Four Stores and a Restaurant

David and I went Christmas shopping for the kids tonight. We took Isabella with us because she's been pretty clingy lately due to her teething. Bauby came over to watch the boys. They have gotten much better about having Bauby or anyone babysit them lately. (I'm going to have to find a new babysitter when Bauby moves to Florida!) We went out to dinner first at Chipotle. I was starving so it was even better than usual. I LOVE Chipotle. By far my favorite restaurant and I could eat their everyday. We then went to four stores shopping away. It was fun. Would have been more fun if we had more money but whatever. We don't want to spoil the munchkins too much. The boys will be in heaven on Christmas morning. They are getting "big boy" toys this year. It's going to be a Batman/Transformer Christmas for them. They'll be happy. Isabella doesn't really know much about presents yet, but she likes the stuff we picked out - she was with us remember? :)

I'm making gifts for most of the kids in our family and the boys are going to send out a little package to their long distance cousins. They're excited about doing that and I'm excited about all of the sewing practice that I'm getting! I'm making the crayon/marker roll ups for the kids and new stockings for our family of five. Isabella first just in case I don't get them all - done she's the only one who doesn't have one. I bought a very cute soft pink fabric with brown polka dots. It will be adorable!

Almost through my first week of weight watchers online. I have a habit of weighing myself everyday so I already know that I've lost three pounds so far. I started on Monday so the "official" weigh in will be Monday. Weight Watchers has a new Points Plus system which is great! Fruit is zero points. I eat lots of fruits and vegetables everyday so that is going to help me a lot. I am hoping to lose about 45 pounds and go down at least 3/4 pants sizes.... I've been doing much better on my eating, but I've got to get better about my tracking and get back into the Y. Since we're all been getting sick we haven't been in there much. Monday. We'll start back on Monday!

Sleep is good...

I'm looking forward to a quiet weekend. This week has been kind of crazy for no real reason and I feel like I need some "rest." I get to sleep in again on Saturdays now that Xander is done with his swimming lessons at the YMCA. By sleeping in, I mean that I get to wake up to children instead of an alarm! Works for me. Saturdays are kind of a special day for me and the kids because we get to wake up and go at our own pace. Most Saturdays David has to work so it's just us. We don't have anyone coming over and we don't have to be anywhere. It's amazing how having five kids all week makes having three seem like a breeze! Tomorrow is going to go something like that except Bauby is coming over in the evening to babysit so that David and I can do some Christmas shopping - together without kids - that's rare! David doesn't like shopping but I'll try to make the most of it :)

Isabella is still working on some teeth so she hasn't been a very happy camper; especially at night! I feel so bad for her but I have to help her to get through this without ruining all of her good habits. She's always been able to put herself to sleep in her crib. I find myself rocking her to sleep more and holding her more because she wakes up in pain. I've even brought her in to lay down with me... NO! She's doing such a good job sleeping in her own bed. It's not that I haven't loved co-sleeping with the boys especially when they were much littler, but I've realized mostly since they've gotten older that its been much harder on them to break these kinds of habits. Brandon is almost five and still sleeping in our bed! So is it not better to help them develop their independence from the start?? I have such loving and cuddly boys though... I'm so torn on the subject of co-sleeping that I would never try to give anyone advice in that arena!

Isabella's first teeth!

Isabella cut her first tooth on Saturday, November 27th at Grama and Papa's house. This is her "I'm getting my first tooth" pic taken the night before. She was a little crabby but not too bad! She cut her second tooth today, December 3rd, the lower right central incisor. She's getting to be such a big girl! She was gnawing on my hand today and it actually hurt! She tried mac n' cheese for the first time today at Bob Evans and she was all about it! She actually cried for more in between bites which she never does with her fruits and vegetables. :)

I gave her a sippy cup with cold water in it today also. She gnawed on and played with it for a little while but she didn't get much of the water. Poor baby. She's always been so good at putting herself to sleep. The past couple of weeks with staying at my mom's, her cold and then her teeth, she's gotten too used to having mommy nearby and hasn't been wanting to go to bed by herself. After a clean diaper, nursing and meds I had to let her cry for a few minutes tonight so she'd go to sleep on her own. I hated to do it but I know it was for her own good. She has always been such a good sleeper I don't want to mess it up like we did with the boys from day one. They're still sleeping in our bed! She only cried for about 5 minutes and then she was asleep.

She is such a good girl. I love her so much and so does her daddy and big brothers! The boys are so excited that she is "growing up" and getting her teeth. They love that she "sits on her butt" too! They are so funny. Xander always says that he wants to have too babies. I asked him if he wanted a boy or a girl baby and at first he said a boy but he quickly changed his mind and said he wanted two girls. I don't think that he realizes that by the time we would have another baby Isabella wouldn't be one any more! :)

I'm trying to teach the boys to communicate with each other better and not to come crying to me or David with every argument or "he hit me." They have been very good about listening to what I have to say and communicating to each other how they feel. Maybe some day they'll actually be able to settle their own disputes!