A Typical Morning Conversation

Jake is in "practice vocabulary" mode.  Maybe I just don't remember well.  OK, who am I kidding, I don't remember well, but it seems to me he's practicing more than the others did.  In fact, he's for some reason obsessed with potty words, so much so that he was practicing "potty" and "wet" so much the other day at church that he had them convinced he was potty training and needed to go.  They finally gave in and put him on the potty, at which time he looked at them like they were crazy and he had no idea what was going on.  Anyway, every morning when I get him, our conversation goes like this...almost exactly the same each day.
K-Good Morning!  Did you have a good night?
J- Uh huh.  Bed.
K- Yes, you slept in your bed.
J- Pillow
K-Yes, that's your pillow
J - Rabbit
K - Yes, that's a rabbit
J- Ooooooohhhhh
K- No, a rabbit doesn't say Oooooohhhh!, a rabbit does this (I wiggle my nose...)
J - Oooohhhhhh (smile) bed
K- Yes, that's John's bed
J- Bo
K- Yep, there's Bo
J- Fruh fruh!
K- ruff ruff, yep, he's a dog.
J- door
K-Yep, that's the door
J-Locked
K - No, it's not locked...
And so on and so forth.  It's funny he says the same wrong things every day as well as the same right things.  Of course his enunciation isn't there, so if you don't live in our house, you probably wouldn't understand.  Each part of our day is like this, though.  Whatever he sees, he seeks affirmation in his naming of it.  And if I'm not paying attention, he'll get right up in my face and yell "MAMA!" until I repeat it back.  It's fun...most of the time.

Slow Down, Buddy!

Jake has passed the 18 month mark!  Even just 2 months or so out, these look so far behind.  It's just crazy how fast he's growing and learning.  Jake weighed in at 27 lb 13 ounces (88th percentile) and measured 33 inches (63rd percentile).  To me he looks much taller.  Anyway, this is when his vocabulary really took off.  Funny, I've always said my kids are advanced, and reach the terrible twos well ahead of time...around 18 months.  Prior to 18 months Jake said uh-huh (like "yes") for everything, whether he meant it or not.  The week he hit 18 months, he changed to uh uh (like "no") for everything whether he meant it or not.  (Several weeks ago he moved on to a clear and deliberate "no" for everything, whether he meant it or not...although almost all the time he means in, but in the past week he's started to give a few more uh-huhs again).  At 18 months he started using a lot more words, by now we're having (sort of) lots of "conversations".  He's really doing a great job communicating, although most of his communications are either practicing vocabulary or expressing his displeasure and independence.  Jake is such a neat kid.  He's a whole heck of a lot of work right now, but I think in the long run it's going to be awesome.  He is constantly in motion, except when he's reading his favorite word book (he really REALLY like word repetition).  He loves to be outside and/or in the water.  Until the past week or so, he really had no desire for toys.  He was more interested in just about everything else, i.e. contents of the cabinets, trash can, etc.  He is almost always walking away, and emptying everything in his path.  He knows no limits.  For instance, when we are at a playground with a fence around it, his first instinct is to bee line toward the exit...just because.  He is very opinionated (and quite often ornery), and very independent.  He moves chairs around the kitchen to climb and get whatever he's on mission for.  He has a knack for finding food and opening it.  He is a super sweet snuggler, mind you his snuggles are super short, but very sweet and frequent.  He loves giving hugs.  One of my favorite things he does is comes up to give a huge hug (maybe more like a tackle) and says "ah gah!" meaning "I got you!"  He has the same belly laugh as Ellie, and the same coy cutting eyes and smirk as Eve, and the same huggie cuteness as John, but an independent spirit that even exceeds all 3 (which I didn't think was possible).  Oh, and he really really loves his dog.  I just love this little man to pieces!  Slow down, Buddy!

No really...slow down!  (This is only a spattering of my attempt to capture him at 18 months)

Meanwhile...

Not to be outdone, we got a sitter for Jake and John and I had an awesome date night.

 He chose Moe's for dinner

 We rode in the jeep...of course (he wasn't sure if I knew how to drive it)

 We went to a climbing wall for the first time.  It was just bouldering, which takes a HUGE amount of strength...no ropes.  He got really frustrated several times, but kept trying and really enjoyed it.

