Crawling Logan, Spelling Jack & Make Believe Halle...collect them ALL!

Little Logan is growing up so fast!  He started crawling about a month ago and is now all over the place.  Into cupboards, trying to dive in the bathtub (after he's already out & jammied), and today...a new adventure.  It went silent while I was doing the dishes and I realized all the kids had migrated upstairs.  I quickly thought, "Uh-oh, Logan!"  As I ran to the stairs, I saw what I thought for sure I would see...Logan nearly to the top looking back at me and grinning ear to ear.  I knew he could climb stairs as I've gone behind him once or twice, but today was his first time by himself.  The little stinker!  He's only 9 1/2 months!  I'm going to have to come up with a baby gate that works for the bottom.  We've started using the ironing board in between the rails at the top and it seems to work okay, but today Logan was trying to shake it loose, so we'll see how long that one lasts.  I think this boy is my busiest yet!  But he's definitely a sweet one too.  A few weeks ago he started waving to us when he's sleepy. So now when it's bedtime he tells everyone goodnight with a cute little wave, and off to bed he goes without a peep.  He's a good little sleeper and usually sleeps through the night, the little darling.  And here's our cute boy who we can't get enough of...

Jack is our big first grader this year.  He LOVES practicing his new spelling words each week and wows us with 100%s on his challenge words every Friday.  His teacher says she's going to have to bust out the college words to give him a real challenge.  He walks around spelling anything he has to say to us now.  And we're supposed to answer the same way, which really keeps us on our toes...and just slightly annoyed.  :)  He still loves his legos and wants to go out and kick around the soccer ball or football whenever it's nice outside.  After he gets home from school, he and Halle usually build some sort of fort or ship with the couch pillows, banana chairs, barstools and any blanket in sight, and there's usually lots of teasing and screaming to be enjoyed whilst I make dinner.  It's my favorite part of the day!  But all in all, Jack is a good boy who wants to do what's right.  He's a great big brother to Logan and loves playing with him.  He's always happy to do his chores and is super thoughtful of everyone, especially Daddy, his favorite pal.

And last, but not least, an update on our little Halle pally puddin' pie!  Dusty has been calling her "Puddin" lately and she just squeals with delight every time he says it.  Halle is all girl and quite the little actress.  She currently loves watching Olivia, who is almost as imaginitive of a little girl as Halle is.  Dusty and I actually really enjoy the show too, so we usually watch or at least listen with her.  Anyhow, Olivia gives Halle lots of material to work with, so she's always trying out something new she learned on the show.  She loves to play dress up, pretend to get married, PAINT (I think her favorite thing), play princess computer games with Mommy, play with her friends, and lastly, the thing she does all day long, have pretend converstions with "Mario".  Mario goes everywhere with us.  Halle always makes sure he's buckled in the car, and whenever she learns something new, she makes sure to tell Mario. And then she plays Mario's manly voice in the conversation as well so we get to hear what he says too.  One exchange I heard a couple of weeks ago that cracked me up went as follows:  (Halle had just watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" for the 10th time or so and had asked me what "slug" meant, so I had just told her.)

Mario - "What does slug mean?"

Halle - "It means PUNCH!"

Mario - "Like the drink punch?"

Halle - "NO! Like FIGHT PUNCH!!!"

It cracked me up!  She has conversations like this with him ALL. DAY. LONG.  Kinda fun.  I'm so enjoying my little girl!  I just love her so much and don't want her to grow up.  I love how she still has her baby soft skin and somewhat toddler look of a 4 year old...I know it will be gone way to soon so I'm just enjoying every minute with her before this stage is gone.  :(  And here's a pic of my favorite girl...



Super Mario Bros...World 7 Replica Built!

Halle knocked on the bathroom door while I was getting ready today and asked if she could please come in.  "What do you need?" I asked, trying to hold on to my 15 minutes of privacy while I shower & dress in the morning.  "Cotton balls, " she replied matter of factly.  I asked what for and she promptly stated, "To build World 7 from Super Mario Brothers.  I'm going to build it in my baby crib."  I laughed and handed her the bag of cotton balls.  Later I had to go check on her progress (world 7 is the cloud world for those of you who don't play)...

