What's he up to?

Well, I missed the official 6 month mark, but I'll just do a little "Brody is almost 7 months now" update. (For my own personal records...:)

And I'll make the obligatory, "Wow, I feel like he was just born!" Because what kind of mom would I be if each day actually felt like an eternity to me in this household. Just kidding, only one or two days a week actually feel like an eternity :). Really though, Zac and I were talking and discussing how each day feels so long, but the week is over in a flash. How is this possible? Anyone else feel that way about life?

Back to Brody...

He's still a big guy. Tall and somewhat chubby.

He's sitting up and can do it alone, but will eventually get frustrated or tired and just snap back onto the floor. He doesn't cry when this occurs, but looks scary to me, thus, the Boppy pillow around him for protection :)

He's eating squash, sweet potatoes, pears, peaches, and those little puffs. He looks like an old man without his dentures when he gums those things, it's a hoot. If I was a more adept videographer, I'd post a video.

He rolls. Everywhere. Now I have to be really careful about all of the little toys the boys leave around because he's also at the age where everything goes straight to the mouth.

He's a pretty quiet guy. Not lots of babbling or laughing, although I swear he said Mama twice last week. And at Bible study last Friday, he was sitting on the floor next to a one year old boy and couldn't stop making all kinds of noises. The mom said to me later, "Wow, he's quite a talker!" "Not really, that was the most he's talked in his entire life combined, he just likes your son!" It was strange. I think he's just learned that it's pretty tough to get a word in around this house so he may as well not even try yet.

And my favorite--separation anxiety is beginning. All of my boys have had some serious bouts with this. I like to think it's because I am so irresistible :), but I now have a child semi-permanently attached to my hip. I say semi because occasionally he will be entertained by the boys on the floor, but then one of them will scare him or a "give" him a toy a little too enthusiastically, and then he cries again.

But all in all, he really is SUCH a sweet baby, and we thank God for his blessing to us every day!!

Whew!

We are wrapping up what's been a crazy week! We have had 4 different party/get-togethers at our house in the last 5 days...lots of cleaning, partying, dirtying, cooking, re-cleaning, partying, dirtying, cooking, re-cleaing, etc. It was all very fun though, and so worth the effort, as always. Zac and I both really enjoy having people over. Sometimes it's something more formal that we plan weeks in advance, and other times it's a spur of the moment "wanna come over for dinner" type of thing.

I pray that as our kids get older, they also develop this enjoyment and that our home will be a place where their friends andours always feel welcome! At one point on Saturday evening, I did a double-take as all of the kids ran down to the basement to play...it seemed like they had multiplied. Sure enough, I discovered that they had invited some of the neighbor kids over (via the an invitation over the back fence). I guess we are on our way!

The few nights this week we haven't been entertaining, Zac's been working, and I've been trying to maintain some order around here by myself. It's not going too well, as evidenced by the 8 loads of clean laundry sitting in my hallway. But hey, at least it's clean and not 8 dirty loads. I have made some progress!

What's been goin' on

So I haven't written very much about this, although it's been a HUGE part of the Hicks' family life for the past 4 months (that's a full 2/3 of Brody's life :)!

Zac is recording an album. It's an 11 track album of worship songs that he has written. Several years ago, he developed a strong love for old hymns, and was sad to see them being used less and less in churches. They have amazing theology and beautiful poetry, but unfortunately, aren't always that easy to sing. Or engage with. And frankly, sometimes the music just doesn't really match the text. Think "Rock of Ages" set to the tune of a marching band song. Not so much.

He began to take the texts, mold them slightly, add choruses, and write new music that is more relevant and fitting. And if I do say so myself (and I can because this is my blog and I'm his wife), he's done an amazing job. He released 3 of them on an EP several years, but has been gearing up to do a full album for awhile.

Being at our incredible church has now provided the awesome opportunity to begin recording. It's been a really long process but hopefully, they are coming to the end of the tracking process (recording all of the music--each instrument, for each track, several times--so that each track ends up having 30-40 mini recordings that all get blended together to make a great sound). It will then be mixed and mastered and tweaked a little more, with an anticipated release date of September, 15, 2009. Be on the lookout because I will post a widget on my sidebar that will enable you to purchase individual tracks or the whole album from his website.

Doing this has been a huge sacrifice for Zac--lots and lots of time spent, in addition to his "regular" job, learning new skills, singing, playing guitar, editing, editing, editing--and me feeling like a single mom as he spends many hours working on this. But we truly feel like God has opened the door to one of his dreams, though, and we are praying that through this album and Zac's passion for thoughtful, meaningful, and articulate worship, others will be drawn into a deeper worship of God.

