Update on the sickness that has hit our house...

Greyson seems to being doing some what better, although he is starting to hate the breathing treatments. He was doing so awesome at them, like AMAZING. You would of thought he had been doing it all his life, like it was no big deal. Now we have to chase him down to do it, but once it starts he is great again. He is still coughing a bunch and not 100% himself, but all the steroids and antibiotics have definitely been helping. We go back soon to find about what kind of "maintenance" we need to be doing for his newly diagnosed Asthma.  

 Addi on the other hand hasn't been doing well at all. She has had really high fevers and has not been herself. We had to take her to the emergency care center yesterday because her fever got up to 105, and she was so out of it. So scary. They said she has bronchitis, I am just not sure that is what it is. Greg loves to point out that I have no medical degree and google doesn't make me more knowledgeable than a doctor. But it you look up what the symptoms are of bronchitis it makes no sense. They put Addi on antibiotics, so hopefully whether it is bronchitis or not hopefully it helps. So far it hasn't, she has had very high fevers today also. I have been on the phone with nurses on and off all day (at least it feels that way). This is day 6 of this sickness and it has only gotten worse. I am already a worrier by nature so this is just a little too much for me to take.

Today while Addi's temp was down for a bit, I let them have a little outside time. I feel like fresh air can do a body good, at least I hope it does. They had so much fun, they are going a bit stir crazy being home so much and can you blame me, its been so gorgeous outside these past few days.

I'm so over it.

Last week we took Addi to a new Cardiologist in Gainesville. We loved this new one, but Addi's new ECHO was not what we were expecting. They found a suspicious bright spot on the wall of her aorta near where she had her surgery, but not something resulting from the surgery. They are trying to get the film from our other Dr to compare since she had only had her last ECHO a couple months ago. If it is something that has changed recently then it is even more concerning. To me it's concerning either way. If the other Dr failed to inform us of this issue, I find that concerning. If it's something that wasn't on the previous ECHO and something that has changed that rapidly, I find that VERY concerning. I have been a wreck since. Seriously it's all I think about. The Dr wanted a CT done within the next week or two. SO... tomorrow is the day. I am super nervous and I knew today would be rough and full on anticipation.

Well today was rough for all sorts of reasons, not really the reasons I expected. Addi and Greyson got sick yesterday and Addi seemed to have the worst of it. High fever, cough, and endless runny nose. Greyson had about the same but only a mild fever and was acting more himself. This morning they woke up with low fevers and I was relieved. Then all the sudden there was throw up on the ground and I couldn't figure out which child it was from. I look over and Greyson looked horrible. His chest was heaving as if he was trying to catch his breath. I watched him for the next 15 mins hoping it would get better. He had a lot of retraction and he was breathing much faster than normal. You could see each rib, even on his back and his whole body moved with each breath. I had spent a whole week in the hospital watching this type of breathing while he was recovering from RSV at less than a month old. So of course my mind went crazy, envisioning another week stay in the hospital crammed in a little bed by his bedside, watching my baby lethargic and helpless. I then tried to think more logically, he is almost two, not less than a month old. I am sure that this happening at this age isn't as severe as it happening to a newborn. So after 3 hours at the doctors office, 2 breathing treatments, antibiotics and a steroid shot, we were sent home (nebulizer and steroids in tow). Greyson has pneumonia and asthma. So yay, another thing to add to my list of worries. I have to say though through all the craziness of today, the upcoming CT scan and Addi's heart wasn't front and center in my mind as it had been every other day since finding out about it. Definitely not a good thing, but at least somewhat of a silver lining?

Needless to say, I am worn out and just so over it. You know what they say... when it rains, it POURS!

Anyways, prayers are very much appreciated. Prayers for the health of my sweet babies and prayers for my sanity! :)

Update on Us!

So I know it's been a while, but things are absolutely CRAAAZAY now that school has started for the girls and I started watching my niece during the day. I mean seriously, I thought I was busy before but now its just nuts. My house is destroyed because I don't get a break at all, I think yesterday I got 5 mins where all the kids were sleeping, we spent over 3 hours driving here there and everywhere and we spent about 2 hours shopping (two separate trips since I forgot things the first time). I don't know where the time goes, but I don't seem to have any anymore. We are heading to Disney this weekend to celebrate Gman turning 2!! My parents are joining us, so it is going to be a blast! BUT it also means I have to spend today preparing and cleaning, because really who wants to come home to a dirty house after a fun and exhausting weekend. Not I! So that's about all I have time to type, here are some video's of what we have been up to!

