My Five Little Blessings

8 is the Age

2012-02-12T16:30:00.000-08:00

It is a fun and curious transition when you start taking your kids to the adult events that we go to in life. It seems that in our family 8 is the perfect age to start making this transition.

For the past several years Eric has attended a men's event at my mom's church. It is a "Wild Meat Dinner" and they serve all kinds of food that people hunt. Usually there is elk, deer, turkey, bear, salmon and occasionally moose and duck as the proteins. Eric, of course, LOVES this event since it is all about eating, and both boys have been longing to go for several years.

Well this year, since Andrew turned 8, he got his chance to go. And he LOVED all the different types of meat. He is such a little hunter at heart.

I asked the kids the other day what a great adventure would be to them and Andrew IMMEDIATELY stated "Going hunting, shooting a deer and skinning it. Then eating it."

Apparently he is Eric's child.

What an amazing young man he is becoming. Makes this momma's heart very, very proud.

Zane's Dream

2012-02-12T16:15:00.000-08:00

I have a dream...

that everybody has

a tv.

I do love that boy.

It Never Gets Old

2012-02-10T16:13:00.000-08:00

Two big camera LOVING girls.

Every time I take out my camera they ham it up.

Lucy: Will you take a picture of me mommy? Gwen: Me too! Me too! Then both: I want to see! I want to see!

Lucy: Let's hug each other because we are best friends, ok Gwen?

A Valentine's Pig

2012-02-10T12:54:00.000-08:00

Andrew finished his pig Valentine holder. He had definite ideas about what it should look like. I even bought a hot glue gun to facilitate the process. Best purchase I have made in a REALLY long time. I should have bought one years ago!

Now daddy just needs to help him put a slot on the top so people can add their valentine's and it will be finished.

Andrew keeps talking about adding stickers and stuff to it but I think it looks adorable the way it is. Red kissy lips and a curly tail and all.

2 Big Steps

2012-02-08T15:59:00.000-08:00

In the middle of a horrid illness Mr. Reid Isaiah decided to take his first two steps. No encouragement or bribery. He just stepped off into an open room. 10 and a half months. Earliest kid yet.

Miserable Little Boy

2012-02-08T13:51:00.000-08:00

It is never fun when the kids are sick.But Reid is taking sick and miserable to an entirely new level. He has had a fever for just over two days but other than that there are no symptoms. I took him to the doctor today, no ear infection and his nose and sinuses looked good. I knew all that. I just was desperately hoping that something could be done to help my poor little man.

Because he is MISERABLE when he is sick. He is whiny, clingy, desperate for me to hold him but then wanting down 2 seconds later when I pick him up. I cannot walk out of his sight without a total and complete meltdown.

He wants to nurse, constantly. But yet not really eat anything. He is refusing solid food but constantly, constantly is at me to nurse. And then when he does nurse, not a lot of actual eating is done. It is a vicious cycle. Apparently I need to just walk around as an open milk bar to suit him and his needs. I love him dearly. I enjoy him more when he is well.

So Different

2012-02-06T20:10:00.000-08:00

Both boys were given the task of making a Valentine's Day box to hold their class valentines. I am always so intrigued to see what they come up with as a project.

I don't have a lot of craft stuff laying around the house. So we headed off to the dollar store to get some inexpensive decoration ideas. While we were there I saw these pre-made mailboxes. They even had a slot for the valentines to fit through.

I offered to get one for both boys. Zane instantly accepted the offer (even though he had previously had some ideas about how he was going to make his box) and we got some sticker sheets so he could decorate.

Andrew turned down the offer for the box. He is determined to make a holder from scratch. In his defense, he LOVES to craft. I would have never thought my type A little man would love to be so creative but he is.

Andrew's plan is to make a Valentine's Day Piggie Bank to hold all his valentines. He has come up with the entire idea and other than the wrapping paper (which we bought) we had all the necessary items laying around the house.

I am very excited to see how this craft turns out. It just amazes me what he comes up with sometimes. And it also amazes me the length of time that he will spend on these projects. Andrew will take HOURS to complete a craft. Zane usually works and then is done minutes later. But if it comes to imagination driven things, like a story to tell or a pretend/play game, Andrew is usually in the weeds and Zane flourishes.

Two boys. So different. So wonderful in opposite ways.

A Project for Daddy

2012-02-03T15:11:00.000-08:00

With the demise of the tree came the unfortunate chore of chopping up the fallen chunk. Since it was in our yard we got to be lazy about it.

Eric will take care of the big part of the tree but he asked that the boys lop off all the branches they could and stack them. He is going to use a chainsaw and cut up the rest of it this weekend.

The boys are such good hard workers. They have been at it for almost an hour now and amazingly the tree still has a million branches left. I am really, really proud of all their work.

Not Ready!!!

2012-02-02T14:12:00.000-08:00

Zane is very outgoing and friendly. He has a lot of friends in kindergarten and I can only imagine him being quite the life of the party. He certainly entertains us at home. Today I was asking him about his Valentine's day party and we were talking about buying valentines and if there was anyone he wanted to give a special one to. He got all shy and embarrassed and said yes. But he was not going to tell me who. It was a secret.

Then we started talking about this girl. She is a girl friend. Not his girlfriend. Although he said maybe she is his girlfriend but that he isn't old enough yet. I agreed with him that he wasn't old enough. THEN he informed me he was going to get married when he was 20. Or maybe 18. So that meant he needed to have a girlfriend when he was 17. Or 15. Because he can drive a car when he is 15 (insert argument about not legally driving until 16 in this state). I am so not ready for all this.

Tubby Time

2012-02-02T12:48:00.000-08:00

Reid LOVES taking a bath with the sisters.

A lot of princess swimming lessons occur when they all take a bath together.

Although I have to definitely watch him like a hawk. He tries to drown himself at least once a bath.

Reid Isaiah- 10 Months Old

2012-01-29T12:57:00.000-08:00

Curious. Playful. Busy.

10 Months Old

My Reid in a nutshell.

It Doesn't MATCH!!!

2012-01-28T12:30:00.000-08:00

Miss Gwen has always had a mind of her own.She is quite particular about what she wears and what is done with her hair.

There is a strong independent streak in my Gwen that just will not quit. I ran into it the other day while I was trying to get her out the door.

I was desperately trying to get her dressed. She decided she wanted to have a bow in her hair. Since her dress was purple-ish and had some pink on it I went for the pink bow. Oh no. She wanted to wear the orange bow.

Absolutely nothing went with the orange bow. Then I tried to convince her to put some shoes on. She sobbed that they didn't match. The color? Pink. Which did match the dress. Apparently she wanted something to match the bow. Could she be more goofy and picky all at the same time?

Of course I was talking to Amanda about all this and her take was that the orange bow was fun and the dress was fun and "fun" and "fun" always match. So really, Gwen wasn't being unreasonable at all.

Someone remind me of all this when she is a teenager. Please.

9 Month Checkup for Reid Isaiah

2012-01-26T15:43:00.000-08:00

I was a bit late for Reid's 9 month checkup. He really is closer to 10 months old. But it finally got taken care of and the boy is doing great!

