Birthday Parties and Back to School!

Well the Goebel kids have started school! They had a blast on their first day of school at St. Pius. I will say that they traded the crabbies as you can see in the pictures. Brady was not feeling the love at back to school night and Lauren may have had a minor meltdown the morning of the first day. Something about not finding her shoes, which her mother constantly tells her to put where they belong, and wouldn't you know, they were not where they should have been. She shook it off and had a great day anyway. Brady came home crabby from the first day, but a good nap fixed that! We're off to the races! The boys of August had their Bday party this past Saturday! They were supposed to have it at our pool, but their brilliant father saw that the weather was not going to be in their favor, so we changed locations to the YMCA. They still got to swim and they had ooodles of fun! Thanks for all who came out! You were more then generous with gifts and well wishes! They are still playing away with their loot! Thanks also to Uncle David who had a card waiting for both Brady and Max in the mail when we got home from the party. We went right then and there to redeem the generous gift card he sent them! Suffice it to say, we have more wrestlers than we know what to do with now! The Orendachs also gave spoiled them Sunday before Doug's volleyball game! Thanks again!

It was a good weekend! We will celebrate their actual birthdays this week and keep in the groove of school!

Tacos

So this title may be a little misleading. This post actually has NOTHING to do with actual tacos. This past Sunday, Doug and I got out for part of the afternoon without children. We had grandma come over and watch the kiddos. And no, we did not go for tacos. We went to the infant memorial service at Immanuel for anyone who suffered infant loss this past year at any Alegent hospital. We were told about this service back in March when our loss happened. Doug has been waiting and watching for info on this service ever since. If it were just me, I probably would not have gone, but it was clearly very important to Doug that we go. Being the good wife that I sometimes am, I swallowed all my reservations and excuses and away we went. It was held in a tastefully decorated conference room. We were given the candle at the beginning. I perused the program for the service. Some very poignant songs were chosen, such as Eagles Wings, (a funeral standard and tear jerker for us catholics) and I will Carry You by Selah, a contemporary christian group. There was a lady all alone in the row in front of us already crying. Tacos. The service started with the sisters singing. They were an adorable group of elderly nuns who apparently do this sort of thing often for the hospitals. Bible readings were read. A nurse gave a statement that was comforting. The presider, a chaplain from Bergan gave his statement. He spoke of his experience with infant loss and had a hard time getting through. Tacos. He had the nerve to look straight at me while I was clearly trying to distract myself with thinking of different mexican food dishes, ok, maybe just one, tacos. His perspective as a male I think resonated with Doug, so I was glad he spoke, just wish he didn't try to make direct eye contact. Then a parent statement was given by a very sweet and suffering couple about their struggles with infant loss. Tacos, guacamole. This statement took a little more distraction to get through. Their statements were very raw and hearbreaking.

So now starts the song, I Will Carry You, and they call each family to light a candle for their baby and each member of the couple gets a rose. Steady. I am as strong as a fortress. Uh huh. The first baby they call belongs to the tear streaked lady in front of us. She lit her candle and laid two pictures on the table next to it. Tacos. Burritos? Enchiladas? Carne asada? Nope. Didn't work this time. You could clearly see they were pictures of her holding her infant son. I lost it. The chaplain seemed to almost gloat that it finally got to me (not really, but that's how I felt.) To make matters worse, an eight year old kid came in half way through the service and was sitting right next to me. I could feel his awkwardness at my sudden gasping for breath. There was a mutual feeling of awkwardness there. They called baby Goebel. I let Doug do the lighting. The nurses who were facilitating this part of the service seemed as though they would be disappointed if I didn't hug them. Again, awkward. Doug would have gladly hugged them, anyone in the room and possibly people in the next room. Me, not so much a hugger. Needless to say, it was difficult watching each family go through this ceremony. I was pretty disappointed with myself that I didn't have the emotional stamina to get through the whole thing without bawling. I really thought tacos would work. By the end, I decided that maybe it shouldn't be a test of my stamina. That may be completely missing the point of the ceremony. I really do feel like we have moved on from our loss, but in some ways, we will always have that. A loss. I didn't really want to accept that. When the ceremony ended, Doug and I did what we knew best. We went straight to the next room for the free food. There was some more awkwardness, but at least now I had a cup of coffee and a white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookie to keep me going. Again, I would not have gone of my own volition. Again, my husband gently nudged be to go beyond myself and do what was right for us. Ahh marriage. Humbling, frustrating, unconditional loving marriage. I hope I am just as pushy, controlling and frustrating a wife for him, or more simply put, I hope I have helped him grow as much as he has helped me. I debated with myself (yes, I argue with myself constantly, but at least I always win!) on whether or not to write about this because it is not something I would sit next to you and talk to you about. But this blog is about my kids. All of them. Enough said.

