Ooops I did it again...

I always think I'm going to update this regularly. I really do have the best of intentions. Before I know it, 2 months have gone by & that really is too long to wait, especially with a baby. Our Pennsylvania trip was awesome. We enjoyed our yearly visit with family & even got to see my friend Cathy & her boys for a day. All of the kids got along & I enjoyed catching up with her. She lives too far away. :( Sue's Uncle Frankie passed away this past Saturday morning, so our visit with them has even more sentimental value now. Our thoughts & prayers are with Aunt Mary & their boys. Sean & Evie had a great time at Living Treasures & Idlewild. They're at the perfect ages for a vacation like that. Evie loved feeding the kangaroos & telling the piggies to stay far away from the wolves. Ally did remarkably well for a 4 month old on vacation. She hated driving, but we found that she did great if I sat in the back with her. If only we had known that on the way there! Sean started 1st grade on 09/04. Daddy just went to the first parent teacher conference last week & Mrs. Langlands said Sean is a wonderful boy. Surprise! ;) He's doing great & reading at an above average level. He's at a level H and needs to be at an L for 2nd grade. So, to be that high this early in the school year is a great thing! We need to work on keeping the sillies out of class & writing our "p"s, "q"s, "b"s & "d"s without transposing them. We celebrated Sean's 6th birthday on 09/12. His teacher put together a book of notes from his classmates for his birthday. Most of the notes said, "you're funny" or "you're a clown". He loves making his friends laugh! Hmmm, sounds familiar... Sean started karate on 10/03. We make it a family thing when we practice his exercises & techniques then we usually end with dancing to Kung Fu Fighting! HI-YA! :) We're working on paying attention, because his head is in the clouds sometimes. Sean loves his sisters & Ally just lights up when he walks in the room. Evie adores Sean & wants to do everything he does, but she also likes to aggravate him. So, he needs to work on not responding to everything she does & says. A lot easier said than done, I'm sure. Evie, Evie, Evie. My brilliant & beautiful & stubborn Evie. Cute & sassy as can be. I don't think I will ever meet any one like her. She is constantly blowing our minds with what she's capable of comprehending & retaining. She came with me to Sean's 6 year wellness check up. The doctor looked down at her and said (as if he was talking to a 2 year old, you know, in that "baby" voice) "Evie, can you tell me if you're a boy or a girl?". Evie looked insulted. She also seemed a little concerned that the doctor didn't know and therefore had to ask her. She very slowly (so he'd understand) told him that she was a girl, Seany was a boy, mommy was a girl & daddy was a boy. That story just really sums up Evie. She looks & sometimes acts like she's 2, but her comprehension & ability to express herself is far beyond that. This is great, but it can also be very frustrating as a parent. She's really not interested in potty training, even though I believe she understands it. At Jungle Java the other day I told her to sit down so I could put on her shoes. She had pooped and didn't want to sit in it, so she said, "I can't sit down. Can I just give you my foot like this while I stand?". Amazing... She throws tantrums & has a hard time controlling her emotions sometimes. I have to say over & over again in my head, "she's 2, she's 2". She loves "reading" books and being read to. It's awesome that Sean's a good reader, because I love listening to him read her books. Ally Joy Joy is a great baby. Her best quality is still that she sleeps from approximately 8:30-7. Yay! I wish she'd just get teeth already, because I know they're bothering her. She drools & chews on her hands & feet. She's rolls from her belly to her back, but not her back to belly yet. She's starting to do really good with sitting up on her own. I still sit by her to make sure she doesn't fall back or over. She's currently on antibiotics for her first ear infection. :( I was really hoping this wouldn't be an issue. Hopefully this is a one time deal. Ally eats solids, but would much rather drink a bottle. She just started "eating" apples in those netted feeders & she has her own cup to start chewing on/drinking from. She's quite the faker & a little bit manipulative. Some one else will be holding her & she'll be just fine. I walk into the room & she starts whining. Faker baker. I love that she loves me though. We called her Ally Joy Joy & Ally-phant. Daddy calls her Frankenbaby because she has a big, square head. Nice... Ally loves watching Sean & Evie & I know she just wants to take off after them. She loves when we turn the music up loud & dance in the kitchen together. I do too. :) Next up... Halloween, then Thanksgiving and before you know it CHRISTMAS. Wow...

4 more days!!

