Looking Back...

Today during nap John and I looked back at the blog and read all the funny stories, watched movies and read tidbits about our lives.  I am so thankful that I did that!  Amazing to see how far we've come!  I need to get better about writing post, because *I* enjoy them. 

Today Colin had his annual Cardio appointment.  I was fairly worked up and prepared for the worst, and didn't need to be!!  He looks great!!!  38 Pounds, 41 inches of perfection!!!
A neighbor took this picture of my man playing the other day, you can see his short 'do, and his personality was really shinning through! 
Muah baby boy with a big boy heart!

Em is 10 months...

 Oh Emerson!  You're 10 months, which is almost a year!  How can that be?!
You're about the same as last month weight wise, maybe a little closer to 20...  Still in 12 month clothes, but we did move you to size 4 diapers, they are huge on you!  Medium fuzzi bunz still fit, and better until you're potty trained!!
You are waking once a night most nights, some nights twice, and some you sleep through.  You nurse and go right back to sleep though so I can't complain!
Your second tooth appeared on the 27th of February, but no more since!
You are eating SO much more including the baby food pouches which makes me know you are getting a much more balanced diet:)  You still vomit after nursing a bit, which makes me wonder if I'm eating something you're allergic to, I will ask the next time I take you in when I can do allergy testing...
You finally said Maa Maa which quickly turned to mom, seriously?!  Mom!  The boys just started calling me that!  You have lots of words, you are still signing and you love to just babble as you play by yourself.  It is SO cute!  John is bubba or don and colin is bubba.  dG is dog
You're dog fear is still there though you love to see them from afar.  You scream dG dG every time you see any animal and a few of your dog cousins have been tolerated if they're around a lot.  Including Uncle Grant's huge boxer, Hank who you would ever crawl on at the end of our weekend sleep over! 
You love the dishwasher and crawl super fast over to it every time it's open.  I've had to stop doing dishes when you're awake because you get on the door and dance, cute but dangerous:)
You LOVE LOVE LOVE the water table and sandbox and will play outside with them for hours!  Clothes changes are mandatory on those days!
You're sure footedness is still there, and you are climbing like a mountain goat!  Stairs, couches, playground equipment, you will tackle anything without fear, my god help me. And you...
Still not walking, which is crazy, you cruise everywhere and clearly prefer to be upright.
You are much happier and more willing to go to other people, which is nice.  You are letting others put you down for the night which I appreciate:)  And you're not nuring too much doing the day.  You are a beautiful little girl with a TON of hair that I'm just not sure what to do with, so you rock the side pony a la 1989. 

I am so glad that you are in our family Emerson, you bring so much to each of our members!  I am looking forward to each day that I get to spend being your mother and watching you grow brings me so much joy!  I love you Em!!

Hoppy Easter!

Hoppy Easter!
Before the big day my good friend Katy and I had a photo shoot in my living room with Emmy and Mack.  Honestly it was fully based around an awesome bunny hat given to us by my friend Kate.  We had too much fun doing this and I'm so glad we did!

 Her hair photographs SO red!  It doesn't look quite this red in person, which is too bad!

 What up peeps?

 Colin getting a little shutter time

Em and Mack hanging out, not smiling for the camera, but looking oh so cute!

Actual Easter was a beautiful day in Colorado filled with sunshine and family!

We started the day at our house finding eggs and baskets from the bunny. The boys found all 30 in about 10 minutes! John and Colin found all three baskets and the baby eggs filled with Cheerios and set them aside for Em.
We got all dressed up and headed to brunch at Fox Hill with Grandma and Grandpa, an annual tradition that has the boys calling Fox Hill "brunch". Though we were missing Uncle Grant and Katie Ooh we were still able to eat like kings!

Then we went to John and sues to have another egg hunt and enjoy the weather. More candy and baskets filled with fun activities were found:)  We attempted pictures, but really getting all three to look into the sun at a camera is near impossible!

We headed home for Emmy's nap and the boys went golfing with Colin's new lefty clubs! He is SO excited to have big boy clubs just like John. And he is swing much better now that he is able to do it with his correct hand.

Then we hosted the Rhoades family for a wonderful dinner. My don't do anything to it ham was a success!! (And the leftovers in the crock pot with bbq sauce and some broth, shredded and turned into tacos was even better!)
It was an amazing day that was thoroughly enjoyed by all!

We're Lucky!

