Ze-tiel mommy

I got Amari's hair in full pigtails the other day. She looked so stinkin' cute! On Friday she finally decided to take on the stairs and she is pretty much a pro by now. So I find her all sorts of places, but usually in my room reading books, just like Zeke loves to do.Pantera is currently obsessed with space. She loves to watch documentaries that bore me to death, but has picked up a pretty sweet Russian accent from them. She came home from school on Monday and asked if she could go to space for her birthday, she even said I didn't have to get her any presents. So if anyone has a spare rocket I could use this November...

Ms. Tera has also come home with some pretty tall tales from school. A couple weeks ago she informed me that she was taking science classes at the highschool and that the older kids were making fun of her for being so small. But, it's ok because she knows all the answers and the teacher is always like "Wow, Tera how did your brain get so big?"

We colored Easter eggs on Saturday. Zeke loved it!!! He has been majorly protective of me lately and will hug me saying "My mama!" The other day he was running through the house singing "Mommy, mommy, mommy, Ze-tiel Mommy!" So cute.

1st birthday

My baby turned 1 today! Of course we had our traditional photo shoot, the 8th of every month since she was born. I bought these gloves to go with her Easter dress (just wait till you see the Easter dress, my favorite little girl dress of all time!) and she loved wearing them.Amari has been a little behind in the gross motor skill department, but she is catching up really quick now. She is starting to thin out and I think that is helping. Please Amari, don't lose those cheeks!!!

She has the most hilarious facial expressions and loves to make people laugh. We are so blessed that she is part of our family. We love you Amari!

Zeke's Fedora

I bought this fedora hat for Tera's dress up collection. Zeke has since adopted it as his own. When Zeke wears this fedora hat he is UNSTOPPABLE, he is AMAZING, he can do ANYTHING. For example, a couple weeks back I hear rustling upstairs at 11pm, I go up to check on the kids and as I open his door, out flies Zeke wearing his hat. He runs down the stairs, picks up a blanket and jumps off the couch over and over again. I tell him to go back to bed, but he is wearing his hat, so he doesn't have to. Naturally I picked up the camera at that point. I just wonder what is going through his head, who is he pretending to be? Yesterday, Pantera got a phone call from one of her friends from school. It was so cute hearing this little voice "Is Pantewa thewe?" They talked for 1/2 an hour and let me tell you it was a very interesting conversation indeed! At one point Pantera walks into our bathroom and says "ours doesn't smell like that." Then a minute later she said "Just squeeze real hard, hard as you can, then it will come out." This is when I asked what they were talking about, to which Pantera replied in a duh mom tone of voice "She's on the toilet." Wow sorry for interrupting. I go to the doctor Monday, I'm really nervous and hope he doesn't lecture me. The big question is the number of kids we plan on. The answer: I promised Jess unless we have a divine revelation and by we I mean him, cuz I've had to talk him into the last 2, we are done after this one. Life is so funny, I didn't want kids now I just can't stop!

Colorado

We made a trip to Colorado this past week. Driving across country with 3 kids and morning sickness, we have reached a whole new level of crazy! Not really, the kids did AWESOME! I am still shocked because Amari hates the car, but she did great. Of course the drive was worth it to see my cute nephews. The kids played like crazy and had a blast. I loved hearing Jordan talk in person. He is this 4 year old tough guy with the highest pitched voice you have ever heard. All week he was pretending to be "Cakeboss" and would build us cakes out of legos, then pose really great. I didn't get to spend a whole lot of time with the older two boys, you see when Pantera is around we are all chopped liver, but that's the way it should be. All in all it was a great trip, just sad that it is over with. Coming up: My first Dr appointment for baby #4, at least there had better be a baby in there or I will be pretty ticked to be so miserable for nothing...I'm only half way joking here. Ms. Amari turns 1!!! Let the weaning begin.

Bang Rebellion

Yesterday we were having dinner prayers. As a mother who has to be vigilant around the clock, I have learned to pray with one eye open. Sweet little Amari was folding her arms!!! They are so chubby and cute, it made my day. Today at church her Aunt Samarah was holding her while standing next to my dad. He was talking to someone else and I guess Amari wanted his attention so she leaned over and gave Papa a kiss, made his day. She has started playing peek-a-boo with her ears covered instead of her eyes, just like Zeke used to do. Meredith got her these super cute jammies and now that she is thinning out :( they fit.
Zeke, Zeke, Zeke. Way to cute for his own good. The other night my parents and sister were over for dinner. As we are eating, Zeke gets up, takes his plate and just smiles at us. He walks smiling all the way to the trash and throws his dinner away. Then happily puts his plate in the sink. He was so cute about it that everyone present just said "Awww, look he put his plate away!" And he grinned from ear to ear. Pantera tried to copy him and we all quickly told her to sit down, double standard I guess.

A couple weeks ago, my sister Samarah was trying on some of my clothes to wear to some school function (I mainly added this to tell you that although I have 3 kids, I am still cool enough that my teenage sister wants to borrow clothes) she came out modeling her super cute outfit. Pantera looks at her and says "Who are you suppossed to be, Punxatawny Phil?" I laughed so hard!

We have been trying to train her bangs to go off to the side. She told me that "This side of my head is like Jerusalem and this side is like the Promised land. My bangs are like Laman and Lemuel." Great analogy.

11 months and a little news

Amari is 11months old today! I can say this was the most difficult photo shoot I have done with her to date. She was all over the place. She has only been really crawling for a few weeks, but holy smokes she is fast!!! She is this cute little destructive whirlwind, that I can hardly keep up with. She puts absolutely everything in her mouth, I know everyone says that about babies but I am serious. I have never seen a kid who likes to chew on things more then her.
Amari also LOVES babies. My friend brought her 2 month old over the other day and she was trying to pick him up and was loving on him. That makes me happy seeing as she is going to be a big sister in November (they will be 19 months apart just like she and Zeke!).

Look at that face...you would never think she was a stinker, but she likes to pick on her siblings, alot.

It makes me kinda sad to think she will be one soon. Why do they have to grow up so fast?

Scrub brush

My last post had no Zeke pics so I thought I would make up a little. He cracks me up. I absolutely feel lucky everyday that I am his mom (I feel this about all my kids:). He has been into Stars Wars lately, he loves Darth Vader and pronounces his name "Bebe Bader." He loves to walk around the house with his Darth Vader mask and scare everyone with the dark side of the force. The other day I told him to "Lay down now!" for the next 15 minutes he was saying "Now, now, now!" in different vocal inflections, it was like he just figured out he could say it, love it! He also loves his cars and has been saying "Ca-chow" alot. Today he was sitting on the toilet, eating an otter pop (this is normal at our house btw) and he sweetly offered Amari "A bipe" then laughed as she ate some "is money!" I taught him to scrub the toilet yesterday, you would have though I handed him a million dollars when I gave him the toilet brush! He swirled it around with the biggest grin I have ever seen, yep he's all boy.