Only 4 more days until our first Pennsylvania trip as a family of 5!! We are all so excited. I love the countdown. Evie & Sean love to talk about vacation at bedtime. We talk about all the fun stuff we'll do & see. Now I just have to survive the packing!! Right before the school year ended, Sean got a flyer home about Spring Hill day camp. I'd heard good things about Spring Hill & we were thinking about registering him. Then, Susie called me & said she got an employee discount & could use it for Sean. I registered him that day. Last week he attended his first Spring Hill camp & I can guarantee it won't be his last! He had the best time. He tried activities I never thought he would (rock climbing, flying squirrel, trampoline/bungee, giant water slide). He met amazing camp counselors who he enjoyed & admired. He looked forward to each day & was so sad when it ended. :( On the last day, parents were invited to join them for the closing rallies. We got to see Sean sing songs & recite the memory verse with his group. Sean was awarded the camper award of "dependability". #1 because he was always right by Frank's side & #2 because they could always depend on him to do what he was told. :) We then went to a big rally where all the campers sang & danced. It was awesome. I cried almost the whole time. Needless to say, Sean's already pre-registered for next year! Evie, Evie, Evie. When Evie does something naughty or makes a bad choice & you ask her why she did it, her answer is always "nuffing". "Evie, why did you bite/hit Sean?", "nuffing". "Evie, why did you color on my wall?", "nuffing". I wonder what she means by that. Maybe it's, "I don't have a good reason, I just did it. I'm impulsive, I'm 2!!!". Another fun little Evie saying is "don't talk a me". When you hear her say this, it means she's about to do something she knows she's not suppose to, but she doesn't want you to tell her no. If you tell her no, she may go to some one else, tell them not to talk to you and then ask him/her for the same thing you just said no to. Her latest is when you ask a question she can't answer right away, she says, "uh, my can't fink right now". Or, I've heard her say, "whew, that was a close one" a few times lately. She's SO smart. She's also been super loving lately. I never get tired of hearing, "my weally, weally need you mom" or "my wuv you so much". Yesterday we were sitting in the recliner together playing Angry Birds and when my bird knocked over the wall Evie said, "my so proud of you!". :) We're thinking Ally Joy is starting to teethe. She had a couple very crabby, very needy days last week. She always has her hands in her mouth & she's usually what we call "slimy" from drool. She loves being held on your side with her arm over your shoulder. This is the best position to look around & be entertained. She loves watching & smiling at her brother & sister. The other day Sean made her laugh by saying, "aahhhh boo" & jumping in her face. It made her jump, but it made her crack up too. She's getting pretty tall & chunky. We're going to have to figure out other sleeping arrangements soon as she's getting too big for her bassinet/rocker. Ugh... Figuring out where Ally will sleep next is not the only challenge we'll face after vacation. Evie's almost ready to start potty training & Sean starts 1st grade on 09/04. I hope the next 2 weeks go very slowly!

Hello!

I've been a slacker since Ally arrived, but my plan is to post regularly. I always start with that plan. But, I really want the kids to have this to look at when they're older. It's nice for me to go back & read them too. Sean graduated Kindergarten in May with a performance that blew all of our minds. He, along with his class, recited the books of the bible, the presidents, Eph 6:10-18, the 10 commandments & a few other songs & poems. Wow... He had his first season of tee ball & played for the St. Clair Shores Pirates. He's an AMAZING swimmer & we're thinking about getting him lessons to work on technique. Swimming just may be his "thing". He's going to Spring Hill day camp at the school next week, Monday-Friday. He starts 1st grade on 09/04. Slow down summer!!! Evie Loretta is like NO other 2 year old I know. When you're around her, you can't help but feel happy, proud & sometimes VERY frustrated! We were somewhere the other day & she looked at a woman & said, "Hi, I'm Evie, what's your name?". She's fearless, stubborn & quite the performer. She's an entertainer, almost always talking, singing and dancing. We're working on removing "no" from her vocabulary. As always, she adores her brother. They bicker a lot, but both of them can't stand to see the other one hurting or in trouble. And, they're both amazing older siblings to Ally. :) Ally Joy joined us on 04/20/12. She's been such a good baby. No belly issues; the best burper ever! She started sleeping 7-8 hours at 5 weeks & now she sleeps from 8:30 or 9:00 until 8:00 the next morning usually. She loves watching Sean & Evie. She's very smiley & just recently started laughing. We're working on tummy time & see some rolling in the near future. She always has her fists in her mouth, even after she's just finished a bubba. I went back to work the second week of June & the kids are with Grandma Sue & Grandpa Larry the days I work. They have their own system there & have adjusted wonderfully. Grandpa Jim picks them up to go swimming or to the park or to our house to play wii. They love having Paige there too. We just finished a trip up to St. Ignace for Nolan's dedication. We loved spending the weekend with them & Grandma & Puppa. I wish every weekend could be like the last (minus the driving!). As always, if the kids aren't with us, they're with their grandparents. They spend as much time with them as they do with us. This is great on so many levels. I love watching my kids light up when they see their grandparents. They love each one of them so much. My grandfathers passed away when I was young, but I had a special bond with my grandmas & I treasure the memories. I'm so thankful my children are making memories with their grandparents that they can treasure always too. :) We leave for Pennsylvania in 15 days!!! Can't wait!!!! :)