The weather in Colorado has been amazing for weeks, with just a slight repreve this week.  Although it's late I thought I'd include what we did for S.t Patrick's day because it is proof that I do things:) While the daddies watched basketball at a bar, all the mommies made green day memories!

 All the kids dressed in their green-Colin, Riley, John, James and Mallory.

And the babies-Emerson, Carter, Macky and Cameron.

The big kids were delighted to discover that a michievious leprechaun must have been in the park and spilled his gold. They had so much fun running around and collecting all the gold coins that they could find.

Gold!

With the contents of a recycle bin, tape, string and some glue and we turned them loose to make leprechaun traps. With absolutely no adult direction or suggestions (and let's be honest, between babies to watch and maragaritas to drink, minimal supervision) the 5 older kids worked together for over an hour creating a leprechaun trap and rigging it up in a tree. They even scattered green food and gold around to attract the leprechaun. John was a bossy leader...

 

Trying to catch leprechauns is hard work! Re-fueling with a green picnic (pasta with spinach and cheese sauce, green apples and green veggie booty).

After lunch all the kids played together at the park until it was time to head home for naps, all of the kids were filthy and exhausted.

All of the Haley, Andrews, Gahn, and Nichols kids and Mamas!

Baby girl on green day!

And a flashback:

John and Colin March 2009 (colin in the kiss me shirt..)

 John March 2008 in the kiss me shirt!

A catch up...

As the weather warms up, and I push er play with my children outside, gone is the chance to get on the "big" computer every day, or even week.  Only when work calls me back to the reality that it is just April and I am I forced to make calls, check emails, and order lots of sparkly clothes do I spend the time booting up my lap top.  I have noticed that my iPhone battery is dying earlier in the day with all my research, emailing, and surfing done at the park, on the drive way or in the car while I wait for soccer, swimming, music, preschool or practice to start or end.  And yet I can't get blogger to work quite right on my phone.  All of this is to say why I'm just not posting very much! 

Also we are down to one only slightly functional camera.  As in it will take pictures but I can't zoom in or out.  It's on the list of things to get, and we even have a gift card, but haven't taken the time to figure out WHAT to get.  It makes blog posts less fun when there isn't pictures.  So then I have to get them off of my phone, another host of things to find, plug in and update.  All taking moments that could be spent outside, or otherwise with the kids. 

So now in a rare moment where Em is sleeping, and the boys are quietly and attentively watching Curious George, I'll try and update as much as possible...

John:
Biggest news is that he cut his hair!!  Totally his choice and we are both very happy with it!  I don't think he will be growing it out anytime soon :)

John has also mastered riding a two wheeler, doing the monkey bars and driving his mother insane. He is reading EVERYTHING, and it is so fun to watch.  No more spelling in front of him! Now if we could work on listening and participating in soccer we would be in fine form!

Colin:
All signed up for preschool in the fall two days a week. We are both excited! Still the biggest mower guy fan you will ever meet, Colin is still usually found in some type of worker clothes.

He is in a very polite and lovey faze that I just don't want to end.  If I could bottle him up now I would.  Even with his not so great BIG ideas. 

Emerson: Is 10 months (update to follow) and still not walking or sleeping, but IS finally and thankfully eating!!!  Consistently waking once or twice a night, I think just to nurse because she is so busy during the day she doesn't get in enough momma time.  An expert cruiser, she only needs the slightest bit of help getting around from the furniture.  She is standing alone, squatting and standing back up.  She has GOT to be close to walking, right!?

In the last few weeks eating finally clicked and she understood what to do, how to do it and did it!  Even eating baby food!  Now her diet has ALL the food groups (she LOVES meat), and her diapers prove it  :-(

Seth has started making children's picnic tables in his "free" time, but REALLY enjoys it.  So we have a beautiful place for the kiddos to eat, paint, and climb!  He is hopeful that he will be able to sell them on craigs list, and I am hopeful to get hand made patio furniture for us adults! 

(looks like I've reached the max amount of pictures, so I'll add a table picture later!)

I am thankful cheerleaading tryouts are over and I am in the lull between seasons.  I am working on two BIG birthdays next month with LOTS friends birthdays sprinkled in!  I'm also trying to get in as much crafting, reading and outside time as possible before the summer starts.  I have the kids singed up for a few camps and both boys are going to play t-ball with Seth as the coach.  And yet I'm most excited for the concerts in the park, grilling with friends and mojitos!

Hope this post finds you well!