Checking in....

It's been a busy, busy summer! Here is a quick update on everyone. Cheyenne is a little over a month old now. She just began to finally get her days and nights switched back to normal and I am getting an accumulated 7-8 hours of sleep a night. At least, that is how this past week has gone. The first month was hard! She would be up from about midnight to 6am and then when she fell asleep, the boys woke up. It's impossible to take a nap with little ones and a house to maintain. Finally, I think we have everyone on a schedule that ensures I get enough rest (I actually am good with 5-6 hours a night, but I'll take anything more I can get!) and have enough time mid-day that they are all napping and I can get some stuff done around here. Cheyenne is sooooo cute and soooo sweet. I still can't believe how blessed we are to have 4 healthy, beautiful kids...and 2 of each gender!!! Cheyenne looks a lot like me....yay!!! Finally, a baby that looks like they belong to me :) She does have light hair and blue eyes, but her features are all mine. Creighton is so cute and loving, but as 3 1/2 approaches, we are getting more defiance from him. He did seamlessly transition into his twin bed and still goes to bed without a peep at 7pm. I don't mind the misbehavior that toddlerhood brings. In fact, I laugh about it daily and appreciate the randomness of a 3 year old and the challenges they bring. I know it won't last long and I will miss a lot of it, even the bad, when they are older. Cort is hysterical!!! He is so little, or seems so little. He is actually in the 90% for height, but only the 10% for weight, so maybe that is why he seems so tiny. He has hair now!!! About time! He is talking some and so, so, so sweet. One of the sweetest boys I have met. Kiley will be going into 4th grade this year! Wow, how time flies. She is going to be 10 in November. Geesh.....She is a really great young lady and such a great big sister to Creighton, Cort, and Cheyenne. Creighton is obsessed with Kiley and is constantly begging to sleep in her bed. She is like a second mother to them because of the age difference. I miss her being the cutest little 2 year old, but I really have enjoyed watching her grow up and mature. Chad's kept himself busy with the basement and work. Fortunately, his office has been pretty slow since June and he has had lots of time to be at home with me and the kids, which is invaluable since Cheyenne is so little and when his work is busy, he can put in 80 hour weeks for 3 months straight! It has also given him time to work on the basement. He started in late April and has moved pretty fast on it, considering he is doing it by himself! He framed the entire thing (an office, a bedroom, a living room, a play area, a bathroom, a storage room and a workout room-that is a lot of framing!) He did the electrical work a couple weeks ago and finished up the plumbing this past weekend. Next weekend, he is going to do the mechanical and then I think we will be close to ready for our first inspection. Everyone is doing great and we are all adjusting well to being a family of 6...although, I haven't yet mastered running errands with the three little ones yet. :)

Cheyenne Isabella 5.5 weeks old.

Baby Cort, 21 months....I know he isn't a baby anymore, but I will still call him baby Cort when he is 16.

Creighton. He is 3....that is my explanation for the outside toys inside the house, shoes on the wrong feet, the outfit, and I am sure he doesn't have underwear on under his shorts.....;)

Waiting for daddy to come home....one of the kids favorite things to do in the evening.

Cheyenne 3 weeks old.

Creighton and Cooper.......if it were up to me, we would have no animals, but the kids love them. They are napping on the patio with deflated swimming pools as blankets.

Creighton in a serious moment.