A week of firsts

On Tuesday Colin started soccer. He was nervous about it and truthfully not even really that interested in playing. However, we thought it could be good for him to branch out beyond tools and construction, learn a little about soccer and be part of a team. We also thought it would be a nice way to meet other families since we still feel so new here. Chris is the team coach so that made it a lot easier to convince Colin to give it a try.

As I sat on the sidelines with the trips, I could see Colin beaming ear to ear and I felt so relieved. He was having fun! 

Phew!

The triplets were SO itching to get out there too! Especially Everett! They all kept yelling, "Me next. Next!" 

Their day will come. 

Everett finally getting a chance after the game

Carter, Finn, and Everett

The kids practice for 30 minutes and then play a game for 30 minutes. During the game, Colin hardly touched the ball. He basically just ran around following the crowd. If the coaches had been keeping score, we would have lost (they don't keep score at this age). But that night in Colin's bedtime prayers he said, "Dear God, thank you that I am such a great soccer player."

I'm so thankful that it was such a good experience and I hope his confidence continues to build. 

.....................

The other first we experienced this week was meeting my niece Reese Annabel. Oh. My. Goodness is she cute!!! People always say that about a new baby but seriously Reese is beyond cute! Off the charts. And that's my unbiased opinion. The boys loved spending time with cousin "Mimi" and meeting baby Reese. I loved catching up with my sister-in-law. Oh how I wished they lived closer.....

Colin and Macy

Feeding Reese with lots of helpers!

 Reese is one of the most chill babies I've ever come across. She was totally fine with lots of little, sometimes awkward hands helping and others crawling all around us!

Outside of my boy mom training

On Thursday afternoon, my mom and I watched the five kids.

My four boys and sweet little cousin Macy.

Watching Macy was no trouble what so ever. By this point, I feel pretty confident in my ability to take care of a child for a few hours. Feed them, change their diaper, dress them, play with them, maybe get them in a stroller, take them on a walk.... things like that. These skills all well within my wheelhouse.

Until....

Macy's hair tie falls out and she needs a new ponytail because she doesn't want wispys in her face.

I have just landed in foreign territory.

Sure I can put a ponytail in my own hair, but a little girls... never had to do that before. Heck, I hardly even brush my boys hair and when I do, it's more like me chasing them with a comb sneaking in a few brush strokes when I can.

Okay I can do this... I mean, how hard is it to put a ponytail in a two year olds hair??

Turns out, it's not so easy. My boy mom skills do not translate in this situation.

Macy was soooo patient with me! And she needed to be because I feel like it took me forever and a day!

 

Just look at her face though. She's probably thinking, "Why do they have this amateur doing my hair?!"

Everett watched the whole unfamiliar act go down from his highchair. He seemed both fascinated and a bit skeptical whether I could pull this off!

But I did!

Luckily, Macy can rock any look, even a slightly crooked ponytail!


P.S- if one of my boys decides to grow his hair long and rock a ponytail, I'm ready!

Macy turns two!

Woohoo!

Mimi turns two!

Time for presents and cake in order to celebrate this cutie patootie:

After a wonderful day at the beach, we celebrated my niece "Mimi's" second birthday. She's almost exactly 9 months older than the triplets.  

Colin thinks she's the cat's meow and well, she is.

She's stylish,

Uncle G!

Funny.

Loves to encourage everyone to clap for any ole' reason 

and is just plain fun to be around.

Happy Birthday Mimi!! We love you so much!

My parents at the party too! 

Remember Mimi's first birthday?

Celebrating Macy!

Hmmmm.... deja vu....

Keep your eyes on the road Mr.

This time, four adults, three babies, one two year old, two dogs and a 3 hour trip south to Effingham, IL.

Why you ask??

To help this cutie patootie celebrate her first birthday!

The party was so lovely, filled with beautiful, creative decorations and delicious, creative food.

Homemade strawberry lemonade... I'm thirsty just remembering this yummy drink

and one awesome slip and slide!

Every party needs a slip and slide, right?!

Is there anything cuter than watching a one year old eat cake on their birthday??

We couldn't get enough!

The Paparazzi!

Even Colin got into it!

On this very day, one year ago, Colin and I jumped in the car and raced down to southern IL. to meet cousin Macy. My brother's daughter.

Colin calls her Mimi.

What a beautiful delight she is!

It's been way too long

since I last blogged. There's so much to report that I'm just going to cram it all in to this one post!

Here it goes:

• Round two IUI process began two weeks ago. Shots each day, trips to the suburbs for ultrasounds, a VERY well behaved little boy waiting patiently in his stroller (I can only hope that he didn't see anything that will scar him for life), a trigger shot last Friday and the procedure completed by Sunday. Now the waiting has begun. I'm cautiously hopeful.

• Chris and I went away overnight last weekend. Gramma and Pop-Pop watched c while we went downtown and stayed at the Wit. It was FABULOUS. We knew c was in amazing hands with peeps that love him as much as we do, so it was easy to completely relax and just enjoy each other's company. We had drinks on the roof, dinner at Smith and Wollensky along the river and watched some T.V, and pretended we were on vacation. Even the air conditioning breaking in the middle of the night couldn't ruin our "vacation".

• Oh, and in the midst of all of this, my brother Kyle and his wife Madeline had a beautiful baby girl! Macy James Mooney was born on thursday august 12, 2010. She's perfect. It's pretty surreal to see my brother as a father. He's so proud and happy and attentive to her. But when I watch him holding his daughter I can't help but wonder, "when did we all grow up?" It seems like just yesterday his He-Man and army figures were tormenting my innocent barbies.