The Apple does not fall far...

No, no it doesn't.  So I picked Jack up after school today and was driving him to an appointment when I remembered he was the "Star of the Day" today at school.  We had made him a poster yesterday to take to class and I was curious how his little moment went and what his friends thought of his pictures and favorite things.  So I began quizzing him about his day and how things had gone.  He was acting quite sullen and said that his friends didn't say anything about the poster.  He said they just sat there and looked at him while Mrs. Sessions showed it to the class.  Then he showed me how they "looked at him" and pulled a boring, straight face with his lips pursed.  He then told me Mrs. Sessions hung the poster between Brance's & Heber's (Jack was the 2nd in the pm class to have a turn), and that was it.  So I kept asking, "Didn't anyone say anything?  Like 'nice pictures, Jack', or 'I like Phineas & Ferb too' or 'that's awesome'?"  He said no and that everyone was just saying "booooo" to his poster and "yay!" to Brance's.  He told me Mrs. Sessions turned everyone's discipline cards from green to yellow for making fun of his poster, except the boys that sit at his table - they weren't making fun.

I was astonished at this story and about ready to cry for my little boy that people were booing his poster (and voiced this to him), when he shouted with a big smile, "JUST KIDDING!  Everyone liked it."  We then had a good laugh together and I called him a little poop.  He has never tricked me that good - his stories are getting better and better with age.  I COULD NOT BELIEVE that my five year old carried on so long with a sad story without a twinge or hint that he was joking.

So like father, like son.  Dusty does this to me ALL the time, but I can usually see through his stories - not Jack's.  Guess I'm in for it over the years as Dusty can still pull over a good one on his Mom.  I guess that's what boys like to do to their mothers - TEASE!

Jack Starts Kindergarten!

Our handsome, sweet, little Jackey boy had his first day of Kindergarten today.  He was a little leary to go into the classroom by himself, but I was happy to come in with and watch for a bit...and then all the parents were booted.  When I picked him up he told me that his new teacher (Ms. Sessions) is nice - even nicer than Miss Michelle (his preschool teacher).  He told me about tether ball, the monkey bars, and the basketball court at recess.  He told me how they read "Down on the Farm" and "Mrs. Wishy Washy" and that he cut out and glued all the little squares on his homework himself, AND how his obedience card got turned from green to yellow because he did something a little bit naughty (which was a secret he said he couldn't tell me).  Hmmm.  I asked if anyone else had their cards turned from green to yellow and he said, "Nope, just me.  And I didn't get a treat because my card wasn't on green."  Oops.  So sad.  We told him we know he'll do better tomorrow so he can get a treat.  He did mention something about how he kept saying "Ms. Sessions" trying to get her attention to tell her that the blessing worked, but that he was never able to tell her because it was time to stop talking and listen.  (Daddy gave him a blessing Sunday night that he would be a brave boy at school and have a good year with his teacher and classmates and that he'd be able to focus and learn and listen at school - Jack really loved it.)  All in all, I think he enjoyed the day.  Here's our little dude (and a couple of Miss Halle, who excitedly asked if this was her first day of Kindergarten too)...

It's a Boy!

We're expecting another rugrat!  We found out the first weekend in June and were in disbelief, but quite excited as we'd been planning, hoping and praying for this!  I've been sick just as with the other two, but hopefully that part will be over soon.  We've been somewhat secretive this time, only telling immediate family and a few friends - we wanted to wait to tell the kids until we knew the baby's sex.  Yesterday was the day we got to find out, and then we spilled the news to Jack & Halle.  They've both been praying for a baby brother or sister for a few months now (Halle especially) so we've been looking forward to telling them.  Halle has been insistent that she get a baby sister and talks about her "baby sister" all the time, so we wondered how she might receive this news.

