Milestones...all the way around

Eve.
3 1/2 years old.  Smart as can me.  Bossy.  In charge...ALWAYS (or so she thinks).  Writing her name.  Drawing stick people.  Knows all letters and most sounds.  Colors inside the lines (for the most part).  Loves to sing and make up words.  Excellent story-teller.  Great at puzzles.  Has tons of stuffed animals that she sleeps with.  Her favorites are Teka, Lamby, Duck, and Clifford.  She is not a baby-doll person.  Could watch Tarzan, Pocahontas, Beauty and the Beast and Jake and the Neverland Pirates all day long.  Sleeps for 1.5-2 hrs in the afternoon.  Loves to eat yogurt, strawberries, jello, cheetos, pb crackers, sweets of any kind, and cheese dip.  Orders for herself at Monterrey (her favorite restaurant).  Favorite friends are Sarah Humphrey, Dylan Bui, Avery Jones, and Callie (from school).  Favorite game to play is Hide and Seek.  She loves babysitters and everytime someone comes over to the house, she asks if we will leave.  Eve is a great pray-er and loves to hear stories about Jesus or people from the bible.  She is un-ashamed.  Strong.  Loud.  Proud.  Beautiful.

Clara.
15 mo old.  Laid Back.  Loves to read books.  Will relax in your lap, content and still.  Snuggles.  Loves oranges, pb and j sandwiches, and oatmeal.  Sweet.  Shakes her head "no" to MOST things (and means it).  But will also shake her head "yes" to go bye-bye or take a bath or have a snack.  She is a great sleeper.  2 naps a day.  LOUD.  Very high-pitched screams and squeals.  Has a temper.  Likes to push her boundaries.  Hard-headed.  Jabbers a lot.  Sensitive.  Makes HILARIOUS faces.  Is moody.  Strong.  Loves to sing.  Giggles and smiles constantly.  LOVES daddy.  Size 18mth clothes.  8 teeth-4 on top, 4 on bottom.  Beautiful, fine hair...soft curls at the bottom.

Ellie.
15 mo old.  Busy.  Energetic.  Loves to play.  Does not sit still.  Gives good kisses.  Loves most food, will try anything.  Wants to go to anyone who is standing up, leaving, walking by, or moving in anyway.  Gentle, yet tough.  Dances to every sound.  Favorite toy is the Happy Birthday Turtle.  Attached to her pacy and silky.  Makes noises almost constantly... grunts, growls, squeals, whines, etc.  Analytical.  LOVES mommy.  Giggles and smiles often. Size 12mth clothes.  6 teeth on top, 4 on botttom.  Basically bald :).    

Coleman.
2 mo old.  Sweet smile.  Found your thumb and pointer finger.  AWESOME sleeper.  10 lb 14 oz.  Newborn clothes.  Good eater.  Content.  Calm.  Tough (your sisters can be rough).  Love to sleep on your belly.  Don't love the bathtub.  Tons of beautiful, dark hair.  Birthmark on your neck.  Peaceful.

She's A Little Confused...

Yesterday was Grandma's birthday.  Eve cracked us up while on the phone with Grandma.  She sang the entire birthday song, flawlessly.  It was very sweet.  Then, she proceeded to have a long conversation that included comments like "tell me about your day, grandma" and "did you make a birthday cupcake for your day today?" and "you're only MY grandma, right?" and "i miss you so much.  when i see you next week, i'm gonna give you a big kiss and a big hug."  She passed the phone off to Eric first and wanted him to sing the Happy Birthday song.  He did, and Eve applauded him and passed the phone off to me.  When I got to the end of the song, "Happy Birthday, dear grandma.  Happy Birthday to you"... Eve went nuts!  "She is not YOUR grandma!  She is my grandma, and you said 'happy birthday grandma!"  She took the phone out of my hands, and started talking to grandma again, "Sorry, grandma.  She is a little confused!"

Did she just apologize for me?  A bit big for her britches, I think!

Fitting In

Everyone is always asking how Coleman is fitting in to the family, or how the girls do with Coleman, or how am I handling everyone...so I thought I would answer all of those questions in this post.

First of all, Coleman has been an EXCELLENT addition to our family.  I had a vision a few weeks ago that has really stuck with me.  I saw Eric and Coleman as our "book ends".  I saw Coleman as a strong young man, gently leading and protecting his sisters like his dad does me.

The girls are doing great with their brother.  Eve is fantastic with him.  She loves to hold him and soothe him.  She talks calmly to him and is really excited about the fact that he has found his thumb -- just like she did.

