Dillon's "friend" birthday party!

  Last year at an auction Aunt Sarah and Uncle Pat got a "fire station birthday".  They offered it to us for Dillon's birthday and despite it being expired the fire station was kind enough to do it!  We'll have to figure out something to do for everybody to say thank you. The fire station did EVERYTHING, literally all I had to do was send out invitations!
 

  Here are the kids lining up to go inside.

 They gave the kids a tour, here they are in one of the bedrooms, they had dispatch set off the "alarm" while the kids pretended to sleep. They snored and everything!

 Ambulance!!!  Dillon got the seat of honor in each vehicle they went into.

 Carson did excellent passing around between people.  He didn't fuss at all and fell asleep with Daddy at the end.

They made the probation fireman put on the gear and then they let the kids feel the air coming from the tank.

 They loaded all the kids into the ladder truck (with the driver in the very back as well as the main driver) and drove them to the training tower.  If you look close you can see Dillon's eyes between the mirror and the windshield.  He got to ride in the officer chair.

 Each kid got a turn on the hose, knock over a cone and turn it off again.

 They put the ladder up and dropped parachutes for the kids to catch!

 Dillon closed his eyes and wished "that we could stay at the beach" it sounded like he was wishing for peace.  Then he thought he needed to keep his eyes closed to blow out the candles!

The kids were so excited to have Dillon open their gifts that they slowly but surely backed Dillon up into the corner!!!  It was a great party!  Even better I didn't have to do ANYTHING, they did the cake they did goody bags, they did activities!!!  Maybe I should do this again next year!!!  Tomorrow we'll have cupcakes with the grandparents on his actual birthday, I think he's enjoying it all so far!

A little craziness

There has been a lot going on since Christmas.  We've decided that we're going to rent our house and go live at Grandma and Papa G's so we can a) build up a down payment, b) get a rental history.  All in the quest to get into our "20+" year home.  This house was supposed to be our starter home, we bought a fixer upper, have spent the last 6 years fixing it up and now the economy has crashed.  On the plus side the houses we want to end up in are actually within our grasp, the down side is that our house no longer has any equity, not even sweat equity.  We figure this is the fastest way to get into a new home.  So the kids and I have been spending a lot of time over at Grandma and Papa's house helping them sort through the stuff they've collected over the last 20+ years.  We've also been trying to go through our things.  We're making pretty good progress actually.  Now we just need to get somebody in our house! 

New year's eve this year we decided to let the kids stay up to watch the fireworks on TV.  We had "giant sandwiches" (Kayda's favorite thing) and played until midnight.  Carson even decided to stay awake (despite my efforts to get him to sleep).  The kids had a great time and actually went to bed pretty well when it was time. 

Carson is loving "solid" food.  We've done rice and we just started with oatmeal, he doesn't seem to like it as much but he eats it anyway!  We're trying to figure out how to get him on the bottle, I'm ready to be done nursing.  I think it's going to come down to not nursing him at all during the day and just forcing him to take the bottle, only problem with that is that he will be a really crabby baby.  Not sure that I want to try that by myself.  He seems to be growing so fast!  He's got two teeth already and the top ones are getting close too.  Forget crawling, this kid isn't going to need to, he can roll himself all around the floor and he's FAST.  He's got great control of his hands, LOVES people and babbles up a storm.  He has even figured out how to play peek-a-boo!  I've played it with him a few times but now he has decided HE wants to do it.  He'll cuddle down into me, I'll say "Where's Carson?" and he'll pop himself up and grin at me when I say "peek-a-boo" or "there he is!" and then he'll repeat it, again, and again, and again.  He just keeps going!  He is getting pretty good at sitting on his own!  I wouldn't be surprised if he can sit unaided in the next week or so.  He ADORES his big brother and sister.  He just smiles and smiles at them.  He loves it when they get down on the floor and play with him, he even likes to just sit there and watch them play. 

Kayda and Dillon started preschool again on Wednesday.  They're having a hard time switching back to "early" mornings.  They tend to wake up at around 9:30 on their own, for preschool we have to switch to 8:15 wake-ups.  It doesn't help that we're trying to get away from the bed time pull ups.  We're following the doctor's orders: no drinks 2 hours before bed, wake them up about 2 hours after they go to bed and make them go sit on the toilet, and the worst part.... NO more pull ups.  Which means we're changing sheets in the middle of the night.  It's working great for Dillon, he woke himself up in the middle of the night and went potty last night!!!  (For the first time) AND he woke up dry.  Kayda is a little less willing and boy does she get MAD when you wake her up to go to the bathroom.  She spends most of the time screaming at us!  It sucks for her, and I feel guilty but I find it quite funny. 

We're gearing up for Dillon's birthday on Sunday, his birthday party is Saturday.  As always it's a very busy holiday season for us and it looks like we're going to be busy for at least another month trying to deal with the housing situation. 

