Baby "Doll"

Right after we moved last summer I was ran across a yard sale with some good little girl stuff.
This doll cradle was one of them. It's got really sturdy construction...a much needed feature in a house of boys and scrappy girls...and I thought it was so cute. Every girl needs a cradle for her babies!

Kenzie was 4 months old and still just a little thing. The kids were pretty sure this should become her new bed once they saw she fit. :)

She's gotten to be such a big girl now. I can't believe how she's changed since we moved. She's gone from my little, cuddly, armful of an infant to a walking, climbing, into EVERYTHING little toddler.

She's one of those special people put on the earth to bring joy to the souls of those around her.

Just oozes sweetness!

Dinner, Mammoth Style

"Hey Mom, I'm a Mammoth!!"

We went out for my birthday way back in January. He made me laugh out loud with his gummy mammoth face. 

Funny boy.

Notice the striped plate under his food...he was so excited about earning the striped for being good he brought it with him to the restaurant.

Gotta love this funny kid.

Busted! Now Confess!!

Setting: Lincoln in Timeout

Timer chimes it's bell of freedom.

Me: Come talk to me. 
(If they don't remember why they're in timeout and need a reminder they, go back for another 2 minutes.)
Lincoln: I'm sorry for tackling Garrett.
(Not what I was going for, but thanks for the confession.)
Me: And.
Lincoln: Sorry for squeezing Garrett really hard like this. 
(Again, not what I was going for, and another confession.)
Me: And.
Lincoln: Sorry for spilling water on your couch. 
(For the love! Uh, no still not what I was going for. These confessions are certainly piling up.)
Me: And.

Pause....Thinking really hard so he doesn't have to go back for 2 minutes...face brightens up...


SORRY FOR NOT LISTENING TO WHAT YOU SAID AND DOING IT THE FIRST TIME YOU TOLD ME! Yeah, sorry for not listening. 
(Like when I told you to put said spilled water on the counter so you wouldn't spill it on the couch.)
Me: It is NOT OK to ignore your Mom. Now, go tell Garrett you're sorry for tackling and squeezing him.
Lincoln: Right now?
Me: Uh, yes my dear.

(I'm pretty sure timeout is lost on this kid, but "they" say he'll get it eventually.)

(At least he's good at looking remorseful.)

Another whole year before he can get into the structure of a Kindergarten setting....
I think we might die. That boy is so ready. Have to stay one step ahead of him or he'll run circles around ya like a little Tasmanian Devil.



Saturday on the way home from the first soccer game we dropped the car off to get new tires while we went to the next two games. Apparently cracked tires aren't good to drive on in the summer when you live in the desert....and since summer is ALREADY here, figured we'd better get it done.

While waiting outside for Stephen...

Gabriel: Mom, call dad I have to go to the bathroom.
Me: I already texted him and told him we were waiting outside.
Gabriel: I have to go baaaad!
Me: Sorry, gotta hold it.
Lincoln: Why don't you just pee outside?
Me: No, we don't do that.
(Despite your brothers' example in the back yard.)
Lincoln: Why? Is it pee littering?

Ummm,yes, we'll go with that if it keeps you from peeing in public.

Lincoln was "Stinky Linky" for a long time. 

Then he became Linky-Poo. 

Lynneah, in her efforts to say Linky-Poo calls him "Wimpy Poo".

 IT IS THE CUTEST THING I'VE EVER HEARD!! He's usually pretty good humored about it. 

Sunday "Stroll"

We've started taking the kidlets for a walk every Sunday. 

They LOVE it. We love that they love it...someday maybe it'll be leisurely.

We look really cool with a double stroller, THREE dogs leashed to the front of it, Dad steering it, and the three boys...well...being boys. 

They're usually in jammies. I have enough laundry so they come home from church and change straight into jammies, reducing the number of outfits I'll have to wash from that day. I'm willing to bet the cranky neighborhood we live in is aghast, but I don't care one snit.

Even superheros need exercise!

Lincoln lived in these superman jammies this winter and I thought it was SO adorable watching him walk down the street in his little cape.

Always busy

Wish I had video of her first time in a ball pit!

She'd had an especially cooperative speech day so her therapist let her play in the ball pit for a few minutes. She took a flying leap into it, then swam around and around under all the balls. It was seriously funny to watch.

When she's not being cute in the ball pit at speech, she's busy making mud with the water in the fridge...

After a long day of wild mayhem there's nothing left to do but chill out with your bottle.

She still gets two a day. Her weight is ok, but not stellar (she and Kenzie are within 4 lbs of each other) so she gets a bottle with formula mixed with whole milk rather than water and a couple jars of baby food mixed in.  One of those bottles at nap and bed have been enough to maintain her skinny little self. I predict the two girls will be sharing clothes at some point....that'll seriously streamline laundry. :)

Mall Fun

Stephen is about the most anti-mall person I know. I had no idea how anti-groups of people he was when we got married. Weird dynamic to navigate as a big crowd kind of person.

Anyway, we were forced to stop by the mall for something and the kids saw the escalator.

They got so excited and kind of jumped up and down while they asked if they could ride it. Cracked me up. So, like the good humored dad that he is, Stephen rode up and then back down 4 times with them. They loved it! Lynneah giggled the whole time, and its a miracle Garrett didn't get hurt because he was jumping while riding it.

We had three really  long sick weeks.

Gabriel was semi-comatose sick in bed for a full week.

The next week Garrett was sick for a full week...except he can be on his death bed and will still be bouncing off the walls...not in bed.

The third week the three little kids *AND* Stephen all got sick, fortunately not anywhere near as seriously as the big boys.

*This was the first time in our marriage that Stephen was sick for real.*

 He said, "Wow, this is horrible. It would be annoying to get sick every year."

