The Pavlich Family (according to Laura)

Sewing + Packing=The Anti-blog

2009-02-07T18:46:00.000-08:00

I have been away for a while...my energies have been going toward a variety of things-loving on my kids, surviving without my husband (he is working 6 nights a week and sleeping days until April), and housekeeping. But my outlet that used to be blogging and reading has been replaced with sewing and packing over the last couple of months. We are moving so this was the kids' last week at their preschool up here in Los Osos and Cubbies, but they will be starting at new locations in a couple of weeks.
Okay, here are a few things I have made: now, I am not big on patterns, I use them sometimes, but tweak them because the work of others that I appreciate and am impressed with the most is that which they have truly created themselves, have become overwhelming frustrated with, yet have an original amazing finished product. I also usually end up liking what I make without a pattern better than that which I follow a pattern on...I have no idea why.
I have never liked to follow directions...when I took piano growing-up I played by ear and despised the sheet music. When I play guitar, I play by ear. When Brad tells me what to pick up for him at the store, I add to it (and sometimes take away!).
As you can see I have mainly focused on clothing...and I LOVE working with knits. They are so forgiving and you don't have to hem as much!
Also more news, Kaitlin is fully potty-trained! She is even sleeping in undies and waking up dry in the morning! Three down, one to go!
I also have to say that I have the greatest husband in the world; he works so hard for our family and even when he is dead-tired he has been the greatest dad and hubby using every reserve of energy that he has left.

**You may have to click on the picture to see it better-sorry

Mermaids & sea creatures
I make her clothes, yet she still prefers THIS outfit the most

{knits...love them}

Our storage POD/kids' new temporary playhouse, for moving down to Arroyo Grande (20 minutes away) next weekend!

You may remember this little girl from august...

2009-01-09T15:26:00.001-08:00

well, she is back, or rather should i say that her mommy is now ready for the task she provided me with when she was 22 months old. We are very proud of Kaitlin because she has been potty-training super-fast since Saturday and is loving it! she even woke up dry from her nap today (in undies!!)
Yay Kaitlin! (yay for me too because it was me she was waiting for and i have come around!)

things i don't give a second thought to...

2008-12-06T10:42:00.000-08:00

but then realize later that it probably is a little strange. (but what is "strange" anyways??) I have walked past my girls' bedroom five or six times just today and the fan is going, so I have turned it off each time, but without even thinking, in fact, I have assumed that I have never turned it off since they woke up this morning (but I think this each time and think that I most certainly am losing it!). Until the last time, when I went in and turned it off while they were playing in there, and they LET ME KNOW that they need the fan on. I asked why and Jaeda replied, "Because our babies are sleeping, why ELSE would we have the fan on!??" (a bit sassy, I know)

You see, since the womb (b/c I sleep with a fan in our room as well) they have slept with a fan on in the bedroom for white noise. Our family is all about security blankets...fans, blankies, fingers in mouths, whatever soothes the soul (or babies screaming!). So they would NEVER put their babies down for a nap without a fan on! Oh, the monsters we create. (and I mean monsters in the sweetest way :).

Signing in to say Goodbye...

2008-11-17T13:33:00.001-08:00

...just for a week. A week that I am hoping is filled with change, vision, new routine, clarity, and insight. I am taking a week off from things I rely on everyday... computer, Starbuck's, and books (my books that is, however I will be reading the Bible of which I have not been good at lately, and you can count on that I will still be reading Dr. Suess :). I will expound when I come back...and I will miss you in blogland! But I know the calling will be worth the sacrifice. Have a wonderful week friends!!

Mission Accomplished!

2008-11-14T14:52:00.000-08:00

I made it my goal to have Christmas shopping finished before Thanksgiving this year so that we could relax and enjoy both holidays without having to be exposed to our indulgent "society" during it's peak time of year. I have succeeded and am relieved to have it out of the way! It makes me cringe when my kids see a commercial on TV and say, "Look, Mommy, I want that!" which is why we eliminated commercials a long time ago.
I read an article recently in a magazine that I receive from MOPS which talked about resisting the urge to go to toy stores with your children (including on focusing on toys, etc at everyday stores like Wal Mart) in order to allow room for the Lord to embed the real meaning of Christmas in their hearts and minds (my interpretation). We are still implementing and innovating Christmas traditions for our family, and being intentional about "living" the real reason that we celebrate is our goal this year. Have a great weekend!

Punkin Wunkin

2008-10-25T16:31:00.000-07:00

Jaeda coloring her pumpkin

Brice is a pumpkin head!

Taylor very busy!

So much fun!!

Some results!!

What an amazing pumpkin carving day we had today! Our cousins came up and we made pumpkin muffins from scratch, and then colored and carved pumpkins together! It was very fun. Does anyone know of a pumpkin carving kit that is heavy-duty? I purchased one that we used today and it lasted for JUST that long! We do lots with pumpkins so it would be awesome to have a kit that lasts :) These are two of the patterns that are in the book we used...Aunt Stefi cut these out.

McDonald's has icecream?

2008-10-15T21:22:00.000-07:00

AMAZINGLY enough, my four year-old son who knows everything DID NOT know that mcd's serves icecream...until tonight. We decided to surprise the kids and drive over to Morro Bay tonight for icecream after dinner. As we were walking in and we told them what we were doing, Jaeda clapped, Kaitlin said, "frice fream!," and Brice (who has eaten at mcdonald's several times) said, "I don't think they have icecream here." I couldn't believe it, but am so thankful for the fun and precious reaction of the kids when they discover something new and exciting! This is Addie wearing a bathingsuit that Aimee bought for her before she was born, but it is almost too cold to wear, so I had to snap a shot of her! Isn't she simply irresistible?

welcome to being 2, kaitlin jane

2008-10-04T13:22:00.000-07:00

What is everyone up to?

2008-09-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

Brice has become a HUGE football fan, watching ESPN headlines early in the morning and games in the evening...in particular the Louisville Cardinals (thanks Mamaw and Pepaw for the hat & tshirt!) and the Oakland Raiders (we did not encourage this, he has just always had a thing for pirates). He is doing incredible with his numbers so keeping score and number recognition is a big part of him watching the games. (And Addie just so happened to already be sitting on the couch :)

The girls have been obssessed with matching...and Addison is already in on it at such a young age! Jaeda gets mad when Addie doesn't have something to match her and Kaitlin. (I don't know why Kaitlin had to stuff a sandwich in her mouth right before the picture)

Brice and Jaeda are now in AWANAS and go to Cubbies on Thursday nights. They LOVE it and are finding it fun and easy to memorize God's Word!

Kaitlin is in gymnastics, and have I mentioned that she is part monkey? This is a fantastic outlet for her and the structure is much-needed for this girl as well! Now if she would just stop climbing on counters at home it would be completely worth it! For more Kaitlin gymnastics, click here

Addie's new favorite thing is sitting in the Bumbo in front of her toy with a big mirror, lights, and music (thank you Aunt Harrison!) She is getting good at pushing all of the big buttons. And her hands go straight to her mouth when she gets excited, which is like, all day long!
It's amazing how in the short while I have not blogged about the family, so much has changed! At such young ages, the kids change and grow so quickly!

read this...

2008-09-22T19:44:00.000-07:00

and then go see this, released October 17th.

The book has been out for four years, and is excellent...laugh, cry, it's wonderful. But I always encourage people to read the book before seeing the movie even though this trailer looks pretty true to the story. Great read--one of my very favorites, really!

Hand-me-downs...

2008-09-19T11:07:00.001-07:00

... and more hand-me-downs. As a mother of many, I have come to love and appreciate hand-me-downs---A LOT! My sister gives me all of my niece Leah's clothes, and I give my nephew Aiden (and now his brother Bo) Brice's clothes. My sister is the queen of fashion so the clothes are adorable, and since I am the queen of stain removing (a little obssessive actually)I have kept them in pretty decent shape. The outfits that my girls are wearing today have been worn by 4 of the girls now (Leah, Jaeda, Kaitlin, and now Addison!--very sentimental :). Thanks for the hand-me-downs Em! They save us a lot of money and we love them! It is like Christmas everytime we take them out of storage!

Seriously?

2008-09-18T22:30:00.000-07:00

Has anyone else ever heard of these? They are a hoot and a half! But $35?? Don't get me wrong, I think I might have to chew on Addie's chubby thighs and take a lot of pictures of her cankles in a pair of these, but only for the crib? She would need a new dress to go with. They actually have a heel on the bottom!

Sweet Slumber

2008-09-12T15:33:00.001-07:00

i like me a good deal

2008-08-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

i have been looking for a playhouse for the kids for a while, refusing to pay the $300 ++ that they cost new. i am telling you the truth when i say that they are one of THE hottest items on craigslist "baby + kids" category (at least on the central coast of CA). they sell for dirt cheap at times, but you have to be the first person to contact the seller or you miss out. i have tried several times to beat the rush but have never been successful...until today! i hadn't checked c-list all day, but when i clicked on the page, it was the first item listed, so i called (they had posted it less than 2 minutes before i called!), and went to pick up our new little "cottage" style house this afternoon for $40! It is severely FADED and the phone is missing from the dial pad, but the kids love it! They had a blast cleaning it up with dishsoap and the hose (many a mudpie had been made inside of it before it came home with us!) and filling it with playfood after it dried. what a deal! **i will post a pic of it assembled after i take one!

