Regression, Bread and Conferences!

NO, you are not seeing this picture wonrg - that is my very large seven year old son curled up in his baby sister's crib with a binkie in his mouth. I can't tell you what brought this small bout with regression on but one minute we were sitting at the dinner table and the a few minutes later when the kids had been excused from the table we heard Molly cackling away in her room after discovering Pete in the fetal position in Annie's bed.
Peter confessed that the crib is actually quite comfy and he would love to sleep there all night. We informed him that this would be impossible given that the springs were currently stretched beyond their limit and we were suddenly going to need this crib for a long long time!He crawled into Bob's arms and tried to stay planted there for a while too but we finally sent him off to his own bed!
And now onto the BREAD! Annie Bananie is very into real food right now! Anything that sits still for too long is fair game for our little monkey and she takes full advanatge. Tonight I ripped off a hunk of really good Italian bread and put it on her tray. She nearly flew out of her chair because her arms were waving so fast and she chewed on that piece of bread like it was her lifeline. Bob and I cracked up as she grunted, groaned and moaned while gnawing away at her new found favorite food. At one point she got a huge piece off and when we went to stick our fingers in her mouth to get it out she pursed her lips so hard that she gave us a run for our money!
You have never seen a kid enjoy a hunk of bread more than Annie. She chewed on her bread till it was tiny little nub of nothing and then got really mad because it was gone. Going back to Cheerios after that snack was not happening for this little one!
I had the kids conferences today. I know it is a lot of work for teachers but it is so nice to get an update on how the kids are doing once in a while. Peter is doing great - he loves school and is right on target for where he needs to be. His speech therapist is very excited about all of his progress and we are anxious to hear from the dentist about the possibility of getting his surgery done on his front teeth. The poor kid has trouble chewing because his front teeth don't come down far enough for his mouth to close and he has lots of trouble with certain speech sounds because of it. We know he will need braces but he also will need some surgery on his palette and I can't wait to know when it will happen. Pete is right on level for reading and holding his own in all things. His teacher is very happy with him and says he will have no problem progressing to 2nd grade.

MOlly is also doing wonderfully. She is the sweetest little thing and thoroughly enjoys school. Mrs. Nelson should be everyone's kindergarten teacher - she provides such a strong foundation for the kids and helps them to learn to love reading and school. Molly is doing great with her reading and she does it incessantly! She wants to read everything to us and recently read her first real book all the way through - does anyone realize how long The Cat In The Hat is???? I took a video of her reading her book - amazing how well she gets it considering how new it all is to her. I will be so happy to have a reader in the house!

Off to make sure that everyone is sleeping in their own beds and to kiss and bless everyone before I go to bed and try to get rid of my obnoxious cough!

Random Thoughts

Our little Red Sox fan dressed in a cute outfit from Auntie Karla. I put the bow in her hair because Molly was SO very excited about it and I have to admit for one day it actually looked cute. I've never been one of those mom's who does alot of bows and frills because, lets face it, my girls are gorgeous and I don't like to take attention away from their faces!
The kids watching Papa open all of his homemade cards for his birthday. We gave him the pictures of the six kids for his birthday - I guess we'll be doing that again in the fall! My dad loved his pictures and ended up hanging them on the wall at home rather than in his office as we had thought. I think Grammy enjoyed the pictures too! I love how excited the kids get to give gifts and my parents are so easy now - just do something that has to do with their grandchildren and they LOVE it!
So Katie was not enjoying this at all but the other two girls were very excited to pose for a picture with Kate. Kate came over last night and even though I have some really bad virus and am hacking up a lung my wonderful sister-in-law still let me hold her for a while. She is such a sweet baby - even her cry is kind of cute at this point!
Katie always purses her little lips in an O shape - I think it is the cutest thing! She looks alot like Karla in this picture but I see Abby and Karla's sister Vicki in her. My brother is nowhere to be found in this little one as far as I can see now but I didn't see alot ot him in Abby when she was a newborn and now I think she has lots of him in her.
Having my parents as grandparents must be incredible. I took this picture because I had left the kids with my parents for a few minutes and came back to find Peter eating his own bowl of banana pudding and Molly feasting on hot chocolate with whipped cream. I wonder why they love being there - not only do they get love and attention in surplus but they are treated like kings and queens. Peter gets banana pudding made fresh with little bits of banana cut up in it. Molly has her hot chocolate and elaborate tea parties with my mom. Annie is just plain spoiled. My mom claims to not understand why Annie never sleeps at her house - could it be because she does not want to miss the snuggling, cuddling, constant attention showered on her by my wonderful parents??

Bob coached the parent - teacher basketball game at school tonight - it was kind of comical. All the old men - those would be the parents - kivetching about not getting enough playing time. Meanwhile the teachers had 5 players who had to play the whole game and they crushed the parents. Bob did his best to coach but for the most part the over 30 parents were no match for the fiesty young teachers. Peter and MOlly got a kick out of it because Mrs. Greenberg (Peter's 1st grade teacher) played. She was wonderful and told me after that she had to leave because she was going to play in a soccor game for her league at 9:30. 9:30??? I'll be asleep at 9:30 and I don't have to teach 22 1st graders tomorrow! To be young again - I think she is 25!

Off to kiss my sleeping babies and watch the UCONN game in bed!

Happy Easter!

The kids enjoying a soak in the new tubby that Grammy and Papa had done while we were in Washington! NO one was more excited about it then my goddaughter, Abaigeal!
Peter checks out his Easter basket! He loved all of his stuff but especially his Green Goblin figure.
Happy 1st Easter Annie!
Peter and Molly all dressed up and going to Kake's house for Easter! They look so old to me today!
My little lady!

Unlce BOb and Katie bonding!
Karla and Pat, sleep deprived but hanging in there!
Papa sharing a banana with Annie Bananie!
My dad, Eileen and Katie hanging out on Easter!
I know that Ann is my daughter and all but she truly looked like a little doll all dressed up today! And she was wonderful - just went from person to person all day with no fussing!

Eileen and Meghan
Uncle Colin looking really comfortable with Abby and Annie!

Uncle B and Uncle Colin
Auntie Beth wasn't here for Easter so I took lots of Kelly sibling pictures for her. Here is another one of Uncle Colin and Auntie Eileen!

The kids ready for their Easter Egg Hunt!
Peter searching for eggs!
Molly-doll finding her eggs.
Patrick helping Abby find eggs.
My beautiful girl stops to smile for Mommy!

Tyler found a golden egg!
Everyone watching the egg hunt!
Annie and her namesake!
Molly and Katie
Unlce Ed and his goddaughter!

Easter was wonderful - Auntie Kate and my mom prepared a wonderful meal and KK helped make the day extra special for the kids by preparing an awesome egg hunt with presents at the end! The kids all behaved so well and I was able to relax thanks to Bob and my dad spending lots of time outside with the kids! Annie was sweet and loveable, as usual. Katie slept all day and I got lots of cuddle time! I love holidays but sometimes I feel like I need a vacation after each one - today I was able to sit and relax because everyone else was doing all the work with the meal and the kids - I could get used to this! It seems like we left Washington weeks ago already!

Happy Easter to everyone!