Parties, Painting and Patiently Waiting

This blog is done in rememberance of Cooper - yes, Cooper has passed away. Kevin came up one morning and pulled me aside to break the news - he thinks we let the house get too cold overnight and that is why he died (is 64 too cold for a beta fish?). I told him that he was the one that had to break the news to Drew (you all know that I would have NEVER let the house get cooler than 72). He did and Drew was not phased (did I mention that Kevin told him while Drew was watching TV?). Drew did ask us tonight where Cooper was (guess he really wasn't listening when we told him the first time), so we reminded him that Cooper had died and he started to get upset so I told him we could get a new fish. Guess what Drew said his name will be -- Cooper 2! Right now, though, I am happy to have my Southern Living Hurricane (what had become Cooper's home) back! I'll make the boys buy a fish bowl next time!

So all of the April birthdays are over (well except for my cousin Edmund: April 29th)! And boy was it crazy for a week or two! Don't you think that all 4 year olds need FOUR birthday parties? Well that is exactly what Master Drew had - one as his preschool, one at home with Mom and Dad, one at our house with his friends, and one at Gama and Jimbo's house with our hometown clan! In fact, I was very surprised that he didn't wake up last Monday asking where the party was that day.

Here are a few pictures from Gama and Jimbo's house. So I have to mention that Drew insited that he open each and every present and is came through the door. I know, I know, it's sad, but I was finished arguing with him and trying to explain to him that presents were not the most important thing and all that stuff...he obviously DIDN'T get it this year. Maybe at 5 he will grasp this concept a little better. He was however, very thankful and LOVED all of his nice gifts. This was his typical expression after opening a gift (shown here opening army guys from Nanny and Poppy - another battle I lost and Kevin won [the whole "no guns in the house" thing]).


We hadn't seen Brook, James and baby Liza in such a long time! Drew and Ellie were so excited to see them and loved playing with Liza. Drew kept calling her to come over and look at what he was doing! And I am pretty sure that Ellie thought she was a baby doll! She just wanted to pick her up and drag her around (but who wouldn't - look at how cute she is!).


Here is Ellie, cutting her eyes at Brook and getting ready to go after Liza!


So Liza found safety in Mommy's arms!


and Ellie crawled in Jimbo's lap!



Since this was Drew's fourth birthday cake, he decided that he would take a try at serving everyone (note the cake falling OFF of the spatula)


and Ellie decided to feed everyone!

And yes Ellie is in nothing but a diaper. I have never understood how some people feed their kids and not one morsel gets on their clothes! My kids have it from head to toe, on every inch of their body, clothes, hair and all! And needless to say, I did not want to try my luck at getting green cake icing stains out of their clothes! My track record with stain removel is NOT GREAT!

So I let them smear it all over their little bodies, instead of their clothes!

Here is Katie and Matthew - the two brave ones that kept Drew and Ellie the morning after the final party. I was informed that Ellie had green poop (a little two much cake you think?) - now that takes a good aunt to change!

And poor Kevin, with his birthday being two days after Drew's, he gets forgotten in all the craziness! But we were able get a babysitter and go to dinner for his birthday and actually eat in peace and quiet. You know it is funny because we are so used to having the children with us and talking/disciplining/eating/disciplining/feeding/disciplining/cleaning...and disciplinig that we hardly know what to do with ourselves when it is just the two of us! It was so nice! And after dinner we went to Target and I now know why it is probably a good thing that I have to go with children most of the time! There is so much great stuff in there that I have never seen or either missed it for several reasons, some of which include: darting from the back of the store to the front to "go potty" (AFTER asking as we walk through the front door and right past the bathrooms "Drew, do you need to go potty?" "No," is always the answer - guess I'll never learn), holding a screaming 18 month-old in my arms that is having a fit to get down and run up and down each and every ailse, working a 12 hour shift and wanting to do nothing but GO HOME or various other reasons that I could go on and on about, but I won't bore you with the details, and will just say my checkbook is glad I am not able to shop at Target in peace and quiet!

Another project that we recently took on was having the house painted. Doesn't everyone choose to have their house painted when they are 34 weeks pregnant, redecorating their kids rooms and working nearly full-time? I know, I have lost my mind, but we just couldn't pass up the opportunity when it came along. So I quickly picked out colors for my downstairs kitchen/dining/living room and my bedroom and hall bath. Now some of you may remember the "Coral" (aka: bright flurouscent glowing) room in South Hill or the "Eggplant" (aka: dark purple gone wrong) bathroom in Richmond, but for the most part I can pick out paint colors pretty well. I have to say I am very pleased with all of my color choices execpt for 1 and of course it is the dining room and living room - the FIRST rooms you seen when you walk in my house. The color is called Sherwin Williams Hearts of Palm and I really like the color but it is just a little to "limey" on my walls and in certain lighting I feel like I have a lime green house! I think it would look ok with the right decor, so do I repaint or redecorate? I have lost sleep over this decision over the past few days (well not because of this, but my pregnant bladder wakes me up and when I lay back down to go to sleep paint colors/decorating ideas are running through my head)!!! I am so frustrated because I am entirely too cheap to want to pay someone to come redo it, and I really don't want to do it myself (nor do I think I'll have much luck convincing Kevin to help me) and the whole idea of redecorating another room just wears me out! Ughhh! I'll post pictures of the color later! Meanwhile, the girls room is pretty much finished, with the exception of curtains! I'll post pictures of this later too - it turned out really cute! I am waiting on a few things for Drew's room and it will be finished soon too!

Otherwise things in the house are moving on along! Drew only has a few more weeks of preschool left, Ellie is talking a little more each day (and I do mean a VERY VERY little more - she absolutely REFUSES to say Mama), Kevin is getting busier at work and I am getting bigger by the day(as are my ankles)! Hopefully not too much longer before out newest addition will be here! I am sure that she will decide to come a week later or so, since I am expecting her a few weeks early!

Hope that everyone is doing well and enjoyed this beautiful weekend! I had to work, but probably better that I keep my kankles hidden under compression hose and Danskos!

Love to all!