Why we actually WANT #5.

Brotherly love!

Take 2
Random Saturday in January 2010. I suddenly realized it was quiet in the house and all 4 kids were nowhere to be seen. I peeked around the corner into the boys' room and found all of them quietly playing. I realized that its very rare to catch them all in a single photograph without it being staged, so I grabbed the camera to remember the moment.

And this is what happens when my kids see me with the camera.

Cute little bum in the sunlight.

Courtesy of Guthrie. He said we were "cute" and he needed to take our picture. I didn't crop it or anything - he's kind of a pro.

That's Addie. What else can I say? ;)

Our little Tru spent the last month progressing from standing alone to toddling to full-blown walking. He took his first steps about a week or so before my mom and Ashley and Mallory and Cessa came to visit. I think he wanted to show off his skills a little more, but it was hard to walk when our living room was a jungle of blow-up mattresses and suitcases. They'll just have to take my word for it - he's amazing. He quickly learned how to stand himself up in the middle of the room and now he does more of a popcorn motion. He almost jumps himself to his feet. It is pretty hard to believe that in a few more weeks we'll probably be so used to seeing him walking around that we won't stop to ogle and applaud anymore (its already less). For a while there, he would take a few steps and then finish his course clapping his own hands in celebration.

Things in New York are going pretty quickly. I thought I would love to have a change of seasons - but it turns out that I like it warm, hot even. I hope Arizona will forgive me and someday take me back. New York is cold and slushy - and they cancel school for every little snowflake, which makes our little apartment seem even smaller because it spends too much time filled up with restless kids who need a park or a parking lot or a dog kennel to run in. My couch has become the makeshift trampoline and it's definitely showing the effects of this use.

The kids still seem happy as clams in their school. Sullivan is going through an. . .ahem. . .adjustment phase. He basically does the exact opposite of anything I need/want him to do. Who knew my perfect little guy would turn out to be the most difficult 3-year-old I have ever encountered? I guess he's a late bloomer with the whole attitude and obstinance thing. His brother and sister picked it up earlier and milder.

In four weeks we find out if/where we matched for residency. Crazy anxiety going on. Pray for us and we'll pray for you too ;)

The mom visit was GREAT! I have zero pictures, though, because um . . .I don't know what I did with them. Need to find them. We hung with kids, then slipped away to the city for a day and a half, saw Wicked, shopped at a few stores, ate some food, then hung with kids more, took them ice skating, which was adorable, went on a date (while mom and aunts babysat), and then sadly kissed them goodby at the airport. It was one of my favorite family visits ever!