update

Thought you would appreciate a little "update" on the garcia 3.... (not much longer that I will be able to type that!)

GABBY
Gabrielle: "DAAAADDDYYY.... did you bring up the toilet paper?"
Dad: "yes"
Gabrielle: "thank you, Daddy."
Gabby also recently showed me that she can "connect the dots" that I drew on a piece of paper. She loves to talk and has THE BEST facial expressions/animations when she is telling a story.

MARY
You need to earn Mary's trust. She likes to step back and observe the person/event before jumping in....(unlike Gabby). Once she feels comfortable, you can be her BEST friend. She is also still our best eater and isn't usually picky about what Mommy serves. She gets frustrated easily when she can't do something that she wants to do... and is still our "hoarder" - which means her purses, back-packs, and bags are filled to the brim with "stuff."

MATEO
He is a "player." He pretends he can't hear you...until you get mad and then he jumps to attention. He loves to have his sisters take care of him and will often get them to take his coat and his shoes off for him.... He is very detail oriented and loves to thumb through toy magazines - focusing on dino's, trucks, and building blocks. (He can literally stare at a page for 5 minutes...just taking it all in.) He is starting to talk more and the word most often heard out of his mouth is "sworry." (His version of sorry.)

outdoor fun with my cuz'

It is a little hard to see them, but all 5 took off to the top of the hill at Linden Park....

(We definitely have some "follow the leader" going on in this group...)

All 5 with the pile of leaves in the Cleveland Metroparks

Actual leaf fight in the Cleveland Metroparks

Pa putting the grandchildren to work.... and he wonders why they couldn't "fill a bag?!"

big kid beds

For about 6wks now, we have had MAJOR sleep issues. Naptime is almost non-existent and I have tried everything imaginable to get them to just be quiet for a short period of time... everyone needs some down time - even if it isn't to sleep!

To top it off, the trio were climbing out of their cribs and into each others'.... which was a safety concern in and of itself...

With baby G due in Jan we knew we had to either make the switch to "big kid" beds now... or wait it out anotehr 8mo. We opted for now.

Although it hasn't improved their sleep issues, they were extremely excited to pick out their own sheets and love having their "bunk beds." Hopefully we can get everyone settled into a routine and KEEP them in their beds before the baby arrives.... whew!

more than I can handle...

This is why the Good Lord only gave me three!

fall days....

If anyone truly knows me, then they would know that I am BIG on traditions. Fall used to be a very fun time in the Schwartz family when I was growing up. The leaves changing colors (my Mom often referred to W.182 (a street lined with trees on the tree lawns) as the "golden arches" when they would burst with yellow).... apple picking, leaf fights, hay rides, pumpkin picking, halloween... all the good stuff.

So, of course now that I am back in Cleveland, I want to... no- correction - I NEED to do these things with my children.... it is important to me.

Hilary and I took the 5 kids down to the metroparks (oh, how I have missed the valley in my 7 years away!) and had our own leaf fight...pictures on the cell phone so those will be uploaded at a different time... but below are just a few of the fall events that we were able to squeeze in, amongst the flu...

and if this is any indicator of where my "traditional" bones are leading me, then the kiddo's better watch out for Christmas!



Pupkintown USA... the Schwartz traditional spot for taking a hayride and picking your own pumpkin. Unfortunately, their crop of pumpkins was not good and we were only able to enjoy the hayride....

Halloween.... I skimped out and let the trio wear costumes that we had already acquired over the year.... princess's for the girls and a power-ranger for Mateo. Lou, his brother Mike (and his wife Alysia) took the trio around the hood while I passed out candy... They lasted about 1/2hr... due to the presence of dogs... man alive we need to get them over this fear!

i'm a big kid now....

okay... no harsh criticisms for posting this... (and I even covered up the good deed!) But heck, I am a VERY VERY proud Mamma at this point.... Gabby is 90% potty trained.... and above was the very first time she did #2 in the potty. She realized by herself that she had to go....sat down....and then called for me when she was done...

She is still doing pretty good with the potty - just diapers at nap and bedtime.

If only her siblings would show an interest... sigh. 1 out of 3 ain't bad....right?

don't try this at home

I like to call this "controlled chaos." And yes.... they really mean it when they say that all a child needs is a big box!

almost there...

Just waiting on the final ok from Lou that the pc is "up and running" and we'll post some pics!!!

They are growing by leaps and bounds...talking (and yelling) up a storm.... thinking for themselves... and - my favorite - learning the ART of negotiation. "JUST ONE more, Mommy....... pweeeeeze?"

sisterly love

During my nightly visit to the sleeping trio I was surprised to find the "sissy's" sleeping in Gabby's crib, together. So peaceful- and cramped. I was tempted to move Mary back to her own crib (in order to prevent a meltodwn from happening at 230am) but opted against it... and they did, indeed, sleep through the night together. This morning, upon questioning as to why they were in the same crib, I was told - "so we could play together." Awwww.