Memory Lane Monday

Since the day Mallory was mobile we've known just how wild and crazy she can be...

always pushing the envelope...scaring the crap out of me...

and then Rosie came along...and like Mallory, she fears nothing...

What's next?  World domination!

C'mon, that smile is pretty evil!  And she's got a crazy cackle to go along with it!

Ice Skating

Last Sunday the girls had their first ice skating lesson.  I can count on one hand how many times I've skated and yet it never occurred to me just how hard the beginning may be for them.  Thinking back, I remember my ankles wobbling and hurting beyond belief...and the falling. How could I forget the falling? But as we drove to the rink, their excitement was pretty infectious. Their instructor said that for months the beginner class consisted of two students but this session easily had 25 kids. So they were understaffed with one instructor, to say the least. The girls were on the younger side and I think she saw the fear in their eyes, so she was very attentive to them. Does this look like the face of an Olympic figure skater right before their triple Lutz jump?

or this face...

They had lots of spills. But before they went out on the ice, the instructor taught them to put their arms out straight in front of them and bend their knees while sticking out their behind, should they feel like they were going to fall. Natalie was a pro at this.

Because there were so many students and we were just about last on the ice, all of the milk crates were taken. The expression on my face must have looked a lot like theirs. Thankfully, they found some more crates and the girls did much better.  They were actually moving along the ice! 

I thought for sure they would be crying when they came off (because of the falls/being cold) and never want to return. But to my surprise they all came off with a big smile saying, "I was good out there, huh?" Thank you God! And they want to go back! They ask every day if it's Sunday.

The lesson is conveniently right after church, so we decided to head there first as a family.  Jay goes to church every Sunday, without fail. But me, I've always luckily unfortunately had a baby keeping me home. Jay would often take one or two kids and they would spend the entire mass asking to use the bathroom (in fact, Mallory spent a long time on Jay's "banned from church list" because she could not behave). But gratefully, all four were perfect little angels. So much so, that while they were wrapping their arms around each other and kissing (all while making sure the little old ladies behind us were watching), I questioned if we should be heading to acting class after instead. But they must have just felt God's loving presence. ;)

Mallory started preschool last week!

She was so excited the night before, that she went to bed without a fight. After we woke up, I came downstairs and she was standing in the kitchen with her jacket on. She hadn't even brushed her hair or had breakfast, she just wanted to get there already! Daddy came along for the drop off and we both got a kick out of her expression when she was walking in. The typical Mallory "smirk." Hillary held her hand as they walked down the long hallway and into the classroom. She knew exactly what to do once inside, she must have been watching the twins intently all year. When I picked them up, her teacher's report was great. Mallory was very well behaved. She was surprised how different she is than the twins. Apparently, Mallory was first in line at every chance, whereas the twins are always towards the end of the line. She was anxious to get a chance to do everything! Her teacher also commented that you would never know she has sisters in the classroom because she didn't look for them or cling to them. She was busy, busy, busy! She asks everyday if she can go back to school, so the transition has been very smooth. And I get three quality hours with Rose two days a week. It's a nice break!

In Rosalie news, she has taken climbing to a whole new level (pun intended). She can now climb up onto our couch, the coffee table and the queen bed in the toy room. I guess Mallory's daredevil antics as a baby weren't bad enough - Rose is going to give her a run for her money and me a heart attack in the meantime. She said "butter" the other day. Actually she screamed "butter" at Nana Rich, who wouldn't let her stick her hands in the container - how rude!

Jay has been very busy with work this month. January is the busiest of all for him. When we have spare time after the kids fall asleep, we've been working on our upstairs bathroom. We use the bathroom toilet at least once a day. But the shower? It has been used ONCE. One time since we've lived here for oh, two and a half years. I'm still not sure why we chose not to use it because the shower is in perfect shape, but the bathroom needed some minor TLC. We're grouting the floor, replacing the toilet, painting the walls and vanity and working on some minor details. It's exciting seeing something improve so much with just a little elbow grease and love. Here are two before pictures...one of the multicolored walls and one with the nasty old grout. When we moved in we painted it a shade of blue. Six months ago I began to paint it green and then changed my mind, thus leaving multicolored walls. But the color I chose now was called "country white" so I really can't imagine you could go wrong with any shade of off white. The after pictures will follow...as soon as we finish! It'll be a slow process. : )

I'M BAAAACKKK!

