1st Day of Kindergarten

Since we think we will be in Bakersfield for a while with Johnny's job we took a chance and had Daniel start kindergarten yesterday. We were both so excited and so ready for him to go to school. He had a smile on his face all day and insisted on riding the bus to and from school. The bus, of course, missed him and we had to catch it at another stop on the opposite side of the street. He didn't hesitate to jump right on, but was frustrated they made him sit in the front instead of letting him go to the back. He also didn't want to wear the sticker with his name and bus information. Poor Jaxon wanted to ride the bus with Daniel and seemed a little lost all day without his big brother.

We followed the bus to school and met up with Daniel outside. He was very calm and didn't look back AT ALL when I dropped him off at class. I didn't cry but couldn't help feeling a little sad that he was so big. Of course I was more proud of him than anything and excited for this new part of his life.

Johnny gave him a Father's Blessing on Sunday which of course was the first of many. I think it was a special day for both Daniel and Johnny.

Pudding anyone?

Wesley has been showing us a whole new side to him the closer he gets to being 2. Yesterday he had some fun with chocolate pudding! I even found some flung on the bathroom mirror. Of course he had to stick his finger up his nose and snort like a piggy just to add some charm! Nothing would cut through this mess except for a full on bath which he promptly pooped in. It was just one of those days!

Wesley is 2!

Wesley will turn two this weekend but since we were in Hemet last weekend we celebrated with my parent's early.

The boys were all excited for a pinata. Something about whacking away with a bat and candy flying all over really excites my boys. Even Garrett enjoyed the show!

Wesley was more excited about the candy than actually hitting the pinata. When it came to presents he was so excited for a new pair of rain boots form my parent's so he can be like his older brothers with their boots.

He wears them constantly. Today in the car he started saying "there's a snake in my boots."

I can't believe my baby is two! It seems like we have not been in CA that long, but really it has been two whole years!

Mommy Moments

With each of my children I can remember the exact moment when I fell completely in love with them. When Daniel was born I was surprised it was not right when he was born. It has not come right at the birth of any of my boys. Of course I loved each of them and was so happy to have them in my life, but it is not "the moment" I am talking about. I call it my Mommy moment. With Daniel, Jaxon, and Wesley it happened at night, in the dark, while nursing and singing them songs. I could smell that amazing baby smell of innocence and lotion. The moment is when I was just completely overwhelmed with love for the perfect child the Lord had blessed me with. I become so overwhelmed I can't speak, but hold my baby and thank the Lord for him in my life. After having Garrett I kept expecting this moment to come, but it didn't. I was oh so overwhelmed with the responsibility of taking care of my 4 children, living away from Johnny, and feeling so alone all the time. It didn't come until the day of Garrett's blessing. Right before I handed him to his Daddy. I just couldn't believe the Lord knew I needed Garrett to bless my life and even though I didn't want another baby at the time I am glad the Lord knows better than I do and blessed me with him anyway.

Garrett's Blessing Day

Garrett was blessed on Sunday. Thank you to everyone who made the effort to come. We really appreciate all of the support! Two of Johnny's brothers even made it out from Bagdad, AZ. This is our first Percival family picture with my parents, sisters, and all the grandchildren. Here is Tobin, Jeanine and Kevin's new addition. He is less than a month apart from Garrett. We hope they will be great friends growing up. And of course one very proud Grandpa with the two newest Percival grand babies.

Trailer Life

The trailer park we are staying at is very nice compared to some of the mobile home parks we have found. Recently I have noticed that we say funny things I would never say if we lived at our house in Arizona.

1. Me: Johnny do you know where the bike pump ended up? Johnny: Yeah, I think I put it in the fruit bowl.

2. Babe please don't take the boys to the pool in the wagon, I have to pick up the laundry.

3. Me: Why does it smell like rotten eggs? Johnny: Oh, must be time to empty the tank.

4. Don't forget to check the oven for toys when you light the pilot light, Wesley was storing some trucks in there earlier.

5. Daniel please remember to put water in the toilet before you use it.

6. Excuse me, you can't sit at the table while I am cooking. All the baking supplies I need are under the bench.

7. Jaxon, please stop splashing in the bathtub. Every time you do that the water goes through the wall into the kitchen!

8. Daniel can you get out some paper towels for me? They are under the couch.

Since moving to Bakersfield this is the first park we have stayed in that has free cable. I LOVE watching HGTV while nursing. Property Brothers is my favorite. The other night I dreamed we were renovating my dream house and I kept yelling "I don't want an adobe house." Johnny thought that was funny coming from a girl living in a travel trailer!

You've got your hands full!

"You've got your hands full" is not only the most common phrase I hear each time I venture into public with my 4 sons, but it has also become the most annoying. A close second is "Are you going to try for a girl?" However annoying these may be at least they are not outright rude like some things people have said to me in the last few weeks. Ranked #1 at this time is the lady in the laundry room who told me flat out "Don't have any more kids, okay! There are too many in this world and they are too expensive." I didn't respond but believe me I wanted to.

Garrett is amazing and I can not imagine my family without him. I prayed for a long time after I found out I was pregnant with Garrett to change my heart so that I would really want him. I didn't at all for a long time after I found out I was prego and it was a big struggle for me. Of course that only brought more guilt. I was not ready for him at all. The last few months of my pregnancy were the hardest because we moved so many times. Garrett is 6 weeks old now and sleeps through the night almost every night and he has since only a week old. If he does wake up to eat it is only once. He is growing so fast but is still in the "scrunchy" stage where he will pull his feet up and stick his booty out to stretch. I love it! Until this past week he would cry whenever he was not being held but now he will last longer looking around and he has even started to coo and smile some. Daniel has been a big helper holding him while I make meals during the day or put Jaxon and Wesley down for naps. It is nice to have another set of hands willing to help.

Life with 4 has been really hard so far. Every second is a juggling act. Mornings are not too bad since Garrett sleeps until almost 8 and the other boys are up just after 6am. I feel so much better now that we are all living together in Bakersfield. Bakersfield is hot like Mesa, but cools off in the evening. We are in a kind of run down area but the park is really nice with a pool and jacuzzi. Daniel and Jaxon enjoyed participating in a Pee Wee Sports camp last week and Daniel just lost his first tooth. I can not wait for Kindergarten and preschool to start in the next few weeks.

Taking all 4 of them anywhere is a challenge. It takes me a while to get out the door in the mornings. Grocery shopping is the worst, but most of the time Christlike people take pity on me and bag my groceries or hold Wesley to keep him from screaming or grabbing things while I pay. Actually, in the last few weeks I think we have really turned a big corner. All of my boys have made a huge improvement in their behavior and listening and I have really been enjoying them more. One funny thing happened in Costco the other day. Garrett was strapped to my chest in a carrier and had a blow out. It went all down Jaxon's arm, my leg, and the bread isle! Yuck! It was a rough clean-up.

Garrett has been projectile vomiting a few times almost always in the morning. A poor woman at the boy's sports camp last week volunteered to hold him while I grounded baseballs with Daniel and Jaxon. Garrett was asleep, but he woke up throwing up and completely covered her. It was sad. I am not sure if it is a sign of possibly having EE like Jaxon, but if it doesn't stop he will be seeing a doctor soon.

Johnny is amazing with the boys. He takes the 3 oldest swimming every afternoon so I have some quiet time alone to feed Garrett and make dinner. On Friday he took all 4 to play while I had one whirlwind hour to change all the bed sheets, clean all the floors, and fold & put away 4 loads of laundry. It was such a feeling of accomplishment! I am finally feeling like myself again. Life just keeps getting better and better.