Ryan - 5 Years

Ryan, Ryan, Ryan....where to begin!  My middle child who is most like me in looks and probably personality.  He's quiet and shy around others and then talks my ear off all day, wanting to be wherever I am and even following me to the bathroom so he can talk to me on the other side of the door.  He's very creative and artistic--I've saved so many drawings and love to see what he comes up with every time he sits down to make something.  He still loves his Lego building, swinging, all things sports--especially playing catch with Dad and riding his bike.  He was close to riding without training wheels all summer but just didn't trust himself enough to have us let go.  Finally one night we went to the park and told him he had to try riding on the track and if he crashed he would just land in the grass and it would be fine.  He took off and was pedaling so fast and didn't want to stop, even when it got dark.  He spends some time every day riding and we're hoping his little bike holds up until he can move up to the next size.

Ryan attends preschool three days a week and we hear from his teacher he's not as quiet as he was last year--he will actually talk to her more but she has to get very close to understand him since he practically whispers!  He's surrounded with good friends right in our neighborhood--mostly girls, but he's not too cool for that to be a problem yet.  He's not as interested in TV or video games like his big brother, but he likes a little downtime in the afternoon where he'll relax on the couch with his beloved blanket and watch something for maybe 20 minutes while I work.

Even though Ryan is quiet he's very observant and taking it all in.  He'll report to me when neighbors come and go and what cars are parked outside their house.  He'll tell me what certain people wore in primary or who said something silly at preschool.  And every now and then Ryan will go from cool and calm and turn into the Incredible Hulk and lose his temper!  He is not patient and if he can't get his seat belt buckled or his sock on just right--he'll yell and clench his fists and I try not to laugh.  For the most part though he's so easy-going and such a fun kid.  He's likes to keep up with his big brother and built forts together...then sometimes tease and fight.  He likes to include his younger brother and do things he likes...then sometimes pester and tease him.  Ryan is his own man and does exactly what he wants to do and we love him for it.

Life Lately

It's been a hot, busy summer around here and I know school will be starting before we know it.  We've been enjoying our time off and having lots of fun, even taking a trip to the zoo for the first time for all three boys.  Besides road trips to visit family up north and in Page, the boys have hung out plenty with cousins here and had sleepovers, gone swimming, fishing, saw some movies, ate lots of popsicles and sno-cones, and can't get enough MarioKart whenever they get the chance to play.

It feels like its been a long time coming, but we've finally started on our remodel/addition so things are starting to get crazy right outside the living room window.  Our backyard is pretty torn up right now as all the prep work is being done so the foundation can be poured.  It will be exciting to have the much-needed space for our growing family, but a test of my patience for the next few weeks too.

I'm making a conscious effort to use my real camera more and not always rely on my phone.  And when we have our new family room done, we'll have a spot to set up a nice, new computer so blogging should be much easier than sitting down to our ancient laptop.

A quick update on all the boys...
Jack had just turned 7 the last time I wrote and will be starting 2nd grade in a few weeks.  He assures me he hasn't forgot everything from 1st grade even though I have a hard time making him sit down to read or write much this summer.  He's my social child who constantly needs to have a plan for something fun whether it's a play date with a friend or going somewhere cool with his dad.  He's my helper around the house and my most easy-going boy (and always has been).

Ryan will be in his second year of preschool and is excited to return to Miss Mary's class with a few neighborhood friends.  He is obsessed with swinging since learning how to pump and still loves playing with Legos.  He's my best sleeper and is usually still in bed an hour after his brothers are up in the morning.  Ryan is also the most stubborn and will not do something he doesn't want without putting up a fight--like cleaning his room, eating his vitamin, etc...  He's very in tune to every inch of his body and will report to me whenever he's found a scratch, scab, hangnail or molluscum (little warts the doctor treats with beetlejuice!).  He often uses any tiny injury as a reason for why he can't take a bath or shower at night.

Nash is busy, busy and manages to get in a lot of trouble for such a little boy.  He's into things the older boys never were at this age so it's been a new experience with baby-proofing things.  He's obsessed with plugs, messes with my plant, empties my purse and JP's wallet if it's ever in his reach, closes himself in the pantry so he can climb for snacks without getting caught and on and on!  He's also still my sweet baby who has stopped going to sleep on his own and insists I rock him for naps and bedtime.  Of course I've given him his way since he's my last baby.  He's starting to talk more and more and one of my favorites words he says is "truck" (which sounds nothing like truck, but I can't even attempt to type the spitting sound he makes when he gets so excited about going for a ride with JP!).  Another word we hear most often is "seer" which means cereal and he asks for it the minute he wakes up and a few other times throughout the day!

More pictures coming soon!

7 Years Old

{With his birthday poster to take to school and the one he made with his favorite things.} 

Time is flying by too fast with all my kids, but it's crazy to see how much Jack changes each year and how grown up he is.  He's a smart, funny, helpful, sweet boy and such a good big brother.  He loves to watch out for Nash and always makes sure he's safe and has whatever he needs.  If we're all in one room and Nash wanders back to the bedroom to play, Jack with coax him back to where everyone is so he's not alone.  Jack is big about safety in general.  He's a little worry-wart sometimes and will check on Nash when he's sleeping or ask me to check on him.  It's sweet but I don't want him to worry too much!

{At his well-visit where he's holding steady in the 1st percentile for height and weight!}

Jack loves 1st grade and is doing so well with reading, handwriting and spelling.  He grumbles about doing homework some days, but he's so proud when he comes home with 100% on his spelling tests so I tell him it's worth all the practice.  He loves playing with friends and was sad to see his best school buddy move away last month, but he assured me he still has fun at recess with only 3 friends now!  Sounds good to me.  Jack also loves any time he can play with cousins--especially when he can have a sleepover on the weekends.