Oh and forgot to mention, Addi has decided to use the potty while she is home. She is in school all day so I haven't pushed it. How do I potty train a child when I am not with them for most of the day???

Happy 3rd Birthday Addison Avery!

I can't believe she is 3 already. How is it possible that time has gone by so fast. It really scares me. I want to savor every minute of the kids being babies, but I feel like life gets so crazy and hectic that I blink, and Addi's 3 already! She is just so sweet these days and I am loving all the kisses and cuddles. It is amazing to watch her change as she gets older. We went through a really rough phase from 1- 2 1/2, she was just really angry at times and it was really hard to handle. I know it had a lot to do with our communication struggles, but even that has improved by leaps and bounds and I am excited to see what school will do to help her speech even more. Addi is such a strong and amazing little girl. I am so lucky that I get to be her mama!

We had a great family party for her this year. We got the season passes to Disney in lieu of big parties, which has been harder on me than the kids of course. I love big parties with lots of family and friends celebrating with us, but Disney is definitely worth giving it up for a year! Addi had a great time and really that's all that matters.

A Special Boy.

I can't sleep. I swear this happens to me every year as Addi's Birthday approaches.Tomorrow (well really now it's today) is Addi's birthday, but it's also the day that Charlie William passed away. I always get anxiety or guilt over celebrating on a day that is one of the saddest days I have ever known. I still remember exactly where I was when I heard the news. I was in the hallway of the NICU trying to get myself together to go back in to see Addi, when a friend called to tell me about Charlie's passing. We were both in disbelief, as we had both just seen him a few days before and we had had a playdate planned for the day it happened, but plans changed. I just remember sitting in that hallway feeling so heartbroken and crushed. I wanted to throw up. I want to rewind the past few days and start all over.

Charlie was such a special boy, he was so sweet and so happy and full of chunk just like Aubrey. I think back to him playing outside in the water with Aubrey, I think about him at the zoo thoroughly enjoying his lunch, I think about him running around my house chasing Aubrey and Logan. When I close my eyes I can still see him so clearly. I didn't even get to know him for very long, but he had such an impact. There was just something so special about him. I think about him often, and tonight more than ever. Charlie has touched so many lives in the short time he was here. I feel so blessed that I got to meet him.

***As I was typing this and went to find the pictures I had of Charlie, I realized that I had been here before. Writing a very similar post. The last one was written better, probably because it wasn't written at close to 1:00 in the morning, but oh well.

We miss you Charlie and we will never forget you.  

Shy or Snooty?

If I don't feel comfortable in a situation, while most people come off as shy, I for some reason come off as cold and stuck up. I don't know why (I really must have a "b*tchy resting face"), but it is something that I have always dealt with. I have had many people tell me after getting to know me, that before they knew me they thought I was stuck up.

I am extremely shy by nature, but when I am comfortable I am VERY outgoing. So I think it comes across a little confusing to those I have acted shy towards. I really just keep to myself in most situations, I talk only when talked to, when I am not in my element. Very opposite of my very outgoing Mom. She loves to learn everyone's life stories and makes friends wherever she goes. I can be like this also, but usually only after a few shots of tequila (as many of my close friends know). I wish I knew how to make myself more approachable and less scary (if that is even the issue?). I don't know why some people can be shy, but they come off as so sweet and reserved and others like me, don't. Greg is even more outgoing than I am at this point. An example, if I see a neighbor out I wave and say Hi and ask how they are doing, then I go on my merry way. Greg will drop what he is doing walk closer to them and start up a convo, what they heck does he even have to say to our neighbors? My brain is fried, I don't think I have enough brain cells to deal with small talk especially when I am trying to get something done, or get going somewhere. I just hate small talk. I really do. I know that you can't just jump into friendships without small talk, at least not for the most part. But I feel like most of my closest friends, we have just clicked and never had to do the awkward small talk thing.

I don't even know if I am making sense anymore. I am kind of just trying to figure out what my issue is. I know this is a super random post, but it stemmed from a conversation I had with my Mom, and it has really just stuck with me these past few days since then. I am just trying to see how I can change how I am perceived, so that people don't take me not talking to them personally but just realize I am shy. Maybe if I just walk around with a huge smile plastered to my face at all times?

Alright, I am done fixating on this. I guess at this point I am just lucky that I have friends that have looked past my icy shyness and love me for me (the crazy hot mess that I am)! :)

Some "us" time!

