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Why is it so dang hard to get back on track after you've been away from home?!?! I am having the hardest time getting back in the groove.... for about 3 weeks now. The week in between our "Whew" trip... and this trip I think I stayed in vacation mode, cuz I knew we were about to get up and go again... I even left half our stuff packed....

So needless to say... My laundry room looks like it vomited clothes of all sorts... and some of our suitcases are still packed.... and I have a bazillion things in my head I want to blog about... we'll see if that happens.

First up.... my little man snuck it past me that he turned 10 months on the 6th. For some reason, I was pretty convinced that he turned 10 months on the 10th..... must be the whole "10" thing.

Anyways.... my sweet boy is just a pure joy to have in our family. I see it in his eyes that he loves life and wants to get all he can out of it. He is still quite the chunker. Not sure exactly how much he weighs... but I think its safe to say that he is heavier than Payton. Its so strange to have a kid who likes to eat. Usually if I eat in front of the girls, (not that I sit and eat in front of my kids... but you know, every once in awhile it just ends up that we eat at different times) they'll ask for a bite or two... but Stetson will follow me around like a starving puppy dog. Its funny. I have to catch myself and remind myself that he actually wants to eat... he cares, and he's not gonna leave me alone till all food is gone.

He has 2 1/4 teeth. His top right tooth just barely popped through.

Nat makes fun of his 2 bottom teeth cuz they're so long! He says he has buck teeth on the bottom. Mean 'ol daddy. Mama would never make fun of bubba. ;)

Got his first tooth brush!

I think its safe to say that he is a waterbug!!! He LOVES the water. I think if we didn't watch him close enough, he would end up drowning himself. He is completely fearless when it comes to the water.

We got the kids a little pool and a little slip-n- slide and he climbs in and out of the pool, over to the slip n slide. He'll crawl down the slip n slide get'n all wet... go back to the pool. He's pretty funny to watch.

and he holds his ground pretty well when it comes to his "big" sisters.

and the thing about him is he's soooo serious when he is concentrating on this water business. You won't hardly catch him smiling, but you just know that he is having sooo much fun!

Isn't he just so handsome??

...... and

he's a boy. I feel like all the pictures I have of him outside are ones where he's playing in/eating dirt. But... such is life. Little man's gonna find the dirt and he's gonna do his thing with it.

Were pretty much in love with him... and I cannnnnoooootttt believe he'll be 1 in two months. Blech... I can't stand it. All my babies are fixin to grow up on me. Madelynn will be 3 in a month (AHHHHHHH) (3!!!!) Little Payton's fixin to be 2... and of course, my little man will turn the big *1* in 2 months. All within a month of each other!

Lord help me!

Excuse the blog hiatus. We were back on "vacation" to meet our newest family member.... and when we leave, I'm not much on the computer cuz we are sooooooooooooo busy!

Welcome to the world Owen Michael!

2 things.

I know I already posted today... but I, for some strange reason, just don't know what to do with myself when my kids are in bed and my hunny is still working.... which seems to be a lot here lately. So I thought I would write down a few things that I've had in the back of my head and need to write down.

Ever since Madelynn was a wee little baby, I've always gotten bottles ready for the night and brought them to my side table that way it would be easy, quick and with the least amount of walking-while-sleeping going on as possible......

and I just wanted to remember that two nights ago was the last night that I took a bottle to my bedside table for my little man. Because he is officially sleeping through the night!! It was a little bittersweet. Ever since I got that book I told you about.. I've been taking in, and savoring the lasts... especially since there's a pretty good chance he's the last of all my lasts. Hence the reason I'm blogging about something that might seem silly to someone else.

Another things thats been on my mind: I still find myself wondering when Madelynn actually talked. Had conversations, told us what she wanted, and what she didn't want. I know jibber jabber happens, but I'm talking like really talking.... and I think its safe to say that my Payton, at 21 months, is there! She's conversing with us, and with her sissy. Of course, the average person probably still couldn't understand her.. but we can! and its been neat to watch her make that transition from jibber jabber to actual conversing.

Whew! PT. 4

To wrap up our "Whew" series... we got to spend memorial day with the Roses. It was a very pleasant, low key day full of yummy food, dog cousins wearing each other out, the girls finally getting a good nap in, and just plain 'ol hangin out!

By the end of the day, I think we were all ready to be back home.