WANTED: A MOMMY THAT WILL POTTY TRAIN ME

2008-08-24T22:50:00.002-07:00

This poor girl's mommy is putting off pottytraining her until absolutely necessary. It is a sad thing, but her Mommy is nursing her baby sister every 3 hours, assisting her princess sister with dress-up and tea parties, making superhero costumes for her brother and rescuing him from seriously injuring himself due to his dangerous stunts, preparing snacks and meals for the family, and trying to conquer a mountain of laundry constantly...that she doesn't see how pottytraining is going to work out this month! Isn't her mommy reading books, working puzzles, and playing on the slip n slide with her WAY more fun than pottytraining? Her mommy really enjoys doing these things MUCH more with her than the potty thing.
However, if she persists to "sneak" onto the potty, she may win the battle.

job descriptions

2008-08-17T15:27:00.000-07:00

today, i offered to mow the lawn, and Brad said okay, but only if I really wanted to. Brice quickly interjected that mommies don't mow the lawn, only daddies. Brad asked him, "If daddies mow the lawn, what do mommies do?" He said, "Mommies stay inside and go nuts." Smart boy we have on our hands!
Oh, and one more thing...while writing this post, we have been watching ladies volleyball and Brad has been cheering USA on. Brice just asked Brad, "Can they hear you?" We answered with a no, of course not. Brice then asked, "Then why are you talking to them if they can't hear you? That doesn't make sense!"

a little blood. no sweat.

2008-08-13T21:21:00.000-07:00

That's Kaitlin Jane. She had her first nose bleed over the weekend. I was tossing (gently!) the kids down the slip n slide, and she FLEW and knocked into Brice at the bottom. She didn't even notice though (obviously from the picture). She is a tough one, and I am thankful that as the third, she is this way. She is very good at shaking things off, but still, the sight of it is very sad.

it is ridiculous that...

2008-08-09T19:30:00.000-07:00

...Kaitlin sleeps with 6 blankies and 9 "friends"
...my children play in the snowsled in June
...I took a picture when Brice dropped this egg and not only did I take a picture of it, but I also let him play with it (yuk!-I think sometimes I tend to be a little TOO hands on)
...Brice has been in undies for 2 years now, but still insists on wearing them backwards (in order to see the picture)

I have been picking out photos for scrapbooks & ran across these and several others that were ridiculous or "what's wrong with this pic." They have kept me in stitches!

Happy Birthday, Princess Jaeda!

2008-08-07T21:49:00.001-07:00

I can't believe you are three years-old! You are such a beautiful, funny, smart, and sweet little girl. You are the greatest big sister that Addison and Kaitlin could ever ask for. I know that we ask a lot of you being that you are the biggest sissy, but you carry yourself well, and are always happy to help and take care of the younger ones. You are also Brice's best friend...he loves you so much even though he picks on you to no end. Your love of singing at any given moment warms my heart, and your sincere compliments melt us all. You are fun, fun, fun, and you have lots of very interesting things to say. You are unbelievably nurturing to babies (both pretend and real), and are going to make an amazing mommy one day. We love you to pieces and as one of our favorite books says, "if you weren't my little girl, a piece would be gone, we just could not go one...the world would not be the same without you."

Lite Brite

2008-08-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

I was so excited when our friend April gave Jaeda this ancient toy for her birthday! But of course, it has had a facelift since I played with my own LITE BRITE twenty something years ago. It is now advertised as having a "flatscreen" (when did it not??), and the paper is now shiny instead of dull construction paper. Anyways, we had lots of fun with that this morning. Brice and Jaeda are home from preschool for summer, so I have been trying to find some ways to keep developing their fine motor-skills and have fun with it, and this proved successful!!! I still felt excited about turning on the bulb to light up our creation after punching in the colors. It is for ages 4 and up, but if your child knows their letters and colors, they should have no problem, and it definitely helps to reinforce what they are learning or know. Brice and Jaeda worked really well together to get the job done, but I do recommend locking up any twenty-two months old before beginning the process! TROUBLE!!

BFFs

2008-08-04T20:14:00.000-07:00

Had to post these. Here is Addison, her friend Viggo, and her BFF Madelyn aka Maddie (This friendship was arranged while the girls were still in utero :). I am also posting a picture of Brad and I, Addison while in my tummy at 38 weeks, Maddie, and her mommy Kate and daddy James. Brad and James have been friends since high school.
Addison is getting big so quickly...chubby as you can see! She is on a great schedule and sleeping through the night most every night. I love nursing her, but she has to be really patient a lot of the time because I have to intervene with her bigger siblings during her meals a lot of the time. :(
She is smiling TONS and just belly-laughed for the first time two days ago. Hope you enjoy the little update!

it's only 9:30...

2008-08-01T09:31:00.000-07:00

but it feels like 5:30 pm. Lord, please give me a playful spirit for today, because I am being way too serious.

you tell me

2008-07-29T18:35:00.000-07:00

i have had several people asking me who addison looks like out of the girls...so i will let you decide for yourself. i have no idea...she reminds me of brice one day, kaitlin the next (and the most) and jaeda other times. sorry i have no pictures this early of brice on the computer (we did not have our trusty Mac in 2004 and all of his pics are on disks!). and in case you don't know, the order of the pictures is as follows: addison is first, kaitlin is second, and jaeda is third. :) i have to make sure to write on the backs of all of my pictures so that i don't get them confused, and i imagine it will get worse as the years go by!

a dress in the making...

2008-07-23T17:44:00.000-07:00

well, at least i picked out the pattern. i took Mrs. Stickler's advice on finding an easy-to-sew pattern, and went with that. I know I have talked ONLY about making dresses for my girls, because that is the only "advice" I received from you guys!! A friend emailed me some great Simpicity dress patterns that I can't wait to get started on. I can't believe how many free downloads there are out there! My new pink "Brother" (thanks, Brad--you know what color I like!) is on its way and I plan to begin immediately! Will post pics as soon as they are complete!

calling all seamstresses!

2008-07-20T19:55:00.000-07:00

I am so excited because I am getting ready to buy my new sewing machine! I know (and envy) so many of you who are absolutely amazing seamstresses, and I would love your help. Would you mind sharing your favorite "easy" sewing project with me? I would like to have a few projects "ready-to-go" for when I bring my new machine home. Thanks so much! And I love checking out all of your blogs with what you make!

found 'em!

2008-07-20T13:42:00.000-07:00

yes, these were all in our car in the very back row. we have been missing these for days/weeks for some.

Photo of the 4 {finally}

2008-07-18T22:19:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it took me this long to snap a shot of the four of them, but here it is, or they are rather. I couldn't pick just one, so here are several!

the kids are home for summer...

2008-07-14T14:17:00.000-07:00

so i picked up a few things at the dollar tree this morning (with Brice's help).

I absolutely LOVE having all of the kids home for summer (no school!). They have a blast playing together and my life is simplified with no preschool schedule to work around. However, I don't want to exhaust our everyday stuff like the easel, playdough, jewelry making, etc...so i went to a store i think is more of a waste of money than any other store (junk junk junk!!!). But hey, I spent $7 and came home with hopefully hours of fun things for the kids.
*cones: for the kids to ride their bikes around (run around, wear on their heads, whatever they want to do)
*coloring book for brice...pirates, he'll color every single page I am sure
*princess sidewalk chalk for the girls
*bug catcher: or lizard catcher in our case. we have hundreds and the challenge is more than we can stand!
*bubble maker
*dart/suction gun (not shown)
*paddle ball (my personal fave)

What are you doing this summer with your kids? Ideas would be quite appreciated here!

we miss you already, jaeda

2008-07-13T21:05:00.000-07:00

Well, maybe I am being a little overly dramatic, but tonight is Jaeda's first real "sleepover" with her cousin Kaileigh (they are 3 months apart). She was SO excited to get packed and get in their car to leave, she kept saying, "I'm so excited!" Let's just hope she stops talking long enough to get some sleep tonight :). Her aunt suggested that maybe she stay with them until Wednesday, but we will play it by ear, according to how things go tonight...they are going to share Kaileigh's new big girl bed :)
After Jaeda left, we went inside, and Brice said, "I'm sad that Jaeda's not here." This made my heart happy that he misses his sister. I love that they are so close.

to see more pictures from July, click here

Happy One Month Birthday, Addie!

2008-06-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE PICS http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=fgez5zq.4vr7e9gi&x=1&y=m860rv&localeid=en_US

Addison Ruth Pavlich...welcome home

2008-05-29T13:38:00.000-07:00

Addison Ruth
Born at 6:20 am, Monday May 26th
Weighing in at 7 lbs 6 ounces
20 3/4 inches long
Adorable!

I have borrowed a few minutes of time from breastfeeding to update those of you who probably think I have made permanent settlement in the hospital. Addison and I came home yesterday and were welcomed by the whole crew....at large. The kids were MORE than excited to see baby and mommy. In fact, I can honestly say that bringing home the fourth was much more of a production than bringing home the third. I am going to post a few pictures of the Addison's orientation into our home, but first I'll give some mental pics (I was nervous to leave the baby alone to grab the camera for these).

Addison trying out the swing for the first time: Baby swinging 100 mph with 2 care bears, blankies, a Starbuck's smoothie, and a pacifier that Brice and Jaeda are having a throw down fight over who is going to shove it in her mouth.

