Another Year Gone

Summer has officially begun here in New Mexico. I can't believe another year of school is done and that we will have 3 (three!) kids in school starting again in August. I am so proud of our kids and all that they have accomplished this year.

To say Kelsie was a little anxious to start middle school would be quite the understatement. It didn't take long for her to realize that it wasn't as bad as she thought. In fact, this little smarty pants earned straights A's, 3 out of the 4 quarters in school and had lunch with the principal because of it! She excelled in all her classes and made some really great friends in the process. She may or may not have been the teacher's pet in more than one class. She is a little disappointed to start yet another new school (since we moved again) next fall, but I'm sure will not disappoint once she's there.

Brandon started off the year pretty excited and then wasn't quite sure about his new teacher so he had some stomach issues in the beginning. Once he realized that she wasn't as bad as he thought, it turned out to be a great year. In fact, when I asked him how his last day went, he said "It was really sad, I almost cried!". He also excelled this year in academics and even on the playground where he picked up 4 square like a champ. We are so proud of him and all the things he accomplished this year.

Caleb is so excited to start kindergarten this fall! He has been so anxious to learn and go to school like his older sister and brother. He practiced a lot over the last 9 months and is now able to read and write and is very prepared for the demands of a kindergartener. I am going to miss my little buddy next fall, I love having him home with me. He's as silly as ever and my prediction is that he just may be the class clown. I guess I should be prepared for that!

Isaac had a great year as well. I've write a lot about what he's up to recently, and he continues to keep me busy all. the. time. He's not really sure what's going on right now with everyone home, but he loves it! I predict a little loneliness once school starts again this fall, but we're going to live it up while we can with everyone home for the summer!

Two Years Old...and He Means It

It's official. We've hit the two's here. And he's definitely 2, through and through. We celebrated Isaac's second birthday on May 11. He is such a cute little kid and has hit the two year old stage head on, tantrums and all! He can be the sweetest, cutest little guy and then turn on you in an instant. He loves to play with his older brothers and sister and thinks that he can do most anything that they do. He likes to sing, especially, "Follow the Prophet" very loud in the grocery store. He also loves to read books and sleeps with about 20 in his crib every night. I think that Isaac is the one that is going to try my patience the most, but it's good that he's so cute that I can over look it (sometimes). He loves riding his new trike around, feeling just like a big kid. Happy birthday, little man! We sure love you!

Getting Close to 2

This kid is almost 2 and is at a fun and challenging stage right now. Here's what he's been up to:

He is getting very independent

He talks a whole lot more and doesn't scream any less

He loves to read books and is often found sleeping on 4-5 in his crib

He likes to tell secrets (when he's not screaming)

He yells "bus!" any time he sees one before and after school each day

Curious George is his favorite thing to watch and is sometimes the only thing that can calm him down

He idolizes his older brother, Caleb, and tries to do just about anything he does

His new favorite game is duck, duck, goose

He has a cheesy smile that he will give on demand

He is starting to enjoy nursery more

This kid lives for food and will do just about anything to get it.

and

He makes us all laugh and smile and can easily drive us crazy as well!

My 3 Boys

These boys are usually running around all over the place and have so much energy. Half the time I feel like I don't know what to do with them! They definitely make life exciting and not always calm around here. It was nice to capture them during some down time. As rowdy and rambunctious as they are, I'm so glad they're mine. My life wouldn't be nearly as exciting without them!

Well Worth the Wait

The much anticipated moment has arrived. Isaac is officially 18 months old now which means that he is officially Nursery age! These last few months at Church are always the hardest with a toddler, but I swear that he has been our hardest yet. He hit his separation anxiety pretty hard and it's been tears and screaming anytime I leave the room. We've been adjusting him to the idea of "dropping off" with play group and with Nursery the last few Sunday's at church. He still gets nervous when you walk him close to the door, but after a few minutes of playing with mom or dad close by, he soon forgets that we even exist and is happy for the next couple of hours. Church is going to be so much more enjoyable now!

He sure is cute though! He's at a really fun stage and is starting to talk more (we're hoping he starts to scream less) and really has fun with us at home. He has recently started to play football with Brandon in the family room, loves to play Legos with Caleb, and is often seen running to Kelsie for comfort or just a hug. He yells "bye!" and "love ya!" to everyone that leaves in the morning for work and school, and will start cheering "go, go, go!" if we walk past the electronics department at Target and a football game is on the tv's.

We're also wondering if he's going to be the engineer of the family as he likes to figure out how things work and will stack and restack Legos for longer than 10 minutes at a time. He loves stickers and his new favorite things are coloring (with markers) and play dough. He gives us hugs and kisses all the time and will even tickle an exposed belly if he sees one.

18 months is a milestone around here in many ways. As excited as we are about his new career in Nursery, we're also a little sad that our little boy is that much older.

First Days

I guess I thought that after the kids started school again, I was going to have a lot of free time on my hands. I was right, the first day anyway, when I realized how much time I wasted on the computer and just doing what I wanted to do for the day. That day was short lived however. It's already been a couple of weeks since school started and I feel more busy than ever! Turns out, it's hard work to keep a preschooler and a toddler entertained when my at home entertainment isn't at home any more. Sitting on the computer, addicted to pinterest just doesn't cut it.

I still can't believe that I have a kid old enough to be in middle school. Kelsie seems to really enjoy it though, despite the crazy nerves that invaded her body and mind the few days before school started. She's been great since the first day and realized that aside from all the peer pressure and that middle school is just plain hard anyway, it isn't so bad after all. Along with a sudden interest in her hair (what's next?) she still seems to stay pretty grounded to her old self. Picture day is a really great example (in her own words):

"On our way to get our pictures taken, all the girls had to, like, stop in the bathroom to make sure they looked all perfect and everything. My teacher came up to me and said, 'Kelsie, don't you need to go to the bathroom and make sure you're all beautiful before the picture?' I said, 'I don't need to because I'm beautiful just the way I am!' Then he started laughing really hard!"

