Addison and Crew and Cars Crashing

This is an update on my sweet girlpie Addi. My engergizer bunny baby. And our van that some so elegantly smashed into on the freeway. 

Ok ok ok.. Ill start with the care since I know you are going Say What?!

A few weeks ago we were driving home from a family evening at Irvine Spectrum. Politely driving in the carpool lane with the slowed traffic. I turned around to talk to the children and saw a car speeding towards us. Maybe 30 feet away. There speed 50-60 mph, ours 5 mph, with only 30 feet. Doesn't add up. Had this conversation in my head incredibly rapidly and decided to scream~ "BRANDON!! OH MY GOSH!!!!!!"""""  There was one other car between us the was first crunched. I saw the guy flailing in his car, then CRUSH! goes our car. 

I immediately turn to the kids to see if they are Ok. Bryce replies in his very limited but growing vocabulary "I broken arm" Which he lifts with out a flinch to show me. We were all completely fine. Just a little scared. Our van got a bad bruise. 

You might remember this post. 

We were so grateful to be okay. Bummer for the Van, but in the meantime we are driving a sweet GMC Acadia 2012. My bum gets very toasty in the heated leather seats. We just heard today that the other persons insurance is covering everything 100%. Phew. We heard from the Van Dr. the other day and she is shaping up just fine. ICU measures weren't needed so she will be released soon.

Ugh. Stuff like that just makes you frustrated and scared. An accident on the freeway could have been very bad. We are so grateful no one was hurt. 

ON to a lighter topic. 

CREW. He is very light. at his 6 month appt. he was only 16lbs. 25th percentile! Who is this tiny child?! I can't remember his length but that was only 50th percentile. Addi and Bryce were both regularly 95th in all categories. It might be do to his incredilble amount of energy. The kid cannot sit still. 

Currently he's 7 months and starting to sit up and crawl. He is scooting around and able to make it to anything he wants. Slowly but he'll get there. He is a very determined little bugger. No teeth yet. Loves to nurse. Loves to watch his crazy siblings. Loves to snuggle. And LOVES to jump like a wild man in his bouncer. Energy. 

ON to a bigger topic. 

Addison is just a delightful little creature. She is doing so well in Kindergarten! Almost a little too well. She hates to mess up. Infact her teacher told me that one day she messed up a letter so she took the entire assignment and crunched it into a ball and threw it in the trash almost in tears. 

 When I go volunteer in class she is always the last one to finish her assignment. She has to take her time to get things right. I don't know how to feel about this. I love that she wants to do good work but maybe going a little OCD? I mean its kindergarten. She is missin out on play time because she has to make an A perfect. She's definently the A student so far, but I hope she enjoys things a little too. Got to keep that balance!

She lost 2 teeth at the beginning of the school year! Now the are almost grown in. Both of them were finally pulled out in the same manner, the first a fruit snack, the second a gummy worm. pop! Easy enough. 

She is just a little sweet heart and a helper at home. She is just my little mini-me. Hmmm.. Am I that OCD? naw. We are having fun this holiday season with Christmas decor and good Food. 

Speaking of Food.... I was a guest blogger on my friend Erin's food blog! Thanks for the invite! Here's her Blog {CLICK} She has Celiac's Disease and is quite the little chef. Great gluten free recipes. 

Holly Jolly everyone! 

I dont know how I feel.

I don't know how I feel about.. Kindergarten that is. But I also feel that what I think doesn't really matter.. school schedules, early bedtimes, leaving my kids, homework, packing lunches, picture days, sick days, and everything else in between is going to be my life for the next well? 20 years atleast?! So why fight it? I really just miss being able to have a relaxed schedule with the kids. But like I said.. not much I can do about it.

okay my whining is over..

On the flip side... Addison is just LOVING kindergarten!! Making me so much more happy for her! She has been going for 2 weeks now and has so many new little buddies. She comes home singing new songs and telling me the drama about recess and how "the boy wanted to play with the soccer ball but there was only 1 and her friend said he couldn't play!"

Her teacher is so cute, always complimenting Addi on how well behaved she is and eager to learn. Which is so true. Addison is a people pleaser... she'll do anything to make you feel good and smile. Just like her Dad.

I am not the only one that had a hard time with Addison leaving....

Bryce cried and cried on the first day we left her. For one he wanted to stay at the fun class and playground. Two he didn't want to leave Addison. The first week when we got home he would just sit with me. It was so quiet. A definite absence in the home having Addi gone. It has been really good for me and him to have some 1 on 1 time.. well 1.5 on 1 time. Bryce needs a lot of attention and now it will be that much easier to fulfill with a little quite time we can share.

 This is her Rapunzel backpack and Hello Kitty Lunch box. School shopping was probably my favorite part of all this! 

There have been a few interesting things we've learned about going to school here in Cali...

• It cost like $600 every 6 months to ride a bus to school
• All the school rooms open to the outside.. they even have their backpack hooks outside.
• Addison is not allowed to wear open toe shoes... or open heels. 
• They eat lunch outside.
• The kindergarten rooms have a separate playground that is entirely fenced off and connected to their rooms so they never leave that little area. 
• If your school is made up of mostly Korean's you are going to a smart school.. like my sisters

Alot of the elementary schools are painted with fun murals. Addison was alilttle hyper after her first day :)

This was a few minutes after we picked her up.. I don't think I have ever seen so many facial expressions in one conversation..

She was EXCITED!!

In other news.. me and crew are snuggling tons. He is 4.5 months now!! Crazy how time goes by so fast! 

