Mark went to his brother's wedding in Utah two weeks ago. I had really been dreading the weekend alone with the kids--especially because it was was a long week at work for Mark complete with super late nights. He flew out on Thurs and came home on a red-eye Sat night. The kids and I survived the weekend with flying colors (I had to loosen my TV rules and got them movies to watch both nights). We were all so excited to spend Sunday with Mark but it wasn't all we dreamed it would be because he was so tired--duh! I was really dreading Monday and the long afternoons by myself again. But the stars aligned and it snowed and Mark's office was closed Monday and Tuesday (yes, we only had two inches)!!! Of course he had to work from home, but who really works from home? (oh wait, I do!)

But then because of the snow the kids didn't have school Wednesday or Thursday but Mark did have to go into the office, so that turned into another REALLY LONG 3-day week for me. But thank goodness for Martin Luther King because Mark got Monday off as well--and, thank goodness for Preschool because my kids are there!

Ok so not that I am done ranting and raving, and seeing how this blog is really supposed to be my kids baby book I realized I haven't done a real update on the kids lately.
We had some good weather at the end of these snow days

Katie
She is such a good girl. When I dropped the kids off for school yesterday, her teacher was having a panic attack because the other teacher had called in sick last minute and they could not find a sub and there was a new kid in class and he was a little wild. I told her I could stay for the first hour to help out. It was so fun to watch Katie in class. She is good and listens and loves every second of school. Her teacher told me that Katie is so ready for kindergarten next year. We have been working on her reading she is doing so well, she can read short, short stories all by herself. She is still into princesses but she loves her baby dolls more. She is my little helper and cleans her room and unloads the dishwasher for me.

Addy
She wants to be a little princess. Everything should be pink and princessy. It is actually getting a little annoying because she fights with Katie over the pink plate, cup, spoon and fork--she thinks she should have it every time and not take turns. She is my little helper and likes to repeat what I tell Marcus to do--sometimes I will catch her disciplining him. She also helps Marcus take off his shoes when we come in from outside. She likes to tell us when Katie is mean to her; "Katie mean." If we ask Addy "why" she did something, she always says "cause." She always tell me "just a second, Mama." The other day she was sitting quietly on the couch a while after I had sternly disciplined her, Mark asked her what was wrong. She put her head down and stuck out her lower lip as far as she could and said, "Mama mad at me."

Marcus
He is very good at being the baby--my baby. At the beach my little brother Seth started teasing him calling me "my [his]mommy"; Marcus went nuts! And now it has become a common fight in this house about whose mommy I am. Marcus has also started saying things like "where'd MY daddy go?" Marcus started counting a couple months ago and can count to 13 by himself. He refuses to say his own name. If I ask him his name, he laughs and says "No!" I have tried to trick him before while helping him pray, I'll say, "thanks for Addy, Marcus and Katie," Marcus will repeat, "thanks for Addy, me and Katie." Little stinker.

Last Friday morning Katie came running into my room gasping--she scared me--she said, "Marcus and Addy got our of their cribs and came into my room!!!"
Mark and I had a babysitter for Saturday so we had her come early so we could look at bunk-beds. We bought them on the spot and they are being delivered Friday night, we are going to put the twins on mattresses on the floor this weekend, so check back next week for some fun stories about that. Today, I heard Marcus screaming at the top of his lungs when he should have been sleeping. I ran into his room to find his big little body out of his crib and stuck under his crib. He was so scared because he couldn't move. Addy was standing in her crib telling me to "help Marcus, help Marcus, Marcus crying."

I heard Marcus out of this crib yesterday, and this is what I found. Obviously the capes are not working as well as they should be. (Addy fell asleep reading books in her crib)

Christmas pictures

Growing up we always had 'Christmas outfits'; I think Christmas is a great excuse to buy something new to wear. Mark doesn't, but I do it for my kids anyway. They always wear their outfits to church the Sunday closest to Christmas. It didn't really work out this year, since we drove to the beach the Sunday before and got snowed in the Sunday after, but...nonetheless they eventually wore their outfits to church and here they are...

(I think the pictures turned our pretty good given that we took them on our little camera, with a timer. It's all because Mark's little sister Emily edited them.)

To Christmas and Beyond!

Our Christmas craziness started with the kids preschool presentation. For some reason they had it during the day and Mark had to miss it. Luckily my kids' classes were seated next to each other on the stage so the teachers put my kids next to each other. It was really funny when Addy and Marcus saw me they both started pointing and waving. The kids sang a bunch of songs with hand motions. Marcus sat stone still, while Addy and Katie sang and motioned away. Half-way through Addy's shoe fell off the stage and when the teacher pulled her down to put it back on, Addy came running to me.

The kids were bowing after their skit and Katie pulled the line down.
After there program we had lunch and Santa was there. This was the first time the kids got to see him this year. Marcus waved but didn't want to get any closer.

That weekend our church had their Christmas party.

