Peter Pan and a Pirate too

We took the boys to Magic Kingdom today and had a blast. The boys always want to go on the People Mover first. Of course they call it Space Mountain, since you view space mountain on it. Then today I thought they would like to ride the Buzz Lightyear ride, we have never rode it before. And with their new obsession with Toy Story 1 and 2 I thought this would be perfect. But Boston was scared, he thought it would be too dark and too many aliens. So Dallas and Daddy went on it and he loved it. Then we saw Buzz out giving autographs, Dallas immediatly wanted to go say hi. He has no fear of the characters, Boston would rathe keep his distance. Of course I also remember bringing Dallas when he was very young and all the Princesses kissing all over him, he's always loved them all.

We also rode It's a Small World, another big favorite. Asher wasn't as interested, since he fell asleep waiting in line.
Captain Jack was there from Pirates of the Caribean and Dallas was very thrilled to meet a pirate (He's BIG on pirates right now). He took me to see him and then wanted to take daddy. Boston...not so much. While Dallas and daddy rode Pirates of the Caribean Boston and I shopped in the pirate store and he made the definate decision to be Peter Pan (He had talked about being a pirate for weeks but woke up this morning convinced he wanted to be Peter Pan...have no idea where this came from since they've only seen about 10 minutes of the movie weeks ago). So we got a Peter Pan hat and Dallas got a pirate hat and now mommy just has to sew the costumes. Boston wants Asher to be the Crocodile.

We also got to see Spectro Magic (the night light parade). Brought back a flood of memories from when I used to do it in college. I danced as a butterfly to start and then auditioned and got the role of Snow Queen and got to ride on a float. It was the best job I ever had! Just the music made me smile. Good times! And the boys thought it was great the mommy new Peter Pan and Captain Hook (I didn't tell them I was Snow Queen but that I knew them very well...I rode the float with Hook and Peter was walking next to me...funny!) But i did tell them I was a butterfly and they were in awe.


After watching fireworks in the car the boys fell asleep on the way home. What a fun day!

Mickey Mouse Ice Cream Sundae

I went to the Beaches and Creme Ice Cream parlor at one of the Disney Hotels with the boys and my parents a couple of weeks ago and for the boys ice cream they served them this. I loved it so much I thought I would duplicate it at our house. And it's a big hit. It's a great thing to celebrate something special or a great week at school.

Another great thing I recently read that some does. When someone does something really great and outstanding in the family they get to eat on the blue plate (of course you will need to go and buy a blue plate.) So whether daddy gets a job promotion or a child gets 5 stars all week at school or it's your b-day you get the blue plate. This is a new tradition we are going to start in our house.

Photos from Blanche's b-day

Photos from Blanche's 90th birthday party:

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Arts and Crafts with the Whitman boys

We had arts and crafts today and Asher loves being in the middle of it all! The boys entertain him more than any baby toy ever. It's better than having him sit in the exercauser. It's LIVE interaction. LOL I do think I'm going to have Sean get the exercauser down from the attic this weekend. I think Asher's big enough now for it. But the boys sure do love him in the middle of the table when they are doing crafts or eating or whatever. They love it when he laughs at them. They have a continuous audience with him!

He's also working very hard to try and roll over. Tries more to go from back to tummy than from tummy to back (which is more common.) He really is the most cudley baby. I just eat him up everyday. Cherishing this time of being a baby. It's going by so fast! In a couple of months he'll be crawling around trying to keep up with the big boys. I just can't believe what a great baby he is. Because the boys had such a hard time the first few months because of acid reflux it was just so different. Asher is happy and content almost all the time. I just can't get enough little kisses from him.

Asher's first food

I'm ready mom!

I think I'm going to like this! Finally some REAL food.

Hummm, does this go in my mouth or on my face? Boston helping out and loving getting to feed his baby brother. What a HUGE help he is!!!

My baby at his first rice cereal today! Can you believe it! He turned 4 months on the 14th and he's been eyeing our food like a hawk for weeks now. When I took him in for his 4 month check up on Monday the doctor said that he's ready to eat since he's got such great control of his head, follows food around, and has stopped sleeping through the night. (He had been sleeping for 13 hours a night for over 2 months!) So as much as I wanted to wait until he was 6 months old like his older brothers he just was so ready to start. And it showed when I first did it today! While me and the boys were eating dinner I let Asher try the rice cereal. And unlike Boston and Dallas that really had no interest, he went CRAZY for it! I've never seen anything like it. He would open his mouth and move his head toward me for more. And if I wasn't fast enough in getting it to his mouth he would start crying. It was so funny. I got it on video so maybe I'll figure out how to post that. He ate ALL OF IT! And that truely was amazing to me. I don't think the boys even ate 1 tablespoon let alone all 3 tablespoon (that's what they suggest you start with). So I guess that was confirmation that he really was ready. So we will see how well he sleeps tonight. It was so much fun feeding a baby that wants that food. Dallas never actually ate baby food. He refused it profusely. Doctor told us to wait until 9 months and go right to table food. Boston did enjoy it but I don't think as much as Asher did tonight! So bring on the baby food!!!



