I don't have any pictures.

It's true. I am at so many other people's houses and they all have cameras that I keep leaving mine at home. So I don't have new pictures to show you. Other people do. Maybe they will e-mail me some or post them in a web album or something (except Melissa and then I have to go to her house to blog from there to get the correctly formatted pictures, not that that is a problem because I am there often), and then I will continue to update you with pictures. I guess I need a camera that is small enough to go in my bag because the one I have at home is not and my hands are full enough so it just doesn't get brought. Enough excuses.

Happy Birthday Niles! Here is a picture of scary Niles. He is two in this picture.

















And here he is almost five. Still cute. He says the strangest things. Today he said, "Mom can I have some of your beverage? Is this called a beverage?" and then he proceeds to finish my drink.

Since this blog is all about Niles I will share more about him. He has been finding the adjustment to not being the baby in the house rather difficult. He is struggling with wanting to be big and independent and needing to be little and helped. It makes for a frustrating day. He is a GREAT BIG whiner and we are working on it. On the other hand he knows his address, phone number, how to spell his and Xavier's names, can cut with scissors, can choose appropriate punishments and put things in the dishwasher. He is also going to be five. Five is a great age. He starts kindergarten in the fall and already recognizes his teacher. Great things.

(Roy! Rob chooses Vanessa for a girl name and Evander for a boy. In fact that was the winning boy name if Patience came out with accessories if you know what I mean).

Mommy this is the way!

I keep threatening to blog about this and I am sitting at Melissa's house watching kiddos (they are behind me playing happily) so there is a computer just waiting for me (and Melissa actually has more recent pictures than I have).
So I was getting ready one morning last week and Patience started crying. I couldn't get her to stop (she was in a mood). Xavier really doesn't like to hear her cry. He comes running into the room, "Mom! You aren't doing it right! Let me", and he takes Patience and starts bouncing her and she stops crying. "See Mom," he said, "you have to bounce her medium". Oh boy. I have a 7 yr old baby expert on my hands. Its good though. Patience really likes her brothers. She saves her biggest smiles for them.
If you haven't been keeping up we have been spending a lot of our time at Melissa and Robert's house helping them put their roof back on. We are all praying for the day the roof is on and we don't have to spend all our time so far up in the air. Not that it hasn't been fun, but I think Melissa is incredibly easy going. She just keeps feeding the hoards that show up. We are blessing their house with our presence and soon we will bless it by our absence. (For at least a day or so).
Niles and Xavier are learning Ps 23 for a memory verse right now. We are up to verse 4. ask Niles to tell you if you see him. It is quite sweet to listen to. Xavier doesn't get as much practice because he is at school but he is also very good.
Niles is becoming very proficient at baby speak. He spends a lot of time with the littles. I think he would like a few more friends his own age. Xavier is teaching himself to read but if you ask him he doesn't know how to because he can't read all the words yet. He was looking at the screen on Sun and said "Mom what comes after the Day of Prayer and ?.... (Purpose)" He got all but one word. And he isn't learning how to read in English at school.
Here are the random pictures. (Okay I can't figure how to get off this computer. I will get Melissa to help me in a minute).

All about Xavier.

The trials of having children. Xavier is having trouble listening in school. He is having trouble doing his work in school. He is having trouble not bothering the other kids at school. Does anyone see a theme here. Let's talk about Xavier. (Do you remember those books where you learn about proper behaviour ... Let's Talk About Lying, ... Disobeying, ... Good books. "If you say something to someone that you know is not true it is not a fantasy, it is not a mistake. You are lying!) Ah Xavier. I didn't expect to have this trouble at school so soon. He is bored. My theory is that because he is in french immersion he doesn't read in English, he does not have enough vocabulary to understand ahead, and he can't entertain himself by going ahead by himself. So we have problems. The latest problem lead him to spending the day in the principal's office. (Don't tell him you know). We will work on it. I guess I will take some time to talk to his teacher. Ah boys. Got to love them.

Happy Mother's Day!

Today is the day! Mother's day that is. Happy Mother's Day everyone. That means you. Everyone knows about mothers and we are richer for that. Reach out and hug a mother if you are close to one.

Patience is losing her patience

Eight weeks old already. So exciting. Patience is getting very much more aware of the world around her. She has noticed her brothers, who are among her favourite people, and smiles when they talk to her. She also laughs now. Check out the web album to watch the video. Pictures are included. Another thing about being 8 weeks old is that you can't sleep. You might miss something. So today it took over an hour to get Patience to sleep 10 min and then it was time to eat and she was so hungry she took another 10 min to tell me off for making her work to eat. Why was the milk not just flowing into her mouth? Why did she have to suck? That was work and it made her angry.

April 2008

Xavier is having trouble listening at school. He has been a distraction to the other children. I asked him why he is doing this and he says "Mom, I start goofing and then I can't stop. I just can't. It is too hard." Spring has arrived and my oldest child is having trouble concentrating. Apparently it is hard being 7 and in school.He is learning how to spell. Every week they have a spelling test. We are learning together how best to study. Right now I am writing the words out and Xavier copies them three times. Then we do that again later. It involves no fighting.

Niles asks, "Mom, you know why we call Joyce Robin? It is because we love Robin so very much. We love Joyce too,but we already call her Robin". He is keeping busy at home. So far his favourite part is watching movies.

Rob officially put in his notice at work and is starting his own company. He called it Faithful Plumbing. Keep Rob in your thoughts and prayers.
Patience woke up so I am doing this with one hand. It seems a good time to stop.