Just a Few Pics

I've got a bad case of falling to sleep with your kids each night.  That is my only excuse for not blogging much these days. I usually go to sleep with Faith and I do not wake up for several hours. For whatever reason, I've become rather exhausted...I. MEAN.ABSOLUTELY.TIRED....to the point of lazy.  Thank the Lord that Spring Break is coming up. Tomorrow is my last day....YIPEE.  No, I will not get much rest chasing three little ones around, but it is much less tiring doing so and NOT having to work. We have a busy week planned, too. Mallory's birthday party kicks off the weekend, followed by Cam's return to the orthopedic and a family trip to the zoo. I am sure many pictures will follow in the next couple of days...that is...IF I stop the falling to sleep with Faith thing! :)

Anyway...not many stories...just some cute pics!

Ahhh...I've been blessed with three climbers. They all love to climb like little monkeys. Cam has mastered climbing (and just about everything else) with his "new shoe." The three like to push the chairs to the tv and try to get into mischief. It looks like Faith has Mallory in a head lock, here....hmmm.

I thought this was funny. I gave Mallory a big bowl and spoon to play with while I cooked. Faith decided to take charge. Mallory did not mind a bit. She loves to pretend that she's eating.

Here is Faith hiding. When we finally found her, she was trying very hard...and successfully to tear into her favorite donut holes. Sneaky, sneaky.

We discovered some caterpillars outside the other night. Although Cameron wouldn't touch them, Faith loved to pick them up. She actually squeezed the "big one," too hard. Needless to say, it did not make it and Faith said, "It broke." Ha! :)

I recently purchased some curtains for our dining room. They were a hit...the new hiding spot. Too cute!

That's it for now! I am so looking forward to the wild, wacky, and fun days of Spring Break! Hoping to post many pictures soon!





Broken Bones and Bruises

Well, Cameron has officially accomplished two things that I can say that I have never done in my 28 years. As many of you know, Cam was rushed to the hospital some months ago to have a nice gash glued back together on his head. NOW, he boasts a nice, blue cast around a broken foot. Yep. In two years, he has had two, rather significant emergencies. I imagine that this is the first two of many.

Surprisingly, the broken foot was not a result of some of Cam's wild antics....like his climbing on the tops of tables, jumping on sofas and beds, or driving his Gator like a maniac. Nope. It was somewhat of a freak accident. He WAS, however, doing something that he does best....chasing Faith. It is our thought (since we didn't actually SEE the fall), that as he rounded the corner, he turned his foot and fell, having his foot roll over. He was clearly hurt, but he soon quit crying. He did not, however, walk.....for the rest of the day. When he was STILL not walking the next day, we thought we may need to check it out. I NEVER THOUGHT IT WAS BROKEN!!! To our surprise, x-rays showed a break near Cam's big toe. My boy needed a cast.

I am so proud of Cameron. He has accepted the situation. He has not once cried for not being able to walk (although the doctor has told us that he could, he is not interested), jump on the trampoline, or take a bath with Mallory and Faith. He scoots around on his little hiney to get where he wants and needs to go. HE IS A CHAMP. Does this boy let a little broken bone get him down? I THINK NOT!

While Cameron is busy breaking bones, Mallory is busy blacking her eye. She is finally showing some interest in walking. This brings more opportunities for bumps and bruises. Mallory fell right on the corner of a table. She barely cried, but she certainly did some damage to her pretty little face! You can't tell it by this picture, but her eye looks terrible.

I am simply waiting on Faith's turn. I am sure that she can't and won't let her siblings outdo her. Just check out this drama queen. Have you EVER seen anyone more dramatic and attention seeking than THIS GIRL?!

The REALLY bad news is that we have to head to a birthday party this weekend. What says unfit parents more than having one child with a broken bone and the other with a blue eye?!

A Little of This...A Little of That

WOW. I HAVE NOT POSTED IN ALMOST A MONTH!!!

Just a quick update...no pictures...so sorry!

If any month has tested me, it has been this one...

The virus hit hard in the Patrick house. Cameron came down with it first followed by Faith, Cody, and, then, myself. I finally feel comfortable saying that Mallory is the only one that didn't get it (and PLEASE don't let me have jinxed myself, here!). Luckily, it came in shifts. We were able to get one well before it hit the other. Cody and I found how much we needed the other...being a "single" parent of three was not fun and not easy! We also found that our babies our far stronger than we are. While Faith and Cameron bounced back quickly, we were in the bed for a full day. Faith would dramatically do what she needed in the trashcan, and triumphantly yell, "Done!" I, however, curled up and cried on the bathroom floor. Mallory was the strongest, avoiding the "bug" all together. We all survived, though.

