Happy Birthday Carter!

Our favorite neighbor Carter turned two a couple of weeks ago, an event that is fast approaching our brood as well, and we were delighted to go to his birthday party at the Bounce House! This was a totally new experience for the kids. They've never been in one of those big inflatable bouncing things before, but once they warmed up to it, they had a blast!

They weren't real sure about it at first. That unstable, bouncy floor made them a little nervous. we started out in the "beginner" house which has a smallish slide in it. It was small compared to the other slides, but twice as big as the little slides they're used to! After awhile, they got pretty good at climbing up the stairs themselves and thoroughly enjoyed sliding down!

After that, they were ready for bigger and better slides!

Up these steps...

...and down this slide!

Yeaaaaa!!!!

All in all, they had the most fun they've probably ever had! It really wore them out!

Daddy and Jonathan take a break

After all that playtime, it was off to open presents and eat cake. Another first, the kids each got to drink their own Capri Sun drink. They'd never sucked through a straw before! They're so deprived of all the important life experiences! We had to help them hold the drinks though because they wanted to squeeze the pouches, and we all know what happens when you do that! Well, WE know what happens, but they didn't! We got a little sticky after that!

To help keep the mess to a minimum, I fed the kids their cake. And ate a little of it myself! Yum!

Cris, Josh, and Reagan supervise while Carter blows out his candles

Feeding my baby birds

More Outside Pics

Here's the last of the pictures taken of the kids outside before we put up the new fence and let them loose in the back yard.


One trick to managing to get a decent picture of all four kids at once is to let them sit somewhere new. It certainly worked this time! What a great shot!

Here's what I think about you and your camera, Mom!

Even though she isn't smiling, I love this picture!

Little Allison

I have a few outfits that were mine when I was little. Not too long ago, I decided that if I was ever going to try them on Reagan, I better hurry or she'd be too big to wear them! They're a little dated, so she would never wear them out, but I did have fun dressing her up, and she really enjoyed the special attention and getting to sit on the counter in the bathroom! I looked for a picture of myself in the same dresses, but couldn't find one. Mom must have them all. Oh, well! Reagan's pretty enough without any old pictures of me to take away from her!

This outfit almost didn't fit! You can see how small the little bonnet looks on her head. Of course, Reagan's head is kind of big anyway, so that didn't help! The bonnet matches the little coat and dress. I feel like I wore this outfit on my first Easter which would have been around my first birthday. I could be wrong, but that's what I'm thinking. So I wore it several months younger than Reagan is now.

The lighting is a little off because I turned off the flash so it wouldn't reflect off the mirror.

Seriously, Mom? Was Laura Ingalls your next-door neighbor?

And where were the boys during this Reagan-only photo shoot? Yelling at us from the other side of the bathroom door! There just wasn't enough room for all five of us in this small bathroom!

Cousin Kallen

As some of you may know, but many don't, Kallen, my sister's not quite 10 months old, was recently diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Last Wed, she had surgery to correct this condition and was placed in a spical cast. For more information on this medical issue and a picture of what the cast looks like, you can click here. Kallen's cast looks like the hot pink one in the link, only hers is purple and stops at both ankles.

She is home from the hospital and doing well, but is naturally struggling to cope with her new lack of mobility. Kallen wasn't walking yet, but she was crawling and pulling up, and just as active as can be. Now she can't move her legs at all and won't be able to for about 3 months. I wanted to let all my wonderful readers know about it so you can keep her and her family in your prayers. Jodie and Jeff will need a lot of patience to help Kallen deal with the frustration she feels at not being able to get around. I'm sure she'll adjust, but it may take awhile. So please keep them in your prayers!

Here she is the special chair Daddy Bud made for her. You can just see the bottom edges of her purple cast sticking out the sides. Didn't Bud do a great job? The chair is super cool! The table part slides on and off, and Jodie painted it all pretty. They got the idea from the website of a lady who chairs like this for other kids who also have to wear a cast like Kallen's.

21 Months Old!

Well, the kids turned 21 months old a few days ago, so I thought I would give an update and share some random pictures of the kids and what they're up to these days!

First, weight updates...these are unofficial weights. We haven't been to the dr to be weighed officially. I just stood the kids up on our bathroom scale, and it's not digital, so they are just approximate weights.