4 month stats: Weight:17.14lbs Height: 26 1/2 Head: 43 1/4 (Another tall Whitman boy!)

Busy Busy Busy

It's been a while since I've gotten to write in my blog and I really have missed it. What a crazy week! Sean took me away for the weekend to the Hilton at Disney and we spent several days celebrating my birthday even more. Going to Disney, fun dinners together and some quality time with Asher. It was nice to sleep in until 9am! And it was great not to wash dishes, do laundry, clean, cook, discipline, etc, etc. A much needed getaway. Thank you babe!

I've also been working like CRAZY doing a cookbook for my mom's side of the family. We are having a family reunion in a couple of weeks and I asked everyone to send me their favorite family recipes and I gathered lots of photos, especially some old old ones of our anscestors. I was suppossed to send the book in a while ago but with three kids of course it took longer than I had hoped. So I finally finished it very late last night (or this morning I should say). With 4 hours of sleep last night I'm so ready for bed now. But the book is done and I'm looking forward to seeing it. Now I just have my fingers crossed that it gets here in time for the reunion next weekend! Be looking for a post with the link to view a sample of the book. I won't post that until I unveil it at the reunion so they are the first to see it.

I will also be posting a few more new posts in the next couple of days to catch up so be looking for them. I'll probably back post the date to correspond to the event.

What a surprise!

Well well well....a surprise birthday party for ME!! And it sure was a surprise. Saturday night Sean and I went over to my parents and unknown to me....SURPRISE...there were all my friends and family to help celebrate my 30th birthday party. Thank you to everyone for coming, it really meant so much to me. It was such a great night and it was just a blast to get to hang out and talk. What a eventful birthday this is for me this year!

Asher's 4 months old

My littlest man is 4 months old now. Here's a picture with his bear for his monthly photo. He's been in 6-9 month outfits for a couple of weeks now and just started wearing size 3 diapers. He has been sleeping 13 hours a night since he was about 2 months old but he's just started waking in the middle of the night for a little snack.

What a great birthday!

What a truely wonderful b-day I had yesterday!!! After having been woken up to breakfast in bed by Sean I got the kids dressed and we headed to Krispie Kreme. HOT & NOW!!!! This was the first time taking the kids and they LOVED watching the doughnuts go down the assembly line to be made. They watched forever! I got some really cute pics that I'll post later.

For dinner Sean surprised me and took me to my favorite restaurant (that is other than Olive Garden...holds special meaning since we got engaged there). MELTING POT! Wes and Suzanne joined us and we dined in style! Thank you so much Sean for the awesome dinner....and for Wes and Suzanne for joining us. The waiter was funny, when we said that we love coming here he asked why we don't come more. Sean replied, "Because we have to go on a lay away program to raise enough money to eat here." Soooo funny.

And as much as I thought turning 30 might be a drag, it has been one of the BEST birthdays. And it feels so great to be 30. Better than any other age! Wes put it best in his card to me. He said, "Now you aren't the oldest 29 year old....you're the youngest 30 year old!" Yes! And it feels great!!!!!!!!

It's my birthday!!!!

Today I'm 30...hip hip hooray!

I found this old picture of me where I'm probably around Boston's age. The funny thing is that I just cut my hair almost just like this a few weeks ago.

I woke up this morning to a WONDERFUL surprise....breakfast in bed! Sean make me a tomato and cheese omelet with strawberries AND a coke (those that know me well know how much I love coca cola!) Tonight Sean is taking me out to dinner with Wes and Suzanne. It's a surprise where we are going so I'm looking forward to that. It feels great to be 30! Next weekend we are going away for the weekend without the big boys...of course Asher has to come with us. REALLY looking forward to that. Well I'm off to enjoy my day....

August Pictures

More pictures from August (Sept to some soon enough)

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Early b-day present

So I haven't been able to work out since last Wed with Sean being out of town. But even with that I lost 4 lbs!! I can't believe it. After working out for 2 weeks I had only lost 1 lb. Hummm, maybe I should stop working out. Just kidding. I know it's creating more muscle, but I can't deny the fact that it feels oh so good to get on that scale and have lost. AND I could fit into some shorts I couldn't fit into 2 weeks ago!