Random Summer Thoughts

This summer is flying by! We are trying to enjoy it, but it is so stinkin' hot! The kids NEVER tire of going to the pool. It's hard to argue when it has been as hot as it is. The older three can navigate the pool with no problem and little supervision. Max can't quite stand in the 3-feet- tall, as Brady calls it, but if not by summer's end, then for sure next year! He has a healthy caution when swimming. He stays on the wall if not held by one of us. He wants to be a big boy so bad! When not swimming, we might be at a baseball game or practice! Walker has taken on baseball as he does all sports, very seriously! He tried out and got a spot on the team as catcher. He also tried out for pitcher but did not make it. I think that is so good for him to have some success, but to also realize he is not the best at everything all the time. I really like his coaches and team! Small soap box: Just to let you know, these coaches are VOLUNTEER! It never ceases to amaze me the type of people who will take on a team and the responsibility, and unfortunately the griping and criticism of parents, and all that for no compensation other then joy in their heart! Luckily, all of the teams we have been on, parents have been very supportive and appreciative of our volunteer coaches. But you see it on the field and on other teams. Ok, getting off the soap box now. Brady too is playing ball and enjoying it as he always does, in his fun-loving way. Such a big heart he has. The boys are all signed up and ready to go for flag football in the fall! With Lauren, I think it is safe to say that if she were a Spice Girl, she would not be Sporty Spice! She is holding out for girl scouts in the fall or something more crafty. She enjoyed dance and may take that back up in the fall. The world is her oyster (as long as she doesn't have to run or bat a ball to get there!) She loves playing "school" in her spare time. When I say "spare" time, I mean time not spent grounded in her room for throwing the mother of all fits which she does almost daily. Trying to get through to my little drama queen that screaming and crying are not attractive features nor is a potty mouth has been quite the uphill battle! When not battling the slings and arrows of her ever-changing moods, I am battling with her on clothes (at 7, REALLY?). She ties all of her shirts with a pony tail holder so they are tight. Ok. Not sure what that is about. Then she rolls any thing she puts on (pants, shorts, skirts). Ok. What is that all about. I am walking the tightrope between keeping her apporpriately dressed for her age and out of the clutches of pedophiles and completely squashing her creativity. SIGH!! Max, or "puppy-dog" as I call him (why, I have NO idea), is quite the little boy! He wants to play baseball, swing, play legos, cars or wrestlers. He has a bit of the pouties that Brady has when he is told "no" or something doesn't go his way. He is also my one-man justice league. You mess with his brothers or sister, and you have another thing coming, even if you can't really understand what he is saying! You take something that is not yours, he is on you like white on rice. He is, most importantly, the apple of his siblings' eye. The Max. Doug is on a brief hiatus from taking classes (he is getting his Master's, you know), so we are trying to get those little projects done around the house. Before we know, school will be upon us! First day of school pics will be drastically different from last year. Stick around and see!

It's Summer!

It is officially summer! It has been 100 degrees outside for the past week so there is no denying it! We have been busy going the the pool, baseball games and practices, swim lessons, VBS, and on top of all that, my kids have decided to have a social life! They have been playing with friends like crazy this summer! I owe a lot of kids overnights at our house! The picture of Walker is from our church festival where he got his hair spray painted. Lauren is forever trying new looks! Brady and Lauren took swim lessons together and both passed with flying colors! Stay tuned for more summerific pics!

