Adyson Mae Doolittle

We think we have finally agreed on a name for the new baby. Adyson seems to be the only name we agree upon so we are going for it. We decided the middle name should be Mae after my great grandmother Veda Mae. And yes we had to make things difficult and add a y to her name. We didn't want her to be left out or feel she is any less special than Loryn. Anyway, hope you all like it, I am sure she will become the name anyway. It just seems to happen that way. Around 5 more weeks and we can put a face to the name.

Welcome Georgia!

Welcome to the family little Georgia! We are so excited you are here. Congratulations Kelsi and John to your beautiful little girl. She is gorgeous! We love you guys and good luck with your new family! (You can check out Kelsi's blog by pushing on the link to the side.)

Another Monday...Another Mess...

Well it is Monday again and here I am confronted with mountains of laundry, a messy kitchen, well really a messy house, and lots of kids running around. Sometimes I wonder why bother cleaning it, never stays clean. I so envy those who keep a smooth sailing clean, organized house. I realize that some of it is having a lot of kids running through it, but there are other moms who do it so why can't I? Well, here is to hoping that I gain my energy back once the baby is born and I can get on a good schedule and have a clean house, at least most of the time. Elijah and Loryn will both be going to preschool next year. So I will just have the baby at home.

This week other than preparing for my class and keeping the house in order and watching the kids I am getting ready for a big freezer cession. I usually do these on my own; cook for three days in a row and have a few months of food in my freezer. Since I have been pregnant I have only done little week cessions because I just don't seem to have the energy to finish a big one. I am afraid I will waste a bunch of food. So I have enlisted Ben to help me and we are going to cook this weekend. I have been preparing all weekend with retyping all my recipes back in my program (I lost them all when the desk top computer hard drive crashed). And organizing. Thursday will be my shopping day, I do to 3 stores (Aldi's, Sams Club, and Walmart). Hoping to save where I can. I have arranged to have the kids looked after on Friday, part of Saturday and part of Sunday. Hoping we can get it all done. With Ben's help I think it will be fun. I look forward to it.

My brother ran a full marathon on Saturday. He placed in the 1000 out of 5000 people. Way to go Chris! We wished we could have been there to cheer you on.

I can be like daddy!

Ben got his bike out and hooked it up to the stationary unit to exercise a little. Elijah decided he wanted to be like daddy and put his bike up like daddy. So the nice dad that he is, Ben set up Elijah's bike so that his back tire set up like Ben's so that he could peddle and not go anywhere. It was very cute. Then Elijah noticed that daddy had a water bottle on his bike and and to come in and ask me for water too so that he could put it on his too. Amazing how these little ones like to mimic. A little scary sometimes, to think that we are not always perfect, and just hope and pray they don't mimic those other not so nice things we do. Of course now all the kids are fighting over having their bikes like daddy's so they can exercise too.

Freedom!

Today was a little different than my normal Wednesdays. First of all, this morning Elijah decided he was going to go with Caleb to school. He was ready to go with his backpack and pajamas. Then when we went to drop the girls off at school, he cried when he couldn't stay. Jessica the lady who runs the preschool is always outside helping unload kids and bring them to their class. She asked if he would like to stay for the day. How could I pass that up. I had a house that looked like a tornado hit it and mountain of laundry to fold, put away, as well as wash (2 different mountains)! So I decided sure, why not. We brought him to the 2 year old class and he just walked in took his backpack and jacket off and was off to playing. He did not even look back.

So home I go after a quick trip to the grocery store, never spending under 80 it seems, even if I'm just going in for milk. Went home and started on the house. I cleaned both kids rooms, both bathroom, the kitchen, the playroom, the downstairs living room and upstairs living room, and switched laundry twice. All before I had to pick up the kids again. I was amazed! I always thought there was something wrong with me why I could never keep the house clean. Maybe its just having too many kids stopping you every five minutes for any imaginable thing. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Too bad I can't get used to it. Even when Elijah and Loryn are in preschool next year I will still have the new baby girl home with me. But someday, and I wonder as I listen to that country song, will I miss this? The song seems to think so, I have my doubts.