Reid slimmed down considerably this time around. I think all his crawling and pulling up and just being busy in general has finally caught up with him.

Height: 29.5" (76%)
Weight: 21 lbs. 10 oz (57%)

In everything Reid is doing great. He met and surpassed most of the social/developmental milestones that 9 months old should be able to do.

I also asked the doctor about my options for "milk" when it is time to transfer him to a cup. I got the ok for both rice milk and almond milk. Although she did say that most babies that have allergies like he does generally don't consume a lot of milk. Mostly they just drink water and juice. It is going to be interesting for sure!

A Checkup for Lucy

2012-01-26T15:33:00.000-08:00

Miss Lucy Fern had her 4 year old checkup this week! She is doing fantastic in every area. She even had her vision and her hearing tested and both those passed with flying colors!

Lucy continues to be very proportionate with her height and weight.

Height: 41" (82%)
Weight: 41 lbs. (86%)

She is just going to be tall and will probably pass me up!

We also decided to get Lucy's kindergarten shots this time around since she spends a lot of days at the gym in childcare.

She did amazing with the shots. She did not cry while she was getting them and only flinched when she got her tetanus shot (stings when it goes in). What a brave little lady my Lucy is!

Bye-Bye Climbing Tree

2012-01-23T16:31:00.000-08:00

You will be greatly missed.

Speech... Again

2012-01-23T16:22:00.000-08:00

Zane started speech therapy a few weeks ago. Due to a qualification loophole, Zane is not receiving speech therapy services through his elementary school. We are doing outside speech therapy to attempt to correct sounds that he is struggling with. As we have started to work with him the SLP (speech language pathologist) feels his major issue is with his tongue and jaw. Zane tends to overcompensate with his jaw for sounds that are difficult to make. So he has a lot of exercises that will require practice. The positive thing is once this issue is figured out and corrected the SLP feels most of his sounds issues will resolve on their own. Which really is great news. So here we go with a new round of speech therapy. I am ready to tackle it. And I think Zane is too!

Another Snowy Adventure

2012-01-18T12:41:00.000-08:00

So much snow to play in!

Swings are fun, even in the snow.

Sledding is great when you have a slide to make a really fast track...

Andrew spent almost an hour going down this slide. I think he is crazy. But next time we go to Disneyland he better be game for some roller coasters. Because this thing was fast!

Watching the Big Kids Play

2012-01-18T10:44:00.001-08:00

Sometimes it's tough being the little guy.

A Snow Day

2012-01-17T15:52:00.000-08:00

Reid and I relaxed inside while the big kids played in the snow.

After a monster snow storm it was time to play in the wonder that is the snow.

A Sweet kiss for a sweet boy.

We probably got 9 inches or so this time around. Hard to believe they are predicting even more tomorrow.

This was Gwen's first time really playing in the snow. Last year I don't really even remember there being snow and the year before that she was just too little to play.

She really loved it.

The big boys have been having a marvelous time. Lots of snowballs, shoveling the driveway and playing with the snow in the back of the truck.

It was like an extra birthday present for Lucy!

Happy 4th Birthday Lucy!

2012-01-17T12:52:00.000-08:00

My Blueberry Boy

2012-01-16T09:11:00.000-08:00

Is there anything I love more than a baby with a blueberry face?

Maybe just this baby with a blueberry face!

Lucy's 4th Birthday Party

2012-01-14T20:09:00.000-08:00

Miss Lucy Fern doesn't turn 4 until next Tuesday but today we decided to celebrate her big day.

I managed to not make a crazy complicated cake for once but she was very clear that she wanted pink cupcake frosting and chocolate cake.

4 letter candles for a girl that is turning 4!

She was so excited to get presents! When she was done she double checked the table to make sure they were really all opened.

Happy Birthday Lucy. We love you!

The Best Part of Baking Cupcakes

2012-01-14T12:38:00.000-08:00

Prepping for a Party

2012-01-13T16:30:00.000-08:00

Miss Lucy Lu turns 4 next week and her party is tomorrow afternoon. I decided to start the cleaning fest today rather than wait until tomorrow when I will be a scattered frantic mess.

Good thing the birthday girl REALLY likes to help vacuum. And she is pretty good at it too! And since I had people over last weekend it makes it a bit easier to pick up and clean. We just didn't get it that messy this week. Hooray for us!

She is such a huge help to me. First the laundry and now the vacuum. I may be spoiled by a girl that is always ready to roll up her sleeves and clean with me. Wouldn't that be wonderful.

The Great Continent of Dogton

2012-01-11T15:31:00.000-08:00

Andrew had a project at school to create a continent with a theme and write a paper about it. I forgot to take photos of it before he carted it off to school so this post is slightly overdue. He did a great job on the project and even got a 4 on it. Excellent work Andrew!

The following is is essay on Dogton. He wrote and typed it in its entirely all by himself.

Dogton

Have youever heard of a continent named Dogton? Ihave! In the beginning God created Dogton in the shape of a puppy. As the yearswent by the continent grew into a dog. In1818, Eric Werner found Dogton at the age of ten. The next thing you need toknow is that dogs and only dogs live on Dogton. You also have to know that every single doghas brown fur and if it doesn’t have brown fur it’s thrown in jail. However, they play catch and chase and thesort of stuff dogs do for fun. Even thoughDogton started off a great place to live doesn’t mean it was good all through itshistory. You see Dogton was not the onlycontinent at that time. The other continent’s name was Beartimore. Beartimore was not the nicest continent inthe world because the bears attacked Dogton. The bears were so big they scared all the dogsand the dogs would do anything the bears wanted to get them to leave. However, the bears had a scheme to stay thereforever. The next thing the dogs knewthey were slaves. They worked from 1895 to 1935. In 1936 super Andrew told every single dog tosuper glue their paws to the ground. With his amazing breath super Andrew blew all the bears back to Beartimore! His breath was so strong Dogton fell into theocean. Even though it fell I will neverforget Dogton and I hope you won’t either.

He LOVES me

2012-01-10T20:24:00.000-08:00

Mr. Reid's sleeping has gone from bad to worse. He has never been a great nighttime snoozer. The past few nights though have been horrid. Reid is up almost every 2 hours all night long. He wants to sleep with me. He is not hungry. I think he is entering into the separation anxiety stage too which is very hard. I just really, really want some sleep! I need to not be quite so loved by my little man.

Reid's First Haircut

2011-12-30T18:30:00.000-08:00

Tis the season for cutting hair at our house. Reid's hair has been in his eyes and nose and everywhere else for several months now. I have been putting off cutting it. I just didn't want him to lose his sweet baby face! However, the time had finally come. And since I just wanted the hair out of his eyes I decided that I would cut it myself.

Two Sweet Boys Before

Once upon a time I tried to cut Eric's hair with scissors. It resulted in me sobbing and buzz clipping his head. Never again has it been scissor cut and that was 10 years ago. So I was a bit nervous about cutting Reid's. Here he is a squirmy little man and if I messed his hair up I would cry even harder. Eric figured I could do it, worst case scenario the buzz clippers would come out.

