November

November was a pretty relaxing month. I enjoyed just being with the kids and watching them each progress with little things. 

   Max is starting to talk more and more and with that he is starting to say the cutest things for instance one day he was fixing something and said "easy peasy mom!" (Sounds like he says E-C P-C)

He also said "holy moly!" while playing and "cool-awesome!" It's fun to see what he comes up with :) he is still having issues with his ears and hearing but we are doing what we can. As soon as he turns 3 the school district can evaluate him for speech! 

   He is still obsessed with watching toy story every day and he loves to bring his Radom toys with his everywhere in a back pack purse or anything else that can zip up!

   Braden has made a huge leap this month with schooling. He has done well the entire year but kind of would do the minimum of work and then want to play. This month he started off by asking me all day long how to spell things. Just randomly while playing or while driving in the car. He would ask "mom, how do you spell (fill in the blank)?" Then I would tell him and he would say "ok". A couple weeks after this started he got a note book and pencil out and started asking me how to spell things and sat for a LONG time just writing away! I started to give him similar 3 letter words and having him sound them out while writing them too. School will be such a huge part of his life I'm so happy to see him take an interest in it! I want him to enjoy it :)

    This month he also has "realized" something he can do with his mind, recall memories, he will ask "mom remember ... ?" And I'll say "yes, how did you know?" And he will say "my mind showed me". We had fun driving one day and we "practiced" I would ask him to think I certain object and his mind would "show him" it sounds way more magical that way haha

   He had his 5 yr check up this month is is just as healthy as can be and had 20/20 vision! How did we get so lucky?

     Reese is just at that age where everything is fun, her personality is in full force, she is learning new things everyday and it's just plain fun. 

     Reese loves baby dolls, carrying them around, sleeping with them, giving them kisses etc. Reese also likes to wear shoes. You can tell she feels so fancy to have them on, she will bring them to us if she wants to wear a certain pair. 

    Reese loves to sing and if you start her with a song she will finish it! She also has an Ariel necklace that sings and she will play it over and over and sing with it. 

    Her third tooth finally poked through, it's one of her fang teeth-pretty funny!

  Now that she has been waking for a few months, she gets along pretty good everywhere we go. She is pretty much running around and I just love it!

    Josh and I are so proud of how mch she understands and communicates with us. The signs she uses all the time are: all done, please, thank you, more and water" we are working on "help" and "up". But she shakes or nods her head when we ask her questions and she let's us know if she doesn't like it! She was squatting one day and josh said "are you going poop?!" And she stood up and walked into the bathroom!! I of course out her on the toilet where she did nothing but we were so proud she knew what we were taking about! She can also throw a pretty good for, she will throw her self down, lay and on her back and cry!!!

    Her "passing out" instances have decreases but still happened twice this month. 

     Riley is doing GREAT in school and LOVES it this year. She always liked school but this year she can't wait to go every day. She has really improved with reading and is finally on chapter books-where she found a LOVE for Junie B. jones and reads one book a day! She uses her book light before she falls asleep and just read read reads! (I love a book worm). She had a hard time with math this year at first but now is totally understanding and doing great. We couldn't be more proud of our daughter!

During her down time she still chooses to craft or play dress up, and also enjoys watching movies. 

   Riley had her 7yr check up and is totally healthy as well!! She is at 3% for heights but still on the chart. Her dr is keeping a close eye on it to be sure she doesn't fall off the chart and need testing done. For now, he is thinking it's just a familial thing and isn't a "problem". 

Reese and Abigail definitly growing up together!

Fun swinging together 

Fun with uncle justin while he was here thanksgiving break

And Opa of course!

Shelley needed some bulbs changed in her house-really high-so what else do you do but hold a chair for Jacob to stand on?

Most of the grandkids having fun at Sunday dinner

The kids had a couple days off of school so we went to visit great grandma Ruth. It was a lot of fun to visit and always seems special as she is just about 86! She always has the best snacks and treats for us too which is fun. I did have to call poison control when we left. I noticed one of her pills on the carpet, all wet, like it had been sucked on. I had to assume Reese did that, but she was totally fine-poison control lady was really nice and helpful. 