Today I am watching Mellissa, Eileen's little girl. She dropped her off a little before I had to leave to pick up kids. I have Mellissa and Emma today along with my kids. Luckily it is a pretty day out so that I can send them outside to play. I have my class tonight so I am trying to get it clean and keep it clean. Not always that easy, especially with 5 kids running around.



I should have a special section just for Elijah called "What Elijah brought with him to bed tonight...". It is pretty funny because it is not just the normal stuffed animal and occasional toy. Last night it was his chair, and his legs were sandwiched right under it. I always check him before I go to bed just to take all the things he brought with him to bed off.


By the way, A BIG THANK YOU TO KATHI (Ben's mom) for getting us a car seat and bouncer along with others needs. We really appreciate all you guys do for us, from just a phone call of interest in our lives and well beings to temporal needs.

Another BIG THANK YOU TO KAREN (my mom), for helping Loryn and Elijah have the opportunity to go to preschool! You all are too good to us. Our biggest wish though is always to have you near. We love you all!

Easter!

Easter finally arrived! The kids have been so excited waiting for this day to arrive. Of course we talked and read about the real reason Easter - Jesus Christ, but it still seem to have no affect on their anticipation of Easter morning and the Easter bunny.


The boys of course were the first ones awake and amazingly was after 7am. That never happens (well, actually it does but only on the days that mom and dad have to be up early and can't sleep in. Never on the days we are able to sleep in - then they are up at 6:30am).



We had to hold the boys hostage until we woke up Loryn. She is always the last one up. After they checked out their baskets of little toys and candy, they went egg searching around the house. They never get tired of easter egg hunting.

So many pictures... so little time... More pics of Saturday

Easter Saturday

Saturday we went to my dad's house in Acworth, GA to celebrate Easter as well as pick up Caleb. My brother, Chris, and his wife, Aimee, came over too, so it was a nice little family get together. We all had a great time. We went out to lunch to a BBQ place soon after we got there then came back and hid the easter eggs for the kids to go find them. They loved running around searching. I felt bad for Caleb since he would drop his bucket and fall every now and then. It is just not that easy to pick up eggs off the ground when you are walking with crutches. Poor kid. Although it really didn't seem to harm his chances. The final score was Caleb 23, Elijah 22, and Loryn 18.

Look high!














Poor Caleb...






With no time to spare, all must check out the goods.












After egg hunting we went inside to dye our eggs. I forgot the vinegar so dad had to run to the store real quick to pick some up. We managed to not be all covered in dye, I only got a little right towards the end when Elijah dropped an egg on to my shirt. And actually when I say we dyed eggs I mean me, the kids, grandma and grandpa. The other "kids" were too busy playing the play station downstairs.


Finally later on the boys pried themselves from the games and went outside to help my dad out enough to put the boat in and ski season beginwaxing the boat and getting it ready for the lake. Soon enough it will be warms, yea for those who will be skiing this year. Not me, and yes I know I will have had the baby by then but do you think all the baby fat will be off and that I will be one of those moms who most of us who are normal hate, that look good only a month after they had the baby. I already know that will not be me. I am hoping that next summer I will have lost most of the weight. That is a more realistic goal. Anyway, kids were cute helping Papa with the boat and having a good time in the boat.

Loryn did manage to fall and scrap her knee. She was sure to eat up as much attention as she could from Papa. He took care of her. He carried her into the house and cleaned her bobo off and put a bandaid on. Today, Monday, I went to change her band aid and she says "I need papa to change it". She loved the attention!

Run around Friday

Friday was a day of haircuts, grocery store, and other errands. We also met my dad to pass Caleb on to him for a sleepover. He got to go to my dads who lives about an hour away for lots of video game playing and who knows what else. Chris and Aimee met over there too and got to visit with him. Elijah was very upset he couldn't go too and cried until I gave him some candy I had been saving just for that moment. I guess after having several kids you do sometimes pick up on things and can learn some preemptive strategies to make it just a little bit easier on mom. Of course the sticky mess was not easier but it stop the screaming. We headed over to Babies R Us and got us a car seat for the baby and a very pink bouncer. I have never done that before, buying an all pink or all blue item because of the possibility of another child. Finally I can say we are done and so this time I got an all pink. Anyway, rearing up for our new little one. Seems so far away still but I know it will be here before we know it.

The Invisible mom...

