Catch Up!!

And now I bring to you the much needed catch up post. What have we been doing? Lots and lots! Taking care of a baby while running a household of busy kids and an husband has not left me much time for things like blogging, or reading books, or taking daily showers. The little stuff, like personal hygiene for instance, starts to slip when you have a baby that demands constant attention. And I have possibly said too much there. Moving on. Said baby is about too sweet for words. I always said Lily is the frosting on the cake. Noah is the cherry on top. He is enthusiastic and loves interaction with people. He has the funnest giggle and sometimes I can't help but to give his little tummy rolls a squeeze or too just to hear it. I have to say that he is the first baby that I have had where I have been excited for him to crawl and walk. I feel I will have some more free time when he can entertain himself and when he can run away from his sometimes too affectionate big sister.

The three oldest boys, in addition to a fun new school, have started lessons at our local Art foundation. Elijah has piano, Michael has hip hop, and Aidan takes drama. They also have joined a swim team at our gym. . If this all were not enough, Lily has a preschool that I attend with her. It is helping her to develop speech which had been a delay for her. She is making so much progress lately.

So with that all said I want to leave with pictures of the family I am so thankful for even if somedays I feel like a taxi driver who doesn't have time to shower.

Good Times

Look at my little man! He is getting to be not so little. I took pictures of all my favorite baby features a month ago, because you forget what they look like as time goes by. He is a very good baby. The kids love him right now because he is into the age where he smiles and tries to talk back to you when you show him a little attention.

Also I thought I would share what we get to do on our days off from school. It is still pretty warm in our part of the world. Before you get too jelous though, you should know I spent the rest of the week cleaning up sand.

I can't believe how grown up Elijah looks in this picture. I am excited for him to be a young man and do all the fun things kids do in their adolescents. For now, he still is a kid who likes to dig holes in the sand.

My Favorite Quote

We heard a lot of beautiful wisdom today in General Conference. I put this together because this is one quote that stood out in my mind. Are we truly who we are because of what we believe. I hope so! I hope I am.

We Have Our Noah!!

     Noah Elias Grover was born to us on Friday, July 27th at 3:27 am. He was 7 lbs. 11 ounces. 21.5 inches long. I wasn't due until August 5th and all my other babies were only three days early so it was a bit unexpected when labor signs started to show themselves a week early last thursday. On my regular schedule, he would have been born today. I may have not had all my ducks in a row as far as the household was concerned, but boy was my body ready!!!
      Thursday night I went to bed thinking labor could come on anytime. I was cramping irregularly and feeling a little anxious and sick to my tummy. Sure enough, I got out of bed at 12:45 and felt my water break. We called a friend and neighbor who agreed to be on our emergency list of people to call at any horrible hour of the night, bless her heart, and left to the hospital.
       I remember getting into the bed in the triage room at about 1:15 and sent Grant to tell the nurses, #1 I have babies in three hours and #2 I want an epidural. That got them moving fast. They came in, checked my progress ( I was at a 4) and put in my IV, then ordered the epi. When they were wheeling me into the delivery room, the anethesiologist walked in behind me and I breathed a sign of relief. It wasn't that that I was uncomfortable but I knew I would be soon.
       I just spent the next little while in total peace watching the nurses were busy preparing the room. They were working fast and efficiently. This was routine to them, but I was going to meet my child, and that was a big deal to me. I was excited. Just as the nurse left the room to do other things, she decided to come back in and check my progress. I was fully dilated. They called the doctor in and the rest is history.
       It was my easiest labor, but I also felt like I had a hard time with the pushing his shoulders. We were really sad to learn at his doctors appointment at 4 days old that his clavicle had been injured during birth. The doctor said he heard some crunching on the bone and that it was probably broken. It will heal on its own. We just have to be very gentle with him. He has been such a good baby, that I would never would have thought anything was wrong had I not been told. He had gotten upset when we moved his arm around to put clothes on him. Now we can do it without upsetting him. I just felt so bad to learn this.

 Our family is in love.
This kids are smitten.
 I am totally smitten.
Grant is completely smitten as well.
It is crazy how it takes about two seconds of taking in your baby on first sight to have your heart filled completely.
 Welcome to the family Noah.

Lily Turned 4!!!

When did this happen? When did she become a little girl right under my eyes? Wasn't she just a baby a short while ago? Well, wether I like it or not, Lily is growing up. She is so sweet. I just love getting to be a mom to a little girl. There was a time when I thought I was meant to raise all boys, which is fun too, but I need a little pink in my life as well, and she supplies it!! Lily loves Strawberry Shortcake and baking so we had a Strawberry Shortcake cooking party. We made mini-pizzas and served them with fruit kabobs, blueberry yogurt, and strawberry lemonade. We picked berries(paper packets filled with candy) outside and decorated cupcakes. It was wild and busy, which is why I didn't take many pictures. She had a lot of fun. Thanks to all who came.

Baby #5 is due in a little less than a month. Hopefully my net post will contain lots of pictures of him!!! Lots and lots!!! We are ready!

Derby and the Tea Party

Our boys got to participate in that good old Cub Scout right of passage Pinewood Derby last weekend. Grant and I has procrastinated building the cars in the weeks prior to the event out of lack of tools and know how. Luckily a great family in our ward invited us over to help us out 3 days before the race. But like I said, we had no idea what we were doing. Here is what we ended up with.



And would you believe out of 20 participates, Michael's Ferrari came in second and Elijah's Tank came in sixth!!!! We were shocked and elated. It was a blast watching those cars coming in first or second in most every heat. Lily and Aidan loved sitting at the end of the track where the action was.



Our scout master put together a great program. We had a brand new digital track. They set up games for the little ones and gave out popcorn and lemonade. Absolutely perfect family activity for a rainy Saturday morning.





Now on to the little girl of the family who, thanks to the Strawberry Shortcake Cooking Up Fun video, is obsessed with cooking and playing kitchen. I found her with a pink hat and apron on, sitting on the kitchen counter breaking eggs into a bowl yesterday. This morning at her preschool assessment the teacher asked her her name, and Lily says, "Shortcake".
You know you have three brothers when your tea and cookie party looks like this.



She is feeding the Rescue Hero station. And notice how she pointed out Billy Blazes asleep on the oven mitt. "He's sleeping" Well poor Billy is missing out on one fantastic party!!

What's It Gonna Be?

It's a boy!! Hopefully that is what comes across. We are really excited for another boy, he will fit right in with us.

(I am going to be one of those annoying pregnant ladies and say, wow I look bigger than I thought I looked.)