Family Law School Party

On Friday night, The Children's Advocacy and Family Law Society from Charleston School of Law hosted a harvest carnival at the Children's Museum. It was a private, after-hours event that was catered by Chick-fil-a and Rita's Italian Ice. It was awesome. There was plenty of room to run around and not bump into a million kids (which is typical during the day). There was also a children's costume contest that we were totally robbed of the 1st prize (a store-bought Alice in Wonderland costume won). I'm not bitter but I really wanted Hughes to win because the prize was a year membership to the museum and I just let ours expire!

Before we left the house we had a knock-down, drag-out argument with Hughes over what costume he was going to wear. We bribed, we talked, we made Hughes wear the mummy costume. I spent the last two afternoons creating this masterpiece and someone was going to wear it. After getting in the car, we quickly learned where all the fussing was coming from -----

EXHAUSTION!

We weren't even off Johns Island yet and the Mummy was sound asleep!

Batman also joined the Mummy in the nap.

After getting to the museum, the boys woke up and were excited to see where they were. From then on out, they were perfect! Sometimes all you need is a quick power nap!

Family of Five!

Me and My Superhero and Mummy

Mummy and Dad

School Halloween Parties

On Friday both boys had Halloween parties at school. They had a blast and were excited to wear their costumes to school. Unfortunately for me, Hughes refused to wear his mummy costume and was adamant to wear the pterodactyl costume from last year. Ignore the fact that it is too small and he looked ridiculous! I now know how my own mother felt when I insisted on wearing something that she knew looked ridiculous on me. I made sure to tell all of his teachers that the pterodactyl costume was his idea and yes, I know it is too small!

Miss Frizzle (aka Miss Kate) and the Mean Pterodactyl

Batman and Pterodactyl sitting nicely waiting on their turn during Hughes' Halloween party.

Batman enjoying his party. Unfortunately the kid to the right of him threw-up shortly after this picture. So, now I'm curious if we're going to get the nasty stomach bug that's creeping around!

a close-up of our Batman!

Hughes Well-Check

Hughes had his 5-year old well-child visit today. He did a great job and cooperated beautifully with Dr. Geils. In the past, he has always hated the dr. listening to his heart, checking his spine, etc. but this year was totally different. Last year, Dr. Geils asked him to draw circles at which point Hughes just scribbled some very large circles on a piece of paper. This year, Hughes wrote his name perfectly for her and then drew a picture of Mom. It's amazing the difference a year can make at this age.

His stats are:

Height: 43.5 inches (75%)

Weight: 44.4 pounds (60%)

He has grown 2.5 inches since last year and gained 5 pounds.

Collins - First Bath & Three Weeks Old Stats

Collins had his first real bath this past Friday. I think he felt great afterwards!

Rub-A-Dub-Dub just chillin' in the tub!

Once the shock wore off, he relaxed quite nicely.

Dad and Collins

Mom and Collins

Not too happy about being taken out of the nice warm bath.

Today, we had our three-week check up for Collins. He is doing great and continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Last night, he gave us a 5-hour and a 4-hour stretch of sleep and I felt great this morning because of it. He is starting to lose his dark hair just like his brothers did when they were infants. His lighter hair is staying. He still eats every 3 hours and we let him sleep until he wakes up at night. He definitely likes to be walked around and held upright so that he can see everything. He's very alert. His 3wk. stats are:

Height: 21 inches (75%)

Weight: 10.7 pounds (90%)

Head Circ: 39.4cm. (90%)

He's nearly gained 2 lbs. in one week - 1lb. 8oz. exactly. When I see him growing like this it makes getting up in the middle of the night a little bit easier but no less exhausting!

3 weeks old and heading to see the doctor

Holy Moly!

While the boys were gone all last week with BecBec and PopPop to Fort Walton and then to watch Auburn step on LSU, Collins and I got in some good quality time. We slept, we relaxed, we ate out. Oh yeah, his first restaurant experience was Wasabi (downtown sushi restaurant) and he was perfect. I forgot how easy a newborn can be. He also ate at several other establishments last week and always proved to be the perfect dining partner.

