April is upon us and we have been busy!  

In the early evening of the Ides of March, I was admitted to Good Sam hospital to be induced.  March 15th marked my official due date and the doctor was concerned about exceeding my due date due to my gestational diabetes.  I was prepared for a long evening and following morning.  As the hours wore on, my labor naturally came and in the wee hours of March 16th, we welcomed our third son, Devin, to the world.  Thanks to God, I did not have to endure 18 hours of labor as had been expected with the induction... Devin was born after only two pushes!  This tiny boy did not do much screaming and has proven to be a very calm and easy-going child...We'll see how long that lasts!

Our schedules have been completely turned over as we adjust to life with a tiny and needy newborn.  It's been three years since we have had a tiny baby to feed, change, burp and clothe.  We are out of practice. There are times we go out and forget to bring a diaper bag...but we've never forgotten Devin and that's what matters most.  

Liam and Quinn have been amazing brothers.  Liam has fully taken on the 'big brother' role as he always wants to hold Devin, give him kisses and little hugs.  Quinn has even moved into big brother mode as he rushes to Devin's side when he fusses, offers a pacifier and softly shushes Devin's little cries.  He asks him "What's wrong??  shhhhh shhhh".  When Devin is sleep in his crib and Quinn hears him first, he cries out "Uh Oh!  Baby's crying!!  Mommy, Devin is crying!"  He rushes in and finds a pacifier to gently hush Devin's distressed cries... It's really sweet.  We worried more about Quinn's adjustment than Liam's. Quinn has been "Mommy's baby" since he was born.  We didn't know how he'd react to this new little creature encroaching on his territory.  There must be enough years between because Quinn is happy to turn over his place as baby to Devin and assume the new 'little boy' role he's created.  Ask him if he's a big boy and he'll tell you "No.  I'm too little.  I'm a little boy."  Ask him if he's the baby and he'll shake his head, find Devin and say "No, that's the baby."

Life is certainly full of experiences.  I have been occupying my time with Liam's homeschooling lessons and taking many pictures of all of the boys.  I've even managed to edit a few of those pictures and am starting my collection for hybrid scrapbooking which involves printing of those pictures and placing select ones into an album.  This is a project I've been trying to get back to since the end of last year. After my work life was completely changed due to my awesome boss'slayoff , I have made a personal vow to experience the moments in life that matter most and to document them so I don't forget and the boys can look back and see what they did as they grew up.

Easter is just around the corner and summer is nearing.  We are enjoying our time as an expanded family and I have the pictures to prove it.  Continue to follow our story as I continue to document those moments we cherish the most.

Spring is here!

I'm so excited because the warmer weather is here!  That means we get to go to the playpark. We get to do my lessons outside instead of inside all the time.  We get to plant plants and watch them grow!  I love it when the cold winter is over because I get tired of wearing jackets all of the time.

Devin is here!

Did you hear??  My new brother is here.  He was born on March 16 which was a Tuesday, according to my calendar (I'm learning about calendars and days of the week now).   When Mommy and Daddy went to the hospital, Quinn and I had to spend the night at Grandma's house.  We stayed there three whole days!  I was excited to visit Grandma but I didn't really want to sleep there because I missed my new bunk bed.  I wanted to play on my bunk bed and do camping and be in my house, but I guess it was okay because we got to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa.

I try to be a really good big brother because Mommy and Daddy need my help.  I try to hold him and hug him but that can be hard because you have to be so very careful when holding him. I play with him so he's not bored.  He has a playmat with some toys that hang from it.  On it is a little bird that sings when you push its tummy.  Devin seems to like the sound of that little bird so play that little bird when Devin is laying on the mat. I love holding him because he's really light and he's so tiny.  He's much lighter than Quinn!  It's fun to give him toys to play with but he's not really good at playing with them yet. Mommy says it's because he has to learn to hold his head up.  Did you know that his neck isn't really strong yet so he can't even hold up his head?!  Daddy tells me that Devin can't really see very far either.  He says that Devin's eyes have to get stronger first and then he will be able to see more things later.  It think it's weird that when you're new like Devin that your eyes and neck aren't really very good yet.  There is a lot I have to learn about babies, I guess.

There is so much to talk about but most of what I can think of is about my littlest brother because he takes so much attention.  He cries a little when he is hungry but he mostly cried when Mommy gave him baths. I don't understand why he cries when he gets a bath because Quinn and I LOOOOOOOVE our baths.  Devin cried every time Mommy put him in his little tub.  Then one day Mommy said his belly button fell off and the very next bath he didn't cry anymore!  I wonder why?  Devin really is a quiet baby.  He doesn't really cry that much. Instead, he kind of makes these little baby noises and does that Daddy calls 'fussing' but he doesn't really scream or anything.  I think Quinn and I make tons more noise than Devin does.

School Days

My homeschool continues, but some days we do more than others because Mommy is soooo sleepy because Devin doesn't let her sleep very much since he eats all the time.  We still do our presidents and geography.  Lately, Mommy and I have been doing lots of rhyming like cat and bat and hat.  Then we trade off and write on my chalk board to see who can come up with the most rhymes.  I love rhyming but I'm still learning how to do it.  Then sometimes we think up things that start with certain sounds like /b/ with words like bat and ball and balloon. Those are kind of fun, too, but I have a hard time thinking up things that start with that sound.

I love our days of arts and crafts.  For a few days last week we were able to take our green table outside and do lessons and arts and crafts on the balcony.  Even though it's bright out there, I really love doing my lessons outside instead of inside all the time.  I think that when the rain goes away again, we'll do more!

Too Early for That Much Noise

Oh my goodness... did you know that litle tiny babies cry early in the morning when I'm trying to sleep?  Sometimes something wakes me up and I get out of my bunk bed and crawl into Mommy and Daddy's bed for a few more hours of sleep.  Now that Devin is here, he cries when Mommy changes him early in the morning.  I can't handle that much noise that early in the morning!  I have to cover my ears and hope he stops soon because I makes me want to cry, too!  I really do like my new little brother.  That makes me the little boy, not a big boy because I'm not big yet.  Usually when Devin cries, I run to tell Mommy that Devin needs her.  Sometimes I give Devin his pacifier.  But when I'm still sleepy early in the morning before the sun wakes up, I want it to be quieter.  Maybe I'll get used to it or Devin will stop crying so early in the morning.  We'll see.

New Babies are Fun but Lots of Work

I really like having a tiny baby in our house.  He is so small and his toys are really colorful.  Mommy and Daddy have a few toys for Devin but they told me that I'm not allowed to give Devin my big boy toys because he's too little.  They said that I have to wait until he is bigger before he can play with most of the toys.  He can't hold anything just yet because his hands are so small.  He doesn't hold up his head very much, either, but I love to come up and give him lots of kisses on the head and hugs.  Mommy has told me that I have to be very careful and not jump around Devin.  I try to be good and remember and most of the time I do.  Even Liam has to remember to be gentle with Devin, because Devin is really tiny, even smaller than me!  He sleeps a lot, but not for loooooong times, especially at night.  At least that's what Mommy tells me.  She said that this is why she is always so tired in the daytime.  I thought when Devin came that Mommy would be able to play more but she's always so tired.  I try to be good for her because she is sleepy but it's hard because I love to play!  Thank God I have Liam to play with or else I would be bored!