"We Need a Clean-Up in the Gymnasium"

Cancel the clean-up...it's just Cate Smallie throwing the mother of all tantrums at "Family Fun Night." We put the "fun" in "dysfunctional"....fo' sho'. Last night was Beach Night at Brady and Cate's school. Scott made it home in time to join us and off we went. The school was decorated for the theme and each classroom had different "beach" activities. Beach volleyball in the gym, ocean story and books in one room, crafts in another room..you get the picture. So, we were in the room that had live shrimp, crabs, and other sea creatures for the kids to look at and touch. Cate went straight for the classroom toys. She found a baby doll to play with and started to get all of the toys out and make a huge mess (shocking, I know). When Scott picked her up to leave the room, she arched her back and screamed. So, he carried her screaming out of the room..and that's when she went ballistic. I have only seen this twice before..it was Scott's first glimpse at our oh-so-fun future with Cate. Nothing could calm her down..she was screaming, crying, thrashing her arms, stomping her feet. Very impressive. We tried taking her into the gym where they had tons of beach balls to play with, but she was too far gone by then. Here, my sweet tiny baby in her super cute skirt is flailing around on the ground..skirt up over her head...rolling around on the dirty gym floor. It was definitely a "whose kid is that" moment. Scott finally grabbed her and exited the building (not before I took a few pics of course). Needless to say, Family Fun night ended early for us. The boys were good sports about it, both accepting that this is the way things are probably going to be with her. Once in the car, she was back to her sugary sweet self...talking and laughing and clapping for herself all the way home. Lord help us.

Brady looking at the ocean creatures...

"I'd much rather play with the dolls"

"Um, I am not putting this baby back"

"No, daddy...don't make me put her back"

I'm sure he's wishing he would have come home fifteen minutes later so we would have left without him!!!

Now that is one mad little girl. She scooted all the way across the gym on her back like this.

Goofy as ever on the way home. (Check out them legs!!)

Ironic that our church is pictured out the window???

Back at school this morning. She immediately headed for the babies and played there the entire time.

Any advice for me on how to survive her teen years?!?!?!

A Week-End Review

And what a weekend it was! Very productive. This past weekend, Carter was in a soccer tournament in St.Charles..ended up having five games and winning his age division...yay! I attended zero games. Terrible, I know. I did, however, get a ton of things accomplished around the house, so I feel pretty good about that. We celebrated Bennett's birthday on Sunday. I worried about the weather all week and am very thankful that it was perfect on Sunday afternoon. The menu was "baseball fare" and we served hot dogs, brats, chips, nachos, cracker jacks, cake, and ice cream. Very easy...didn't even need to turn on my oven. We had 35+ family and friends over with 13 being young kids..it was wild (and loud!). Bennett had a blast and loved all of his gifts.

Bennett playing ball during the party

Cate taking a break from running all over the backyard (and stealing everyone's food)

Claire and Delaney...they could have jumped all night!

Reece, Cate, Kyndra, Brady, and Claire watching Bennett open gifts

A new bat..just what he needs (not!) but he loved it...

His new Trek bike

Cake...before

And after...

Baby Harper...too cute!

Cate hanging out in cousin Annie's car

Annie

After the party....Bennett watching one of the six Star Wars movies he received from Grammy and Papa!

This was taken before gymnastics on Monday morning. Thanks to everyone who emailed and called to make sure I didn't forget about it this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Drama Mama!

Cate pouting at school

"Mother of the Year"

Not. This has been one bad week..and it's only Wednesday. So far, in the last three days, I've managed to forget Cate's gymnastics on Monday, forget to pick Carter up from school on Tuesday, and forgot it was Family Fun Day/Kite Day at Brady's preschool today. Now, if I would only forget Bennett's birthday tomorrow, I'm sure I'll win some sort of award for slacker mom. After beating myself up about this for the last 8 hours, I decided to investigate why this has happened so frequently. Up until now, I have never sent even a single permission slip or book order form in late...everything gets signed immediately after school and is put back in the bag..done. So, what's going on? Why am I so overwhelmed? Well, I had a long, hard, look at our calendar and this is what it told me...... In the past 22 days (since April 1), we've had 9 soccer practices, 9 baseball practices, three gymnastic classes (ok, we only made 2), 12 track practices, 3 track meets, 7 soccer games, Easter, 3 golf leagues (that I work, not play), 3 Dr. appointments, Scott's had approx 14 highschool softball games, and Cate started school. Hmmm...maybe I'm trying to do too much. Not included in that list is the laundry, dishes, grocery shopping, birthday planning, yard work, butt wiping, food preparing (I can't consider it cooking if I'm only transferring it from bag to plate, right?), babysitting (twice a week, but I love those girls!), and all of the not listed menial jobs that I, the leader of this ship, am expected to do everyday. I feel like I'm at the point where my body is just going to shut down and I think my poor van feels the same way. Luckily, there is a light at the end of this oh-so-long tunnel...SUMMER! That's right. My school teacher husband will be home...my relief. He's my 'first thing in the morning running to Hit & Run for a soda' man....my 'go to adult swim and I'll bring the kids up later' man. He's my 'anything you want' man during the summer, because he knows in three short months, he'll be back to teaching..and coaching three sports..and hanging out with his buddies in the locker room...and eating lunch in peace and quiet everyday...and getting up and out of the house in the morning before the kids yell for him. And I'll be back to filling out our ridiculous fall sports schedules on the calendar and trying to figure out how in the hell I'm going to do it all

"Dad, She's Like a Circus Clown"

Brady is so right. Cate is out of control. Cracks herself up. Thinks she's hilarious. Her newest "trick"...wearing everything on her head. Random clothing items, towels, shoes, food, stickers..anything and everything that she can find goes on her head. She clumsily walks around like this until she has everyone's attention and we're all laughing at her. On our weekly field trip to Target, I bought her a shirt, and she wore it on her head all the way around the store. I keep telling the boys to ignore her, but trying to keep a straight face while she's wearing ham and macaroni on her head is very hard to do. Besides, they think everything she does is great.

