Easter

The Easter bunny came to our house again this year and the kids were super excited. They woke up to find eggs hidden all over the house and their baskets filled with special goodies. We got ready for church and the kids were all dressed in their Easter outfits. (It was a little last minute this year, and a bit more casual).... something they will wear again though. :)

After church and some naps we went to Jake & Wendy's house for an Easter dinner, Egg Hunt and birthday celebration for both Tess & Sophie. The kids had a great time!

Spring Break '09

It's the first day of Spring Break and I want to cry. What am I going to do with these kiddies all week long? Most everyone we know is out of town and the weather is suppose to be crappy the rest of the week. Today was the only "sunny" day and after we went to the pool Paige kept crying about being bored. Oh no you don't! I thought. I really am at a lost. And the only "real" plans I had was to visit my friend Heather tomorrow - she went and delivered her baby today (congrats Heather - I'm so excited for you) but I'm sad for me. I need ideas. I need to be able to bend over.... geez I need to have this baby. Well, only 9 more days, then I too get to lay in a hospital bed with no kids tugging at me to get them some more juice or take them to the park. This week could go by really fast or it could drag on forever... let's pray for fast!

2 Weeks.... Who's counting?

Well, my baby comes 2 weeks from tomorrow and as awful as I've been at blogging lately I can't imagine it will be any better. Next week is our Spring Break and almost everyone we know is going out of town - so that leaves me, huge and pregnant, trying to entertain 3 kids with no friends around... ALL DAY LONG for a WEEK! Yikes! Not sure what to do. If that isn't enough to think about I BROKE my camera last week - I KNOW! Can you believe it? The thing slipped right out of my hands and crashed on the floor leaving me with no camera and no money to buy a new one. Yes, we are back on the budget... I know the Economy is tight right now, but it's funny how we have been "poor" every time we've had a baby. I was thinking about it the other day and when Paige was born we were still newlyweds and we had to go from 2 incomes to 1. When Owen was born we just moved into our house and we were "house poor." When Brock was born John had quit his job to start up his own and we were in the middle of a nasty law-suit. And now this baby is coming and the Economy is the worst it's been in decades! Maybe it's a good thing this is our last baby.

Well, let's hope I can snap a few photos on my iPhone... gee... that's not even funny!

Not the Greatest Week!

So my sister Emily and her kids came to visit for the week. What fun this is going to be.... or that was the plan anyway. Monday (Emily's birthday) Owen breaks his arm, which besides being a real bummer for Owen it threw off our plans for the week. Now we were OUT for the pool or beach, so on Thursday Emily and Wendy take the kids to the beach. I needed to stay home with Owen so I was just going to "drop off" Paige to meet them. Well, as I am sitting there at a red light waiting to turn into the Montage Beach parking lot - a Porsche (out of no where) side swipes me. This guy goes to make a left turn in front of me, passing my car - skids out his back wheels and slams into the side of my car. Making my car, now, un-drivable. UNBELIEVABLE! I was beyond shocked. This guy had to be tripping, because I jump out of my car (huge and pregnant) and immediately open the door to check on my kids... I had 4 small kids in the back of the car. I barely got the car to the side of the road and the cops are there. Thank goodness right? (Not really) Take Note: EXCHANGE INFORMATION ANYWAY! The cop took down all our information and statements, including an eyewitness. Then told us we didn't need to exchange any info and just to give our insurance the police report number. So we did that. I went home. Next thing I know, my insurance says they can't do much because they can't get the report until it's been filed. I wanted to scream and give that cop a piece of my mind. 5 days later I had to drive down to the police station and pay $10 to find out the information of the other driver (which I could have gotten the day of the accident)... only to find out a day later he HAD NO INSURANCE! Oh, I wanted to scream! I now have to pay $1,000 of my own money to get my car fixed (which will take almost 3 weeks) and I have no rental car. Oh, I just won't have it. I was so nice at the scene of the accident it was unbelievable. The guy kept apologizing, and I told him, "No worries, it's an accident and accidents happen." Oh no, not without insurance buddy. I called him and nicely told him that I need the $1,000 that I now have to pay because he has no insurance. He gives me this sob story about having no job and being on unemployment. Then I told him he could pay us with credit card, he says he doesn't have a credit card. I'm sorry, but what 37 year old man, driving a Porsche, living in Laguna Beach doesn't have a CREDIT CARD! That is just a flat out lie. He said he'd try and get the money and call me in a few days... well - we have yet to hear from him and he won't return our calls. I feel like I'm cutting this guy a break and this is how he treats me? All I want is my deductible. I'm not trying to collect for the 3 weeks loss of my car and I've found out that I could call the cops who would then cite him $1,000 for no insurance and if he doesn't pay that they will put out a warrant for his arrest. I really don't like to be mean, but I'm starting to feel like I have no other choice. This guy has now made me livid!

