First steps

TJ took his first steps the other day. This is going to be my last "first steps". It's bittersweet. He was so proud of himself and I was even more proud. Then of course I had tears in my eyes. My little baby took his first steps. I have now watched 4 of my children take their first steps. My fourth baby is getting bigger. I sometimes just want him to stay a baby. Sometimes I just want all of them to stay where they are, yet I am excited to see each of them grow. I always loved being pregnant. I loved my belly and feeling kicks. I loved being in the hospital and giving birth (maybe not the pain part) but bringing life into the world. I loved hearing "it's a girl" and it's a boy. Then you hold your baby for the first time and you just know what to do. You feel complete. I remember thinking "this is what life is all about." The love is so strong. That special bond you have is incredible. Now every time I hold Ryley, Joey, Owen or TJ, I still say to myself, "this is what it's all about. It's funny. Usually when one of my kids turns 1, I have another baby on the way. There is a part of me that misses being pregnant. On the other hand, I feel so lucky to have 4 beautiful healthy children and am happy to be done. It is now just time to enjoy them. They are very close together in age and I wouldn't change it for the world! It may be my last "first steps", but this is only the beginning of so many exciting days to come. I look forward to it all! Joe and I will have our hands full with our crew. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Easter egg hunt

Spring is finally here and Easter is on its way. What better way to get the kids ready for Easter than with an Easter egg hunt. All week, I was harassed by the kids on why it was taking so long for Saturday to come. Ryley just didn't understand why it always takes so long for an event to arrive. I tried to explain to her that it feels like such a long to them because they like to ask questions about an event 7 - days ahead of time. Their excitement is wonderful. There are times though that I can run away when they ask me 7 times a day for 7 days if it's time for the egg hunt yet! On Saturday, the egg hunt was at 12:30. They were dressed with baskets in hand and ready to go by 9AM. It was a chilly day, but the cold air didn't bother them. I say this often, but I really just love their innocence. Ryley is so sweet and gets so excited. Joey and Owen just could not wait to get some candy. The kids had a blast as usual. Owen collected 1 egg and he was happy. He didn't care about any other eggs. He just wanted to open his 1 egg and get a lollipop. Thank God there was a lollipop in that egg. He was so excited. As for TJ, well he just hung out in the stroller and observed. He was very content all bundled up and cozy. Such a sweet boy. Such great kids!

A fun filled weekend

Where do I begin? We had an incredible few days together. On Thursday, we met our cousins at Great Wolf Lodge to celebrate cousin Matthews birthday. I can not express in words the amount of fun the kids had. Ryley did not waste any time. She arrived at the water park, put her bathing suit on and headed straight for the water. No water slide is too big for her. Ryley is so adventurous and so much fun. I love her excitement and energy. I loved holding her hand and waiting on line for the water slide. She was so thrilled and couldn't wait to go. While on the ride, she laughed and smiled the whole time. It was so amazing to see. I remember just staring at her and thinking about how amazing she is and how much I love her. She is so full of life. Joey and Owen at first were hesitant but before you knew it they were running to slide after slide and smiling and laughing the whole time. It was pure innocence. Owen had the cutest smile on and Joey was so cautious and brave and concentrated while on the slides. Joey is always very careful and likes to be in control. He is just like his daddy. Ryley is wild on the rides and the bigger and faster they are the more she likes them. She is just like her mommy. Owen is a little of both. Owen is also cautious yet once he gets comfortable he becomes a little more brave and takes a chance. TJ dipped his feet but hung out with GG a lot. Next year, he will be in the mix. I can't wait to see how he will be in the water. Is he going to take after his adventurous sister or be a little more cautious like his brothers? We really had a wonderful time. It is so nice to be away with your family. There are no responsibilities like cleaning or cooking or writing bills. It's just time devoted to being together and enjoying each other and that is exactly what we did!

On Sunday, we went to the St. Patricks Day Parade in Pearl River. I have to say that my kids love parades. They smile and wave and dance. Owen loves to march and really concentrates when he marches. It is so cute. TJ enjoyed every part. He claps and waves and smiles and dances. All 4 sat through the parade and were so well behaved and really enjoyed it. I just love spending time with them and experiencing different things with them.. I just take it all in.

Turtle Back Zoo

Today was our first trip to Turtle Back Zoo. It was loved by all! It was the perfect day for a trip to the zoo. Spring is arriving on Saturday, and we really got a taste of it today. The warm sunshine put a smile on everyone. Ryley, Joey & Owen skipped through the pathways excited to see all the animals. There were bears, wolves, cows, chickens and kangaroos! The kids even got a chance to feed the sheep; although most of the food ended up on the floor. Every time the sheep tried to get some food, Joey dropped it as soon as the sheep came near him. They attempted to go inside the gate to meet the sheep. Owen was not a fan of this as you can tell by the picture (he is reaching for Auntie Lauren for help!) The carousel was a hit. It always is! Spending time with their cousins Drew, Ella & Tyler was a bonus. TJ enjoyed the view of all the animals. He had a special ride on the carousel as well. It was another great Wednesday! The kids wore their green for St. Patricks Day. Once again, I just enjoyed watching them have fun.