We had told the kids they were getting a surprise yesterday and had been building up to it all week.  When we broke the news, Jack's first response was, "I thought I was getting a video game!"  And Halle just looked awfully sad.  We watched her expression turn to disbelief, then tears, then angry tears for nearly two hours.  She finally decided a baby brother would be fun too and got happy about it.  It was pretty funny.  Dusty and I have been secretly hoping this baby would be another boy, but (not wanting to be awful parents) never really voiced that to each other.  So we were pretty excited when we saw the boy parts during the ultrasound!  We can't wait to meet him and just hope and pray that he arrives a healthy boy!  I'm due Feb. 4th.

Campout with Cousin Nadia

We had Nadia up this weekend for a campout at Dusty's parents' house.  The kids had a ball swimming and playing together.   They got burnt by the sun since they were in the pool for two days straight.  AND, they all learned how to make fart noises with their armpits (compliments of Grandpa!).  Good times!

Pea Salad

Here's my boys enjoying some "pea salad" as Jack likes to call it.  Our little garden has turned out a bit sad (due to my lack of weeding and watering - I just haven't felt good...that's my excuse for letting it go), but Dusty tries to go out and water every night and has saved our peas, beans, lettuce & corn.  He and Jack have loved going out to pick peas and bring them in to schuck.  Every night they bring some in, Jack asks me to make him a "pea salad".  He's such a cute boy!  Sure love my boys.

A Big Day for Miss Hal

So Halle decided she wanted to be a BIG GIRL today.  She woke up and went right to the potty.  Then, excitedly came to get Dusty and I saying, "I did it!  I did it!  Now I get a baby sister!"  (That's quite a prize, Halle...we'll have to see about that one.)  She's been trying for several months now, but NOTHING ever happens when she sits on the potty.  Last week she started to have success...then TODAY, she just decided it was time to take off I guess.  She did the deed successfully FIVE times...including TWICE totally by herself (the toilet paper part and everything) AND, the big one for the first time since December!  She stayed dry all day and we are SOOOOO proud of her.

She also decided she was ready to be brave in Grandma & Grandpa's pool.  She was equipped with a floaty swimsuit and for some reason wanted to take the plunge today.  She started jumping timidly with Dusty and then wanted no help whatsoever as she jumped and jumped and jumped and jumped in!  She would jump so forcefully she'd touch the bottom and then float back up.  She was lovin' it!  So, big cheers for Halle today.  She's growing up!  And she no longer wants to be called "little lady".  She tells us she's BIG LADY.  :) 

Fourth of July Happenings

I took the kids to a little parade and carnival over at the Hooper Park on the morning of the 3rd.  Halle was all about racing out to fight for the candy, but Jack would just sit in his chair and say, "Hey Halle, go get that piece over there!"  They were most excited about getting cotton candy afterwards though, and had a hard time deciding between that and a snow cone (since Mom was too cheap to pay for both).  Later we went over to Grandpa & Grandma Anderson's for the first swimming of the season and homemade ice-cream.  On the 4th there was more of the same and even a few fireworks for the kids.  We had a fun weekend and feel so blessed to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Grown Up Jack

Jack is always giving us REALLY long explanations for things and making up REALLY long stories.  It takes him awhile to get to his point, but it's always very interesting.  Today as we were driving, he says to me:

"Mom, when I grow up, and I'm a Dad (when I'm married)...I'm going to keep both of my wallets.  Can I keep both of my wallets?  My Mickey Mouse one, and my Spiderman one?"

"Yes, Jack, you can keep both of your wallets.  Why do you want to have two?"

"Well, when my little girl has a birthday party, and I spend all my money on her birthday party, and my little boy asks me to go to the Roy Aquatic Center...I'm going to have two wallets so I'll have money in the other one to take him."

This kid is hilarious.  Last week I told him we had to wait until Daddy got paid again to go to the Roy Aquatic Center, because we spent all of our extra money on Halle's birthday.  Nothing gets by Jack.  Not a thing.  Dusty and I had a good laugh over this one.  Good idea, though, Jack!