Friday Photos

These photos are from Daddy's 34th birthday celebration.
(Click on an image to make it bigger.)

Creative Play

I just snuck up on the boys and took this video.

34

Seth is 34 today! Here are a few of his Favorite things.

6 months old

Elisabeth is 6 months old today. I can hardly believe it. She is a sweet little girl. As it should be, I am totally biased. She is loved and adored by the boys. She is also totally entertained by them. She is starting to get around a bit by rolling. If you put her down, she immediately rolls onto her belly. Then, she rolls over. She repeats this until something blocks her movement. Elisabeth is attached to a knit blanket (that I suppose we should name). One of Seth's mom's friends (actually, it is cool, Ann was really Seth's mom's mom's friend) made Elisabeth the "security blanket." The girl has to have it to sleep! We have tried to substitute other blankets because she has a tendency to chew on this one and nothing else will do. And, if she is fussy, just putting the blanket next to her head will often calm her down. Elisabeth is eating baby cereal now. She started off with Rice cereal but I switched her to oat cereal this week because she was having trouble digesting it. She takes a pacifier right now. She doesn't wake up needing it. She always wants something in her mouth when she is awake. If she doesn't have a paci, she will be chewing on something. She loves to grab her feet and chew on them. The cutest thing is (and this is going to be hard to describe) if you move her chin up and down, she will make noise (baaab baab baaaab). Okay, yep, that's impossible to describe. Take my word for it, its adorable!

Friday Photos

David Painting: He had more fun painting the pan than the paper.

Thomas Painting: He had more fun painting himself than the paper.

Jonathan cooling off by eating a popsicle.

Elisabeth enjoying her feet.

Elisabeth doing "tummy time".

Daddy opening up an early birthday present from Mimi and Poppa.

One very happy Seth.

Seeing with Style

Jonathan got new glasses today.

Elisabeth's First Food

Today Elisabeth has her "first food": some Rice Cereal. The boys were really, really excited about it. They all stopped what they were doing and gathered around for the first tasting. It was a great photo op. I wish I could remember everything that was said. I know that Jonathan made mention of the fact that she will have her first "real poop" now. (Only a boy would think of that, I think!) Elisabeth ate the cereal really well. The boys were really excited that she liked it ("She liked it!! She didn't spit it out!!") After she ate, Thomas really wanted to taste the baby food ("I want some! I want some!") So, I told him to get in his seat and he could try it. I knew he wouldn't like it so I said something to Seth like, "Oh, this should be fun" and then I got the camera ready. What I forgot was that Thomas has a strong gag reflex. He didn't like the cereal at all. We got some pictures that make us laugh (to the point of tears). Thankfully, he didn't throw up-- but he came pretty close. He said several times later in the day that he doesn't like Elisabeth's baby food ("It makes me cough.")

Here are the sweet pictures of Elisabeth's First Feeding.







These next pictures are of Thomas's experience with the baby food. It probably doesn't need commentary but I have to add a few comments.

Picture 1: Thomas is eager and excited about getting to taste the baby food.

Picture 2: Daddy is still holding the spoon out in case Thomas wants more. He doesn't. He is gagging.

Picture 3: We have asked Thomas if he is okay. He looks at me and smiles for the camera.

Picture 4: Two seconds after smiling for the camera, Thomas's hand goes up to his chest and he gags hard. This is the end of the picture taking.

He was probably about one more gag away from puking. I cannot tell you how happy I am that he didn't puke. Seth complimented me on my superb mothering tonight. Only a truly wonderful mom would document her child gagging (Hmph, not sure what to make of that... but they sure are some hilarious photos!)

Friday Photos

I suppose I should try to get these Friday Photos up earlier (its 9 p.m. here in Oregon). Otherwise, for most of you they are really Saturday photos! Maybe I will try to post earlier next week.

We have been taking even more pictures than normal lately. My (JA's) parents were just out here for a visit. These pictures are from the last few weeks.

April 17th - Gran and Daddo arrived for their visit on April 17th. This is them loving on Elisabeth that day.

April 20 - Gran and Daddo with the kids after having Thomas's birthday celebration.

April 26 - A really cute photo of Elisabeth looking up at Daddo. (We were at the Portland Zoo.)

April 30 - Daddo and Jonathan loving on Elisabeth.

April 30 - Sweet picture of Elisabeth in her seat.

May 2 - Daddo and David playing Othello.

May 2 - David and Thomas having a picnic in the yard (on one of Daddy's old Army mats.)

May 2 - These boys love each other.

May 2 - David finger painting. Notice that he does not like to get his fingers in the paint.

May 2 - Thomas finger painting. He had no trouble putting his hands in and rubbing the paint around.

May 3 - Gran and Thomas at the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

May 3 - Daddo and Thomas at the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

Awesome

[Thomas] "Am I Aaaawsome?"
[Momma] "Yes! You ARE awesome."
[Thomas] "Naaaa... I am a yucky boy."

Funny Kid Stories

I have a few stories to share...

DAVID
Last night I ended up getting up with Elisabeth at about 12:30. Right when I was getting her settled into bed, Thomas woke up and needed to go to the bathroom. I took him back into his room and tucked him in bed. At that moment, David begins to talk to me, with a dazed, not too coherent look on this face.
[David] "Uh, Momma?"
[Momma] "Yes, David."
[David] "I have 3 questions."
[Momma] Thinking this ought to be interesting: "What is it David?"
[David] "How do dogs walk?"
[Momma] "Welllll... they have 4 legs and they walk with them..."
[David] "Yes, but how can they walk?"
[Momma] "They have a brain just like us and it tells them how to walk"
[David] "Oh."
[David] "Is it the same with cats?"
[Momma] "Yes."
[David] "Why did you carry Jonathan?"
[Momma] "I didn't."
[David] "Oh, okay."
[Momma] "Good-night, sweetie."
[David] "Good-night."

JONATHAN
I received the highest compliment from Jonathan this week.
[Jonathan] Momma, I love Legos ALMOST as much as I love you.

THOMAS
For the week before Thomas's birthday, I asked him and asked him what he wanted for his birthday dinner. Each and every time he had the same request.
[Momma] Thomas, what do you want to eat for dinner on your birthday?
[Thomas] Ketchup!
We ended up going to McDonalds (with playland) for lunch as a treat. Before I noticed his efforts, Thomas was attempting to drink his ketchup out of the little ketchup cup.

ELISABETH
The boys think it is really funny that Elisabeth has been chewing on her feet lately. It's more adorable than funny. The funniest part is how excited the boys get about it.