Cheri and Jennifer's REALLY. BIG. ADVENTURE.

I used to try to blog once a day. That lasted about, oh, a day. Then I went for once a week. Then once a month. You can just FEEL the commitment oozing out of me, right? Well, in a fit of guilt, I've decided to throw a curve ball and actually jot down a few words for posterity. Because I have been literally surrounded by 'posterity' all week! Tim and Megan have been in Boston and NYC this week; between Megan's "other mother" (first shift) and Jennifer and me (second shift), we've held down the fort in north Austin. The 'fort' of which we speak is Kennedy and Lleyton - along with Mirai, Ben, Luke and Emery. Yes, we do love our fun and frivolity (and muscle creams, ibuprofen, take-out food and Starbucks...LOTS of Starbucks...)

For some crazy reason, Jen and I thought it would be really fun to bring all the cousins together for a few days. What we obviously forgot was that it would be just the TWO of us 'token adults' taking care of the wee darlings. We also forgot that the average three year old has more energy than two adults. And we had THREE three year olds. And two adults. In my limited math ability, I figure that's a 3-to-1 ratio, three year olds winning. Add in two six-year olds and a baby and you have a classic 'Lions, tigers and bears, oh my!!' The name "Duggar" came up several times in conversation.

We had no single vehicle large enough to accommodate six children (with resultant car seats) and two adults. So we took Jen's minivan and my SUV which in and of itself was a source of "discussion" as we leave. The whom-is-going-with-whom-and-no-I-didn't-ask-you-you'll-go-with-whom-you-are-told discussion ensued on several occasions. All in all the transport divisions worked out very well and most of the time said posterity was pleased with their assigned seating. Now, getting them to put their trays in an upright and locked position as well as pay attention to the special safety presentation was another matter...

Bedtime was like herding cats - you'd get one in line and then one would wander off causing the others to follow to make sure they weren't doing anything more exciting than they were doing! And the tussling that just feeds extra energy - it's amazing how that is so absent in the mornings when we were trying to wake the kids up so we could get Kennedy and Lleyton out the door for school but was SO ever present just before bedtime. I have a new respect for
- parents of multiples
- preschool teachers
- calm people
- vehicles that are able to accommodate six car seats and two adults
- nannies
- the fast food industry
- PBS
- paper towels

Last night I presented the Christmas jammies for this year and attempted to get a photo. In preparation for this, I brought the children's stockings we have for our house along with me. I also brought their stocking hangers so we could put them on the fireplace mantles. Neither Jennifer or I anticipated their reaction to that. They really thought it was Christmas Eve and that the stockings would be FULL in the morning. Never mind that there was no tree up, no gifts wrapped let along, oh, the total absence of most of their parents!? :) Jen said she felt terrible when she tucked Luke in and he said, "I'm excited to get my Buzz in my stocking tomorrow!" necessitating another discussion of WHY the stockings were out in the first place.

FAIL.

Tomorrow will be tears since Jen and her three will be returning to Keller. Kennedy will miss Ben like crazy. And Lleyton has developed an affinity for Luke. Mirai and I will stay through Friday morning hopefully giving me time between Jen's departure and Tim/Megan's flight arrival to find the floor, put things back in place and generally compose myself to remark with practiced casualness, "Everything went really well! We all did GREAT!"

SUCCESS.

In the mail today...

...we received a box with this inside it:

Tim and Megan (and Kennedy and Lleyton) had sent it as a 'Thank you' to us.


I went to wash it and discovered that the paper curls inside weren't just filler. INSIDE the (I've wanted for a long time but never have bought) thermal, double-walled Starbucks cup was this:


How cool is that? This may well be the most unique 'thank you note' I've ever seen.

And, Austin Drennons, you are certainly welcome! We love you too!!

An actual conversation...

In the car.
On the way to dinner.

Me: I'm going to J's house tomorrow after their closing.

Mike: That should be fun.

Me: Yes, I'm excited to see their house.

Mike: Are you going to give decorating ideas?

Me: Only if she asks for them. But if she does I'm going to prefer them.

Mike: Don't you mean "proffer" them?

Me: No, I always prefer MY ideas.

