Wednesday, August 11, 2010

What’s Going On Here?

 

To the few of you left reading the blog...ha ha, here in the Graf house it has been a whirlwind of a month. I started potty-training with the boys, Danna is getting dismissed from Rainbows and talking up/screaming up a storm, Moni started a full-time position at the new Via-Christi/St. Teresa Hospital, and I took up full-time Daddy Day Care. I will give you a profile on each of us and what we are up to these days.

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I quit the Oasis Lounge a couple of weeks ago, but will still fill in when they are in a bind and I am able to. With Monica going back full-time (and making pretty good money) it just made more sense for us to have me stay at home. I could go find a job and turn the check around to daycare times four, but that would have us spinning our wheels, and we would not fully be in on this very important time in the kids' lives. I have not NOT had a job since I was thirteen, so it has been an interesting experience and will continue to be an interesting time in my life.

Monica has been able to charge her battery with a couple vacations in the past 2 months before she went back to full-time. She went on her annual quadmom vacation at the end of June with some other quad mothers she has gotten to know very well over the past four years. A week and a half after that, her little sister Emily gave birth to her first daughter in Colorado Springs. Emily asked Monica to be the Godmother and Moni was honored and happy to be there for the birth. Right after Monica came home from the Springs, she started full-time at Via-Christi/St. Teresa not to mention she still had a week left of work at Wesley hospital so she doubled up on jobs for a week, so her plate has been stacked pretty high.

 

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Pius James has become quite the performer. He LOVES attention. He usually starts off pretty bashful, but after he sees he can command the stage you have to watch him sing, swing his baseball bat, play catch, run bases, throw anything, eat, etc., etc., etc. Like I said, he LOVES attention. Another thing Pius loves is the San Francisco Giants. I am not lying even a little when I tell you the story of the Giants being on during an afternoon about a week ago. He sat and watched a full 2 innings with me (which is a lot for a 2 1/2 year old). He knew when we were pitching and he knew when we were batting and cheered accordingly. Pius knows how to get something he wants. He will go ask every adult in the house until he gets what he wants. He is freaking adorable and he loves to make people laugh or clap.

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Forrest Michael has finally figured out that he is the biggest and strongest. This has led to a lot of fights. Forrest really is kind of a butthead. He wants every toy, book, and person at his disposal. He will not let anybody play with something if he has already claimed ownership. Despite all of this, Forrest is the absolute best cuddler in the world. If he is in the mood he will sit on your lap for hours and just cuddle. He is a little boy with a wonderful heart, but sometimes he forgets his manners and can cause quite a commotion.

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Danna Lynn has finally become all of the things that we used to joke about. She really is a little B sometimes. Since she has really started talking and communicating with us she sees herself as the princess of the house. If she doesn't get what she wants she SQUEALS like nobody's business. If one of her brothers or mom or dad take something away she SQUEALS. If she can't get to what she wants she SQUEALS. Let me tell you guys that it might be one of the most annoying sounds in the world (think Lloyd and Harry in Dumb & Dumber). Rainbows (our local ECI) was helping us to get her up to speed on her language, but they will be dismissing her after this month's appointment. She is so smart and she really is incredibly beautiful. I'm scared for the rest of the world in a couple of years.

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Laine Ryan is our little bi-polar piranha. He is incredibly smart and sometimes this works against him. The last couple of months he has really seemed to calm down with fewer and fewer tantrums. He gets so mad, and it is hard to get him to "snap out of it" sometimes, and when he is pissed he bites. We have been embarrassed to take his brothers and even his sister once or twice out into public. He bites everywhere on the body including the face and nose. Hopefully that is something that he will grow out of because everything we've tried hasn't worked. On the other side of his personality, he can be the sweetest boy in the world. When he is in the mood he will randomly walk up to me, Moni, his brothers or sister and just give them a kiss and pat our arm or back. Luckily for us he has seemed to be in that mood more often lately.

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And for the most recent weights/heights from their July check-up appointment:

Pius – 30 lbs 6 oz – 36 inches

Forrest – 31 lbs 6 oz – 37 inches

Danna – 22 lbs 8 oz – 34 inches

Laine – 29 lbs 2 oz – 36 inches

 

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The Graf Quad Squad continues to grow and amaze their family everyday. We have understood all along that with bigger kids come bigger problems. I wouldn't say that is any easier today than it was on day 1 when we were fighting different battles, but I also wouldn't say it is any harder either. All four of them are so sweet (most of the time) and they make Monica and me so proud.