I am so excited, on Thursday Greg and I are going on a cruise with two of our closest friends. This will be our first time leaving all three kids for an extended time. I am a tad nervous, just because I am a worrier by nature, but my excitement is definitely overshadowing that! We are so lucky to have great family that are willing to watch three young kids, believe me its no easy feat. Whenever I have had a tough day lately, I would just imagine myself on the ship hanging out by the pool, pina colada in hand, quietly relaxing (let's be real, I will probably be non-stop talking, I'm horrible at relaxing, which anyone who has laid out with me before knows.)! I know I am going to miss them like crazy, but this is a MUCH need vacay! It's nice for Greg and I to have some us time and to really just let loose and have some fun! CAN. NOT. WAIT...

Only a few more days, and I will be sailing away! :) Oops, I meant "we" will be sailing away!

Addi has humbled me.

Addi has humbled me as a parent. Before she came along I thought I was an amazing parent who knew just what to do in any situation. I didn't think I was a better parent than the next (ok maybe I did, just a little), but I really thought I had my shit together.

Aubrey was a hard newborn, but a really easy infant and toddler. She was calm and loved to be right next to me at all times. She listened like you wouldn't believe. I totally thought it was my approach on things that made her that way. I always talked things out so she knew what to expect and what I expected.

Here is an example: If we were leaving the park, I would give her a warning letting her know it was almost time to go bye bye, then when the time came to go I would take her hand and we would sweetly say our goodbyes to the slide, the swings, and everything in between. We would walk calmly to the car and she would climb in and help me buckle her car seat and we'd be on our way.

Fast forward to Addi as a infant/toddler (pretty much the moment she became mobile a whole new Addi emerged). I would give my warning and then I'd go to take her hand and she would scream bloody murder and let her body go limp (this is her favorite move), so I'd ask her nicely to please stand up and walk like a big girl, screaming continues. I then go to pick her up and flailing ensues. I try to calmly explain to her that it is time to go and we need to say our goodbyes. More flailing, she takes a few swings at my face, basically all around mayhem. By this point I am sweating bullets, people are staring, I am trying to stay composed. I try one more time to explain. Doesn't work. I resign to the fact that she is now too worked up to listen, I hold her under one arm (so she can't hit me) while she kicks and screams, Aubrey and I say our goodbyes and we rush to the car. Aubrey climbs in and buckles herself in, I place Addi in her seat, her body immediately stiffens and pushes forward. I ask her nicely to please sit in her seat. She is as red as can be trying her hardest to keep her body from sitting in the seat.(Addi is small but mighty) I try to gently push her bottom into the seat, no luck. Try a little harder, still not luck. I then use as much strength as I can without hurting her and finally, she's in her seat. I rush to grab the buckles before she stiffens up again, while dodging her flailing arms. Finally she is in. I get down to her level and try to talk to her about her behavior. She is too upset to listen, or maybe she just doesn't understand me. We then go on our way, and she cries the entire way home. I feel defeated, I feel like a horrible mother and I am drenched with sweat. Just awesome.

I wish I could say this was a once in a while occurrence, but change the place and the day and it's still the same story. Today was one of those days, Addi was a mess, not listening, throwing tantrum, just being plain disruptive. I used to look at misbehaving children and think that that would never be a child of mine. I thought I could handle anything. I was so wrong. Addi has shown me just how hard being a parent can be, and to have more compassion for others going through it. She has definitely knocked me down a few pegs.

I think as parents it is easy to get caught up in what we believe is the right and wrong way to raise a child. We compare ourselves to others. Even the nicest of people do it, it's human nature. We see someone doing something we would "never" do as a parent, and judge them for it. I had even wondered before having dealt with it myself, why parents weren't "handling" their kids. How could they possibly let their kid get away with behaving that way? Then on the other hand we see mothers who seem to have it all together (feeding their kids the healthiest food, making sure their kids don't watch tv or use electronic devices, having set educational activities for the day, have kids that listen, have time for crafting, never raise their voices, etc...) and feel bad that we don't do as much or parent as well as they seem to. All I know is we are all doing the best we can. Truthfully some days I feel like I am just surviving. I have to remind myself that as long as I am giving it my best, that is enough. I am there for my kids, I play with my kids, I  love and adore my kids. At the end of the day that is what is important, and that is what Addi has taught me.

Mother's Day!

