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...