on the corner, maybe even around it

We seemed to have almost "turned the corner."  Things are settling in and starting to become mostly easy, at least in the HM department.  He has been in preschool now for a week and a couple days.  While he cries when he gets there, he seems to recover quickly.  He is always excited to see whichever of us picks him up.   His language also seems to me coming along.  Most of what he tries to say is not understandable but we know he is trying to make the right sounds.  He gives a verbal response for more, thank you, all done (or all gone), mommy, dada, hi and up.  Pretty huge I think.  He will begin receiving speech at preschool.  HM loves a routine, so I think he will adjust quite well with preschool.  Maybe the only thing we cannot get him to understand is "inside voice."  He is one incredibly LOUD child, happy, sad or other, he is loud.  Now, of course, our house with 4 kids is rarely quiet, so he may just think he needs to always raise his voice, but we are still going to try to teach him "quietly!"
As far as the other C children, we are in the midst of baseball and cheerleading, yes CHEERLEADING...bleh.  I somehow agreed to assist in coaching cheerleading even though I know.nothing.at.all about cheering.  They are having fun and that is all that really matters.  Kindergarten is going well, 2nd grade seems to be the same, so all is well there.  D, or as she is better known Buggy, is still having a time.  Of course, by nature, she is a strong willed, obstinate girl but we seem to be seeing much more recently.  I hope it is her dealing with the adjustment and not a permanent shift in her temperament, but we are doing the best with what we got.  I have thought of shipping her off to GGs sometimes!
And now for some pictures:

What we are up to

School is back in, work is busy and life is settling into the "normal." 
T went into 2nd grade like it was her job.  She loves school and is such a social butterfly.  I barely worry about her...barely.
P started Kindergarten!!!!!!!!!!!  Not sure how that snuck up on me, but he did and is following in T's footsteps.  He loves it and seems to be settling right into it.  I catch myself looking at him sometime and being shocked that he is 5, not far from 6!  Where did the time go?  He is totally a big boy...no more baby P, makes me sad and proud.  He is a sweet, pensive, wild, fierce boy.  He thinks about things no 5 year old should worry about and yet melts down about sharing his Buzz Lightyear.  Man, I love that kid!
D, or the Buggy, as she is affectionately known, headed back to preschool.  Not quite as smooth as her big sister and brother.  I always describe Buggy as fierce...in all that she does.  She has some serious stubbornness (um, not sure where she could have gotten that!) and really cannot be convinced to do anything she doesn't want to.  She has no interest in bedtime.  Yet, no desire to get up in the morning.  She can throw her hands on her hips and cock her head to the side to deliver a good dose of attitude at every turn.  Look out school when she does get there....
HM-- Progress would be the word for him.  He is so, so, SO smart.  He understands almost everything we say. He CAN follow instructions, when he wants to.  He loves routine.  He still says almost nothing but the sounds are coming and he certainly gets his point across.  So far he can say:
up, GAGA (for Daddy), Meeee (for mommy) ahh un (for uh oh) and he has begun making l and b sounds.  He knows what to do when you put him on the potty, which is wonderful!!
He still struggles sometimes (a lot) with testing limits and being rough, but we are getting there.  He will start preschool too here very soon and I hope that will be a great experience for him.
And most important...this boy likes to DANCE.  He hears music and just starts grooving...LOVE IT!

S will be going back to work soon.  HM going off to preschool and S starting back to work are the last things in the line of back to normal.  I love the time they have had together at home, but know we will get in more settled when our schedule is finally the way it is suppose to be.  S will be back working a normal schedule, which such a blessing.

I have had a lot of interesting thoughts lately about the C family.  We have our crazy yet we have so much fun.  Lots of people think we are crazy, and well, we are!  We always say it has nothing to di with our kids though :)

and now pictures...the best part!

 Happy 2nd Bday!!

off to school

 Off to our first college football game...

Buggy being a kitty!?!