I thought my blog might be done forever. I would often check other blogs and then look at my own and realize HOW BEHIND I WAS! It was really overwhelming to think what I should have posted and never got around to. But I was surfing a blog and came across this link - http://blog2print.com/. It's a website that prints your blog in book form! I have researched similar websites before but it was always so time consuming that I'd end up putting it on the back burner - hoping to get to it some other time. Well, the amazing thing about this site is it takes under a minute to punch in your blog address and voila...your book is created! It is unbelievable really! My plan is to order a book for each year that I've blogged. So that really sparked an interest in keeping my blog alive. Someday my kids will really appreciate this - who wouldn't want to see what their life was like day to day? And what perfect timing, on the last day of 2009. I have a few resolutions to take me into 2010 and updating my blog frequently is one of them.

So here is our Year in Review/What We've Been up to Lately:

Hillary - Hillary has been a huge help to me all year. If I'm tending to the baby and something is out of reach, Hillary is the person to call on. She loves to be the big sister/oldest! She still reminds everyone that she is the oldest by ONE WHOLE MINUTE! She can complete a 100 piece puzzle in no time and will sit quietly working alone. She also likes to color and draw more than ever. Santa brought Hillary a Leapster handheld learning system and her favorite game is Pet Pals (thanks Uncle Andrew and Auntie Christy). She told me yesterday that she is "addicted" to it...not sure how I feel about that but it does keep her entertained and is supposed to be educational. Hillary is still in Preschool, the twins missed the age requirement to move on to Kindergarten. Because of this, they are the oldest in the class and their teacher, Ms. Claire, says that they really love this. They like to help the younger kids around the classroom. The twins have really come into their own this year. Hillary is more the "tomboy" of the two. She likes to play soccer outside with Daddy and doesn't like to dress up much. She is sweet and smart and is also very sensitive. Her favorite color is orange!

Natalie - Natalie has grown a lot this year - both physically and emotionally. For a while it seemed as if she had a problem with any sort of change throughout the day. It would start in the morning with everything from her underwear, socks, pants and shirt being "scratchy" to not wanting to leave our house or where ever we were once she was comfortable. She was also extremely picky with what she would eat. It seemed to be a battle that would take up so much of my time. But she turned a corner at 5 and is so much more easy going. She will pick out her own clothes now, dress herself and wait by the door "in line." She is eating new things everyday and it makes my life so much easier! She also seemed to find her voice this year. She is not so shy in front of friends/family (remember karaoke on Christmas Eve anyone?) and does not let her sisters push her around at home. In fact, at the parent/teacher conference this year, her teacher could not get over the fact that Natalie was not the "spokesperson" for the twins at home. Because apparently at school she is in all of the action and a little social butterfly. Like Hillary, she enjoys puzzles and crafts. She also loves to dance and sing! Her favorite song is "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus. She tells me that someday she'll have a band with her sisters and girl cousins and go to Hollywood (and to sing to people in the hospital to cheer them up - how sweet)! She carries around two stuffed dogs at home - brother and sister - Xavier and Cindy! Her favorite colors are pink and blue!

Mallory - Mallory, Mallory, Mallory...I get the impression that I'll always laugh when I hear her name. She is funny and as mischievous as ever! Her speech is much more clear this year. She thrives off of being the "clown" of the house and is always trying to make people laugh. But she seems to have learned right from wrong and can be trusted playing upstairs alone (even if she is trying on every pair of tights we own) or while I'm in the shower. She loves to pick her own clothes and is capable of matching. I often joke that she'll be a fashion designer someday because she has a knack for it. She will ask me, "Mom, do I look cool?" If I thought I had the ultimate girly-girls when the twins came along, I was wrong. Mallory lives in dress up clothes and heels at home. When she earns a dollar here or there, she is without a doubt going to spend it on lip gloss. She has stashes all over the house and was ecstatic that she could wear red lipstick on Halloween! She recently went to her first dentist appointment. The doctor told her she has "princess teeth" to get her to open her mouth wide. She was beaming all day! The day after Christmas, Jay and I took the girls to see Disney on Ice and she sat the entire show with a huge smile on her face. She was yelling through gritted teeth, "Minnie, can you see my teeth? I have princess teeth!" It was hilarious! If Mallory gets reprimanded for something she's done, she will be relentless until I am happy with her again. She does not like to be ignored! Mallory is to begin Preschool after the New Year. She will be in the same class as the twins and is so excited to pack a snack and have a "homework folder." Mallory is my easiest going kid and will eat just about anything. She cracked open a fortune cookie the other day and her fortune said something about her "eyes that smile and sparkle." Which is crazy because they do and we've been saying this since she was born! She loves pink and purple and if sparkle/glitter was a color it would be her favorite!

