Christmas Morning - Roberts Family Style

The night before Santa came to visit, we had a really hard time getting Mitch to go to bed (I know, big shocker!). Jack bribed him by telling him that he could come in and wake him up as soon as he woke up, and they would go downstairs together to see what Santa brought....it worked! When I heard little voices upstairs, I went up to check on them, and this is what I saw...

I love this picture of all my boys!

The boys all came downstairs to see what Santa brought...

I got a few surprises, too! When I got home from our trip to Dallas, I had an early Christmas surprise waiting for me....Gary got me a new Super Large Front-Load Washer & Dryer that I had been wanting. Gary says it isn't very excited, but I was VERY excited! He also surprised me Christmas morning with a TV for the living room! It was a great Christmas at the Roberts House! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, too!

Christmas Photo Shoot

Just like last year, it was quite a feat to get all four boys to cooperate at the same time for a picture to use on our Christmas cards. As a matter of fact, I ended up having to do a little "editing" to get the picture that I wanted....Can you tell whose head I had to take from another shot and put it in this one?
Here are some of the funnier "out-takes"...
And one of my favorites...Here is one of the "boys" setting up the Christmas Tree (which is 12' tall, by the way...quite an ordeal). I'm not real sure why they are all under the tree, but I thought it was definitely photo-worthy!

He Walks...Sort of!

Just a few days after he turned 13 months old, Jake finally started walking...sort of! He will take about 4-5 steps and then he plops down on that precious, padded, diapered bottom! I just love it! :) He can't stand up on his own, so he crawls over and pulls up to a table (or anything he can pull up on) and just walks away from it for as long he can keep his balance. Mr. Independent won't have any part of walking while holding my hands, though. He literally shakes his hands away from mine...he wants to do it all by himself! This is such a change from Mitch who still wants me to help him do everything. Then again, there aren't too many things about these two that aren't different!

Goose Egg

Well, Jake made it just over a year before he got his first big goose egg! He was standing up holding on the ottoman of the glider in my room, and I think it just glided right out from under him, and he hit his on the chair. This picture cracks me up! He looks so proud of his war wound!

New 'Do's

I went a little crazy with haircuts last week! I went in for a trim, and came out with about 5" less hair! I like it, but it is taking some getting used to...What do you think of the new 'do?

Mitch also needed a hair cut, and I was getting tired of his long hair, too.

So....this is what we got! Mitch loves his "crazy hair" and was more than happy to model it!

Needless to say, I was out of control. I don't think Jack would have let me take him any where near scissors last week! :)

Birthday Pics....FINALLY!

Okay...Okay...No need to remind me...I am incredibly behind on this blog. It's almost time for Christmas, and I am just now posting pictures from Jake's birthday party!

Jake's party was great! He had a good time, but I don't think he really knew what to think about all of the attention. He is so lucky to have so many great friends and wonderful family to help him celebrate!

He had a Sesame Street cake...Nice job with the green and yellow icing, huh? Maybe next time I should stick with white! :)

The "big kids" waiting patiently to "help" Jake blow out his candles!

The way Jake is about his food, I thought he would tear into his cake...and love it! He tore into it pretty well, but he wasn't too crazy about it. He didn't make it long before he wanted to be cleaned up and let loose!

Tabitha, Mitch, Tristan, Cooper, and Luke playing

Jake testing out his new "big boy" carseat! Check him out with his little legs crossed! He's just too cool!

"I could get used this Birthday thing....I love trucks!"

Happy Birthday, Jake!

Late, of course... Jake turned 1 last Wednesay (November 5)! Can you believe it? I can't!

He is so full of personality these days, and into everything! We have to make sure that we shut all of the bathroom doors. I helped a friend out to her car the other day, and when I came back in, Jake was nowhere to be found...I finally found him in my bathroom where he had thrown a Hot Wheels car in the toilet! Uh oh!

Speaking of Uh-Oh...He loves to test gravity! He throws his sippy cup off his high chair tray every time....and he will keep throwing it as long you keep giving it to him. Oh, and don't think it is simply that he doesn't want it...as soon as you leave it where he threw it, he cries and cries! What a mess! :) One thing he doesn't often throw, though...FOOD! You have never seen anything like this child eating! I have been trying to get him on video, but it's like he knows it is going to haunt him one day, and he immediately slows down and eats like a normal person, grinning at me the whole time. He eats easily twice as much as Mitch does.

He finally found his way up the stairs, and he is gone! The first time he tried to go up more that the first step, he went all of the way up them! No half-way doing things for this kid! You know, I am always saying that he is just like Gary...and if you know Gary, you know he doesn't half-way do anything either!