Education in Anatomy - The mind of a 4 year old boy

This morning I was nursing Asher and Boston had found a Cabbage Patch Kid (a little boy one that was my brother Wes' when he was young-we had borrowed it to take with us to The Florida Hospital's seminar for siblings.) So he told me that baby Asher was mine and that this was his baby. I asked him what his baby's name was and he told me "Jimney Cricket." As he's examining his baby he asks me, "Mommy, why do we have bottoms?" Of course my first response in my head was "for mommy's and daddy's to spank." But I quickly came up with another brilliant answer, "To sit on." Then he noticed that this little baby boy was missing a very important "part." Then came the question....."Why doesn't he have a 'pee pee.'" So many questions this morning. So I said that the person who made him must of just left it out. Then, as I'm feeding Asher, he says that his baby is hungry and then proceeds to "feed" his baby the same way mommy does. It took every bit of me to not do two things....burst out laughing....or quickly tell him to stop. I figured if I just ignored it and didn't make a big deal that was probably better. But I did tell him that only mommy's can feed babies like that. He just said, "Oh." He also copied me and burped the baby and talked to the baby. He told me his baby does all the same things that my baby can do.

After Boston was done playing with "his baby", Dallas came in and found him. He wanted to see if "his baby" has a belly button like his, and he was very excited to find one. Then he tried to give his baby a zerbert. After this he decided to rock his baby and sing him a lullaby. It was so cute. But the funniest part had to be that he got so upset that someone had colored on his baby! It was actually the Xievier Roberts signature every Cabbage Patch Doll has on their behind. It was so funny how he cared.

Children are a blessing from the Lord

Today I realized that I am truly loving this young stage with Asher. With Boston and Dallas the first 4 months were more difficult because they had acid reflux and would cry so much and I had to be on such a strict diet. This time around Asher is so happy all the time. He takes great naps and sleeps 13 hours a night. What a dream! I could just eat him up he's just so darn cute. I love to kiss on those lovable checks and squeeze those squishy thighs. And his smile will melt your heart. He just looks at you in the most adoring way it makes you so glad to be a mommy. I could just brag on him forever....he's the most beautiful baby (just like his big brothers were.) I love his laugh too, it's so infectious.

Today was a little more difficult with the older boys. I haven't been as consistent with discipline lately because they have been so great. So mommy had let a few things slide, gave a little too many warnings: result....disobedient boys. So I'm cracking down again and the fruits of this are already apparent. After being completely frustrated this evening the turning point came when Boston said he wanted to sing a song to me. This is the song he sang to me. I do remember it from when I was a child but I did not teach it to him, nor have I ever heard him sing it before. God was defiantly trying to send me a message. And he usually does use Boston to get that message to me....on many occasions He's done this.

The Lord is good to me
and so I thank the Lord
for giving me the things I need
the sun and rain and the apple seed
The Lord is good to me
Hallelujah Amen

Amen is for sure. As hard as raising toddlers is, it sure is a blessing.

Today we pretended we were riding a train. The boys had tickets and I was the conductor with my puncher (their favorite part...much like the movie The Polar Express). We played on here for a long time. We had many destinations, including picking up all of Boston's classmates. Imagination makes for so much fun!

Birthday Week!

It's my birthday week! Yes...in my family we don't just celebrate on the actual day. But I had totally forgotten it was already here. My dad called me this morning and said..."I can't believe my little girl is going to be 30 this week!" Ah - I had totally forgotten, which is VERY unusual for me. I usually make a big deal out of it being my b-day. And as much as I thought I was really looking forward to 30 I think deep down I'm a little nervous about it. Probably just the fact that's it a more monumental b-day than others.

My little Asher is growing up so fast already. On Friday he will be 4 months old! The last couple of weeks he's really growing fond of his little hands. He tries to put his thumb in his mouth to suck on but usually he ends up putting his entire fist in it! It's so funny to watch him. Today he actually batted at the toys on his carrier, this was a first. It was just so cute!

Today we made homeade playdough. A really awesome Kool-Aid recipe that makes it colorful and smell good. The boys had a great time mixing, playing and making quite the mess out of my kitchen.

A Box is Not Just a Box

It's Saturday! Today we went shopping for a while, and mom went with us (she was ready to get out of the house after having been sick for days). I had to go pick up the double jogging stroller that had finally come in! Ya!!! Then we went to the Family Christian Bookstore, which was having a sale on their kids items. Then I looked for some clothes as a present from my mom for my upcoming big birthday. Oh yes....it's almost here....I won't be a 20 something anymore....I'M GETTING OLD! LOL Yes the big 3 - 0!! I'm actually really looking forward to turning 30. I just can't believe I'm 30. Feels like just yesterday when I was turning 21. Where has the time gone. My 20's have been really great and I'm especially looking forward to my 30s. So think of me on the 13th!