This year was my best Mother's day yet! My other Mother's days have not always gone so well. Getting lost at TPC for what felt like days (back when they didn't allow cell phones), celebrating it weeks after the fact, and really just things not going as planned. This year things didn't really go as planned either, but in a wonderful way. We got to do so much more than we had planned on doing and the kids had a blast, which to me is the best gift EVER! Watching my kids have fun and be happy makes for a perfect day! I loved every second of my Mother's day.

Greg was AWESOME, when Addi was fussy he'd scoop her up and tickle or sing her into a better mood. I didn't change a SINGLE diaper, which that in itself is AMAZING! Greyson also said his first three word sentence, he has said little sentences like... "Hi Dada!", "Thank you.", "Love you", "Go Bye Bye", "Shoes on", "Show please.". That kind of stuff, basically just connecting two words. So I felt like when he said "I did it!" it was such a neat thing! Plus what a positive first sentence to have! Greyson surprises me every day with what he knows. I can tell him to do something and he knows exactly what I am saying and does it. Which is something I struggle with with Addi. But I have great news on that front too, Addi is understand and talking A TON more than she was. We have a long ways to go but, she has made huge strides in her communication. I am hoping this is the turning point that I have been waiting for and things will only get better from here on out!

Sorry got a little sidetracked there. Back to Mother's Day...

The kids got me a card, flowers, and a balloon and gave it to me on Friday before we left for Disney. While at Disney Aubrey said we needed to go to one of the shops so she could get me a Mothers Day gift. Greg reminded her that she already did. She then said "No I didn't Dad, you got her that and pretended it was from us." I died laughing, you have to appreciate the honesty that kids have. I just love it. She also was randomly wrapping up things from her room all week long as Mother's Day presents to me. Reminded me of my youngest brother, he loved wrapping up his toy cars and giving them to my Mom as gifts, sometimes he even wrapped up things that already belonged to the person he was gifting it to. He always kept us laughing (and still keeps us laughing now). I just had to ask Aubrey if she had been getting these idea's from her uncle. She swears she didn't.

So yep, I had a great Mother's Day and I hope all of you wonderful Mother's out there did too! :)

Worry, worry, worry... all I do is worry.

Greyson has been talking up a storm lately, he is saying over 60 or so words and saying new ones daily, just learned 3 new ones today. I am so very happy that he is loving to communicate but at the same time it really makes me sad about Addi. They probably know around the same amount of words at this point, Addi connects them more than Greyson because she knows phrases (like "Are you alright?", "I'm okay.", "What's wrong?", "How are you?",  , but Greyson says them much clearer. The biggest difference though is, understanding and responses. Greyson really understands a lot and responds correctly when asked things. Addi really doesn't respond or communicate. It is just really getting me down lately. She talks on her own terms which isn't all that often and doesn't like to be forced, so it is making her growth go very slowly.

I know I have been going on about it for forever (way too many posts written on this subject), but it's just a huge issue right now that doesn't seem to be getting much better. I would just love to be able to have communication with her as I do my 1 year old. It is just so sad, she is almost 3. I just wish there was more I could do, or a quick fix. How do you make someone do something they don't want to do or maybe feels they can't do? I am just so tired of worrying about it constantly. I want to understand her and for her to understand me. I don't want her to start realizing that she is behind and I worry that with Greyson's speech getting better everyday, she will realize it soon. I just adore her so much and want to know what goes on in the cooky head of hers. She is turning into the sweetest little girl, hugs and kisses for days, she is obsessed with the outdoors (seriously my Mom calls her her little flower child, Addi would just live outside if she could, playing in the dirt, picking flowers and dancing around inhaling them). I am trying with all my might to stay patient and to keep trying to help her learn to talk. Just hoping for a break through at some point. :/

Video Updates!

Attack of the Bailey-Monster.

I am a little at my wits end. Bailey has been attacking the kids non-stop for the past few weeks. They are very scared of him, even Aubrey who LOVES him to death is afraid of him 90% of the time. I have kids crying all day long, with cuts all over them from bites and scratches. I am not sure how much more I can take or the kids can take. I am exhausted and I feel awful having to constantly put Bailey in a separate room so he can calm down and I can keep the kids safe. I am thinking I made such a bad decision in getting a puppy while the kids are so young. Addi and Greyson really don't like him, and Addi is obsessed with dogs. It's breaking my heart. I guess that's all I have to say for now. Just had to get it off my chest.

Growing up!