Riley being such a great sister!

The many faces of Max!

Did a fun thanksgiving craft with the kids

Braden has his thanksgiving feast at school and had a great time. He was even chosen to sit in the circle to help play the musical instruments!

We had fun at ain't Vickie's wedding. She looked beautiful! We are so happy for her and jerry.  It was fun to see family we don't often get to see. 

7yr old cousins

5yr old cousins

2 (almost 3) yr old cousins

Reese learned how to somersault this month and it was so fun to see!!

We had a wonderful thanksgiving at Lynne and Max's. I got my feelings pretty hurt while I was there but I'm working hard on not letting what other people think affect me so much when I feel I did everything I could do correct the situation and it's not in my hands anymore. That has been hard for me the past year id say. I really just like people to be happy and pleased so it's really really hard when I feel I may have dissapointed or upset anyone in anyway. I don't ever want to lose that characteristic but I need to learn to keep it in check so I don't obsess over it and get so upset!

I have much to be thankful for and I actually say in my prayers that I might not take things for granted, and that I might realize even the smallest blessings. A few of the big ones are my knowledge and of Jesus Christ and my purpose here. My family. To love and be loved :)

Reese turns 1!!!

   

Our little "baby" turned one on the 17th. Some days I wish time would slow down. It absolutely does not feel like it's been an entire year since her birth. 

   She is a sweet, happy little thing. She has developed quite the attitude this month but at her size it's pretty cute. She sleeps good, eats good, plays well. I can't complain about a single thing!

    We threw her a first bday party of course. We did it in the evening an served soups, which turned out delicious! I had minimal decor but for me was impressive haha I always have grand ideas and only pull off one. 

I had this great idea for her cake and just like always the frosting didnt cooperate and I still don't have pretty cake making skills soooo it turned out super ugly like this:

Reese had a great time walking from one person to another all evening. 

            Enjoying dinner

So much so she licked it up clean!

Opening presents was fun to watch. She got some really cute clothes, girly sippy cups, a singing card! And some princess Jewlery which was fitting as she just learned to LOVE purses that very day. 

She got her chair from Oma and Opa per tradition and loved it! We had a good time watching her learn to climb into it too 

Reese truly loves Opa

Horrible picture but proves we were there!

Of course she got to eat cake!!! 

She had so much dinner I think she was too full to go at if. She had fun trying to give bites to people. She got her fill an rubbed the rest in her eyes. 

 I wish more of the family members I invited had been able to make it but we sure felt the love from the people who were there. 

   Reese is one incredibly loved little girl and I am overhelmed with gratitude that she is part of our family and my baby girl. I love her with everything I have in me. 

Riley turns seven!

    How do I have a seven year old?! I still remember the day she was born and SO many details about her first year like they were yesterday. 

    Riley is a creative, artistic girl who is FUNNY. She is pretty sensative and quick to cry if she had disappointed anyone and she always aims to please. She has developed some attitude, not anything different than you would expect from a 7 year old though. We love love love our Riley!

    Earlier this summer I came across a mermaid tail on line...it's a mono fin and a sequence filled tail you wear that covers the fin and goes to your belly. It is gorgeous and every little girls dream...they cost a pretty penny too. So josh and I talked to Riley about it and said we would buy it for her to have all summer BUT if we did she would need to pay is half ($50) and she wouldn't have a party for her bday in October, or treats for her class etc. He thought about it a few minutes and decided on the tail! So glad she did. She used it alll summer. Long story-geesh. Back to her birthday. She paid off her tail by her bday but like we discussed I didn't send treats to her class. She didn't whine. She got to pick what she wanted for dinner and Oma and Opa came over. I made brownies for dessert and they never baked for some reason. So we had left over ice cream and we FORGOT to sing happy birthday!!!!! Josh got her one gift and I got her a pack of new earrings. I feel like we jipped her. Josh made me feel bad for not sending anything to her class since she have us $50 of her own money toward the tail. So we decided to do a little slumber party with madylin, Morgan, Ava and anabelle! They had so much fun-we sang happy birthday and they stayed up giggling until midnight!!

 

So glad she has such great friends!

Oh and they are goooffffyy!