Rosalie - My little dolly. She is a clone of me in so many ways. I have shown people my baby picture and they thought I was showing a picture of Rosalie. It's amazing to me and I love it! Unfortunately she also has the temper I had as a baby. If she wants something, she is going to get it...or she will kick, scream and roll around on the floor until she does. She is my earliest walker. She started taking her first steps a few weeks ago and at 10 1/2 months can walk across the room. She has been climbing stairs for a few months now and should someone leave the gate open, she will race up when she hears/sees me coming for her. She has eight teeth and they are adorable! I laugh every time I see her smile. She is also very vocal. I believe doctors usually like to see 3 words by the age of one and she says about 10-15. Sometimes she only says something once, if she's mimicking. She is very smart! One word that she will yell until she gets a reaction is "Mal." She loves Mal and looks for her all around the house! She loves to pull my hair (her bed time ritual). It makes her laugh when I tell her no. And that makes her do it more and more until she is laughing hysterically. She is my tallest baby. At her 10 month checkup she was in the 30Th percentile for weight and 75Th for height! If she keeps growing at this rate, we'll be catching up to Reese (who is a year older) and we'll be out of a beautiful wardrobe! Rosalie will eat anything I offer her and is great at feeding herself. She takes two short naps a day and spends most of the night in a port-a-crib in my room and then in bed with us. Rosalie LOVES to dance! If she hears someone just humming a tune, her body will be moving. She is so sweet and she's happiest watching or chasing after her sisters and cousins!

Whew...that was long! I promise you'll be seeing more of us in 2010...and Facebook will be taking up less of my internet time! : )

135 days!

I'm proud to announce that I'm not fourteen months pregnant (that due date ticker has been staring me in the face for over four months!) and she was in fact delivered on February 12, 2009! My almost-Valentine's Day baby!

Here's our newest bundle of joy,

Rosalie Helene Maxwell

Man, does time fly! Aside from a bump in the road at 5 weeks (her RSV may be a blog post on its own), Rosalie has been a dream baby.

Fun facts:

• she was born on her Godfather, Uncle Matt Service's birthday!
• she is by far my largest baby, falling into the 90% percentile for height at her last appointment
• she is a great traveler, and with three big sisters, appointments and schedules - she has to be
• she is a Rosalie to me. I tried Rosa, Rosie and Rose but none sound right. So Rosalie it is...or Dolly, Rosebud or Rosie Posie Pudding Pie...I'm sure she'll put an end to those last two. To Mallory she is and has been for four months, Rosie, period!
• she has been sleeping through the night for a few weeks now
• she does a little "dance" already that is THE CUTEST THING EVER (OK, some may not agree that she's dancing but she's genius to me! I will post a video!)
• I may have finally gotten a little munchkin that resembles me! It only took four tries. I will have to post a baby picture of myself because I think it's remarkable. Although, in that last picture, her half/side-smile is looking an awful lot like Jay!
• One not-so-fun fact is she is impossible to get down for a nap! She needs to lay a certain way with a blanket over her head and it must be quiet. With three big sisters, that last part can be tricky. I sometimes even mouth words to people while she is going down for a nap. But a sleeping baby is a good thing!

I have plenty to update about all of the Maxwell girls but Rosalie deserved a post of her own. She is a super happy, content and funny baby and it feels like she has been around from the start. We love you!

Yay! Another survey!