Mike (holding back laughter): Well, I think the word is still "proffer".

Me: Humph.

And now we are Six...

...and another generation embraces the Star Wars phenomenon. Ben will be six years old tomorrow but his party was today. Jennifer made a dinner of his requests and MOI brought the cake. I did not BAKE the cake but I did "gussy it up" with the requisite Star Wars paraphernalia.


I do believe the cake was acceptable...if Ben's reaction to it is anything to go by.

The irony of his new found interest in Star Wars? I was pregnant with his mother when Mike and I, living in Bay City, traveled to Houston in September of 1977, to wait in line for 90 minutes to see the said film at the Alameda Mall. So perhaps all those symphonies I listened to during those months will pay off as well. :)

And, of course, nothing says loving like a line up of manly "action figures" arranged around a cake, being careful not to disturb the candles, looking for all the world like they're about to bust out in a dance routine of, "YMCA". Seriously, I think that Storm Trooper has his groove on.

But I digress from the purpose of this missive, which is to point out that Ben is now six. Six. SIX!!


Did I mention he is now six? I'm seriously trying to wrap my brain around it so I can then move on to trying to wrap my brain around Kennedy turning six in 17 more days. I won't wax all slobbery and nostalgic about the day he was born because frankly I did it all before you can just read it again here.



Happy Birthday, Ben. We love you heaps and heaps. Oh, and may the Force be with you...

(For those who caught it, yes, the "title" today is taken from A. A. Milne's last Pooh Bear book, "Now We Are Six".)

Who won the Emmy...

We did, of course! Emery (now known as Emmy a lot of the time) has grown into herself. But I'd say her hair continues to outpace her - I mean, seriously, when's the last time you saw a baby with hair so long you could tuck it behind her ears?


Luke was doing a little song and dance to make her smile in the photo above. Ben had the monopoly on making Emery laugh, but Luke has invented his own brand of stand-up comedy that gets a great result from her. It's all in the delivery, folks, all in the delivery. Oh, and keep your material fresh. Em knows.

It's that hair again - it's to her shoulders for goodness sake. She has her own bow and band collection started and while some folks buy them for aesthetic reasons, Em NEEDS them to keep her hair out of her face.


And she has a very serious side now - she reserves her gleeful smiles for special occasions (like when I visit). She can give you a leveling gaze that is beyond her years it and totally puts you in your place. Yes, her Papa Mike can do that too. It's a gift I tell ya!


We could also call her our tumbling tumbleweed - not sitting up on her own (she'll "hold the pose" for a bit if you put her there but watch out...whoops!...there she goes over). But she does this rollover thing to get where she wants to go that is fun to watch. I guess that makes her a literal lateral thinker. :)


And now, watch out brothers, I'm onto you and your toys. They will be mine, MINE I tell you!



But who on EARTH can resist that precocious face? Not this Gramma! One week shy of seven months - I'll blink and it will be HER sixth birthday. But, "I won't think about that today. I'll think about it tomorrow. Because tomorrow IS anutha' day!"

So true, Scarlett. So true.

Nobody puts Baby in the corner...

...just in the high chair. Jennifer sent me this photo of Emery enjoying her first solid food - oatmeal. I know this is a big deal for Jen - the 3rd child, starting on solid food after nursing solely until now. It has to be bittersweet. But how cute is THAT??? I love her long, dark hair which is atypical for a baby of any age. Anyway, had to shamelessly show off Miss Thang. How sweet, oatmeal beauty treatment and all.

Taking a "sick day"...

Checking her wings "pre-flight"

...has its advantages. Mirai had to stay home from school today since she had a low-grade fever yesterday. Nothing to worry about, Mommy and Daddy. Probably a virus/late summer cold. But she's taking advantage of the "couch, pabi and cable" day to enjoy her dress-up clothes. Right now, she's channeling her inner ladybug (or "doodlebug" as she calls them).

And she's OFF!!

Wait - photo op!

Charming. Absolutely charming.




But then I'm a bit prejudiced.


Something tells me she's feeling a lot better already.

The first of many firsts...

