They also enjoy shoes that are ten sizes to large. I can hear them clunking and shuffling up and down the hallway. I remember dressing my little brother up like a girl in dresses and high heels. Probably even some make-up. They have not had to endure that torture so far. I love how everything is so fresh with kids. Wearing a fuzzy lion head makes them happy. Most adults would scoff at the idea of making a fool out of themselves. I can safely say that I make a fool out of myself at least once a day. It has now become a habit just to annoy my ten year old who thinks she is too cool for the rest of her family. Silliness helps to keep the mood light. It helps to keep smiles on the cutest little faces.

Getting Out!

Tonight I am going to be out and about without the little people! Their Aunt Debbie is coming over to hang out with them while the girls and I go to Matt's ball game! Me getting out of the house sans children is few and far between. So, even though I am going to another ball game doesn't really matter to me. I will even be able to watch it. I wish I could say I would miss the little ones, but I won't! Well, maybe a little. The picture is the boys watching Apryl's softball game. Oh, right, they weren't actually watching anything that had to do with Apryl! We were at this game during a tornado warning that included golf ball sized hail and an incredible amount of rain dumped in about 20 minutes! We went to the game after all that, but the weather was generous enough to leave massive puddles everywhere for my guys to play in! I was wondering to begin with why Jeffco hadn't canceled the game?!? When we arrived at the field the tornado sirens had just stopped! So, like all the other crazy people, we hopped out of the car, unloaded the kiddos and played in the water! This is the second spring-summer in a row that we have been under a tornado warning. Sirens and all! I have been here all my life and can't remember another time when I even heard the sirens. We always would say, "Arvada is not a tornado area." I guess that is changing! The tornado we have on tape from last year was practically in the back yard it was so close!

We're Back!!

We all had a wonderful time in the mountains! As you can see from the before and after pictures, the boys exhausted themselves. When all you have to do with your day is play and play, it is easy to see why they were so tired. They got some sun, some dirt and a lot of fresh air! It was totally amazing how different this year was from last year, as far as the boys were concerned. They liked being outdoors all day long. It was so great to be able to put them down to WALK in the dirt rather than having to crawl through it. Also, they entertained one another for a good portion of the weekend. They slept better than they do at home! I could hardly believe it when Matt and I woke up before the boys. I said to Matt, "are they okay?", "are they breathing??". He humored me and checked, and they were fine. Brenden spent a majority of his mornings chasing the chipmunks away. Addy also liked doing that. She thought she was actually going to catch one! Garhett made good friends with every empty beer bottle he could find! After a while, Brenden was finding them fun as well. I was trying to get pictures of them all weekend, but soon it was hard to get the boys without a beer bottle! Brenden did come home with a few fresh bruises. He was hit in the head twice with a handle to a heavy duty wagon! Addy also fell down some cement stairs and managed to rustle up a bruise herself! Garhett's head looks like a connect the dots puzzle due to the mosquito bites. We were doing really well on the bug front until we went for a drive without the bug spray in tow! We were all being eaten alive!! Apryl and Lexy got along so nicely. I think that was partly due to the fact that they knew they were going to get ice cream on the way home! I will take it when I can. All in all, I want to say thank you to the awesome Colorado weather, and the amazing Rocky Mountains for providing a family of seven with four incredible days!! We will back very soon!

Heads Up!!