Of course, wouldn't you know, something would have to happen to interrupt our peaceful week. So, on Thursday morning David and I woke up to a flooded downstairs and flooded upstairs bathroom. The boys' bathroom toilet cracked in the middle of the night and proceded to "run" all night trying to fill up the cracked tank.

A water remediation team was called, insurance was called and we just stood there and shook our heads. If it's not one thing then it's another!

Ceilings have been taken down, dry wall has been removed, floors taken up, furniture moved, rugs ruined, etc. Now to put the house back together.

The boys are back and life is normal again - CRAZY! The contractor came out this morning to check things over so hopefully we'll have some progress by the end of this week. On the flip side, Charlie is really enjoying keeping cool on our concrete floors.

Collins - Two Weeks Old

Collins has been in our lives for a total of two weeks now and he is perfect. He rarely cries and when he does it is the sweetest cry - very soft just like Banks' cry when he was a baby. He is a super nurser and, so far, has proven to be a pretty good sleeper. He gives us typically 2 four-hour stretches at night and then a 3-hour stretch. He eats every 3 hours during the day like clockwork.

His umbilical cord fell off this morning which means bath time as soon as David has a free moment. I didn't notice this morning that he is already growing out of some things - he use to snort like a pig when searching for the food source. He doesn't do that anymore. I kind of like the snorting.

Here are some pictures documenting his two-week old self. We're still working on our "cheese".

Oh Boy - Special Milk

The boys have been very interested in how I feed Collins. I've tried to be truthful with them yet not give them too much detail. I've told them that I make a "special milk" just for Collins. That seemed to be enough for Hughes but Banks wanted more detail as he stared at my chest. So, I told him that my "boobies" made "special milk" for Collins and when he was a baby he got "special milk" too. It seems his curiosity was satisfied.

Fast Forward One Day

As I'm nursing Collins with Banks diligently watching, he says "moma, you feed him your milk out of your elbows". What am I to do? If I correct him, will he be talking about my "boobies" on the playground with his friends? Will he bring it up to his teachers?

Well, no, I didn't correct him. So, for any fellow nursing mothers and friends, as far as Banks knows, I make my special milk in my elbows!

I love that kid!

It's Pumpkin Time!

Last night, since David's classes were cancelled, we took advantage of a rare family weeknight at home and carved our pumpkins. This is the first time that we've done this. In the past, we've used our Mr. Potato Head pieces to decorate our pumpkins but this year we decided to do the real thing. The boys were stoked and very curious about the insides of the pumpkins.

All the boys

Dad carving it up.

Collins was thrilled to be included.

The finished product - both boys wanted scary faces. Afterwards, I toasted some of the pumpkin seeds. Hughes has yet to taste them. I think they're delicious!

Happy Halloween!

Bilirubin & Weight Check

On Monday, we headed to the pediatrician to have Collins' bilirubin level check. He is already back to his birth weight (8.15) which Dr. Geils said it usually takes infants two weeks to regain the weight they lose between delivery and discharge. Apparently, there is no skim milk coming from me!

They didn't even test his bilirubin because just looking at him you can tell he's not yellow-tinted and he poops/teetees like a champ.

So, we go back next Monday for our official two week visit to start our immunizations. I went ahead and got the Flu shot and DTaP in the hospital so now I just need to get the rest of family up to date with their flu shots.

With those chins, does this kid look like he misses a meal? I think not .

Dad and Collins

Hughes' Birthday

Yesterday was Hughes' actual birthday. We had a small lunch with grandparents since we just brought Collins home. We continued with the dinosaur theme of his friend birthday party and BecBec did not disappoint with this cool t-rex cake.

The birthday boy blowing out his candles.

Hughes about to open his birthday presents from family.

We gave him this super cool t-rex dinosaur. I had to tell David to stop playing with it when it came in the mail two weeks ago. It is quite amazing.

