some new pics and moo postcards!

we got a new bumbo chair for jonah as the old one we had (a bebe pod) got broken by the older boys...go figure! but this one has a tray so i love it =)

jonah can join us at the table now!!



just a random carrot that we came across last week!

these are awesome postcards! i almost don't want to send any of them!! 60 postcards all with different pictures on them. they are quite thick and just awesome to see! i can't wait to order more things from them!! Moo

rolling over more and more

jonah likes to roll! just now he went from back to tummy and then on to his back then on to his tummy! all going to the left each time! he also rolled to his left, back to front then rolled back onto his back (his starting position..) does that make sense?

the weighing of jonah!

so i finally got around to taking jonah to the baby clinic today and he weighed in at 13lbs 13.5oz. so only a 7oz gain in 3 weeks, but better then his 5oz gain in the weeks. i'm thinking of giving him a bottle of formula once a day, one to give me a break and 2 to give him a boost. so the health visitor was happy with that and so we'll see what happens. then hopefully i can find an exercise class that i can go to in the evenings but its hard when i can't drive. i forgot to ask them about starting to feed fim solids, but i don't think i really need to...yet! i started both boys at around 4-5 months, so it can't hurt right?

malverns

yesterday we spent the day up on the malvern hills....it was so beautiful, though very windy! here is a teaser picture, the rest will come tomorrow! i'm off to bed =)

nothing much going on

not too much to talk about really. all is going well. we missed jonah's appt to be weighed so will have to go next tuesday. we haven't done anything really at all this week. have barely gotten out of the house!

we have had some nice sunny days though. monday we went to the park for a wee bit. and today we went to the store, but other then that...nothing!

we've booked our ticket for half-term to go over to belfast. only there for 5 days barely but will be nice to see everyone! some time soon i'll be doing an engagment session with our friend becky and peter. can't wait for that to happen. possibly at the botanical gardens and/or stratford. should be lots of fun anyway!

jonah has been waking up a bit in the nights recently. for 2 whole months he has been sleeping through but now has been waking around 3ish for a feed. not all the time, but some. last night was a horrible night for sleeping. jonah woke at 3 as i was finishing feeding him, micah woke up and came into our bed. i took him back to his but he cried off an on for literally 2 hours. andy actually got up and made him a sandwhich. and he still carried on. he just did not want to be on his own and wasn't falling back asleep at all. andy spent some time with hime, but then i did as andy had to get up in a few short hours for work. will with micah carry-ing on, noah and eventually jonah woke up too. all 3 boys were awake and it was barely 5. so i was going back and forth between the 2 rooms and had to eventually feed jonah and when i finished i think micah and noah were finally back to sleep too.

it was terrible. so i got into my own bed nearer to 6 and slept off and on until 9 when the boys who were ofcourse by then awake *again* would not leave me in peace. so a very tired mommy and daddy today! thankfully it wasn't the night before as andy had an interview at school on thursday. it was for the maths co-ordinator. a roll in which he has already been fulfilling but had to have a proper interview. he got it with flying colours and was even told that it was the best interview one of the heads had ever sat in for (in maths that is)!!! so *go* andy!! we so proud =)

this is the cake i made last week that was oh so so delicious!!

this photo is of micah watching *lord of the rings* it was the only movie that we have the had a guy shooting with a bow and arror and he is so interested in knowing how to carry it and shoot it! he doesn't like us forwarding it when it gets to scary/goary bits but i know he'll think its scary so i just do it anyway...he's enjoyed it though, even though we have to answer thousands upon thousands of questions about what is happening and why, why, why?

a definite roll-over!

so yesterday jonah definitely rolled over. as he did it again later in the day! today was a gorgeous day so we got out to the park for a wee bit and then to the shops. i baked a cake today too! it was scrumptious!!! it was from a children's cookbook and the icing was dark chocolate and double cream. that is all you needed to make the icing and it was/is delicious!! its a 2 layer cake and i am pretty pleased with it!!

rolling over (and we are back online)

i think jonah rolled over today! he was on his side and i moved him over as there was something blocking his path and he then went onto his tummy! usually its his arm and thumb that are in the way of going all the way over...but i think he really did it!! hurray =)

and as you can tell (maybe) that we are back online. it was out phone extension lead that wasn't working i guess. though i had tried without that last week at some point and it still didn't work for me, it is now working, so whatever!! we are going to go over to PC World to get a wireless adapter so that the hub can stay near the phone jack and the computer can go wherever we want it too!

not too much else going on. we had loads of rain today....so not very nice. yesterday we spent the day with hannah and samuel. i think samuel enjoyed having micah and noah around and micah and noah loved playing with some new toys =) hannah kept micah and jonah while i took noah to the speech and language lady. who said that there wasn't any worries with him, just to keep going with single words and repetition! we don't have to go back unless in about 6 months time there is no change.