I live: In a town that has a church with the only remaining bell in active service crafted by Paul Revere...pretty darn cool huh?
I work: At home...wiping faces and folding laundry.
I smell: Babies' breath...no, not the flower, Mallory is sleeping inches from my face.
I listen: To talk radio when I am driving.
I hide: Candy if I don't want to split it four ways.
I walk: Nope, I'm waddling these days, and not very far.
I write: Lists that get lost in my purse.
I see: Excellent - my vision is great.
I sing: But I can't carry a tune.
I can: Cut/color/style hair which is going to be invaluable someday with all of the girls I am surrounded by.
I watch: Way too many scary shows that make me the paranoid person I am today (48 Hours Mystery, Dateline, 20/20).
I daydream: A lot throughout the day.
I want: To see this baby already!
I cry: And immediately have a headache.
I read: Strictly non-fiction books, the news online and blogs of course!
I love: Getting away with family.
I rode: In the car yesterday.
I sometimes: Have trouble managing my time.
I fear: A home invasion...I definitely need to stop watching 48 Hours Mystery.
I hope: My kids grow up to be happy, well-adjusted and want to be close to me and Jay.
I eat: The heels of bread and love them...my father would be proud!
I drink: Not nearly enough water! When I'm not pregnant, there are days where I drink none at all...shhh...I know that is BAD!
I play: Card games with Jay and we are insanely competitive.
I miss: Carefree summer days.
I forgive: Very easily. It makes me happy that most things just roll off my back.
I drive: A cool minivan...you wish you did too!
I lost: A huge box full of my kitchen stuff (and God knows what else was in there) in the move and it might just drive me crazy!
I dream: Usually every night.
I kiss: The girls everyday.
I hug: Jay.
I have: Been blessed with lots of funny, little girls that make me laugh everyday.
I remember: Not too much of my childhood.
I don't: Get nearly as much sleep as I should but I'm OK with it.
I believe: There is a God and prayers do get answered but you won't find me at church very often.
I owe: A lot to my parents...raising seven kids is no joke.
I know: This time in my life is going to go by in the blink of an eye and I try to remember that everyday.
I hate: Waking up to an alarm clock.
I wish: I didn't have heartburn at this very moment.
I wear: Pajamas a lot these days.
Maybe I should: Keep in touch with friends more often...I just hate talking on the phone.
People would say that I'm: Generally always cheery, right???
I don't understand: The whole pet thing...don't judge me!
My past is: Just that, the past.
I get annoyed when: I'm running late.
Parties are: Lots of fun and I usually don't want them to end.
Tomorrow: I will take the kids to visit preschool...in September they will all be in the same class. Insane, huh?
Never in my life have I: Jumped out of a plane and I never will.
When I was younger I: wanted to be a mom...I can check that one off the list.
When I'm nervous: I feel sick to my stomach.
My life is not complete without: COFFEE everyday.
If you visit my hometown: You must go to the oldest county fair in the country!
The world could do without: Violence and drugs.
If I ever go back to school: My life would be a crazy balancing act...but someday.
And, by the way: You should do this too. I would love to read it.

Pictures, Pictures and More Pictures!

This is a picture of the girls with their "pet animal"...sadly Dorothy was only with us for a week. Sooo the moral of the story is...never buy a fish from Building 19 : (

Little orphan Annie - right before she was picked up by Mr. Bundles

After-bath photo session

Always striking a pose

My little morning buddy, always with a cup of OJ

Mallory said she was wearing her glasses like Nana Marie...smart cookie!

Heading out for ice cream sundaes at Friendly's! Woo hoo!

This picture was taken after a trip to our new local pizza shop to pick up the girls' latest obsession...bacon pizza. The new owners had a "treasure chest" where kids could pick out a prize. Well this pizza shop happens to be a client of Jay's so I think they may have gotten special treatment. The wife got a kick out of talking to the girls and kept stuffing a bag full of goodies. According to them, this was the "best day ever!"

Mallory dressing up as a ballerina

and apparently she was done taking pictures!

Rosalie will be here in two short weeks! And I am close to finishing up the little girls' room makeover. It is too cute! I will have to post some before and after pictures. Bags are packed and now it is just a whole lot of waiting! Praying that she doesn't decide to come today.

How do you like this weather?

Wow! After a two month blog hiatus, I'm back. I wasn't even going to post today but I'm pretty sure if I don't update, the blog would officially be over forever. Sure, like everyone else, we were busy with the holidays. But more than that, I could not sit and form a complete sentence. I've been having trouble reading too. Normally, I would put the kids down and read while they fell asleep and late into the night. But for months I've been starting one book after another, only to read 2 or 3 chapters, and I could not remember for the life of me what I had read the night before. I think I may have finally snapped out of this funk. I just finished a book in 3 nights and it was great! Although, I have no idea what it was called, so I may not be out of the woods just yet. I blame it all on the pregnancy. The over-in-34-days pregnancy! It is unbelievable to me (and Jay) that in 34 days we'll have another baby. It is the single most exciting thing ever to deliver a baby - for the Rich family anyway : ) That may be why little Rosalie will be the 21st grandchild on my side!

But I also have to be realistic and prepare myself. It's almost like a freight train that is coming, speeding ahead, whether you're ready or not. Our family is growing from 5 to 6 and the dynamics will never be the same. For the first few months, it is going to be a lot of hard work and sleepless nights. Hopefully the insomnia I've battled with this entire pregnancy is preparing me for the few hours of broken sleep that I'm going to get. But I can't wait to see her! What will she look like? Who will she be? I imagine her with curly hair. Either way, I know she'll have a lot of hair because I have the heartburn day and night to prove it. And dimples! She has to have the Maxwell dimples. I just love them.

