
Well, somehow the Williams Weekly blog has been lengthened to the Williams Tri-weekly blog! Of course, not being intentional on my part. Post our very eventful week full of sickness and parties, we have lived a relatively low-key life. Don't get me wrong, things here are hectic all the time. That sort of thing tends to happen when you have 800 kids. : ) But the last half of the week and our weekend were very busy, and all in a good way. Most importantly, we are happy to report that Miss Mattelyn has made some progressions since we last wrote. Number One, she has discovered her feet. Not just seeing them, but actually playing with them and even better, trying to eat them (as she does everything)! I am excited about all of this, as I have always wanted that roly-poly baby that would grab their feet and longingly pull on them til they reached their little mouth. And alas, I finally have that baby! It's the little things in life that jazz me up. She is so incredibly cute when she does it, and doesn't quite understand why it jolts away from her in a heartbeat. She will look around as if to say, "Hey, who took my foot!"
Number Two, she has begun to eat something other than oatmeal and formula...veggies! I had to dust off my baby food making tools and skills, and spent an afternoon in the kitchen whipping up the greens (we started all kids with greens, then went to yellows/oranges, and finally to whites). As of tonight, she has tried all of the ones I made, and here is the consensus. Broccoli and zucchini will be consumed without any additions, but green beans, spinach, and peas require a mix of vegetable and oatmeal. Some of you may have caught the video of us feeding her peas for the first time. This was the first veg that we fed each of the girls, and none of them liked it at first, but she was the first to gag and shutter at them! Eventually, when mixed with oatmeal, she ate them all, and has done the same with the others. Ultimately, I would say greens are a hit. This week we will add in butternut squash, carrots, sweet potatoes and corn, and next week we'll start fruit! Such accomplishments!

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| Ugh, these are awful... |
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Ok, maybe they are not so bad!
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Number Three, she learned to roll over. Initially, it was just a belly to back situation, but now she can go back to belly as well. She spends much of her time rolling around the living room floor now, or turning like a sundial. She can also pull her knees up under her, and hitch forward ever so slightly. I recognize this as a sign she may be like Regan, who was walking at 9 months. Boy am I in for it...again! She has already made changing her diapers an olympic- like event. The "Let's see if Mommy can get me clean as I contort my body" individual event. I am a bit out of practice, but think I may nail it in no time. Regardless, gone are the days of leaving her on a couch, changing table, bed, etc, as I step away for a moment. Good thing my gates are still installed. And that about sums it up for the little Miss.
My bigger girlies have been pretty busy as well. Erinns school will be celebrating their 100th day this week, and so we needed to do a project for that, as well as make our own homemade Valentines. For her 100th day project, we painted Q-tips tips different colors with paint. We used this time to also work on some math concepts like grouping things, symmetry lessons, and counting by 10's. As well as division, which she didn't know she was doing (teehee).
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100 day project (and yes, those are bathing suits they are wearing)
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Our homemade Valentines this year were so fun! I admit, I got the idea off of a website back in November, when I was looking for something else. I just decided to put it in my rolodex of ideas and save for Valentines. I was nervous at first, I am creative, but not always good about putting my ideas into practice. We decided to make heart shaped crayons, made from melted crayons. They were surprisingly easy, the girls had fun doing them...and so did Rob and I. And, they came out great, always a bonus!
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| The beginning of the cards |
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| Daddy and Mattelyn help out |
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| One of our finished products! |
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Funny how a weekend full of projects looks so menial when put altogether in cute packages at the end.
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Our children and their daily affairs are probably the most newsworthy to report, Rob and I are pretty boring otherwise. I did find out this week that I have Lyme Disease. Where I got it, I have absolutely no clue. Nor do I know how long I have had it. But one thing is for sure, it answers a lot of questions as to why I have been so fatigued, irritable, and most importantly, as though I have had the body of an 80 year old for a few weeks now. Although the medication is less than appealing, I am confidant it will help, and I can get back on track to lose my 10 pounds!
This week we look forward to celebrating Valentines together as a family. The last few years we have had a meal in front of the fireplace. A warm and cozy way to celebrate, and this year, we have one more to add to our romantic ambience. It is sure to be as wonderful as it has been in the past.
We hope that you all enjoy your Valentines as well. And I hope to be more vigilant about getting back to you all in a more timely manner! Have a super week!
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| This is how they keep me quiet while they cook dinner! : ) |