Clara is very gentle with Coleman.  She doesn't ever bother him, unless I tell her to "Love Coleman".  Then she will walk over to where he is, squat down, and lean her head against his belly.  She pats him softly on his back while he sleeps.  Here is a picture-progression of how she treats Coleman.

Ellie LOVES to give open-mouth kisses...but she really just wants Coleman's pacy.  She'll walk over to him, sneak her little hand up by his face, and yank out his blue pacy.  She shoves it in her mouth (after spitting hers out) and runs away as fast as she can.  Here are a few more pics.

Baba's Visit

Earlier this month, Baba and Aunt Pat came to visit the kids.  I was so excited to get a picture of Baba with all of the kids... she is my children's only living great-grandparent.

(Eve 3, Ellie 14mo, Josiah 4, Adalyn 11mo, Baba, Coleman 2mo, Ella Kate 5, Clara 14mo, Miley 3)

We had a blast playing at MiMi's house for a few hours on a Friday afternoon.  The chaos of 8 kids running around (well, Adalyn and Coleman aren't exactly running around, but they ARE part of the crowd) is always exciting!  It is so funny to watch people be a part of our life for a few hours...because they are usually exhausted after just a few minutes.  Ella Kate and Eve LOVE talking to adults.  There are constant stories and questions and dance moves from those two.  Ellie, Clara, and Adalyn spent most of the time in their high chairs eating cheese and crackers and lunch meat.  Josiah and Miley played fairly quietly up in the playroom, and Coleman was being passed around from adult to adult.  At one point, Baba was walking around with Coleman in the living room where Eve was watching a movie.  We hear Baba say, "Uh-oh." Then Eve lets out a scream.  I could tell by the tone of the scream, that she was just being dramatic, so I didn't rush to find out what was wrong.  Eventually, she settled down and came in the dining room to tell me what happened.  "I was talking to that little lady holding Coleman and telling her a question when my foot got stuck!  I think my leg is braked!"  D.R.A.M.A.

When I Was A Little Boy...

Eve: "When I was a little boy, like Coleman and Daddy, my name was Jesus.  And, can you tell me the story of that?"
Me: "I don't know a story about you being Jesus."
Eve: "OK.  My dad's name was Joseph, and my mom's name was Mary.  And i was a boy like Coleman.  Can you tell me the story of when you were a little boy like Coleman?"
Me: "Baby, I wasn't a little boy.  I was a little girl"
Eve: "Well, you could pretend, mom!"

yummy...

While watching House Hunters tonight with Eric and I, this is what Eve says:
Eve: "yum, yum, yum!  I wanna eat that boy!"
Me: "what?  what are you talking about?"
Eve: "that boy on the tv is yummy.  you see that boy right there, with the pajamas on?  he's yummy." (the man was wearing a cheesy beach shirt)
Eric: "what are you saying, Eve?  you think that boy is cute?"
Eve: "yes..  that boy is cute."

Exercise, Lion King, and Eve's Name

I am determined to get this baby weight OFF.  So, I started exercising yesterday.  I had this grand plan to go on a walk during the twin's afternoon nap with Eve and Coleman.  I decided that I would push Coleman in the double stroller and give Eve a chance to walk/run off some of her energy.  We got to the bottom of Santa Anna Trail (a pretty steep hill) on our first lap and Eve announces she would like to ride in the stroller with Coleman :)  Good grief!  So start up Carson Cutoff (another pretty steep hill) pushing about 50 pounds of weight ... a 40 lb 3-year-old, a newborn, and a HUGE stroller.  Needless to say, I was feeling the burn!!  I was huffing and puffing pretty good by the time I had made it to the top of the hill.  Eve turns around, stares at me strangely, and says, "Mommy.  Don't say 'ugggghhhhh' anymore.  Just close your eyes and see if you can stop.  Just calm down and stop breathing like that."  Wow.  I guess it was worse than I thought!!  So I turned that into an encouragement lesson: "When mommy says she's tired and she wants to stop, I need Eve to say, 'don't stop, mommy!  keep going!'"  Over the course of the next two laps around our neighborhood, Eve encouraged me several more times :)

In the same way, Eve used her 'encouragement skills' to tell Ellie just what she thought about her whining one night.  "Just stop crying like that, Ellie!  You are at the bottom of the food chain!"  :)  another 'thanks' goes out to The Lion King!

Here is a copy of the FIRST TIME Eve has ever written her name!!  I LOVE it.  I used to write my E's like this too...

HINT:  if you couldn't find it, it is in bottom left corner in purple :)

Poop

Eve: "It smells like poop in here!  Who pooped?"
Me: "I don't know, Eve.  I don't  smell anything."
Eve: "Well I do, and when I'm king, that'll be the first thing to go!"

a little too much LION KING if you ask me :)