It has been a while since I have done an update on the kids (at least I think it has, I have like no memory so I could of written about this yesterday and have completely forgotten already). So I know you must be dying for an update, because I am sure you all love knowing what my kids are up to these days.

Aubrey is growing like a weed, she is tall for her age but not overly tall. She is around 75th percentile for both height and weight (maybe a little teensy bit higher for weight, but shhh). She was amazing at her 4 year appointment (pretty much what sparked this post). She did everything the doctors asked, and was so super serious the entire time. She acted like it was a test, which she loved. They checked her eye sight by having her say the shapes, so she thought they were quizzing her on her knowledge of shapes and she was smiling so big shouting them out.

Oh Man, I just can't believe she is four already.

She is loving school and learning a lot. She loves to be creative. Painting, crafting, drawing, making up stories and all that jazz. But most of all she loves to talk and sing. The girl never stops talking and she says words I didn't even know she knew and just acts like a grown up sometimes. She asked me today in the car "Mom aren't you proud of me for waiting so patiently to go to Disney?" and "Mom can we go to Grandma's ice cream place since I was so good at my appointment, I will help you take care of the kids, so please don't worry it will be ok." She just cracks me up, especially since she is being so serious about it. She is just smart as a whip. Man, I just adore that little girl!


This is a picture that Aubrey took of us this morning, she always asks to use the clicker to take our picture. Maybe a photographer in the making! :)

Addi has become so sweet. She still has her tantrums here and there, but nothing like before. She has been saying a lot more this last week, which is giving me hope. She is very stubborn so speech therapy is tough. She does not like when people tell her what to say or try to get her to repeat what they say. I am very happy with her internal vocab though, she understands so much more than she used to. I keep reminding myself that she has been through a lot and has only been hearing clearly for a very short amount of time, so I try to not expect it all to happen over night (I really have to remind myself of this daily, it's so hard).

I am hoping to start potty training in the next few months, now that she is starting to understand more. Aubrey was potty trained by this point but we started trying with her a lot earlier. I am wondering if I should start with Greyson too or not, get it all over with at once. That would be some craziness for sure! Addi is still my little peanut, so tiny and adorable (her speech therapist loves to remind me that Addi knows how cute she is and uses it to get out of talking). Every time I look at her I just want to scoop her up and give her the biggest hug! I remember when I was pregnant with her, I hoped (and vocalized many times) that I would have a little baby this time, since Aubrey was HUGE and did a number on me. I just wanted a baby I could carry without killing my back, and I definitely got that with Addi. Oh how I just love my tiny little munchkin. (Side note: While pregnant with Aubrey I hoped (and again vocalized many times) that she would have beautiful blue eyes, even though neither Greg or I had blue eyes and Bam I had the bluest eyed baby you'd ever see. Isn't that just crazy and a little freaky?!) 

Last but not least, Greyson! He is learning a new word almost daily (scaring me that he might be talking more than Addi soon). Right now his new favorites are "oh toodles", "spoo" (spoon), "shoe", "stop, "peeeaase" (please), "go" and "Moooooo". Looks like he is really into words with O's right now! It's crazy how much he understands. I feel like I am on a rollercoaster with these kiddos. First I have Aubrey who is so vocal and understands things so early on, to Addi who went through a lot and didn't really catch on until recently, to Greyson who is like Aubrey and just very aware and vocal. I knew kids would be different but geez, just when I adapt to one another throws me for a loop. Oops, got a little off subject... back to Gman. He is getting so big, growing tall and wide. It is crazy how he just took off. He has almost caught up to Addi in size (and already outweighs her). Let me just tell you my back is hurting every. single. night. He is such a sweet boy, but if he doesn't get what he wants, watch out! He thinks he is the funniest child in the world. He is constantly cracking himself up, usually by being up to no good. He is into everything but slow enough to stop, unlike hurricane Addi. He is such a mix of his sisters, it's crazy. He is always watching and listening like Aubrey, and has no fear like Addi. I just can't get enough of that little boy and his chunk!


Just looked back through my posts and I kind of did give a update for the new year. Yep, I am losing it. OH WELL!

Just re-read this post, man I am all over the place with my thoughts... must be this cold medicine. Yeah that sounds good, lets blame the cold medicine.

Disney, here we come!