Someone sent me an email with this story. It really touched me so I thought I would share it on my blog. This is for all you moms out there.

The invisible Mom:

I'm Invisible.

It all began to make sense - the blank stares, the lack of response,

the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone

and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not;

no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the

floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this?

Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, and she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a hair clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this." It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe.

I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her

inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman replied, "Because God sees." I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see my self as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table."

That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great Job, MOM!

From yellow to blue...

Yesterday Caleb went for his check up for his leg. They took an x-ray, which showed that it was healing good but that he still needed a cast on. He gave us the choice to keep the cast he has on or to get a short walking cast. Ben left it up to Caleb, and he chose to get a new one. He fought the nurse a little when she had to push his foot flat but finally got his new cast. This time he chose blue which I personally think is much better. We had to order his boot for his cast foot which will arrive in a few days. Just like last time. He is doing well other than practically scratching off a few layers of skin once he got his cast off. I don't blame him but its hard to make a 6 year understand that he could create sores if he keeps scratching and that for it really to feel better he just has to stop. At least now he can bend his knee. On the negative side he still can't take a shower and no hair cut. We are afraid of little hairs getting into his cast. We may have to just do it and hope for the best, he already looks so scruffy.

All about Elijah...tents, belly slidin, nose pickin, laundry washin, puddle splashin, mom chasin,

Elijah had a busy weekend of being the kind of silly boy he is. Tents, belly slidin, nose pickin, laundry washin, puddle splashin, and mom chasin. All in a few days work! I'll explain what each of those entails. Sometimes being a parent you just have to laugh and have sense of humor. Break out the camera and take the pictures so to never forget what your missing later. Reminds me of the time Caleb had his own little adventure, when he was only about 10 months old, after a little nap time decided to have some extra fun with his diaper. Mom learned a great lesson that day as to never leave a child of 10 months in just his diaper. I had a monitor in his room and heard him wake up and and start talking to himself. I thought sense he wasn't crying I would let him play in his crib a little bit while I finished up some things. I then started to hear him giggle and what seemed to be having just too much fun. So I decided I should go check on him. I walk in and found him diaperless and poop thrown everywhere! All over his hands, the crib, the walls. I was shocked. I couldn't move for a minute, trying to process what I was seeing, and remember this is Caleb, my first so these experiences just didn't register as possible yet. After I recovered, I decided I should have a little blackmail on Caleb and video taped him before I cleaned him and the room up. What fun being a parent can be sometimes.

Although Elijah was not as messy and gross as Caleb's little fun moment, he had a few pretty interesting moments this weekend. OK, so where do we start...

Tents

Elijah found a little tent and wanted to play in it, so I put it together and let him play in it all day. By the time it was his bedtime he insisted on sleeping in it and managed to get away with for a few days. Of course all his toys had to go to sleep with him too, which really is not much different than when he sleeps in his actual bed. I am always having to unpile the toys off of him before I go to bed so that he can move. He never really attached to any security item. He has a monkey he likes to bring to bed but usually its whatever toy he wants with him, airplanes, cars, books, etc. and lots.

Belly Slidin

Ben decided to wash his car and as always Elijah is right there to help. Soon after it was done he came inside soaking wet - of course. I told him to take all of his clothes off and go and get me a diaper. I have been going through stored clothes boxes lately and found some of Caleb's old Thomas underwear and so washed and had them for Elijah. He has been dying to where them so when he returned he came back not with a diaper but with his underwear. I decided ok that's fine, you can wear your underwear. He promptly ran out to show daddy how cute he was and within a minute attempted to belly slide down the driveway, on his belly on the concrete! (remember Ben just washed the car so the driveway was all wet) Poor baby, he just didn't understand that it was not a slippin slide. He didn't cry at all just rubbed his belly. Then I understood, he thought he was wearing a swimsuit not underwear. It wasn't long before he was finding something else to do like jumping in the puddle at the end of the driveway where all the car soap was trapped.

Nose pikin'

Ben was reading to the kids the other night and I thought what a cute picture, so decided to take a few but couldn't get any good ones because Elijah would not get his finger out of his nose. His favorite past time! Yum!!

Laundry washin

Elijah decided to help daddy do some laundry this weekend. He is always our good little helper!

