Elizabeth...3.5

Elizabeth-Queen-Elsa-Annabella-Joy as she calls herself is a force to be reckoned with.
She is as sweet and sensitive as she is feisty and determined. Her polarity keeps up on our toes that is for sure!

She is bossy- I mean a leader! She has real skills in this department. She loves to have a job and try and accomplish new things. She is confident and quick to laugh. She has a sweet little voice and loves to sing and retell her favorite fairy tales like Little Red Riding Hood and Three Little Bears.

Ella loves to be my helper. She calls us "the girls" and loves being my assistant in everything! She wants to much to do things properly and can get so frustrated at her...three year old skill level. She is so intent and eager and focused when she is trying to learn something and her enthusiasm will often end in trouble (ie spilling the box of baking soda in the mixing bowl while she tries to carefully measure over a tiny teaspoon....) tears follow but she is up quickly for her next challenge!

She loves to come with me to the grocery store or run errands. She gets her purse and scribbles a little list and loves when I let her pay. She hates to be put in a cart. It is THE WORST thing! But she also really struggles with not wondering off even when she is trying so hard not to...I can even hear her muttering "I have to stay with Mommy...I have to stay with Mommy..." to remind herself...and yet even with her best efforts she will disappear so a cart is a sad fact of life for her right now and a damper on her independence.

I took her out for breakfast, a concept she was unfamiliar with and totally thrilled about. She was asking me questions all the way there and was so happy to have a smoothie and pancakes that I don't think she even ate very much she was too excited. She was squeeling "Look Mommy! There is little salt and pepper! and JAMS!!! little JAMS MOMMY!" "FORKS...AND knives!!!" it was awesome.

I think she is such a darling. She is just the cutest. Everything about her is...cute! I am not the only one who thinks so. She often gets pointed at and we hear whispers in public along the line of "Oh my gosh look at that little girl she is SO cute!!" and "Ohh look at her curls!" she says "Mommy! Why are those people staring at me!" and I tell her "they think you are cute, they like your hair!" She glares at them and one time she spit at a woman in the jewelry store. In her defense the woman was petting her hair as though she was a curly headed puppy and not an actual human child with a sense of personal space and dignity. I feigned scolding her appalling rudeness but was secretly pleased with her tenacity.

She also has a temper. Her feelings are hurt easily and she doesn't, like most three year olds, appreciate limits. I told her recently that she was not allowed to do something and she was SO angry with me. She would obey...but not happily.

"YOU. Are the WORST MOMMY I EVER had IN MY LIFE. I will NEVER dance for you AGAIN!" And she ran to her room and slammed her door!

I didn't let her see me laugh. Of course she came out moments later and apologized and said....yes, in fact she would dance for me again. Whew!

Speaking of dance...that is her love. She counts down the day until her 30 minute ballet class. She loves it more than anything and tries her very hardest while she is there. She had a little recital recently where she got to show off her moves. Her teacher said she had the routine memorized by her second class and would benefit from more lessons. In the spring I will find more classes for her. I am thrilled that she has found something she loves so much. If that changes again next year of course that is fine too.



Elizabeth-Queen-Elsa-Annabella-Joy you are my favorite girl in the whole wide world. You are a treasure and a delight and I adore you

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6 Months Old!

This little turkey is 6 months old! He is 18 pounds, loving food and has a smile for anyone who makes eye contact with him. He loves his family and excitedly waves his hands and squeels after his nap when someone goes to get him up or someone he knows comes through the door. He is a social and friendly baby everywhere we go.

Ben is very proud of how quickly he has met all his milestones and take credit for helping him learn so much (he read a baby development chart when he was born and was very strict about his tummy time regime!).

Matthews first food was avacodo, followed by carrots, sweet potato, squash and now he is eating most everything except grains. He loves baby food pouches and will eat two at one meal. He is on a pretty good schedule with a short nap in the morning followed by a 2 hour nap in the afternoon and then bedtime at 7. He wakes once in the night and then otherwise is up with a smile at 7am.

He still doesn't love his carseat but is tolerating being in the car a little more now. We will switch him to a bigger seat in the spring and hopefully he will be a bit happier in the car.

