#4 Makes Boy?

We will have to wait a lil' bit longer to answer that 1, but the bump (which seems to have a mind all its' own) decided today to pop out beyond my abilities to conceal it anymore. It is true, #4 is on its way & we couldn't be any happier! I love my life & my wonderful babies!!! Well, that's it for now. I am super hungry!!!-M&M Momma

Asher, Austin, Aidann, Mommy, & hopefully
Zye John Cristopher

Edu Mini-Plan: Habitats

While getting my hair done the other day my hairdresser made an interesting suggestion, "Why don't you share all these thing with other mommies?" (The "school" activities I do with my girls). I mean, it really got me thinking. Teaching is something I thoroughly enjoy & it is why I pursued my degree in the education field, but to actual go out there & teach other kids is really not my passion right now. Given the opportunity to enrich my own kids lives & not have to actually go out & work has been a true blessing. BUT why can't I still possibly help other kids without actually going out there & being a their teacher? There are tons of GREAT stay-at-home-mommies that would love to teach their kiddos nothing short of everything, but maybe have not been given the tools to develop lesson plans or boredom buster daily activities to keep them busy. I know that I already share a lot with my readers & do mention "Fun 4 Lil' Ones" activites from time to time, but I think I am going to add in mini lesson plans in a simple format that SAHMs or dads can follow if they would like. So, without further delay, here is my first Edu Mini-Plan:
On Wednesday, I am going to begin habitats with the girls. My lil' ones are toddlers so I will just be touching the surface on this topic. I am going start off with taking the girls on a walk around our neighborhood & having them point out all the animals & even bugs that they see or even hear. When we get home I will take the list of everything they found & in the lil' journals I created have them draw pictures of what they saw. You might have to write in captions what the scribble actually is if your child is younger. After they are finished drawing, I am going to touch on each thing and have them think about where they might live. For example, a spider lives in a web & birds live in trees. I will then explain the that where they live is called their "habitat". Before you think this is way to advanced for a toddler I would like to point out there is a whole episode dedicated to this word on Sesame Street & also what will it hurt to challenge them a lil' bit with vocabulary that is a lil' more difficult? They can do it! If your child owns their own pet, you can also use that as an opening for this new topic. Where does Fido live? What does he eat? Etc.Literature is a very great sidekick to help you enforce new learning. I have a few books already on animals & their different environments that I am going to read to the girls, but I think a trip to the library could also be fun!
Another activity I will be doing throughout the week is trying to plan meals or at least snacks that make them really think about what creature might enjoy the same food they are eating. For example, carrots & other vegetables can be connected to rabbits. Maybe they can figure out that the milk they are drinking comes from a cow & them ask them where that cow's habitat is. Get creative, there are no rules here.
An activity I am really excited about is that I am going to take a poster board & create 4 different habitats. In one corner I am going to color it white & actually put some ice from the fridge there to create a cold place for an animal to live. In another area I am going to create a forest using various twigs, grass & leaves that I can find from outside & glue those down. I will also be creating a desert environment & an ocean environment. I am going to get together a lot of their tiny animals figurines (Animal Planet makes some great ones or you can even use the animals from Little People sets you can find at Toys R' Us) ad have them take them 1 by 1 & decide which habitat each animal would be the most happy. If you don't have animal figures, print some off the Internet & just cut them out.
A closing activity to help solidify what they have learned is I am going to assign each kid an animal & read them a book about their animal. I want them to get from that what their animal eats, where they live, & then 1 other fact. I am then going to take them to the zoo to observe all the animals, but their overall all mission is going to be to find the animal they were asigned.
There are a lot of online games, videos, books available at the library, & worksheets you can make-up yourself or print out ranging from all ages pretty much. I have listed some resource sites you might want to check out below. You can make this topic as deep or as simple as you need to depending on your children's ages. Incorporate science experiements, art projects (have them make masks, create a replica of their own habitat, etc), or recipes where ever needed. The possibilities are endless! School doesn't have to be boring for your kids or you!Resource Websites:
Match-up worksheet & answer sheet from Learning Treasures
http://www.learningtreasures.com/science/animals/animal_match.pdfhttp://www.learningtreasures.com/science/animals/animal_match_answer.pdfAnimals & habitats worskeet
http://www.learningtreasures.com/science/animals/animal_habitat.pdf

The Great Habitat Match-up Gamehttp://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/games/habitat/index.htmAnimal notebookhttp://www.learningtreasures.com/make_an_animal_notebook.htmIdeas Galorehttp://www.ehow.com/list_6372122_preschool-art-ideas-habitats.htmlhttp://blogs.scholastic.com/prek_k/2009/04/learning-about-habitats-rainforest.htmlhttp://www.brainpopjr.com/science/habitats/

I swear, they did
it to themselves.
They thought they
were just hilarious!