Puddle Splashin

We had a big storm come through on Saturday. When I couldn't find Elijah in the house I looked outside and what do you know, there he is splashin and having a good time in the puddles. At least he put his rain boots on. It was one of those moments your mad a first, then you just have to laugh and go and get the camera. Him and Loryn went out later with permision to play but was instructed not to get wet, (daddy was also instructed to not let them get wet), well that didn't really take. In no time they were soaking wet, including Loryn, I guess she couldn't resist.

Mom chasin'

Ben and our neighbor got some guys together to play paint ball in our backyard which is all trees. While they were playing I was keeping the kids inside so they wouldn't accidentally get hit by one and get hurt. Elijah again escaped and this time when I couldn't find him in the house I went looking outside calling and calling him. He thought it was funny to hide from mommy. I was calling him and looking for him for more than 10 min before finally I looked out back again and saw him coming around the corner. When he saw me he laughed and started running. I am sure half of the fun was that mom is not so fast anymore with her big belly (or should I say huge belly). We had a few laps around the house when I finally went through the house to cut him off and managed to get close enough to sprint after him to catch him. Well just say he got in trouble and I was hurting. When am I supposed to enjoy this pregnancy? I have moments but mainly feel slowed down, tired, and in pain. Maybe its the fact that I am on my fourth... and I will add last. I am trying to enjoy every minute but if I can be honest I look forward to when she gets here more than anything.

So there is our exciting weekend of Elijah adventures. He is the cutest thing even though he makes things harder sometimes but most of the time he makes me laugh. Through the tough and the fun I am always grateful that I am a mom, only occasionally do I need to stop and remember.

Grandma's Sewing machine

Friday I had a friend come over to help me learn how to use a sewing machine. My mom gave me my grandmother's old sewing machine and I had hopes it still worked. Well, it didn't. The balancing wheel that moves the needle up and down gets stuck. Learning to sew was next on my list of what to learn how to do myself. She still showed me how to thread it and talked me through the basics so that when I got it working or bought a new one I would be familiar with it. Maybe someday... The kids had fun because my friend Bianca has 3 kids close the same ages as ours and they had fun playing. Soon after Ben got home our neighbor enlisted Ben to start their weekend project of cutting down the dead trees in our backyards. Now you probably think they are doing it to make our yards look nicer but there is this new hobby they have been into lately called paintball that I think is the real motivated for cutting the downed trees and putting them into nice piles that resemble fort walls to hide behind. Whatever gets them to clean it out I guess I will not complain.

Wednesday I get a call from the school only about 30 min after Caleb left for school that he was throwing up. He acted completely fine that morning and of course was completely fine the rest of the day. Don't know what made him sick.

Thursday I get another call from the school right before I am leaving for my Midwife appointment, and I am thinking "oh no not again". Turns out he fell in class and was crying saying he hurt his ankle where the cast is on. I think he was more afraid than anything. He turned out he was ok and he definitly didn't want to leave school because he had his easter party and egg hunt that day.

My appointment went well. Debi Church, our midwife, said that the baby looked great, she was getting big and things look healthy. I have an appointment in 3 weeks at her place again, and then 2 weeks after that she comes to our house to check things out and become familiar. I already feel huge and uncomfortable. Its hard to walk around (my back pain doesn't help much). Of course only want the baby to come when she is ready which she has to atleast wait 5 more weeks.

Congratulations Chris!

Chris achieved a pilot slot in the Air Force. He is currently going to school and ROTC. He has one year left and then will be joining the Air Force to be a pilot. Like father like son. We are so proud of you Chris! Keep up the good work!

Another Monday

And here we are another Monday. A day of running the kids to preschool, Chiropractic appointment, usually grocery shopping and cleaning house. Today I have my kids and our neighbors kids Emma and Emily. Emma is Loryn's friend and Emily is a year older than Caleb. I picked up the house but as I speak I hear it getting destroyed again. It is nearly impossible to keep things clean especially being so big and pregnant, it is hard for me to bend down continually and pick up toys. Not much more to my boring day. This is part of the reason I don't write very much. I am just not as active or have as many exciting things going on I feel are worthy to share. Anyway here are some pics of the kids today. Loryn and Emma are playing Barbie dolls and Elijah is just finding any way he can get into trouble.