Little man had slowly been starting to run fever and was not feeling well. He is getting his top 2 teeth in and he is miserable! I feel like with each kid going through teething, I think to myself... surely it can't get any worse than this!!!.... Then it does. So far Stetson takes the reward for worst teether. My poor baby boy. His fever eventually spiked higher than a teething temperature so I knew there was something more to all this crazy, fussiness. Sure enough, fever went away and crazy rash appeared... and me, being the Doctor mom that I am diagnosed him with Roseola. Only because we've been through it before... so I'm saving us a co-pay ;) Today he finally seems to be on the mend. Rash is going away a bit and he has been a tad happier and not so whiney.

In a few short days, we'll make the trek again to welcome baby Owen to the world.

Whew! PT. 3

Early the next morning we were up and on our way to the zoo.....

and we were all grouchy.

Tired, exhausted and grouchy!!!

We had already had a long weekend at this point, and the heat just totally drains you so us being out in the heat didn't help anything!! Thankfully, a few of us rested on the way to the zoo and when we got there all our spirits were a little more lifted...

I was sooooo excited that my family decided to come with us!! Although we were missing a very PREGNANT lady and her hunny and her littlest little man (soon to be NOT the littlest little man.)

It was a good day.

Cash went with us... and is he seriously not the most adorable thing you've ever seen?!?! Ugh I could just stare at him all day.

My beautiful sisters and 3 of the (almost) 6 nieces and nephews.

My little man had the idea!

Dad and the baby sisters

Finally got to ride the train!

See the wavy hair my little man is getting?!?!

My Payton.

Mimi and Cash.

This picture pretty much sums them up.

The bear had the right idea

The girls had waited and waited to see the monkeys.

I think giraffes are my favorite!

Aren't they just so pretty?!!?

Last time we went to the Abilene zoo was about 2 seconds before Stetson was born and the lions had just given birth to a litter of cubs... so it was neat to see them (the cubs) all grown up from the last time we saw them.

White tigers... seriously beautiful creatures.

It got pretty hot late into the afternoon.

the end.

In case you didn't get the clue... were about 6 seconds away from a new, precious little baby boy. I caaaannnntttt wait! I admit that I have a tad bit of sadness in my soul that its not me having a baby (yes... I really did just say that)... and that I'm not expecting one soon after my sis-in-law... (yes, I really did just say that too.) But I'm really really excited for a new little nephew to join our family.

Whew! PT. 2

Next up was the day for the Princess. Madelynn was asked to be a flower girl in the wedding of one of Nat's very good friends that he grew up with. As I said yesterday, my thoughts were that it could go very very good, or it could go very very bad. After all, she is 2 years old.... and it went very very good. After another day of no napping, she still held out great! I took her to get her hair done... cuz after a trial run of mama doing it... mama decided she would rather pay someone to do it. Kids are always so much better for someone thats not mom or dad. She was a pro and sat perfect and still to get her hair done.

Madelynn is into PINK, girly, princess, dancing, twirling in dresses, girly junk... so for her hair to be done up all pretty and for her to finally be able to wear that poofy dress, the girl was on cloud 9. She just couldn't stop grinning and she kept saying "I'm glad, mama" She was very gorgeous and did an awesome job. She didn't throw the hearts when she walked down the aisle... but thats ok, I'm just glad she made it down the aisle with no crazy meltdowns.

My gorgeous girl.

She kept calling (and still does) Sara "her flower girl" It was cute...

Daddy and his princess.

Madelynn somehow managed to bring her dress up ring from home and she pulled it out and put it on after she get her dress on.

I was pretty bummed out that after all was said and done, I didn't get any pictures of our family together, or even the other kids... We were so concentrated on Madelynn I totally forgot!

The wedding was absolutely beautiful!! I was so glad to have lots of other Roses around to help with the other 2 babes... but more than me being glad, my Payton was glad cuz she got to hang out with her Uncle Karl. Her best bud. Payton plays hard to get with pretty much anyone and everyone thats not Nat or I. When we are away from family for too long, it usually takes her a good while to warm up to everyone... that is even if she even does warm up to everyone. She will not give anyone the time of day till she is good and ready. So its totally unlike her to have a favorite. Especially a favorite thats a male. .. but she absolutely loves her Uncle Karl.

Once the sun went down, and we were fixin to leave due to 3 very, VERY exhausted children. The dancing started and Madelynn begged us to go dance... so we let her... and she danced, and Payton danced and danced and danced. It was pure joy to watch them. I'm pretty sure they probably annoyed a few people but I soo enjoyed watching them be so happy.

The dancing queen.

Madelynn asked Sara to take her to dance... and it pretty much made her whole day... I don't think she'll ever forget it. It really meant a lot to her, and if she had it her way, she would have had Sara out there dancing with her all night long.