That's our girl! :)

I swear it was just yesterday that I dropped him off on his first day of Kindergarten, but Brandon seems to be enjoying 3rd grade (mostly). He's had more than a few stomach aches since school started and has gotten even more upset when I won't come pick him up early from school. That only happened once and it ended in something like,

"Mom, I really like being home, will you just homeschool me? 

No. 

Why not?

Because I don't want to."  

I finally got it out of him that he's having a hard time adjusting to his new teacher and class and even that his sister isn't at the same school as him anymore. He's doing better now and after going to back to school night, I think he will end up really enjoying this year of school, but we'll have to see what happens.

Nerves on the first day

Caleb can't get enough of his lego's and is building and rebuilding all day long. He also spends a majority of his time during the day protecting his creations from his little brother who likes to tear them apart and put those small pieces in his mouth. Caleb has gotten pretty good at the command, "out!" signaling his little brother to spit out whatever he's snuck into his mouth. Caleb has completely remastered his two wheeler again and I'm trying to convince him to move up to Brandon's old bike. Sometimes it is really hard to move out of comfort zones. I should know. I've also decided that we need to add a little more structure into his life and have been trying to figure out a schedule for him each day. So far, it's not working out so well. Hopefully soon.

See? No more training wheels

Isaac, on the other hand, is wondering what happened to everyone. I think he's liking his new freedom around the house without so many eyes on him all the time. He runs outside any chance he can if a door is left open and loves to follow Brandon and Caleb around looking for lizards or drawing on the sidewalk with Kelsie. At 15+ months now, he's all over the place and it is getting harder and harder to keep up with him. He likes to think he's just like one of the big kids and has especially enjoyed bike rides in the trailer up and down the street we live on.

Another victory catching another lizard

Don't let that sweet little face fool you. This kid is a little spit fire and demands a lot of attention when he wants something. Oh, and Sunday's? They're pretty much a joke now at church. Only three more months before nursery...

He also needs a haircut. That's got to go on my to do list ASAP. He's sporting a wavy fro right now and adds to it at each meal with whatever he's eating. I don't think I'll ever understand why it always ends up in the hair.

I often wonder how I am able to keep up with it all and still have my sanity. I've got a pretty great partner who seems to balance me out pretty good. We're constantly adjusting to little changes here and there in our lives, but we're happy. Just as it should be.

photo taken by Kelsie

 

Twelve Months

Dear Isaac, 


It's so hard for me to believe that a whole year has come and gone since you became a part of our family.  We were all so anxious for you to arrive, and I remember each morning as we got closer to the due date, I'd hear, "Aww, man! You're still here?".  The day your sister and brothers woke up and I really wasn't there is one to remember!  

This past year has brought it's ups and downs and after a gentle reminder that we needed to prepare for you  to come, we became more focused and ready for your arrival.  We have loved you from the moment you took your first breath and you have fit right in with the rhythm of our family.  You have been such a sweet little baby and pretty easy going (unless you're hungry or tired).  Your babbling makes us all smile as we try to figure out what you're talking about.  You look just like your brothers and sister did when they were your age.  We love your smile and are so happy that it comes so easily! You set out to prove to Dad and I that just because you're #4, we still don't have everything figured out.

We love you, Isaac, and are so happy to have you in our family.  We are so happy to see you getting bigger and stronger and only wish we could slow time down just a little (we do like to sleep, you know).  Happy, happy birthday! 


Love,
Mom

Cuteness

It's been a while since I've posted some pictures of Isaac.  He's growing up so fast and I wish I had the ability to slow time down (I'm sure every parent feels the same way).  Isaac is now 9 months old and is crawling all over the place!  We think it's funny that he learned how to crawl and still has yet to roll over!  He only wants to eat the food that the rest of us are eating instead of any kind of baby food.  He has learned to clap and even dance, more like bob his head back and forth to music.  We think he has an internal sensor for any lego piece or marble left on the floor and makes a bee line towards it!  He says "mama" and is real close to saying "dada".  Isaac is such a happy little baby and we're so glad he's a part of our family!

Isaac Crawling from Ronni Paxton on Vimeo.

Chub-A-Lub

 Things aren't slowing down at all here, but I wanted to post this picture before I forget.  

I just love him!

8.11.10

I've been a little behind (like 2 months) on posting some things and I wanted to put up these pictures I took of Isaac at 3 months old.  He makes so many cute facial expressions so I really tried to capture them at this age.  I can't believe that he's already almost 5 months old, but he pretty much looks the same.  Just bigger.

Full of Smiles!

We’ve reached the smiling milestone over here at our house!  There has been so much going on and we’ve been so busy, I was afraid that we were going to miss his first smiles.  Doesn’t it just melt your heart?!  We sure love this little guy!

4 Weeks Old

This little guy is four weeks old already!  I know it’s so cliché to say, but time really has gone by so fast.  It’s hard to keep up with how fast he’s changing.  He is starting to fill out and we love his little chipmunk cheeks.  He is such a fun little baby and is usually pretty happy unless he’s hungry or over tired.  We’re surviving on the little amount of sleep we’re getting and are gearing up for summer vacation starting in just a couple of days.

I was finally able to get some of the sleepy newborn pictures that I wanted with him the other day.  Caleb was my little helper through the whole process and I think we were able to get a few good ones.  Don’t you just want to kiss him all over?!

A couple more…