Clairvaux-Three Months Old

My love.





I love this age. I love every age, but I LOVE this age. I know I always say that. Just tonight, I was kissing your neck and I love that you have to lay there and let me do it. I especially love when you are full from nursing and so you are really relaxed. I kiss your fat neck and you lay there smiling and content with the love being bestowed upon you.



In our home, each child has around 100 nicknames and usually a theme song. We finally have your theme song down. It goes something like this:





Little Clairvaux Boever walking down the street,
She didn't know what to do, so she stopped in front of me
and I said, "Hey Clairvaux, do your thing, do your thing, Yeah!"
"Hey Clairvaux, do your thing, do your thing. Yeah!"




This is usually followed by some crazy dance move.



Your new things this past month have been excessive talking, gurgling, and cooing. It is serious business. Pursed brow, puckered lips, and lots to say. Dominic especially loves it.
Your new #1 fascination: YOUR FEET.

All the time. You are constantly holding your feet.





With most of our other babies, we never left home without the pacifier. With you, it would be your feet. Papa will say, "Do we have everything?" I respond, "Yep, we have her feet...let's go." You hold them in your swing. You hold them in your carseat. You hold them when we are holding you. You hold them in your bed.







You had a bad, bad cough for about 2 months. I took you in three times to make sure you didn't have RSV or Pneumonia. Your cough was crazy deep. When you would cough, I think people thought it was your Papa. I am not kidding. They did three chest X-rays and found nothing. Finally, after being up with you all night because of these crazy coughing fits, our Doctor sent us on to an ENT. They performed a scope on you and found nothing, but wanted to try an antibiotic to clear up all the congestion he saw. I was leary of this, but trusted him and it seemed to do the trick. We no longer have a pack of seals in our bedroom.



Papa and I took just you to Oklahoma this a couple weeks ago. You were so good and I thoroughly enjoyed just holding you for two days straight. It is always delightful to have each child alone. I did nothing, but sit on the couch and hold you. My perfect day.



I realized that I will never tire of having a little one in the home. You bring life. New life and a special sweetness that only a baby can bring.

Lovelies.

Your 1st Halloween. Dominic is St. Isaac Jogues and you are Kateri Tekawitha.

These are a few of my favorite things. Sitting on the couch talking with my mother and holding my sweet sleeping baby.

Halloween 2010

Where have I been? We were gone for almost two glorious weeks visiting my family for Fall Break. I decided to document exactly what we do when we go home so the memories will always be there. After uploading a million pictures, I decided to break the post up into categories. We went trick or treating with a thousand people so every house we arrived at was promptly wiped out of candy. Way too much fun.



We dressed the kids this year as "St. Isaac and the Indians." Dominic was St. Isaac and the girls were the Indians. I even found a baby indian outfit for Clairvaux.



We always eat together with friends before heading out. We had a record crowd this year.



Andrew and Maria arrived in costume. I didn't think much of it until Maria announced who they were. She said, "Andrew is Bob the Builder and I'm...(and she points to her shirt" Under Construction." SCREAM. The room fell silent for a moment and then we all got it. Baby #3 for them is due in June. We are all thrilled. This will be grandchild #18 for my parents with Dominic (age 8) being the oldest.















Nicholas and Christiana "Gramps and Granny" Eldery.

This really is one of those posts that I was flipping through pictures and found randomness and just want to post them because I want to remember. When Lillie gets into a book, SHE GETS INTO A BOOK. We laugh because I tell John that at certain points in the day when several of them are reading at once it sounds like a Muslim Mosque during prayer time. There is this low chat or hum, as you will, throughout the living room. Lillie and Rose read out loud for some reason and it is pretty cute to hear them flying through the chapters (out loud).

Oh, Poor Clairvaux. Do you see the twinkle in Vianney's eye?

These Cherry Picking pictures were from the beginning of summer, but it was such a delighful time we had over at John's parents. Zellie didn't participate much, but was content to practice her Irish Step Dance moves while watching us labor away.

Vianney thought this owl was real. She kept saying, "Berd, Berd." Okay, hold the Berd, you goof.

The kids went with grandma to pick apples last week.

How is Zellie one of the "Big" kids? You know, the group that gets to go places while the littles stay back with mama.

America...sung by the Boever Family singers

Zellie in all her glory. You need to watch 20 seconds into the video for sure.

Her version: "God shelled His grace on thee..."


Rose...the confident one...don't worry...I fixed the camera.


Lillie had prepared multiple pieces.


All three together. John said we don't have much hope of forming "The Boever Family Singers." We'll see when their voices mature (wink, wink). I love how Zellie watches them for clues. Lillie's skirt was causing her troubles...hmmm...smile. She gets that definately from her mother. Anybody who knows me knows my VERY famous college skirt tucked into my "me O' my's" walking about campus as if it weren't. darn.

Why I love them home part 1 of 1,200,000

There are so many thousands of reason I love that our children are home and that we are able to homeschool them. I love our time together. I love seeing and hearing everything. I love their play. I love teaching and watching them learn and grow. Teaching our children to read and understand Math is way up there on the list of the "Most fulfilling things I've ever done with my children."

Homeschooling is a massive responsibility. At times, I get very anxious about it in fact. I ponder often if I am covering all my bases with each child. We begin our homeschooling year on Monday. We started later this year due to the birth of Clairvaux. I wanted her to be a bit older before we began so I could get a little more consistency out of our day. I am glad we've done that. My Aunt Ange is a veteran homeschooler and gave me that great advice. She also advised not to expect much this year because of having a new baby. So, that is attitude this school year. We are going to focus on the three R's...Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic.

Vianney has somewhat ditched reading only to take up piano. She now practices most of the day.
Early morning reading.

Last week at the library, we checked out 127 books. I asked the lady (jokingly) if most check out this many. She said, "Uh, nope, you are definately in the top 10 for the most checked out books."
Oh, how I LOVE to be themey. Really. I LOVE making our whole day coordinate together. Yesterday, was a blueberry blue day. We read these great books. The Blueberry Pie Elf is my favorite book we have although Peter in Blueberry Land is lovely. The girls wore blue dresses and we made Starbuck's Blueberry Oat Bars.

Dominic's main interest are Science and History so these subjects come quite easily. Along with reading and keeping a journal, I found this great book and plan to let him conduct experiments whenever he wants. He literally spent all day yesterday doing different experiments. He kept a journal about each one. He made a list of supplies he needed from the store. One item he wrote was, "Eggs-the cheap kind."

The book covers Chemistry, Physics, Astronomy, Geography and much more. His favorite was Chemistry. I tried to explain to him that baking is Chemistry. He got it.

This weather screams all things pumpkin. So for today, that was our focus. You can adapt each theme to each age of child. What color is a pumpkin? What shape is a pumpkin or blueberry? I gave them three pumpkins and had them put them in size order. I love that they don't know they are learning.

We made Pumpkin muffins for snack. They were fabulous.






Up next, Hi Hats. Can't wait.