All in a Saturday

Oh what a day! We started Saturday by going to the Y's Healthy Kids day. They had free bike helmets for the kids and all sorts of events! Walker got the autographs and picture with the UNO basketball team! Max got to see a real fire truck! He loves fire trucks and they let him and all the kids go inside and through the truck! All the mascots from all the area teams were there. Max was petrified of the Lancer hockey bird. Brady ran right up to him and got a hug and a twirl from it! After that, the kids and I went with Anne and Patrick to a Creighton baseball game. The kids LOVED it! Walker caught a T-Shirt! We ate popcorn and cotton candy. It was great weather and great seats right behind home plate! Then, to round out the day, Lauren had her dance recital at the YMCA. She did great! It was a very cute show with very cute girls! She was proud of herself! I can't believe we were able to squeeze all that in one day! The kids kept saying how it was the best day of their lives! This was a four day weekend for the kids, which I have to admit, I usually fear and dread. When I am home alone (without a car) all day with all four kids there is no telling what could happen. Add to that if I worked the night before, and it is usually a recipe for disaster. I tried to prepare as best I could this time around. Friday was baseball day. We did some baseball themed worksheets (hey, you can take the teacher out of the classroom, but you can't take the classroom out of the teacher!) which they always love the challenge. Then we played some baseball themed games and played catch in the backyard. We had corndogs for lunch and I made bases out of apple slices. They watched a baseball movie ONDemand during rest time. We were doing awesome until about 3 pm. That is when fatigue set in for all of us. We each took turns having a meltdown, regrouped and got on with out night. Everyone went to sleep a happy camper. Monday was another stay home day for all involved, but I didn't have to work the night before and I had the car! We went to the Y so I could work out and then tried to go to the library for a movie. Without getting too crass, it did not work out and I may have lost my marbles a bit there. I may have also called the library and complained. They apologized, I was all better. We went to the mall to play. The kids made some instant friends and burned some energy (wahoo!). We got home, played outside and the backyard became a splash zone. They came up with the idea and I just went with it. They were all wearing clean clothes they had just folded from the laundry and my towels were all nice and clean too. The Type A part of me was freaking out a bit, but the other part of me told me to just chill and let them be kids. It has taken me eight years to listen to that part of me, but hey I'm finally learning, right? We went to dinner with Doug before he had class and all were snug and asleep by 9 pm. I would say in their own beds, but no one sleeps in their own bed around here except for Doug and I. So, we are back to our regularly scheduled routine and ready for summer to kick in!

Mr. First Communion and Easter

It has been an eventful spring to say the least so far! Easter came out of nowhere! It was a fun day and the kids enjoyed numerous egg hunts around town leading up to the big day! Right after Easter, Walker Stephen Roddy Goebel made his first communion! He was very excited about this and took it very seriously! It was a nice mass. Grandma Goebel came with us and stayed for dinner. Walker picked dinner. The menu was (ahem): Corndogs, corn, and apple juice. Really. That is what we ate. I made a chocolate cake based on Aunt Wendy's butterscotch cake recipe and it was delish!! They totally grow up so quickly! I can't believe he has already made this milestone! Other than that, we are getting ready to wrap up the school year. Doug is going to hit his Master's classes hard this summer so that he can graduate in May of 2013 instead of December. Walker and Brady are all ready to go for baseball this summer. Lauren has a dance recital Saturday night. Busy, but good. Then there is little man Max. He is just doing whatever he can to keep up with the other kids. He is Mr. Independent, unless there is a bunny nearby, than he wants to be held. He is talking away, mostly repeating everything he hears. That about sums up our recent events!

Max and Me

Partners in crime. That describes Max and I as we go through our day to day routines. Max and I walk Brady to school every day and pick him up from school every day. This is after the big yellow bus picks up Walker and Lauren and we race home to get them off the bus in the afternoon. Every day is a mystery as to what Max will want to bring on our walks. He likes to pack a back pack like his older siblings and tote it around (in this picture he is wearing Lauren's Bratz backpack). Sometimes he free hands toys (these usually end up in my pockets). Lately, he has been packing his "bed" i.e. a pillow and blanket in a tote bag. I'm sure those that pass us think I am taking him to his next placement or that he has over stayed his welcome and is being shipped off. Max is a pro at pointing out ambulances and fire trucks. He can even identify their sirens (that's what living in the Benson neighborhood will do, we have plenty of sirens and even police helicopters frequenting our streets and air space). Motorcycles are tops on his list too. In other words, he truly does make every outing some kind of adventure. We have met our fair share of big barking dogs that scare the bejesus out of him. We have even seen a snake! When we get home I usually do my chores while he plays and watches his PBS shows. In between we cuddle and read and snack. I really do enjoy our days together. But he is growing so quickly, I know these days are numbered!
Some Maxisms:
"in a wittle bit" (when asked to take a nap or go potty)
"where that fire truck go?"
"We get Brady Bear now?"
"Aww, Tanks." (His version of thanks)
"Good job mom." This is when I cross the street safely or go potty. Hey, who doesn't need a little positive encouragement, even if I mastered these skills 32 years ago?
To say I love that kid would be an understatement!