Yes my sweet boy, it is awful, you should try hatching a kid or two and spend nearly 5 years puking every day. 

XOXO

Lynneah just layed around for most of the day...in between PUKING ALL OVER...

She set herself up on the floor with her pillow and "banket". I thought she was so cute with her sickie eyes and wild pony tails.

We're all very grateful that was all that hit us. The kids didn't seem phased by any of the other stuff that went around. Whew!

Better Spellcheck That...

The English language and Gabriel aren't friends. Well, written English and Gabriel aren't friends.

We've worked hard, cried a lot, gotten tons of grey hair and wrinkles, but it's working. He's currently hanging on at grade level...as long as we don't let up for even a second. It's exhausting.

Frequently we put pretty extensive work into correcting his spelling.

The other night he brought his homework in to get checked. They're required to read for 20 minutes and write down the title of the book. This is was the title he wrote down...

Anus.

I cracked up *and* asked what the actual title was. 

He said, "Ants".

I sent him back to check on that title because the word he wrote down was definitely not Ants.

After he fixed it he asked what the word meant that he'd written down. I told him that was the science word for where your poop comes out. He looked slightly horrified, then laughed and said, "That was a close one."

Easter

Saturday Night's Project

Proud of their creations.

After a lesson in how to place, not drop, an egg into dye we let them put their own eggs in...even Lynneah. I will live to regret it one day, but last year and this year have gone ok. The only reason I keep white crayons around is so they can put designs on Easter eggs every year. They did a good job of sharing, patiently holding the egg half submerged so they could make a multicolored one, and creating cute pictures with the crayons.

After scriptures and article of faith (we have them all assigned to a month and say it every night after scriptures) Stephen talked about where colored eggs come from and some of the history associated with them and what they represent.

They got baskets the next morning, and Kenzie was really into it this year.

Then it was time for the hunt!

Last year was busy, and they didn't get an egg hunt, or birthday parties. Garrett specifically asked me to write a letter requesting that that rodent leave an egg hunt for them this year. I told them if the bunny got here and saw dog poop in the backyard he'd turn around and leave because he doesn't like getting dog poop all over his furry feet.

It worked. The yard was poop free by Saturday afternoon. Feel free to judge...it worked.

The next morning they saw the eggs in our yard, then peeked over the fence, saw no eggs and "lots of dog poop" in the neighbor's yard; and came running into the house saying, "Mom, you were right! There are no eggs in the neighbor's yard and they have lots of poop in it!!" I so hope they were not within ear shot of it. They're a nice couple that just had their first baby. I know they judge the wild and noise over here, but if they have a few they'll get it, and they're still nice people anyway. Ignorance is judgmental bliss after all.

Thank you neighbor's dog for having my back on this one. ;-)

 Why use a basket when a stroller works so much better.

She discovered some make noise when you shake them and was super excited.

He grabbed Kenzie's basket and started putting eggs in it for her all on his own.

 He thought the monkey egg he found was awesome.

Doesn't she look so big in a tiny little girl kind of way?

 She was pretty proud of her stroller haul. That outfit was all her choosing.

 He was the first to discover some of the eggs had change and thought it was "COOL!"

 Never one to let something go, he was all over the eggs with change in them too...and very proud of his super full basket.

"Mom, I don't have very many because I shared and helped Lynneah and Kenzie."

You're a good big brother, my boy.

Later in the day he was talking to me about helping the girls and having fewer eggs. I explained that that's one of the ways he can tell he's growing up. He looked at me funny. I told him that when you notice others that need help and are willing to provide that help even when it means less for you it shows that you're growing up and becoming a good person. He smiled; pleased that he was growing into a good person. He's always had a good heart. Sometimes it's really hard to see it, but I've always known it was there and am so happy to see him tapping into it and acting on the kindness that I know he has.

Now that the all the pagan (sp?) part was done it was time leave it and prepare for church.

There were many years that Easter dresses were NOT a part of my life. Well, not within my home. I bought lots of dresses I thought were cute and just couldn't leave sitting on the rack. Lucky for me I had super cute nieces to send them to so they could actually get used. Every time I came home with another one Stephen would say, "You don't have girls." Then I would say, "No, BUT I KNOW GIRLS." ;-D

Regardless of the gender status of my kids, Easter is special and I wasn't about to have my cute boys left out because they were boys. 

The solution?? 

EASTER SUITS!! 

Yes, much to Stephen's chagrin, I've been buying Easter suits since Gabriel was a baby. I still think they're so darn handsome in them too!!

All dressed up...and an attempt at a cute Easter picture.

 Not bad...wish Lynneah was smiling.

 Now she's biting her lip, and not sure what Lincoln's doing.

 Probably the best overall...and still she's biting her lip.

 Just to remind us she LOVES all things girl. I didn't prompt the skirt thing, she just did it. (Stephen picked her dress, he's got a good eye.) Aaaand, we lost Kenzie.

Then she gave us this. It means The. End. in Lynneah speak.

He had already lost the suit coat that went with his outfit, but was still cute as can be.

He's recently gotten reacquainted with his natural-ish smile again. Every time I'm able to snap a shot and it turns out the first time he kind of stands a little taller. Too cute.

I just thought he was such a handsome little guy here! 

 She is a walking pro now!! Her new found freedom is getting her into all kinds of trouble stuff. Crawling in a dress every Sunday really frustrated her, so she's enjoying church more now too.

 In all her Easter cuteness.

Love. Love. Love.

Stephen is SO cute with little ones this age!! I've loved watching him each time one of them hits this 1 year old stage. Makes my heart go pitter patter.

We ended the day watching He Is Risen...just to make sure the emphasis was in the right place before we ended the day. They watched it quietly. Rare around here...must mean it's sinking in.