"is Ms. Amy coming today?" "Ms. Angela is Ms. Amy coming today?" "Ms. Angela is today music" " Mommy is Ms. Amy coming to play today"  Thank goodness that Ms. Amy comes to play at 9:30am because I don't think the kids could have waited another minute (and I just didn't have it in me to answer another Ms. Amy question). Today during music I truly enjoyed myself....all of the children finally felt comfortable enough to join in and it was so special:) Every little voice was heard (even the babbles & coos) and every hand played an instrument. Each child is starting to have a favorite song & everyone loves when the box of instruments is dumped on the floor and they can choose which & how many instruments they will jam with. Music is so powerful and so important for young children. And I know I have said this many times before but it needs repeating....I'm so thankful for Ms. Amy and Music Together. After music we invited Ms. Amy & her son Eli to join us for snack. It was nice to have a full table, Bella & Ian liked showing Eli how they help set the table & do the dishes afterwards. While waiting for the bus to bring us Eeva & Matt we played in the small sandbox on the front porch. Harrison couldn't take the excitement .....he fell fast asleep in the stroller. What do you think of Everett's new hat? He is the sandbox bully! Everett's favorite thing to do is throw sand.....sometimes at friends, sometimes at the ground, sometimes in his own face! I'm just thankful he's passed the stage of eating the sand.....it was a long summer at the beach with him:) Eeva & Matt arrived, I had to wake Harrison to come inside and the older ones headed to their favorite place...the playroom while I made some lunch. Everyone seems to be feeling better & all ate well. I read the children "A house for Hermit Crab" by Eric Carle before napping. Eeva reads along with me from memory...it was a huge favorite this summer. Bella doesn't make it through the whole book before she's fast asleep. I turn on the music (bedtime w/ the Beatles...I believe you are never too young to be a fan of the fab five) & within 5 minutes everyone is fast asleep. Harrison & I read one more book together and then he curls up under my chin and falls alseep. With everyone asleep I begin cleaning up the kitchen & making snack. Harrison is the first to wake and he enjoys some time in the walker. He is in love with this new found freedom that the walker brings him. He plays with the letters on the fridge, trys to pull the ropes off the wooden tree house where the gnomes live & has access to the baby toy bin. An 8mo.old couldn't ask for more:) Once again we head outside to wait for Nick to arrive. Matt & Eeva enjoy riding the cars up & down the sidewalk. Ian & Bella like to rake the leaves and then jump in their very own piles. Harrison watches from his perch (the stroller) and Everett plays with the broom. Nick arrives off the bus full of energy and ready for a snack so we head back in for some plums & yogurt then back outside. I think it's about time the world recognizes getting 7 children dressed in shoes, coats, hats & mittens is an Olympic sport:)

 We end our day outside as the sun sets behind the trees:)