There were three in the bed and the little one said, "Roll over, I'm crowded."

I love it when my kids are sleeping after a big day. Tonight they all wanted to sleep in the same bed. We have Mark's trundle bed from when he was little and the kids love to pull out the bottom bed. It gets a little crowded but they don't mind. I once read that kids playing time is their "work." It is how they discover and learn about the world around them. My kids are some of the hardest workers because they are always discovering something.

Water Party!

Quite often this summer we had "water parties." They consisted of pulling out the baby pool, slip n' slide, hoses, and all the kids and friends we could find. If we told everyone it was a "party" it was always that much more fun. Mark was hospital chief in July and September which means he is really busy. So he would leave around 5:00am and often didn't get home until 9:00pm, 11:00pm, or 1:00am. It can be a challenge to get out the door with Hadley's schedule (or lack there of) so this was a great way to let the kids and I have a great time and hang out with our friends. Sometimes we had 20 people over and other times it was just us. Either way we knew we would have a great time!

I had to run to the grocery store today for just a few minutes and Mark watched all the kids on his own (this included Hadley). I wasn't sure what I would find when I got home These were some of the options that went threw my mind... (A)Brian, Mackenzie, and Nathan glued to the television while Mark is pacing back and forth with Hadley who is screaming to be fed (B)Toys scattered throughout the house, children running around like a bunch of wild Indians, and Mark is pacing back and forth with Hadley who is screaming to be fed (C)Brian, Mackenzie, and Nathan going through the kitchen cupboards eating whatever they can find, pulling out the chocolate pudding from the fridge and using it as finger paint on the walls, while Mark is pacing back and forth with Hadley who is screaming to be fed. However, I did not expect to find what I did when I got home. Maybe it is not the most attentive parenting tactic, but it was certainly a lot more peaceful than what I had imagined and I was grateful. (Nathan was also asleep upstairs in his bed).

Brian, Mackenzie, and Nathan love to be near Hadley

It's interesting how much attention a new baby can get. The kids all seem to be drawn to her. She doesn't talk or walk. She mostly sleeps and eats. We have bought toys which should keep the kids happy for hours and they are more animated than Hadley. But they love to be near her and hold her as they toss their toys to the side. She is a marvel and we love having her in our family.

"Fighting Guy" and a "Pretty Princess"

Happy Meals = Happy Kids until Mom starts cooking again

Welcome Home, Hadley!

Grandma Tall and Hadley




Getting a family picture is not always easy...