Hanging with the Girls AGAIN

Eric and the boys are camping with the church youth group this weekend. That leaves me at home with the girls. We are having a great time being mellow. I have big plans to watch Toddlers and Tiaras and tell them how they will never ever get away with the attitude seen on that show!

It is so fun to have some girl time. I will try to take my camera to the camp spot tomorrow to get photos of Eric and the boys. They are in seventh heaven camping and I am pretty over the moon to be having girl time. Win-Win!

Zane the Little Red Engine

Quite awhile ago we received this adorable James costume. We have a Thomas one too. Zane decided that he really wanted to wear it today.

I don't know where this whole adventurous dressing is coming from but I think it is adorable. He even wore it to the grocery store this morning. Too Cute!

First Cavity

We have had a bit of a gap in between dentist appointments for the kids. Bad mommy, I know. So it was with no surprise that I heard Andrew had a cavity on two of his teeth. Yesterday I took him back up to the dentist to get them filled and to have sealants put on the rest of his molars.

I was a bit concerned how Andrew would do. Andrew is not exactly thrilled with new things or changes. In fact, he cried the ENTIRE way home last week when we found out about the cavities. So, imagine my surprise when he went into the dentist office with no fussing and calmly, mellowly got his cavity filled. His biggest complaint was that they chocks that they put in his mouth hurt his jaw. I suppose if he was going to complain about something that was fine. We will hopefully be a LONG time before we have to repeat that experience though.

So Proud

I feel like I have been remiss in showing you all photos of the other munchkins. Honestly we haven't been up to a whole lot. Gwen doing all her big girl stuff has been the most exciting thing our house has been lately. The boys in particular are VERY proud of Gwen standing and taking steps. They both dote on her a lot. It is very cute to see.

Lucy seems to think that the only thing this super mobile stuff is doing is letting Gwen get at her stuff quicker and easier. She may not be too far off.

I think Andrew could sit and watch Gwen work at walking all day. This morning when she was standing for one of the first few times he had a look of wonder on his face. It was very sweet to see.

She Just Isn't Slowing Down!

Two days ago the Gwenie-girl decided to walk. Yesterday she practiced a little bit but not too much.

This morning she decided to figure out how to stand up in the middle of a room. And she has been doing it over and over again all day long. She is so stinking pleased with herself too. I figure at this rate she will be running by the end of the week.

Girl Time and Walking

Today Eric took the boys camping. Lucy, Gwen and I are having a super fun girls night. Of course we got home from church crazy late so the boys took off later than expected and the girls napped all afternoon but a fun evening it shall be.

Lucy keeps asking for the boys and Eric. I am guessing she will be just fine until tomorrow though. I am getting lots of snuggle time in with her.

This afternoon at church Miss Gwendalyn took her first steps. And by steps I mean STEPS! She was standing by a doorway and I was sitting in a chair and the next thing I see is her walking toward me. She took about 8 steps!!! None of this one or two step business for her! She's got siblings to keep up with.

I wondered if she was close last night because she was standing, then squatted down and stood back up without touching anything. However I did not expect her to start with 8 steps. I guess she has been steady enough to do it for awhile and just didn't have the guts. I wonder how long it will be until she starts running!

Coloring Insanity!

Lucy has been enjoying coloring a LOT these days. And finally, FINALLY it is on coloring books rather than her arms!

Often we will find her in the morning sitting at the kitchen counter with a marker and a coloring book.

I personally love it that she enjoys the color wonder markers. I really don't mind if she colors in the living room then! My couches! My walls! Ahhhhh.... they are all safe.

I can't say that she is super great about being in the lines yet but she is having a marvelous time practicing. Often she will find one thing, usually the eyes, and do a decent job coloring them specifically.

It is such a girly thing to be into! I am LOVING IT!

A New BIKE!

We have known that Zane needed a bigger bike. The kid was trying to ride a 12" bike. It was ridiculous looking. We were intending to get him one for his birthday but through channels that were amazing and generous we were given one last night.


Since it was going to be next to impossible to keep it hidden for a month and a half we gave it to him today. He is doing great! He keeps saying that it is a much faster bike. He also has been panicking and forgetting how to brake. He will figure it out.


Now to just get him done with training wheels and he and Andrew will really be able to tear up the neighborhood. I see lots of riding around the block in their future!

Otter Pop

Gwen had her first Otter Pop today. She preferred to just steal bites of mine. I think it was a bit cold on her hands. Somehow I think I will be sharing a lot this summer.

Slip and Slide Time

We brought out the slip and slide since summer FINALLY decided to arrive here. Zane was all excited for it but only lasted a few minutes before wanting to stop. I bribed him with an otter pop to smile for this photo. Sad huh.

Gwen thought the kids were crazy with the slip and slide. I didn't even try to let her play. There is time enough for that in the future.

Andrew and Lucy had a marvelous time playing though. I brought out the blue tarp to give alternate routes. I guess they can be rough and scratchy but Andrew is the only one that actually slid and he focused on the real slip and slide. No harm done.

Lucy's version of slip and slide is walking down and then falling at the bottom. Whatever works for her I guess.

Hooray for Summer!

Hooray for slip and slides!

Hooray for kids playing together without fighting!

Happy Birthday Andrew

An army of cupcakes

A birthday boy

A pinata whacked

A scramble for candy

A present or two

A birthday completed!!!

Pinata

After many days of work the pinata is finally finished. It wouldn't be a birthday party for Andrew without one. I really hope it looks like a Transformer symbol to all of you. Although Andrew is satisfied with it and that is what counts.

Presents!

What do you get a boy like Andrew for his 7th birthday?

A card with a big 7 on it.

A big workbook to keep his mind fresh!


And Legos. A big thing of Legos.

Red Robin! Yummmmmmm.......

I am discovering that we do have quite a few traditions at our house. One of the big birthday traditions is that we go out to Red Robin for dinner to use our birthday burger. (Gotta love the birthday burger program)

Andrew was ok with the singing for the first time this year. I think he was still a little embarrassed by it but he was ok with them singling him out. In the past we have told them not to sing. I guess it is pretty common for kids to get upset and cry. Andrew must be growing up a bit!

He decided on chocolate and caramel sauce for his sundae. Plus he even shared some bites with Zane, Lucy and Eric. What a nice birthday boy he is!

Birthday Bowling

Ever since we went to a friends birthday party at a bowling alley Andrew has been itching to go for his party. We decided that a family trip to the bowling alley would be a wonderful way to celebrate, so off we went to Evergreen Lanes this afternoon.

Fortunately the alley was almost deserted. Plus it is so nice now that there is no smoking in bowling alleys! Andrew was extremely excited. Eric and I decided that one game would be plenty. Attention spans seem to die out after the first one.

Zane was determined to actually throw the ball down the alley today. He was a wee bit wild with the swing and almost threw the ball in the other lane once but all in all he did really well.

Lucy and I were playing on a team. Lucy managed to even get a strike! We bowled grandma style when it was her turn and then I would bowl the second ball of the frame. Win-Win in my book!

Lucy also almost got whacked in the head with a ball. She is a quick little bugger and thought that it was super interesting to be right with me when I was bowling.

Gwen was mighty curious about the ball return.

She was even Eric's partner in bowling for about two frames. They didn't do so good with her rolling the ball so Eric ditched her and bowled alone for the rest of the game. Gwen didn't seem to mind too much.

Although she was quite proud of herself for rolling it!

Practically a bowling team of our own!

The final score. Eric won but Lucy and I came in a mean second! Andrew didn't do so bad himself!