Pretending to sleep
with Dada
in 1 of the playrooms. Lol!

Lil' Ladies Update!

In addition to today being my birthday-Woowoo! It also marks my lil' Rose's 10 month birthday!!! It seems like she has been here forever. Like every mommy, I can't even remember what life was like before kids & really...Why would I even want to?
Austin is definitely growing super fast. Today when I put her down for a nap, when I started to walk ". away she yelled back "Night night". Of course I thought my ears had to be deceiving me so I walked back over to re-tuck her in & kiss her & sure enough she said it again!!! Now she officially can wave, say "dada", "mama", "more", "dank do (thank you)" & "night, night". She can stand for a good 3 seconds but not walking yet thank goodness. I am not ready for my baby to walk yet! She can self-feed a few of the more simple things. She still has zero teeth despite being 10 months & aside from a ton of drool there is no sign they are coming any time soon. She is still obsessed with blankets, I will have to record her crazy behavior when she gets around blankets for you all. She crawls quick as lightning & pulls up on anything, everything, & everyone. She is still just a pure joy & the easiest baby ever & has no problem hanging with the big girls (aka sisters).
Aidann just warmed my lil' heart the other morning when I walked in our her making her own bed & she had already cleaned up the whole room herself. So sweet when kids do things are their own accord & you can really just tell they are growing up. Tear... This tender-hearted toddler has really gotten down what is expected of her & is just a tremendous big sister! As far as school goes she is really thriving with colors, shapes, letters, money, numbers, counting, art projects, & etc. 1 day I had to go somewhere during our designated school time so I told her we were not going to be able to do school that morning & she actually started crying. I guess that is a good thing she loves school so much. She enjoys singing, pretending, & is really just growing up too fast. The baby fat has almost completely disappeared sadly!!! She loves putting things in lines & patterns, some people say it is an oldest trait. She will also be a flower girl this upcoming November & she practices constantly & takes this job very seriously. Lol. She is still obsessed with birthdays & birthday cake & will be turning 3 next month on the 12th!!!! She always wants to keep everyone from our family together & is like a lil' mommy just taking care of everyone & so sensitive to other people's feelings.
Asher is just a lil' spit fire that keeps you constantly laughing. She is so full of energy & a love for life. She is constantly singing, dancing, & jumping around. Some people call her mini-me, but I don't know. She also adores school & really thrives when it comes to puzzles & other meticulous things. She loves to "read" & be read to. She is still really into cars, Cars, & things that you can build with. She loves coloring & messing with stickers. She is pretty much potty trained now. She is always in panties at home & just this week I finally got up the courage to take her out in public without her diaper. She went the whole day without an accident! Gosh, kids grow up so fast & are babies for just a second. I love my lil' skinny mini & I am so proud of all her many accomplishments. She is also a great big sister & so loving! October 21st she will be turning 2 already! She finally almost has all of her teeth, she didn't even start getting them until 13 or 14 months old?!
Well, I think that is just about everything until the next update!
-M&M Momma

With Papa

What a big sister!

How I roll

New Addition!

In Gymboree class this week I got into a conversation with a mommy that was so pregnant she looked like she was "ready to pop". The conversation started off with her "venting" how absolutely miserable she felt being pregnant in the summertime. I can honestly say I know exactly how she was feeling (been there, done that, got the t-shirt 3x's. She is due late Oct). She also started telling me how terrified she was at the thought of being the mom of more than 1 child.

Like every mommy about to venture into being the parent of multiple children she was feeling overwhelmed by the normal worries- "How can I possibly love them the same?", "How can I juggle it all?", Is giving them all equal attention even possible?", "What if there are jealously issues?", "Will I be able to provide", "Can I do it?" & so forth. I think it is so natural for women to feel apprehensive before taking on this new adventure in life. She asked me if there was any advice I could give to her & so here I am & here is tonight's topic.

I think that before you do anything, just take a deep breath & realize you can do it! Don't let it overwhelm you because the fact that you a concerned shows you have all the passion in the world to do whatever it takes to make it work/happen!