Kaitlin sitting in the bouncer with her arms out for me to give her the baby so that they can bounce together.

Mommy wearing the peanut shell sling, yet holding crying Addison on the outside of it while the other 3 were also crying for something at my legs.

Jaeda taking care of Addie...notice that she is still pregnant with her care bear (she has had her care bear in her shirt around the clock for over a month now).

Sweet Kaitlin welcoming Addison home

Brice "cutting" Addison's fingernails with his power tool

...and a massage with the sander

Addison meets the pirates in Brice's room while
Brice reads her a book.

Bricey made me a fruit loops necklace at school

I am so thankful for my family and our new addition! We are so thankful for our amazing friends and family that have been incredibly supportive and HELPFUL as we are adjusting to a new phase of life. Thank you God for all of these blessings and more...

28.

2008-05-21T15:00:00.000-07:00

thank you for a wonderful birthday! the food was fabulous. the babies were precious. the friends were the best...
thank you mamaw for making it possible to leave the kiddos...and for the strawberry cake, YUM!

now that's more like it...

2008-05-17T21:50:00.001-07:00

Since Brad has been working nights and living out of town 5 days a week, our weekends have been very...off. His sleep schedule, my 9 months of pregnancy catching up with me, and 3 toddlers in the house, have influenced wild weekends. Saturdays are usually so strange because Brad and I are both exhausted, and just take turns napping it seems. But today was so much better! We woke up at 7, got the kids in their swimsuits, and headed to Pismo Beach for Old West Cinnamon Rolls, then over to Avila Beach for fun in the sand and water. We bought a boogie board and Brice and Jaeda had fun with that for a while, built sand castles, and we fought with Kaitlin forever about her not wanting to get out of the water to go home. Then Brad and I hired a sitter and went to a really nice steak dinner with our good friends Scott and Katie. What a fabulous Saturday!

may happenings

2008-05-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

I love these apples...Apple Pie Apples from Rocky Mountain Choc. Factory. My friends that threw my baby shower had these as a very special surprise for me on the dessert table...needless to say, I took four home with me and they were gone in a week, and I didn't share very well. My sister-in-law loves these as well, so when we have babies, we get them for each other because they are a huge pregnancy craving that we share (and can really only justify during pregnancy :)

My adorable friend April that prepared the food for the shower...she did an excellent job incorporating my favorite thing (food) into the celebration...with colorful spreads and yummy treats!

Brad and I went to a beautiful wedding this weekend in Los Olivos at Firestone Winery. We had a great night with each other and good friends...I can't say that I enjoyed any wine however. One of these days I will be able to attend a wedding not pregnant and have a glass. But there were some great eats! It was very difficult for me to stay away from the candy bar... a long table of treats that matched the Bride's colors to stuff into a favor bag.

James, Kate, baby Madelyn, Brad and I
Megan & I

Happy Birthday Big Boy!

2008-04-30T22:24:00.000-07:00

Brice looks bigger today and is so excited to be four. From taking cupcakes to school to talking to friends and family that love him all day on the phone, to eating pizza for dinner, to crashing hard in our bed, he had a great day.
Thank you Lord for giving us this sweet, smart, funny, strong, passionate boy four years ago. Please help us to continue to be the parents that you want us to be and to lean on you alone for guidance.
To view more pictures, click here http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=fgez5zq.1rbrjysy&x=1&y=-m1x98c&localeid=en_US

you ask me how i do it

2008-04-21T20:59:00.000-07:00

Some of you have asked how I handle 3 kids, one on the way, with a husband who lives out of town 5 days out of the week? Here are some things that fill up our day...never a dull moment I tell ya.

Some of you have requested some belly shots too...so here they are taken by Bricey (thus the blur on my face in some). And please ignore my dirty feet in others...I am guilty of playing outside barefoot this afternoon.

34 weeks

Kaitlin's favorite hang out spot & Jaeda's baby giving my baby a love

Jaeda can't wait to be a mommy

Manic Monday

2008-04-14T21:21:00.000-07:00

Well, not really too manic exactly, but definitely out of the ordinary.
This morning, I looked at my son and noticed quickly that his face was terribly swollen...cheeks, eyes, and forehead. But he said that nothing hurt or itched, his throat included. So I gave him his Claritin and he went to preschool. When I picked him up, he was the same, and went to bed this evening, the same. I am not quite sure what it is....allergy to sunscreen that we use? Spider bite? Something new in bloom?? If he is not showing signs of improvement in the morning, I am taking him to the doc's, so hopefully this will not be the case. Any thoughts??
Also, Brad left to start his new job in Santa Barbara at noon today, meaning that I miss him already. I have experienced true gratitude in my heart toward him instead of anxiety like I did at the beginning of the power outage that he just finished up that took him away from us 6 days a week/12 hours a day. I am so thankful to have a husband that loves our family so much that he would live in a different place 5 days out of the week in order to best provide for our family at this time. And I am thankful to God for taking care of us and always being our Provider.

i really don't know what to do

2008-04-01T22:11:00.000-07:00

I came home from Girl's Night Out to this...
And I don't know where I am supposed to go. Jaeda's bed is a toddler bed and Brice's bed is a boys bed...cooties and little boy stinky, no but really, I don't know where to sleep, so I thought I would blog about it. Questions come to my mind...How did this happen? How did a Daddy who doesn't believe kids should sleep in the same bed as their parents condone this? And how in the world did he get them BOTH to fall asleep in the same bed??
Oh, I get it. This must be the daddy that has worked for 13 days straight, 12 hours a day. Yep, that's gotta be it, but I still have the same question...where does a 32-week-pregnant mommy of 3 sleep?

My precious little nephew Ty came up this morning and I couldn't resist taking pictures of what he and Brice do best...beat up on each other. They are superboys and can't get enough of each other. But watch out, you don't want to be around when they are in a full-on battle...you will probably get hurt. But nothing compares to their laughter when they are together...it is priceless.

i just had to do it

2008-03-26T19:50:00.001-07:00

i have been "meaning" to blog for days, since Easter really, but as I have said before, pictures inspire my posts. Unfortunately, we do not have a single picture from Easter Sunday (on MY camera), because #1, Brad had to work the outage on Sundays so my hands were completely full all day, and #2, Brice stripped down and put on his new spongebob pirate jammies as soon as we walked in the door from church. Brice had a stomach bug all day today (throwing up and worse) so again, today was not the greatest time to blog, but I am doing it now! The following picture of Kaitlin was in fact taken ON Easter. She LOVES her new Little People sunglasses that Mamaw put in her Easter basket and Bella's paci (she has never taken a paci, but for some reason, both of my girls are obssessed with Bella's- they think it's funny).

I took the kids through the carwash yesterday because I lacked the energy to wash it myself, and finally discovered something that Kaitlin fears. I remember Jaeda being the same way. Kaitlin is a very tough little girl and isn't afraid of anything until now! Poor girl.

Early Easter Fun

2008-03-13T12:53:00.000-07:00

Our Wednesday playgroup had our Easter Egg Hunt and birthday party yesterday. Aunt Caitie's birthday was yesterday, Mikela's is today, and Rylee's is tomorrow!

Last Minute Project

2008-03-08T12:55:00.000-08:00

We are going to a Pirate birthday party for two of Brice's friends this afternoon, and he insisted that I make him a pirate outfit...if you remember at the time of Brice's party, he refused to stay dressed up when his friends arrived, but he is very excited about dressing up for other people's parties! So I just put this together real fast (cutting and ripping up an old t-shirt and drawing a skull & crossbones) while Jaeda slept and KJ made an amazing mess in the family room AND dining room (Splenda packets on the floor, etc). It's impressive what a 20 pound little 17 month old can do in such a short amount of time!

Thanks Aunt Caitie!

2008-02-20T14:45:00.000-08:00

Kaitlin received her first haircut today! Caitie cut her hair into an adorable little bob with little bangs, I love it! She is like a new person-she can see without having to have a clip in her hair at ALL TIMES! Thanks Auntie Caitie, you did a great job!

a new lesson to learn

2008-02-18T19:58:00.000-08:00

I am learning to carefully pick my battles. With Brad working so much these days, I have to. Today was the first day that I have been intentional about this. I have a new rule (inspired by my mother-in-law): If it isn't hurting anyone, let it go (paraphrased). So I put that into practice today, and at the end of the day am noticing that my muscles aren't as tense, my head is not aching, and I smiled more. I prayed before opening my eyes this morning that God would help me with this new practice. So, He gave me a little assignment first thing. I am not a fan, personally, of children throwing the cushions off of the couch, building forts with them, jumping on them, and such. So we have never allowed this in our house. However, what do you think was happening when I walked in the living room this morning? ALL cushions and pillows from both couches were all over the floor, and all of my kids were giggling and having fun. No one was getting hurt (I made groundrules of course that if people get hurt, we don't play this game anymore), and everyone was happy. I allowed it. Actually, I enjoyed it. I liked seeing my kids in disbelief that I was even letting them do it...I think this added to their fun. And you know what? It took 3 seconds to clean up. Thank you God for teaching me, and humbling me.