The actual hair cut was pretty much as difficult as I thought. Reid squirmed the entire time and I can't really say that the cut is truly even BUT.... it is done. No tears from this momma!

Sweet baby boy doesn't even seem to notice the difference. He is still so precious and little. My baby boy.

Looking a little bit more like a big boy now.

Reid Isaiah- 9 Months

2011-12-30T10:06:00.000-08:00

A sweet little man turned 9 months old. It is almost unthinkable that he is that old already. Reid is climbing up stairs. Not just one of two. Entire flights of stairs. He is cruising along furniture. Letting go and standing independently for a second or two at a time. He says ma-ma and da-da. He is eating... a lot. He loves scrambled eggs and carrots. He inhales applesauce and cereal. He is just a happy little boy.

Reid does not like to sleep. Sleep is the enemy to him. Already he only takes one nap a day. He is still up often during the night, much to my displeasure. He has not found a thumb, finger or blankie to soothe himself with. Rather I am his comfort item. This is not my favorite thing to be.

Nine months of Reid have been marvelous and spectacular. I am so blessed by this little man. So happy to have him in our family.

Sisterly LOVE

2011-12-28T10:01:00.000-08:00

Is it possible to get a photo where they are both looking?

NOPE

Sweet Gwennie Girl

2011-12-28T09:57:00.000-08:00

Soccer Tournaments

2011-12-27T09:51:00.000-08:00

This Christmas break Andrew had a chance to play in two indoor soccer tournaments. Indoor soccer is such a different game. Using the wall as a player to pass against. Making sure the ball stays low enough to not hit the top net. Penalty kicks! It was different. The first tournament was a U8/U9 tournament (Andrew is U9). The boys played pretty well but the learning curve was pretty steep since most of them had never played indoor at all. The second tournament was U9/U10 and frankly they got a bit demolished. The boys were all bigger and had more experience. However, Andrew had a great time playing and was smiling even at the end. It was a really fun activity to have during his break.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T18:46:00.000-08:00

When your mantle looks like this Christmas morning, there is sure to be chaos on the horizon.

I cheerfully put the camera away during most of Christmas. I want to be able to really watch the kids as they open gifts and react to what they got. Something that tends to get missed when I am too busy worrying about whether or not I got a good picture or whether someone had a weird look or shut eyes.

So most of my photos are either before presents or after presents were all done. The kiddos woke up around 6:30 this morning. Although I must say that I heard boys playing BeyBlades at 4:55 and informed them to put them away and go back to sleep.

It must have worked because Andrew didn't come out of his room until after 6 which was the earliest I told them they could wake us up.

This year we opened stockings while our big cinnamon roll was cooking and then had breakfast and read the end of Tabitha's Travels. If you are interested in a fun Christmas/Advent tradition I highly recommend it.

They boys were surprised this year with Nintendo DS systems. Both were thrilled and immediately sat down to play them. After a bit of a struggle to get Zane's to work they finally both got to play. It was silence from them for quite awhile.

They girls got some Melissa and Doug dolls that they have had a lot of fun with. I'm not going to lie. I pretty much love these dolls as well. Such a great version of the classic paper doll.

Reid had a great first Christmas as well. He seemed overwhelmed and amazed at the flurry of activity that was surrounding him. And in true Reid fashion he jumped right in the middle of it.

The boys and Eric all got headlamps for a present. Let me tell you, that was the best $2.49 I ever spent. Even Gwen got in the action and wore Eric's around almost all morning long. It has been a wonderful and full Christmas this year. My heart is full.

Christmas Eve Eve

2011-12-23T21:13:00.000-08:00

What does ABC see fitting to do on Christmas Eve Eve???

Play a Marathon of Christmas/Holiday Specials

No school in the morning means this momma is letting two sweet boys stay up until 10 to watch them. They are sooooooooo excited!

Big Boy!

2011-12-23T19:32:00.000-08:00

Reid got a ride on an airplane tonight.

Of course Zane was the pilot and it never left the ground.

That seemed to make no difference to this happy little man.

What a big boy Reid is and what a sweet big brother he has!

My Little Helper

2011-12-23T15:38:00.000-08:00

While the babies slept and the boys played at a friends house, Miss Lucy Lu and I got some Christmas baking done.

She is always ready and willing to give me a hand with any project I have going on. Today we were unwrapping caramels for a dessert. She did really well all by herself.

Lucy is also a master laundry folder. She is thrilled to be hanging out with me while I fold our masses of laundry.

I have high hopes that she may enjoy cleaning and picking up as she gets older. I know I certainly would love it if she were inclined that way!

Adjusting

2011-12-20T10:16:00.000-08:00

Cutting Lucy's hair has been a definite change for us. I am not fighting with her daily over hair brushing. Washing is a breeze and no de-tangler is needed after a bath. I am starting to get used to her with shorter hair. Don't get me wrong, I miss her long hair and I wish we could have kept it but the fights were just not worth it.

Lucy has mixed emotions over her hair. At the start she really seemed to like it. If you ask her now (like I just did) she will tell you that she doesn't like it and preferred the fight over the hair brushing. SIGH I don't really buy it though. I think the main problem is the reactions of other people. Even though it looks cute we all are still not reacting super well. Hopefully by the time it grows out a bit more she will be past this anti-brushing stance. Then we can go back to pigtails and braids and all kinds of fun hair things.

All Put Together

2011-12-20T10:06:00.000-08:00

Very occasionally I get an outfit put together that I think suits the wearer perfectly. Today Gwen got that designation.

Gwen is quite girly. She loves to be dressed up and is much less rough and tumble than Lucy. So pink polka dots, leggings, pink socks and black Mary Janes are about as perfect a fit as it can be. Now to just put her hair in something cute...

This is her super CHEESE face.

She absolutely gets this one from me.

Shopping with Daddy

2011-12-18T19:49:00.000-08:00

Eric very sweetly went to the grocery store this afternoon to get supplies for a Christmas cookie making extravaganza we are planning on completing this week. This time he decided to take Miss Lucy with him.

He came home and was amazed at what a sweet little lady she can be when there are no siblings around to fight and fuss with. I knew that she could be that way but it is fun to take her out by herself and experience it. Eric usually stays home and I get the one on one time with the kiddos so this was a great treat. I am so glad they both had fun and am eagerly anticipating daddy/daughter dates in the future.

Hanging with the Boys

2011-12-18T19:43:00.000-08:00

The boys and I were the only ones home (and awake) so Skip-Bo was on the agenda. Andrew and Zane love playing card games and I foresee a lot of them happening over this Christmas break.

Reid was not playing cards but he was happily playing around all our feet and periodically pulling up next to me to see what was going on. Love hanging out with my little men.

A New Do for Lucy-Lu

2011-12-15T18:03:00.000-08:00

Miss Lucy and I have been fighting daily over brushing her hair. Today I finally had enough. It was time to cut her hair.

Lucy was SO EXCITED to go back to the hair salon (Great Clips) and get her hair cut. She remembered that they gave her a lollipop last time. It is possible that is the exciting part.

