The Williams Six

Chloe's favorite small holiday is Valentines Day. Brett brings her gifts and takes her on a date. She LOVES it. To prepare for this year's day, she made him this Valentine. I mean....how adorable....

I'm going to do a full blog about my sweet Luke on his 4th birthday. But I was up til 4 am last night. So I will wait until I am not a zombie to write a true blog. However, some funny Luke material. Luke likes the same bed time routine every night. Some highlights of our time together: Luke: "Sing 'I Love' then tell me about the time when you was a kid and I was in your belly and you went to the doctor and he cut me out of your tummy and say how you love me bery (very) much." Luke: "Sing 'I Love' and tell me about the time you was a kid and you went to the beach and got in the water and a shark bit you and ate you." Me: "But I've never been eaten by a shark." Luke: "Yes you have. Tell me the story." I Love is a song I sing him every night....based on the song "I Love Your Presence"....changed to "I Love You Pookers".

Chloe is seriously hilarious. A few stories... Tonight I was telling Caleb how Brett and I talk about him (I forget the context). Chloe interrupted, "But you talk about me the most right?" Tonight Caleb and Chloe were Skype-ing (Skyping?) with their cousin. An hour after Levi went to bed, Chloe got him out of his crib just to show him off to her cousin. Levi looked as shocked as Brett and I. I don't even want to picture how she gets him out, considering she's shorter than the crib. Some things are better left unknown. She gets him out a lot. Every time I saw to stop and she doesn't. Tonight I said "seriously stop". She replied "it's just so funny." When she's mad, she runs away with perfectly stiff cheerleader arms. Haha!

Levi and I were having breakfast together today.  He ran out of grapes and screamed until I gave him more.  The fourth child (well, and the third): they scream to get what they want.  It works, so why learn language? My first born, Caleb, wasn't a screamer.  Why?  Because, like any mom who loves her child, I taught him sign language.  When he wanted more, he quietly signaled for more. It got me thinking how much has changed, going from one child to four. I've officially lost control, people. My one child looked cute all of the time.  His clothes always matched, and he had style. My four kids literally look like orphans.  Levi's clothes have been through three boys before him (my nephew and two older boys).  Chloe never matches (and I am not even sure she has clothes available that match).  Their hair may or may not be brushed.  They may or may not arrive at destinations with shoes. I once took Luke to the bathroom at a re...

"For my birthday, instead of cake, can I have a stack of salami? Only for me." As I am writing this (he can't sleep...don't judge that he's awake), Caleb says, "Can you take a picture of me eating salami and put it on Facebook and tell everyone, 'Caleb wants salami instead of cake.'" He gets his love of salami from his dad and his interest in over sharing on Facebook from me. We are obviously doing this parenting thing really well.

In catching up on my photos from the last seven months, it is an accurate metaphor of my life in the last seven months.  We opened our business on June 1, and it has been a whirlwind. Our business is going well.  We are LOVING it.  The members have become our people.  They are our best friends....have become our family.....we just love them.  Obviously, with any new business, there is a need for growth, but I am confident God will grow it.  I am enjoying getting in shape.  After years of living in the child bearing and baby phases, it feels very good to feel alive again. (A brief sidenote: I still very done having kids, but I definitely don't feel like our family is finished.  I do not believe the time is here to pray about the next step, but I am interested to see what the future holds.) I still have about 20 pounds to lose from these precious four kids.  But I am focusing on being healthy, not a certain weight.  And working out on...