Very first day of kindergarten

So, we are in trouble, this is the story from Sam's first day of kindergarten:

Me, "Did you make any new friends?"
Sam "Just one silly friend."
Me, "What did you do with the silly friend?"
Sam, "There is a sign on the bathroom door in our classroom and when someone is in there it says, "yes" and when someone is not in there it says "no", so whenever anyone was in there we would switch the sign and then other kids would just walk in and everyone would see them going potty."

Yes, DAY 1 of kindergarten, not good, not good

Teaching left and right hands

Sam was teaching Logan the difference between left and right.

Sam "Logie, this is your right hand - you use it to write with a pen, throw a rock, pick up small things and play with your pee pee."

Good thing he covered all the bases....

Taylor Family reunion and mini vacation in Cortland, NY

Potty training Logan

So, we have finally made progress with Logan using the potty. All day outings and trips in the car can be somewhat challenging:

Logan is in his car seat and I notice his pants are wet:

Me "Logan, did you pee in your pants?"
Logan: "nope"
Me "Why are they wet?"
Logan My just licked them."

A week on Long island

Vacation to Florida

So we left Harper in NY with my mom and ventured to Ponte Vedra Beach for 5 days. It was a medical conference for me and we met our friends with 3 kids, same ages and their au pair. Harper had a great time at nanny's and so I didn't feel that guilty leaving her. Lots of relaxing, exercise and quality time with the other kids. At one point Logan said, "only one baby now." Judging from his desire to remain in diapers until he is 10 and his fondness for pacifiers, I believe he wants to retain his spot as "the baby" for a bit longer.

Seattle

YMCA

So, my ankles are injured from running too much and I have to run in the pool. This means only one thing: dragging 4 children to kiddie care at the YMCA so I can get a work out. It takes 48 minutes to change, pack a separate and separately labeled snack for each child, then bribe the older 2, re-change a diaper (b/c invariably one of the babies poops while I am getting the other kids ready), then drive to the Y, fill out 12 forms, give instructions on food allergies, nurse the baby one last time and then I'm ready! We re-introduced milk to sam and he has been vomiting, so on the way into the Y, he pukes, I clean him up, he seems fine and we go in. After my 30 minute pool work out, I am greeted at the gate of kiddie care by this:

Logan "Me cracked open me head at kiddie care, see the bump?"
Sam "I didn't puke again!"
Emma "Logan stole Harper's paci and she's been crying the whole time."

Worth it? Absolutely!

Happy 1st birthday harper!

Celebrating with her egg, dairy, soy and legume free cupcake!

Sushi, races and cute babies!

Some new photos

bubbles!

Logan is in the bath this morning and he has a hand full of bubbles and says:

"Bamm pakes!"

and I say "Pancakes?"

and he says, "Hand grenades!"

Great.

separate beds

Ben snores and I am still nursing harper many times in the night so often times one of us winds up in the guest bed. The other day I was taking our neighbor's child to the lake for a hike. Sam and Sean are sitting in their respective car seats and I hear:

Sam: "I was sick so sometimes I sleep in my mommy's bed and sometimes I sleep in my daddy's bed."

Sean: "Sammy, my mommy and daddy sleep in the same bed."

Swim Team

Emma recently joined the swim team at the YMCA. I'm actually quite impressed by a 7 year old that can do the butterfly!

Logan

Both Sam and Harper have extensive food allergies, so a common phrase in our house is "sorry buddy, you can't have it you're allergic." The other day we left Logan home with a babysitter to go food shopping at Wegmans and he says, "Me like Wegmans, me can come, me not allergic."

Sam's questions

Sam is our thinker, all in one setting these were his questions:

"if we are potty training Logan and he has diarrhea in his new undies and we wash them, won't that get the rest of the clothes full of poop?"
"How does McDonalds make the food so fast?"
"Mommy, why do you float if you are so big (in the pool)?"
"(Pinching his skin) How do I feel pain when I do this"

Answers:
We throw out the diarrhea undies. We never put them in the washer.
The food is already made.
Fat floats, muscle sinks. Mommy has lots of fat.
Pain reflex arch involving 3 neurons.