There are a few reasons why my boys have bruises and bumps all the time. None of which are from their parents or sisters. I can not say that they have never inflicted any wounds on each other. As of this morning Brenden has three new bruises along with a small cut to his head. I am trying to pack for the seven of us to go out of town for four days. That is not the easiest of tasks, hence the reason I start a week in advance. Now Friday is already tomorrow, and I am a little behind!! I always wonder how much of my time is wasted by having to stop to take things away from little people, or stopping to refold clothes they have so thoughtfully unpacked for me. I have to pause when someone is being mean to someone else, I think you get my point! They are NOT good helpers--yet! This morning also included completely stopping any packing due to the fact that B-man fell backward off my bed. Yes, I was in the there with him. I was watching him as he climbed onto the bed and jumped around for a few minutes disrupting any sense of organization I had. I watched him and his brother try on the hats I had in the suitcase just to throw them on the floor! I watched Garhett run off with his sisters shoes! That is when Brenden slipped off the bed and hit his head on my nightstand! He didn't walk away very easily from that one. His head was bleeding a little, and I could see two other bruises already forming. Now, trying to put an ice pack or a washcloth on an 18 month old little boys head is practically impossible. So, after he felt he was done needing his mommy (which wasn't long), off he ran. He is now downstairs helping to return the newly cleaned playroom to its former state!

Where Are Your Clothes??

There are a few reasons why I leave them in their crib to play before I go and set them loose. One being that even though they just slept for 2 1/2 hours, I feel I still need more time. Another being that while they are in their bed, they are not getting into trouble! This list goes on and on. Rest assured they are not bound to their bed for an unreasonable amount of time. If they were, there would be no reason to write each day. As you can see they don't look terribly unhappy in their bed. This morning Dad and I got up with them at around seven. That is a pretty good hour of morning, seeing as how it as been much earlier other times. They played and ran up and down the hallway. Oh, to be able to wake up with that much energy!! And, then to maintain it throughout the entire day! Anyway, I was lying on the couch while the boys took turns getting up and down, and jumping on their mommy. This did not last too long. Eventually they won the couch for themselves, as I decided to move out of their way! They then were satisfied! Both boys left the living room shortly after and went to find something else to do in their room. It was actually quiet for a moment. I peeked in on them, and they were playing so nicely. So, I did what any mom would and sneaked back out of the room without them noticing! Phew! I then made a phone call....very unusual for that time of day, but like I said they were being sooo good! About 15-20 minutes into my conversation I realize they are still very quiet! I tip-toe back down the hallway and peek in the door, only to find two little white butts looking back at me!! No clothes on, let alone diapers! They weren't doing anything bad, they were just NAKED! Everything was still in its place, and the room was as it should be. They were being so wonderful to each other. Thankfully, there were no messes on the floor either! Yes, I did have to re-dress them. But now, I think I have an idea about how to calm them down for a few minutes if their bladders will allow!

Little Boys

Already they are not babies any more! They are too smart for their own good, and can do more things than they should be able to. They have lost almost all the things that make them my little baby boys. About the only baby type things still lingering, are their Buddha bellies. I love to pat and rub their tummies. They are not into cuddling that much any longer. Garhett will come around to sit with me more than Brenden will. Brenden always looks for Dad first. I can get a cuddle bug when they are running a fever or have just hurt themselves. But, that kind of defeats the purpose! I do like where life is taking us, and the fact that they have already become less work than they were a year ago. It is nice to be able to lie them down to bed and know they will sleep all night. Same with nap time. It is nice to have a set schedule. They require less diaper changes than a newborn, for the most part less crying too. But, I can remember when they first came home and I could zip up my sweatshirt with them inside! They liked to stay close to me and each other. I would walk into the living room and Matt would ask, "where are the boys?". I would just pat my coat. That did not last long. Nothing does when it comes to children. You never know how "fast" things really go until you are looking back and remembering moments that touched you forever! Standing in the middle of two poopie diapers and a couple of screaming mini people, it felt like this was never going to be over! Already those days are only memories. So, here is to the new memories to come! I will embrace them just like I have with the past ones!