So, we're getting excited around here and I'll be sure to keep updating the progress as things get closer. Spread the word. Buy the CD. Share it with others! I've attached a video that Zac made giving some background on this project. (Excuse the fact that he looks like he just rolled out of bed--I think he shot this in the wee hours of the morning after a long recording session. Did I mention we both are a bit tired?)

Sweet boys.

Joel really missed Jesse while he was away for the two days. He asked almost incessantly about when he would get to go to the point that I got sort of annoyed. But what I realized was just HOW close these two little boys are. They are just over 1 1/2 years apart in age, but with Joel's developmental delays, in a way they have been growing up together.

This morning at breakfast, this is what I overhead.

Joel: "Jesse, I get to go to Nana's in two weeks when my preschool is over. And you get to come with me, because you're my brother."

Jesse: "Yes!"

Joel: "And I love you, Buddy."

Jesse: "I love you too, Joel."

Giggle, giggle giggle.


Oh, my heart!

He's outta here...

Wow it's nice and peaceful around here. Jesse is spending a couple of days with his Nana and Papa. We had friends over for dinner last night and enjoyed almost two hours of peaceful conversation on the deck. Brody was already in bed and Joel just played around the table and ocassionally threw in his two cents. It's amazing how taking just one child out of the mix really changes the dynamic.

Anyway, now that preschool is out, each of the bigger boys gets to go to my parent's house for a few days this month to have some special time alone with them. I think Jesse especially needs it. He's had a bit of a hard time ever since Brody was born. He sees things that Joel does and thinks he really wants to be a big boy, but I think deep down inside, he really still wants to be the baby. After all, he is only two. Unfortunatley, there's a new baby in town and so Jesse's just not sure where he fits in anymore.

On top of that, he's potty training. One minute he's crying because he wants his diapers back, then the next he's crying because he wants his red big boy underwear. Poor guy, that's pretty much a picture of his life right now.

And let me tell you, potty training is a whole new animal. Let's just say it's pretty hard to get a child who doesn't like sweets to use the potty. It makes the whole M&M bribe void.

Oh, and things just might have taken a turn for the worse yesterday when Jesse fell into the toilet at church. It wasn't really my proudest mothering moment. Just picture me trying to hold a screaming 6 month old while undressing a resistant 2 year old, then somehow hoisting him one-handed onto the toilet, only to have him fall right in.

I scooped him right up out of there but then hysterical crying commenced. Now I have two criers but I can't comfort either of them because they can't HEAR me over all of their tears.

And because I always try to be prepared, I did have backup shorts and underwear in case of an accident, but why would I have thought to bring an extra shirt. when, of course, that is the one item that got truly soaked in the toilet. I pondered putting one of Brody's extra shirts on him (I did have one of those), but I didn't want to humiliate poor Jesse even more by making him wear a 9 month size onesie. I do have some decency.

Yet still, after several years of counseling people in therapy, a picture of Jesse sitting in a counselor's office in 20 years popped into my mind, with him saying, "I think it all relates back to when my mom dropped me into the toilet...". Maybe I could at least save him few bucks and BE his counselor.

He just threw me under the bus.

So I've always had this sneaking suspicion that Zac thinks I let the boys watch TV all of the time during the day. He makes certain comments here and there and I'm not really sure why he thinks this. They get to watch 30 minutes in the morning when I take a shower (otherwise it's total anarchy in the house) and 30 minutes after their naps or while I make dinner.

And usually, it's something on PBS kids or the Wiggles or something. It's not like I'm letting them watch Bret Michaels "Rock of Love" or anything (Disclaimer: even I, the reality show queen have NEVER watched that show). It just seemed like a good example of a bizarre show.

This morning Zac was said, "Hey boys! Let's go outside and play."

To which Jesse promptly responds, "But there are no TV's outside."

Great, Jesse, thanks. Now Daddy will never believe me.

Yes.

Yes, I changed my blog again.

Yes, I do get bored very easily.

Yes, I actually did sit through an entire movie last night for probably the first time in over a year (well, I did get up once but that was to check on a crying kid and so that just makes me a good mom).

Yes, I think I have ADD (seriously...I'm high-functioning, though :)

Yes, I did add some sweet pictures of my "men" under my profile to the right.

Enjoy!