Latest and Greatest

The Twins Strike Again!

Dawson is holding an Oscar statue because he is the student of the week.  So he will take pictures with Oscar and write about their adventures together.  They had a great time on Sunday with the beautiful weather and they got filthy dirty helping me weed the garden.  Although they didn't so much "weed" as they did "roll in the dirt."

We taught Carter how to mow the grass, and he didn't do too bad!  In fact, he mowed the front yard for nothing more than a gatorade.

Watching the draft with Daddy

This guy and I made a quick road trip to Dayton and he had a blast playing with Meme!!

This year Ava decided all she wanted for her birthday was a trampoline.  So in addition to some money the kids had saved from Christmas she got her wish this weekend!  It was funny watching Mike put it together with EIGHT children (including our three) watching its progress.  They have enjoyed it so much already, they get off the bus and run to our house to jump on it immediately. 

And Ava's other birthday gift:

Hermit crabs!!

Ava loves her hermies and wants to play with them constantly.  She has two crabs Hannah and Kolbe.  She asked me to take this picture so we could print them out and bring them to school.  She thinks they are so cuddly and cute, what a strange little girl!

  

Growing up

Carter is growing up so quickly.  Today I was playing the Minecraft card game with him after school when he heard his friends playing outside.  Bye Mom!  I was totally ditched for something more fun.

These two got their glasses!  They both have very minimal prescriptions for seeing distance.  Mainly they will be wearing their glasses for seeing the Smart Board at school.  They both inadvertently picked similar glasses.  They have black on the outside and Carter has royal blue on the inside and Ava has mint blue on the inside.

This little guy is getting up onto all fours and rocking back and forth.  In this video you can see the very beginning of this.  He had such a hard time napping the first day he realized he could do this because every time I got him sleeping he would roll over and get up onto all fours.  

Aunt Margie is the coolest!

Last time we visited Aunt Margie she gave the kids this fun light bulb.  They are taking turns using it as a night light.  On this particular night Dawson and Carter had begged to have a sleep over.  It was the weekend so sure!

8 Wonderful Months Old!

Owen you are eight months old!  I must say you really have an enviable position in our family.  We all adore you with your sweet little baby giggles and smiles.  If you cry out everyone runs to play with you and make you happy.

All of a sudden your gross motor skills exploded.  You are rolling both ways, standing for periods of time holding onto a play table, picking up your belly off the floor and using a pincer grasp to pick up puffs.  You are doing great with purees, and you are eating a variety of finger foods: black beans, small pieces of meat, puffs, broccoli and many other fruits and veggies.  I must say I'm a little jealous, the first thing that you waved "hi" to was shadow.  You like to turn pages in books, push the button to close the garage door and roll a ball with us back and forth on the floor.

Now you are sporting four beautiful pearly whites, two on the bottom and two on top.  And in related news, your sleep has been awful.  We have officially awarded you the worst sleeper award (which by the way, is just a hypothetical award in case you were wondering.)  I also learned that you are very sensitive to caffeine.  Waking up every two to three hours for weeks on end is hard on Mommy little guy!

You had your first Easter this month!  Thank you so much for sleeping in the car.  This made the trip easier on our family!  We've had some rough trips with babies, but you did great.  You enjoyed all the smiling faces and fresh air.

Play Time!

We love you our sweet baby boy!

Happy Birthday Ava!

Eight years old!  How did this happen?  My quiet snuggly little baby has grown into such a lovely girl.  Right now Ava you are growing taller by the second, and you are all arms and legs.  This year we happened to be at the Easter cabin for your birthday.  It was wonderful to be able to have cake and presents with family that you only get to see once a year.

Don't you love the blue hair?  Haha.  It's troll hair!

Ava, you have an amazing sense of gratitude.  As I was planning for your birthday, packing up five people (plus a baby) for a trip, making troll hair at your request and making toffee, you came to me with a picture.  Then you told me "Mom, I colored this picture for you.  Thank you for coming into my class and bringing treats for my birthday.  And doing everything else too."  It just melted my heart and made everything worth it!

Recently during prayer time you prayed "Dear God, please help Owen to sleep better for Mommy.  She is really tired."  It is so sweet of you to think of me!