Things Kids Say

I have been asked some pretty interesting questions in my life. I have also heard some really funny sayings and stories from time to time. None of which compare to the things one hears when they become a parent! We have for a long time had a list of Alexys-ism's. Apryl was always ready to try her Daddy's patience with a few funny antics. Now, we have a new little girl adding her two cents into the mix! She has asked me quite a few times, "Please you pick Addy's nose??". I did ask her to repeat that one, because I wasn't sure I had heard her correctly. Sure enough, she said the same exact thing! If she sees someone she thinks she doesn't like, she will yell at them to go home! "Get out of here, go home!" she said to her Great Grandmother yesterday! I liked when she asked for a piece of cheese and I gave her a piece of Provolone, she says, "No, I want yellow cheese!!" Now, the boys are getting in on this business somewhat also. They will yell at whomever is around when they are poopie. "Poo-poo!!". They also let everyone know what they call their private areas! "Pee-pee?" they will ask as they are grabbing them. My mom says, "Did they just ask me if that was their, their, you know whats?". I just laugh. The boys are just starting to learn words and I can only imagine how many times they will make their mother blush!

Bossy Pants!

Here is our Addysen in her natural stance! She is great at ordering her little brothers around. She is also pretty good at telling her older sisters what to do. I am actually not sure what direction she is giving at this particular moment, but it looks very important! She does come by her bossiness quite honestly. After all, she sees her mom giving orders almost all day long. Then, she plays with her sisters, and Apryl has been known to give an order or two. Just ask Lexy! I like that she knows what she wants and how she wants it done. Others might find that quality a little off-putting. I just smile and take it all in. She does know who not to boss around, mommy! She has on occasion tried to get something from me in a manner not too friendly and she learned early on that wasn't going to work in her favor. So, now she will ask instead of telling me how something is going to work. It is never too early to teach the kids who wears the pants around the house. It did take a while for Matt to learn, but now that he knows, things run very smoothly! :)

Shaving Cream

The guys got a treat the other day. I allowed them to get as messy as they wanted. As you can see, Brenden went all out with the shaving cream. Garhett on the other hand, was wondering what the heck his mom put on his tray. He looked at his hands that way for most of the time, the rest of the time he whined until someone wiped his hands off. He did the same thing when we gave him a cupcake to tear into on his birthday. While B-man was devouring his cupcake, G was pushing it away! Brenden really got into the shaving cream though. He was slapping his hands into the piles of cream and running his cup through it also. He even had a play phone in his hand that we was still trying to play with. He liked giving me high fives and watching the shaving cream poof all over the place. He would laugh and laugh, and Garhett just sat there looking at him as if he were crazy! Eventually, Garhett just pleaded to get out of his seat. "Out, out!". He did like being cleaned off in the sink. I think he is more of a water baby rather than one who enjoys making messes. I hope he can come to grips with the dirt when we are camping!

Goofballs!

This is a new pose the boys are doing! Maybe it is some sort of yoga they learned. Whenever they get near a sidewalk, they like to lie down and wait for someone to pick them up! They will put their feet in the air and wait till their Dad swings them around. While Garhett was waiting in the middle of the sidewalk, people on bikes and people walking their dogs were going by. Even people with their kayaks were trying to squeeze past! We were at a softball game next to Clear Creek hence the kayakers. It was all Matt and I could do to keep the little buggers out of the water! Let me tell you, it was rushing by extremely fast! And, it was pretty high. I did find a great spot for Addy and Alexys to put their feet in not too near the rushing water. It was a frigid 35-40 degrees. Needless to say, they did not hang out in the water for very long. It was fun to watch the kayakers make their way through the rapids and down a small waterfall. Addy kept saying those guys are crazy! I thought the same thing, but about the tubers. I saw girls wearing bikinis, and none of the tubers wore life jackets or helmets! That is exactly why there were four 911 calls the next day. I love exploring the outdoors with the little people. Everything they see is brand new, and so much fun to them. Children are so full of life and curiosity. It is nice to have an excuse to act like a child each day! So, I take "you are such a kid!" as a compliment!