Missy Ma'am's long locks before....

All her baby curls....

Cute and Short and Sassy!

Just like Lucy!

A Schultz Family Christmas

2011-12-11T17:54:00.001-08:00

Eric's family (his mom's side) throws a large Christmas party every year. It is large only because she has a large family. Alice is one of 10 siblings and when you consider that they all had several children and some are onto great grandchildren, well you can imagine the numbers.

It wouldn't be a party without some great food. Obviously a hit with our family!

Andrew had a great time. I think he is finally old enough to appreciate the brilliance of a potluck dinner. That and he is old enough to make up his own plate with stuff he wants to eat. Truly a treat.

Grandma Alice got to have some Reid snuggle time. Both were quite happy with the arrangement!

Zane had such a great time he lost a tooth to commemorate the day. The tooth fairy will be making another stop over at our house tonight!

The girls had a great time playing on the stage that they have. They are so adventurous. Gwen almost immediately hopped onto the stage when we walked in the door. It was crazy to see her dancing around up there with people looking at her and her not being shy at all.

Lucy and Gwen also both got on the microphone and said Merry Christmas to everyone. Lisping the whole thing of course so it sounded more like "Mewwy Cwithmath"

Reid found a lot of people to smile at and a few babies to play with too. It is becoming even more fun now that there is a second wave of babies in the family.

Cheerios for this little man!

At the very end the kiddos even got up to dance. Andrew danced with Lucy a little even. They just make me smile.

Santa Photos!

2011-12-11T17:51:00.001-08:00

Santa showed up at the Schultz family Christmas party this year. Gwen was the only one slightly tentative about sitting with him but in the end she did great too. He was so nice he even brought presents with him for all the kiddos.

We Call Him Goat Milker

2011-12-06T10:10:00.001-08:00

Reid is a strong little man. He always has been. It has only grown though as he has gotten older. Reid has one of the strongest grips I have ever seen on an 8 month old. He will grasp onto something and not let go.

One night he grabbed onto Eric's nipple through his shirt and it took the combined efforts of Eric (who was admittedly screeching like a little girl) and Andrew to pry his fingers off of him. Reid really does have the hands of a goat milker. It is not uncommon for him to grab on so tightly he breaks skin and draws blood. Trying to teach him to be gentle is going to be quite the chore. He really has no idea of his own strength.

Painting, Painting, Painting

2011-12-06T09:46:00.001-08:00

A Gingerbread Tradition

2011-12-04T18:24:00.001-08:00

Decorating a gingerbread house with four kiddos helping is a much shorter process than just one or two children.

Andrew wanted it to look just like the box... as usual.

Reid did not help this year. Next year!

Gwen had more candy find her mouth than the house but that was to be expected.

Lucy was quite precise about candy placement.

Zane was over the moon excited to be completing this project. He has been asking almost daily for a week now. I think it is officially Christmas now.

Swimming Again!

2011-12-01T20:04:00.001-08:00

Another round of swimming lessons began this week. All the kids are in the same levels as last session so they know what to expect. Andrew is getting some good work in on the crawl stroke, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. It is significantly more work than the previous level classes were but he is doing a great job and really improving on his form and endurance.

Zane is busily trying to pass Beginner 1. He is having a great time and I feel pretty confident that this session he will pass to Beginner 2. He is finally mellowed out and stopped being such a goofball in class so he can learn something. Unfortunately he is like a lead balloon in the water and he sinks. Floating is real work for him but he is doing great overall.

Lucy..... well, she is in Preschool 2. She is a little fish with no fear of the water. This translates into her falling (jumping) off the tot dock in the water and almost drowning herself. She fell off of it twice today before we finally pulled her out of the water. This is no reflection on the teacher. Lucy knows she is supposed to be holding onto the wall and is completely refusing to follow the rules. Hopefully getting pulled out before class was done today will make the difference in her behavior. She is just too fearless. It really isn't safe.

Andrew Graduates Speech

2011-12-01T19:52:00.001-08:00

Today we celebrated 3 years of very hard work and dedication for Andrew. Unlike some milestones that can be achieved but not deserved this graduation is a wonderful celebration of a job well done.

For 3 years Andrew worked and worked at his speech to correct speech sound/communication problems to make himself more clearly understood by others and to better himself.

I won't lie. It wasn't always a lot of fun. There were several nights of groaning and moaning over the homework. A lot of "I don't like practicing that sound" but Andrew persevered through it all. Ultimately he realized that only he can control his progress in speech therapy and only by hard work, dedication and determination will he accomplish and achieve his goals.

The end result is a more articulate and confident Andrew. Ready to tackle the world and make himself heard and understood. Congratulations Andrew! We are so proud of you and all your hard work.

A Tree for Christmas

2011-11-26T19:28:00.001-08:00

We took the plunge tonight and decorated the tree. The kids have been super excited for it for a few weeks now and once they heard that we were going to do it tonight they almost drove us insane all day long!

It is amazing how quickly a tree can get decorated when you have a lot of little hands to put the ornaments on.

The boys were instructed to focus on the middle of the tree and leave the bottom branches for the girls. Eric and I were in charge of the top third of the tree. It is woefully empty in comparison to the bottom.

Reid did not help with the decorating process. Although he watched with great interest to see what we were doing.

Zane was probably the most excited decorator of all. He was also one of the quickest decorators. I had to tell him to slow down to be able to get any pictures of him at all.

Once the tree was up and ready we released Reid from his saucer. He is VERY intrigued by the tree and wants to touch all the lower ornaments. At least everything on the bottom is very kid safe and non breakable. And we attached the tree to the curtain rod with some fishing line to keep him from pulling it over. We may regret putting it up this early this year but I still think it will have been worth it.

Long Wet Afternoon

2011-11-21T14:17:00.001-08:00

Time for some Play-doh!

Reid supervised from the floor.

Lucy made some delicious food.

Zane decided to make some spaghetti.

Gwen practiced her knife work.

Self Feeding!

2011-11-21T14:15:00.001-08:00

Mr. Reid Isaiah (Did you know that is what we call him about half the time?) has finally begun picking up cereal. Of course it is more the rake it up and stuff it in mouth variety than the pincher grasp but whatever gets him eating on his own is alright with me.

And of course any excuse to get another picture of him in that adorable turkey hat!

My Little Turkey

2011-11-19T13:43:00.001-08:00

Tackling a Challenge

2011-11-19T13:04:00.001-08:00

Zane got his speech assessed last week and finally on Thursday I found out the results of the assessment. The results were very good news/bad news. The good news is that although he does have significant speech sound delays, they are not in any way affecting him academically or socially.

Zane is incredibly social, has lots of friends at school, is a leader in his class and is thriving in about every way imaginable for kindergarten. This is all extremely good news! However, because there is no link between his speech issues and his ability to succeed in school, Zane does not qualify for school speech therapy. This is bad news. Especially since the speech pathologist feels it is highly unlikely he will ever correct the speech sound issues that he has on his own without intervention.

