Alison's 5th Birthday Party

This was the first year we've ever done a real party.



Alison requested a Barbie party.
 

First we made goody bags.  Alison made her famous braided bracelets for each friend and also put a punch ball in them.




 We also made our own pinata...after reading about Anna Kruger's birthday party, Alison decided that a homemade pinata would be much easier to break open and therefore win.  However, our homemade pinata was still too strong for little arms, so Daddy had to jump in and help the Birthday Girl.

To try to simplify the party, we just had our friends come over after church.  I figured they had to eat lunch anyway, so why not come over here and let the kids play.













We started with a game of musical chairs and then played 'Mother May I'. 

While Ben cooked lunch, Alison opened presents.  I was really impressed at how patiently all the kids sat and watched.

Then we got ready for a Barbie lunch.  Alison requested hotdogs and juice boxes.



We didn't waste any time and had cake right after lunch while we were all at the table. 

Oh this cake.  I wanted to keep everything easy peasy this year and buy a cake, but I couldn't find anywhere that would make a Barbie cake.  So my easy version came in letting Alison pick out the cake mix and frosting.  She picked the only pink options: strawberry cake and bubble gum frosting.  I thought maybe the kids would think it was yummy-I mean, they eat bubble gum ice cream, so surely they'd like this.  Nope.  It was disgusting!  I did layer it with funfetti cake (my mom always made funfetti cake for me as a kid and I can't resist continuing the tradition) to try and tone it down, but it was still gross.  Oh, and to top it off, I accidentally bought 'sugar free' icing for the center, which essentially is cement.  After all was constructed and decorated, I put the Barbie Alison had picked out in the cake, only to find it was way too tall!  So Ben and I were up late digging through all her dolls trying to come up with a substitute.  Thankfully Tinkerbell in a princess dress was able to jump in.

After lunch we headed outside for some water games.

Eli spent the entire time jumping off the step of the pool and having the time of his life.

I am so thankful for all who came.  Even Megan came-our dear friend who is 4 years older than all the kids.  Alison just loves her.

Did you notice that Colin was not in any of these pictures?  He was SO cranky that day.  My good friend Jamie jumped in and saved me.  She took care of him so I could focus on the party.

Happy Birthday, Alison Louise!

We love you SO much!

6 Weeks

 

Doesn't he have the biggest eyes?  

We still can't decide what color they are.

The moment we nervously anticipated and prayed against, came this week.  Our sweet Colin was "diagnosed" with acid reflux on Monday.  Thankfully, he has still been sleeping well at night, with the exception that it takes him about 45 minutes to settle back down after he eats.  Compared to the hours of screaming his siblings did at night, he seems to be handling it much better.  He was put on Zantac and I can already see a difference; not as much spit up and crying, better eating and more pooping.

At 6 weeks, he's almost 10 lbs and almost out of 0-3 month clothes.

Also new, he hates the carseat.  Alison and Eliot lived in their carseats, but not this one...he wants nothing to do with it for any length of time.

As for the other kids:

Alison's finishing up her 2 week swimming "bootcamp".  I've loved her teacher and she's definitely  gained a lot of confidence and skills.  She's still not swimming, nor will put her head under the water, but I think we made some progress...hopefully it will continue.

We made bracelets for a friend's birthday yesterday and Alison learned how to braid.

Eli joined our craft time and showed some mad lacing skills.

He looks so much older to me in this picture.

Hope Adventure Days 2012

 

Adventure Day was quite different for me this year...I helped some with the planning, but other than that, our wonderful Children's Ministry Team did all the rest.  They put a lot of work into the day and the kids had a blast.

We met again at the Edward's beautiful farm and got to go swimming at the end.

Ben led songs at the beginning and then he ran around taking pictures for me.

  

I made an attempt to help run a craft station, but Eli was trying to open all the paint and then Colin decided he was hungry.  So most of the morning I was inside with my boys, playing trains of course.

 Alison's favorite part of the morning was crafts and Eli couldn't get enough of the snack station.  The theme was 'God and Me and the Sea', so they made boats and water bottles; played a fishing game and a water relay race; decorated fish cookies and ate goldfish.  They learned about Peter walking on the water and memorized Isaiah 43:2

When you pass through waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you

Family of 5

Our first picture as a family of 5.

I wish Colin didn't look like a rolly polly.

Oh well. At least it's documented.

People have been asking me how the adjustment is going.  I would say it's been going great...until today.  Today.  Let me tell you about today.  Life as a family of 5 is fabulous, but not always glamorous. 

Alison had swim lessons this morning at the Y.  So after swim lessons and a walk in the park, I thought it would be a grand plan to go into the library for story time.  Colin needed to eat and the kids could listen to a story in the air conditioning.  It was a win/ win situation in my head.  Story time began and I started feeding Colin discretely in the back.  Then, out of the blue, I got a bloody nose.  I tried to dig through my diaper bag to find a wipe, only to realize I took out everything useful when I changed Colin's diaper in the car after our walk.  So I had to use a blanket...so here I am, sitting in the middle of the library, nursing a baby, with a blanket on my face.  Alison's singing the 'wheel's on the bus' with the other kids, when I look over to see Eli stripping down.  Did I mention when he has to go potty he just starts taking off his clothes?  Yep.  At home, it's not such a big deal.  In the middle of the library....big deal.  While mommy's nursing, with a bloody nose: HUGE DEAL.  

So what would you do?

Me?

I stopped Colin nursing (which, let's just say, was not a quiet or "clean" endeavor), handed him to the nice looking mommy sitting next to me, redressed Eli, flagged down Alison and ran out of story time.

Then, Eli started crying because I wouldn't let him pick out a Thomas movie and fell on the sidewalk as a pulled him out of the library.