A little bit of catch-up

2008-02-15T20:11:00.000-08:00

This slideshow is a quick glance at our last month (as I have not been on top of blogging these days). You will have to click on the pictures to read the entire caption as I have explained them fully (sorry I am so wordy!)
Brad resigned from the church last month and started working at the Diablo Canyon power outage in January. He is gone from 4:45am until 7:30 pm six days a week (Thursday is his day off). SO, as you can imagine, this has been quite the adjustment for our family. This job will be over at the end of April, and we will be able to decide what is next at that time (the job will provide plenty of financial cushioning as we prepare for our next step). He will also be able to take off a month when our baby arrives! I am so incredibly thankful for friends and family who have been incredible supportive
and helped me out with the kids, etc, while Brad is working so much.
Let's see, it may be easier to update you in list form:
1. Brice started soccer a few weeks ago
2. Jaeda started ballet about a month ago
3. Kaitlin says, "I want to get down."
4. family devotion time has been really precious lately...Brice has been asking lots of questions about Jesus dying on the cross, singing songs with our little songbook and CD, Jaeda and Kaitlin are pretty charismatic in their worship style :).

a new thing.

2008-02-02T02:37:00.000-08:00

Well, two new things. Jaeda just started taking ballet and tap classes, and is SUPER excited about it...going to "ballerina classes" is a majority of what she talks about these days. She loves her teacher Miss Julie, and her new little friends in the class. They are SO CUTE! I am also trying out a new editing program for my pictures...

a great five days

2008-01-29T14:34:00.000-08:00

My parents have been visiting for a few days now, they leave tomorrow. But we have had a wonderful visit with them. The kids have been playing with them around the clock, showing them anything and everything that they like to do. We are so thankful that the weather has not been constantly wet and cold...we have been able to go to a couple of parks which has been a lot of fun. We will miss you when you leave, Mamaw and Papaw! :(

candyland.

2008-01-25T19:47:00.000-08:00

i never knew that the gumdrop guy's name was jolly. thank you, brice.
the game still engages my sweet tooth...and i love seeing my two and three year-old experiencing a wonderful childhood memory of my own.

And for some of my new favorite things as an adult

{Dream Dinners} http://dreamdinners.com/main.php?static=index

{Girls' Night Out...every Tuesday night, not an option}

{Erika and Urban Grace Interiors...a highschool best friend...most creative and talented decorator I know...one who shares my love for antiques and educates me on "good design." Check out her blog, I do EVERY single day and get so extremely involved in her world of design, that I forget I have things to do...aah, I love it.} http://urbangraceinteriors.typepad.com/

{etsy.com} buy. sell. drool. whatever you like.

not feeling like myself.

2008-01-22T09:22:00.000-08:00

It's me, Kaitlin...I have woken up the past two mornings with my eyes swollen shut and crusted over, but the doc says it's either allergies or a really bad cold. And the remains of my black eye are from playing with my cousin last week...we like to play a little rough a lot of the time. Also, my mommy and daddy are having to correct me on not saying "mine" and pointing at my sister and saying "no." I don't know what the big deal is, because I just think it's fun, but okay. They love me no matter what though, and I just keep smiling no matter what, so there you go!

trip to the snow

2008-01-20T17:42:00.000-08:00

Brad and I took Brice to Dodge Ridge with Brad's sister Natalie, Aris, and my niece Kaileigh. Brice LOVED skiing and did not want to stop. He caught on pretty quickly too, and wanted to do it all by himself. He was really cute.:) We went sledding too while Brad and Aris stayed on the slopes for the afternoon. We had a beautiful, fun weekend! To see more pictures from our weekend, click here http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=fgez5zq.4qpr2g2y&x=1&y=rjudzi

thankful.

2008-01-16T14:06:00.000-08:00

i have no complaints today, i clearly see God's provision, and am full of curiosity as to why i have it so good. thank you God for using the stories of others to open my eyes to the millions of blessings you give to me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th6Njr-qkq0

Milestones

2008-01-11T19:49:00.000-08:00

Yay! Brice took off on a bike at school without the training wheels! His friend Colton was doing it, so he wanted to also, and he did a terrific job! Now he wants to ride his bike all the time with "the wheels off." :)
Brice also likes to dress himself, in fact, I have not put an article of clothing on his body in MONTHS. So here he is wearing a Larry Boy t-shirt from my parents, his cousin Cole's baseball pants, and his snow boots.
Jaeda is really into helping in the kitchen these days.
Kaitlin is into smiling all of the time, all of the time, all of the time.

favorite things today

2008-01-07T13:54:00.000-08:00

I don't know how it is at your house, but at ours, there is always a newfound toy that has been missing for days to months, a new hairstyle, a new skill learned, a new behavior acted out (both good or bad), or a new word uttered. Over the past couple of days, here are some of the new things we have been enjoying...
Kaitlin and the Jack in the Box that her Aunt Stefi gave her for Christmas. She is learning to turn the crank and push the bunny back in the box by herself...it isn't as easy as it looks!

Jaeda and her new '80's hairdo that her Auntie Caitie gave her on Saturday night that she has been asking for ever since. She also says that her and her Baby Cinderella look alike now because of it. :)

snow days

2008-01-04T20:20:00.000-08:00

Don't be deceived by this picture...we do not live in the snow. We prepared to go to the snow this weekend (Sierra Summit), but if you have been keeping up with the weather at all, you have seen why we decided against it (10 feet of snow, 100 mph wind, and blizzard the whole time we would be there). All of the weather channels had advised against going to the mountains unless abolutely necessary. The kids have continued to ask when we are going, but we have explained that it is raining and stormy and dangerous, but that we will go soon. It is so hard as parents to not give in, even when it is dangerous! But we DO know better than them, and since they do not run this family (though sometimes I debate that), we went with the icky feeling (and common sense! ) we both had about going and decided to stay home. It's funny, because before we had kids, we would have done it anyways probably, but it since we have had kids, Brad's attitude has changed so much...from risky to saying, "I am not taking any chances with my pregnant wife and three kids." I love him for this though! And thank you to all of our friends and family who have called to make sure we were being smart, we appreciate it. :)
Here are pictures from this morning...the kids wore their snow gear to school, and that was as good as snow to them! And to us!!

when will we learn?

2008-01-04T19:49:00.001-08:00

Can you believe that she did it again? Can you believe that I "allowed" her to do it again? It does not matter where I put my makeup bag...as long as she watches me put it on, she will know where it is. She waits for me to leave the room for a moment, and she goes for it. What a girl, what a blessing.

coming down

2007-12-28T22:00:00.000-08:00

Our family is finally finished with the holiday...not that I am glad it is over, it was just extended for days beyond the norm. We actually never got around to the stockings, so I am considering just putting them back in storage, packed, ready to open next year. Brad has been out of town for a couple of days and gets back tomorrow night, so the kids and I have been keeping very busy, while recovering from Christmas travels. I must say that it brought joy to my heart to see my kids (Jaeda & especially Brice) appreciating what Christmas is all about...Baby Jesus, family, etc...they are still singing Christmas carols and playing with the nativity (why don't we keep it up year round anyway? Something to think about :) You can view some pictures from our Christmas travels here http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=fgez5zq.71kde8xu&x=1&y=ymijoi
Hoping your holiday season has been wonderful too!

cookie makin'

2007-12-21T20:32:00.000-08:00

merry christmas!

baby girl has a name

2007-12-21T20:16:00.000-08:00

Well, we are going with Brice on this one for now because his little heart was broken to hear that there will not be a baby brother named Buster coming this spring. Many of you have asked, so here is the scoop on Brice's reaction to the news. I showed him the ultrasound pics and told him how exciting it is that we found out we are going to have another little girl in the fam...he looked straight at me and said, "No, I wanted a brother...we have to go pick out another one." I walked into the other room where my good friend Aimee was, and we tried our hardest not to laugh...I also wanted to cry because I sensed his little broken heart through his voice. I did not know what to say to him. He's three and a half. Seriously, why was this so hard?
At dinner, he announced that we should just go get 10 babies, and that one of them has to be a girl. Then further let Kaitlin know that she could now be his little brother and that he will call her Kaitlin Buster.
I just finished tucking him in for bed, and during his prayers, he prayed for baby Tigger (this was the first I have heard of this). That's right, he has decided that he will call our new baby girl, "Tigger." That is fine with me. Definitely a step up from Buster, not quite the correct gender, but you can't step on a little guy when he's already down, right? Brice, Brice, Brice...sweet.

Pink Wins!

2007-12-20T16:49:00.000-08:00

That's right! We are proud to announce that we are having yet ANOTHER baby girl!! She is perfectly healthy and we are so thankful to God for this! My due date is still May 31st, so for those familiar with my history of going over, you can expect her arrival on June 3rd or 4th. We are so excited, just haven't broken the news to Kaitlin yet about her having to be Brice's little brother when this one arrives (refer to previous post http://thepavlichfamily.blogspot.com/2007/12/we-might-have-little-problem.html).

dressed for the occasion

2007-12-20T11:14:00.000-08:00

While looking down to journal this morning, I noticed that I am wearing two pink shirts...and am having our ultrasound this afternoon and will hopefully find out the sex of our precious baby. I thought, "How fun if we are having a girl, that I am wearing pink!" A few minutes later, I went back to our bathroom and Brad had just showered and put his clothes on, and he was wearing baby blue! Now, I am not superstitious at all, but find it very fun and cute that we are "subconsciously" festive for our baby's special occasion today! Brad said, "Only you, Sweetie." But readily took a picture for the memory...please ignore my bedhead and swollen nose from blowing it for the fourth day in a row!