This year I was unable to come into your class party at Halloween or Valentine's Day, so I asked if I could read a book to your class and bring a treat.  Your teacher obliged so I read a book about the Eiffel Tower and brought in different french treats (croissants, eclairs, cream puffs and truffles).  I had so much fun and your baby brother had fun smiling at all the kids

You are such a little night owl.  Right now you are sleeping in your own room.  Many times Dad and I hear you walking around upstairs after your brothers are both sound asleep.  You like to leave us little notes on our night stands.  It's so fun to find these! 

You have a love for unusual animals/insects that other people find repulsive.  You have asked for a pet snake (no), tarantula (NO), and hissing coachroach (NO NO NO.)  So we settled on a hermit crab as a good compromise.  Thanks to Meme, we are going to pick one out for you this week!  Another example of this:  there were obnoxious gnats at the Easter cabin.  Your brothers were hiding from the gnats and you were trying to catch one to take it home as a pet. 

You love to spend time with toddler and babies.  It's sweet to watch you talk and play with younger neighbors and your cousins.  Of course, baby Owen is your absolute favorite.  Oh, your relationship with Dawson!  We call you two "the twins."  It's not unusual to see you two running around together giggling and being silly.  I hope you stay this close forever.

And now, your birthday interview:

Favorite color:  royal blue

Favorite toy: Samantha (your American Girl Doll)

Favorite Movie/TV Show:  Titanic

Favorite Food:  Sushi

Favorite outfit:  athletic gear

Favorite Game:  Toliet Tag

Favorite Art activity:  drawing with oil pastels

Favorite animal:  Giraffee

Favorite Song:  True Colors (it's in the trolls movie)

Favorite outside activity:  playing in the play fort and with scooters

Favorite drink:  root beer

Favorite thing to sleep with:  pinky and pug

Favorite holiday:  Easter

What do you want to do when you grow up:  Artist

What do you like about yourself:  I'm a really good drawer

What do you pray for:  people

What do you like about Carter:  he has a lot of nerf guns and he shares them

What do you like about Dawson:  He is crazy

What do you like about Owen:  he is funny and laughs a lot

What do you like to do with Daddy:  go to the Girls Gala

What do you like to do with Mommy:  go out on date

What's your favorite book:  the Trolls movie book

Well, Miss Avaroo, we love you for ever, we like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be.

Daddy/Daughter Dance

On Friday Ava attended the Daddy/Daughter Dance.  They always have such a great time together.  Ava loves to dress up and I curl her hair and do her nails.  

This year the theme was Candyland.  There was dancing, games and plenty of candy to enjoy!

Mike told me that the girls loved to start conga lines, and they were breaking out left and right during every song!

She was so proud of the dress she picked out.  It's very fancy!

Candyland!

She had fun tearing up the dance floor!

Dan TDM

When Dan TDM announced a US tour, I knew we had to get tickets.  Carter has talked nonstop about going to his show when it was in England/Australia, and Dan TDM was coming to our backyard, Akron!  

Carter was giddy the day of the show.  He was really excited!  During the show he was silent and watched everything very carefully.

Dawson loved the show, he screamed so loud!  He loved the science experiment they did during the show.  I've tried to replicate it, but haven't had the same results.

Ava loved it as well!  We made sure she got a pug stuffed animal and stuffed animals always makes her happy!

It's so nice to be able to take the kids to something they really enjoy.  Thank you Grandma and Bo for taking such good care of our littlest so that I could experience it with my kiddos.

I love his dimples.

Enjoying our family time together.

Dan TDM!

Evil Dan TDM

One of Dan TDM's pugs

The show was cute and enjoyable for all of us!

Spring Break Fun!

Last week for spring break I packed up the kids and took them down to Aunt Margie's house.  Brendan and Riley were also on spring break and Aunt Margie didn't have to work, so we were able to spend time with everyone!

One morning we ran over to the Air Force Museum while Owen was "napping."  Dawson has been badgering us for a satchel, so it was the perfect opportunity to check out their favorite exhibits.

All three of them requested to see the missiles, presidential airplanes and the mock space shuttle.  They were all pretty interested in seeing the astronaut restroom.

We also went with Meme on a flight simulator.  The kids thought it was pretty cool!

Although flight simulators and motion sickness don't go well together.  Ava and I were both feeling a little green around the gills by the end of the ride.

Riley suggested we visit the nature playscape, it was a blast!  These are hollowed out logs to pound on (and make music.)

Swings to enjoy

log cabins to climb

Cars to Drive

Sand to dig

and Memes to cuddle

Look at my little skater girl!

Thank you Brendan and Riley for all the baby-sitting, four squaring, skate boarding and walking to the park.  We had a great time!