Happy Daddy's Day

What a wonderful group of kiddos we have. For Father's Day this year the girls baked their daddy a chocolate cake and decorated all by themselves. Seriously, I never stepped foot into the kitchen until it was time to eat it and boy was it yummy! They made it look like the cake was a shirt and then decorated it with a tie and Happy Father's Day written on it (see picture). I took the girls shopping for their daddy and of course we bought him a watch...AGAIN! The man can't go 6 months without breaking his watch. Between watches and sunglasses, I can't tell you how many I've bought through the years. So this time the girls picked out a very durable watch. It's a Swiss Army watch which is supposed to be one of the most durable ones made, we'll see! I'm sure by Christmas he'll need a new one. In his defense Payton broke the watch before last.

Daddy can't put a shirt on he was sunburned too bad from working in the yard!

So, just like every year Audie spent most of the day watching the US Open and once that was over we headed out for a nice family dinner at one of our favorite places, Buck and Ozzy's. It's a family oriented restaurant with an outdoor play area and they have live music on the wknds. Baylee always says she is going to have a "gig" there one day.....LOL!

Bittersweet

On Tuesday Reagan, Payton, Ainslee and I made the 4.5 hr trip to take Reagan to camp. (I'll post more about it like where and what camp after she gets home. I'm not comfortable posting that when she's still there.) I was very nervous about the trip but it really wasn't bad at all. I had it all planned out (imagine that). We stuck to the plan which included potty breaks , food stops, when and where they would take place. It was all good!

So we get there and what I wasn't prepared for were my emotions (which I managed to control until we left). I've never been away from any of my girls for more than 2 days so 6 is quite a stretch for me. I sent her with a cell phone so that she can call me if she feels the need to BUT being out in the boonies, she can't get service on it. She has called a few times from her coach's cell phone that happens to get service out there. Not sure if it's better or worse fro me when she calls because I just seem to get upset all over again when I hear from her. I miss her terribly, only 3 more days to go!

NEWS NEWS NEWS!

Okay, so I thought that only my kids could make me so proud BUT I need to just say how excited I am for my sister-in-law, Chezna. She's a model in the making! I guess about a month ago she was offered a photo shoot (I don't know all the details) and went for it. She is now doing photo shoots right and left, and is modeling for a few different local magazines! I have always told her that she belongs on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, even after giving birth to twins! From what I understand they are keeping her very busy and she is loving it! I can remember those days myself, the excitement it brings is so great. Now days of course I don't have the body much less the TIME! Chezna, we love you and couldn't be more proud just don't forget us when you're famous...HAHA!

I ripped this picture off her new myspace!

I did it!

I survived a day at the zoo with all 4 kiddos by myself with zero meltdowns! It was super hot, like 102 degrees but overall it was a wonderful day. The kids really enjoyed themselves, especially my little animal lover Payton. Ainslee did great, sleeping most of the time. We went to Babies R Us yesterday just for the sake of buying one of those infant carriers that you strap on so that your hands are free. I figured it was a great idea since I would be taking the kids alone and I was so right. It served its purpose very well.

An Eventful Month

Quite a busy month of May!

Baylee graduated from elementary school on the 22nd. I was able to hold back the tears, barely. It's just so hard to believe I have a child going to middle school in August. It seems like I was just changing her diapers and here we are almost a teenager...WOW! She blew us away AGAIN at her graduation when she received medals for a commended score on all three TAKS tests and an award from President Obama for Outstanding Academic Achievement. To receive the President's award the child must have been commended on all TAKS exams in 4th and 5th grade and have a GPA above 90. We are so proud. Audie told her, "I am so proud of you, you brought tears to my eyes".

Payton's 5th birthday party was supposed to be a Luau but it poured down rain that day. Needless to say my house ended up a disaster because everyone had to stay inside for the party. No big deal we cleaned it up and moved on. The kids ended up swimming later that evening when the rain cleared. When I asked Payton what she wanted for her birthday she told me an ipod, a nintendo ds, kitchen stuff and cool barbie dolls. These kids are way too technologically advanced for their age nowa days. As you can see in the picture below, she got her ipod shuffle in hot pink, just like she wanted and man was she excited. It's hilarious to hear her singing when she has it in her ears. I literally cry I laugh so hard....so stinkin' CUTE!

Reagan received an award for all A's and hardest worker at her award ceremony. She's one smart cookie too. She's a little on the hyper side so I was a bit concerned with how that would reflect in her school grades but she seems to control herself better at school than at home. She says her teacher lets her complete her work standing up. I was a bit concerned when she said that...LOL! Could my child have ADHD?




My little sister graduated from High School on the 29th. I'm starting to feel kinda old. It doesn't help when all my friends are saying how they remember us babysitting her and changing her diapers. She's growing up to be such a BEAUTIFUL young woman. I am jealous as hell of her right now, though. Her, my mom and Jack are on a 7 day cruise in the Caribbean right now! If you're reading this mom, hope you're having a blast!

