Summer Family Photos

Bathing Cuties

Pais has abandoned her little bath seat and is sitting up in the tub now ... or laying on her tummy and swimming with her big brother.

Summer Swimming

Memorial Day weekend was a great one with lots of food, family, fun and, of course, pool time.

This was Paisley's first time in the pool and she loved it!

It isn't often that both Kaylee and Hudson get to join us for a weekend at the same time so that made the weekend extra special. 

This was Ollie's first year to really be comfortable in the pool.  In past years, he has either clung to somebody while in the pool or not really wanted to even get in.  This year he was in a floatie, just kicking away.

Kicking around in a floatie wasn't the only skill that he learned... I guess when you've gotta go, you've gotta go.

Summer

We are getting ready to head to my parents' house for Memorial Day weekend.  Since I start teaching summer camp on Tuesday, and we will be gone on Monday, today is my only summer week day at home with the kiddos.

I've got to get the house picked up and get things packed for the weekend, but we have relaxing together on our schedule too.

Even though I spent my summers teaching and summer camp, I'm looking forward to some fun afternoon and evenings.  We will make the most of our weekends together too!

Letter Recognition with the Wheel

There is nowhere else I'd rather be than hanging out with this kid!

Front Yard Landscaping

We've got many things on our list of home projects that we want to get done this spring and summer.  Riley has cut down several trees since we've moved in so this past weekend he rented a stump grinder.

He had his trusty helper by his side!

 

Once the stumps were removed, Riley redid the edging in the front yard.  My last day of school was on Wednesday so I sent the kiddos to daycare today.  I feel really guilty about sending the kids to daycare, but I really needed a day to get some stuff done.  My first project was getting the front flowerbeds weeded and mulched.  It was a long and hot project, but it looks much better.

Mama Needs a Margarita!

With school winding down things have been super busy for me and cooking like I normally do, just isn't happening.  Enter El Puerto!

Running Boy

Riley has been working on some landscaping projects outside this morning so I've had the kiddos.  In an effort to wear Ollie out a bit we went on a long walk.  Ollie wanted to walk himself rather than ride in the stroller.  I didn't figure it would last long and typically he walks so slow that I make him get back in the stroller because I'm tired of having to stop to wait for him.

Well, today he surprised me and ran.  And oh, did he run.  I would say that he ran more than a mile!  He stayed ahead of Paisley and I.  Perhaps he will be a runner when he gets older.  Cross country is how Riley and I got to know each other ;)

A nice long nap is in his future for sure!

Twinning

With the nice spring weather we have finally been having, the kids and I have been taking advantage of it with evening walks.

Today, by complete accident, Ollie and I ended up twinning with matching shirts and sunglasses.  

Nine Months Old

Nine months already for our little Paisley!

She is pretty routined at this point in all aspects.  She gets up just once in the night, typically near the same time each night.  Pais wakes near the same time each morning.  She always wants a bottle shortly after I drop her off at daycare.  She maintains her routine of sleeping, eating, and playing at daycare each day.  Paisley is ready to eat supper at the same time every night and wants to be in her bed and left alone by 8:00.

What can I say, her mama likes routine too, so perhaps she comes by it naturally.

We had a rough time taking pictures this month as she wanted to roll away as soon as she was placed on her back.  When we would get her to stay on her back she would start crying for Riley or I to pick her up.  Understandable as we are both just standing over her - me trying to take a photo and Riley trying to get her to look and smile.  Oh well....this is what we managed... on two different days with two different outfits.

Paisley is weighing in at 14 pound, 10 ounces which puts her in the 4th percentile.  Her height is also in the 4th percentile at 26 inches.  Dr. Gallagher said she's dropped a little on the growth chart, but she'll probably just be petite.  He said as long as she is eating well we have nothing to be concerned about.

Crawling still hasn't made the resume yet, but she is a pretty fierce roller.  In the last few days she is trying to scoot forward more and more, but just can't quite get her little knees tucked under her.

If we are sitting on the floor with her, she will use our thighs to try to pull herself up.  She usually ends up slinking over  in our laps, but she sure wants to stand up.

3-6 month clothing still fit and probably will through the whole summer.  I guess the great thing about having kids that are so little is that they get to wear their clothes longer.  Ollie has worn the same size through multiple seasons.  We moved him into 2T in the fall and here it is spring and almost summer and he is still in 2T.

Paisley has found her voice and loves making sounds.  "Mama" was her first official word (at least that's what I'm counting it as) and she babbles mamamamama quite often.  She is getting close on a "Dada" sound.  One of her favorite sounds is what I call her baby goat sound.  It usually occurs in the van and I don't know how else to describe it other than a baby goat because that is exactly what she sounds like.  I'm not sure if she makes the sound due to the movement/vibrations of the vehicle or what, but it is pretty comical.

Tasting new foods has been a fun experience.  Paisley loves scrambled eggs and black beans.  We've tried several soft solid foods, but she hasn't been sure about several of them including bananas and pasta.  Her hand-eye coordination is getting better, but much of the time she has more food in her lap than what makes it in her mouth.

Good Morning Laugh

Oliver had a little incident with some peanut butter this morning that made for a good laugh and a funny way to start the day.

He loves to eat waffles with peanut butter and while his waffle was toasting, he decided that he could get some peanut butter out to have it ready.

He was hunched over the peanut butter with a knife in hand, concentrating to get some scooped out.  When he got some peanut butter free, he accidentally smacked himself in the forehead with it.

He wasn't too amused with the situation, but it sure gave Riley and I a good chuckle.

Tornadoes

Well, Pais got to experience her first tornado yesterday and I guess this was Ollie's first one too.

This photo was taken early before the storm came our direction.  According to Riley, there was a tornado about 5 miles North when this photo was taken. 

There were several different storms in the area with the closest being tornadoes/cloud rotation 5 miles North of us and 2 miles South of us.  When things got close to us and the tornado sirens were going off, we got the kiddos out of bed and headed to the basement.  Ollie was completely fine with it and actually a little disappointed asking "Why didn't the tornado come to our house?"  Pais wasn't a happy camper to be taken out of her crib.  When she is sleepy, she simply wants to be alone in her crib, she isn't into snuggling or being held.

Nike Outfits

Aunt Haley loves a good deal, especially on kid's clothes.  She is always finding the cutest little Nike outfits for the kids.  She outdid herself this time with Ollie's matching hat, shirt, and shorts that he got for his birthday.  Paisley's hat was also from Aunt Haley (she brought it to the hospital when she was born and we've been anxiously awaiting the day it would actually fit), but I believe Grandma Marcia was responsible for the shirt.