What's going on

Here lately we have a lot going on...I figured it's time for an update.  :-)  Seems like we've been doing a lot of just living life {in a good way}, but there hasn't been much time to blog about it {or about anything, really}.

~ My oldest just turned 4 years old.  Four!  Hard to believe that I really have a 4 year old.  We are so thankful for our Abigail.  She is thoughtful, smart, creative, curious, and loves to help.  Four years ago she made me a mommy, and I wouldn't trade being a mommy for the world!

~ We've been having lots of playdates.  It's fun for the kiddos and I usually get a little adult interaction too, which is great!  I struggle with getting so absorbed with house work and cooking sometimes that I kind of just bury myself right here in my own house and don't get out with the little ones enough.  It has been really great to get out and just drop everything and have fun for a while.

~ Micah has changed a lot over months 6, 7, and 8.  He got two teeth at 6 months {he has 4 now}, sat up on his own, and started saying mama a lot.  He says dada too.  Somewhere in the 6th or 7th month he started crawling everywhere!  He is my first to really get into so many things.  He likes to play with electrical cords {!!}, stand up to the bathtub {and everything else!}, knock lamps over, climb into the dishwasher, pick up trash off the floor {and eat it!}, plus more.  He also pinches and bites a lot.  Just saying.  He'll want to remember that one day maybe.  :-)

I think it was at 7 months that he started pulling up on stuff.  Now he is a pro at it.  He even stands up to moving objects like people and curtains.  :-)  He also lets go and stands by himself some, and he is transfering from one thing to another.  I think he will be walking soon.  He doesn't like his jumperoo much anymore...in fact he doesn't like anything that keeps him contained and restricts his exploring.  :-)  He still loves avocados, baby cereal, and lemons and he is starting to eat more foods.  He loves to eat things I just smash between my fingers and feed him off my plate.  He doesn't seem to need things pureed much, just smashed up a little bit.  He finally decided that he does in fact like banana {yesterday!}.

He also says "Nana", "bye-bye" and "banana" now and he is working on "hi" {sometimes I think he is saying this}, and he likes to wave.  He loves to go outside and pretty much would dive out of our arms to get there if we didn't hold him tight.  He likes to dance and sing too.  Oh plus he sleeps the best, and he is still THE happiest baby!!

~ Matt and I started leading a small group at our church.  We both have a heart for ministry and we love that we have this opportunity to be involved.  We are really enjoying building relationships with the people in our group and getting to know everyone better.  Best of all we love being able to study the Word and learn and grow with our group!  We are excited to see what else God has in store.

~ As our girls are getting a little older, craft time has become pretty big around here.  We've been busy making all sorts of things {that I plan to share here soon}.  It has been lots of fun!

~ I have about onehundredeleventymillion things to blog about...all spinning around on the endless brain track in my head.



~ Emma and Sophia have a birthday coming up too.  Amazing that they are going to be 3 years old!  Time really does fly faster and faster the more children you have.  Sometimes I just want to stop it, time, that is, because it feels so out of control and I get so emotional thinking about how my babies won't be babies much longer.

~ I know it is God's plan for my children to grow up though.  My job is to make sure they are as prepared as they can be.  On that note, we have been having Bible time with the children every night for several months now.  They have memorized a bunch of Scriptures, Catechism questions, and some songs too!  We are working on separate verses during the day also and they are memorizing so much so fast.  A child's mind is an amazing thing!

~ With Matt's work schedule he is home in the evenings most days now, which means less time for blogging after the kiddos are in bed, because I just can't resist spending time with my Love.  It's so nice having him here, but that is another reason I've slacked on blogging.  Well, that and the fact that all four kiddos rarely nap at the same time {or at all} anymore, and it only takes half-a-second for Micah to eat some paper or trash or tissue off the floor or for the girls to get into something they shouldn't.  I kind of feel like I'm going around and around in a constant circle checking on one child then the next and and the next and the next and back around to the first again all day.  Hmmmm, maybe that's why I'm always so tired?  ;-)

~ Even in all our busyness Matt still finds time to romance me.  :-)  He is constantly bringing me little surprises and writing me little love notes and such.  He is great with the children too and lets me get out for little breaks pretty regularly.  Even if it is just to go grocery shopping alone sometimes...I enjoy it.  :-)  He listens to me and studies me and I can tell he takes mental notes, because the things he does for me so many times are things that I have mentioned or things I specifically love and not just random things.  I feel so very blessed to be married to such an amazing man and I am so thankful for how he loves me!

~ I hope you're not too bored after reading all about what's happening in our household these days!