Not a happy camper!

Little Ainslee turned 2 months on May 31st. Again, I can't believe how the time flies! Where does it go? She's sleeping better for the most part. Either that or I'm just well adjusted to being woke up all night. She is developing a more predictable pattern and I am able to settle into somewhat of a routine. But let me tell you, she's a MOMMA'S girl big time! I think it hurts Audie's feelings a bit. I didn't nurse exclusively with any of my other girls so I think that is where the difference lies. She doesn't like bottles so he can't even feed her and that's where a lot of the bonding takes place with babies. Of course she's still too little to be doing anything too exciting. She smiles all the time and that really melts my heart! We had her 2 month check up today and you know what that means ......shots:( She is in the 50th percentile for height, weight and head circumference. What a well proportioned child! She weighs 11 lbs 4 oz and is 22 1/2 inches long. Just growing like a weed!

Ainslee with my Aunt Sherry who doesn't like to take pictures even though she's beautiful!


My Angel

Ainslee Smiles

Her first smile was actually April 21 but I didn't catch it on camera until the 25th! So Stinkin' Cute! I LOVE her!

We're so in LOVE!

Okay from this moment on I am going to make a real effort to post new blogs regularly! As you all know we now have a new addition to our family which brings us to a COMPLETE family of 6! Ainslee Sophia Reed was born March 31 at 3:50 pm. She weighed 7 lbs 3 oz. and was 19 1/4 inches. She is now up to 8 lbs as of her 3 week weight check. When we went in for her 2 week check up she hadn't gained back up to her birth weight so the Dr. told me to start supplementing with formula. Right now she is sleeping peacefully and you would think that I would take the time to catch up on my 50 loads of laundry or pick up my house but instead I'm blogging! It has been a wonderful yet exhausting last few weeks. Not only am I taking care of a newborn baby but I'm still shuffling the other 3 back and forth to gymnastics, soccer, softball, etc. Audie started a new job just a month before Ainslee was born and we all know the demands of a new position so it's been a little tough not having him around as much as I need him. But I am very thankful for the new position and the fact that I have a much less stressed husband. He does take the girls to school every morning which helps out more than he knows! The girls have been a HUGE help for the MOST part, especially Baylee. They are so in love with her! So far I've only had one near meltdown experience with the kids while out by myself. Once a month Audie has a meeting with the Austin sales team and their bosses from Houston. This monthly meeting isn't just a meeting it's a "let's go out for drinks after the meeting and stay out 'til midnight" which I'm totally fine with when I don't have a 2 week old daughter. So while Audie is at his meeting the girls and I were at Baylee's softball game. Ainslee was in her infantino sling rider screaming her head off hungry, Reagan had wondered off to a whole seperate baseball field with friends, (despite the fact that I told her not to pass the cedar posts) and Payton is standing at the backstop talking trash to the opposing team. She's standing there with eyes rolling, head bobbing and hands motioning while saying, "Bring it on sistaaaa, yeah I went there, mmhmm!". Meanwhile I'm trying to motion for Reagan to come here so that we can walk to the car where I can feed Ainslee (breastfeeding isn't ALWAYS convenient) and as I'm telling Payton we have to go to the car she starts yelling, "just give her a bottle, why do you have to breastfeed?" and she's not quiet about it by any means. Anyways, we finally get to the car where I can feed my poor baby who's clearly starving by now and by the time I'm finished the game is about over, hallelujah! Not too terribly bad for a night out by myself with 4 kids. I'm constantly reminding myself of the Darius Rucker song, It Won't Be Like This For Long, especially when Ainslee is awake for 3 hrs. in the middle of the night although she is getting better with this. BTW I apologize for the run on sentences, incorrect grammar, punctuation and spelling, oh and the way I'm not starting new paragraphs but I am trying to write fast before my little princess wakes up.

Now about breakin' the bank! I used to shop at a store called Buttons and Bows near my house when Payton was smaller. It's a children's boutique for babies/toddlers with the CUTEST clothing. Anyways, it went out of business about a year ago and I thought I'd never find another one like it nearby. Well, and this could be both good and bad, I stumbled across a store called Baby O Baby the other day after Reagan's Dr. appt so I thought I'd check it out. Wow! Outfits, shoes and hairbows galore! Of course it's a boutique so you have BOUTIQUE prices, this is what I mean by could be bad. They didn't have much in the layette sizes, most of their clothing started at 3 months so I left out of there only buying one outfit and a crocheted hairband and bow. I know I'll be back when she grows a little more and with this being my last baby, I'm sure I'll have her decked out DIVA style!! Well, she's waking up and since I'm the only one with the boobies to feed her I must go. Promise to write morelater!!