I was officially that mom today.  Except, I've never seen that mom with a bloody nose...so I'm pretty sure I've trumped all other moms who don't have it together.

1 Month Old

 He's grown so much in the last few weeks!
Everyone says he's so tiny, but he's giant to me compared to what he was a few weeks ago.

Sadly, he's been battling some baby acne, but if that's the biggest issue he has, I'll take it!

He's starting to be awake more and is still sleeping and eating well.

4 weeks has flown by.
Time, please slow down.  I would like for life to look like this a little bit longer.

Happy 1 month, Colin.  We're so happy you're here!

My Bubby

As funny as this sounds, since Colin's been born, I've fallen more in love with Eli.

Having a new baby in the house again has made us reminisce about our other babies. 

 

I remember when Alison was just a few days old, my Aunt Karen told me to savor this time, because it would go by quickly.  At that moment, I desperately wanted time to go by quickly.  But now, I know exactly what she meant.  

So right now, I'm savoring this little boy.  With his toothy grin, his cute little voice and stiff legged run...I love it all.

Right now, life is all about trains.  There are trains lined up in every room of my house.  

From sun up to sun down, I hear about Thomas, Percy and James.

Even the asparagus at dinner turns into a train.

But thanks to Thomas, potty training has been going beautifully.  Eliot was so excited about Thomas underwear that he insisted on wearing all 8 pairs at once.

 

I love hearing "I hold you" throughout the day and "mommy, mommy, mommy!" as he sprints down the hallway after his nap.

I love the confused look he get on his face when I'm nursing Colin and he says "Colin eats?".

I love seeing him put his forehead on Colin's and says "bonk" and then giggles.

I love that his favorite thing in the world is "orange" (aka very watered down orange juice) and that he could survive on cheese alone.

Life as a Third

I think I need a new post label: "Life as a Third".  Colin's life is far different than our first 2.  He is a much different baby, but I've already caught myself doing things I would never have done with Alison or Eliot.  Yesterday, I laid him on the floor for a little 'tummy time' while I got Alison and Eliot down for a nap and then made myself a little lunch.  He is the only Shear kid who as ever tolerated tummy time.  Alison and Eliot would instantly be angry that we laid them down and I always made an effort to put them on a cute blanket in a designated spot.  However, #3 was laid down on his swaddling blanket in the middle of the walkway.  He laid there contently while I made my lunch and as I sat down to eat I realized he had quietly fallen asleep.  Poor kid doesn't even get a proper nap.

Colin had a well check up yesterday and is 8lbs 10oz...he's gained 2lbs in 3 weeks and he's out of most of his newborn clothes and diapers.  Our prayer is that this sweet boy remains our calm and quiet kid.  The return of reflux is constantly on my mind and I often pray for protection for him.  3 weeks has flown by and I find myself wanting time to slow down.

iPad love

We have welcomed an iPad to our family, and have fallen in love.  It's been the perfect entertainment for me in the middle of the night.  Ben and I agreed that we wanted the kids to be closely monitored while using it, but we far underestimated how much Eliot would love this thing.  I keep it on the nightstand in the nursery and we will often catch him sneaking in there to play.  He's remarkably good at the Thomas puzzles and will always ask for help with the first piece, followed by a "thank you mommy!".  I love hearing his 'thank you mommy's'.  I don't however love hearing him shouting "mommy no!", but it was pretty funny hearing the ap repeat it.

Sibling love

Alison: 4yrs, Eliot: 2yrs, Colin: 2wks

 

 

  

Life at 2 weeks

 My sweet baby boy at 2 weeks.  

He really is a very sweet baby-so far, the easiest of all the Shear babies.

He sleeps a lot..so much that many days I worry that he's sleeping too much.  I know that there will be a very sleep deprived day that I will look back and roll my eyes at this post, but for now I'm enjoying the extra rest.

The adjustment to 3 kids has been easy and smooth.  I've really been enjoying life and our family.  Perhaps the fact that I had 5 kids running around the house for 3 weeks helped jump start the transition for me.  Now, just 3 kids seems like a piece of cake, and the fact that one of them doesn't ask questions yet certainly helps.

Right now, our days look like this:

The kids are up between 6:30 and 7am.  There have been several mornings that Alison and Eliot have been up before Colin-which completely boggles my brain.  If the newborn is still sleeping, we all should be sleeping!

After everyone eats breakfast, Alison wants to hold Colin and let him look around.  In these sleepy weeks, he's awake for a little bit in the morning and then again in the evening, so Alison's learned to jump on those quality times with him.

Then we all go to the nursery to put Colin down for a nap.  Alison will wrap him up, sing him a song and give him a sweet little kiss.

The rest of the day is spent trying to find cool entertainment.  It's been too hot here to play outside for more than 5 minutes, and we've all been battling going stir crazy.  However, I've learned a very important Mommy trick.  A few months ago I cleaned out the playroom and boxed up a bunch of toys that I wasn't ready to get rid of, but that the kids weren't really playing with.  And Viola!  The best entertainment ever on a hot day="old" toys rediscovered.

Then our favorite part of the day comes when Daddy gets home from work.  We've been showered with meals from friends and it's been wonderful to just relax around the dinner table.  Did I say relax?  Well...it's been nice to have food already prepared for me (and ready for whenever I actually get to eat) and we've been able to enjoy some silly family moments.

Yes, life is very sweet right now.
I feel better than I have in a VERY long time.
Ben is home and getting back into the swing of work.
Alison loves her baby brother more than anything-a huge prayer answered for me, considering how disappointed she was he was not a sister.
Eliot likes Colin, but would pay attention to him a lot more if his name was 'Thomas'.
Colin is calm and peaceful, just like I prayed so many times for him.