Spring Goebels =)

We have been busy Goebels!
First, Brady Bear, as Maxwell calls him (so cute!)has taken and passed with flying colors his swimming lessons! We have been a little lax with him and getting him in and keeping him consistently in swim lessons. It seems to have clicked with him! All the kids love the water, but I feel it is very important that they go through all the swim lessons so they know exactly what to do in the water.
Then there is Lobster Boy. We went to Red Lobster for lunch as a VERY special treat over the kid's spring break and Walker was dying to try Lobster. That's my boy with expensive tastes! He loved it! Doug has been really adamant about the kids trying new foods and tastes while they are young. Check this one off the list! Walker has been doing really well. He makes his first Communion at church this weekend! He is very excited for this milestone!
Letter Girl is next. She is the queen of writing copious notes and leaving them around the house for her Dad and I. This time, the tooth fairy was the recipient. The funny part is that this one is her rough draft! How effective her teacher must be in teaching writing that she had a rough draft before making her final copy! Unfortunately, she has had too many opportunities to write me apology notes lately. She is INCREDIBLY whiney at home and is having issues at school letting friends interfere in her learning. She apparently is not listening that she needs to tone down the socializing. That and the trading of little things with her friends. I now have to search her back pack when she leaves for school to make sure she is not smuggling any contraband. This too shall pass, I hope. Sigh.
Little monster Maxwell. Growing like a weed. Really can't call him my baby anymore. Boo. He is beyond potty trained. I don't even lug the diaper bag "just in case" any more (which has probably now jinxed me). He is the apple of all of his siblings' eyes until he grabs their toys! Still, they can't stand to hear him cry or see him upset. That makes it difficult to discipline him, but if anyone is one for the challenge, it is me!!
Looking forward for summer, Walker's first Communion, and whatever fun may come our way!

Look Who Got Bunk Beds! and Guess Who Is Big Boy?

The boys got to pick bunk beds around Christmas time and we got them put together. That was a huge feat for Doug and I as neither one of us is handy. One of us does like to read and follow directions. One of us flies by the seat of his pants and we ended up having to take everything apart and starting all over due to not READING THE DIRECTIONS!! But the important part is that there are fairly sturdy and well put together bunk beds in the boy's room and Doug and I are still married. This means Max moved to the toddler bed. No more crib for him, not that he couldn't get in and out of it over the past year anyway. We are pleased with the amount of space it freed up in their room (space that is now taken up with laundry, books, toys, legos, wrestlers, you get the picture).

On another note, my Maxwell has taken off on the potty train! I had started with him a few months back, but his interest level was low. Last week I brought the idea back up with the help of suckers and popsicles (there is a dentist out there who is going to make a mint off the cavities he probably now has) and he took to it right away! We still put a diaper on him at night, but last night he even took off his diaper to poop in the potty. I remember with Brady that pooping in the potty was the biggest obstacle, but not Max! This morning his diaper was dry and he peed a gallon in his potty! I am very excited to be a diaper free family, but it does make me sad that I no longer have a sweet cuddly baby anymore. Poor Doug and kids have had to walk on egg shells around my many swinging moods these past two weeks. I blame the hormones that are taking their time exiting my body. Just when I feel like I am back to normal, something knocks me back down and I am swimming in anger and sadness. I feel bad that this has such an effect on my family and wish I had dealt with it better. Hopefully it will get easier as the weeks go on. Live and Learn!!