First of all, preparation is everything. In addition to getting the room ready & all the needed baby upplies, you need to also focus on preparing your child for their new sibling. I think for younger kids dolls are a great idea. Starting to show your toddler the different things babies need (how they are held, how to feed them a bottle, burping them, bathing them, swaddling them, etc) & especially teaching them how to be gentle. It is also a good idea to get your child around other babies so they can understand how they cry,but it is okay. There is also some great literature out there to help prepare your child for their new sibling & great literature for you as well! Make sure your toddler feels as involved in the process as possible like helping pick out a few outfits, feeling the baby kick, getting the room ready, if they are older attending ultrasounds (if you think it might potentially freak them out, don’t do it-lol). Its just really important to keep talking to your child ahead of time & try to prepare them as much as possible so they are less shocked when the baby finally arrives. Explain how you need them to be your big helper & what a HUGE deal it is. Buying them “I’m a big sister” or “big brother” shirt is always fun.

An extremely important tip is to make sure you do not make any huge life changes if at all possible right when the baby is born (potty training, weaning hem from the pacifier or bottle. etc). Simultaneously weaning your toddler off a pacifier or bottle & adding in a new sibling can actual make the child blame their new sibling & actually resent them on a level. Sounds crazy, but it is true. Also, if you aren't going to be able to stay consistent with potty training, wait until things settle down before starting it up with your toddler. Lack of consistency is definitely not what they need right when a new sibiling is born. 

I was in an extra tricky situation since my girls were Aid & Ash were born only 12 months apart & then Ash & Aussie were only born 13 months apart. I decided to wean them off their bottle starting at 10 months old (each time before their new sibling arrived) & then allowed them to only have their pacifier at nap or nighttime until completely weaning them from that after everyone was settled in with the newborn (usually 17 or 18 months old).

Once the new baby comes, I totally suggest involving the older sibling in caring for the baby as much as possible. You want them to see the new baby as a great new addition to family & not as their competitor (vying for attention from daddy or especially mommy). Have them “help” give the baby a bath, pick out what clothes baby should wear, rock them, etc. Constantly offer up praises about what a great big brother or sister they are & how great it is to havesuch a good helper. Sometimes are  toddlers aren’t going to be able to help with every activity (breastfeeding for example) so maybe at this time you could have them come “read” a story to you or draw you a picture while you are waiting for baby to finish up so you have your hands free again. I think when you add a new addition to the family you definitely have to make a strong effort to make that special time for your toddler, 1 on 1. Sometimes this requires a lil’ creativity on your behalf or sacrificing a nap, but the payoff will be huge. Remember the baby isn’t going to remember this time as much as your toddler is so if daddy can do something for the baby while you assist to your toddler, go for it! Kids need their mommy especially at this time.

Schedules are an absolute lifesaver when you are a mommy. Try to stick as closely to the pre-baby schedule as you can, but obviously some changes here & there will be necessary. Toddlers are really going to long for security & consistency through this huge adjustment in their life, so try your best. Getting the baby on a schedule as quickly as possible is also a huge help! I have all 3 of my girls’ naptimes simultaneously at 11 or 1130 & it is a wonderful. Even if your older child doesn’t “need” a nap anymore, a lil’ quite time in a room is good for everyone. I also think an important key to functioning with multiple kids is prepartion & organization! Packing diaper bags & setting out clothes the night before, planning all meals way in advance, keeping a calendar of everyones activities for the month, & getting ready for every event 2 1/2 hour before you need to leave are all extremely helpful! Also, plan for the unexpected at all times! With multiple kids, odd things just happen at the most random times-Shoe straps breaking (Ash :)), diapers leaking, & so forth. I have an emergency bag in the car at all times lol!

Some great tips for having a baby that I have gotten, followed to a “t”, & have proved tremendously helpful are-1) Making everyone be quiet when the new baby is asleep. Let that baby learn to sleep through noise, it pays off. Need to vacuum, then vacuum lol. 2) Rocking your baby to sleep every time & hold them until they fall asleep is not always the most productive thing in the long run. Babies need to learn how to sooth themselves to sleep. It will prove to be extremely hard at 1^st to let them dry it out for a 2^nd, but in the end you will see you are really helping them. 3) Everyone knows this 1, but it is often the least followed through with-Do not allow baby to sleep with you. First of all, it is dangerous. Newborns can smoother so easily & when you are exhausted all though it is easiest to just keep them in bed with you-Its not best! It will also make it harder to wean them into sleeping in their own bed later on. When you have a newborn, allowing them to sleep in the bed with you will also take away from vital alone time with your husband. When you are breastfeeding it is especially hard & we can have all the excuses in the world, but babies need to sleep in their own bed. The 1^st 3 months, because the baby wakes up so often, I keep a bassinet in our room for them to sleep in at night but make them sleep in their crib during the day. Once they hit 4 months, then my husband & I start putting in their crib at night as well. Trust me, it is harder on you than it is on them.