And I am starting to fit into my old clothes.. this is the 3rd time I've had to lose that stupid pregnancy weight. I hate it. and it probably won't be the last. Joys of child bearing ;)

His latest thing is sucking on his fingers and toes. He LOVES his bouncer chair. He can get some air in that thing! I have a feeling he is going to be a crazy toodler.. happy! but crazy. He has energy already.

Bryce is starting speech therapy.. we call it "his school." This has helped him feel not so left out when Addison leaves. We have been playing with Desi and her lovely family. So much fun to have her around! We cook for each other alot and swap babysitting. I just feel like so much more comfortable with life in general having family close. 

Brandon is doing very well in school. His is in his 3rd year! We are going to be choosing our rotation picks soon! We were lucky enough to get a high pick but will probably stay here in California. Its just to hard to move around with 3 kids. {Rotations are for the 4th year.. every 3 months they work at a different site and they are all over the nation~ including Hawaii and even some in Japan}

 Addison was playing photographer.. she took this one of Brandon and was creative enough to take a pic in the mirror! Pretty good for a 5 year old! 

 Addison and Bryce really just enjoy each other.. such cute little buddies. No wonder Bryce had such a hard time when she left.

 Another day of school.. for Brandon and Addison. Brandon has all these suit cases full of lenses and equipment he has to take with him for clinic.

 Such as sweet little girl. He's pretty cute too I guess ;)

And I have gone back to work in the ER. Only once every other week. I don't know if you can call it working? My boss and manager are just awesome. Seriously some good women that I work for and they totally get the demands of home yet the crunch of bills and debt. They have been so flexible to let me work so little yet keep me on so that I can keep my license current and still be there for my family. Things are going really well. I feel really blessed. 

lately

Is summer just flying by or what?! I can't believe July is almost over.. which means in August my sister Desi is moving to California!! And practically going to be my neighbor!! SOO excited for this. And August also brings something so crazy... soo unimaginable... sooo uncomprehendable...... SOOoOO exciting and SOOO going to change my life FOREVEER!!! 

... that is Addison is going to start Kindergarten. 

I say that my life is going to change. Having a 3 kid pretty much did me in as far as having any free time. But now. I HAVE to have a very strict routine. I mean. I can be 15 minutes late to playgroup.. but 15 minutes late to kindergarten is another story. Packing a sack lunch everyday. Having nice school clothes. Keeping up with homework assignments. Dropping of and picking up at EXACTLY the same time 5 Days a week without being late. 

...3 kids changed my life, but really KINDERGARTEN is going to change my life. 

And not that it is all bad, in fact I am thrilled for Addison. She is so social and just bubbling over excited when we even mention going to school. This will be wonderful for her.. just a big change in my daily life.

So for now I am just enjoying the summer, trying not to stress over the daily messes and just play with the kids as much as I can. 

Here's what we've been up too lately..

 I've been making yummy treats like this watermelon granita. {Thanks Pioneer Women}

Don't forget to roll your limes! 

 Crew is helping Dad study

 And being just as cute and smilie as ever, really though folks, I just can't stop smoochin him.

He is 3 months now! Such a big boy! Not really though.. he's actually kinda petite man. His 2 months stats were 11 lbs 11 oz and 24 inch. {Up from 7 lbs 7 oz and 19 inch at birth) He's long and lean! 

 Addsion is just turning into a little girl and already getting moody..  .. yikes.. her favorite phrase lately is "OH MY GOSH!" I can't get her to stop saying it. She thinks my option of GOODIE GOODIE GUMDROPS! is too hard. Lame.

 Despite the occasional mood, she is just a wonderful girl. She loves her Brothers to death and is just a little copy cat to me. One day I caught her sitting with the boppie and nursing cover on holding a toy baby up to her b#%bies. She is taking this want-to-be-just-like-mom a little far!

We've had a few talks about nursing since ;) She is just a little sweetheart and will be a wonderful little mommy someday. 

And then there is Bryce. Looks all sweet and cute right? Well look again.. 

This is him most of the time. A crazy smirk on his face, just wait for his moment to go scare the baby and make him cry. No joke either. Crew will be lucky if he makes it to 2 with Bryce as his older brother. I am trying. Trying to tame the beast. 

I love Bryce to death. He can be just a sweet little man, and he is actually pretty sensitive. I just wish I saw those times more often. Again, trying. 

 Otherwise we are happy and healthy. Eating alot of fruit. Swimming the summer away. And just enjoying life.

Occasionally we catch a movie too.

She's Five!!

When did that happen?! My little girl is five! I really can't believe that she is going to be starting kindergarten this fall. Life has changed dramatically in the past few months and its going to more when school starts- I am starting to feel like a mom rather than just playing "mom" --you know what I mean? Just please tell me if I start to grow a "mom bum" :) those are my worst nightmare.

We had a little celebration with some of Addison's dear friends at a lovely park called Carbon Canyon Park.
It was a beautiful day. Lots of yummy food.
Fun decor.. a few people slipped and called me Martha.
Face Painting
Pin the Petal on the Flower
Cupcake walk
Candles then Presents
and Party FavorsAddison was just the happiest little girl.
It was such a fun party! And it was all topped off with this beauty of a cake. The best white cake ever! I have to say I am addicted to this cake, I have to stop myself from making it so that I don't grow that mom bum :) FoR the RECIPE click HERE and you too can enjoy stuffing your face.. just not too much :)

Happy Birthday Addison my little sweet heart!