Prank Calls

This morning after I showered with the boys, which is not an easy task, they called their Grandma from my phone! I could hear her on the speaker saying, "hello??". So, I went into the living room to get the phone from them. For whatever reason the first thing the boys do when they have something they shouldn't is throw it across the room. There went my phone flying past the couch and landing on the floor. Good thing I bought the phone that was recommended for people who are little rough on phones. I told the sales guy they should market the phone to parents with small children. I then let Grandma know that it was a prank, and they just wanted to breathe in the phone for a little while. As I am talking to my mom the door to their bedroom slammed shut. I thought to myself, "oh sh*t!". They actually were not getting into their drawers, but they had moved their crib in front of the door! I was having to push it out of the way so I could get in the room. I guess they thought they were going to be in trouble and if they barricaded the door I wouldn't be able to get in!

In the Car

When the Morrison Family packs up they all have their designated seats. The little people all sit in the front and the oldest in the back. The two oldest like it back there. They usually have their own cooler with drinks and snacks. They can still see the DVD player just fine, and they have a fair amount of room. Yes, our second row is full of car seats! I like this picture, you can see that the boys are each holding their cups in the same hand, and their other hand is in the same position. It is funny to see them doing things alike. Brenden is usually in the middle and Garhett has the window seat. Once in a while they will switch. Addy always has her seat behind mommy. Matt and I have perfected road trips. I can get something to anyone in the car at almost anytime. I do use some discretion, depending upon what is needed. We have bags in the center of the car with toys and food for the little people. Always on call~~a bag in case someone starts to feel sick. Wipes are nice too. We try not eat in the car if at all possible, but on long drives, little guys need sustenance. Another smart thing to do is to leave when they are supposed to be going down for a nap. That way they will sleep for a good majority of the trip. Scheduled stops help with boredom for the backseat people. We often plan an extra 30 to 60 minutes extra for bathroom stops. I have found that making up games for Apryl and Alexys is very helpful. They like riddles and they also like to do a scavenger hunt of sorts while driving. There are a few places we drive so often that I can think of things for them to look out for during the entire drive. If we are going to the mountains they have had to find different county signs, the Continental Divide, things like that. When we go to Grandma's they look for a long tunnel, or a hotel with a rabbit sign. This keeps them totally occupied. By the time we get where we are going, they have hardly asked, "how long till we get there??"

Why??

Here we are at the park killing time. Brenden thought it was fun to just walk off the edge of the sidewalk. He didn't want any help, you can see Dad in the background. He was willing to help, as was I. I did try to help him on several occasions, but he always said, "No!". So, instead of bothering him further, I sat down and took pictures of him falling. Now, for whatever reason Brenden walked off that edge about 30 times. Each time he ended up in a position similar to the one in the picture. He would then get up with a huge smile on his face and do it again. Garhett was sitting next to him just watching. He leaned over to play in the sand, but never did he feel like he should launch himself off the edge! Brenden is just that person who likes to try things first hand. I presume he will be that type of person that will never just take your word for it! After he is done doing what he was warned not to, he will say, "yeah, you were right." I am hoping that this behavior does not result in multiple trips to the E.R. Brenden being bold and daring can potentially be a good thing. Bold and daring can also be a dangerous combo. Right now with him not being able to have great judgment, he ends up doing some crazy things!

Lookin' Good!

I loved this picture when I first saw it! It makes me think he is trying to be a tough, cool guy! Now, if only I could get them to take pictures together! I do have a few, it's just usually that someone is trying to get away, or someone is looking the other direction. That is basically how they co-exist as well. They do play together 90% of the day. The boys get along real well. Of course they have their moments like all siblings, but for the most part they genuinely like each other. Which is a good thing, since they are pretty much stuck doing everything together. Brenden seems to be the brother who comes up with the new ideas. While Garhett is more laid back and observant. Garhett watches what Brenden is doing and eventually decides whether or not he wants to participate. Usually he will wait long enough to see if anyone is coming to stop his brother before helping him out. More often than not, I find Brenden in the middle of the messes, and Garhett looking at him like, "I told you not to do it man!". Garhett does have his moments also, there just seems to be more Brenden moments!