Figured out how to take her jammie bottoms off so she could wear them on her head

Taking her baby for a walk

Sitting with her bitty babies..or maybe sitting on her bitty babies.

That's one classy girl

Where's Cate?

There she is!

Thank goodness for OxiClean!

Cate Goes To School

On Thursday, Cate attended her first day of "school". Brady's Pre-K has a Tues/Thurs 'drop-in' class for 0-3 yr olds. Because I am now babysitting Tues/Wed, I was able to sign Cate up and drop-in this week. She loved it! The class is from 9:30-10:45 and is two classrooms down from Brady's class. Brady is very excited that Cate is going to his school and checked in on her several times while she was there. Mostly, it's just a play group with story and snack time. She loved playing with all of the different toys..especially the magnet wall and dolls. During snacktime, she actually sat down and drank juice (a first). Story time..well, she wasn't too interested...she wandered around the group "talked". There are only three more weeks of class before summer break, but we're all signed up for next year as well.

Brady & Cate

It's Finally His Turn....

For all of his life (all four years) Brady has been hauled to every one of Carter and Bennett's soccer, baseball, basketball, tennis, swim, and track practices/games. And though he always has fun wherever he is, he has been patiently waiting for his turn to join his own teams. This spring we have signed him up for both soccer camp and a tball team. Of course, both teams practice on Monday nights, so we have to leave baseball early to make it to soccer (can anything ever be easy??). Last Monday was the first night and rain was in the forecast. Brady had both his bags packed for well over a week and was extremely disappointed when both sports were canceled because of weather. So, another week he waited. Scott and I knew they were predicting rain for this Monday as well, but we kept our fingers crossed. Tball ended up canceling early, but soccer decided to give it a go. Scott and I drove separately because I knew Cate wouldn't sit in the car for the full 90 minutes. It rained the entire time..not a drenching rain..just enough to make it miserable. But, he loved it! He wasn't shy at all and participated in every drill and game. When it was time for a drink break, he would run over to us, grab and quick drink and tell us he needed to get back because "his coached needed him". Cate made it 60 minutes before she made it obvious she was ready to go home. Carter and Bennett complained the entire time...imagine that. Carter wanted to go home. Bennett couldn't believe one of the kids had a baseball hat on at soccer practice..he literally wouldn't let it go...I've never seen him so disgusted... so I caved and took them all home. Brady was soaked by the time he got home, but was already asking how many days til his next practice!

We definitely don't have a hard time picking his blond hair out of a crowd!

He was "it" during freeze tag.

Quick drink

Keeping warm with daddy

On Monday mornings, I take Cate to gymnastics at the YMCA in Edwards.ville. It's more like a play group in the gymnastics center. After we drop Ben and Brady off at school, we head to the Y for the 9:15 class. It's just 30 minutes long and for ages 12-24 months. Even though most of the kids are her age, everyone always refers to her as "the baby". Last Monday was extra special because Scott was off work and he went to class with us. She loves being with her daddy!

The trampoline is her favorite

Playing in the foam pit. This was a treat because I refuse to get in that thing. I would never get out!!

All of the other kids love going down this slide...she loves going under it and refuses to go down...she usually just sits in there

This is her new buggy that the Easter bunny brought. She thinks it's her chariot and insists on being pushed around the house in it.

Easter

A Hopping Good Time

Cate practicing her "duck dance"

Easter 2009 was a great success! It started last Sunday when we celebrated Easter at my aunt Sandy's house. On the menu was ham and cheesy potatoes. I made an impressive trifle for dessert..first time I have ever attempted a trifle, and it was delish!

Cate is Easter dress #1 :-)

Typical family picture..crabby kids


On Easter Sunday, we had lunch at Scott's moms (ham and cheesy potatoes!!) and a huge egg hunt. 80 eggs! This was Cate's first egg hunt and she had a great time. The boys, of course were very competitive and I'm surprised there are no injuries to report.

Cate's Easter dress #2

Brady, Bennett, and Carter...ready for egg hunt

Cate hunting eggs at Grammy's

Reece, Brady, Cate, Carter, and Bennett posing for pictures after egg hunt

Uncle Josh and Bennett counting eggs (and money!)

Cate stealing Carter's eggs

Brady and Reece at Grammy's

At 6:00 we headed to my mom's for dinner (ham and baked potatoes) and a little fishing fun for the boys.

Bennett, Cate, Ann, Carter, Jon, and Brady at Mau Mau and Papa's house

Fishing in the backyard. They caught over 10 fish!

Bennett puts the worm on, catches a fish, takes it off the hook and throws it back in by himself!!
Doesn't need his dad's help anymore...except for the catfish!

It'll take me at least a week to find my dining room table under all of the baskets and candy. With Easter over, our next celebration is Bennett's birthday next week (23rd).....fyi...ham is not on the party's menu ;-)