Sleeping babies

This past weekend, we were lucky enough to have a bad storm that produced a lot of rain and of course as a bonus, we lost power. So, there were no exciting adventures to parks or zoos or jungle gyms. It didn't matter to the Dargan kids. They were just as entertained at the idea that we had no power and we had to use flashlights. It's amazing how much fun kids could have with the most simple things in life. After a day of no power, the nighttime was approaching and the idea of no lights was starting to sink in. Some of the excitement wore off and fears took over. Ryley was afraid of the dark and Owen was afraid of shadows. There were some tears and a couple of fights, but they stayed calm. Sunday night, the kids and I decided to head to GG and Grandpas for a sleepover. Ryley, Joey and Owen were so excited that they jumped up and down. It was so cute. It was also 9 o'clock at night and I was tired, and the kids were tired. All I wanted at this point was for the kids to go to bed so I could just have 1 hour of me time. They finally fell asleep. I went back in to check on on them and just stared at them with such a feeling of love. I just adore how they look when they are sleeping. No matter what kind of day I have had or no matter what kind of mood the kids have been in; when I see them sleeping so peacefully at night, it just makes me appreciate everything. It's like nothing else matters. Owen was sleeping so closely to Joey and he had his arm around him. Ryley was in the bed next to them. She looked beautiful. I kissed them all about 100 times and I told them I loved them. I could just hear their sweet breathing. I checked on TJ and he was in my favorite position (on belly with but in air) So cute!! Seeing your kids sleeping just makes you happy and makes you feel lucky for what you have. It makes any stress you have go away. The love you have for your children is so powerful!

Quality time

TJ turned 1 in January. People keep asking me if it went fast. It does go fast, but I have to say I really spend so much time with the kids that I never feel like I am missing anything. I try to treasure every moment and capture it and remember it. When TJ was born, we all spent a lot of time at home. It was winter and very cold so we made the most of it and just spent time together. Some days were hectic and there wasn't much going on, but I didn't mind. I have the opportunity to see them grow, take first steps, hear first words, see smiles, listen to giggles, watch them learn and at any time of day, I sometimes just hold them and kiss them. So I guess, it does go fast, but I feel like I have such quality time with each of them and I am fortunate to take advantage of that opportunity and enjoy every second.

Now that TJ is one, he is starting to talk. It is too cute for words. I love to hear mama, dada, uh oh (my favorite) bye bye, hello. Now he scoots, but has also mastered walking along the couch and climbing some stairs. He is so proud as am I.

Owen has started talking in sentences. It is so great to hear him. He just went for his 2 and a half year checkup and is doing great. Owen is a good boy.

Joey has gotten so tall that I can't believe it. He is doing great in school. He received an excellent evaluation. He loves to learn and play. He came down the stairs today and said "mommy, I love you". That makes me melt.

Ryley is amazing. She too got an excellent evaluation from school. She loves to learn. She is 5 and a half now. I can't believe it sometimes. Ryley is such a sweet girl. I love my time with her.

I feel like I needed to give a quick update on my babies so that's where they are at. I could go one forever about them. We went to the park today to get some fresh air. We were the only ones there. At one point, we were sitting on a bench talking about what makes us happy. To me, that is quality time to treasure.

Here are some pics of TJ turning 1. So cute.

An afternoon at the circus

It was the first for my Dargan kids to see the circus. They were very excited,but I think that was more for the cotton candy. Cotton candy was all they talked about for the whole weekend. Sunday arrived and we headed off. We dropped TJ off for a fun afternoon at Grandmas house and Joe, myself, Ryley, Joey, & Owen headed to our circus adventure. You could see the excitement in their faces. Their eyes were wide open and ready to take it all in. The circus opened with some crazy clowns. Ryley and Joey smiled and laughed. Then I learned that Owen is just not a fan of clowns or as he calls them, "the mean guys". He at first cried and then swatted at them and told them to go away. Once they left, Owen was happy. He was dancing and laughing and having a great time. When the clowns surfaced again, he covered his eyes. He was brave! He enjoyed the rest so it was a good time for all of us. I love experiencing new adventures with them. 2 hours is a long time for little kids, and they were so well behaved. I am proud of them! Grandma said TJ was such a good boy! It's tough leaving him only because he is just so cute! Another wonderful weekend!