Poor Owen

I have to say this wasn't our first trip to the ER, but this was our first broken arm. We've dealt with stitches and 4 knocked out teeth (Paige), but until now, no broken bones. Poor Owen, we were at Bluebird Park in Laguna Beach with my sister Emily (and her kids) when one of Owen's cousins went down a slide and landed on Owen's arm. There wasn't a fall or trip or anything. It was across the park and a Spanish speaking nanny picked him up and was carrying him to me. I couldn't understand what she was saying but I heard her husband say something about a "pretzel"... hmmm... "that can't be good," I thought. To tell you the truth Owen wasn't even crying that hard, I mean no harder then any other injury he's had. I had never seen a broken arm before but I took one look at it and thought, "uh, oh... I think this is broken." I don't know, maybe it was the fact that the arm bent where it wasn't suppose to that gave it away.
I quickly grabbed Owen and asked my sisters to take Brock home. We were just a mile away from South Coast Hospital in Laguna Beach, which was great because the ER there is usually empty. After running to the car, by then Owen had stopped crying, and then parking at the hospital and carrying him up a huge hill - you would have thought I was going into labor. They got us right in. The whole time I couldn't believe how good Owen was being. It was as though he was in some sort of meditative state. He wasn't asleep - he was just closing his eyes through the pain. They even asked me if I gave him anything, and of course I said no - we came straight from the park. He was so brave, we read books and he looked at pictures on his dad's phone (yes, can you believe it - John even came!). The only time he cried was during the X-Ray when they had to move his arm and then when they sent John and I out to RE-SET the break. Ouch! He was drugged at the time and the doctors even tried to say that he was crying because he didn't like the Oxygen mask he had on.... um... yeah... good one. I guess we were sent out because the sound of them resetting the arm often makes parents pass out. I already felt queasy due to the constant running while holding a 40 lb. kid and the look of his arm - then this baby wouldn't stop doing flips inside me.... Well, 2 hours later we were home - and Owen was doing great.
The poor guy had to wear a splint for the first week - which isn't as stable as a cast. We had to be super careful and we couldn't get it wet. The toughest part was finding clothes that could fit over it.

One week later we went back into the doctor and Owen picked out a Blue cast, because "Blue is for Boys!" he likes to say.


Brock was there, he likes to tell everyone that Owen broke his arm at the park. He also thinks that his arm is broken anytime he falls or gets hurt. I think he secretly wants a cast of his own.
The nice thing about this cast is that it is WATERPROOF! Yep, he can bath in it, he has even gone swimming in this cast. I thought it would stink or something... nope. In fact the doctors say it helps clean the arm. He loves to get signatures too, the other day a plumber was over fixing our shower and Owen asked him if he wanted to sign his cast. So cute. He loves to tell people how "Brave" he was (he really was brave). Thanks to everyone that brought him over gifts and well wishes. I think he felt ultra special and brave for that. He gets fitted for another cast soon and I asked him what color he wants... he said, "Pink" - I guess we'll see!

Little Brock

This kid has been killing me lately... I don't know if it is the age or just his personality, but he is the cutest.

So over the past few months, whenever it is time to say prayer this is how the kid kneels down... I guess John did it a couple of times and Brock has decided it's his new favorite way of praying. Not only does he kneel like this but then he insists that everyone else does the same. I try to explain that Mommy has a big tummy in the way which makes it difficult - nevertheless he will whisper loudly during the entire prayer and call people by name to switch to one knee. Also, when we pray as family we take turns and during Brock or Owen's turn either John or I help them out. Well now Brock has taken it upon himself to help everyone else out. So now during all the prayers he starts whispering things to you to include in your prayer. Seriously?

The other day we Brock came home from church wearing this crown... he wanted to wear it all day and even over the next couple of days. He calls it his hat and likes to point out the stickers on it.

Seriously - I could eat this kid up.
Oh, and one more thing. The kids are huge into "Eeny Meeny Miny Moe" - they do it for practically everything. Well this kid can't be left out, so randomly he will point to different people and say, "Miny Moe, Miny Moe, Miny Moe IT!" I guess that's his way of participating.

Brocky Turns 2

I can't believe our little Brock turned two years old. We decided to just have some family over for a get together and have cake. Since there was no party planned I thought the least I could do was make him a fun cake... well I tried. My only hope was that he would recognize who it was. I guess you could say it was a success. He looked at the cake and immediately said, "Sully!" (from the movie Monsters Inc.) I know it's not that great, but he could tell and that was all I cared about. We all sang to him... this is Owen's favorite part - the kids practically screams Happy Birthday and then ends it with, "Cha Cha Cha... Kumbaya - Stick your head in Hot Lava!"
Brock was really excited about all his new presents, they immediately busted out the fire engine tent from his Grandma Vicki. I think they crammed 7+ kids in that small tent.
Happy Birthday Brocky boy... this birthday was just another reminder of how close we are to this new baby coming.