2 down, 2 to go

2007-12-12T07:54:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to announce that Jaeda is in big girl undies (except sleep time, tried it, not ready yet) and is doing AWESOME going on the potty on her own all day long! Even without us having to tell her to go, most of the time. So excited to have two out of diapers! Thank you God!!

gingerbread men & broken christmas tree ornaments

2007-12-05T13:41:00.002-08:00

This morning our weekly playgroup had our Christmas party up at our house. The girls are so adorable...they are best friends and the mommies are too, so we have a wonderful time together. The party was a compilation of casseroles, way-too-yummy cheese bread, mac n cheese with water instead of milk, two potty accidents, one broken Christmas ornament requiring two vaccuums to clean it up, and gingerbread men decorating! What fun!!

Mikela and Bella getting ready for decorating!
Kaitlin just needs to taste test before getting started

Mikela is serious about her decorating...and eating!
Rylee is so curious and getting around everywhere!

we might have a little problem

2007-12-02T14:10:00.000-08:00

I was at the playground with my kids this morning and Brice kept calling Kaitlin his little brother as he helped her around the jungle gym...he would say, "Come here little brother, this way little brother Kaitlin." So I asked him why he was calling her his brother. He said that he is just getting ready for if Buster is a girl. He explained that he needs a brother and that if Buster isn't a brother, then he will just make Kaitlin be his little brother. This boy has his heart set on a brother, but I know him well enough to know that he will be great with either. :)
Kaitlin testing the berries on the wreath

No, I don't usually hike her skirts up like this, it is a result of her squatting

Jaeda loves her flowers

Brad and I take KJ on a weekly lunch date while B & J are in preschool

sharing lisa's table

2007-11-29T21:43:00.000-08:00

K & J's Pretties at the Edna Valley Ranch Christmas Show...thank you Hoyt Family for hosting this amazing event in your gorgeous home.

Last night, I was totally honored to share a "table" with my dear friend Lisa Leonard, at the most elegant, amazing Christmas boutique I have ever been too, or been part of! I know that this may embarass Lisa, but this woman is wonderful...she is so unique, talented, business savvy, and positive...I LOVE spending time with her. And her jewelry reflects her heart in a big way...her love for her family, friends, and the Lord. We had so much fun last night, laughing, chatting, selling our goodies, and taking turns leaving the table to check out everyone else's!

Brad wanted me to bring home some pictures from the night, the setup and everything, so here I am with part of the K & J display.
Thank you to my best friends who set aside their night to come to the show...I really appreciate their love and support so much. Thanks for making me and my business a top priority in your busy week!

I know that Lisa's hair is in my face, but isn't it the greatest hair you have ever seen? Seriously. Natural too, wow.
I was also really blessed to have gals from my MOPS group come out just to see me and purchase some clips for their little princesses! So sweet and wonderful to see and visit with you!

back in business

2007-11-29T21:20:00.000-08:00

Thank you Brad for my new camera (and that it is pink!). I am so happy to be back in the realm of blogging...ahhh...it feels so great!
This picture is an excellent example of life around our house...I came home from the grocery to find all three kids modeling a pair of Brice's new undies. I am tired of looking at the "skid marks" in his old ones (for those of you with young ones who are potty-trained, particularly boys, you probably know what I am talking about), so I splurged and bought him 18 new pairs, all in his favorite characters, Cars, Bob the B., Pirates of the C., and something else I can't remember...needless to say, the girls got in on it...I came in on the tail end to take pictures. They make me laugh so much! Thank you Lord for such a good sense of humor these little people bring!
Oh, and here is a back shot...
Oh! I must mention that Brice has ALWAYS (for the past year, since he became potty trained) worn his undies backwards because he says that HE can see the picture better that way, which totally makes sense (observe: Brice's are on backwards and the girls' are on correctly...he has an excellent point!)

The kids have a new game...the girls take turns sitting in front a Brice on anything (legos box, in this case, toilet paper) and he pulls them off backwards. They love it, and crack up the whole time! They are super creative in their play, even when it makes me nervous that someone is going to get hurt! But they usually don't, thankfully!

Not Sure How to Begin

2007-11-17T03:35:00.000-08:00

I feel crippled when it comes to blogging these days because our trusty OLD digital camera has given up the ghost...finally after five years. We bought a new SMALL digital camera last year and lost it at the pumpkin patch almost immediately after purchasing it the month before, so we went back to the big bulky digital. The thing about this camera is that it took wonderful pictures, though a little slow, we always ended up getting the shot that we were going for or better, so after getting over the initial disappointment in losing the little bitty new digital, we adjusted just fine to the bulky one again. But now that we are shopping for cameras again, I am finding that I am at a blog standstill...of course I have plenty to write about, but so many of my writing inspirations stay forefront in my brain because I have a picture from the day to prompt my writing. So for now I guess I will tell you about things that I reached for the camera to capture on "film," but it wasn't there, things you may have seen pictured on this entry had I had a camera handy.
1. A two year old princess Jaeda walking out the door to go to school with speedo goggles on her head and a ballerina tutu.
2. Brice wearing a sweatsuit with dress shoes and his new spikey hairdo that he does himself-watch out.
3. Our kids and the Harrisons' kids SWIMMING in the middle of November (only in CA)
4. Kaitlin's little rash on her cheeks (small bumps that come and go)...any advice? If not gone by Monday, I am calling the dr.
5. Jaeda and her new pink sparkly shoes she got for going on the potty again and again by herself. (yay Jaeda!)

Hope you had fun using your imagination...hopefully I will have visuals soon!

Oh, The Things We Say

2007-11-07T13:27:00.000-08:00

I often laugh as words come out of my mouth, especially when talking to my children. They are so literal, so I speak to them as such. They are things that I absolutely mean, but after saying them, I realize how ridiculous they would sound in the adult world.
Some things that I have said so far today are
1. We don't stand on the kitchen (the play kitchen)
2. You may only swordfight if you are gentle.
3. Please keep the food out of your mouth (playfood)
4. Give Sissy a kiss but remember that she's sickie (to a 2 year old???)
5. Seriously, Brice, how many times do I have to ask you to put your shoes on? His response..."Just five more times! No, just four more!" He really doesn't understand, bless his heart. Or you know, maybe he does. Maybe he needed a few more reminders.
I have really had to start watching what and how I say things, because Brice and Jaeda look up to EVERY WORD that comes out of my mouth, and repeat it to each other! This morning Jaeda looked at Brice during breakfast, and for no apparent reason said, "Don't even think about it, Bricey." And he said back to her, "Just forget about it, Jaeda." I felt like they were having their own little conversation about something of which I had no clue.
And Brice told me that he is tired of 'this whole thing' when I asked him to get his blankie and lunchbox for school. I asked him what that meant, and he said that Mommy says it, so he says it. I was thinking back to when I said I was 'tired of this whole thing' last, but could only recall a conversation with Brad yesterday about dealing with our auto insurance! I haven't said that to the kids, but they certainly listen more than I think they do!!

A LONG day

2007-11-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

I know, you were expecting to see pictures of the kids dressed up, but here are pictures of the biggest kid in our family...Brad dressed up as a female swimmer from the silent film era for his youth group event, so I thought I would scare you with that first this morning.

Our Halloween started with the girls' music class, it was their last class and they all dressed up! They were all so adorable. KJ and Jaeda were Fairy princesses...Jaeda said that she was Tinkerbell even though that was not my intention at all...but she did look like her. Jaeda decided not to participate in class because she had her fairy wand and was not able to play drums with the rubber mallets or use the shakers.
After class, I rushed to preschool to drop Jaeda off for her Halloween party (Brice was already there). Then last night we went to the Naz church up the street for their HUGE halloween party. It was by far the best place for little kids for Halloween. They had trick or treating, a petting zoo, face paint, awesome bounce houses, and lots of games for the kids. We are definitely going back next year! I will post more pictures from that when I get them (I used my mother-in-law's camera because mine was acting up). Brice was the BEST pirate around! Hope your holiday was super fun! Click here for more pictures from ours

Dance Dance

2007-10-31T15:02:00.000-07:00

Here is a fun little video from last Friday night...enjoy! http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4127383056177152773

Brice Says...

2007-10-28T20:19:00.000-07:00

"Dear Jesus, Thank you for Buster and please help him to keep growing bigger and bigger, and please don't let him get smaller. Help him to look like Mommy and have purple eyes because that would be really neat. I would like that really a lot. And if he's a girl, we'll call him 'Tink,' and Kaitlin and Tink will share a bed and be really excited and bonk heads. Amen."

Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater

2007-10-23T15:47:00.000-07:00

Well, our pumpkin eater is actually named Kaitlin Jane, and she is serious about her pumpkins. Instead of apples, she has been walking around the house chomping on pumpkins, it is really funny. What can we say, she is really festive!

Oh, and update on the rat we exterminated...it is an endangered kangaroo rat...oops!