Zachary--27 lbs

Reagan--26 lbs

Thomas--25 lbs

Jonathan--22lbs

Little wispy Jonathan! I promise we feed him! He gets the same plate of food that everyone else gets, but he's picky and slow. Even when the food is something he likes, he's so slow eating it that the others have finished seconds and are ready to get down and he's still strolling through firsts. But if they are getting down, he wants down too! Oh, well! He's seems healthy, so I guess that's all that matters!

Check the link in the sidebar for updates on language development. The kids are getting quite chatty! They are always surprising us with new words they know!

We are pretty well-adjusted to not having a morning nap. Reagan doesn't fall asleep at the end of lunch anymore!

The kids have begun trying to dress themselves. They haven't quite figured out that you need to take off what you're already wearing before putting on something new. I guess they figure all clothes can go on like a jacket, layer after layer. They are constantly dragging pants out of the laundry basket to put on over the pants they are already wearing! they are also fond of putting on their own hats! (Kim and Jeanette, I'll be sure to get you copies of these pics!)

They are also gaining ground in the architectural department. Jonathan is especially good at tower-building. Thomas prefers the demolition side of construction work!

And as you can see, they are making excellent progress in learning to neatly self-feed.

I love the fact that Reagan does actually have the spoon in her mouth! And in all fairness, this meal did consist of two messy foods-ravioli and chocolate pudding. The boys did better feeding jobs than Reagan!

Happy Easter to you all! Easter pics will be coming soon! God bless you!

Squish It!

Ages ago, Michelle gave me four kits for making handprint molds, and I finally had a chance to do them recently. You get this ball of "dough" and roll it out like a pancake and press your child's hand into it to leave a handprint. Then you press this round frame around it to cut off the edges and leave you with a nice, mostly circular, mold to hang on the wall after it hardens. Well, I decided to let the kids play with the excess "dough" before I threw it away.

The kids had a good time squishing it in their hands and poking it with the little rolling pins.




Then Jonathan decided that wasn't much fun and just started tearing his to bits!




After that they all started trying to eat it, so that was the end of this little craft project! I need to take pictures of the finished product. I don't know how that will turn out. The handprints are white, so I don't know if they'll show up, but I'll give it a shot!

Go Vols!

Just a little cheering for our big Vols today! We're looking for another victory!

Go Vols!!!

I didn't put those pajama pants on top of his UT outfit, by the way. He put them on himself (mostly) and was so proud of himself, I let him continue to wear them!

Cheese!

The kids will actually say this for pictures now! Too cute!

Go Vols!

Outside!

We've been blessed recently with some less-than-frigid weather, and what a blessing it has been! It so nice to be able to take the kids out on the patio to run around in the fresh air for a change! Jim has been working hard in the yard to get it ready for the fence that goes up next week. I'm SO excited about the fence, I can hardly stand it! It will be so wonderful to have all that yard for the kids to play in without the fears of them falling off into the creek at any moment!

But for now, we remain on the patio and have our fun there!

Let me set the scene for you: We're getting ready for naptime. Reagan and Jonathan already have new diapers and are happily bouncing in their respective beds. Jim is changing Thomas. I'm waiting for him to finish, and then I'll change Zachary. Zachary is hiding in the closet.

Me: Zachary? (imagine playful sing-song voice) Where is Zachary? He was just here. Zachary? (looking at Jonathan) Where did he go? (Jonathan laughs and jumps up and down repeatedly) Zachary? Are you under the bed?

Zachary: (from the closet) No.

I pause. Jim turns and looks at me, grinning. Did he just say no, I ask. We start laughing.

Me: Is he under the blanket?

Zachary: No.

Me: (barely able to control my laughter) Is he behind the table?

Zachary: No.

Me: Is he in the closet?

Zachary: (silence)

I went over and pulled the closet door wide, and there he was, crouched in the dark with the biggest grin on his face! Oh, I wish I had that on tape! I'm laughing now just thinking about it. I hope the adorable hilarity of it comes across in the post!

At Long Last

I know, I know, it's been over a week! I really have no good explanation. I've just been busy! Sorry! But to make it up to you, here's a special treat...our first video!

I started filming because all the kids were bouncing together on the couch, but by the time I actually got the camera, got it on, and started recording, only Jonathan was still bouncing. But it turned out okay because they started playing peek-a-boo, and I think it's really adorable! I hope you like it too!