Updates and such

Alex

Alex is now 4 1/2 years old! Where did the time go? Next to Joseph of course, he is my best little friend. We have intriguing conversations every day and he is my big helper every day. His questions about Jesus and the gospel teach me so much. He is a loving and patient big brother. He adores his sisters (some days more than others) and truly tries to make good choices....I said tries. He is only 4 and sometimes it is just too tempting not to torture Rebekah to get a good scream out of her. :) Right now he has a great passion for RATTLESNAKES, super heros, karate, reading, and drawing. He also likes soccer, baseball, basketball, swimming, and wrestling.  He looooooves rattlesnakes and is SO excited to move to Arizona where he hopes we see some Western Diamondback rattlesnakes. Really. I am serious. They are his favorite. I know because he has me draw them for him every day. In fact, he wants so badly to learn to read and tells is this often, but loses motivation after we sit down to practice because it requires so much concentration. We don't push it. However, since he has been asking for a Captain America action figure we decided...hey, let's make a chart. Each day that he practices his reading, he gets a sticker. After two straight weeks of daily practice (without complaint or giving up)...he gets his Captain America. We approached him about it and he wanted to change a couple of things. Instead of stickers on the chart, he wanted me to draw a rattlesnake for each day he practiced. The first time we started seriously learning to read, we wrote a story together about a Knight which we never finished. Instead of finishing that story, he wanted to write a new one about...you guessed it...Rattlesnakes. Lastly, he wanted a toy rattlesnake instead of Captain America. He did so well on his reading today. We wrote two pages. 1) There was a rattlesnake. His name was Alex. 2) He lived in Arizona. He was a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake.
He sounded out every word on his own. When we practice, I write a word in blue marker. I then cross out very lightly with a red pen the letters that make no sound. I also use the red pen to connect any letters that make a certain sound when you blend them (like 'th' and 'sh' etc). As he sounds out each word, I underline it. For him, it works.
Anyway...he is still loving going to preschool and told me that he doesn't want to go to school in Arizona unless Mrs. Einhorn can be his teacher. :) It made her feel good. He adores her...and the fact that she is scared of snakes makes it all the more fun for him to bring pictures of them to show her every time he goes. :)
We feel really blessed to have you Alex. 

Rebekah

Rebekah my Rebekah. 2 1/2 years old and a sparkling personality. One of those where when at the playground you will find that 5 minutes into play she'll have 2 or 3 kids following her around and laughing at her every "joke." If you don't know, a joke for  a two year named Rebekah is something like a silly face, falling on purpose, funny noises, and jumping on things she probably shouldn't be jumping on. Whenever she sees me she says, "That's MY mommy. I love you mommy." She loves her mommy time and I love my Rebekah time. Not that she doesn't push every button I have...you know...since she is SO much like me, but her charm always triumphs. Her speech has taken off lately and we often hear her say things that surprise us...."I didn't know she knew that??" She is very good at counting, singing her abc's and recognizing many of the letters, puzzles, and physical activities. Her very favorite thing in the world is to be outside climbing on the highest thing she can find and then swinging off of it. She is good to. I am amazed every time I see her on a playground. I am thinking a tumbling class will do her some good. She also has a passion for puzzles, reading books with mommy, wrapping Daddy around her finger, making cookies with mommy, and laughing with Alex. She loves her baby sister and adores her big brother. She likes to pick out her own clothes. In fact, the other day she came downstairs carrying an armload of clothes and said with a big grin on her face, "Mommy I YUV Clothes!!!" Ha! She also loves to dance and wear skirts. She calls anything that even resembles a skirt, a "rina dress!" She also loves to play soccer with Alex and Daddy and gets a little annoyed when she can't go out there on the field with Alex and play...after all...at least she would play instead of watching her cape fly. :)
Rebekah you are sunshine in our house. We love you.

Kaitlyn

Our little Buggy. She is now 14 1/2 months old! I can hardly believe how quickly her first year of life flew by us. How do I describe her??? It is hard to pinpoint a description for a child who's smile lights up a room, who's little 1 year old wrap-around-our-neck hugs melt our hearts and who's big happy brown eyes tell us, "I adore you my family." She is just....just....our Kaitlyn. A joy through and through....with the exception of diaper changes. Then, she sort of turns into a monster, but smiles at us as soon as they are over. ;)
As of late she has gotten two new teeth, making 8 total. She is eating everything and it surprises me how much she can mush down between her teeth and her gums. She is starting to walk....I think the most steps I have seen is 7 in a row. It is so fun to see her confidence grow each time she takes a few steps. Even if it ends in a fall. She is beginning to practice on her own and trying to get from place to place with part steps and part walking. I love it! She is making more and more sounds, but the only words I think she knows well are Hi, Mama, and Alex. There are several others that I think she is saying, but can't be sure yet. She is waving, flirting, and gaining quite the sense of humor. Her favorite favorite people on earth are Alex and Rebekah. She loves Joseph and I a lot too, but she completely lights up when they play with her and give her attention. Her biggest frustration seems to be that she can't keep up with them. Soon enough. Soon enough. Her favorites are climbing our stairs and coming back down them backwards, reading books, playing with any toy that Rebekah has, eating goldfish, walking with help, emptying out all the grocery bags and playing in them, and wrestling with Alex.
Kaitlyn...you are an angel in our family. We love you. 

And Such...

My little ballerina

Hiding :)

We had a 90 degree day. Isn't our huge pool awesome?

Dress ups

What?

I love my Bekah's curls. I always always wanted curly hair. I hope it stays. 

My three little crazies.