We Caught The Rat

2007-10-22T08:59:00.001-07:00

We have had a few mice in our house in the past year, but they have always been very teeny. So the last couple of days we have heard the scurrying again (in the walls behind the kitchen), so we set up our traps, and charged the rat zapper. This morning, Brad went to check on the zapper, and sure enough the light was blinking so we were thrilled to have caught the mouse, only to find it was actually a huge RAT! It not only took up the length of the box, but it's nasty tail was hanging out the end.
More update...the latest on Kaitlin. I have followed her trail and have figured out one of her routines. She watches at the door to make sure that Jaeda is "really" gone for school, and then she hurries into her room, climbs on sissy's bed and takes down all of her pictures that I have hanging on a clothesline. Then she takes all of Jaeda's babies out of their crib and the stroller and plays with them. These are two things that would not be so easily done without interference if Jaeda was at home. I think that Kaitlin likes taking advantage of the "free reign" that she has over the house for the few hours that her siblings are at preschool.

Buster Ache Remedies

2007-10-19T20:09:00.001-07:00

I am officially in the fun of the first trimester...little Buster is making it known that he is growing fingers and toes, and has been sucking the life out of me to achieve his whopping size of a single blueberry. But thankfully, I have found some little remedies that have helped to take the edge off of the nausea. And either I am super lucky, or they are working, but either way, I can say that I have not thrown up yet (WAY more than I can say than my other pregnancies-by this time I was already blacking out or in the hospital, no joke). I have so many prego friends right now that I thought this would be a fun blog...please share your ideas too!!!
One of my best friends Katie gave me an adorable gift basket last night full of fun teas and "remedies" that I think are so helpful.
1. GINGER TEA-Yogi from Trader Joe's is a good brand. This tea is my favorite, as I have been using it for 2 weeks now and found it successful. Now, you have to get over the bite because it is strong, but sipping on it throughout the day definitely makes a difference.
2. Papaya enzyme supplement-these are (I think) yummy chewables that you take after you eat and they ease digestion and I feel like they clear my nauseous head.
3. B6-I am not sure yet because I have only taken one. In my last 3 pregnancies people always recommended them and I wouldn't try them, but I am giving them a try this time.
4. Glaceau Vitamin Water-I really love the lemonade flavor that Katie gave me and I feel happy because I am getting extra nutrients since the prenatal vitamins make me gag!
5. Raspberry Tea-Helps strengthen the uterus, etc...and it tastes great. I crave tart things when I am pregnant, so if you don't it might not be a good idea for you.

OK, hope these help. PLEASE give me any hints that you have...I would love any suggestions!

Like Mother, Like Daughter

2007-10-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

(Below) So this was the first time she had attempted this foot thing on the table, so before telling her "No" I had to take a picture of her because she was so cute and proud of herself.

I know that I am just like my mom in doing this, but I LOVE taking pictures intentionally, to show progress, or to compare and show similarities. I am just a "tradition" junkie in general. When my mom was a toddler, her mother took a picture of her in the dryer, so when I was a toddler, she took a picture of me in the dryer. So because we were both firstborns, I also took a picture of Brice in our dryer last year. These things make me smile. So I am posting a picture that I took of Kaitlin last night hanging on the dishwasher (that is her daily goal, to get up there and hang out), because Jaeda did the exact same thing this time last year and I took pictures of her doing it! Jaeda is in the pink dress, in case you didn't know by her blond hair :) What about you-what ways are you like your mother, or what traditions have you kept in your family?

K & J's Pretties

2007-10-13T16:14:00.000-07:00

Kids' Cut Hut just opened today and it is awesome! A lady named Kim, the owner, just opened our first kids salon in town and I have never been in such a great place for kids! She has a play structure for the kids and babysitting when mom is getting a haircut, massage, or facial! Kids can get a haircut, and make their own shampoo (there are over 20 colors and scents to choose from!) for under $20!
Anyways, I just set up my displays with my bows, clips, etc yesterday and shop opened today! Here are just a few samples of items that I custom make and am selling in the salon. They are a little crumpled because I took these while running out the door with Kaitlin on my hip!

A little bit of Halloween

....And Baby Makes Six

2007-10-11T22:18:00.001-07:00

That's right! I am pregnant and we are expecting our next baby in May! I know, I say "next" instead of "last" because who knows how many we will have-and for some reason, I am not feeling like four is it for us. (Though I have not yet met anyone who wants more than 4-that might be a clue that I am crazy).
But we are very excited!
I will share with you (and anyone close to me already knows this) that I have been on birth control since KJ was 6 months old. But my doctor explained to me that there are two possible explanations...the antibiotic I was taking cancelled out the birth control (of which I had no warning-nobody told me this!!! How did I not know? Before this pregnancy, I had not been on birth control since my first year of marriage, I guess I am clueless, but I thought my doc would fill me in), or the hormone was not strong enough. Either way, we are going to have another baby and we are thrilled! Now there will be six of us in our constant houseparty :)
I had my first ultrasound today and I am around 8 weeks. I found out the news 3 weeks ago and told Brad a few days later...I was confused and a little upset because of the whole birth control thing and wasn't sure how he would react (I had my own timing plans for our next one-like wait until Kaitlin was in preschool to start trying or look further into adopting...work part-time for a little while...get back to pre-pregnancy weight!?? ) but he was super-excited and started talking about baby names.
Brice and Jaeda were excited too...they LOVE babies more than any kids I know...Brice is going to be a big brother AGAIN! I love that I had a boy first because he really protects and takes care of his little sisters. That poor but lucky little 3 & 1/2 year old! He has a lot of responsibility, but steps up to the plate with his sisters, especially his baby sister. When I was pregnant with Kaitlin, he always laid his head on my belly and prayed for her, and a week ago he started praying for this baby (that he has already named "Buster"), and he prayed a couple of days ago that he will be able to catch Baby Buster when he falls out of Mommy. WOW...
Just wanted to share our surprising but very exciting news!!! Sorry to go on forever, I am just excited and have waited for 3 weeks to talk about it openly with everyone!
Lord, thank you for our little peanut-sized baby that already has a strong heartbeat.
Laura

Keeping Tradition

2007-10-10T18:30:00.000-07:00

My mom has a picture of each of her five grandkids walking down a hallway...or toddling really because they are all around one year-old when we take the pic. They are in a diaper and it is taken from the back, so cute! So Mamaw, here is the long awaited Kaitlin Jane picture.
Love you
L

Date Night...Not Late Night

2007-10-08T22:15:00.000-07:00

I usually blog about the kids, or Brad and I as parents, kid stories, preschool and poop stuff, but tonight I wanted to take the time to post Brad and my highlight of the week event. We go out every Monday night for our date night by ourselves or with friends, and look forward to this night until the next Monday rolls around! It has been so important for us to do this, because without time away from all of the things that we love and wrap ourselves in daily, we are unable to focus on those things functionally. Brad's mom or our friend Aimee watches the kids (thanks guys!) Monday nights give us time to be "dating" for those few hours, where we are the only thing that we have to focus on. Tonight two of our best friends Kate and James joined us for Sushi (our favorite!) and we had a lot of great laughs and a great meal. I always get really tired around ummm.....8:30, and I ate way too much tonight, so we called it a night around that time. I am so thankful for friends, other adults, special time with Brad, and coming home to bathed, fed, and sleeping children (well, almost, Jaeda wasn't, but she usually is.)

Bye Bye BaBas

2007-10-07T17:18:00.000-07:00

Kaitlin is officially off of the bottle...yeah for her! She doesn't even miss it! I was going to take a picture of the 12 bottles that I threw in the trash, but Brad took it to the curb too quickly. I was happy that my friend Katie asked for the lids (we both use Dr. Brown's) because I know part of them is still being used!
Oh, and a little bit of reiteration on my "sharing" blog...thanks for the feedback. I loved your comments!!
Hannah, I totally agree with your thing about 2 year olds not knowing what the word "share" means unless explained, ESPECIALLY if they are the firstborn. Jaeda, probably because she has an older brother, has heard and seen sharing for over a year now, so she caught on right away, which was nice. She has always known what we mean when we ask her to share. Brice was the difficult one because we had never dealt with this before and neither had he!!
Please understand that I DO teach my kids how to share, and like Hannah, we teach them that sharing is giving, and "How much fun it is to give our toys to our friends!" ...I just found it humorous that I totally felt the emotions that they must feel when we are constantly asking them to share with their friends/siblings. Jaeda is really good at sharing, her teachers from school tell us this too. Having a 3, 2, and 1 year old, this is a pretty big issue in our house these days, and when it is between the kids, it is an easy fix..."Jaeda let's give Kaitlin a turn," and she does it. But when it came to me, the MOMMY, I wanted to override all of our rules and not do it! I was having a 3 year old moment. I had to share this moment with other mommies, and I am glad to hear that I am not the only one that has experienced this!

I'm Not Making My Kids Share Anymore

2007-10-05T20:30:00.000-07:00

Just kidding, but seriously, I have a sharing issue. I was coloring with Jaeda tonight at the kitchen table. Now, when it comes to me and art projects, I take them very seriously, and tonight, too seriously. I LOVED what I was coloring for Jaeda and I had been working on it for like 20 minutes. I get on the phone with my friend Katie, and Jaeda starts asking for whichever color I am using at that moment. I ABSOLUTELY did not want to share...not at all. Katie asked me to please share with my daughter when she started hearing Jaeda begging in the background. I totally did not want to. In fact, I told her that she needs to learn to be patient (but not to teach her a virtue, but to indulge in my own selfishness!)
I was not sure if I needed to demonstrate sharing to her every time she asked for a marker, or require patience of her and KEEP the color until I was finished! So, what do you think? Please tell me that I am not the only Mommy who doesn't like to share her toys.