 Whew!

 Frozen yogurt for dessert...he more than earned it.

By the time we got home, Jake was well in bed, and we were tuckered out...still beat the girls home, though.

Daddy Daughter Dance

The Daddy Daughter Dance was another big hit this spring.  This year there was a country/western theme.  Although the theme drove me crazy (more to buy, and I don't get my sweet "princess" pictures), the girls LOVED it!

 They were so excited to give flowers to Daddy...daisies seemed appropriate.

 Now they know the routine, and they've come to expect corsages.  I almost couldn't get a smile out of them until Buck brought the corsages out.  I love their anticipation here!

 Now THOSE are some happy girls, and one happy Dad!

 This picture cracked me up.  I suppose she's giving the stink face because she didn't want her picture taken?

 But she came around.

 

 This will forever be one of my favorite pictures.
I hope these girls always remember how blessed they are to have such a special Daddy.  I know their Daddy will always treasure his blessings. 

Ellie Turned 4!

Never fear, we celebrated on the appropriate day...just didn't get around to blogging  until now.  At any rate, ELLIE TURNED 4!  2 and a half months later, and that still sounds crazy to me!  We had a blast.  Ellie's birthday was on a Friday, a school day, and the day of the Mother's Day brunch at her preschool.

 What better to start off a birthday than Krispy Kreme doughnuts and a birthday crown made by your sister (Eve could hardly stand to keep it hidden until her birthday).  Then Ellie got bright pink cupcakes at school, performed for the Mother's Day program, and chose a special lunch at Zaxby's.

Friday evening we had a campfire birthday party at Grandma's and it was SO MUCH FUN!  Ellie is still very shy around crowds, so we kept it small and didn't even sing Happy Birthday.  There was a huge storm looming all afternoon and evening, but not a drop on the party.  It was a perfect night.

 We roasted hot dogs (Marco, John, Ellie, Lily, and Buck)

 Mae, Shannon, Elsie, Dave, and Buck

 Jake enjoyed checking out the jeep.

 The party quickly turned into placing bets of who would be the first one to fall in the creek.

 More quickly gathered...

 Ellie and her sweet friend Lily from preschool.  They are very special buddies.

 John is freakishly good at catching frogs, and caught several that night.

 Jake mostly at a lot, drank everyone's juice box, and then ate some more sugar.  It was a crazy party for him!  Of course he loved being in the woods too.

 At a campfire party, s'mores are a must.

 Lots of gooey fun!

 I suppose Eve was the first in the creek.  Buck lowered her in because she was just that messy!

 Hello Kitty cake, and a big high five instead of a song.  Perfect!

Everyone enjoyed helping to open presents as well.  It really was a super fun party, and just Ellie's pace.
Now for 4-year-old Ellie.  She weighed in at 40 pounds (83 percentile) and measured 39.5 in (46 percentile).  It's so hard to believe she's 4 because she is petite, and although she's trimmed down a ton, she still has those cute baby chubs on her fingers and in her cheeks.  She also still has a small sweet voice.  With all she's doing and learning, though, she's definitely 4.  She's still very shy, a totally different person at school than at home, but I'm starting to see tiny glances of her coming out of her shell a bit.  It's funny, her teacher mentioned one day that she is always quiet at school, but was extra quiet that day.  I asked if everything was OK, if she felt OK, if anything had made her sad.  She said she quietly and shyly said she was fine.  From the moment we got into the car, she didn't stop talking.  Night and day!  She is still just as funny as she always has been.  Her facial expressions, in particular her eyes, are hilarious!  She's started to be extra girly in the use of her accessories, the "little tea pot" stance (one hand on the hip and the other one out flapping around as she talks), and all the other ways she's following and copying Eve.  It's fun to see the two of them bond so well as sisters, and funny to see Ellie pick up on all the little girlie things.  She also has a very sweet bond with Jake, and they love to belly laugh together.  Ellie is still quick to whine when things don't go her way, and is quick to cry, but my thought is that she controls most of it in an effort to manipulate.  When it comes to cleaning, she's quite good at getting her siblings to do all the work for her.  Otherwise, Ellie is such a joy and always brings a good laugh.  She is so sweet and so funny, and we are just so blessed by having her in this zoo of a family!