What a Scene!!!

So as many know almost 3 years ago (this March) Paige took a fall and knocked out her 4... yes that is 4 front teeth. Since then she has been (to put it lightly) less then enthusiastic about going to the dentist. To be honest, she was really traumatized and thought they were going to pull her teeth out. We finally got her to go last year to a Pediatric Specialist along side Owen. I would say it was a success. Well, our insurance only covers Peds Dentist until the mature age of 6 - seriously?!?! I stalled and stalled taking her to my dentist, but enough was enough. The other day she had an appointment. When John told her she was scheduled she was so upset. Crying, threatening (her to us) and more crying followed! We told her she had to go and promised her it would be OK.

So last week was the day, we came home from school and had a few minutes to relax and then I said, "OK, it's time to go to the dentist." Wow, was I in for a shock! Immediate tears, screaming and refusal to get in the car. I finally get her in the car and drive there and she flat out says there is "No way you can get me out of this car - I am not going in there." I told her we would all go together (yes, me and 2 other crazy boys) and it would be fine. I told her that all they wanted to do was brush her teeth. I went in and told the receptionist we were here, but she was still in the car and to give us a couple minutes. I must have looked crazy - pregnant, 2 boys in hand and I couldn't get my oldest child out of the car for a dentist appointment??? I went back outside and tried everything. I said I would sit with her, Brock would be there - Owen would be there. I'll take you to Cherry On Top (her favorite ice cream shop), she could go on a date with Daddy (always a winner). Nothing! I tried threatening her, called John, everything... Get out Now! This girl screamed and cried and would not budge. One would say - drag her in there. Well we tried that before and if she won't open her mouth they send you home - so even that wasn't an option. It had to be on her terms.

Next thing I know the hygienist comes out... Oh good grief - now we have a parking lot scene. Now Paige is crying, I'm crying, the hygienist is on my cell phone with John and the boys are running a muck! This is unreal. Needless to say, we left shortly after. Nope, never got her out. So help me this child needs therapy. Now my only option is to pay (what will only cost me $5 for Owen) all the out of pocket expenses to have her see the peds specialist - that is... if she goes! Here is my darling Paige just a day or so after loosing her 4 front teeth (If you look closely you can see where the gums drop down between the teeth - still swollen).
Here is my precious Paige recently - she has grown in 2 of the 4 teeth she lost - what a big girl smile. I'm sure she'll grown into those Zimmerman teeth in a few years. We are still waiting for the other 2 to surface.

Blogging Hiatus...

Yes, I know! My blogging has been horrible lately. I haven't even been checking blogs (sorry). Needless to say December was a crazy month - I'm trying my best to get back on track. As of lately we have been super busy trying to switch rooms around for the new arrival of our baby (coming in April). We moved the playroom downstairs with the office - now it's an Office/Playroom. We'll have to see how that works, so far so good. We are moving Paige into the old playroom and the baby will take over Paige's old room when she comes. Owen and Brock are moving into Bunk Beds as soon as we can find the ones we want and we are painting all three of the kids rooms upstairs. That is a lot to do in the next 3 months. Wish me luck! I will do my best to keep the blog up to date.

Molly

Well it has been quite a roller coaster since we got Molly (last July) and we found out that baby #4 was on the way. I thought... there is no way that we could have gotten a dumber and more stubborn dog. Let me just say now that she has gotten so much better (I say this after just cleaning up pee on the kitchen floor - it's amazing what improvement is).

Brock...
...is found most hours of the day here (see picture) in Molly's bed. He loves this dog more then anything else, whenever we are gone to the park, store or out and about - he asks for Molly. He loves to discipline her - I don't think she knows that is what he is doing. I constantly hear, "No Molly no! Good girl."
Hair Cut

Molly was in a desperate need of a hair cut. She doesn't shed but her hair does grow really long. After being fixed she got a lot of dreads from the satellite dish she wore around her neck. We took her for a cut and here is the before picture...
Here is the after... I'm not sure it's the same dog. No but seriously, she is so much better after the hair cut. I think the kids like to pet her more (their little fingers don't pull on her hair) and she stays cleaner longer. They did however have to shave her ears - doesn't look so cute, but they will grow back out.
Paige ...

...holds her all the time now. Not that she didn't hold her before but with the long hair she she didn't like it as much.
Here is Paige trying to do homework with Molly on her lap - and like always Brock is nearby trying to play with her as well.
Now just because she is better doesn't mean she still doesn't need some serious dog training. John keeps saying he is going to set it up... and I'm just waiting. Owen loves her too, but usually finds a way to get her all hyper. Maybe it's the fact that he will steel all her doggy toys and put them up high. I'm not sure what their relationship is yet.