Melonie (the speech pathologist at the school) said she would be willing to have Zane and I come in and work with her once a month. I jumped on that possibility and yesterday we had our first meeting. I can not even begin to describe how impressed I was with Zane's willingness to work on his speech sounds. He was able (with instruction) make almost every speech sound that he was missing at least independently. Including the always difficult "R" sound. We were sent home a packet of practice sheets and instructions to keep on working. Our next meeting with Melonie is in January. Hopefully we will have some good progress to show.

We are also going to go forward with private therapy as well. I know we will have insurance to cover the service through June so we will hit that hard while we have the chance. So proud of my boy. And a wee bit nervous for me as I have to be the one to keep him honest during our practice times to ensure he is making the sounds properly.

Taking Care of Daddy

2011-11-19T10:50:00.001-08:00

The kiddos decided to give Eric a massage this morning. They intended for it to be relaxing.

He said it actually was pretty good. We have found a way for the kiddos to be very useful!

Silly Sissies

2011-11-17T12:23:00.001-08:00

Anything my sissy does is worth copying. She is just that cool.

They love each other lots and lots.

Best Friends Forever

Outlaw Awards

2011-11-17T12:20:00.001-08:00

This year for soccer Andrew's team decided to get sweatshirts instead of trophies. A much better option in my opinion. Andrew had so much fun playing soccer this year and has now worn the sweatshirt to school 3 days in a row. I will need to peel it off of him to wash one of these days. Hooray for another great season of soccer!

Two Little Monkeys

2011-11-14T13:18:00.001-08:00

Two little monkeys jumpin' on the water.
One jumped in and bumped her head.
Momma called the doctor and the doctor said
No more monkey jumpin' on the bed.

I have no photos for it. But Lucy and Gwen have been playing swimming lessons with their toys in the tub at night. They don't exactly have the rhyme correct but I know what they are doing. One bath tub princess is the instructor and the other one is the person in the class. And they take turns jumping from the side of the tub into the water. It is unbelievable cute.

These are the memories I never want to forget.

Another Trip for Madame Tooth Fairy

2011-11-10T15:32:00.001-08:00

Another tooth gone from Zane's mouth. Andrew pulled this one too. It really is hysterical to watch them together. Zane shrieking and crying.

Andrew pausing and convincing Zane to just let him wiggle the tooth a little bit more. (He really can be quite persuasive.)

Finally the tooth coming out and both boys looking proud as can be. I think Zane's loose teeth are as much joy for Andrew as they are for Zane!

They Love Him So Much

2011-11-05T20:10:00.001-07:00

On Your Feet Soldier!

2011-11-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

I was hoping this whole pulling up business was a random fluke.

Apparently not.

We are in such trouble....

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-30T18:35:00.001-07:00

Pumpkin Patch 2011

2011-10-30T18:30:00.000-07:00

Just in the nick of time we made it to the pumpkin patch! The kids have been asking for weeks and we finally had to go or we would have never made it in time for Halloween.

Reid was the perfect age for a first trip. He was happy in the stroller and happy to have a pumpkin to look at.

Lucy was enamored with all the little tiny pumpkins!

Gwen was excited to get in on the pumpkin excitement this year too!

I don't remember there ever being a pumpkin washing station before but it certainly was a hit with Andrew. And a hit with me. No trying to bathe the pumpkins in my sink! Andrew wanted the biggest pumpkin in the entire field, Eric told him if he could pick it up then he could have it. So Andrew bent down and hauled it up. I don't think Eric is going to make that rule anymore. We may have some VERY large pumpkins in our future!

Zane got a pumpkin from his kindergarten pumpkin patch field trip this year. He was very excited to use that one to carve. Works for us. He was a big help finding Reid a pumpkin instead.

Boys Halloween Preview

2011-10-26T21:11:00.000-07:00

The boys got in the costume action as well. Reid is going as a baby bumblebee...His momma is very proud!

Andrew and Zane both picked costumes from previous years which worked out great! Andrew is a race car driver (no idea who, not a NASCAR fan) and Zane is James from the Thomas the Tank Engine series.

They are both over the moon excited for Halloween to come this year. I am looking forward to it but not looking forward to all the candy in the house!

Girls Halloween Preview

2011-10-26T21:01:00.000-07:00

We had a party at church tonight and the kiddos all got to dress up. The girls both wanted to be princesses.

Gwen was pretty determined to be Cinderella.

Lucy is sporting her Sleeping Beauty gear. She is so proud of her new costume!

CHEESE

SUPER CHEESE!!!

Seriously, seriously cute.

Best Buddies

2011-10-24T12:24:00.000-07:00

I took Andrew to the bus this morning and when I got home these three cutie pies were waiting for me! Apparently Reid and Zane both figured that Reid wanted to sit on the couch and watch some cartoons.

I love how Zane takes care of his baby brother. He is home this week because of school conferences. And I think Reid is going to love having some big brother support around!

Panties for Gwen

2011-10-23T19:14:00.000-07:00

Apparently this weekend was the perfect time to potty train.At least that is what Gwen seems to think.

Gwen has managed to go 2 whole days with no accidents. None in pull-ups, none in the night. So we went and bought new panties for the girl. They are huge on her and they are 2T/3T. The smallest they make. I started Lucy with 4T and wondered, who on earth actually buys 2T/3T. Apparently we do for Gwen.

This whole thing is unreal. After the nightmare week of potty training Lucy, this is happening way too easily. I keep waiting for her to change her mind and decide she doesn't want to do it anymore. But I suppose I should just go with it.

The lady wants to be a big girl and who am I to stop her from it. It reminds me of Zane. Just wake up one day and do the potty training thing. No looking back. I am just crossing my fingers that this is really it.

Pumpkin Pie

2011-10-19T14:44:00.000-07:00

Tracie sent me this ADORABLE pumpkin hat for Reid. It is just too cute! I can't hardly wait to go to the pumpkin patch. If I put him among the pumpkins do you think he will blend in?

Yes, he is chewing on a Christmas elf...

Makes me want to learn how to knit!

A Checkup for Reid

2011-10-17T13:43:00.000-07:00

Took Reid in for his 6 month checkup last week. He is doing absolutely fantastic, just how I thought he would be.

He just finished trying to suck my eyeball out of my head in this photo. I found something else more satisfying for him to eat a few minutes later.

Reid is growing but just not as fast as the brothers did. I am in complete shock over how much shorter he is. The nurse and I think maybe we caught him in between growth spurts.

Height: 27" (61%)
Weight: 19 lbs. 7 oz.(75%)

You can see his new teeth in this photo though. Reid has three teeth on bottom and none on top yet. Although I looked this afternoon and I can see three little white spots on his top gums so I think he is going to cut all of them at once. No wonder he was so stinking cranky last night!

Brotherly Love

2011-10-16T21:58:00.000-07:00

Reid is so excited to be able to hang out with his brothers. He finds them all kinds of fun. He loves it when they wrestle with him and pick him up and tote him around the house. He also really enjoys grabbing at Zane's glasses which is not something the rest of us enjoy at all. I love that they all love each other so much.