October

We took the kids miniature golfing this month. It was their first time and the older two had fun playing while the younger two had fun running around! Max and Lynne were nice to go with us and help out!

This month Reese started this cute smile. She looks up and smiles so "hard". I don't know how else to describe it! We started calling it "super smile!"   Whenever we tell her "super smile!" She will throw up head up and give the biggest smile! So funny!

Max has been our first child to be so obsessive about toys. It's not always the same toys. He might have a few favorites for a couple days and then switch to others. But he has to have them with him always. Hiding in his pockets, tucked in nooks and crannies around his room or in a back pack or purse. He likes his "stuff" and since it has yet to cause a problem I think it's adorable. You can see here how he lines up all that kitchen food and utensils on his bed, complete with a drum and his choice of "guy" (action figure) for the week. A pirates him we got at the dollar tree a long time ago and is missing an arm. The boys LOVE that one for some reason. 

He really got into back packs, bags, purses this month. He loves to put toys in, go to a different room, take them out-reorganize-stick them back and and zip back up. Repeat! It's really cute to see. It drives josh a little crazy that one of his favorite bags is a pink hello kitty purse. I think it's funny that Max and Reese fight over it! She has gotten into purses his month too!

Max's also has a few "musts" this month. As in he MUST watch one of the toy story movies at least once a day. He also asks EVERYDAY multiple times for chips and candy (he does not get that everyday but he sure asks!)

His brekfast of choice is 2 eggo waffles. 

   Reese tries to jump she can't get off the ground yet but she thinks it's funny to squat down real low and thrust up. Her poor feet never leave the ground. 

     National walk to school day was this month. The kids walked from the community center to school with the procipal, teachers, the mayor and people from the school board. It was a long walk and I heard Braden was last...they had fun though!

     Braden went on his first field trip.  They went to the pumpkin latch and got to take a school bus there. He was sooooo excited!!!!! He thought riding on a bus was the best thing ever! Oma met them there and took some pictures for us!

     Reese is mimicking our actions more and more and can sign "more", "please" and is learning "water" and some other handy signs. 

   Monte took his son and josh on a deep sea fishing trip. They had a blast and josh caught a dorado! 

   If Reese happens to burp/fart she thinks it's so funny and tries to do it again which just results in some grunting. 

   She can go down stairs and by tht I mean she can fly down on her belly!

 She has also developed quite a sassy attitude and like to screech/scream if she doesn't get her way!

 The day of Reese's party she realized how much fun dress up shoes and purses can be!

  She got her her first sucker after some shots at her one year check up!

  Max's speech is still behind (I think) he is pretty hard to understand. But it is getting better-josh and I try to have him repeat words that he says incorrectly with the right sounds. He is putting more and more words together now too to make more complete sentences. 

He adds an "s" on the end of every word, for example "bye Lydia's" or "bye daddy's" 

Max's first time with water colors

   A couple months back Max was having nightmares every night. He would be in bed with us several times a night and sometimes we would wake up in the morning not realizing he came in our bed!

   Because he can't talk too well we don't know exactly what was so upsetting. We felt awful for him. He would continue to say "bad guys!"we would reassure him there are no bad guys and ask him where they are since he insisted. He would say they were in his room. His dreams seemed very real and very scary to him. He even had a dream that a bad guy was going to Riley's room and Max grabbed his legs and he must've pulled his pants down on accident because he kept saying "bad guy butt!" Hahah we did our best to assure him that bad guys are just in movies and when that didn't work that we locked all the doors and windows, checked and shut his closet door, and that daddy would surely beat them up. 

   About about 3-6mths of that and it stopped all of a sudden and Max even WANTED to turn to hallway light off. We got about a month of no bad dreams before they were back. He even stored "weapons" (Harry potter wand to poke their belly) and a other things on his bed. Poor guy!

   My mom threw a bday party for all the kids she missed out on this year due to being sick. 

It was really fun-they all liked their guys and being with grancy!

   I made Reese a healthy version of a cupcake to save her first real bites for her first bday

Uncle knuckle head helping Reese on the slide

   The kids are both doing great in school. We ended the month with Halloween :)