Not much going on lately.
Tracy went to New Orleans for a conference for 4 days. Mom took 3 days off and stayed with us. It was nice to have her here to help out. The kids always like having Grandma here! The babies don't ever sleep when she is here, they hear her, and know she won't let them cry at night! One night we were both up at 2am and one night Olivia slept with Grandma all night! But back to our normal routine now!!
Ethan is walking all over the place. Elliott has started to take a few steps here and there. He really likes to walk around on his knees!
That is all for now. Not much going on. To cold to go outside most days. We are waiting for spring, I am sure everyone will be walking by then. Should be interesting to have everyone out and about.

Trip to the grocery store

I decided the other day since it was nice that all 5 kids and myself were going to the grocery store. I thought about it for awhile and even thought about not going. But we did. We all loaded up, and went! We went to fareway, I thought, I will just buckle in kids in the front of each cart and pull one and push one. Well that worked for Owen and Olivia, but Elliott is to big and couldn't fit with Ethan. So I buckled Ethan in and Elliott and Duncan rode in the big part of the cart. Everyone did very well. Elliott and Duncan stayed sat down the whole time. Olivia did well too, other than she kept pulling off her socks, finally I just put them in my pocket. Owen did very well. Ethan did well also, but at the very end he decided to turn around and stand up. I sat him right back down. So we were in and out of the store in 40 minutes. I brought the kids home and put them in their chairs for lunch and while they ate, I unloaded and put away the groceries. We were all worn out after the trip!
Ethan is walking more and more every day. Elliott took a tiny step today and I think that Owen took one yesterday, but he was behind the chair so I couldn't really see for sure. Olivia is still just crawling and walking around everything. I am sure it won't be long and we will be chasing them everywhere!
Duncan is glad to be back in school after Christmas break. I am glad too, I am very ready to get back to our normal routine. We didn't get there last week, hopefully this week we will.
All of the babies are getting molars, so they have been a little cranky, and they don't like to nap. They are sleeping at night. We are in process of taking the bottle away. They do well with the sippy cup for the most part. Today is the first day without any bottle at all, it went well. We will see how they sleep tonight. I am sure it will be fine. I took out all of the bottles except 4, I now just need to get rid of those too, or we will just keep using them!
I decided to give everyone a bath at the same time tonight, in the tub. What a disaster. Owen does not like the bath tub and screamed the whole time. Duncan was trying to go from one end of the tub to the other. Olivia cried most of the time. Ethan kept standing up, and Elliott just played. It was just going to be the babies, but Duncan wanted to be with him so I said ok. We won't do that for awhile again, it is much easier in the kitchen sink, although they will get to big for that soon!
The weather has been so nice out lately, Duncan has been playing outside. We all went for a walk the other day, the beginning of January and it was 65 outside! All of the kids LOVE to be outside.

Dentist and out to eat

Today was the last day of Christmas break for the Hawkins. They were nice enough to help me get the babies to the dentist! It went very well. The dentist said start brushing teeth daily ( I know that, it just doesn't get done!). Get rid of the bottles, way harder for Dad than anyone! Sippy cups should be gone by 18months.. I think we can get this done. After the dentist we went to lunch. I asked the girls if they wanted set down or drive through??? Taylor and Sarah said they would help me feed the babies so we went for Mexican. It was very good, the food and having all 5 kids out to lunch. Everyone ate well and they were all well behaved! I was a little nevrous going in, but all in all it was a wonderful lunch! We are all tired after a big day out on the town.
Ethan is walking!! He has been taking steps, but he is really walking now. He can walk across the living room. Now I am sure the rest of them will decide to take off! I don't know what we'll do then. It will be an adventure that is for sure.

Christmas and New Year's

Sarah and Olivia

Taylor and Ethan and Duncan

Mom and Owen

Sarah and Olivia

Elliott

Duncan

Duncan dumping his reindeer "food", that he made at school so Santa could find our house.

Ethan, Aunt Cindy, Uncle Mitch, and Elliott

Since Christmas was on Sunday this year, everyone was staying all weekend at our house. Abby and I decided to cook on Thursday evening and get everything done for the whole weekend. IT worked very well. We cooked egg bake, biscuits and gravy, and some goodies for the food exchanges and to have for the weekend. Mom and the girls made candy at Mom's house. We planned everything so we thought. The only thing we didn't plan for was lunch!! Neither one of us thought about Duncan and the babies having to have lunch. Oh well, it worked out and we found something for them to eat.
Well we had a wonderful Christmas here at the Haus House. The Hawkins and Mom stayed with us on Saturday night (Christmas Eve) and Sunday night. It was so much fun! It is sure nice and cozy with everyone here, but we always have a wonderful time.
We started out Christmas Eve at Gladys' for the Gruber Christmas. That is always fun. We decided not to take the booster seats for the babies to eat in, I thought that it would work out fine, which it did. All four of them pretty much attacked me for food when I sat down to feed them. It was quite a sight. We had fun with the food game, I got homemade cookies that somehow ended up at Abby's and she just found them today ( New Year's Day!!). They were good, just a little hard. Bet they would of been very good if we would of eaten them on Christmas!! We went to church at 10p.m. at Christ the King. Elliott didn't feel well, poor guy. Owen went to sleep in Grandma's arms. Olivia and Ethan decided they didn't want to go to sleep. It seemed crazy to to me though mass, but we made it with every one's help and all the kids fell asleep on the way home. Duncan did sleep through mass, which I was very surprised. Santa visited and left everyone awesome gifts. They babies got toys and Duncan got a big tow truck. That is all he wanted. We just hung out on Christmas Day at home. Kathy, Rhonda, Carlos, Gabby and Heidi came in the evening. We had fun playing games.
Monday the 26th we had the Weir Christmas at the Community Center here in Runnells. We always have a wonderful time there too. Lots of fun with the food game, lots and lots of stealing of food!
This year Abby had been sick with pneumonia right before Christmas. Well Elliott and I got it also. Elliott decided he wanted Uncle Rodney on Christmas Eve, and he got sick too. Last year we shared the stomach flu... Who knows what we will share next year! Hopefully nothing! Tracy's sister, Dianna came on Monday afternoon. We had a good time visiting with her and Nikaylee! We got to relax some too!
Tracy has been on vacation this week, the kids really enjoy having him home.. I also really enjoy having him home. His vacations are way different now, with 5 kids, he doesn't just pick up and go like he use too!
New Year's eve we went to Randy and Val's and played cards. It was lots of fun. We hadn't seen them or Becky and Farley for awhile. The kids went to Grandma's. They had a good time too. Elliott still isn't feeling the best so he didn't sleep well. Grandma was suppose to call if he got to crabby, but she never did. He seems to be doing better tonight. I think he is very, very worn out from the last 2 weeks, and he is getting teeth too. All the other kids seem fine and are in good spirits. Hopefully it stays that way!
Duncan goes back to school this week, I think he is ready. He ask most days if he has school. The babies go to the dentist for the first time this week. Should be an interesting trip! Taylor is going with me so I can take them all the same day. Thanks Taylor, we love you. Maybe the other girls will go too, who knows!! We love them all lots for everything they do to help out!!
Well one more day and then we will get back on our schedule! It will be very nice to be back to normal. But the last couple weeks have been fun. Duncan really had enjoyed having his girls home so he can see them. Aunt and Uncle too!