He's not walking yet, but he is "cruising" more. He got a walk behind toy from Uncle Josh for his birthday, and he took off right away walking behind it. He is starting to stand some without holding onto anything. He will pull up on something and let go, but as soon as he realizes that he free-standing, he sits down!

Jake had a wonderful birthday party, and Lindsay took pictures for me. As soon as I get them, I'll post about his party, pictures as all!

Jake had his 1 year check-up last Friday, and he got a great report! He is 23 pounds, and 31 inches long. That puts him in 55th percentile for weight, and 75th percentile for height. Even Dr.Moss asked where he's getting that height from! :)

I am planning on taking Jake for his 1-year pictures this week, so I will post those later this week. The only thing left to say about him, is that he is such a joy! I am treasuring every moment with him and trying to enjoy every little thing he does, because I know how fast the time goes. It seems like just yesterday that Mitch was turning 1!

I'm Batman!

Halloween was great fun for the Roberts' household! We had Jack for the first time ever, so he got to help Mitch with Trick or Treating, and he racked up a bag full of candy, too. I bought Mitch his costume Thursday (nothing like a little procrastination), and he put it on as soon as he got home from school, and didn't take it off until bedtime. As soon as he woke up on Halloween, he wanted to put it back on. He wore his costume all day on Friday...he even wore it when we went to pick Jack up from school!

After much debate, Jake was a bat....to go with Batman, of course! He was the cutest little bat I have ever seen! (I tried Mitch's old Elephant costume on him, but he wouldn't leave the hat on.) He was a real trooper while I strolled him all over the neighborhood while Mitch and Jack Trick or Treated.

My friend, Amy, had a little pre-Trick or Treating Halloween party, so we went to that before we hit the streets. The boys had a good time checking out all of their friends' costumes, but they were really just ready to get candy! Go figure...

Here's Jake before he pulled the elephant head off...had to snap fast to get this shot!

I tried to get a cute picture of Batman and the Bat, but I can't get them both to cooperate for a picture anymore. I guess I can expect that for a few more years, huh?

Here's my little bat in the stroller while Mitch and Jack were Trick or Treating
This is what every picture we tried to get of Jack looked like. He wanted the candy, but no proof that he was Trick or Treating!

Mitch and Tre...Hmm...What do you they are plotting?

I'm Batman!

Things that make you go..."Aaahhh!"

Ok, so "Hero Worship" may actually be an understatement! Mitch follows Jack around everywhere these days, and can't seem to get close enough to him. At dinner the other night, Mitch, as usual, insisted on sitting beside Jack. He scooted his chair so close to Jack's that it butted right up to his. Mitch proceeded to sit through dinner with his head on Jack's shoulder! Jack, being the trooper that he is, tolerated it all pretty well....until it interfered with his eating! Of course, I couldn't pass up that photo-op! But...when I broke out the camera, this was what I got!
I had Bunco with the girls last night, so Gary was home with Mitch and Jake. When I got home at about 11:00pm, this is what I found! Mitch, Gary, Spiderman, and Dog all asleep in Mitch's twin bed!

Everyone say it with me, "Aaahhh!"

Jake's first haircut

Saturday, October 11, at just over 11 months old, Jake had his first haircut. He actually did much better than I expected! I had to hold him, but he didn't cry at all. Mr. Curious just kept trying to see what Eric (the guy cutting his hair) was doing. Look at my little dude!

Okay...so it may be one of the worst pictures ever of me, but I think it's great of Jake and his new "do"!

M-I-T-C-H

Last weekend, Mitch was playing with his Magna-Doodle while I was getting ready. He came into the bathroom, and said, "Look Mommy! I wrote my name!" Guess what? He really did! I can't believe how much my "baby" is growing up! In typical kid fashion, the letters aren't all in the correct order, or even in the correct direction, but they are all there! Of course, he would have to write it for the first time ever on a Magna-Doodle, so I couldn't save...so I took pictures! :) Check it out!

In case you don't see it....Here is the translation...

11 month update!

Can you believe it is already that time? Jake is 11 months old (11 months and 3 days to be exact...you know I'm always behind on these updates)! He is growing up so fast! I can't believe that he is almost a year old! Where has the time gone?

