I Remember.............

I have had a bunch of calls today from moms RSVPing for Nicholas'
Birthday Party for Sunday.

I think it is starting to set in that my Baby Boy is turning "6"     



His actual Birthday isn't until the 18th. but his party with his classmates is this week.

It seems like just yesterday I had the positive test, Evan was the first to find out.

I remember him asking me "mommy why are you crying?"

Me... "Because I am so happy you are going to have a baby brother or sister."

I rememember going to Walgreens with Evan to buy Mikel a "baby" card and a rattle.

I remember the dinner I cooked that night... BBQ chicken, rice, corn on the cob.



Nicholas at his own Baby Shower since he arrived the day before the planned one
and they had to reschedule it for when we got home.
He was 15 days old here.



I remember it all like it was yesterday because it was something we had wanted so bad.

I remember Mikel's reaction when reading the card..... the surprise look and the joy that set in.

I remember worrying for 9 months with him in my belly because of a little thing called Diabetes

I remember waking up at 4:12 am thinking I may have drank too much water..

then realizing my water had just broke.

I remember sitting in the bathroom crying and thinking this can't be happening.

I remember waking Mikel up and him asking "are you serious?"

I remember going in to let my mom know..... she has never woken up so quick in her life!!! (EVER!)

I remember calling Nicole... my sister.... asking her what she was doing ( at about 4:45am)

Letting her know why I was calling.... The 18th happens to be her birthday also.

I remember Mikel trying to get me to the hospital and me lolly gagging.... I guess I was in disbelief...



I remember the ride to the hospital and the "name" discussion.... if he came out with light hair he would be Ethan and dark hair he would be Nicholas (Evan wanted Nicholas all along)... well guess what color hair he had.

I remember being hooked up to the monitors, and the doctor coming in concerned about his heart rate...

I remember the look on the doctors' face when he said at 10:45am that he would be more comfortable with the baby on the outside where they could monitor him much better.

I remember at 12:26pm the doctors pulling him out after quite the tug of war

I remember the doctor saying "Wow he looks like an 11" and Mikel and I thinking what is he talking about... well it was pounds he was speaking of... he was close.... 10 lb 13 oz...

I remember the frantic look on Mikel's face in the recovery room when he had to tell me Nicholas was in the NICU.

I remember the first time I saw him hooked up to a ton of machines and never being so scared in my life.

I remember when the pediatrician said Nicholas was in the clear and could go home. 5 days of our lives that seemed like an eternity at the time.

Now it feels as though the past 6 years has flown by, our little peanut is getting so big. He is growing taller, getting smarter turning into a wonderful little young man.

This is true testiment to the old saying.... time really does fly...... and they grow up too fast.



I hope that I will always remember the moments as vividly as I do now, and that in the years to come I remember now and future happenings as well.



My Lesson this week.....

Is very simple......
Wear the proper shoes in snowy weather and you should be able to stay upright.
As Nicholas put it.......
"Well if you had put your boots on mom you wouldn't have fallen."
Well gee thanks Nicholas for the advice.
There is no pic. for this lesson..... sorry.

FFF

Mackenzie is Caught in the act.

I know it's supposed to be one pic.... but I couldn't choose just one.  Mackenzie had a very curious week as you can see.  He biggest brother lft the step ladder by the counter for a minute, and well... she knew what to do.  As for the rest of the pics. the captions explain. 

Mmmm my favorite!!!!!!!!!!!

Nope I am not letting you down till I get what I want (that is Evan being trapped)

Let's see Shelly, what can we get into together? Hmmm

Look how cute I am... I don't get into mischief!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is what happens when Mommy tries to wash her hands with the door open....

Mackenzie got in, you can't see her waving bye bye to it.

That's Nicholas pointing to it.

Evan used to give Nicholas rides like this on the blanket....
I guess it's like the torch being passed down.

Look at my curly cue!!!!!!
Evan had a ton of fun in the snow!!!!!



Nicholas wanted to be a cool dude.
I would say he is!!!!!



More Snow...............

How do you know when there has been too much snow lately?
When your six year old states......
Snow, snow go away please start to melt away.
and..... When your eleven year old doesn't even ask to go out in it.
but...... On the up side I got some pretty pictures this morning of snow covered foliage.

I know you can't see it, but the flakes were falling heavy and fast when I took these.

What I have learned this week.......

My lesson this week is simple and involves all three children at once:
Children exude PURE HAPPINESS.
You can't not smile when looking into their bright and shining faces no matter.
So if you want to turn your frown upside down.......
Look into a childs' eyes, look at their smile, look at their crinkled nose......
and.... try to be as Pure as they are, time goes by way too quickly.
Thanks for the lesson my three Blessings.

Fun in the Snow

Well, I figure I better put up some pictures of the boys playing in our blizzard snow before the next snow comes.  Evan loves playing in the snow, Nicholas loves it at first but he gets so cold so fast and has to come in. Poor Mackenzie hasn't had a chance to play in it yet.  Maybe the next snow. Enjoy the pictures.