Life Decisions

Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans. -John Lennon

We certainly had our share of lemons this past week. Doug's sister was hospitalized and was in a lot of pain for the majority of the week. Thankfully, she is on the mend and has been able to get up and around. We will all breathe a huge sigh of relief when she is able to come home.
On March 6, Doug and I went to the Dr. for a routine 12 weekish checkup. We found out that our little Sweet September had stopped growing. We had no inkling at all that anything had happened. On March 7, I went in and had a D and C. I have to say my favorite of all the discharge instructions they gave me was the one saying that I was not to "make any life decisions." I kinda carried that through the weekend. It was nice having a hiatus from "life decisions." To make a long story short, I know that I am not the only woman by a long shot to have gone through this. I have family members and friends who have walked this path. Somehow, that does not make it better or easier. We are VERY thankful for the blessings of our four children. We have talked about how difficult this would have been if it were our first and not our fifth. We know how lucky we are in the grand scheme of things. I do not understand, nor probably ever will what God wanted with my Sweet September before we could even get a chance to meet, but I suppose I have to learn to take it on faith. This has also been a huge learning experience in our marriage. Doug and I handle things VERY differently. It has caused some tense moments, but I also think it is a good thing that we our opposites emotionally because we bring each other to a middle ground and have learned from each other. We have been very well supported by friends and family as well.
It is a new week and I think I can tackle some life decisions again. I do not know if we will go down this path again. That remains an open-ended question between us and the Man Upstairs. As my friends Rascal Flatts would say, "I'm Moving On."

Lauren is 7!!

Well, she did it! She made it to 7! Lauren's birthday was a fun filled weekend. I think she really enjoyed it. She agreed to no big party if we got her a Leapster Explorer as a gift. I agreed she could have a slumber party with her BFF Kym and her sister Paige in lieu of a party. This was the first time Lauren got to have actual friends over and spend the night. I was very worried that it would be a night full of running and screaming girls. To my surprise, the girls played well with the exception of them waking up at 3 am and thinking it was morning and okay to run around and play on Kym's walkie talkies. The boys did well taking a back seat to her "girl" party. Of course they are boys and brothers, so there was some teasing and aggravation caused, but for the most part, it went smoothly. She is loving her Leapster. She is the only one in our family with any kind of video game device, so she holds the power. If the boys cross her, she will put the kabash on them playing on her Leapster. Besides the fact that it eats batteries like crazy, I don't mind it as much as I thought I would. Guess what Walker and Brady want for their birthdays now?
Lauren was spoiled by her out of town relatives who sent her some very nice presents as well. I think the steady stream of packages and cards have come to an end, much to her shagrin.
Seven seems to be suiting her. Her attitude has really improved since her birthday. Unfortunately, she was hit pretty hard with a stomach bug that keeps coming back to her shortly after her birthday. Don't worry, as any good sister does, she shared it with her brothers! We had quite the house of vomit and diarrhea for a while! With the help of bleach and Lysol, I think I have eliminated said stomach bug. I hope.
In other news, basketball has wrapped up for the season. Both Walker and Brady really enjoyed it. Walker's coach went out of his way to tell me that he thinks Walker has serious potential if he pursues basketball. I was very proud to hear that, but I didn't want it to go to Walker's (or my) head. Walker isn't necesaarily the high scorer on the team, nor is he the tallest or the fastest. Walker just genuinely enjoys sports and really wants to learn to play it to his best ablility, therefore, he really listens and is blessed with the coordination to apply whatever coaches tell him to his performance (not a trait he got from mommy dearest). Since Walker has struggled with some behavior issues, I think this is good for his self esteem. He really wanted to play flag football in the spring, but as luck would have it, we got the dreaded letter from the YMCA that his team has no coach. This happens more frequently than I would prefer. The selfish part me is enjoying the free Saturdays and one day a week we were shlepping him to practice. Oh well.
Wait to you see what the boys got installed in their room! Mom and Dad put it together, and we managed to stay married in the process! Next post will feature that little adventure!

Our secret is out!