Overdue Gratitude

2007-10-04T18:45:00.000-07:00

I have been feeling a little homesick for Kentucky lately...My sister Emily is pregnant again and it makes me want to move just to be with her...it kills me to live this far away from her especially knowing that I am missing out on the everyday lives of my niece and nephew and our kids growing up together, and with a new baby coming, it makes me want to pack up and move today. I am learning how God wants me to feel content and "at home" with Him. There is a huge difference in my days when I start them with spending time with Him. This is an area that I have often struggled with, but it has been SO WORTH it to give that time to Him at the beginning and end of each day because my loneliness in the midst of busyness, craziness, and stress levels are much lower for the rest of the day.
Yesterday morning I asked Jesus to give me some more love because I was running out with everyone around me. I do not for the life of me understand how He never runs low on love and kindness even when I am annoying, disobedient and unkind to my husband, children, the telemarketer. But it seems I jinxed myself by asking for this, because instead of receiving His dose, I acted otherwise...short, impatient, etc. So first of all, I am thankful for his faithfulness to supply me with everything I need whether or not I decide to take it.
I am also thankful for Wednesdays and Thursdays. They are my "long" days when I don't see Brad from 9 to 9 unless he comes home for lunch or early dinner before heading back to work. I actually love these days (though yes, there are very LONG hours throughout those days)...I love feeding my 3 kids, filling the tub with the 3 of them and bathing them.
I am thankful that Brice is so responsible now that he cleans his own room (with my motivation), picks out his own clothes and dresses himself without any help. I am thankful that I have 3 kids who sleep through the night.
I am also thankful for friends who make me 100 muffins just because she loves me (Aimee). I am thankful that today is Kaitlin's 1st birthday and she is healthy, happy, beautiful, and too much fun.
I am also thankful for the huge bin of 3T girls clothes that I stumbled upon this evening (had completely forgotten that I had), and for my sister that gave it to me. And these are not just any hand-me-downs, her kids are the best-dressed kids I know, so this makes it even more of a fun blessing :)
I am thankful for a wonderful morning with a friend, fellow mother of three, whom I share an understanding of motherhood with that is special to me being that I do not have very many friends with more than 2 kids. I love our connection, her spiritual encouragement, and our many laughs.
I am also thankful for the Cinderella shoes that Jaeda borrowed from her cousin today because of how happy they make her. And for princesses in general...her world would not be near as fun without them.
Lastly, I am thankful for the best husband and father in the world. I have never met a more honest, loving, patient, and accepting man in my life. And he is super-fun!

Here are some pictures from yesterday at Avila barn with our friends Allison and Mikela.
Click here for more pics.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=fgez5zq.ch7yxpxu&x=1&y=plzl31

No Kisses For Kaitlin

2007-10-03T14:53:00.001-07:00

There is no picture with this post because the details in themselves are enough to gross you out. I'm warning you that this is really sick.
Yesterday I experienced the most disgusting episode I have yet to experience in my 3 1/2 years of motherhood (knowing there will be many more, but so far, this takes the cake). The girls were down for their nap, Jaeda in her toddler bed and KJ in her crib (they share a room). Jaeda came out of her room (unusual) and I told her to get back in her room. I went outside to read and 10 minutes later, Brad came out and told me that he needed my help. Well, he heard the girls chatting, so he went in their room and found Jaeda standing next to Kaitlin's crib and Kaitlin was holding Jaeda's POOPY diaper, eating poop (smeared on her face, mouth, and hair), and it was rubbed up and down the cribrails. I immediately gave Kaitlin a bath...then another bath. Her breath smelled like poop, so I had to wash her mouth out and give her laffy taffy (???) to get rid of the smell. KJ's bedding was covered in poop so I had to wash it all, while Jaeda's was fine. Brad asked Jaeda why she gave KJ a dirty diaper and all that she said, and repeated was, "Because, Daddy."
Feel free to throw up now.
And remember that I warned you.

Happy Birthday Little K!

2007-10-01T09:13:00.001-07:00

This past Saturday we celebrated Kaitlin's first birthday (her actual bday is on Thursday the 4th) at the park at the cloisters with our best friends and Brad's family. Honestly though, and no offense, I think she would have had just as much fun if it were only her and the sheetcake. She did have a lot of fun playing on the playground, toddling around, eating, and opening her presents. She really liked trying to put her new clothes on (by the way, she is all set for fall :)
She is a cutie and we had so much fun partying with her! To see more pictures from the party visit our kodakgallery by clicking on the following link

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=fgez5zq.3erwscpu&x=1&y=1auon3

Short Stuff Can be a Pirate Too

2007-09-22T20:19:00.000-07:00

Lately, a topic of discussion around our house concerns Kaitlin and whether or not she is going to be a tomboy or a princess like Jaeda. She adores both her brother and sister, but she truly thrives on Brice's play. She likes being knocked around, and the "boy" games that he tries teaching her. It is really cute. Her very favorite thing lately is swordfighting...Brice has six swords and they love hitting each others swords (and Brice is very careful). She is our little pirate pea. Oh and you can also see from the picture that she is a sword swallower as well. True talent runs in this family. :)

Bluebirds

2007-09-20T15:10:00.000-07:00

This week was the first of 7 music classes that Jaeda and Kaitlin are taking...they love it! I am so excited that we have found something that Jaeda loves as much as playing mommy to her babies. She was a terrific student and participated in all of the songs, dancing, and instruments. Kaitlin loved climbing and sitting on top of the drums and playing with her friends. Our Wed. playgroup is taking the class together, so that makes it even more fun! For more pics, click on this link

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=fgez5zq.a5dnfdei&x=1&y=4e2e96

So Proud of Our Ringbearer

2007-09-19T14:37:00.001-07:00

This past weekend, Brice and I drove down to Riverside for Brad's cousin, Amanda's wedding. We stayed in West Covina with Great Grandma and Papa Joe and had a wonderfully relaxing time with them, then joined in the wedding festivities on the weekend. Brice had no idea what a wedding was, and definitely thought it was a "princess" thing. When Amanda got out of the limo in her dress, he told her that she looked so pretty, and his face was totally honest. He thought she looked GORGEOUS! And she did. He did a great job walking down the aisle, may have been a little TOO helpful with his cousin Kaileigh by trying to take her hand and walk her down (she didnt like this very much), but they were all so cute and it was great. We relaxed and spent time with Grandma and Papa Joe the rest of the time, went swimming, bike riding, and shopping, and by Sunday, we were VERY ready to get home to Daddy and the girls. For more pictures, visit our Kodakgallery by clicking on the following link: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=fgez5zq.7ib5w8xm&x=1&y=er01fg

Sleepless on the Sofa

2007-09-07T00:12:00.000-07:00

KJ konked out on Mamaw

Kaitlin LOVES Mamaw's spaghetti
My first time making Granny's cheesebraids...quite the pastry chef, I am.
Lots of love before school.

I am up at 12:15 because I cannot for the life of me, sleep...I know that my friend Abby is having a baby as we speak, across the country, and I am DYING to know how things are going...and it is way too late to call. But, since I am up, I will go ahead and post pictures from my mom's visit. She was here for 2 weeks and left this past Saturday. We had a great time hanging out with the kids (who adore her), and my friends had a great time with her too. It was very fun for me to have the people who mean the most to me (my best friends), meet and get to know my mom and to have her get to know them. Brice keeps asking to see his "Kentucky Mamaw." :) The kiddos sure do love her.
Oh, I would also like to add that I won a FREE ONE YEAR MEMBERSHIP to my gym!!! My friend Rebecca joined under me 2 weeks ago, so both of our names went into a raffle...there were 3 names picked before me, but none of those people were represented at the drawing, then my name was called!!! I am so excited, thank you Lord for this gift!
(I guess that He knew I would need extra motivation when it comes time to renew my membership in 2008)

What You Can Find on a Potty

2007-08-29T17:23:00.000-07:00

So, it goes like this. Brice's Teacher Britney took the class to go potty before nap. Brice was in the stall for a minute and T. Britney asked if he was okay. He said yes, but continued to stay in the stall. A couple of more minutes went by and he still did not come out. T. Britney looked under the stall and saw that he was still sitting on the potty. She once again asked if he was okay. He said yes and that he would be out in a minute. A few more minutes passed so she asked him to please hurry because there were other kids that needed to use the potty. He did not say anything, so she opened the stall and he was literally reclined on the toilet seat completely naked. He had taken off all of his clothes, socks, shoes and everything and was sitting back on the seat with his arms propped up on the back of the seat and his head tilted back. I LOVE it.

We Have TWO Kiddos in Preschool

2007-08-19T23:30:00.000-07:00

Jaeda started preschool last week, and this was not the easiest thing for me, but was definitely the most fun thing in the world for her. All I know is that I am SO thankful for my wonderful friends who called me to check up on me (because her going to preschool is all about me???) when she went off into the big world last Monday. One of my closest friends Katie whose daughter Kamryn is one of Jaeda's best friends met us for lunch in San Luis and talked me out of picking Jaeda up early from school...I am ridiculous. I would have ruined her day had I tried to take her away during lunch. Then my other Caitie, who I share my ridiculous emotions with all of the time called to see how Jaeda's big first day went and this was very comforting too. I cannot express how much these simple gestures meant to me. I found myself praying a LOT that day for Jaeda and thanking Him for the support our family has of friends that care so much as to pick up the phone to call and see how things that seem so little, are going.