Jake has become quite the little explorer these days. He likes to open and close every drawer and door within his reach. He spends the whole time I am getting ready in the mornings opening my cabinet door and drawers. And I spend the whole time saying, "No!...No Jake!...Jacob, I said No!" and moving him out of the way. It's pretty much the same story in the kitchen. He already knows which cabinets and drawers he can get into there. He throws all of the can koozies and bibs out of the drawers all over the kitchen, and just a couple of days ago he found the tupperware drawer...uh oh! I looked over and the only thing I could see of him was his bottom sticking out of the cabinet...he was climbing all of the way in it! I ran for the camera, but by the time I found it, this is all I was able to capture...He pulls up on EVERYTHING these days. I have to make sure my elastic pj pants are tied, too, or he would pull them off of me trying to stand up! He tried to pull up on his buddy, Luke (who is 9 moths old), and knocked him flat on his bottom! Every now and then, if he is desparate to get ahold of something, he'll take a couple of very tentative steps while he holds onto something, but I wouldn't exactly say he's "cruising" yet. I don't expect him to be walking too soon.

He is pretty much off of baby food. He will still eat it, but mostly he's eating table food these days...and lots of it! He loves Mac 'n' Cheese (who doesn't?) and green beans. So far, those seem to be his favorites. That...along with anything he happens to find on the floor, anyway. Here is picture of him shovelling Mac 'n' Cheese in his mouth two fistfulls at a time!
Jake loves to play Peek-a-Boo and Patty-Cake. Every time I put him in his crib, he pulls his blanket over his head and Peek-a-Boos! He just giggles every time! It's the best! And Mitch...he can do no wrong in Jake's eyes! As soon as he sees Mitch every morning, he just grins his biggest, happiest grin! Mitch fell asleep in the car the other, and Jake kept trying to wake him up. He was just yelling at him! If you know Mitch, you know that it didn't work...nothing wakes that child up!

Jake is still great at playing by himself or with others. He LOVES toys...especially trucks and tractors! Lucky for me, he still hasn't tried to climb the stairs. We were at Lindsay's (a.k.a. Cee-Cee's) house today, and they have carpeted stairs, and he climbed up those. I think the hardwood stairs scare him as much as they do me.

He stills says "ma-ma" some, but not as much as he did, and he says "da" for "daddy" now, but that is about the extent of his vocabulary. The rest of the time, he just jabbers and/or yells.

I guess that is about it for this month's update, so I'll leave you with one of my favorite pictures of Jake! Lindsay took it at the farm a couple of weeks ago.

Yep... I'm still alive!

Sorry for the long absence...No good reason, just can't seem to get my act together. It seems I am always behind these days! But...I'm back now!

September has been a busy month for the Roberts family. We had my birthday (the 17th), Gary's birthday (the 29th), soccer (Mitch), and football (Alex). Plus, we've been enjoying the fall days. We've already been to the pumpkin patch twice. Mitch LOVES it! Jake enjoys eating the hay, too. Jack got to go with us the first time we went, and Lindsay got some great pictures of my boys! Here are a few of them.

Jake and Luke

Me and Jake

Jack and Mitch searching for the perfect pumpkin

Can you believe how grown up Jack is? Gary says this is his "rocker" look!

Here are a couple of my favorite pics...Two years ago, just a few months after Lindsay and I met, we went to the farm with the boys for the first time (only 3 boys then...now there's 5!)...Here is a pic of Mitch and Gabe from that visit and one from this year! I love it! Hmmm...how many years do you think we can keep this going?

Scaredy Cat!

If want a good laugh, keep reading.

The other night, I was woken from a dead sleep by a loud crashing noise in the house! It scared the daylights out of me. Now, I'm not normally a scaredy cat, but something got into me this time. It was midnight and I wanted to go back to sleep, but I just couldn't do it! I could NOT calm down! So...I called the police!

Yep...I had the police come to my house in the middle of the night and walk through it to make sure no one was hiding in any of the closets! Guess what...no one was hiding in any of the closets or anywhere else! But...I never found the culprit!

The next morning, when I walked into the shower...there it was! My razor, which is supposed to be suction cupped to the wall, was lying in the floor of the shower! Bet that made a pretty loud bang when it hit, huh?

"I'm going up!"

Tuesday morning, Gary was talking to Mitch about what all they would do this weekend. Gary told him they would watch a movie and they would play Madden on Playstation. Then he said, "You're going down!" Mitch, very logically, said, "Nuh-uh! I'm going UP!" Gotta love it! I don't think he quite got the trash talking!

While we're on the subject of Mitch "funnies". He's had me amazed and amused all week! So I thought I would share some of the "funnies" with all of you.

The other day at Target, we went by a display of I-Pods. Mitch pitched an all out screaming fit saying, "I want an I-Pod!" Apparently, the people around us found this type of fit to be amusing. They all cracked up laughing at a 3-year screaming for an I-Pod! Later, I was talking to someone on the phone about it and he heard me tell them that Fisher Price makes an MP3 player for kids. What does Mitch have to say about that? "No Mom. I want and I-Pod Touch!" Of course he does...that's what Jack has! So, I fell back on the old standby..."Honey, you have to be 13 to have one of those...It's the rule."