So, as I eluded to in my last post, there are many "little" happenings. One will be happening in September! We are very excited for this chance at parenthood yet again, maybe 5th time's a charm? Who knows. We still can't decide if we want to find out what this one will be. We found out for the first three, and kept Max a surprise. I really enjoyed the surprise. Yet, I really want to be able to figure out how to mesh this little person into our family and space. Hmm. I am also excited to see how this one will fit in with all the siblings!
Lauren will be turning 7 this Friday. Where has the time gone? Sometimes if feels like she is just 3. Wait. That's because sometimes she acts like she is just three (definately the whiniest of all my kids). Her front tooth finally fell out. The other one is loose and waiting for a brother to knock it out, I'm sure! She will have two little friends spend the night Friday night (God help me!). She is so excited about that! She has never had a friend spend the night and this is her BFF and her sister (they are two of triplets). From there, its basketball games as usual Saturday and hopefully a low key Sunday.
Lots to think about and reflect on as I have less patience then usual and am in the throws of the first trimester uckiness. I have even less motivation to clean the house. So I force myself to watch Hoarders and then I find the will to clean a room.
Valentines day was great! Doug surprised Lauren and I with roses. She was thrilled to get her own flowers!. The boys got stuffed animals. Topped off with Chinese for dinner, and it was a great day!
These pics are oldies but goodies I am not sure if I have ever posted before.
Till next post!

2012

Clearly, I am not a consistent writer on the happenings of my children. That being said, there are lots of little happenings happening! These pictures are from Christmas. The kids were spoiled rotten by the gifts they received! Thankfully, most relatives got the memo and there were very few toys Mommy had to put together, so there were not fits or cuss words on Christmas! We got this great photo of Doug's mom and 5 of her six kids! Love it! Doug's brother David chooses to live in quiet seclusion from the famiy in Denver. JK. Well, he really does live in Denver, and it really is quieter since he has no kids, but he loves to visit and dote on all of the neices and nephews.
The kids are growing like weeds, uh, I mean, budding into beautiful flowers, uh, I mean they are getting taller, sassier, and smarter. Three out of four can tell time, so the old "Hey its bedtime!" when it's really only 6:15 pm doesn't work any more. One of the aforementioned "happenings" is that we are thinking of sending the kids to a catholic school next year. This will require us to budget, something Doug and I are historically not the greatest at, but we are hoping we can make it work. We think this might be a better fit for our kids at this point. I may also have to look into acquiring a horse and carriage or pray that a second car falls out of the sky to get them to school and Doug to work next year, but we have made one car work this long, perhaps we can make this work too. Walking wouldn't be entirely out of the question, but I do melt when it rains and snow kind of brings me down (pisses me off when people don't shovel and I have to lug my kids through their slush).
We have seen a lot of progress with Walker and his behavior thanks to his therapist and us really trying to be more consistent with him and the other kids. I really think we have turned a corner. He has had very few and very minor incidents this year compared to last year and seems genuinely happy. We do worry about how the change in schools will affect him, but I think we have good support in place to help with the transition.
Lauren is right behind her big brother on everything. She has a front tooth hanging out that is bothering me but she refuses to pull it out. She is also not a fan of the tooth fairy coming in her room at night, so her teeth are left at the kitchen table. She does her own hair, heaven forbid I touch it. She is quite the diva when it comes to fashion, so wearing a uniform next year may break her spirit a bit (or make it easier for Mom to get her ready for school in the morning.) She has done cheerleading and is now taking dance at the Y.
Brady, how does one describe Brady? He is a very sweet and tender hearted boy, except when he is have a fit during a mood swing. He is the first to say "I love you, Mommy" except when he says "I hate you Mommy" when he is throwing a fit. He is very loving towards Max, except when Max takes his toys. He is working as hard as he can in Kindergarten this year. He is a fan of whatever his big brother is a fan of. He is our Brady-Bear, moody, unpredictable, and completely irresistable!
Maxwell, well he is 2-1/2 and has really taking off on talking. Favorite phrases are: "in a wittle bit" when you tell him it is time for bed. "I sorry" when an older sibling comes menacing towards him after he has wronged them some how. "Go way" when I am in his way to get in the fridge. He is my cuddle bug during the day, sucking his thumb and loving on his two favorite "bankies" (blankies).
Kind of a long update, but it has been kind of a long time! We'll see when I get the urge to post again!