Nicholas before he came in... Notice what is on the sled in the background. (A Webkin)

Evan having a blast.

As you can see Mackenzie stayed in.

What my kids have taught me.......

I have decided to write at the end of the week what I have learned from each of my children during the week, so here it goes.......

Evan has taught me that there is no time like the present.  He has a winter social at the end of this month.  He expressed to me the other day that he wanted to ask one of his female friends to go.  Well, yesterday he comes home and tells me that he asked her, I said why did you ask her so soon, he said... well the end of the day was coming so I was running out of time... not exactly what I meant, but ok. it answered my question. After clarifying that I meant so soon in terms of so many weeks in advance, he said he did't want to wait till the last minute and miss his opportunity. This can be applied to so many things in life. So Thank you Evan for this lesson from you this week. I love my Tween.

Nicholas..... my oh my what a week we have had.  I must first say that Nicholas just finished up his medications from having a bad case of Bronchitis, so this affected his mood much this week. We are glad to have our regular or as he puts it.... "normal" Nicholas back.  What have I learned this week from you.... I learned to be thankful for who you are.  Not just Nicholas, but to be thankful for everyone for who they are.  People aren't going to be who we think they should be, they aren't going to act how we think they should act, they aren't going to say things we think they should say, but each of us are individuals and we must accept one another as such.  During this week, Nicholas was not always his pleasant, caring, wonderful self, but we took it in stride and the lovong Nicholas came back. While doing his homework for the week all on Monday night and Nicholas telling me how stupid it was and how he knows all that stuff, I was reminded of something his teacher said to me.  How there was so many children in the class that I couldn't believe have such a hard time with the work that Nicholas is breezing through.  I am Thankful for his intelligience but also mindful that everyone is different and that we must accept all individuals for who they are. Thank you Nicholas for this weeks lesson.  I love my big boy!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mackenzie.... The lesson you taught me this week is simple but so very true...... Cherish the time we have with our kids each day because you grow up too fast.  When I downloaded this picture of you from my camera, I though Oh My God where did your baby face go, but then there it was in the very next picture, but for this one moment I caught Mackenzie my big girl, not Mackenzie my baby.  Thank you for your lesson this week.  I love my Princess!!!!!!!

Blizzard of 2011

In the front yard

Okay, we made it through yet another Blizzard, and I don't mean the ice cream kind.  Here we got roughly 15 inches,, that's not counting how high some of the drifts got.  I would say the kids had fun in it, but none of them even asked to go out in it, and I certainly didn't suggest it.  I figured everyone is on the road to good health and I plan on keeping it that way!  I took a few pics of our white, white world, so enjoy.....




Out on the side of our house





In the backyard

Disney Princesses on Ice

Last night... Sat. 1/8 we had the opportunity to see Disney Princesses on Ice.  Evan and I won the tickets through our local radio sation.... WALK 97.5.  All 3 kids enjoyed the show tremendously and we had our very own Princess with us.  She did a great job clapping and dancing to the music.  Evan loved the special effects.  Nicholas adored the Cinderella portion.  It was a fabulous Family night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My First Post

Okay, here I go.  Lately I have heard of Mommy's Blogging and I have thought for a long while... hey I can do that so now I am. 
Here is our McBride Family New Years update:

Evan:  My First Born... he is really knocking out the good grades.  He is showing a great interest in Social Studies.  He is still inventing, each time bigger and better and more detailed.  He is also growing by leaps and bounds.  I just know that one day I am going to wake up and he is going to be taller than me.  His hair is thicker than ever, his personality is overwhelming.  He takes his job as being a Big Brother to heart and he does a great job of it. 

Now For Nicholas:  I don't know who invented that middle child syndrome, but I would say that Nicholas would dispell any myths of the such.  He is loud, smart, funny, loving.  He always is thinking of his big brother and little sister.  He absolutely Loves school.  He is getting taller and still is our skinny minny.  Both the boys have infectious laughs and you can't help but to smile when you here them.  Nicholas just made Student of the Month (December) for the second time at his Elementary school.  He is interested in so many different things, and he is beginning to be a reader so the whole world is opening up for him. 

Mackenzie: What can I say ..... everything.... She is and always will always be our Princess. She now has 4 back teeth, 7 front teeth, her hair is getting thicker and longer.  She has a ton of curls in the back.  She babbles, she walks great and is on the verge of running.  She adores her big brothers, where you find them, you will always find her within a few inches.  Mackenzie has brought a joy to our family which is felt in all of our hearts, and seen on all our faces. 
Our family wouldn't be complete without one very loyal member..... Shelly......  When Evan arrived, we would joke that Shelly thought he was hers... then the same thing happened when Nicholas came along.  we could see Shelly torn if the boys were in different rooms, she would go room to room taking care of her charges, now that there are three of them I think Shelly is very happy when they are asleep, although she still goes room to room checking them at night.  She is a very good 4 legged nanny.  She takes her job very seriously and is a one of a kind canine!!!! It's all in the upbringing and she is Doggy Royalty!!!!!