Jonah found the giraffe's leg and thought it looked yummy!!

Out of the Loop

Sorry for no news recently. Out internet has stopped working at home, and we're waiting for BT to come and fix it. So Janelle hasn't been able to keep in touch with all our avid readers!!!!

I'm writing this from school, as I'm too exhausted to think about school work. We've just finished a day of inspection, which went well. I got observed teaching math, and they said it was good, so I'm pleased, even though the kids didn't make as much progress as I expected.

So what's the news ...

After Jonah's appointment, Noah had one the next day for a hearing test which he got through most of. He didn't finish it as he wouldn't let them put anything in his ears, so he has to go back at some point. Janelle is taking him today to see a speech and language specialist to see what can be done, if anything about his lack of speaking. They were happy with things and said we didn't have to go back so that's encouraging.

All the family are well, although I'm trying hard to fight off a cold that is flirting with me. Thankfully it hasn't taken hold fully, so a bit more sleep should do the job - there hasn't been much of that this last week.

For my english lesson today, I wanted a picture of a hero and a dragon, so asked my brother Stephen Mullan to sketch me out something to inspire the kids in writing their myths. I thought you'd like to see it.

jonah wighed in at....

So..jonah was weighed and hasn't gained much at all. on the 2nd of september he was 13.1 and today he was 13.6! i wasn't there for the weighing as i had my own appointment. my friend becky took jonah and they asked her if there were any feeding problems but there aren't any. he is sleeping through the nights and only have 4 feeds during the day, all from me. so i don't know! she wants us to come back in 2 weeks time.

which means that in the next 2 weeks between noah, me and jonah we have 5 dr/hosp/speech+language appointments! oh boy. becky took us today and will accompany us to the childrens hospital on thursday for a hearing test. then on friday i have an appt (which is a whole other story...mostly involving possible allergies or asthma?). monday noah goes to the speech and language specialist and i'll be dropping jonah and micah off at hannah's on the way. thursday i have another dr appt and then the following tuesday i'll have to take jonah back to be weighed again!

yuck. but jonah is happy and healthy otherwise. he had 2 more shots today and calmed down quite quickly afterwards. he is sleeping 10-12hours at night and sleeping a wee bit between each feeding... like an hour or so. its great! he's lovely and coo-ing away. loves to be standing =) and likes his big brothers!!

jonah

jonah gets weighed, measured and his 2nd immunization tomorrow...so in preperation of that here is a gorgeous photo from today!! isn't he adorable?

updates =)

sorry for the lack of posting...but my excuse is that i haven't taken any photos b/c of a dead battery and i can't find the charger ;)

but...our going to bed routine has worked a charm and we are loving the extra free time we have! the other night all boys, yes! all 3 boys were in bed by 8 o'clock!! by 9:30 andy asked what the time was and if it was our bed time yet?! we had so much time!

so jonah is usually down by 7:30, 8 at the latest. noah is very good and barely cries. if he does it is a totally fake cry! you can hear him humming away to himself. micah puts up a fight and does not like to go to bed at all. he's the worst of the lot =) but we get the lights off and he stays in bed but he cries, sometimes sobbing and usually falls asleep midcry!

now staying in bed all night is a hit or miss. we still wake up with children in the bed. sometimes we don't even wake up so we can't put them back into bed...while other times we are just way too tired! so we're working on that one =)

all are doing well. we've kinda starting homeschooling with micah. just 5 minutes a day, usually when noah is taking his nap and we work on counting and the alphebet, sometimes writing and a little math. thanks to thomas math is fun ;)

noah is signing please without us asking him too. we have 2 appointments coming up for him. a hearing test and then an appt with a speach and language lady. so we'll see what happens!

oh to be in the states today..

did i ever tell you how much i love love love ice cream?? i think it was from working at Friendly's =)
so for any of you near a cold stone creamery....here's your chance at a free dessert tonight!