With love from the Graf house,

Billy, Moni, Pius, Forrest, Danna, and Laine

24 comments:

judyc said...

Thanks for the update Billy.

Glad that everything is going well.
Congrats on the new job Moni and the same to you Billy being a stay at home Dad. That's a lot of work also.

Enjoy the rest of the summer.

Hilary said...

Great update :) Glad life is going good...good luck with the new job Moni and Dad good luck being home all the time..as I always say..It's never a dull moment!!! Great pictures too they are cute as always and getting so BIG ;)

Anonymous said...

Congrats to both of you on the new jobs! I LOVE the pictures. Who took them? Oh, and your kids are so freakin' adorable!! :)

EMO said...

Thanks for the great update and awesome pictures to enjoy! Sounds like things are going well.
Love
Erin

jag said...

OH. MY. GOSH! I just about choked when I saw a post from the Grafs!

The pictures are SOOOO beautiful!

Stephanie said...

Wow, those pics are GREAT!!! Its been so long I almost forgot what you all looked like! lol
So glad things seem to be working out with Moni working and you being home!!
Enjoy every second! not all dads get that experience and I know you will all cherish these times forever!!
Thanks for the update and pics!!!

Karen said...

Enjoy reading your blog, sounds like all is working out for you and your sweet family. Thanks for the update, I've been checking quite often.

Lauren said...

I love all the pictures!! The kids are beautiful.

The Cochran Crew said...

They're alive, they're alive! Love the pictures!!! Y'all are such a sweet family!

Miriam said...

Great post, love the pro photos...

I really admire your candor about the kids and their personalities.

My son can be challenging, but I noticed as he gained better communication it somewhat cut down o the hysterics. He's 3.5 now and a lot easier since he can tell us what he wants. On the other hand he uses those things to stall bedtime, you know how it goes.

Anonymous said...

UT says hi and thanks for the update. Go Chiefs!

Shelia said...

Billy...you go! I know a lot of stay at home dads. And Moni... congrats on your new job out west! The new hospital is soooooo pretty. Sounds like all is well with you. Take care... and ADORABLE PICS.

Anonymous said...

I hate the school is starting because I won't get my quad fix everyday. I have so much fun with them. I also have to brag that my friend Brooke took those pictures, she is just starting her own buisness and she is awesome. So if someone needs a photographer she is good, patient, and very reasonable. Just a little plug for a friend. Grandma Vicki

Jodi said...

Hi, I have followed your blog since your precious babies (well, big babies now :) ) were born. I haven't been by in a long time and wow, have they grown! They are beautiful and its great to see them so healthy and grown up looking! Congratulations on the new life adventure. Wish you well, thanks for sharing your life journey with us. It has been so neat watching your miracles grow!

Anonymous said...

why did you start potty training only the boys?

Anonymous said...

We just started on the boys because Danna is a little behind them on communication. We will be starting with her when we have the boys good and done.

Billy

Jody said...

You guys are doing so well with the kids. Staying at home to take care of them is great. My brother-in-law is the stay-at-home dad with his two girls (8 and 5) and twin boys (16 mo.) His wife is a doctor so it made sense for him to stay home.
Love the pictures!
See, there are a few of us still checking the blog.

Karen Shideler said...

Love the photos, love the updates and loved running into Moni at the St. Teresa open house. Those kids are absolutely adorable. Can't believe they're coming up on 3!

Hugo said...

Warm greetings from Spain! What a wonderful family and wonderful pictures! You are doing great and the kids are growing up beautifully!

vivaldi said...

Those were some of the best pictures I've seen in ages. You had a good photographer. They even made Billy look halfway decent. :)

Wish all you the very best

Anonymous said...

Dear Moni & Billy,
it was a pleasure to read the post. Thanks for the lovely pictures. The kids look great.
Love
Tina

Kimberly King said...

WOW, I'm just getting around to reading this and I love the update! And the pictures are amazing!
Love the Daddy Day Care and can't wait to hear more about your adventures. You seriously do have excellent writing skills, I love to read your stories.

Bonzo the Barbarian said...

Love the pictures & stories to go with.
Have you had Ryan's hearing checked out. Sometimes the reason for the biting & tantrums can be ear infections or hearing loss.
I have so enjoyed watching your little family grow.

Tina Michelle said...

That is a great update! I am loving those pictures!!