It's a boy. I mean... "ITS A BOY!!!!"

Yeah, so I really tried not to bawl during my ultrasound when I saw a suspicious looking "turtle" on the screen and the technician wrote "uh-oh" on the screen.  I am still getting over the disappointment but when I think about my 3 little boys playing football with their daddy it fades away.  Anyway, now we are in baby prep mode (again) and making our nice short list of baby things to buy which, BTW, actually includes cloth diapers this time.  I know I am nuts, but I spend $75 a month on diapers and I just cant do it anymore!  We are also discussing names and I am afraid this baby might leave the hospital known as "Baby Boy shumaker," "#4" or "unnamed."   Help me out here guys!
    Some unrelated happy news is that my parents are passing on their van to us for the winter so I will have a car to drive and a way to get places during the day!  I am SOOOOO excited.  Look out, a possy of Shumakers is coming your way!

    P.S. You know, I really hoped Ava had some spiritual intuition when she kept talking about her little sister.  I had really only been thinking about girl names and I had even started gathering girl clothes; but alas, I guess we cant always control these things.  However, if I had to pick who is in control, I wouldn't be picking myself.  So its all good, right?
    I should have gotten a clue last Sunday though when I was sitting in Young Womens and as I was looking around the room I got this sudden feeling.  I cant even describe what it felt like, but it was powerful enough to make me cry and realize that I wasn't prepared to find out that I was having a boy (if that is what the baby happened to be) and that a room full of girls was not in my future.  Still, I fought it and tried to ignore the feeling...but it didnt change anything!

Happy Halloween!

Cam was a pumpkin, Ava was Snow White for the party and a witch Saturday for trick or treating, and Bennett was an octopus. I couldnt get a great picture of the kids together,but this is what i do have...

Cameron was sooo happy, comfy, and just stinkin' cute (just like his little personality)

I was way bummed when I looked at the pictures of Ava and realized I forgot to untuck her white collar on the dress...dang it! So no pictures with the "full Snow White effect".

 

But She is cute anyway, right?

I definitely got the most complements on Bennetts outfit. I paid a lot for it when Cam was a baby and it is by far the best baby costume ever and I plan to use it with all my kiddos. Bennett was by far the hit of the show.  Sorry, no great pics of him either.  But you know my kids, they are all perfectly adorable!

Thats no pickle...

How many kids do you know that would just grab a cucumber out of the fridge and just start chomping down? Mine would! In fact, Cam ate almost the entire thing by the end of the day. I promise I feed my kids complete meals!

Bennetts 1st birthday

Just a couple of pictures from my baby's first birthday! He didnt do much with his cake, just poked holes in it with his finger.

Snot...It is my favorite accesory

At least it should be since I wear plenty of it. I start with none and by the end on the day my shirt and even pants are lavishly decorated! It use to gross me out big time. I guess as a mom you have an extra capacity to adjust and grow beyond what you ever thought possible.

It wasnt supposed to happen...

at LEAST until she was a teenager!

Today I had a hard-being-mom morning. I just got tired of ALL the cleaning, cooking, dishes, laundry, everything being my responsibility, and my kids are competent children, right? So I told Ava and Cameron that THEY needed to pick up the toys in the living room and put them in the basket. I got lots of protests "NO mom, I don't like that idea!" When it didn't happen, I just told them no more food, friends, bath-time, favorite blankets, TV, anything, until the toys were picked up (as far as I was concerned they could sit there on the floor and cry until they were ready to start). I even told them I would HELP them clean up the toys, but only after they started working first. Then Ava said it...

"MOM, YOU RUINED MY LIFE"

wow, didn't see that one coming my way for at least a couple more years (maybe 10?) I told her "that's OK, I still love you. Now pick up that toy and put it in the basket!" It took about two hours of crying but eventually the half a laundry basket worth of toys were picked up. No one ever told me that everything in life as a mother was going to be a battle. Now I have to get my kids to eat their dinner tonight.... ugh!

Birthday Boy

I cannot believe that it was today (about this time) just one year ago that we welcomed Bennett into the world. He is just the most amazing little boy ever and I cannot even put into words how much I love him or how much he has added to our family!
I knew, even months before I found out I was pregnant, that there was a neat little boy up in heaven waiting to come down to our family. Then when I held him in my arms I knew that he was the missing piece to our family puzzle and that he has a very specific and special mission here on earth. I am so grateful for my little boy. Never has a child been more full of joy! No child has ever been happier and more loving than this little guy. I thank God every morning when Bennett greets me with his toothy grin that God saw fit to allow me to be his mother! He is my miracle.