Cold Stone Creamery: Free Icecream--September 25, 2008
On Thursday, September 25, 2008 from 5:00-8:00 PM, all guests to any Cold Stone Creamery location in the nation will be treated to a 3 oz. serving of icecream. Donations will be accepted to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
The two free flavors available are: Marshmallow ice cream with OREO® Cookies, Chocolate Chips and Fudge or Nutter Butter® ice cream with White Chocolate Chips, Kit Kat® and Yellow Cake. More details here.Thanks, Sherry!

becky's twins have arrived!

becky (at almost 35 weeks) after many hospital appointments and blood pressure checks, ryan and isaac were born yesterday weighing 5lbs 2.6oz and 5lbs 2.4oz!! you can read her sister's post here: http://beckyislosinghermind.blogspot.com/

our lil cowboy =)

we got micah 2-3 costumes for his birthday. a cowboy, as you can see that he loves! you can turn the vest inside out too and be an indian with a feather head thingy and a bow and arrow! the other costume is a knight... (i'm sure...pictures to come later!)

sleeping matters

we started last week with a new bedtime schedule. micah and noah got too used to mommy and daddy laying down with them to read and stay with them while they fell asleep. while we've tried many times to get out of this habit, we've never kept too it. well last week we started afresh and meant it this time. they got ready for bed, we read them a story or 2 or 3 =) prayed with them, then we tucked them in and said goodnight with a kiss.

the first few days, andy sat outside their rooms (we've seperated them since we knew it wouldn't work with them in the same room until they could fall asleep on their own) and he either sang or just sat there with some music playing. they cried and cried and carried on. noah would get out of bed and so forth, but we carried on and viola, not even a week later and they both cry still, but last night micah hardly cried at all and was asleep first and noah cried off and on for about 20 minutes, but didn't try to get out of bed. tonight, they both cried for no more then 10 minutes before falling asleep!! it was great. and jonah has been going down around about the same time (somewhere between 8 and 8:30) and its been bliss!!!

this morning we even woke up with no children in our bed! heavenly =)

this is the house that joanne and philip stayed at over in tawneytown!

a night with josh and jenn

too cute for words: madame faith






we had a great night with josh and jenn at his parents house where there is a pool! so most of the guys enjoyed the pool and josh bbq-ed for us! it was yummy! so josh and jenn, it was so nice to sit down with you 2 and chat. i hope luke is enjoying school and that faith isn't missing him too much!

some photos from taneytown

this is where andy's brother and sister stayed their first week in america! their friend alice lives out in taneytown and across the way is her son and his family. there is lots to do there on the farm and we went over for a day to enjoy it too! the family were very nice and and the boys (big and little) enjoyed the day =) a lot!

the gold medalist of the trampoline!


*stranded*


corn fields




tractor?


a view while washing dishes...




micah really really wanted to ride it by himself!

jonah, 12 weeks

can we believe he is 12 weeks already? nope...or that he has spent like 3/4 of his wee life in america?? very fun!

he is generally a happy baby as you can see. he likes to talk to us and laugh with us. he is very ticklish under his arms ;) and loves to stand...already! he is sleeping through the nights (and has been thankfully for the last almost 3 weeks, thanks to his little thumb that he finds in the night! and thanks to his NUK as well (aka binkey, dummy...)
last weighed on the 2nd he was 13lbs 1oz and 24 inches long so he is doing great! he had his first set of shots and did very well! i didn't even have to feed him straight away like i did with the others!

the boys still love holding him and touching him and hugging him and generally smothering him! but jonah usually takes it all in and its grand!

photos from baltimore and 1 cool video (no relation to me or baltimore)

click here to see a slideshow of the photos i have up on Flickr so far. or click here just to view them as is (aka no slideshow). there will be more photos coming, BUT we managed to leave 2 memory cards in my dad truck! so they are being posted to us!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyGEEamz7ZM
i can't figure out how to get it on here...but its very cool (and i love the music)!

and one last item! we got a playhouse for the back garden!! it was passed on to us from a friend of a friend as they had gotten a new one =) its cool and the boys love it, though its just been raining raining raining since we got it!

help is needed!

since being home i have the strongest urge to redecorate! not

that the money is that available, but i would love love love to have a country-ish front room. here is a photo of the front window and i am in desperate need of new curtains. i want something fun and maybe light in colour? any thoughts? its been so dismal here since we returned...rain, rain and more rain! so i need something to do =) to cheer up the place!

any thoughts?

(and sorry for the mess on the couches...i just moved them around this morning!)