Saturdays

Our family lives for the weekends. We look forward to relaxing and getting out and having fun! Today we have a graduation party to go to. First we are waiting for Dad to get home, he is talking on the radio! Matt was asked to be a part of a radio show that is all about sports! Kind of right up his alley! Tomorrow is BBQ Sunday! This time we will be going to Grandma Nora's. Last weekend was at our house. The kids love going to Grandma's house. I think it is partly because she has forgotten the word "no"!! "It's fine for them to eat five doughnuts before dinner", she says! Then, we have Monday. But, wait....we are on vacation!! Monday will be the official start to the Morrison Challenge. I can hardly wait for the girls to get started. Apes has a black eye courtesy of her father. Her cheek is green and blue, and has spread to her eye! Just another bruise to add to all of the others. I don't think we have a kid without a bruise on their body at the moment. Bruises, bumps, scrapes and cuts are a part of daily life at the Morrison house!

Park Days

We are in full swing for summer now! I am lucky enough to be home with my kiddos! We will be doing the 1st Morrison Summer Challenge this summer. This entails the two oldest girls completing a challenge each day of their summer break. It is moms way of keeping them active and outside! No computer, t.v., Ipod,. I want them to experience summer and nice weather like kids should. There are too many children just sitting and doing NOTHING! Aside from the rewards that playing outside offers kids anyway, I am giving them incentives. If they complete a full weeks worth of challenges they will earn a weekend trip somewhere. The places we go will be up to them. They have written down a few already. Also, if they are able to complete the entire challenge without missing one day, they will receive one ULTIMATE prize. They also get to choose that. We do have somewhat of a limit though. Apryl was vying for a trip to Hawaii! I think they want to talk their Dad into buying them a trampoline. We shall see. So, here is hoping their summer is fun! Keeping my fingers crossed!

New Things!

Even though we are now on our fourth and fifth children, every time the boys do something new it still amazes me. I would've thought the novelty would have worn off by now. The thing is, they do new things differently than the other kids. Just like the others learned things differently. They are learning new things in a fresh way. They are different ages at different times of the year which also makes a difference. Taking a newborn to the mountains is so much different from taking a 1-1/2 year old camping. The boys work as a team to figure things out, that is a whole new ballgame for us. Yesterday when I put them down for a nap, I blew them kisses and Brenden blew one back! I was so excited. It meant a lot to me. They can both say Da-da, Bye-bye with a wave, Hi, block, shoe, and quite a few others. They know their sisters names, and Grandma and Papa. They can point to their noses and everyone else's for that matter! They know what a cat and a dog says. They will occasionally tell you what a cow or a duck says. Aside from all of that, they can go up and down stairs, climb onto couches and now our bed. Our bed is four feet off the ground! They are our newest little sponges, and man do they soak up information quickly. I am so proud of all of our children! Alexys improved 100% this year at school. The other day when her Aunt Rachel asked her how school was, she said it was awesome! Apryl came home with straight A's yesterday! She gets that from me! :)

Gearing Up

Tomorrow marks the day of our family's first day of summer! The girls are out of school, softball is in full swing now and camping is on the horizon. Last year the mountains were pretty tough on our troops! We sat through hail storms and rain, we even endured some snow! We will be keeping our fingers crossed this year in hopes of nicer weather. We have a couple of little men ready to try on their new camping boots, so to speak! Probably literally also! The only major problem with being outdoors for three or four days surprisingly is not the dirt and mud, it's the amount of crap we have to haul with us! You know when they say, "you brought everything but the kitchen sink", that is pretty much true for us. Although, we do bring a make-shift sink. And, we also bring the water to use in it! Thank goodness we have a large group of other people to travel with and they also bring supplies. I am so looking forward to watching the boys go outside and play without so many boundaries. When they are in the front yard they are not allowed too close to the street, which is where they always want to go. They can't go up and down the stairs in the backyard. Lots of little things they are just dying to get into that they can't! In the mountains, they will be free to roam (as long as I can see them) and have as much fun in the dirt as they want! Oh, Addy update: She is so much better today. It was touch and go with her this morning, but after a lot of sleeping and finally getting her to drink again, I think she is finally on the mend!