Bryce and Hughes before they went outside to play Nerf dart tag.

And, Ironman. Need I say more.

Dear Hughes,

You are amazing. You are loving. You are stubborn. You are compassionate. You are my favorite 5-year old!

You have been playing soccer and although it started off very rough, you have finished the season as a champ. You played your last game on Saturday and almost scored a goal in the last few seconds. Dad says you played so good and I'm sad I had to miss it - we didn't want to take a 5-day old out yet.

You're taking karate at school and love it. You don't want to wear the karate shirt/pants and that's fine with me. You love to show us your moves.

You are doing great in school in with Miss Kate. You have made tremendous progress so far. Where as you would never sing the ABCs or even let me sing them, now I hear you joyfully singing them to yourself while you play. You are very into writing letters and then asking me what they say. You are very interested in letters and numbers right now and that makes me soooo happy! You are also doing really great in speech with Miss Ali.

You have shown nothing but care and love for your new brother Collins and you show lots of patience with Banks. You're a great sharer and listener. I hope this continues.

Dinosaurs seem to be our #1 interest right now but books come close behind. You like to look at the pictures and make up the story. You often tell me to read the book but with no words.

I can't wait to see where this next year takes us and how you grow. You amaze me everyday. I love you to the moon and back!

Love,

Mom

My Three Sons

Does life get any better than this?

Let me introduce you to Collins!

William Collins Holman officially joined our family yesterday. The c-section was uneventful and everything went smoothly. We had to be at the hospital at 6am for the 8am surgery. I was giddy with excitement over meeting our sweet baby.

Collins proved to belong to our family upon his first weight check. At 8 pounds 15 ounces, he fits right in with our "big baby" trend. He is 21 inches long and David thinks he has my skin coloring. He's been a great nurser and sleeper.

I'm relaxing at the hospital while the boys are in school and David is doing errands. With this being our 3rd, it's like the hospital is an all-inclusive resort except without the fun, fruity drinks. I've got a comfy bed (sorry David about the sleeper chair), food being brought to me, a tv, a computer, and a lot of quiet time. Oh yeah, hospital life isn't too bad!

Collins supporting his two favorite college teams.

Me and Collins - excuse the drugged look in my eyes. The morphine was going strong.

Hughes giving Collins a "welcome" kiss. Sorry about the sideways picture.

First Family Photo with all 5 - excuse my chins, I thought I had one but obviously a few more popped up!

Dad, Collins & Mom

David is not a priest but he is a godsend. He's the best daddy in the world!

39.4 Weeks Pregnant - Here Comes Collins!

Collins is coming tomorrow! We have to be at the hospital at 6am for an 8am c-section. BecBec is here to take over Hughes/Banks duty while we're at the hospital. We've talked and talked about it with the boys so we'll see if all the talking was worth it tomorrow when they meet their new baby brother.

I'm excited and thrilled to be able to hold Collins in my arms and not my stomach, however; I realize that he is a lot easier to care for inside of me rather than on the outside. I'm not looking forward to the healing process from the c-section and really not looking forward to "looking pregnant" but not being pregnant. That part really stinks. I am looking forward to nursing him, cuddling him, and watching him grow. It is true - children grow up way too fast!!

So

Dear Collins,

Tomorrow you will be here and I'm ecstatic. You have been prayed for before you were conceived and have continued to receive daily prayers on your behalf. It is my prayer that you have an open and loving heart, a listening ear, a helpful hand, and a prayerful tongue. I promise to be the best mom that I can be. I promise to be loving and fair, always have an open ear, and be your biggest cheerleader through life.

You officially join the world tomorrow and I know you will make it a better place! I love you to the moon and back!

Love,

Mom

I can't believe I'll be a mom to three boys tomorrow!!!!!!

Blessing of the Animals

Tonight we braved going to St. Michaels for the Blessing of the Animals with two kids and Charlie in tow. And, I have to say, Charlie was the perfect Christian dog. He didn't bark during the sermon, he didn't urinate in the church, and he received a blessing from Priest Peter Moore like he was use to it.

