Baby OX

I'm way behind, but back in October Owen had his two month check up.  He is a healthy growing little boy, and weighed in at a whopping 14 lbs and 10 oz.  Afterwards, I checked out their baby books to see how he compared to his siblings.  I was shocked to see that despite the fact he was the smallest at birth by a full pound, by two months he was the biggest!  Carter was close at 14 lbs 9.5 oz.  Dawson was the longest but Owen is only a quarter of an inch behind his brother.  This boy is growing like crazy!  We love you little baby Ox!

Another milestone that makes this Mama happy:  he slept last night from 8:30 to 4:30 in the morning!  Then after eating he went back to sleep until 8 am.  Thank you, Thank you!  I hope this is our new normal but I've done this too many times to make that assumption.

A real person!

Every time Owen does a new skill like smiling, rolling or holding his head up Ava says "AWWW, he's like a real person."  I just laughed and said that he's always been a real person.  Ava told me that he wasn't like a real person in the beginning.  Today I propped him up in the corner of the couch and the kids laughed.  Ava said he was like a real person again and so the boys decided to give him the video game controller.  What funny kids!

Get Moving!

On friday I visited the kids at school for their Get Moving Event.  It used to be called a race, but they don't allow the kids to run anymore (I guess kids were getting pushed and falling.)  This is the big fundraiser for the year and it is a lot of fun for the kids.  They have a DJ that plays and they do the YMCA, skipping, locomotion, and all kids of other dances while walking around.  Usually it is outside on the track but due to the near constant rain and cold temperatures they held it inside the gym.

Second and Third grade walk first and when I found these two they were walking together.  How sweet!  Carter doesn't love this event because he doesn't love to dance.  Ava enjoyed doing the locomotion with me, and she learned the YMCA too!

Doc came later, and I had fun walking with this little guy.  He introduced me to his friends, and it was so nice to hold his hand for awhile.  Owen was in the carrier for both events and he slept like a log for the entire two hours we were there!  

I love being able to spend time with my kiddos at school!

Visits with Family and Friends

At the beginning of October we ventured down to visit Aunt Margie and cousins.  We also got to watch Brendan in one of his JV football games.

I think they may have been more interested in the twizzlers and gum.

Brendan and our kiddos

It was so nice to see cousin Riley and she loved to snuggle our littlest one

Meme came down to visit as well, and we got to take a short walk in the crisp fall air.  We really need to get outside to hike some more!  But newborn babies will do that to you.

We also had a visit from our Cincinnati friends.  The kids love to hang out together (the boys especially love to play video games together.)  We also took the kids on the haunted hayride.  Even Carter went on the hayride and did really well!  Little Henry is so adorable and showed me exactly what I need to childproof in the next couple of months!  

Dawson made me laugh with a funny little comment.  I was following around baby Henry and Cassie was holding Owen.  Once we switched babies Dawson said "Good, everyone has the right baby now."  I guess he was concerned???  

Two Months Old!

Little O you are two months old!  Carter gave you the nickname Little O, I love it!  You are growing like a little weed.  You are wearing size two diapers.  You are still our little snuggle baby.  Most of your naps during the day you take in my arms because the moment I set you down you wake up.

Baby Frankie

This little sleeper that you are wearing is size 6 months!  I was surprised that when I set you down in the grass you were really content.  You just sat staring up at the sky and feeling the breeze on your skin.  Maybe you will be an outdoorsy kid like your brother Carter?  

My Four baby loves

Owen you are developing right on schedule.  At eight weeks old you rolled over from your tummy to back.  We do a lot of tummy to tummy time, with me lying on the floor and you on my belly.  I have to watch very closely that you don't roll off me now.  You are also smiling up a storm and cooing.  It is so sweet to hear these little ahh-goo's and muh's.  You also say O, and your big sister Ava swears that you are trying to say your name.  You are starting to use your hands to grab at items.  Last night I went to lay you in the boppy and you grabbed onto my shirt and wouldn't let go.    

You celebrated your two month birthday by catching your first cold.  Look at this little red rimmed watery eyes.  You were also coughing and congested.  I'm so sorry little O!  There is so very little we can do to comfort you.

You also go to Ava's pumpkin farm trip and you went on your first hay ride.  You were less than impressed and the bumpy ride put you promptly to sleep.

Sleep tight, little boy

We love you!

Ava is Seven and a half!

Ava, this month you turned seven and a half years old!

Time sure does fly when you are having fun!  Parenting can be hard, but being your Mom is always full of silly fun.  

This year your teacher is Miss Michael, the same teacher that Carter had last year.  You absolutely adore her, and you are making so many new friends at school.  At conferences, Miss Michael told me that she gave you the award for Caring because you are the little "mother hen" in the classroom.  I'm so glad to hear this!

You seem to be following in the path of your big brother and all of a sudden you love wearing your active wear.  You have been wearing the leggings and sports shirts that I got you for softball every single day.  In this picture the laundry wasn't done so you had to wear regular clothes.  This picture was taken at the pumpkin farm we went to with your group, Explorer Girls.

Right now you are taking an art class at the library and you love it!  You have always said you would like to be an artist, and now you are saying you want to be a mom and teach your kids art.  What a fun job!  You also love gymnastics, I can't wait for you to participate this winter!

You have always had a wonderful quirky little way of telling stories.  This has translated into a wonderful story-telling skill. I've been so amused by some of the writing that has come home from school, and so has your teacher!

She wrote: I love that you used the word terrifying and made it bold. You rock!  Ava also has a journal at home that she writes about our day.  It always gives me a giggle when I read it.  For example one day a friend of Carter's came over.  You wrote about it:  Ding Dong, he's here!  I love it!  Who knows, maybe you will be a writer one day?

You are going through a tough spell because at school you watched a video at the library about a book.  The book is about little girls that get "took."  (Seriously school?!?!?! What were you thinking?)  Anyways that was about a week ago and you have yet to fall asleep without me or sleep in your room.  She's also having some anxiety before bedtime and getting a stomach ache too.  Ugg, hopefully you will forget that soon, but the Halloween season really doesn't help.  Halloween can be hard when you have a child that is sensitive to scary things.  

Well baby girl, we love you!  Happy Seven and a half years!

Apple Picking!

We had a pretty low key weekend, working on chores around the house and going to a football game, church and FFF.  But Ava has been really excited to go apple picking so we decided to go.  There are two little orchards no more than 15 minutes from our house and the kids were so excited for their apples!

I pack apples in their lunch almost daily but the kids were begging me to pack apples for lunch!  Ava also decided to bring in an apple for her teacher.

Just in time for his poison ivy to heal he came home from the football game with no fewer than 6 mosquito bites on his forehead!

Carter had fun picking apples, but he was a little disappointed we wouldn't let him climb the trees.

Ava enjoyed a little apple snack walking around the orchard.

Apple Selfie with Mom!

And the little guy.  This picture just cracks me up.  I put the apple next to him just to take a picture and he opened his mouth wide open.  It looks like he is trying to snack on the apple!