pics, pics and more pics

We are all missing grandma!  It was great to have my mom journey across the huge sea to spend 3 weeks with us.  She was a life saver for me & I was sad to see her leave last week.  We had a ton of fun while she was here.  The kids still tell me multiple times a day that they wish grandma was still here.

After 3 weeks I guess it was time to give her back to my dad who was missing her.

We had fun trying to get a pic of the kiddos.  We managed to get a few good ones.  We had about 3 minutes before Jack decided he felt like he was being smothered and started crying for help.

Ahh, tender!!  Jack is really smothered with love...the kids adore him!!

Rex was finished after about 30 seconds. :)

me and my quiver full..haha, I still have a hard time believing I have 4 children.  The time has gone by so fast.  I swear my big babies were tiny babies not that long ago.

I thought this pic was funny.  Rex is feeling Jack's pain and giving sympathy expressions.

Alivia has been SO great with Jack.  I hand him off to her when I need to make dinner or whatever I need to do with two hands.  She is a little mommy and he always falls asleep when she holds him.  It has been so nice to have her help.

I have been trying to get Jack to enjoy his swing for more than 10 minutes.  The other day he slept in  it for almost 2 hours...I was able to actually take a shower (mind you it was 2 in the afternoon) and get ready while he slept.  Sometimes it is hard to get back into the whole newborn stage.  Sleepless nights, lots of feeding and poop changes and trying to keep up on my house. Keeping 4 kids corralled and not fighting and whining all the time is quite a challenge. There are times when I feel like letting out a huge scream...but instead talk myself into lots and lots of deep breaths. 

All in all I am learning a lot and enjoying the times that are good.  Jack is a sweetheart and I am wanting him to stay tiny.

A cute yawn after his long nap.

He loves his bath time.

Lucy, the entertainer, is so cute with Jack.  She sings to him, dances for him and plays her harmonica. It is adorable.

he is just toooo dang tender!

4 for 4...all the kids look like their daddy...I don't mind, he is handsome, but I do secretly hope one day one will look like me.  Lucy does have my feet and one of my ears...hey, I will take what I can get. ;)

My brother Steve had a few conferences for work here in Australia and was able to fly to Sydney and spend 4 days with us.

Jared took Steve and mom all over Sydney.  They rode the ferry and stopped at Watson's bay for some delish fish n chips.

The kids go nuts when family comes.  They soak it up and love the time they get to see familiar faces.  Rex decided he wanted to be in a Chinese dress up costume.

Yep, he is still tender!!