Charlie, we are proud of you!

Taco Boy T-Rexes

Today was a crazy day. Hughes willingly & joyfully played soccer today. We've had quite a time with Hughes and soccer. He would participate in practice doing the drills but would never want to play in the scrimage during practice. And on game days - forget about it. He sat on the bench - sometimes crying, sometimes pouting, always miserable. Well, for parents, that makes us miserable. What do you do?

This morning we had team pictures at 8am and a game at 8:30am. Dreading it, I sent David with Hughes for the pictures. Well, he did great with pictures which is kind of crazy considering Hughes hates getting his picture made.

Top Row: Thad, Hughes, Conley, Coach Jay

Bottom Row: Sasha, Wyatt, & Graham

David called me after the 1st quarter to tell me to "hurry over" because Hughes just played the first quarter like a pro (okay, maybe not like a pro but definitely like someone who's interested). I was in shock. Banks and I rushed over only to find Hughes playing soccer with a smile on his face. I got tears in my eyes because I was so happy that he finally was enjoying himself. He did awesome!

Now, let's back up a little bit to the early morning before we left the house. David and I had a talk with Hughes. We told him that he didn't have to play but that he could not cry on the bench. All that we asked was that he sat on the bench and not cry. We no longer cared if he played. We showed him a ring pop that we had bought for him in return for no crying.

A promise is a promise. Showing off the ring pop that he worked so hard for. Of course, Banks just benefitted from his brother's hard work.

38 1/2 Weeks - Oh So Close!

Well, it seems Collins is holding on to one of my ribs because my body is refusing to make any progress down there. I thought for sure that something would be going on but not so. They had a hard time finding his heartbeat this morning but it didn't worry me because during the time that the nurse had the doppler on me Collins kicked her the entire time. Then, when Dr. Dennis came in to find the heartbeat he kicked him the entire time, too. When they finally got it the heartbeat was around 150.

Banks went with me to the doctor this morning. As I was giving my urine sample in the bathroom, Banks fussed at me, "mama, teetee goes in the potty not a cup". And, then, when I was undressing for the examination, Banks said, "mama, why you take your clothes off? Put your clothes back on". Hopefully this newly 3-year old will forget all that he saw. He didn't pay to much attention to the examination as I had brought Sweet Sixteen Doughnuts for him to snack on during this time. He was way more interested in the doughnuts than me on the table.

So, unless there is a drastic change, which I foresee not, Collins's c-section date will stay the same - Monday, October 4th. Now, just got to get David's honey-do list started because my body is pooped. Not a lot of sleep going on, a lot of daily and nightly bathroom breaks going on, and two boys who still want to go-go-go!

Ambitious?

Conversations with Banks and Hughes:

Me: Banks, what do you want to do when you grow up?

Banks: a dentist (while playing with Mr. Fill 'n Drill playdough)

Me: Hughes, what do you want to do when you grow up?

Hughes: watch tv

Dear God,

Please let Hughes' aspirations change drastically and keep Banks' the same.

A Worried Mother,

Me

It's Raining Diapers!

I have been showered with diapers, wipes & all kinds of cute necessities from some of the best friends a girl could ask for. Collins has diapers and wipes that will last him until he's 18!

I love seeing his name and initials monogrammed on items.

Sweet day gown that my mom gave him. He'll be wearing this home from the hospital.

With having 3 boys there is a lot of clothes sharing but a day gown is one thing that I've always gotten new for each child to come home in. We share a christening gown so this is the one thing that is completely there's. Of course, I'm sure their future wives one day will probably hate day gowns but, hey, I don't care. I love them! I guess I'll be that crazy mother-in-law that hands down a precious gown that I've saved for 30 years only to be laughed at behind my back. Can I start praying for my future daughter-in-laws now?

It was a great night with a few of my favorite girls. We are officially ready for Collins to come on out and play (without crying, of course).