The girls are pretty excited too. They argue daily over who will hold her first when they meet her. I'm anxious to see Mallory's reaction. She's definitely battling her own baby blues. She desperately wants to be a baby again - my baby. She's been crying, talking and crawling like a baby for months. Some days she says she never wants to see Rosalie and other days, like at my doctor's appointment yesterday, she's asking to take the baby out right now. I'll leave you with a sweet picture of Mallory and her "baby Rosalie" sleeping in bed together. She confiscated Rosalie's onsie that says, "I'm the little sister" and has her doll wearing it. Sweet, huh? You'd never know by looking at the picture, that only hours earlier, she told me she'd like to put Rosalie in the trash. We may have our work cut out for us more than we know!

Getting to Know You - Xmas Edition

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I love wrapping paper! I have a roll of the most beautiful paper I've ever seen and I use just a little bit every year for my most special gifts. I never want it to run out! Would it be insane to ask the recipient for the used paper back? That's how much I love it!

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real unfortunately. Every year I say I'm going to buy an artificial tree in the days after Christmas, when they are really cheap, and I never do. I'm not a fan of the mess the real trees make and I tend to kill them every single year.

3. When do you put up the tree? If I could find one near me, I'd put it up today. I decorated my entire house yesterday and the carols are already on repeat! I've decided to just skip over Thanksgiving from now on.

4. When do you take the tree down? A few days after Christmas. Not fun!

5. Do you like eggnog? I think so. It wouldn't be Christmas without having at least one cup.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Karaoke machine. I was about 12. A few years ago, I found a recording from the machine and let's just say...I won't be trying out for American Idol.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Either my Dad, because his birthday falls the day after Christmas - two gifts, or Jay because he'll tell you he DOES NOT WANT A SINGLE THING. Then he cries like a baby that he didn't get just what he wanted. I wonder if he's reading this?

8. Easiest person to buy for? The kids.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes! Jay got me the Demdaco Angel Nativity set and it is beautiful. I really, really love it.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. I love giving and receiving them.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I'm pretty easy to buy for. If I can wear/carry it or if it's at all glittery - I'm happy!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? The Holiday - HANDS DOWN! Guilty to admit it's one of my favorite movies of all time. I can watch it over and over again!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? About two weeks before. I am awful. But I think I work better under short time constraints.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? None that I can remember.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Stuffing. I love all kinds of stuffing and this year I can eat it until my hearts content.

16. Lights on the tree? Definitely white.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Driving Home for Christmas by Chris Rea. Hearing it gives me that magical Christmas feeling and I've already been playing it on repeat.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? My Mom's and Annmarie's on Christmas Eve and off to the Maxwell's Christmas Day.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yes!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? I alternate from year to year depending on how we decorate the tree.

21. Presents on Christmas Eve or morning? PJ's on Christmas Eve and the rest Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Nothing until the dreaded days after when everything needs to be packed away for another year.

23. Favorite Ornament theme or color? I definitely have a theme each year and enjoy making it look pretty. As the years pass we'll use the handmade ornaments from the kids (we don't really have any yet).

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? I just like all the appetizers.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I love new pajamas and slippers. Something I always look forward to. I am so turning into Mam!

Merry Christmas - 41 more days!

I've been a lazy blogger lately. I read other blogs and comment, of course, but when it comes to my own blog...zero motivation. I am exhausted. I'm hoping it's just lack of sleep (I have serious pregnancy insomnia!) and not another phase of the pregnancy where I am just tired all the time. Because that is definitely my least favorite pregnancy symptom. I've hit double digits on Rosalie's "countdown ticker" if anyone had noticed! Very exciting!

I still haven't posted our Halloween pictures. It feels like Halloween was ages ago. I might be the last person on blogger to post pictures! Anyway, on to some photos so I can feel somewhat caught up.

Halloween '08 was our best yet! The girls decided to be fairies. I was getting nervous because they could not make up their minds in the weeks before, but the day ran very smooth. Having the Coughlin family with us was excellent - the girls were so excited to trick or treat with cousins and the weather could not have been better! We managed to hit lots more houses than I expected (way more than last year) and the only problem we ran into was potty break logistics. The funniest part had to be Mallory. Before we could even stop the wagon and open the door, she had both legs up over the side and was like lightening up the driveway. This kid was born to trick or treat! I still laugh thinking about it! I suppose next year will be even better now that the girls got the hang of it. And little Rosalie will even be along for the ride!