Zane's First Month at School

2011-10-10T15:05:00.000-07:00

One month come and gone for Zane and kindergarten. It has been somewhat of a whirlwind with Zane's first teacher getting switched to a 1st/2nd split class on the 4th day of school and having to get used to a new teacher with very little warning but Zane has managed to handle it like a champ and I have no concerns about him.

Zane loves kindergarten so much he never goes to the bathroom at school. According to him he might miss something exciting. I tried to assure him that he should go if he needed to but he seemed pretty sure something fantastic would happen if he left the room to go use the bathroom.

Also my sweet boy has a tender little heart. One little boy in his class keeps having a hard time listening to the teacher and obeying the class rules. He gets into trouble a lot and it made Zane cry that he was having to miss recess. I am glad that Zane has been behaving himself in class. We have conferences for him at the end of the month and I am excited to hear how he is coming along!

Sweet Sisters

2011-10-10T14:55:00.000-07:00

Two sweet sisters waiting for Zane to get home from school. They are often best friends. Occasionally bitter enemies.

But they can play so well together. They will take their babies for walks in strollers around the house or play pretend kitty cats together. They color together and share toys often. Of course they occasionally will fight and insist on being the boss and there is always the danger of one of them saying "NO MA'AM!" to the other one which is like throwing down the gauntlet for a cat fight. And the anticipated scratching, biting and hair pulling. But really, they are very sweet together a lot of the time. Best friends forever I hope.

Crawling

2011-10-10T14:46:00.000-07:00

I could have labeled this post, OH NO! Because Reid is on the move and I don't mean just a little. He is full on, hands and knees forward movement.

I watched him this morning at the gym crawl after a ball only to knock it forward and then crawl after it some more. I am in trouble. He is only 6 and a half months old. I don't really think he is going to be content with just crawling either. I am not going to be surprised if he is up on his feet early too. He just loves to move and he has lots of big people to follow around.

Reid is still working on getting back up to a sit after he makes it onto his tummy to crawl. I am guessing he is going to have that soon though. He seems to like sitting now at least. If I give him a toy, he will play with it for awhile before he gets bored. And he really seems to enjoy books too. But I still think he is going to be very active. My running shoes are at least broken in!

Potty Success!

2011-10-10T14:35:00.000-07:00

Miss Gwendalyn has had two successful trips to the potty this week. Pretty much amazing in my book. I am not into pushing potty training. It happens so much easier when the kid controls it but I must say the idea of only having one in daytime diapers is nothing short of a dream. I am eagerly anticipating what she is going to do next!

Almost 4

2011-10-10T14:31:00.000-07:00

Lucy keeps reminding me that she is almost four. Of course there is almost 4 months until her birthday but that seems to mean nothing to her. She is quite determined that her age will be changing very, very soon.

I have noticed in the past few months that Lucy is definitely growing up. She still has her whirlwind moments and still has been known to write on her hands, arms or the available wall but in general she is mellowing out a little bit. I think all the talking we did about her growing up and being my big girl when Zane goes to school has helped.

Lucy has also really gotten into puzzles the last few weeks. She can consistently do these Strawberry Shortcake puzzles by herself. I can't even tell you how proud of herself she is about it too. She has watched Zane and Andrew do puzzles for years and finally, FINALLY it is her turn.

She is growing up entirely too fast!

Take a Seat Reid!

2011-09-30T18:52:00.000-07:00

Guess who decided to sit up and take notice today! He isn't pushing himself back into a sit yet but he is staying upright when I set him on his adorable little bottom.

Especially when you give him a big kid toy to play with.

That is always a hit!

Reid Isaiah- 6 Months Old

2011-09-29T17:06:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it. I really can't. Sweet baby boy Reid Isaiah is 6 months old today and I find it impossible that time has flown this fast.

What can I say about Reid these days? He is a wiggly little man. Spends most of his days on his tummy or hands and knees. He can squirm his way around a room if he is inclined to and is a constant threat to any paper or toy on the ground that belongs to the big kids.

Reid is eating cereal and a couple of solids (sweet potatoes and peas) like a champ. He still is a nursing machine and loves mommy the best of all. He is not fantastic at sleeping through the night yet but will periodically do it. He has TWO big teeth on the bottom and is still a slobbering little man.

Reid's allergies are starting to resolve as well. The other day I ate Myzithra cheese on some spaghetti and he seemed no worse for it. This is wonderful news for me! I will be able to eat that as a replacement for mac and cheese. We are halfway to his 1st birthday. It seems absolutely impossible.

Reid is a happy little man these days and I am so excited to see what the next 6 months holds for him!

Swimming Lessons for Zane and Lucy

2011-09-28T20:47:00.000-07:00

Another session of swimming is finished for the kiddos. This time around we went in the afternoon (which was actually pretty nice) and only Zane and Lucy could attend.

Andrew was a little bummed that he wasn't enrolled in lessons but since he is still doing soccer midweek practices I thought it was fair to let Zane and Lucy do a midweek activity as well. Plus, like I have said before, I don't really see swimming as an optional activity.

Lucy was in Preschool 1 and had a teacher named Arten. He was great and Lucy had him slightly wrapped around her finger. She is absolutely fearless. Almost to the point where I wish she was a tad more cautious. By the end of the session Arten had passed her on to Preschool 2! Yeah Lucy!

Zane was enrolled in his first session of Beginner 1. Although he has done lessons before the skills learned and required to pass are different at the preschool and beginner levels. It was a good call because Zane has to continue in Beginner 1 but I think within another session or two he will pass up to the next class.

Gwen was pretty much a trooper the whole time during lessons. She is a bit bummed that she can't go in the water but next fall when she is 3 she will be good to go! This year of being 2 is always rough for the kiddos watching and waiting for their turn.

Reid has been, well, a baby. Today he napped but normally he was content to just sit and be mellow with me. Such a sweet little love he is. Ideally I will sign the big 3 up for lesson starting in November at night. Andrew will be done with soccer and it will be nice to have him get a little more practice in with his swimming.

On the Move!

2011-09-20T19:43:00.000-07:00

Mr. Reid has decided it is time to get moving. He has always loved being on his tummy but just last week he started pushing back onto his knees and I knew it wouldn't be very long before he was mobile.

The wait was even shorter than I thought it would be. After only four days of pushing back, Reid started picking up his hands and moving his knees forward.

The kid doesn't even sit up yet. I am totally amazed. I think once he figures out he can move when he wants to he will sit more. He is just too wiggly now to sit up and be still. He is a whirlwind for sure!

First Week of School

2011-09-16T15:21:00.000-07:00

The first full week of school is under our belt! I couldn't be happier with the way it is turning out. Andrew has hit the ground running with the same teacher he had last year. I can tell he feels very comfortable starting school this year. No big changes for him to deal with and process. It has been a great start to the year. Plus Andrew has really stepped up the reading since the end of last year and should be well beyond what is expected of a 3rd grader. (He is currently reading The Magician's Nephew by C.S.Lewis)

Zane has had a phenomenal week at school. I am so happy we delayed kindergarten. In just about every single way I can tell he is more mature and capable of having a stellar year. Zane has brought home a "I am proud" bear award every day this week. Plus I get to hear all about his day (Andrew was never as forthcoming with details about school) and even some info on what Andrew was doing during recess. (Andrew still is not terribly forthcoming about details!) It is a lot of fun hearing all about his day and what was his favorite part. The only thing I am noticing is that he is definitely tired by the afternoon and in all honesty could use a nap. He melts down quite a bit at home but I expected that. It just is part of growing up. Let's face it, I want to have a melt down sometimes in the afternoon too!