 Dillon was "teaching" Carson to play with his new toy.

 I set Carson on the floor in his room while I ran to grab something, when I came back I found Kayda and Dillon squished into the rocking chair, they were counting off when to rock!

 ...and Carson was perfectly happy on the floor, as long as there's someone close by to keep him company.

Apparently when Daddy was little he would sit in this "pocket"  and watch tv with his Dad, so he is always trying to get Kayda or Dillon to sit there which they usually won't because they want to be in your arms.  Much to Daddy's delight we have discovered that Carson LOVES to sit there and play with his toys.  He sat there for a good half hour one day, perfectly content!  Notice his SOAKED onesie?  He is quite the drooler, I try to keep a bib on him but he'll even soak through those!  That and sometimes he gets frustrated because he catches the bib on top of the toys he's trying to get to his mouth or he'll flip the bib up in front of his face.

Christmas craziness!

It all starts with Christmas Eve. Saturday morning Auntie Kina came over to hang out and exchange gifts. The kids got to spend the whole day with just those gifts, no other gifts to distract them and they had a BLAST. That evening we did our traditional dinner at Grandma and Papa H's. Then came Christmas. Christmas is always a wonderful, crazy day for us. It worked out slightly differently this year since it fell on a Sunday and obviously you aren't going to skip church on Christmas.  Grandma and Papa G joined us at our house again for Christmas morning.  Grandma even helped wake up the big kids. 

Good morning!  Grandma went in and whispered that it was Christmas to Kayda, she immediately popped up and smiled at Grandma. 

Dillon wasn't quite so enthusiastic.  He got right up but he has a much harder time becoming alert in the mornings, takes after his Daddy that way.

The kids came out and checked out what Santa brought them.  We asked them if they were ready to open presents, Kayda immediately said yes, Dillon said he wanted to keep playing.  So to get them started Daddy and I opened their gifts from preschool.  The kids made us picture frames and put the kids' pictures in them.  They're supposed to be magnets but they made them too heavy for the magnets they glued on!

Then is was off to the races.  Fortunately Grandma and Papa were there and snapped pictures for us while we orchestrated gifts, opening, getting the paper out of the way, making sure toys don't get lost in the rubbage etc...

Carson liked his Santa gift, SO cute!

Carson spent more time in Papa G's arms than anyone elses'! 

Daddy REALLY loved the little einstein set he opened!  Fortunately he was willing to share with Carson!

See Grandma G was here!

After presents we were able to do my family's tradition of cinnamon rolls and/or scones, we did both this year.  Normally we skip this because we would be heading off to Baba's for breakfast, instead we were headed off to church.  Then we went straight over to Grandma and Papa H's.  Here are almost all the grandkids!  (Brett was getting his diaper changed, but our pictures with Brett in them we can't see Dillon so I chose to see my little boy...)

When that were done we hung out for a while before going home.  We got a short break before Grandma and Papa G came back and we got to talk to Uncle Justin on the phone!  One of his two phone calls home a year (all he's allowed on his mission).  Then it was off to the races getting dinner ready at approximately the same time that the meat would be done.  Grandma and Papa H joined us as well.  It was a great time!  I'm so glad that we have such a good relationship with BOTH sets of Grandparents AND that they seem to enjoy eachothers' company as well!!! 

Santa gave Carson some rice cereal, he's not even 5 months old yet but he will STARE at my food when I'm eating, and the doctor gave me the go ahead.  So we went ahead and let him have his first solid food on Christmas!  He LOVED it.  At one point I paused holding the spoon over the bowl to talk to the Papas, Carson wasn't willing to wait though.  He started leaning toward the spoon with his mouth open wide.  Good thing Grandma G was holding him good and tight!

It was a couple of crazy, busy, wonderful days.  We all got some great gifts and got to spend a lot of great time with the people most important to us.  Thanks everyone!

"Let's Dress Up for Christmas"

Today was the preschool Christmas program.  Kayda got to be Mary and Dillon was a donkey!  They were so cute!  You could hear Kayda singing over everyone else and occasionally you could even make out Dillon's voice!  Kayda spent most of the time giving us all thumbs up and smiling at us.  Dillon spent a lot of time yawning, when he wasn't belting out the singing.  These kids are quite the performers!  They are SO much fun to watch!!!  We are so fortunate to have both sets of grandparents live so close and be so supportive of our children.  Both sets of grandparents were able to make it today!!!