{Birthday celebration at Pizza Factory}

He enjoys playing sports and is about to finish up soccer and start baseball.  He's lucky his dad has coached him in both sports and they love playing catch in the backyard every evening (although I think Ryan loves it most of all!).  Jack also likes riding his bike, playing Skylanders or pretty much any video game, and drawing or writing stories.  He's a little too cool for Legos or playing with toys as much, but he still likes to every now and then.























We love this boy so much!

December

I'm determined to keep up my poor neglected blog so here's my last post from 2012 before playing catch-up for this year!
This was our first Christmas (since having kids) that we spent away from home.  We headed to Pine Valley where we rented the Dixie college cabin with a lot of JP's family.  It was fun to have a white Christmas and the boys loved being able to play in the snow.  It was also a little rough since JP was commuting back to work to cover for an employee that quit just in time for the holidays and I was house-bound with Nash (and stressing about my brand new church calling), but it was still nice to get away for a few days!!  This was the view from the front porch:

We had to buy snow clothes for the first time and I'd bundle the boys from head to toe before sending them out, but I failed them in the glove department--they weren't waterproof and they'd come home with cold hands and we'd dry their gloves out on the heater before returning for another round of playing.  Jack especially couldn't get enough.  They loved sledding the most and Ryan had the first casualty on the hill when his sled got turned around and he crashed into someone and ended up with a nice shiner.

Christmas morning was a success since Santa found us and filled all our stockings.  Jack got a new bike and Ryan got a scooter and his favorite--Legos.  Nash got lots of treats and some new bath toys. We had a lot of fun playing games, singing, reading Christmas stories, having a talent show, decorating gingerbread men, decorating our tree, and enjoying everyone's company.

Month in Photos - October

At the beginning of October, we headed up north to Grandma's house.  The boys think it's a real treat to leave in their pajamas and get dressed in the van after we make our first stop.  It's always fun to see cousins and play with new toys.

One of the boys' favorites things to do is play sports with their dad and tag-along when he heads to the golf course for practice.

Nash continues to grow and show us more of his fun personality.  He gets very excited when Daddy gets home and isn't as clingy to Mom anymore.

His favorite new game is climbing in and out of the basketball chair in the boys' room.  He made me nervous at first, but got the hang of getting out without doing a face plant.  His other favorite thing to do in their room is make an even bigger mess of the Legos than Jack and Ryan do!

Of course we spent part of the month getting ready for Halloween: decorating, going to the carnival downtown, school parties and parades, and of course the big night where we headed to Katie's neighborhood for trick-or-treating with the cousins...

Baby Darth Vader enjoying some milk.

Grandma DeWitt sewed the older boys each a pirate costume and they were pretty fancy--I mean tough!

Argh!

Month in Photos - September

(Still playing catch up from last year...)

Toward the end of summer we were still enjoying warm weather and being able to play outside and swim every chance we'd get.  We took a weekend trip to Page with some friends where JP played in a golf tournament and we stayed one night in a resort.  The pool was so nice and inviting, but it's just hard to really enjoy things like that when you have three little boys to keep track of.  Not that they're not enjoyable, but I look forward to when I can soak up some sun with a good book again :)

Twinners all ready for church.

This was a fun reminder of how well the boys will play with each other and how they just can't help but set up their toys in the most convenient places like doorways and right where we need to walk through a room.

My Baby is 1!

Time to pick up where I left off--back in October when my baby turned one!  It's fun looking back on his first year and seeing how much he's grown.  Some days I look at him and wonder when he got so big and some days he still seems like my little baby.  

We had family over for cupcakes and Nash was spoiled with presents.

I'll give an update of what he's like now at 15 months since I'm a little behind...

Nash is still a noisy baby, but now he mixes in some words with his yelling.  His favorite word would have to be "Lola" and he can say it perfectly.  He's constantly calling for her and looking around to see where she's at.  He also says Mom/Mama, Dad/Dada, Da (his word for Jack--sorry Ry--nothing for you!), tasty, ball, and he makes a few animal noises.  Another noise I'm not a fan of is the little game he likes to play where he sticks his fingers down his throat to gag himself.  He thinks it's hilarious because I get mad and he usually does it when he's confined to his car seat or wants to get out of his high chair and it's the quickest way to get attention!
He's finally a good sleeper and sleeps through the night and takes a couple naps during the day.  I just lay him right in his crib and he'll talk or play before falling asleep.  It couldn't be easier, but if we're not at home and have to put him to sleep somewhere else...not easy.  He got teeth much sooner than my other babies and three molars are coming in right now.  He's also had three ear infections since October--one every time we've gone out of town this fall/winter.  I'd stay home until summer to keep him healthy, but we have a fun family vacation planned next month so fingers crossed.  He's a great eater and has as big an appetite as both his older brothers--not that they're the best comparison [picky]!  We also just received a lovely diagnosis from Nash's pediatrician for something called Chronic Nonspecific Diarrhea (CND).  It's as fun as it sounds and it's here to stay for a while.  He's growing fine and has no sign of food allergies--just lots of nasty diapers.
Another difference with Nash and his big brothers when they were babies is he's in no hurry to start walking!  He stands on his own and will walk with me holding his hands if he's in the mood, but he prefers to crawl around and that gets him where he wants quick enough.  I love this busy, happy baby and enjoy every day watching him grow.