Gwen has finally gotten used to the boys heading off to school and no longer sobs for her "brudders" when they are gone in the morning. She loves watching for Zane on the bus and waiting for him. I am just loving the opportunity to snuggle her a little bit more and spend some extra time with her. The terrible 2's are hitting her with a vengeance and some days I wonder is we will make it until she is 3 but maybe she is just getting it out of her system earlier? This momma can hope right?

Lucy Lu is being such a wonderful help. The whirlwind is starting to settle a bit and she is becoming quite a huge help to me. Lucy has always been quite the momma's girl but it is shifting into being a big helper these days. She has been carrying diaper bags for me (usually the boys job) and getting wipes/diapers when necessary. It is such a huge blessing that she is willing to help some of the time. She is only 3 so I try to keep my expectations at a realistic level.

All in all a great start to the year. I fully anticipate it continuing just as well for the next 9 months to come!

Teaching the Baby

2011-09-14T12:58:00.000-07:00

Reid is fascinated with everything that the big kids do. Let's face it, they are pretty cool. There is one thing though that Reid gets a LOT of exposure to and that is Thomas.

Zane is thrilled to have a new buddy to teach about Thomas the Tank Engine. Somehow I think there may be another Thomas aficionado in our future.

Big Brothers are Special

2011-09-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

I have been putting a lot of effort into getting Zane ready for kindergarten. We talked a lot about getting on the bus, what was going to happen at school, how he was going to get home, etc.

I did not however talk to the younger ones, Gwen especially, about what it was going to mean that Zane was going to kindergarten. I talked to Lucy about how she was going to be the super big girl and my helper but Gwen... well, I didn't think she was going to even notice.

I should have known better though. Gwen misses nothing. After getting the boys on the bus, we headed back home to finish getting ready for the gym. I asked the girls to head out to the van and that is when Gwen lost it. "My brudders, MY BRUDDERS!" she screamed. "My Zane, My Zane" she sobbed. She finally got over it but she was not happy that we were leaving without them in the van. How did I miss that Gwen was someone I needed to prep for school changes too?

3rd Grade and Kindergarten- First Day of School

2011-09-07T12:20:00.000-07:00

The first day of school is always so exciting at our house. And this year Zane got to join the party! Yesterday we went to the school and met his teacher and saw his class room. I could tell he was a bit nervous but a little excited as well.

Andrew will be working with the same teacher this year as last year. He is "looping" with her and is very excited to hit the ground running in 3rd grade.

The boys were getting ready for school this morning and Zane asked Andrew "Will you sit with me on the bus?" Andrew very nicely said "Yes, I was already planning on it." What a wonderful big brother!

When the bus showed up they both hopped right on board. I didn't have any worries about Andrew but Zane is always somewhat of a wild card. I was very happy that there were no tears and no fussing. He just followed Andrew up the stairs and sat down with him. I got big smiles from both of them through the window as the bus was driving away.

Zane made it home from school already and had nothing but good to say about his day. And he declared he is not nervous at all now for school. That is what I call a great first day of school experience!

Hard Work

2011-09-05T18:49:00.000-07:00

I have never had a baby that enjoyed being on their tummy this much. It is very nice that Reid does not scream as soon as he rolls over.

I laid on the floor and played with my sweet little man tonight. He is so much fun. Very active and wiggly. Constantly moving. But adorable beyond belief.

Those Cheeks!

That Grin!

Those Eyes!

Be still my heart.

Scary Monster

2011-09-05T18:39:00.000-07:00

Miss Gwendalyn has a very active imagination. Much to her own detriment at times. The past few weeks have been rough at bedtime. Gwen has got it in her head that there are scary monsters in her room. I have no idea where she is getting the notion of monsters from. We don't do a lot of monster stuff at our house. And I seriously doubt that Elmo and Cookie Monster count when talking about monsters.

Regardless of where the idea came from, it now means that bedtime is a sobbing mess with Gwen. She begs for lights (she has two nightlights) and the door open and mommy or daddy not to leave her alone. Apparently Lucy does nothing to calm her fears. I find it frustrating but I suppose that I shouldn't. I had a very vivid imagination once upon a time and could get myself terrified of hopping out of bed because there were monsters going to grab at my feet. So I guess she comes by it honestly. Winter is going to be tough though. The darker it is at bedtime the worse she is. I suppose I will take the "this too shall pass" attitude. It certainly won't last forever.

Just like Grandpa

2011-09-05T13:20:00.000-07:00

Apparently Zane has been asking Grandpa to take a picture of the two of them with their glasses on.

Holy Six Candles Batman!

2011-09-05T13:16:00.000-07:00

Zane has been eagerly anticipating his birthday for weeks. He loves his birthday parties but I think all the attention embarrasses him a little bit.

When we went to look for a birthday party theme for Zane he told me he wanted a reading/Wii party. How on earth those two go together is beyond me. Since it seems to have been beyond the party supply store too we ended up with Batman.

The question for me is always "How on earth am I going to make a cake for this party?" I have to confess that this cake idea was inspired by some stinking cool Batman cakes I saw online. But when I thought about it, Zane doesn't really eat cake very often. In fact he really only likes chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. But he ADORES ice cream. So an ice cream Gotham City it was.

Remember how I said he gets embarrassed? Yeah, plugged ears during the singing. What a nut.

Presents were opened and enjoyed. Zane was thrilled and another party for this sweet man is done. They just grow up way too fast, ya know.

I Scream, You Scream, We all Scream...

2011-09-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

Fun at the Park

2011-08-31T22:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Zane Elliot!

2011-08-31T19:40:00.000-07:00

Today Zane turns six. We had a very mellow day planned but I knew that a few things could be done to make his day super special.

First up was letting Zane play the Wii. There is not a day that goes by Zane does not ask to play that blasted contraption. But since it is his birthday I thought that maybe it would be a nice treat.

I asked Zane what he wanted to have for dinner. He told me split pea soup and corn bread. Quite the unusual choice but who am I to say what a tasty birthday dinner is to him. Plus the weather was not super hot so it was a great day for it. The year that he tells me split pea soup and it is 80 degrees out we will have a different conversation.

Finally we went out to ice cream for dessert and then came home so the boy could open some presents. Zane had been asking for this Lego Ninjago guy for months. (the Lego characters name is Zane) He was very happy to have one of his own. Now he and Andrew can play!

Zane also got some books for his birthday. One was Frog and Toad and one was Thomas. All early readers of course. He was very happy to get the books. I love that he thinks books are a great present. All in all a great birthday for a fantastic little boy! Every year with Zane gets better and better. Can't wait to see what the year of 6 is like for him!