Yesterday, Mitch was playing with his toys in the office floor while I worked on the computer. He was totally in his own little world talking to his toys. Then I hear him say "123-4567". Actually, he said 7 other completely different numbers that just so happen to be Gary's phone number! What???! When did my 3 year old learn his Daddy's phone number? He had no idea that was what it was, but I was still impressed!

10 Months!

I'm a few days late (5 to be exact) with Jake's 10 month update, but better late than never!

Jake is still growing like a weed! I am always amazed at just how big he his...and I mean tall! Everywhere we go, someone comments on his red hair and his size... Of course, with me being a 5'3" blonde, they all ask if his Daddy is a tall red head, and leave me to say "No, but my brother is." Needless to say, that can get a few funny looks! Now that I think of it, I think I'll just start saying "Yes". They'll never know the difference. :)

Jake started Mother's Day Out this month, and he seems to like it. He is only going 1 day a week, but it is a nice break. (By the way, it's amazing how quickly I can run into a store with no kids!) He is always playing happily when I get there to pick him up.

Lucky for me, he is still happy for short periods of time in the doorway jumper. He still swings in it instead of jumping, though. His favorite place to be is in the playroom with all of the toys. He entertains himself very well when there are toys for him to play with. He especially likes cars and trucks. He crawls around with Mitch's cars all the time. Yesterday, he actually learned how to work one of them that you pull back and let go. It went sailing across the room and he was so pleased with himself!

He is finally crawling like a normal person. He still reverts to the army crawl every now and then, but it's not all the time any more. I have to admit, I kind of miss the army crawl! He is also pulling up on everything now. He has been pulling up for a while, but only every now and then....not anymore....every time he can, he stands up!

So far I have been spared the stairs. I posted a while back that he had gotten on the first step and I thought that was going to be the beginning of the end, but he's not any interest again. He just like to stand up and hold on to them. I'm sure by the next update, it will be a whole different story. But for now, we're safe!

I love when I go in to get him out of his crib. Instead of standing up holding onto the rail like most kids do...He sits with his legs between the slats and holds onto the slats with each hand. He looks like he's stuck in jail. It is soooo funny!

He has officially said his first word. Are you ready for it? "Ma Ma" Yeah!!!! He says it on demand, and today when he woke up from his nap he actually called for me! Can you believe it? That's about all he has managed to say, but we are working on "Bye Bye" and "Da Da". I think he says "Da" sometimes, but I'm not sure. That is what Mitch called "Daddy" for a long time.

I just can't believe how fast my baby is growing up! My baby won't be a baby for much longer! :(

He Scores!

Mitch had his first soccer game on Saturday. For a while, it was somewhat of a repeat of his spring performances! He ran like crazy all over the field, but he wouldn't kick the ball! He just ran beside his teammate who was kicking it up and down the field like a pro...or beside the other team...but just wasn't getting in there and kicking it! Finally, he kicked it a couple of times, and then.... GOAL! HE SCORED! I was so excited that my baby scored his first goal. I'm not sure he even knew it, though! It figures, huh? He had a great time, though, and I guess that is all that matters! :) I can't wait until next week's game!

What to do with myself?

I know... I'll catch up on my blog!

School started for my babies today. Mitch is in the Pre-K program this year, not just the Mother's Day Out. He will be in on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I put Jake in this year, too. He is in the Mother's Day Out program on Tuesdays only.

So...today is my first day (or 5 hours, anyway) without the boys. I have a huge list of things I could be doing right now, but I chose to play catch up on the blog! (In case you were wondering how managed so many posts today, now you know!)

I have to leave to go pick them back up in about an hour. Then Mitch has soccer practice tonight. I'll make sure to take the camera and post some pics of him playing (hopefully before next Tuesday)!

Okay, I'm off to do some actual work now!

Family Fun!

This time I got to go, too! Gary and I took Mitch, Jack, and Jake to race go-carts this weekend. Okay...so Jake didn't actually race go-carts. He just watched, but his time will come, all too soon!

Mitch absolutely LOVES to ride go-carts! He was begging to ride one by himself. Fortunately, even the smallest ones, you have to be 6 to drive. So, I'm safe from that one for a few more years. The passenger has a steering wheel in the double go-carts, but it doesn't move. Mitch wanted my seat, since his steering wheel was "stuck"! I don't think so! He can't even see over the steering wheel!




This was the first time that Gary and Jack had been able to race each other in the fast cars! You have to be 13 to ride by yourself. Since Jack turned 13, they have always had Mitch with them (without me) so they had to ride the doubles. Honestly, I don't even remember which one won, but I bet they do!