Packing up & Growing up

Every time I do a load of "baby" laundry I end up with a stack of clothes that I have to set to the side:

These are Mary Britton's 3-6 month PJs. Quinnlan wore them and so did Mia & Chloe. These are the perks of having 4 girls in August...hand me downs!

Today as I sat on the floor folding little socks and pants and onesies and burp cloths I cried as I had to set these to the side because they just don't fit her anymore. As much as I would love to continue shoving her chubby little legs into them, it is just cruel. She is getting older (and bigger) each day. (sob)

The ones on top are quite possibly the softest PJs on the planet and the ones below them are so sweet because they have pictures from "The Hungry Little Caterpillar" all over them. I was so happy when she finally fit into them and now they are too small...where does the time go? I so clearly remember all 3 of my older girls wearing them too.

It is a funny feeling when you realize that you will never have a little bitty baby in the house again.

But she sure does grow up cute, though!

Happy Winter Staycation!

This has been so strange having the kids (and Kevin) out for a FULL week of snow days! Besides the dishwasher and laundry machines working overtime, it really has felt like a vacation having my whole family "stuck" at home.

The girls have been eating up their serious one-on-one time with their main man...Daddy. He is SO fun...we have a giant hill across the street from our house at the church/preschool and he has been creating different sled runs, each called Killer Hill #1, #2, etc...

I, on the other hand, have spent most of my time inside with Miss Mary Britton, since she's not too hot on sledding at 5 months old.

I did go on a few Killer Hill rides with Kev and Quinnie, though. The run went down the church/preschool hill, across the snow/ice covered street down our front yard through the gate down our backyard, barely missing our pond in the back and crashing into the back fence. Afterwards, Kevin asked Quinn what I sounded like and she screamed like a little girl. I did say it was Killer Hill, right?

Yes, I screamed like a little girl.

I love looking out the window and seeing Kevin creating sled races and fun activities for our girls (and their little neighborhood friends).

I don't know if our girls realize (yet) what an amazing father they have...but I sure do.

Some of our week's highlights:

Kevin and his "big" girls ready to go outside for Day 1 of the snow & ice (notice Quinnlan's hodgepodge of an outfit!)

Heading down part 1 of Killer Hill

Chloe

Loves for Daddy

Mia

Snow Angel Quinn (the night before she laid in bed saying, "Tomorrow, I'm going to make snow angels and my lambie is going to make snow angels and my paci is going to make snow angels...")

making snowballs

My ambitious snowman makers

Quinnlan

Why is it so HARD to get a good shot of 3 kids!?!

Did I mention that my BABY turned 5 months old on January 10th?

twins and BFFs---Chloe & Mia

the final result of all the hard work

The Mighty Quinn

When I was pregnant with Quinnlan, we were having the "name discussion" with our close friends, Rick and Kellie, and when I told them that I was really campaigning for the name, Quinn, Rick said, "Like the song?" and honestly, I had not thought about it in that way, but I love that old song...it just made my campaign stronger...and it made me even more excited when the baby turned out to be another girl to use the name that I fell in LOVE with during my 1st trimester! (Is that the longest run-on sentence?)

Well, this 3rd child of mine has certainly lived up to the song. She cracks me up on a daily basis. There are many times that she should get in trouble for something or another that she has done, but I'm laughing, so I have then lost all my Mommy-Power.

Here is an example from the other night: She and Mia and Chloe were playing in the basement and I yelled down that they all needed to come up to get on their PJs to get ready for bed and so Mia and Chloe come racing up the stairs and Quinnie is nowhere to be seen. I yell down for her (baby on my hip) and here is how the rest went:

Me: Quinnlan, I need to hear you say, "Mommy, I'm coming" and I need to see you at the bottom of the stairs.

Quinn: What'd you say? (her favorite stall tactic)

I then repeat myself.

Quinn: Mommy, I'm coming! (but I don't see her)

Me: I don't see you...you need to come up NOW and if I have to come down there to get you, you will be in trouble.

Silence.

Me: Quinnlan! One... (the dreaded one-two-three countdown to trouble)

Quinnlan: Two! Three! Five!

Here's where I start laughing...but at least she can't see me.

So, I go down the stairs and I am prepared to see her playing and semi-ignoring me, but the poor child was stuck in the pack-n-play and couldn't get out.

Then I'm really laughing and so is she when she sees me.

Here's another Quinnlan Show moment from just this morning...she can be so sweet, it melts my heart:

Kevin was leaving for work and he gave us both a kiss goodbye and said:

I love you

Quinnlan: I love you!

Kevin: I love you more!

Quinnlan: I love you a google!

This is something that Kevin will say to Mia and Chloe when they start going back and forth saying, "I love you more," "no, I love you more," and the last person always says, "I love you a google!"

Who knew her little ears heard all of that and took it in???

I love her a google...

You've never seen nothing like The Mighty Quinn...