Reid Isaiah: 5 Months Old

2011-08-29T15:30:00.000-07:00

Oh little man. You are growing up so quickly. You are still so snuggly, so sweet. Your happy belly laughs make me grin. Your chunky cheeks and delicious thighs make me smile. Your huge blue eyes melt my heart. Stay this way forever in my mind sweet baby of mine.

Andrew Lost... In a Book

2011-08-28T13:36:00.000-07:00

Andrew has found a new thrilling pass time this summer, reading. And he has found a particular series of books that he adores and is gobbling up as quickly as we can get them from the library. The series is called "Andrew Lost..." by J.C. Greenburg and it tells the on going story of a little boy named Andrew and how his experiments go wildly wrong. The books are a bit below his general reading level and it is one reason I think he is enjoying them so much. They aren't a struggle to read and he can just enjoy the story. It is not unusual for him to finish one book in 45 minutes or so. And they are about 80 pages each. It is wonderful to see Andrew reading so much and so intensely. He loses himself in these books and it can be difficult to pull him out of his brain to get any information or conversation from him at all. This is how I am when reading a new book so I can sincerely sympathize with his total commitment to the story. The only bummer is that he is almost done with all the series! There are only 18 books and he has read over half of them now. It will be interesting to see what we find for him to read next. I will cross my fingers that it will enthrall him as much as these books have.

Happy Birthday to MOM!

2011-08-28T13:14:00.000-07:00

I thought that since I usually post photos about the kiddos birthdays and parties that it was only fair that I post some photos of the kids and I on my special day. In fact it was one of my big goals for the day to get the pictures done and have something to post. So here they are. The kids and me when I turned 33.

Zane's Second Shot at Soccer

2011-08-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

What a difference a year and a pair of glasses make! It is almost like watching an entirely different kid play soccer this season.

I have been so excited to go watch Zane play soccer. He is in there sticking with the game and trying to get the ball. No more is he running around the field away from all the players and the ball. No more is he crying on the sidelines that he is hot or tired or bored or hungry. Zane is playing!

If you can't tell yet, last year was a nightmare with Zane playing soccer. This is probably one of the last games that I will get to see of Zane's this year due to scheduling conflicts with Andrew's team. But I was so happy to get to see Zane score a goal today!

I am breathing a little easier about signing him up for sports. It just shows that waiting a year for school was a great choice. I don't even want to imagine how he would have reacted if we had sent him to kindergarten before he was ready!

More Well Child Checks

2011-08-25T13:47:00.000-07:00

Finished my summer job of Well Child Checks today. Both boys are doing great and exactly how I expected. The growth patterns are holding steady.

Andrew Tyler
Height: 4' 5" (84%) One more foot and he will be the same height as me. YIKES!
Weight: 62 lbs 3 oz. (68%)

According to an online Adult Height Predictor Calculator Andrew is going to be 6' 2"

Zane Elliot
Height: 4' 1.5" (98%)
Weight: 60 lbs. 6 oz. (96%)

According to that same online Adult Height Predictor Calculator Zane is going to be 6' 3" Somehow I think Zane might beat it though.

Best Buddies

2011-08-24T21:06:00.000-07:00

I have posted photo's of Lucy and her best buddy Gabe in the past. Now there are two more sets of buddies you should know about. Gabe has two younger brothers and they are just the right ages to be best buds for Gwen and Reid!

Gwen and Toby have a lot of fun together!

Of course, baby Isaac has a tiny bit of catching up to do before he and Reid will be playing on a regular basis.

Reid is very excited to have a new friend.

He wiggles and squirms when he sees Isaac. I think he knows that this little boy is just right for him to play with. It is lots of fun to have similar age kiddos with a family friend!

What Brothers Are Good For...

2011-08-19T15:38:00.000-07:00

Zane has had a dangling tooth for several weeks now. The last few days it has been very very dangly and started to turn gray. I am not a fan of teeth that are wiggly and ready to come out, I think all teeth should be either firmly in place or removed as soon as they can be. So the fact that Zane has had this tooth ready to come out for so long has just about killed me.

Unfortunately for me, Zane despises the removal of teeth. In fact, he seems terrified of removing the teeth on his own. Well today I had had it! I mentioned to Zane that Andrew should help him get his tooth out and Zane agreed that it was a great plan.

After several minutes of wiggling, crying and one bloody Kleenex has been used, the tooth came out. Now the tooth fairy will be headed to our house tonight! Thank goodness for Andrew. Zane may have never lost that tooth!

Gwen's Happy Birthday

2011-08-14T16:57:00.000-07:00

Gwen has been existing in a strange state of mind. It has been her birthday, she is technically 2 but since she had not had her birthday party yet it was like her birthday had not yet occurred. When Gwen woke up on Saturday and realized it was the day of her party she was crazy excited! She ran around the kitchen for about 10 minutes yelling "My Happy Birthday! My Happy Birthday!"

Gwen picked a Little Mermaid birthday party. Ariel and her sister's were swimming through her cake.

A yummy dinner of hot dogs, potato salad, fruit and chips made this birthday girl mighty happy!

It was funny to watch Gwen with her presents. She would periodically come in to check on her stash and see if anything new had shown up. She didn't try to open anything until after we told her she could. But she certainly had a good time looking.

Gwen got her very own stroller and a couple of new babies to take for walks. This should hopefully help with the WWIII that seems to occur every time Lucy and Gwen both want to go on a walk with a dolly. Gwen also got lots of coloring and painting materials. She is going to be super busy creating this winter and I LOVE it!

Checkups for Two

2011-08-11T18:48:00.000-07:00

This month is chock full of well child exams for our family. First up were Reid's 4 month exam and Gwen's 2 year old exam.

Reid is doing great and just as expected. He is rolling and cooing and blowing raspberries all the time. He is also very much on the same growth track as Andrew.

Height: 26.5" (89%)
Weight: 17 lbs. 14 oz. (89%)

Proportionate and doing great!

Gwen also is right on track with her development. She is more verbal than many 2 year olds and is very interested in imaginative play. She often talks on a phone, rocks her babies and makes food in the little play kitchen we have.

Gwen actually increased on the growth curve for her weight and decreased on her height. She is getting closer to being proportionate rather than the string bean that she has been.

Height 34.5" (69%)
Weight: 27 lbs. 3 oz. (58%)

No cause for concern with either of them. A couple of shots and we were out the door. In a few weeks it will be Andrew and Zane's turn. I am very interested to hear about that one too!

Ouch!

2011-08-11T18:42:00.000-07:00

Lucy managed to get her finger squashed at Grandma's house last night. There is a bit of confusion whether or not she was trying to keep a car door open when Zane wanted it shut or if they were just fighting over the door in general but either way Lucy's finger got the bad part of the deal.

I wonder if she is going to end up losing the nail. Because that purple ain't no nail polish. At least she has stopped fussing about it. And it is on her left hand. So a band-aid this morning and some ice last night was sufficient to stop the pain. But it sure does look ugly.