So after years of my begging and pleading, we are finally purchasing annual passes to Disney. I had pretty much wanted to get them the second Aubrey was born. I know, I know, I am nuts. I just always pictured taking my kids there. So the older Aubrey has gotten them harder I have tried to convince Greg we just HAD to go. We had some bumps along the way, like me being too pregnant or having a newborn, or like having to spend money going to Lego land instead of Disney, a little bit of a sore subject for me since I had finally convinced Greg that we should go but then we found out about the family Lego land trip and we couldn't say no. We were going to go for Addi's first Birthday. Greg didn't want to bring a child under 1 so if we didn't go then we'd have to wait until Gman was at least on. So after that it took a while but I had come up with a plan...

First things first: stop getting pregnant...check. Secondly: have a reason to go...check. Thirdly: make sure we don't buy tickets to any other parks for the year, check. Fourthly: Keep bringing it up until Greg is also convinced yet again that it is a good idea... check, check, checkkkkkk! 

So it worked out perfectly for this year... we decided to go for Aubrey's 4th Birthday instead of a party (there is my reason!), with her birthday being at the beginning of the year there is no way we would have a chance to buy tickets to any other parks (YAY!), and the not getting pregnant part, well that was easy! :P

Aubrey is so excited to "go to Princess Sofia's house" for her birthday. She can't wait! Her excitement get's me that much more excited! I hope she doesn't chicken out and actually meets Princess Sofia! You know that I am going to go picture CRAAAAZAYYY! We are hoping to try to make it there once a month after this trip even if it's just a day trip. I have so many good memories from there, mostly about food but still, I just remember how happy my family was and how everyone was in the best moods and we got to spend such amazing quality family time together. I hope its a much fun for my little family, and look forward to making so many more wonderful memories! 

So Disney, HERE WE COME (Saturday that is)! 

These past 4 years.

These past 4 years have been the best, most exhausting, most exciting, wonderful years. I think back to my life before and it seems like a lifetime ago. I miss parts of it but at the same time LOVE where I am now. I can not believe how blessed I am. I go to bed exhausted every. single. night. but I am always thinking about how incredibly lucky I am. We struggled to conceive Aubrey, it was a long and painful process. I am constantly reminded that there are so many couples out there that are going through the same thing and may not get as lucky as we did. Aubrey changed our lives in such a BIG way, and I will never forget that. She is seriously so amazing. Her fire, her wit, her spunk, her silliness, and her sweetness just make her so incredibly lovable. I really don't know how I would survive the day without her. She is like a second Mom to "the kids" (as she likes to call them), she is always lending me a helping hand and always up for cuddling and big bear hugs! She is one of a kind and I am so lucky she is my little girl.

I love you so much Aubrey Lyn, you are such a big light in my life. I adore everything about you and I can't wait to see you grow and learn. You have such a sweet and loving old soul, and I am so blessed to call you my daughter. Happy Birthday baby girl!

How Bailey came to be a part of our family...

I swore I would never get another dog. They are a TON of work and I already have three little ones to take care of. So I bet you are wonder how "never" turned into now. I am kind of wondering the same thing myself. I think I am certifiably cRaZy!  

So here is how Bailey came to be a Moore. So as you may all know, Aubrey and Addi are obsessed with dogs, like OBSESSED, obsessed. Addi turns into a whole new child when she is around them. She is happy and giggly and so sweet. Aubrey never wants to leave there sides, like NOT EVER. So the more I saw them around dogs, the more I knew we would end up getting one. So I resigned to that fact and thought about how Aubrey would be going to school soon and would miss out on spending a lot of time with our dog and in a few years I may be going back to work and bringing a new dog into our house at that point would be very hard since puppies need lots of attention. Greg was VERY reluctant, but we talked about it for a loooooong time and we finally agreed to do it.

So how has it been going?

Well ummm, it's pretty much as I expected. Exhausting. He is getting better, but man I swear to you puppies are harder than babies. Puppies don't wear diapers, it's kind of like trying to potty training a newborn. I am seriously thinking about taking him to training classes, which I guess really is just training me, to then train him. At least Bailey is super sweet and cuddly, and he doesn't mind one bit that the kids smoother him at all times (so that's a plus, right?).

I am glad we got the puppy now, because it will pay off in the long run and the girls are really enjoying every second with him (it's hard to even get Aubrey to leave the house because she doesn't want to part with him). So yep, now we are even in our house. Three females and three males. AND now we are DONE. No more babies and no more pets. EVER. :)

New Year.

We are one week into the new year, and I am just now getting around to writing a "NEW YEAR" post. I guess I should be reflecting on the past year or making grand resolutions that I will most likely never stick with. I'm more so just going to talk about my kids (as usual) and share what I chose as my new year "resolution".