Work has been tough this month. I can't pinpoint any, one specific reason, but I've been stressed beyond measure, which has resulted in some sleepless nights, tired days, tearful rides to the job, and a resentment for all, who can stay home with their babies. Something to pray about, and I continue to do so....

There's a first time for everything, and, well, I took the kids to WalMart by myself! Call me crazy, call me dumb, call me brave....whatever you want....but it didn't go SO bad. I was in a mood...one of those, "Im tired of feeling like I need someone to help me with everything," kind of moods. The predicament was that we needed diapers (like we were down to 0), and I was determined not to call someone to bring me some.  (Okay, so how did I get in this predicament???....well, like many things that had happened that week, it was a mystery HOW we went through over 112 diapers. I mean, who goes through that many diapers???!!!)  ANYWAY...I loaded all three up, and took off.  Besides the fact that I left the back door wide open and had to go back and shut it, that Mallory yanked Faith's hair at the checkout, and that Faith dove over all of the seats to get to the driver's seat in the parking lot while I tried to load all three BACK into the car, it went fairly good. I parked beside a buggy so I didn't have to carry all into the store, they sat down and were sweet MOST of the time since I pretty much threatened their lives (not really, okay?), AND I was overall very proud of them AND myself!!! What can I say? They are all growing up!

We splurged and got the kids a trampoline. They love it, and it has been SUPER fun. Faith and Cameron LOVE to jump, and Mallory loves to watch from outside or get in on the action, too. She will sit and jump. She also likes to have Faith and Cam to bounce her. She looks like a little rag doll as she flops around. I was horrified at first, but, hey....the kid likes it!!! Faith and Cameron think that it is wildly funny!

We have celebrated three birthdays since I last wrote. My dad, Aunt Rachel, and YaYa all had birthdays. This makes for busy weekends but always a good time with families. It is so good to know that Faith, Cameron, and Mallory will grow up amongst families that are close-knit and involved. We are so blessed with wonderful families. Can't wait for Mallory's 1st birthday, which is right around the corner!!!

It is now time to begin working on our bonus room. The toys downstairs are becoming rather ridiculous. We have cleaned out all of the junk upstairs, and the work will begin next week. I am so excited. I hope to de-clutter the downstairs!

That's pretty much it....so much but so little that is interesting! Will try to post soon.



Boys CAN Wear Pink, Too!

Once upon a time, it concerned me that Cameron went for Faith's dolls. I was so paranoid that he would ONLY like dolls and have some sort of identity crisis! Silly, I know! However, I quickly got over it. The child clearly loves tools, trucks, tractors, and the outdoors just as well as any boy....who cares if he likes dolls, too?

Now, I find it amusing that Cameron finds Faith's kitchen just as entertaining as his tool bench. He can iron like a pro and sweep a floor as well as any maid (well...maybe I am exaggerating, here...but he DOES love a broom). I am convinced that this child will grow into a "well-rounded" little man! Seriously, what woman wouldn't want a guy, who is compassionate, domesticated, AND into all of the "guy things." I think that he will follow in the footsteps of his daddy, who is an excellent husband and father!

So, okay. I do draw the line when Cameron wants to wear a bow, because he is convinced that it will make him look "pretty." I explain that "little girls wear bows and boys wear hats."  However, I couldn't resist picking up the cutest collared shirt for him the other day...and...don't judge....it was pink with broad, blue stripes. Personally, I like men in pink....especially my little Cameron. He looks adorable, don't you think?

I showed Cameron his shirt before putting it on, and he was eager to wear it...my kids LOVE new clothes. However, I almost fell on the floor laughing, when (after I put it on him) he claimed looking down at it so innocently, "Taifs (Faith's) shirt." Faith made it even more funny. She pointed at him and said, "Cameron....pinkt (pink)!"

Cameron wore the shirt all day and not another word was said about it....AND...I mean....C'MON....
only a real and true guy can wear pink AND.......

drive a John Deere Gator!!!

Cookie Snatcher!

Uh-oh. Miss Mallory is learning fast! We always laugh about how tough she has become...she can't help but be. To keep up with her siblings, she has developed a rather tough skin. She will fight off Faith and Cameron when she does not want something to be taken from her, and, now, she is doing some taking of her own!

Mallory is NOT a little girl. I recently pulled out all of Faith's summer clothes from last year....and guess what?! I don't think that Mallory will be fitting into any of those clothing items. She's tall and just a bigger build. That's why I found it even more humorous when this silly girl snatched a cookie from Cameron's plate. She was SO proud, too! Can't you tell? Cameron was crying, "Tookie, tookie!" I couldn't help but laugh!

