What happened to my baby?

Kian got himself ready to go play in the snow.

Kian is in an interesting position as the 4th boy.  I feel like he has grown up too fast.  Leaps and bounds faster than his older brothers did.

Not only does he want to DO everything that his older bros are doing, but he wants to SAY everything they are saying.   It very sad sometimes.  I often think...."What happened to my baby?  He's not old enough to be talking to me like this."

Some of his latest phrases crack me up...and scare me at the same time.  :)

Here are a few:
"Mooooooom" (and also, rarely, "Daaaaaaaaad") said in a "stop teasing me" embarrassed kinda way (he picked it up from Cael, who embarrasses easily).  He says it often...including EVERY time one drives over a rumble strip on the road.  Makes for pretty interesting...and sometimes annoying...traveling when you are headed to the middle of nowhere (which we have done a lot lately) on two lane roads that are full of them.   :)

"Da naw faya" (That's not fair)  Often times added to the above.  As in "Moooooom....da naw faya"

"Whyyyyyy?" not in a inquisitive sort of way...but a snotty teenager kinda way.  Enough said......scary!


Funny story.

Kian LOVES the water.  He always has....right from the beginning.  This weekend we stayed in a hotel with a pool.  The kids were dying to go swimming.  Especially Kian.  He has NO FEAR!  After a few minutes of watching his brothers jump off the edge into the water he wanted to do it too, with or without Rob and I there to catch him.  We had to keep a constant watch on him.  He would ask to be put up on the edge and then scurry off, as fast as possible, to try to jump off the edge before Rob or I could get to him.  Luckily we were able to keep up...no drowning.  When we finally had to leave the pool he cried for over 30 minutes.  Sobs racked his body and he kept wailing, "waer........Waer.........WAER!"  (water, Water, WATER).  Poor thing hadn't had a nap.  :)

We love our little Kian.  He's turned out to be just what we prayed for.  Yeah, I realize that I might have to eat those words one day....but for now....they are so true.

Shake, shake, shake....shake your booty

We used to dance a lot around here.  It doesn't happen nearly enough anymore.  But...for some reason, on this particular morning, we let down our hair, dusted off our rusty bones and shook, shook, shook our booty's.

Here are a few snippets of Kian, Gabe and Isaac as proof.

And yes....the old Reebok Step is STILL the favorite dance platform (see bottom video).

My Little Red turned 6 today!

6 years ago today, 21 hours of labor FINALLY came to an end as Cael Owen Gillespie came into this world.

Boy, oh boy....are we glad he's here.

Cael has been a joy to have in our home.  His exuberant yet shy demeanor is so contradictory yet hilarious to watch.  He is a smart, smart boy who loves to draw and learn new things.  He absolutely adores his baby brother Kian and alternates between taking care of him...and annoying him.  It, too, is hilarious to watch (okay, sometimes).

We're so glad he's a part of our family and thankful to have one day each year to celebrate his coming into it.

We started off today's "celebration" with Cael's breakfast of choice...

green eggs and ham.  VERY green eggs and ham.

Birthday boy headed off to school (for the first time in a week) where he got to "show and tell" the "surprise box"....he was SO excited.

After school we headed off to Burger King for lunch and a romp in the play place (disgusting and germ infested but, nevertheless, JUST what my cooped up boys needed).

We headed home to put the younger kids down for naps and assemble the "Angry Bird" cake,

(which fell over three times before we finally let the leaning dog lie)

Three of Cael's favorite friends came over to play...

(or in other words...laugh and giggle about bodily functions)...and enjoy popcorn and chocolate chips (random, I know).

Daddy came home and we settled down for dinner.  Meatballs over rice.  His favorite.
(blegh!..not mine)

 and then some cake and ice cream

(which he didn't even eat because he was too stuffed from dinner)

but he enjoyed licking the candles off, nonetheless.

Now...for the Happy Birthday Song...

and who can forget presents

I think he liked them.

("Booyah!")

Before bed, Cael and I spend a few minutes alone looking at baby pictures and talking about the day he was born and such.  Sweet, sweet memories.  Sweet, sweet boy.

We love our "Little Red".

Happy Birthday Buddy!

"It's going to be LOTS!"

Conversation I just had with Isaac (4 years).

"Mom...when are we going to have more babies?"

"Well, sweetie...we'll have more babies when Heavenly Father sees fit to bless us with them."

"Ooooooookkkkkaaaayyyyy."

...then (I hear him mumble to himself), "it's going to be LOTS!"

**Big Smile**....sort of.

and then...."Maybe some girl ones."


The kids are all pining for more babies....they keep asking "when".

(What do I look like....a baby factory?)  :)

At least they're all hoping for girls.  Even Rob's ready to have a girl next.  

And since Rob seems to get whatever he wants, there may be hope after all.  :)



(P.S. THIS IS NOT AN ANNOUNCEMENT!)

Angry Birds...yummy cookies...and the best "hide and seek"-er EVER!

I'm not gonna lie.  Now that this blog has gone private I feel a whole lotta weight off my shoulders.  I'm so glad to be able to share some of the more mundane, yet important and fun thing in our lives without worrying about overexposing myself and my family.  And...I get to use the kids real names.

Can I hear a hip hip HOORAY, if you feel the same way!

We've had a lot of fun stuff going on at our house lately (when mommy is not on the computer, that is).

Yesterday just happened to be one of those really enjoyable days.  I'll show you why.

First, the winner of "The Best Christmas Gift in the Gillespie Household 2011" goes to:

"Angry Birds--knock on wood" game.

It's seriously AWESOME!  We play it at least once a day.  AT LEAST!  It's Isaac's favorite.

First Mommy sets it up.  I've become quite the master builder.

Then they try an knock it down. (they are much better at this than I am.  I'll stick to the building)

Then when they get tired of missing...they bring out the big guns (Angry Bird stuffed animals they also got for Christmas).

Even Kian gets in on it.  He's pretty good...actually.  He usually sits on the side and "builds" with the block we don't need at the time.

 Then the kids played a rousing game of "CTR guy" combat...

Yeah..the cape is a little hidden.

...shield and all!

Yeah...I still need to tell that story.  I will.  Hold your pants on.

We made some SUPER yummy cookies.

 Recipe here...I just swapped the Cadbury Eggs for peanut butter chips.

And even had the sense to ball up the rest and put them in the freezer

 (instead of cooking them all and eating them all in one night.)

We ended the night with an exciting game of "hide and go seek" in which the WHOLE family participated.

I don't want to toot my own horn...but I think I won for best hiding place.

And yes...I did get up there by myself.  Skirt and all.  :)

Although, Rob insisted on being chivalrous and helping me down...with the boys in the other room.  For privacy sake.

All-in-all it was a pretty fun night.  We don't have a TON of those around here.  Mostly we just try to get through the day without pulling our hair out and then get the kids in bed A.S.A.P.

Okay...maybe I exaggerate.  Then again, maybe not.