All 3 of my girls sleep together & as soon as people find that out they ask, “How do you do it?”. Well, 1^st of all they have a gate in their bedroom doorway so that they can’t get out in the middle of the night, I have every potentially dangerous piece of furniture securely fastened to the wall, & no possible choking object in the room at all (for the older girls safety, but also in case they were to bestow their lil’ sister with a small gift). They all sleep together & do not wake each other up because since birth for each of them I was never quiet to they could sleep. Therefore, they can all sleep through any crying or noise their other sibling might make. I love having all my girls sleep together & even though they could all have their own room I have seen nothing but great things from them sharing. They are lil’ buddies & close as can be.

Adding new siblings is a blessing as long as you are doing it for the rightreasons. I am not saying they will never fight or have difficulties at times adjusting, but ultimately you are increasing your children’s chances at becoming less selfish people & more empathetic towards others (if done in the right way). Mommies you can do it, don’t let it intimidate you. There may be times you have to step away a minute & take a deep breath, readjust some things, or squeeze in a date night. But being a mother is the most fulfilling thing in my experience & my greatest accomplishment. Nothing brings me more joy in this life, nothing.

-M&M Momma

They were pretending
to throw the "trash"
away

Popping bubbles!

"Mommy, Where Are My Eyebrows!?!"

I hope all of you have been having a fantastic 3 day weekend, I know that I have. Today was pretty laid back since daddy had to work. We started off with a nice cup of oatmeal (a great alternative to the mess toddlers can make when oatmeal is in a large bowl), an episode of Sesame Street & then we enjoyed playing some dollhouse play. After that, I left them alone so they could play by themselves. When I went to check on them Aidann & Asher were taking their toy brooms & buckets & dragging them up & down the playroom wall. "Thank you for cleaning for me" I said. "Oh, we are not cleaning, Mommy. We are repainting these walls for you" they replied. Lol, such imaginations. Now I have "pink" walls in the front area I guess.After nap time, lunch was extra special for the girls because they got to enjoy a kids meal from Subway (Aidann's "favorite restaurant" lol). After lunch, each lil' one got to enjoy some individual play time in the their assigned play area for the day & then after an hour some 1 on 1 play with mommy. This time of special attention is so necessary, but the more children you have the more you have to work at actually making this time happen. Then we decided to drag their princess pool in the house & play! Good times.After dinner & baths it was time to brush their teeth & get everyone to bed. I had left the toothpaste in my bathroom so I left the girls for a moment in their bathroom while I went to go get it. Suddenly I heard the loudest shriek from Aidann. I ran at lightning speed, Aussie tucked under one arm & toothpaste in the other, to see what could possibly have happen in such a lil' amount of time. I turned the corner only to see Aidy on her hippo step stool grabbing her face & looking so hard into the mirror. "Mommy where are my eyebrows?! I can't find them anywhere!". I could not help but laugh. I tried to explain to her that her hair is lighter so they are harder to see. I tried to show her, but she is conviced that her eyebrows have officially left the building. I am telling you, with kids around the laughter just never stops!Enjoy the rest of your Labor Day!!!-M&M Momma

Taking a break from
"painting"

Hard @ work

Sporting their
Subway meals

During individual
playtime
(Oldests love order)

The Fascination of Light-Up Shoes

Aidann has had light up sneakers for awhile now. She always thought they were pretty cool but not extremely fascinating or anything until suddenly today she must have had a revelation along with Asher. They finally realized that they had the power to light them up & not just mommy when she was putting them on. I swear, from the moment I put those bad boys on they did not stop jumping & stomping around that whole day. At Gymboree, "Look teacher what we can do" & then they started bouncing around everywhere for her putting on their very own light spectacular for her viewing pleasure. Random people in the mall also got a light show as they galloped everywhere they went, they even gave some random elderly woman a dance performance in the elevator. Luckily, she found it quite amusing. They even so much as wanted to wear these light-up wonders in the bath & to bed, but mommy has to draw the line somewhere. Lol. It does not take much to amuse lil' ones, if only we would remind ourselves daily to be as a child & just be happy with the lil' things. We would be so much happier & content really!

-M&M Momma

Sporting the shoes
@ mall

Austin's 1st attempt at planking