...was the first day of school for Mirai. Well, preschool anyway. She's three years old and, as today bore out, more than ready for the experience. We had our "Meet and Greet" last Thursday evening when we "met" her teacher (whom we already know but it's all part of the experience) and took her to see her new classroom. And, more importantly, she was shown her seat at the classroom table, complete with a nameplate!

Papa and Mirai before the school meeting

Gramma Cheri after the meeting taking Mirai to her classroom

"This is MY spot!"

At home already

Last night was pre-school-pre-prep (okay, not a real word, but it SHOULD be). Early bath and shampoo - check. Fingernails trimmed and ears thoroughly cleaned - check. Clothing laid out for the next morning - check. Lots of bedtime stories and hugs and kisses before prayers and bedtime - check. Backpack ready with required school items - check.

Lunch made and put in the fridge - check.

A really good night's sleep and very hard to wake up this morning despite going to bed early - check. :)

Still sleepy but she's ready to go with handbag in place...

The realization that, no, she could NOT take her babies with her to school

After a breakfast of bagels (aka "cookie? COOKIE!" - who am I to argue about the exact name of carbs?) and milk, we were off to school. It went without a hitch. She was so excited to have her backpack and lunchbox. She marched into the school, put her backpack and lunchbox on her hook in the hall and went to her seat without a backward glance. So I left (after snapping a photo or two).

Her teacher, Miss Lela, said she did well and I could tell that, although she was tired, she'd had a good day.

Miss Lela brings her out and puts her in her car seat - this
Gramma is learning the pick-up routine...again! ;)

After we got home following the end of the school day, I noticed she was singing the Happy Birthday song - evidently there was a birthday celebration at school. I continue to be amazed and pleased at her ability to hear and repeat songs. All in all, it was a BIG day for a special LITTLE girl who continues to delight and amaze us. God bless you, Mirai. We're so proud of you.

What's the story...

...behind the pretty photos in catalogs? Is there one? Have you ever wondered just WHY a particular object has been placed in the room or if REAL people really do that? Then this blog by a California humorist is for you! My daughter clued me in on the blog and I've been laughing hysterically ever since. Enjoy the dialogue of 'Elaine' and 'Gary' as they live their life in the pages of West Elm, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids and Restoration Hardware. Even Ethan Allen is skewered in the most delightful dialogue. It's called "Catalog Living" and it's a hoot-and-a-half-on-steroids.


Really. You must read it. And weep. From laughing so hard. Really.

Seriously.

We are family…

Secretly, Gary had always wondered if all these children were indeed his.

Chivalry...

...is not dead.

Today was no different than any other this summer - it was hot, then it was hotter followed by some more hot. It's Texas. On steroids.

Which means you can't let the kids out to play until the bats are flying out of the caverns to find dinner. Yet, unlike bats, kids don't hang upside down, sleeping, until the "witching hour". Poor kids. Poor mama. Poor grammas.

So after 7pm, we decided to go to one of our local frozen yogurt establishments, which have sprung up all over the great state of Texas like Chesapeake Energy drilling rigs. Thank goodness. The temp was down to, oh, the mid-to-upper 90s by this time, a virtual freezer locker for this time of year. We filled up the kids with frozen yogurt and then as we were leaving, they seized their opportunity and made a run for it. All the way down the length of the sidewalk of the shopping center. It was J.O.Y. So we stuck around for awhile and let them run, play, scream, yell, rinse, repeat.

Mirai wants to do everything her cousins do so when Ben and Luke started jumping off the retaining wall of the landscaping, Mirai wanted to try. But it was a leap she wasn't overly confident making. So she held her hand out to Luke who GALLANTLY took it like a gentleman, stood and helped her jump. The next time they were both up there, they held hands and took the plunge together.





And my heart melted. Life is good.

All things bright and beautiful...

Like, Kennedy, Mirai, Ben and Lleyton

Emery, "The Rookie"

...the Lord God made them all!

Thank you, Lord.

Who looks like...

Kennedy at age 2-1/2 (she is five years old)

...her cousin, Kennedy? Mirai, that's who.



Mirai - age three years

I've noticed more and more how similar they look at times.



Mirai again - taken this week

Two beautiful girls. Not that I'm prejudiced or anything. Nah...never.


Kennedy - five years

But I can certainly tell they're related!