Unfortunately I "epic failed" as a mom today.  I was so excited for the program, I sent out advanced emails and reminders to all the grandparents, I counted down the days, this morning I ran to the store to buy a tripod so I could get the best video possible, I got there 20 minutes early to get the best possible seats, we recorded it, it was lovely, I take the kids to swim, come home get the pictures uploaded, pull up the videos and I start editing it and adding captions.  Then after saving two separate files from the editing program I deleted the files off the camera.  Little did I know that the editing program wasn't actually saving the video, just my modifications so now I don't have said video.  I look in the recycle bin, guess what...since I deleted straight off the camera it DOESN'T GO IN THERE!!!  Fortunately a friend AND one of the teachers were also taping it so I have already arranged to get at least one other copy.  Otherwise I would be bawling my eyes out. Two words.   BAD MOM.  Then I go back and look at the pictures and mine are crazy dark, then it occurs to me that the last setting I used was the plant thing so I could take this picture:

I thought it was so cool that this rose is holding out against the elements when all the rest are dead.  Of course I didn't think to check the setting before I started snapping pictures (you know since all I ever take pictures of are my children).... so NOT worth it.  Just not my day.  I'm sorry children, I failed you something awful today.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town!

Last weekend we decorated for Christmas.  We ended up taking out pretty much all the decorations, which I didn't think we'd have the space to do.  Between that and FINALLY putting up our pictures our house feels completely different.  Sad that it took us 6 years to put up our family pictures.  Anyways, Kayda and Dillon had a great time putting up the ornaments!  Especially the ones I've made for them because they are THEIR ornaments with their names on them and everything. 

Today I finally got motivated to attempt a few pictures with all three kids.  It worked out nice that the baby santa hat fit Carson and Kayda and Dillon could wear Daddy and I's hats!

Dillon is having a rough day today, very emotional.  Check out that face!  Don't miss his little tear drop!

Carson was reaching for Hank, so I go to take a picture... this is what I got instead.  Not sure how I feel about that.  Kinda gross but weirdly cute at the same time.  No Hank's tongue never actually went in Carson's mouth, he's just licking Carson's drool covered chin.

Other, completely irrelevant information:

Check out this guy!  SUCH a handsome boy!  Can you believe he's 4 months.  Carson and Kayda both had doctor appointments last Friday.  Carson's 4 month check up and Kayda's 5 year.  According to the doctor Carson is the size of the average 6.5 month old!  Holy cow!!!  He cried for about a minute after getting his shots and then was right back to his smiley self.  Kayda got a finger poke to check her cholesterol and a few other things (standard procedure), she did fairly well.  It took her a little longer to calm down but she's bigger so that's to be expected. 

Carson's stats:

Height - 26.5 inches (95%)

Weight - 17lbs 2 oz (90%)

Head - 17 inches (75%)

Kayda's stats:

Height - 42.625 inches (50%)

Weight - 41.2 lbs (60%)

Sight 20/30 (normal for this age)



Swim Lessons

We're back into swim lessons, this time we have Mary.  The kids ended up being the only ones in the class and they're doing great!   Today I was lucky enough to have Grandma G with us so I could take some pictures and videos!  Here they are waiting for swim lessons to start!

 Kayda is turning into a fish!  She swam almost all the way across the shallow end by herself today and randomly decided to do backstroke... and was successful.  You can tell that she has decided she likes the way it feels to glide, she's a pro now.  She can also swim along the bottom of the pool as well as flip from her stomach to her back and back to her stomach without any problems. 

Dillon isn't being his usual brave self for this round of swim lessons.  He's usually very adventurous in the water but he's toned it way down this session.  Despite this he's still doing a great job flipping over in the water, doing his floats and he's figuring out how to do his glides on his back.  He's always done well with his his front glides. 

I love that my kiddos are such water lovers.  They seem to prefer being underwater when they're in the pool and spend as little time as possible with their heads above the water.  I'm working on getting that same love of water in Carson.  So far he loves baths and showers!  He hears the water and he calms down if he's been crying.  We've even started teaching him to hold his breath.  When we're at swim lessons he absolutely will not interact with me, he wants to be looking at the pool NOT Mommy. 

Grandma G has a thing with baby teeth so she's constantly searching for them.  Yesterday she discovered that Carson has his two bottom front teeth cutting through.  You can definitely feel them and if you can get him to cooperate you can even see them.  This is how he spent the whole swim lesson!  Can you tell he's teething?

Kayda's Birthday Party

We celebrated Kayda's birthday with a few friends today.  Most of the kids we invited from preschool didn't come but we had the most important people (Kenzie- best friend, Ella - favorite cousin, Addison- only girl playdate buddy) there so it really didn't matter!  She was so excited to have a party and she wanted a "Tangled" theme. 

They were dancing to some of the Disney princess music while we were waiting for friends. 

 Next we painted "lanterns".  Yes they actually lit up. 

 Then it was on to pin the hair on Rapunzel

 We played "Feed Maximus apples";  aka throw tennis balls in a bin.

 Freeze dance.

 Cupcake time!!!

 Presents!