4 Crazies on the Run!

It has been a little while, but we have been so busy! The time around the holidays always seems that way. And 4 crazy toddlers (really?!), busy is a complete understatement. The kids are growing and learning and so much fun to play with and watch. They change daily, and they continue to interact with each other more and more. I cannot believe how funny they are at just 14.5 months! They constantly make me chuckle in disbelief at their latest antics.

It is not all sunshine and roses over here though! Life is still HARD! I find it is getting a bit easier though. The kids can play more and are not quite as fussy and dependent on us as they once were. They are a little more independent, eating better, taking less bottles, and sleeping better. All of these things put together definitely make our lives a little less stressful. It makes the nitty gritty of taking care of the kids a little less work and a little more fun which we love. 
We are still settling into our new home. We have attempted some small projects, most of which are half done. Our main goal right now is to get organized! Next up on our list is tackling the basement which has become our dumping ground for everything we want to deal with later. We want to get that organized so we can get some carpet down there to make yet another (this will be the 3rd) play room for the kids! Variety is key with this bunch. We are also getting the hang of living on our own again. It has been great! My mom still comes over during the day to help with the kids along with our nanny. My dad is also over lots to see the kids. Chris' parents still come up on the weekends. They have a little area in the basement that we have made up for them to have their own space when they come. We have a guest room, but right now that is Owen's sleeping area until he stops waking up during the night so much (he is VERY loud when he gets up!). It will all come together with time. Maybe when the kids go to college?!
We had a fabulous Christmas. We spent the weekend before Christmas at Chris' parents home with the kids. They always have fun rediscovering a new place (and getting into everything). I really was in disbelief with how well-behaved and happy the kids were all of Christmas Day. They enjoyed everything even though they were a bit off-schedule and not in their normal space. They loved ripping the wrapping paper and tissue paper and taking each piece out of the trash one at a time. They didn't care too much about the toys that they got at the time, but they love them now. Their main gift from us was Magnatiles. Highly recommend! They are a new daily activity for us. Only a couple tiles have been banged against the heads of siblings ;) Of course, as soon as we get to my parents' house on Christmas, in typical Waugh-nut fashion, Dylan gets into the dirt in my mom's plants and Jackson throws a bunch of stuff down the toilet. Never a dull moment!!

Jackson Jackson is walking!!! We always thought he would be the first, but he got passed up by his brother. He putters around all over the house and it is adorable. Jackson is in love with his baby that he got from his Great Nana Grewell. He hugs on it, loves on it, and gets so excited when he sees it. He feeds his baby lots and lots of bottles throughout the day and likes to poke her eyes out =) Jackson enjoys waking all of his siblings up early in the morning (we are talking 5:00) when he decides to get up with his loud screeching. He also gets a kick out of running from you when you are calling for him to come over. Jackson points at everything and is a big cuddle bug close to bedtime. He is the first to want to be held, and he cries if someone is being held and he is not. Jackson has seen a time out or two (just removing him from the situation) for beating up on his siblings, but he is always quick to hug it out. Jackson is a camera hog. If I get my camera out, he is there posing. That boy loves to be the center of attention. Not sure he realizes he has 3 siblings!

Owen Mr. O is our only hold out on the walking. He has such skinny legs and he is much quicker if he crawls. He is really getting the hang of standing independently, and he will walk with assistance. Owen is such a joy! He is such a smiley baby and just grins from ear to ear. His little top teeth peek through, and it is just the best and cutest thing in the world. Owen has eyes that could melt you, and he gives kisses over and over and over by grabbing both of your cheeks and laying em on you. It is the BEST! He is the screechiest baby on the planet! He screeches when he is happy and sad. Mr. pterodactyl. Owen has always been our pickiest eater and never ate as much as his siblings, but he has really stepped up his game lately! I am hoping for a growth spurt so we can get him to catch up even further on his growth chart. Owen loves to bang toys together, bang toy hammers, pretty much anything that makes noise. Only occasionally has it been one of his siblings heads. These kids are rough with each other! Last week, Owen gave Chris a bloody lip when he decided to head butt him (one of his other favorite activities).

Dylan Dylan was our first walker!! He has really come so far in the past few months. He was our last crawler (and last at almost all major milestones), but he is the first walker and is advancing so quick! He is also now a talking fool. He walks around the house babbling to himself and anyone else that will listen all day. Dylan loves to play with the others, but he is also content to go find something else to do for himself, too. Dill Picks loves to dive in the ball pit and splash in the bath. He is very cuddly at night and will bring you a book and curl up on your lap for you to read it to him. He is so so sweet. His favorite book is still "My Truck is Stuck," but he is branching out a bit. Dylan is always the first to greet whoever comes in the door, and he gets especially excited if it is his Papa. Picks is a great eater, and he will try just about anything that you give him (unlike his VERY picky siblings). Just this week, Dylan gave my dad a bloody lip and blister when he chucked a cell phone at his face. It is true love.

Millie Millie is such a crazy lady!! It is like her mind is working over time and she cannot decide what she was to try to figure out or accomplish first. She is very interested in exploring new things and interested in what other people are doing around her. She is a walker!! She doesn't have it down perfectly yet, but she is definitely walking. Millie absolutely ADORES the slide. She will climb up and go down over and over and over again. She is still a tiny little peanut- so petite! Girlfriend is also becoming quite the daredevil. She loves to stand on top of their picnic tables. She has even dove off a time or two. She is much more deliberate about what she is doing than her brothers! My favorite thing (is this bad of me?!) is when one of her brothers takes her toy/binky/food/etc, and she retaliates!! She goes after them like a wild beast yelling and trying to bite them or whatever it is she is trying to do. It is hilarious!!! Obviously, she is not supposed to do that, but inside I am laughing. I am trying to catch it on video. 

There is our crazy life in a nutshell! We are so looking forward to some warm weather so we can get out of the house!! Winter is only just beginning, but we are already longing for the spring. Thanks for keeping up with our crazy... until next time =)