So if you hadn't noticed. My blogging skills have gone by the wayside this year, so bare with me. Having three kids has definitely left me with less energy to think straight. So forming sentences is quite the task these days. So this post may take me a while to write, especially since right now I am drawing a complete BLANK on what to even write. Hmmm...

Let's start with Aubrey:

Aubrey has grown so much this year. Her creative side has really blossomed. (Ummm, did I just use the word blossomed. Woah! How old am I?) She started school in September (or was it August?), which made this Mama a wreck. It went so seamlessly that I felt like a fool for stressing endlessly over it. She LOVES her teacher and usually (with the exception of this morning) is dying to go to school. Lately though she has been going through this phase or funk, of not wanting to leave the house. Most days I can't even bribe her to leave, and on the days I can it's only if we are going to the pet store. Needless to say we have been to the pet store a TON lately.

Aubrey is so sweet, funny, and bossy (my Mom likes to call her Miss Bossy-pants). Aubrey likes to think of herself as the third parent, which sometimes is AMAZING, like when she stops Addi and Greyson from doing things they shouldn't be. Other times it's challenging, because she thinks she should get to do everything an adult gets to or thinks she's in charge of me and Greg. We definitely have some battles. I do love though that she is by no means a follower and she will fight to the death for what she wants. Aubrey is so independent, and I used to stress about her not interacting with friends but this year she has kept her independence, and also played so well with others and become very close with friends.

Greg and I are sometime shocked at the intricate logic she uses, and even more shocked at how mature she is (she's an old soul). We say it all the time, that she is more mature than we are, but she is just as silly as we are too (okay, maybe just as silly as I am). When I was younger my parents always called me Goosen, because I was a "silly goose". Aubrey has definitely followed in my footstep, she is as silly as the day is long. I love every second of it, because silly and crazy is the best way to be in my book!

On to Addi:

I've said it once and I'll say it again, Addi is a spitfire. She has never ending energy and never stays still. Even if you strap her in her car seat, her legs are swinging away (kind of like she's running in midair). She is still having a lot of speech issues, but hopefully now that she has had her surgery we can get her on track (if we can get her to sit still long enough to learn anything).

Addi is our little monkey, she climbs and swings from anything she can. She climbed up my body and on top of my head today to try to reach a bar above me. She thought she would just use me as a ladder so she could swing some. She goes to gymnastics, but can't stay focused on what the teachers want her to. She's off by herself, swinging from bars and jumping in foam pits. Crazy girl!

She moved to a big girl bed this year, and we have a destroyed room to prove it. Walls were colored, holes were made, blinds were broken... I mean it looks pretty darn classy (sarcasm, just in case you didn't catch that). When she first colored some on the wall, I ran out to pick out options for paint colors. I figured we would just have an accent wall. Then a week went by and we hadn't yet ordered the paint, and she colored on another wall. So I thought, okay TWO accent walls. Then she drew on the rest. Yep, we aren't painting her walls anytime soon, she'll just destroy them again. So before you going thinking I am an idiot (or whatever a nicer word is for that) who let her child go to bed with crayons let me just tell you, we couldn't figure out what she was drawing on her walls with. We looked ALL over her room, no crayons. Then we caught her in the act. She was using that back of a Melissa & Doug cake server. Yeah, it wasn't even a crayon. She is crafty I tell ya. This little girl definitely keeps us on our toes.

This year Addi has become the BEST hugger ever! She is little, but man can that girl squeeze! I just love her hugs. Addi is so sweet and caring. When Aubrey is upset she runs over and gives her big hugs, Aubrey of course stiff arms her, but it's so sweet to see Addi so concerned for others.

Addi  is our fighter, and proved it yet again this year. We have gone to maybe 50 appointments this year, that maybe an exaggeration, but probably not. She has been a trooper through them all, and through her third surgery as well. She is truly an inspiration to me, I wish I could take things in stride like she does.

Last but not least, Greyson:

 He is a Mama's boy and I LOVE IT! He is always laughing, about everything (he gets that from me). If he's doing something he's not supposed to, he's laughing. If he falls over and smacks his face on the ground, he's laughing. If you are telling him what to do, he's laughing. I swear this kid cries less than I do. It's a little weird, but AWESOME!

Greyson loves his sisters, and wants to be doing whatever they are, and that includes talking. He is a chatty boy, he loves to learn new words. He isn't much of a mover, I mean he gets around but he looks like a drunk little man the whole time, falling every which way (laughing of course the WHOLE time).