Anyways, I could go on and on about the other encouragement that I received from friends last Monday, but I won't...you know who you are, but I cannot believe the emotions and separation anxiety that moms go through when letting go of a baby even if it is for only a few hours during the week...especially when it is intended for the child's greater good!
Jaeda had an awesome time, napped great (and without her blankie! She didn't even ask for it!), used those manners, and made new friends. What a great week! Brice helped her too...showed her to her classroom (his old class), her cubby, etc. It was a really neat blessing to see how well he takes care of her. ALSO, Kaitlin and I had a great two days, just the two of us...I love watching her blossom when it's just her! Though I think she got bored playing with me after a while, and really missed having her siblings around. She is awesome and I love her to pieces.

Jaeda's Second Birthday Party

2007-08-19T23:02:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know, you thought that she already celebrated her birthday, and you are right. However, we also had another party today to celebrate with the family, my mom who arrived in town last night, and all of Jaeda's friends. We outdid ourselves, but the girl had so much fun, and is officially "princessed" out after getting about every princess toy imaginable. She had fun playing with her friends and sharing her new toys...there were plenty to go around...very generous friends and family we have...wow. Choosing a theme for a birthday party can be very difficult for me as I research everything that Jaeda loves and the trends these days for toddler girls, then weigh them against the little interests that Jaeda has that most people don't know about. Jaeda had a garden party because she loves flowers, helping me in the garden, and being outside. Plus, it was much simpler than the princess party I would have unneccesarily overdone had I attempted it. Weeks before the party, people asked why we weren't going to have a princess party for her since she loves princesses, but truthfully, Brad and I really wanted to seek out Jaeda's unique interests and celebrate them, thus the garden party. She loved it. We are itching to try out the new garden tools and set out the play garden animals that she got today.

As I said, my mom is visiting and I think that her first day here, today, did her in due to a combo of both the jetlag and a two year-old's birthday party. I am so appreciative of how she is such an awesome Mamaw to my children, but not only that, she is also still very much separately a mother to me. She whipped up some of her famous fixins today right before the party to help me out, then attempted to straighten up after the party (nearly impossible with three kids 3 1/2 and younger all over the place). I only hope that I am half of what she is when my kids are parents.

Happy 2nd Birthday Princess!

2007-08-07T21:00:00.000-07:00

Today was Jaeda Boo's 2nd birthday...starting at 5:45 this morning...heaven help me.
I slept on the couch (couldn't breathe in bed due to allergies), and before the sun was up, Jaeda came in the living room and immediately saw her present that never got wrapped last night, lying on the floor...little Cinderella, wired ever-so-well in the box...I am glad that Brad didn't try to steal her out of the box at the store because he would have never been able to get her out. In fact, I believe it to be almost traumatizing to little ones to see the parent undo all of the wires to get the baby dolls out of their packaging. Jaeda asked me if it hurt the baby as I untied the wire from around little Cinderella's neck and set the sewn-to-the-cardboard-hair free using scissors. Goodness.
She had a kickback birthday for the most part. Aimee came over at 2 to give Jaeda her BEAUTIFUL "Jaeda" necklace which she LOVES so much! It is absolutely precious. Her first nice piece of jewelry. Then at 4, the Harrison's came up for Jaeda's birthday dinner...Brad made chicken stir fry (it was awesome!) and we had great weather so we ate out on the patio (the best place for the mixture of tons of rice and 5 kids).
Kam got Jaeda the twin Cabbage Patch dolls that I wanted for her and Mrs. Harrison (as Brice calls her) didn't even know that I already had my eye on them! It was like it was my birthday, I was so excited for her to get them! (Thanks, Katie :))
We later had cake with GGMaw and GGPaw, and Teacher April came over too! It was such a wonderful day.
I always cry on my children's birthdays, but have not yet...I am sure that that will come when I crawl into bed tonight...I love reflecting on them and thanking God for them. I love the pure bittersweetness of motherhood.
To view more pictures from Jaeda's birthday, click on this link http://www.kodakgallery.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=33644349206.131883140306.1186545603799&page=1&sort_order=0&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;navfolderid=0&folderid=0&ownerid=0

I've Added Weight

2007-08-06T19:38:00.000-07:00

I am so pleased that it is not to my body, but in my power class at the gym! I have been training at the gym for two months now and tonight I was able to increase my weight...a milestone in my "getting back to pre-pregnancy body" journey. I like that my kids know what to expect every night when Brad gets home from work and Aimee pulls up to pick me up for the gym (They ask me if I am going to the gym-do they know what the gym is or what goes on there??). Thankfully, they no longer smash their faces up against the glass door crying and screaming that they want mommy. I suppose that this too is a milestone for them. I just hope that they have seen or will notice that I am healthier and more energetic...in a better mood overall...since I have started working out everyday. I hope that it is a habit that they want to adopt as their own in some way...this incentive keeps me motivated.
When I got home from the gym tonight, the girls were down, Brad went to play basketball down in Oceano, and Brice and I made dinner for me (he ate half of it). He LOVES to cook, he could be on Food Network Jr. if there were such a thing.

Kaitlin is borrowing a push toy from a friend and could not love any toy more than this one. She goes so fast! Brice likes to watch and make sure she is doing everything correctly and make sure that all is working correctly. Jaeda on the otherhand likes to steal the toy from Kaitlin and then cries big-time when we asked to give it back to KJ.

No More Monster Ride

2007-08-04T20:07:00.001-07:00

Bricey went to the Fair in Paso today with our family's best friend, Aimee, and Josh, and had the time of his life! While washing his super-thick, filthy hair in the bathtub, we talked about his 8 hour day at the fair and his favorite and least favorite things...and everything he ate. He LOVED the ferris wheel, but hated the "monster ride" which turned out to be a dragon-like train. He ate tons of new foods (I probably don't want to know) and I have never seen him smile so big when telling a story...I am so thankful when he makes precious memories with people that mean so much to our family. Thanks guys for investing in our little man!

Lunchables & Cuddly Soccer Balls

2007-07-30T09:43:00.000-07:00

I am currently (finally) experiencing the blessing of "slowing down" and enjoying my kids as Kaitlin is declaring her independence more and more everyday. Granted, I have three under three, but they truly take care of each other, and the older ones are starting to help Kaitlin be a "big girl."
Jaeda came into our room this morning at her prompt 6:15 and I received the greatest reward that she has ever given to me...an "I love you Mommy, I love you SOOOOOO much. Followed by, "I like your rings, they are so pretty." The latter I did not care about as much as the I love yous. This girl is so sweet, and sincere. What a blessing, God made her this way.
Jaeda, KJ, and I dropped off Brice at preschool this morning, but before that, we went to the store to get Brice a lunch...we were basically out of anything to make a real meal that I wouldn't feel guilty about sending to preschool with him. So we picked out his second Lunchable ever (causing me to feel even more guilty...ahhh the irony) and a green apple, and the child could not have been more excited about his "box lunch." Much more excited about this than the usual sandwich that I make for him at home (stamped with love, I might add). At school, while saying goodbye to him at the Culligan machine, he asked me for a big kiss..."one he could hear." So I laid a big one on him and received a rather large wet one in return. When Brice asked Kaitlin for one, she preferred to just blow him kisses...a trick that she overuses these days, but we smile big every time she does it anyways. Posted are pictures from this morning...Kaitlin's thighs were stuck in between the cribrails and she was cuddling all three blankets whining because she couldn't move. So I twisted and maneuvered her chubbies out of the rails and she was fine, though confused as to why I was taking her picture during the trauma. When blankie isn't around, she prefers Brice's soft soccer ball because it feels like her blankies.

Old at Jars

2007-07-29T21:54:00.000-07:00

Brad and I took his high school group (all boys) to the Jars of Clay concert at the MidState Fair tonight...we felt old when we realized that the last CD we bought from this band was made twelve years ago and we knew two of the songs played. Of course, this only meant that the band itself is getting up there too. We don't usually feel old, but this was unusual. It was a great concert though, and good time with my hubby and his crazy kids. It was good to get a glimpse of his guys that he talks about all of the time...I am usually distracted with my own babes at church that I do not get to hang out with the company that he spends time with during the week. The guys are crazy, gross, off-the-wall, and I had a lot of good laughs. I think I appreciate them more because I am a mother of a boy and know that he will make me laugh in the same ways one day. I'm off to read The Nanny Diaries (our latest book club choice...it has made me laugh out loud several times so far and I am only a quarter of the way through it) until I fall asleep.

That took less time than I expected!

2007-07-29T04:40:00.000-07:00

So I have not created a blog until this moment in fear of how long it would take. I am spread TOO thin in other venues of the internet...facebook, myspace (once a month at most), kodakgallery, and of course, email. But have longed to land on the "blog" for some time seeing that I can more deeply communicate with our close friends and family what is REALLY :) going on with us here at the Pavlich home through journaling and pictures. Thankfully (not for him), my son was up with a fever so I have been tending to him, and now am unable to go to sleep, so here I am. Thank the Lord he is now in a peaceful sleep fueled by mommy's prayers and Motrin and I am going to go try my darndest to catch a few zzzzs before Jaeda too happily bursts into our room at her ever-so-consistent 6:15.