Anyhow....back to my day. When we got home we took the big stroller out of the box so I could put the wheels on and get a good look at it. I had bought the boys the movie "Air Bud" (they had gotten "Air Buddies" from Aunt Margie months ago and we have watched it a hundred times so I figured they would really enjoy watching the first one of the series). Since it was raining outside I turned on the movie, but to my surprise all they really wanted to do was play in the big box. They played in this thing for a least an hour, maybe 2. It was so much fun just sitting on the couch watching them play in it and make it into a lot of different things. How creative they can be. It's just like everyone always says....kids will enjoy the box more than they will the fancy toy!

Making cupcakes with the boys

So in an attempt to have photos for all my recipes in the family cookbook I've been cooking a lot. Today I made my cupcake cones and the boys thought that was great! Especially since they helped me and got to lick the batter and icing off the beaters!! I remember doing that as a kid with my mom and it brings back great memories. Even the smell of some things just gives my heart a happy beat. And I love the fact that the boys love helping me cook in the kitchen as well. It might take a little longer to make things, but it's the memories that are more important. And even though Asher's not ready for "food" yet....he sure was eyeing those cupcakes!!! "Oh how I can't wait until I can eat THIS!!"

"I think I could eat cupcakes for every meal!"

More sprinkles.....more better

Hum.....I'm not sure that this is the safest way to lick the icing

Also - Stef had baby Hank around 2pm. He weighted 8lbs 8oz, 22 inches and very healthy!

Busy day in the Whitman house

Jake and Asher....super heros!

My friend Stef is giving birth to her 2nd little boy today. So her 1st born, Jake, spent the night with us last night and has spent the day with us today as we await the news of baby Hank's birth. The boys have really enjoyed having Jake over to play with. We have been reading Big Brother books all day and made mommy and baby Hank cupcakes to celebrate his first b-day. It's been a fun....yet very ACTIVE day with 4 boys in the house!

Sean is out of town in Vegas for a PPL convention and we have been missing him so much. It's so weird not having daddy at home at night. I've been working during any free time...and that's not very much right now with all the activity in the house and no daddy at home....to work on a family recipe book for our family reunion next month. I'm really looking forward to getting that finished. I think it's going to be a really nice heirloom.

Memorial Day at the Lakehouse

What a hot hot day it was! With the threat of amibas in the hot lake water the boys weren't allowed to swim in the lake. But with 102 degrees weather it was just too hot to play outside without some sort of water. So mom blew up the the swimming pool and who would have thought that this tiny little pool would make for so much fun. They had a BALL jumping and splashing in it. Here's some funny photos.

Blanche turns 90!

Happy 90th Birthday Grandma Blanche!

Today was a long day. We started out going to church and then went straight to meet Sean's whole family at Panera Bread for lunch. Afterward we went with a few of the family members to the mall to kill time before the 3pm party. The boys had a lot of fun playing on the indoor playground at Seminole Town Center's Mall. And it was great getting to talk and spend time with everyone at lunch and the mall. Then we headed over to the party (in the midst of a huge storm!) The party was great, especially getting to hang out with everyone. I got to give Blanche the book I made her with a poem to celebrate her 90 years!

The boys did surprisingly well considering it was such a long and involved day. I was so proud of them! After the party we headed to the lakehouse. We put the kids to bed and then went to meet the family again for bowling. Everyone was supposed to go and we were really looking forward to a good time. But there were only a few of us game for the excitement, but those of us that were there had a great time. Suzanne even came out with us. I really had a great time getting to know Mical's new wife Erin. I'm looking forward to doing nothing at the lake tomorrow though!

Another attempt at a family photo!

Uncle Ty and Asher

Below is a link to the book I made for Blanche. You can preview the first 15 pages and purchase a copy for yourself if you want.

For Grandma Bl...

By Love, Sean, Cricke...

Book Preview

Sean's family gathering

Grandma Blanche and Asher

Meeting Aunt Carol

Asher's first game of Skipbo

Tonight we got to visit with Sean's family that is in town for Blanche's 90th birthday party. It was a lot of fun getting to see everyone and meet some new family members. We had not seen Ty, Carol, Jenny, Zac or Karen in a while. Boston got to go swimming with Grandma for a few hours and Dallas really enjoyed playing with toys and playdough. Of course there was Skippo. You can't have a Whitman gathering without it. Asher even played his first game!!!