Katie is in the front row of angels, very center.
The primary had a live nativity--Katie was an angel. We invited our neighbors and Marcus and Addy had a blast running around with John.

Then the real party began. My parents got 2 beach houses starting the week before Christmas. Mark had to work so the kids and I took off Sunday afternoon. Johnny rode down with me. When we were a couple hours from the beach Marcus reached over and rolled down his window. The air wasn't cold, and he wasn't crying so I didn't worry about it. Five mins later I look back at him and noticed his monkey is missing off his lap. . . "Marcus," I said "where's Uh-ahs?" He just stared back at me with a weird expression on his face. "Marcus", I said "did you throw Uh-ahs out the window?" He looked scared. I pulled over and searched the car--no monkey. Panic sets in for me. Marcus can't make it through the day, much less the night, without his monkey. I had to find him. We are on a freeway but luckily there was very little traffic. I didn't see an exit in either direction and I was afraid I would lose the spot if I kept going to the next exit and turned around, so I backed up on the shoulder--probably about 2 miles . . . yes, it got a little scary a couple times when cars were coming towards me. After a little bit, the shoulder ended, so Johnny gets out and sprints down the freeway for me until he finds the monkey. (He needed the run, he had played in an all-star game the day before and his coach had told him to run the next day for his muscles--plus Johnny doesn't mind being a hero.)

The beach was a lot colder this year then it had been in the past but we still had lots of fun. All my kids favorite people in one place.

Talia and Katie

Addy and Marcus

Scotia and Addy

Making ornaments with Grandma and Grandpa for the tree at the beach.
Bethany had been worried that she lost her place as favorite aunt to Hannah while she was in Italy...I don't know if she regained her #1 spot but she made a quick comeback. The kids now ask for Hannah and Bethany, not just Hannah.

Marcus trying to squish Bethany

Me and Marcus

Alisa and Katie

Alisa and Addy

Chris watched my 3 kids and his 2 one day so I could join all the girls for lunch (thanks mom)and shopping. Seven sisters, one sister-in-law and one mom makes for a lot of gossip, even more harassment and lots of fun!

Another day we went to Roanoke Island Museum. It had something to do with the early settlers, first babies being born and a massacre--can you tell I had 3 little kids to watch while I was there? But it was really cool, complete with a ship to board and villages to tour.

Marcus and Johnny on the ship.

Katie and Talia in the Native American Canoe

On the balcony of our house--it was right on the beach.
All the cousins were in the same house--it got a little insane with 9 kids that were 4 years old and under (add to that all my younger siblings...and wow!)

Katie, Addy and Cooper in the Armoire

Take out Addy, add Cohen

Take out everyone and put Addy back in with Marcus

We had our family gift exchange on Wed night.

Addy opening her doll from Grandma and Grandpa--with the help of Seth and Tony

Katie showing Grandma and Grandpa the photo book we made them


We headed back Thursday because Mark would be off work on Friday. We were sad to leave but so ready to be with Mark.

Christmas Eve was a day of wrapping presents and hanging out.

After getting ready for bed and putting out milk and cookies

Christmas morning the kids slept in--seriously, I even took a shower because I woke up before them. After they woke up and came down stairs they went straight for their stockings. Marcus found fruit snacks and ate them right away. Then he started crying because he wanted more and didn't want to open presents. After a brief time-out he snapped out of it and the havoc began.

Katie helping Mark with the present she gave him

Looking at the star Katie made me in preschool

Katie and her cheerleading costume-- #1 on her Santa list

Addy wouldn't take off her bunny towel

So in the aftermath with all the cool toys she received Addy chose to sit and color in her tiny little princess notebook--thanks Grammy.

I got Mark a helicopter and he and the kids spent the rest of the weekend playing with it. Who knew I had 4 children.

Marcus in the cape I made him--trying to break the tutu haibt.


Christmas day we laid around and enjoyed our gifts and being together. We had caught something at the beach and by the time Christmas evening came I was really feeling it.

They canceled church the night before because we were expecting snow--which we got. Sunday morning we woke up expecting a repeat of Christmas day--laziness, watching our new movies and playing with toys. At 8:30 the electricity goes out...someone had run into the electric pole outside our neighborhood. We did not have electricity for 12 hours. It put a little bit of a damper on our day since the only heat source we had was our gas fireplace, and Mark had planned on watching football the whole day. Poor sick me laid in front of the fireplace ALL day, the kids didn't notice, and Mark used my phone to keep an eye on his fantasy football--he was the Champion! We ate dinner by candle light and played with flashlights before bed--here's to a day without technology (except for cellphones with internet).

Playing in the snow from the day.

The kids had the next week off from school, which we spent in our house sick--all 4 of us, while Mark escaped to work.

At one point we must not have been too sick because we did go outside and build some snowmen.

New Years Day was gorgeous--we went hiking at our favorite place in the Nature Preserve.

Marcus spent the whole time copying Mark's every move.

Yeah for the Holiday's and for family time!!!