Greyson is always watching everyone, he never misses anything. He is social as can be, and hams it up for new people (unless he's tired). He has such a sweet soul, and I just can't get enough cuddles in. He eats like there is no tomorrow, I am pretty sure he eats more than I do. He just never stops and he will eat anything you are willing to give him, and he's got the adorable chunk to show for it.

He is our slow motion climber, he isn't agile, but somehow he is stealthy (which is surprising for being such a drunk little walker) and gets up on things. Train tables, chairs, couches, trampolines, beds, etc... He loves to climb. He also loves to turn lights on and off. The second he wakes up in the morning his arm is out and reaching for all the light switches, he is ready to turn all the lights on to start our day, and then off again at nap time.

 He reminds me so much of Aubrey when she was little, lets hope he isn't bossy, not sure how that'd work having two bossy kiddos. Greyson and Aubrey are inseparable. They are always playing so sweetly together (Addi is usually running circles around them). It is so amazing to watch them interact, it warms my heart beyond belief. Greyson seriously has completed our family, he is one amazing little boy and his sweet and fun personality just makes each day a better one.

I am so blessed to have the amazing family that I have, I sometimes lay in bed just thinking about each of the kids and am just amazed at how much I love them and so thankful that they are mine. I don't really do "resolutions" but this year I just came up with things I wanted to work on. I want to really focus on enjoying every moment with my kids, and trying to have more patience with them. It can be overwhelming at times having three so close in age, and I can definitely handle different situations better and that's really what I am going to work on. Taking a deep breath and choosing my actions/words wisely. I love my kids more than anything and I want to be the best me I can be, for them. Happy new year, everyone! Hope everyone has a happy and healthy year ahead!

The Moore's 2013

New go-to Recipe! Adding it to my list!

At the end of last week I had not made it to the store, and really didn't want to have to have Greg grab food on the way home. So I looked up quick last minute marinades and found this website. I didn't want something that had a ton of ingredients since it would have to just be stuff that I had on hand. Well I went with the "Salad Days Chicken Marinade". So simple, plus I had Italian dressing and green onions on hand! I have always marinated veggies in Italian dressing but never really thought that it would taste that great on its on, on chicken. I have done many marinades that had Italian dressing mixed in that were amazing. So I thought what the heck, maybe the green onions would make it yummy.

So I got all my ingredients:

"Salad Days Chicken Marinade
Okay, if you’re really time-pressed, skip the scallions. This marinade still yields succulent, tasty chicken.
Combine:
1 cup of your favorite store-bought vinaigrette-style dressing
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Freshly ground pepper to taste"

Then I picked my method of cooking:

"Rainy Day Marinated Pan-Fried Chicken with Quick Reduction Sauce. Don’t let soggy weather ruin your dinner plans. If it’s too rainy to grill, pan fry chicken instead. Marinate chicken for 10 minutes, see directions above. In a skillet heat one tablespoon oil over medium-high flame. Remove chicken from marinade and brown chicken pieces in skillet. Cover skillet, reduce flame and pan fry chicken, turning pieces and adjusting flame as needed. You may need to add a tablespoon of marinade to the pan if chicken starts to dry or burn. When chicken is cooked through, remove cover and pour remaining marinade over chicken pieces. Simmer chicken, spooning sauce over chicken pieces until marinade is slightly reduced. Serve immediately."

So I thought what the heck, maybe the green onions would make it yummy. It was AMAZING. I loved that it uses the rest of the marinade as a sauce, since I love my food saucy! I will probably be reducing my marinades a lot more often, even if I do marinate it over night.

I don't know why but I have never cooked my chicken on med-high. I was always scared to go higher than medium, I know that is probably crazy. I was always afraid of burning my chicken. Cooking it on med-high ensured the chicken browned nicely and even browned the sauce a little bit, which added flavor. Once I tasted it I knew I just HAD to add some artichokes, they went perfectly with it. I then served it over angel hair and drizzled the extra sauce on top. It was delish!!! I didn't even taste like Italian dressing. Greg kept asking what was in it because he was surprised that I threw it together with what little we had on hand. I have already made it again this week. I added a little lemon juice this time, just because I love lemon and citrus. I think I might even make it again next week and add mushrooms and top it with goat cheese (you had to know that was coming hahaha). That is what I love about this marinade so simple and versatile. So yep, add this to my list of go-to recipes.

Will update with pics next week when I make it!