Kanin is 6!!!

Kanin turned 6 years old yesterday. We had a family party for him at our house. This is the first year that we had his party on his actual birthday.

This year he said that he didn't want a birthday cake, he wanted Mama to make him a cherry pie. I tried to talk him out of it as I knew he had never tasted cherry pie. He loves just plain cherries but I didn't really think he would like the cherry pie filling. So, we loaded up Mama's cherry pie with 6 candles (the first time that he has had actual candles and not the numbers), sang Happy Birthday and then he blew them out. After a couple of bites, though, he figured out that he really didn't like cherry pie BUT he didn't want to say anything because he didn't want to hurt Mama's feelings. I thought that was sweet. I would say that around here he doesn't always think about other people and their feelings so the fact that he didn't want to hurt her feelings says something.

I think that this will probably be the last year that we get away with just having a family party. When he is in 1st Grade I'm sure that the friend parties will start. I have a lot of wonderful memories from my own birthday parties, as well as, friends' parties so I'm looking forward to him getting to experience those things.

New Found Freedom

Kanin turns 6 on Sunday and we got him his very first bicycle. From the moment he put his little leg over the seat I could see that he had tasted independence and a little piece of him was gone from me forever.

I remember getting my first bicycle, too. I was in kindergarten so I was probably 5 or 6 years old. I don't remember all of the circumstances surrounding the bicycle "incident" but from what my mom and dad told me my cousin had gotten a bicycle and when we went over to her house she would not let me touch it. I guess I cried and cried but she still would not let me touch it. It made my mom and dad so mad that they took money that they didn't have and went and bought me a brand new bicycle. I remember getting off the bus and my dad wheeled it from around the side of the house. It was orange and red with streamers, a banana seat, a horn and a basket. I think every bell and whistle that could be added to that bicycle was attached.

Up until that bicycle I guess I had been on a little "baby" bike but now I had freedom. I could race down old Bell City hill pretending that I was being chased by cops. I was in the circus showing off my trick of riding with no hands in front of all of the crowd. I was cruising town in a convertible with the top rolled down. On that bicycle I could be anybody and go anywhere and I did.

It makes me wonder what adventures Kanin will conquer on his bicycle. Will he be the cop or the robber? Will he be in a spaceship surrounded by aliens? Will he be a pilot on a jet? I hope he is all of these things and more on his new bicycle, as long as he is home for dinner.

Things I Love

I love holding a newborn baby while they are sleeping, smelling the lotion and baby powder with just a hint of spit up thrown in there.
I love waking up in the middle of the night and looking at the clock and realizing that I don't have to get up for another 5 hours.
I love laying in front of a fire on a rainy, cold Sunday afternoon.
I love watching Gracie pretend like she is a Mommy to all of her baby dolls.
I love holding hands, strong hugs and warm, slow kisses.
I love really hot baths, the kind that when I get out my skin is red.
I love sitting in front of a firepit on a chilly night with a glass of wine, listening to music and just thinking.
I love decorating for Christmas. If I could, I would leave my house decorated all year long.
I love hot, sweaty summer days. Summer days mean flip flops and tank tops. Swimming pools and pools of sweat. Cardinals baseball and cold beer. BBQ's and days at the lake. Boating and washers. Vacations. Driving around town with the windows rolled down and the music up. I live for summer days!

Where Does the Time Go?

You know, growing up I would always hear the "old folks" talk about how time flies once you hit 25 and like every other kid in America I thought "Yeah, right. 25, I'll never make it to 18!". Well, here I sit 35 with a husband, 3 kids and racing towards another Christmas. Where does the time go? I could swear that I just wrote a blog last week but nope, it was way back in September.

Things continue to be crazy around the Westerhold house. I cannot believe that my sweet baby Caleb is already 4 months old. Kanin will be 6 on Sunday and Gracie Sassypants well, let's just say she is getting sassier by the minute.

Scott and I took a trip to Las Vegas last week. It was great to get away but it was so much work. I didn't realize how hard it would be to just add one more kid to the mix. The diapers, formula, clothes, wipes, etc. etc. I was so stressed out by the time I go there that I couldn't really unwind. I really wanted to have a nice weekend with Hottie Scottie but it turned out mostly a weekend of me trying to catch up on sleep and worrying about what was going on with the babies back in the STL.

So, here I sit at the end of another day. Days and weeks seems to pass so fast now that Kanin has started school. It seems like I drop him off and before I turn around it is time to pick him up. Then, it is straight into lunches, naps, laundry, dinner, baths and bedtime. Oh, how I wish I could go back to the days that dragged on forever. I would love to have just one of those days.

Sept 7, 2009-Time Flies

Well, it looks like I have let almost a whole week go by since my last entry. I totally forgot that I even had the blog.

Nothing exciting has really gone on this week. Kanin was home sick from school on Monday and there are several people around that are sick with the swine flu.

Today is Labor Day and I have no idea what we are going to do, probably nothing. I desperately need to give my house a good cleaning but ugh, who wants to do that?

Sept 2, 2009-1st Entry

I have to admit that I have no idea what I am doing. I always see these people who have blogs and wonder how they come up with something interesting to talk about every day; I don't think my life is that interesting.

There have been a lot of changes around my house recently. The biggest change is that our third child, Caleb, was born on July 1. I never knew how difficult it would be adding a 3rd child. Most people told me that the 3rd one is easy, that is sooooo not true. Sure, he is easy if it is just him but when you add in a 5 year old and a 2 year old, it is definitey not easy.

The other big event is that Kanin started kindergarten on August 19. I was so not looking forward to it. I think it is just the thought of him growing up. I hate the fact that he won't solely depend on Mommy and Daddy for all of the answers anymore. Plus, I know that with going to school also comes the bad habits of other kids. I will have to admit, though, that this house is expontentially quieter while he is at school.

As for me, I am trying to get back the body I had before kids. Yes, I know that it will be nearly impossible as I am also 5 years older but I at least want to get back to feeling good about my body again. Pregnancy and childbirth is very hard on a body.

Well, that's my first official entry. I don't know if anyone will read this or not. If so, great. If not, I think it will be a great way for me to get out some of my inner writer.

Wisdom Teeth

Thursday, August 21, 2008, I got one wisdom tooth and the tooth next to it cut out. I had no idea that it would be this painful. Here I am 3 days later still drugged upon Vicodin and hardly able to eat anything. My whole face is swollen and I can feel the stitches rubbing against my tongue. Definitely not a fun day!