We love this little guy with his adorable grin and silly laugh and fat little knees soooo much! How lucky we are to have our little Matty-baby in our family!

December

December is such a busy month! For so many years I have tried to simplify and prioritize but this year...I gave up the fight. Christmas season is chaotic and busy and sometimes stressful and overwhelming with the amount of commitments and fun activities to pack into four short weeks. But without the distractions I suspect we would be much more aware of the long dark and cold days. There are worse things that having too many fun things to do that is for sure! We had lots of fun celebrating Grampas birthday with a parade (the kids of course think the town they live in throws a parade for Grampa every year in his honor...it may be the Christmas parade ...the verdict is pending on that one...). Elizabeth and Jacob enjoyed a little chef's class at our local grocery store where they made Christmas treats, we went to a Christmas light event with Grammie and Grandad and got to visit with Onnika and Greyson. We made cookies, had delicious Christmas dinners, ate too much and enjoyed some time off with Daddy. A few days before Christmas we put an offer on a house and were anxiously awaiting its acceptance. We found out shortly after Christmas that we go it! Christmas morning was busy and exciting and the kids were all spoiled! Everyone got just about everything they wished for and another Christmas is over! Whew!

It is HERE!

After a very mild early November the kids were counting down the days until snow! We were fortunate to have the warm temperatures as we were moving to our rental house. Conveniently enough the rental is only 4 houses away from our old house so we could walk everything across the street (in t shirts!). We are renting while we look for the house we want so we can buy and can take our time doing it. A few light flurries had the kids dressing in head to toe winter gear. Jake got a bit of a surprise when he misjudged his foot wear and stepped in a pile of snow with barefeet in his crocs. I think he will remember boots next time!
The snow is covering the street and trees tonight and it hard to deny how beautiful it is. The first and last snowfall of the season are my favorite:)

5 Months

Matthew is 5 months old already. What a boy! He is just the best little guy. We love every inch of him...those rolly thighs, dimpled elbows, gummy smile, soft brown hair, stinky little toes (he has the sweatiest feet!).
He has a belly laugh that we will go to great efforts to get out of him but generally he is quick to laugh...especially if there is a raspberry kiss headed to his tummy. He is giving kisses...big gooey slobbery awesome face dive kisses and is sleeping well now that he can roll over on his stomach to sleep. He sits on his own now and is interested in his toys. Everything goes into his mouth but no teeth yet! He has started to eat a few foods as he is nearing 6 months. Avocado and sweet potato are so far a big hit. He puts them in his own mouth, tries to chew and swallows so he seems ready and enthusiastic. So far no one is a picky eater...far from it! These kids LOVE to eat...and he seems to have been encouraged by watching their enthusiasm. Every time he takes a bite of anything he grins around the table at everyone, so pleased with his big self! I have a feeling, based on his growth curve so far that appatite is not going anywhere! I put him in a 12-18 month outfit recently that barely fit! He weighs close to 18 pounds and is very long.

We are just crazy about this sweet baby! How lucky we are that he is ours!

Miss Ella

Queen Elsa Elizabeth Annabella Joy as she prefers to be called is growing up so fast. She is such a delightful girl and makes us laugh every day! She loves her ballet class, her brothers, who she calls her sweeties and everything princess. She is also tough and bossy, a kind helper and a good friend.
Recently she was talking sternly to Ben about something as he was not listening to her and said - ELIZABETH ANNABELLA JOY! YOU LISTEN TO ME! he laughed and said - But Ella! That is not my name! And she shrugged and said...ya but I dont know YOUR whole name!
Ella loves to play Mommy, in which she imitates everything I do. It is so funny to see how she perceives me and how she remembers all the smallest details of things I do that I dont even realize until I am watching her. If I invite her to help me grocery shop it is the highlight of her week! We sure love this little cupcake!

4 Month Sibling Comparison

I had a little photo shoot with Matthew today to document his 4th month and was curious how he compared to his siblings. I see each of them in him but also his own little something! Whatever it is, its working! 

 Benjamin

 Jacob

 Elizabeth

Matthew