How is it September?

I have been slacking on the posting lately, mostly because I have had a little bit of my own life lately. It has been really great! Tons of play dates, a cruise, a night out with my BFF, a girls' weekend with lots of my BFF's, etc. All but the 'play dates' have excluded my kids, and I really feel like I needed the breaks. But, now it's back to school for Dylan and back to kids for me. I feel pretty refreshed, so I am ready to tackle it and be the perfect mom (for at least a week) :)

Grayson is just over 10 months old and changing every single minute of the day. From what I recall with the other kids, he is the babbliest (if that's a word) little baby every. It's constant 'gully gully, Da, Ma, baba!' all day long. He has really figured out the wave thing. And when he hears anyone say "Goodbye" he waves like some kind of Pavlov's response, even if it is a stranger in Publix talking to the bag boy. I have really screwed up his sleep schedule during the day with Dylan's preschool hours and my gym time...and, he doesn't care. He is so flexible and smiley. I love this baby so much I could eat him. I thought that by now I would be over the infatuation, but nope it has gotten worse. The fact that he slobbers so much that his fat rolls on his neck are always dripping wet, doesn't even turn me off. I am in love.

Olivia has become the second in command (to me) in this household. She is QUEEN BEE!!! If one of the boys (Daddy included) falls out of line, she is quick to snatch them up and correct the behavior. I often hear her saying things to the boys that I am CERTAIN she has never heard me say before ;) My little, beautiful mirror image. With far more spunk than I had at that age. I am convinced this is what happens when mini-Courtney is brought into the world with a hyper, dominant older brother. It creates a GIANT-Courtney. My mother will appreciate this more than most because I am not being self-indulgent...just keeping it real. I was sweet in the early years, this little baby has my 30 years of 'fermented' attitude at 2 years old!

Then there's my handsome Dylan. This little boy is going to be a heartbreaker. He is so handsome and considerate. The hyperactivity is definitely still here (and will be for quite some time), but the compassion and love he has is adorable. He has started preschool and is well on his way to Kindergarten next year. He LOVES action figures, Brayden, and his baby brother. (He loves the rest of us too, but not in the same way) We are working on basic math and reading at home, and he is REALLY grasping the math. His logic is hysterical and I wish that I had the memory to store everything he says. For example today we were talking about firemen and I said that they were like action heroes and that they could do anything that they wanted to do because they were magic. He said, "Oh, like parents? You say you can do whatever you want to do too." I guess he does retain some of my rants.

I have a wonderful family. I think now that everyone is sleeping in their own bedrooms (for most of the night), I appreciate them even more.