Highlights of the Past Month

It is hard to believe that October is almost past us! Where does the time go? These have been some of our highlights (that I can remember - that darn memory):

*Hannah getting two more teeth
*Hannah saying "Da, Da" and "Ma, Ma"
*More smiles and giggles from all
*Josiah interpreting Hannah's babbling - she said "Praise God"
*Josiah completing his Math book (which was originally for the whole year)
*Gabriel beating his speed drills in Math and getting 100% on two of his tests
*MarieElizabeth enjoying preschool
*MarieElizabeth going full time into panties, even at night!! Yeah!!
*Gabriel lementing "Why did Adam and Eve have to sin?" because he had to empty the dishwasher
*Doing tongue tricks at the dinner table (Yes I can flip my tongue upside down and MarieElizabeth can touch her nose with hers)...the whole incident was instigated by Hannah learning to stick out her tongue.
*Completing our retaining wall in the front...now for the side!
*A wonderful surprise 30th Birthday party - that was truly a surprise - I had no idea - good job Jon!
*A new massage pad
*Having Hannah lay her head on my shoulder and cuddle into my chest for the first time
*Watching Grandmas hold Hannah for the first time
*Hannah standing so proudly without holding onto anything
*Gabriel and Josiah both completing another level of their phonics program
*MarieElizabeth showing me a picture she scribbled and asking me "is this a proper noun Mom or a common noun?" A lesson I had just been giving to Gabriel
*Watching Josiah deeply engrossed in reading his Bible - to the point we had to tell him to put it away while he walked
*Great brisk walks in the fall air
*Racing through the playset at the park (we all timed in under 10 sec. - amazing isn't it)!
*watching all four kids play together, swinging and laughing
*MarieElizabeth insisting that the picture of grapes she painted would turn into real grapes on Saturday if we put it in the fridge
*listening in on the kids while they play "House"
*Dinner with friends and family
*No cavities for anyone at the Dentist!!
*Dentist telling Gabriel that his two front teeth are a tiny bit wiggly (miniscule - but it gave him hope!)
*Hearing the boys recite their verse from the week from memory
*Josiah saying "Baby's are a lot of work Mom, but I'm still glad we got Hannah"
*Hannah reaching out her arms to me
*watching Daddy arm wrestle Gabriel
*MarieElizabeth taking care of her babies
*lots of hugs and kisses, and "I love you's" - even "I love you VIVA!" (Marie Elizabeth's favorite)
*Soccer games
*Gabriel teaching Josiah how to play chess
*watching the boys pray their rosary at church on their own initiative
*Making it to daily Mass on time (we try once or twice a week)!
*Hannah learning to click her toungue and her and MarieElizabeth doing it back and forth to each other
*planting 25 plants and 200 bulbs
*Rocking Hannah while giving her a bottle and having her stare into my eyes.
*Lord's Day celebrations
*Taking my neice /goddaughter shopping for the day (even if she didn't wear the shirt - ha,ha Emily)
*Finding out we are going to have another nephew
*Hannah's baptism - pics coming soon!

Motto to Live By (which I got on a plaque for my Birthday):
"Life shoud NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well perserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, choclate in one hand, latte in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "Woo Hoo, what a ride!"