the past few weeks . . .

my world has been totally rocked- to say the least.  This little boy has consumed more of my time than anything else.  

I certainly wouldn't trade it for a second.  His little body, luscious smells, wrinkled up face, funny noises, his faux hawk {Luke is so proud of it} . . . he couldn't be any yummier.  Good thing.  He is a very needy baby which sometimes drives me a bit crazy.  It was bound to happen.  One of my babies had to be high maitenence & Max is just that.  I guess you could say he is a little colicy.  Not complaining though.

My first outing out with all S I X kids alone.  Looks like the pro-creating thing must come to a stop unless we want to be driving around one of those 15 passenger humongous vans.  NO THANKS.  We are filled to the brim.  No room for friends, extra stuff, or even Grandma.  Sorry.

We don't see much of this guy.  It feels like he is always gone.  These last few months are going to be crazy busy.  Eric's last rotation is a beast and has to manage all the younger residents and take care of their mistakes and issues plus his own stuff.  No time for anything else.  He has held Max a total of maybe 15 minutes.  Really, he is never around.  

Top Ramen has been the food of choice around here lately.  For a quick fix on those nights I just can't pull dinner together and Eric is not coming home.  Mac N Cheese, Hot dogs, frozen pizza . . . it has been nice to have those "unhealthy" options.  It won't last forever but for now they work.

When this is occurring, it is time for me to crank it into 5th gear and get things done.  Otherwise, he wants to be eating or wrapped up like a burrito and held close and tight right up against me.  He spits that darn binks out and just doesn't love it.  He wants the "real" stuff.

Soccer has begun.  Our evenings are spent at the soccer field for practice.  With four kids playing, we are there almost every single night.  Max has learned that hanging in the front seat of the car with mom and nursing is part of his routine while Claire is bouncing around the rest of the car getting into everything.  I just can't manage Max and Claire out on the field quite yet running around with them.  Plus it hasn't warmed up quite yet.

The kids have spent lots of time lounging around with their blankies looking like rag-muffins.  They always seem to come up with something creative to play together.  I love it.  I love seeing them get along so well using their imagination.  Siblings are the best and they are super lucky to have one another.

Max always has his hands bunched up tight in fists right under his little chin.   Talk about some nasty smelling hands when he finally decides to open those things.  Secretly, sometimes I just sit there and sniff them.  Gross I know.  Yea, his eyes looks sort of funky in this picture- he can do some weird things with his eyes.

Max does not like his clothes to be off.  He hates having his diaper changed and just wants to be tight like a burrito.  SO, pictures with him is impossible.  He screams and makes awkward faces and is just plain mad.  Really, this is probably as good as it gets with him and I was sweating my guts out just to get a handful of awful ones.  Oh Max, cooperation is where it is at bud.  We will try again next week- maybe.

My little Claire has spent lots of time watching her baby einsteins dvd's over the weeks.  She loves them.  What a blessing they have been.  Her favorite is to snuggle up on the bed with blankets and watch them on the computer.

Grumpy boy . . . nothing else to say.

It has been almost impossible trying to keep our house "worthy" of showings with six kids.  Our house is on the market and when the phone calls come saying we have a showing, I panic.  Sometimes I only have a few hours notice.  I feel like every day the house has to be just perfect- just in case.  Oh yes, we also just lowered the price A LOT which makes us sick but in this market, the price is everything.  Anybody want a darling blue house in Jersey?

Anna has taken upon a new interest- washing dishes.  She loves to have tea parties and then spend an hour after washing the cups and plates.  It really is just the water and suds she makes that is so fun for her.  Something to keep her busy.

Many hours are spent just like this . . . cuddled up with little Max on the couch.  The kids all take turns.  Max is spoiled.  Always being held and snuggled.  Crying when he gets put down.  Immediately picked right back up.  

First bath at home under the faucet.  He L O V E S warm water running on his head and little body.  Looking forward to giving him a "real" bath in the tub.  That umbilical cord has got to fall off.  The kids just think it is nasty.

My dear sweet friend Ashli who lives in UT ditched her four kids to come and hang out with my six kids in Jersey.  She and I were bff's in high school and have always had a wonderful friendship {even when she said "see ya" for a boy}.  Ashli wanted to come and help me with Max and see what my life has been like the past five years.  It surely was such a treat to have her for four days.

The kids probably spent more time with her than I did.  They were at her side the entire visit.  Barbies, doggy game, ponies, dress-ups.  The girls had Ashli wrapped around their fingers.  They were in heaven.

We snuck out for lunch one afternoon and went to my favorite little spot.  Little Tuna in Haddonfield.  We shared a cup of Lobster Bisque, Salmon Salad and bacon cheeseburger.  YUM-O!  Then spent close to $9 on a tiny bag of kookaburra licorice and one bighunk.  Yep, that's it.  Total rip off but Ashli paid for it and we walked out in disbelief.  If it were my choice, I would have said, "no thanks" and left with nothing.  But the licorice was tasty.

Bless Ashli's heart:  she gave 5 haircuts Friday evening.  She brought her stuff and went to work on my kids.  The girls A line cuts were so adorable.  Thanks Ash for saving me some time & money.

You can't come to our house without taking a trip into Philly.  We packed Max up and Saturday went down to the Liberty Bell, Visitors Center, walked around, and ate at Terminal Reading Market the best pizza ever.  Oh, and picked up some yummy produce, yogurt covered nuts, & indulged in some red velvet cupcakes.  I think Ash liked it enough to want to come back with her family sometime.  So much history in Philly.

Ashli's iphone was the choice of fun for the boys.  She showed us lots of fun kids apps to put on our ipad and the kids had a blast.  One was on the iphone the other on the ipad- never a fight.  It was great.  Maybe we need to upgrade to iphones {or maybe not}.

Thanks Ash for a great time.  Miss you like crazy already {so do my kids}.  It meant the world to me that you would come and see me.  Love ya cute girl.

All in all, our weeks have been spent with this cutie pie.  Really, we just all adore him and want to be right next to him always.  None of us want him to grow up and get big.  We so wish him to stay little BUT sleep through the night, chill in his bouncer or swing, stop spitting up, not want to eat every 2-3 hours . . . OH MAXWELL, we LOVE you to pieces little buddy.