BFFs

Ethan

Ethan has been constantly impressing me lately in so many ways.  He is such a great kid.  And great at a lot of things.

His pinewood derby car made it into the finals this year!  That was very exciting for him since he designed and did his car with very little help.  I, of course, am lame and didn't take any pictures while we were there...

 I truly love watching Ethan swim.  It makes me happy.  Here is a picture of him in mid-dive.  His legs aren't up straight but his arms and head go straight in every time and it's pretty impressive for a 9 year old. The other two boys in his class, both older by two years, did a lot of belly flops.  The splat sounds made everyone at the pool flinch and say, "ouch!" every time.  But Ethan's dives were always a SWOOSH head first!

He's happy when he's swimming.  His strokes are getting better each lesson too.  This time around, he really got a feel for the rhythm of the breaststroke and butterfly.  I'm not sure who was more sad when this set of lessons came to an end, him or me!  But he told me he's excited to one day be on the swim team.  I think he's well on his way.  Perhaps one more set of lessons to help with endurance is all he needs.  What a fish he's become!

One of his other loves is piano.  He is currently playing songs with four sharps!  I admit it's getting harder for me to help him.  I kind of have to figure it out first before I can, instead of just playing it without thinking.

His love of piano is very unique I think.  Do you know any other kid who plays at least an hour every day for fun?  Who plays every song in every book in every octave up and down the piano and then tries to transpose them??!!  Sometimes I wish we had a piano room with a door!

I know he needs a better piano teacher.  His teacher is so nice and has sure made it fun for him, but he needs something more.  I'm trying to figure out how to make that work.  He needs a real music teacher…hearing him play real music is so enjoyable.  Next week, he'll be starting on a simplified version of Entertainer!  So exciting!

He also loves reading.  He recently finished the Percy Jackson series…for the third time.  He reads so fast and it blows my mind how he can read a book with over 300 pages in one day.  I love how much he loves reading.  I love how he can read for HOURS and stop mid-chapter and be happy.  Stopping computer games or wii almost always leaves him grumpy, but reading always leaves him happy.  Reading rocks.

He pretty good at golfing too.  My Dad has been taking him putting and to the driving range and I have to say, that kid can swing a club like a golfer!  He hits balls farther than I ever have.

He enjoys doing algebra with Todd before bed.

He's made thousands of origami models and lots of them are pretty amazing.

Sometimes I wonder how I'll ever keep up with him.  How I'll be able to continue to teach him the whole time he's under my roof.  Will it be enough.  Do I know enough?  I'm grateful I have experience and hopefully a little wisdom under my belt.  I certainly am grateful I have the Spirit teaching me how to teach him.  And I'm grateful for the kid he is becoming, not just that he's good at so many things, but that he's so often in tune with the needs in the family, willing to help in so many ways, slowly but surely becoming more mature, and that he can feel the Spirit and has acted on promptings.  He's an amazing kid and I'm grateful for him in my life.

Oliver

kiss kiss

Oliver is seriously the best baby that ever was.  He just smiles all day long.  He's content.  He's always happy.  He doesn't mind hanging out in his bouncy seat or on a blanket for hours.  He takes four naps a day and often starts to fall asleep on his own without so much as one complaint.

He sleeps like a champion at night too.  Usually only waking up once around 4:30 AM.  He goes to bed around 10 PM and sleeps until 8:30 AM.  I'm hoping I can get his schedule so he'll go to bed earlier sometime soon, but how can I complain?

His smile makes my heart happy EVERY time.

I love his eyes.

Sometimes I can't believe how good he is.  My other babies weren't like this!  He's so easy.  Do I really deserve such a gem?

Lately

This little man is 2 1/2 now.  I just love him so much.  He is such a happy spot in our lives.  Still loves his diggers.  My favorite things he says lately is, "But why Mommy?"  It makes me giggle every time.  Even when he asks it 45 times in a row.

 We celebrated his half birthday with chocolate donuts.  YUM!

 And MESSY!

 For Pi Day, Madeline helped me make a berry pie.  She is very good at making pie crust and I taught her how to do a lattice top.  She was thrilled when she realized it was just like her loom!  It was so fun. I had forgotten how fun it is to make pies!

 My boys love to read.  Madeline does as well, and is becoming quite a good little reader.  We never have enough new books in the house.

 Madeline and her cousin Quinn get along so well.  These two can play for hours without a single problem.  Such good buddies.

 Ethan and I had a great time on our Lego date to the Lego Americana Roadshow.  The Lego creations were amazing, some taking 1700 hours to build.  Quite impressive.  Ethan thought being a master builder like that was a good sounding job.  Getting PAID to build legos...

 The kids made bread dough animal creations.  A Teddy Bear and an Alligator.  Heehee, they make me giggle.  It was really fun for them though and they said they were Delicious!

 And what better photo bomber than a hex bug crab?

Haircut!

My hair was REALLY long…longest of my life!  And driving me crazy.  

 It kept getting in Oliver's face and getting tangled around my arms.  Plus, I don't even want to admit how long it had been since I'd had a haircut…

So I went and had nearly a foot taken off!  A nice Locks of Love donation!

 It's such a nice change, though it's taking some getting used to.  I still don't know how to wash it or brush it without freaking out.  Ha!  Only people who've chopped this much hair would understand.

 It's been fun to curl too.  And so much easier.  And it seems really healthy now too.

Hooray!

Little Bits of Fun

Painting with Coopey

 Oliver's smile

 When these three play well together, makes my heart happy!

 Cooper hiding in the tunnel with lots of blankies

 Setting the table for me

 He always sets all the street signs up in a row like this:

 Buddies

Four Months Old

Oliver is four months old today!  I'm so in love with this cute snuggle bug baby, even if he did wake up every two hours last night…sometimes he's an awesome sleeper… and he's always cute!

 I looked at Cooper's four month photos a couple days ago and was excited to try and recreate them with Oliver.  Cooper wore this hat at four months too.

 I was kind of shocked when I compared the pictures.  These kids look A LOT a like when you cover up the hair.  I always wondered who Oliver looked like, but he looks just like his brother.  I'm sure as his hair grows it will be even more apparent too.

 Oliver, you sweet thing.  I love your little coos.  Your stretches.  Your smiles.  It's amazing how four months can seem like a blink and a lifetime all in one.  xoxo

 And for your enjoyment, here's Cooper at the same age: