Babysitters & Housekeepers

This week we paid our first ever babysitter to watch Jackson and Cooper. It only took us 3 1/2 years to suck it up and pay someone to watch our kids. Don't get me wrong - we've left them plenty of times with friends or family - but we've never had a babysitter that we've paid. She is our neighbors' granddaughter who is a junior in high school. The boys loved her. She even cleaned up all the toys as they moved from one thing to the next. Anyway, it's so nice to have someone that we can trust. I doubt we will be going out muchalone for the next year - but it will be nice to have someone to watch the older boys if I have an appoinment.
The next day we had a housekeeper come clean the house for the first time. WOW! I'm so glad I swallowed my pride and listened to Colin. I like to keep our house clean, but it's near impossible with two kids, let alone three. Let's just say I'm hooked! They cleaned everything! Even my toothbrush holder is sparkling. She is going to come every other week - at least for the next month or two. Woohoo! It's alot of money, but I think it is well spent. It keeps me from going crazy, which is important : ) When Charlie gets a little older, and is taking regular naps, it will be easier to keep up with all of the cleaning. But a newborn, a 1 1/2 year old, and a 3 year old make it near impossible right now.
In the fall, Jackson will start preschool at our church. He will go Tues/Thurs from 9:15 - 12:15. On Mon/Wed he will attend the P.A.L.S. classroom from 8:30-10:30. It's a class to help him with his articulation. He qualified to go because his articulation is fairly unclear. We weren't surprised to learn that his language is fine, he is a genius after all : ) But it's hard to understand alot of what he is saying... Colin and I can understand almost everything, but we were concerned about his peers and teachers not being able to understand him. So, we're really hoping he will figure out some of those sounds that are really tough for him, and he'll be speaking more clearly in no time. I've known from the second he started talking that something wasn't quite right - but he didn't qualify for services through ECI (Early Childhood Intervention) because he technically had enough words - they weren't so concerned with how he said them, just that the language was there. But, now that he is three, he can get some speech therapy through the school district. Yay!
I'm a little anxious about getting all three boys out of the house so early - 4 days a week, but I'm sure we will figure it out. Charlie will be about 3 months at that point - and maybe a little more predicatable about when he will want to eat/sleep. I think that nursing him and getting the other two dressed and fed is going to be the biggest challenge.
Enough words - here are a few pictures from this week -

Meet Rody - Cooper's current favorite toy.
It's a green rubber bouncy donkey. That's the best way I can describe it.
He LOVES it. His grandmother bought it for him around Christmas, and he has always liked it, but recently it's the go-to toy (Thanks Mawmaw!)

He regularly bumps his head or crashes into some piece of furniture as he bounces around the living room, but it doesn't seem to phase him.

Charlie took a ride on Rody, too.
He wasn't thrilled about it.

This week my wonderful moms' group fixed dinner for us! Yay! There is nothing better that someone can do for a new mom in my opinion. Everything was so delicious, and it was a treat not to have to worry about what/when I would fix. I didn't miss cleaning pots/pans either. I'm going to be sad next week when I'm serving Colin and the boys hot dogs or chicken nuggets.

The boys enjoyed all the yummy food, too.

Tonight after dinner, we got the boys' raincoats on and let them go out in the backyard to play in the rain. They've been going a little stir-crazy after being inside for the past few days.