Mallory's little personality is coming out more and more each and every day. She still remains less active than Faith and Cameron were at this age (not in the developmental sense...but just in the sense of being busy), but she DOES like to entertain. I am trying very hard to capture this cute little thing she does with her nose. When she thinks that something is funny, she wrinkles her nose, and it is perhaps one of the cutest things that I have ever seen. She likes to clap for herself, too....especially after she has done something that she is very proud of.

Mallory has a lot to be proud of, too. In addition to saying dog and duck. She came out with, "Hey," and "cat" this week! She is giving fives and loves to say, "uh-oh!"  Go, Mallory, Go!

Mischievous Monkeys

Sorry! I am falling down on my blogging duties! Ooops...but I really have not been in the blogging mood. I really have not taken many pictures lately, either. It hasn't helped that we have gotten in the routine with laying in the bed with the kiddos until they go to sleep, and, well, that usually means I fall asleep, too! Anyway, not many funny stories from this weekend and only ONE picture!

This weekend was one of the first in many in which we had nowhere to go and NOTHING to do! It was great, but I think that the kiddos were needing and wanting a change in scenery! It seemed that they were busier and more demanding than ever. We did make our usual weekend trip to WalMart, which I dread to no extent...and why? Well, it's not the best way to spend hundreds of dollars....I mean, c'mon....who wants to spend that all the while begging children to sit down, be quiet, and stop hitting and tormenting each other!!!??? Anyway, we got home right at dinner time, which added to the torture as we unloaded and tried to prepare dinner while the kiddos impatiently awaited to be served! Faith and Cameron continued to yell, "Milk, milk, milk!!!!" I almost lost it yelling, "NO MILK UNTIL YOU SAY PLEASE!!!" Once I thought that I got my point across, I asked, "So what do you say?" Faith's response?  "Juice???" Well, at least she didn't scream milk again, and I guess that that was good enough for me! :)

After dinner, the mischief continued as it did all weekend. I am not quite sure what was up with my children. They were all out of whack! Here is just a  example of how the weekend went.

They are little monkeys!!! Cameron got on top of the trashcan with such ease and Faith was yelling, "Faith's turn!!!"

LOOK! They're BIG Kids Now!...or so they think!

Just some updates and a few funny stories/pics....

Little Miss Mallory is becoming quite the entertainer!  I have already blogged about her ability to say,"duck." Well, she continues to do that MORE, and, if that isn't enough, she has decided to say "dog"....and even make the dog noise. WOOHOO...GO MALLORY! She also LOVE, LOVES, LOVES Faith and Cam's new chairs....she will most definitely be getting one of these for HER birthday. She discovered that she can climb right on up in them herself. We feared that she might topple out and hit her head, so we placed pillows all around.....BUT....uh-oh...it seems that she does take something after her brother and sister....she is as rough as they come. The pillows became a game, and she dived out onto them time and time again!!!  Here is my little princess all dressed up in Cam's chair!

Oh! Mallory is also working on tooth three and four!

Last weekend, I had quite the event with Faith. Faith has been rather clear about her feelings concerning potty training. My feelings are, "Why push her? Pick your battles." I've come to the realization that it just isn't happening. I am hoping that this summer will be perfect timing. I will be home, we won't have to strip off all of the winter clothing, and I will be able to let the roam "freely." So, I was rather surprised when Faith showed some interest in potty-training Sunday afternoon. She was determined that she was not taking a nap....no surprise there. She got up and down....up and down. She told me once that she had to "stink." She's pulled this trick on me once before, so I brushed her off. However, when she got up for the millionth time and had actually done her business, I set in on, "Faith, if you can tell me that you need to go potty, I think that it is time for you to wear big girl panties." She just gave me that look, and I sent her back to bed.  Next thing I know, Faith is in the kitchen looking at me like this....

That's right...that little stinker went into her bedroom and put on every pair of panties that she has! Again, we had a little "big girl panties talk," and I asked her if she wanted to wear them. She shook her head yes!!! I explained the routine of how we were going to have to sit on the potty and so on, and she continued to shake her head yes over and over! I was super proud and excited....she obviously saw the glimmer in my eyes and knew that she was getting somewhere with this....like not having to take a nap. Needless to say, her desire to wear big girl panties dwindled as soon as Cameron got up. That little trickster! Grrrrrr.........

Cameron loves to be like his daddy. He wants to wear a hat like daddy, cologne like daddy, a belt like daddy, AND.....

...obviously deodorant like his daddy. He pulled this stunt one night last week. He disappeared for two second while I was cleaning up and thought it was hilarious.

My babies...they're growing up! We have Mallory reaching milestone after milestone, Faith wanting...or at least tricking me into thinking that she wants to wear panties, and Cameron wearing deodorant!!!