One on one time

One on one time is special and you have to treasure it. Joe took Owen this morning on a Saturday errand. It made Owens day! Joe was about to leave when we heard "daddy, can I come" First of all, Owens voice sounded adorable. He is starting to say sentences now which is great to hear. How do you say no to a 2 and a half year old who wants to come to the carpet store with you? You don't say no. You embrace it. It doesn't sound exciting, but to a little boy, riding in the jeep with his daddy is a dream come true. It's that one on one time that is so special. Sometimes those simple errands to the store with just one of your kids makes the trip have more of a meaning. The happiness and excitement in their eyes is magical. Joe then took Ryley, Joey & Owen to Wendy's for lunch. They had a special lunch with daddy and I had some one on one time with TJ. He is just too cute for words. He has this gleam in his eyes and I could just keep kissing him. I love just getting on the floor with him and playing. His smile is so captivating. He puts his hands in the air for me to hold him and just says "mama" I melt every time. I love to watch him and listen to him and most of all to just love him.

Play day

It's Wednesday again! A day for the whole Dargan clan. What better way to spend a day then with your cousins! Our journey today was a trip to Kids Village in Kenilworth, NJ. We met Auntie Lauren along with Drew, Ella & Tyler. The kids had a blast! It was smiles all day. Each had the opportunity to be a hair dresser, construction worker, cook, or clerk. They also enjoyed running through and getting lost in the tubes and slides. Some were mesmerized by the little movie theatre. It was fun all around. It warms my heart to see Ryley, Joey, Owen and TJ having such a great time together. It's so nice for them to spend time with their cousins too. TJ is really starting to become one of the gang and trying to keep up. He is a fast crawler and even faster scooter. It's a gift that they all have each other and that I have them. 3 hours of fun was enough. Frequent yawns and eye rubbing was my clue to leave before any breakdowns. The ride home was quiet. A few crunchy snacks for the first 5 minutes and then just the breathing of 4 little ones in a deep sleep. (a good sign that they had a good time and I exhausted them a bit). Believe it or not, all 4 transferred to their beds with smiles. A few ahhs were heard. For my kids, that means they are happy to be in their cozy beds. Some peace and quiet at home is pretty good for me too!

Crazy days

Sometimes you just have one of those days. It wasn't a bad one but one of those days where you have to run errands and there is just not too much to say about the day, unless you have 4 kids of course. Then, there is always something to say. Ryley and TJ had doctors appointments. On the way to the doctor, Ryley probably asked me 40 times if they were going to stick the big q-tip down her throat. Well, they did. She is not a fan of that, but she did good. TJ, on the other hand started screaming when the doctor opened the door. He actually tried to climb up on my head. As this was going on, Joey for some reason decided he wanted to imitate the doctor and copy him which he has never done before. Owen just kept saying "hi bear". For some reason, he calls everyone bear lately, and he cracks himself up. I proceeded to try to have a conversation with the doctor, while this was going on. The strict mom in me told them to be more polite and they did listen well. The other part of me was holding in my laughter. We made it through the appointment! yeah!

Then, for some reason, I had this great idea to take 4 kids to Shoprite when it was getting close to nap time. OK, it was wasn't the smartest decision. I should have turned around when I noticed the parking lot was full, but of course I continued. I had to get one of those carts that have the car in it that you can barely push through the isles. I just needed a few things and was determined to get through the store. We actually made it through with no casualities or breakdowns, but we still had to checkout. That's when things went downhill. Ryley, Joey & Owen were in a race to take the food out of the cart. For some reason, they just always want to take the same item out of the cart. I will never understand it. Then it was time to bag the groceriies. I have to admit. My kids are always willing to help. They helped bag all the food but it somehow turned into a fight with the bags. Owen couldn't fit 2 boxes of cereal in the bag and lost it. He threw his bag which hit Joey which then messed up Joeys bag. Joey was not happy. They were then determined to carry their own bags out. Owen's bag was bigger then he was, and he was just getting so mad that he couldn't carry it. This turned into the dreaded tantrum drop to the floor. That's the one where people just stare at you. My normal looks of "your kids are so well behaved" turned into "oh my god, that poor woman" Thankfully, I am very patient and I can laugh at things. Ryley and I did laugh because it just got crazy for 5 minutes. You know what, it happens. It's not the first time nor will it will be the last. You just have to ignore the looks, smile and get the hell out. We made it home. I wasn't mad, or upset. It's part of being a mom. I am proud of my kids. They really are well behaved. Sometimes, they may have a "moment". It doesn't last. I love them for who they are. I look back now and think how cute Owen was for being so determined to carry his own bags. He was proud of himself. OK, so he just got a little upset when it didn't go his way. As Joe would say, our kids are just very passionate!