Spring Time!

I am so glad that spring is finally here. I know it sounds as if all we have been doing is sitting around doing nothing but those are just moments...

Here is a little of what I have been up to with the kids lately:

We went to the zoo April 6th. The kids had fun and I am glad we decided to get the season pass. It doesn't compare to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium but really, honestly I didn't expect it to. It keeps them happy anyway and they love the giraffes at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.




Sienna's field trip to Bear Creek Park( April 14th)

Track Day for Hunter was on Monday. The girls and I went to watch and then ate lunch with Hunter. He was so excited to have us there.








Besides all of this and playing outside I have been getting into the spring cleaning mood. I haven't done as much as I would like but I have so far organized our den closet, pantry, the girls rooms and sorted through clothes for the wardrobe change, scrubbed the bathrooms top to bottom and cleaned out under the sinks, blinds, baseboards, doors. I still need to do some blinds, my closet, the storage room(Brent started but it still needs to be put back together) and the garage. I don't know if it is spring or being nesty but I do like the feeling of accomplishing so much during the day.

I love that the kids are so tired by the end of the day that bedtime is welcomed... for all of us.

Yeah for SPRING!

Sleep!

It has been awhile. Mostly because I just want to sleep during the day because my night times are spent dealing with kids throwing up, needing to use the bathroom, or just plain laying awake uncomfortable. I usually don't get to sleep or nap during the day either because of my wandering around. I try to find something productive to do but end up just doing an alright job and then sitting for a bit. I like to just sit. I don't watch TV or make the "baba" I need to finish so Brent will get off my back, or talk on the phone or read, I just sit. It feels so nice to do nothing. Am I the only one that feels that way? Anyway, I am sure that my sleepless nights are only about to get worse and for that reason I am sorry for my family. I am not a well functioning sleep deprived person.

Thanks for all the comments on names. I love hearing others opinions and even new names. If there are any more suggestions I would love to hear them. We shall see soon enough...

Father and Son

Laurie is taking a nap so I (Brent) am attempting to do another blog without her knowing. I remember tagging along with my dad on several hunts when I was little and at that time in my small world there was nothing better. So I was excited this year to be able to take Hunter 0n his first hunt with me on the opening day of the turkey season here in Colorado. I was worried for Hunter though because we got 3 inches of snow the night before and it was to be around 12 degrees where we were going. We got to the area around 5:30 AM and set up a blind where I had seen some turkeys before and played the waiting game. I thought that Hunter would whine or be miserable in the cold just sitting there for hours but everytime I looked over at him in the blind he was shivering and grinning from ear to ear, especially whenever he heard a turkey gobble off in the distance. After about an hour and a half, 6 toms rounded the ridgeline about 100 yards away. Hunter was able to watch me call in all 6 toms to within 10 yards of us. My friends 11 year old boy and I were able to take 2 turkeys. Hunter was about to come out of his skin he was so excited. He ran down the hill to get this bird that was about as big as he was. I don't think he ever stopped grinning the whole way home. What a great, freezing cold, morning to spend with my boy in the most beautiful country you will ever see. Hunting buddies for life!

Names?

Naming babies has never been easy for us. We do not agree on very many names and I am very indecisive, especially when it is such Huge decision. I feel overwhelmed at the responsibility to give our child a name that she will carry with her for her entire life.

So anyone that has some good suggestions Please comment. We need your help.

What is it about Macey that has so many people voting for it? What made YOU choose it. Can you see an adult named Macey? Brent loves it. I am not so sure.

I really like Addison. Brent hates Addi and doesn't really like Addison.

We both really like Sarah but for some reason the plainness and popularity of it makes me hesitate and yet the simplicity of it is what I like.

I love Elsie and it is probably still my first pick. I thought of it while in Hawaii and it was hard for me to think of the baby as anything else for about a month until I started talking to people about it and got weird reactions. I am too easily influenced by others, I know. Again can you see an adult, 30 -40 named Elsie? Many people think it is an old lady name but so is Ava which is what led us to Ayla and I think that once people see a cute little girl named Elsie then it won't seem so old fashioned any more. But what about the cow? I guess there is a commercial from a long time ago that had a mascot cow named Elsie. So older generations associate it with that. Who knows.

Our new names we have talked about are Holland(which Brent really likes) and I do but not the nickname Holli. I really like London but Brent thinks it is too masculine.

We still like Aubrey which is a name we considered with Sienna and then Ayla, but it just didn't seem right. I am really liking it again now. It seems not too common but definitely feminine.

We ( okay so I)really want to use the middle name Jayne. All of our kids have J middle names and I would like to keep the tradition. Both sides of our family lines have a Jane, just like James and JoAnn are both from 2 different ancestors.

So any help you may have would be greatly appreciated!! PLEASE help us.

Learning and Growing

This week has been a big week of firsts for our kids.

Hunter learned to RIDE his bike yesterday(finally). And he hasn't stopped riding it since.
He has just lacked the confidence to do it even though he probably could have when we first
started teaching him in Ohio 2 years ago but every time he realized he was pedaling on his own and doing it he would stop pedaling and fall over. Last summer he really didn't try that much but just kept to his scooter. Well he finally got it! He loves to go to the church parking lot behind us and ride down the wheelchair ramp and all around the parking lot. Every time he talks about riding his bike he has a huge grin on his face and I am so happy for him that he has mastered this.

Ayla rides Hunter's scooter and no matter how many times she drops the the large, bulky metal thing on herself, she gets right back up again. When we got home last night I realized she had scraped her knee, which was bleeding. She is my toughest kid. She didn't ever cry, but insisted on riding more. She can only push herself a little ways before the thing tips over, half the time on her legs and then she gets back on.

Sienna asked me to teach her to TIE Daddy's shoe laces. I showed her once and then she did it on her own. She is so proud of herself and wants me to buy her some shoes with laces. She is such a big helper with Ayla and loves to put her lace up shoes on her so she can practice her new skill.

Ayla has learned to go Potty and has stayed dry for four days without any accidents and no reminders. She tells us when she needs to go and then says "help, Mommy, come." and runs off to the bathroom. She can go herself with her potty seat and stool but without it she can't get up on the toilet so she needs a boost. She has also stayed dry for 2 nights. We are so happy that she has been so easy to train. I never started out giving potty treats but we did do stickers and now she doesn't ask for them anymore.

Three big first at our house and it has been so great watching the kids as they master these milestones. They grow up so fast. Our good friends, the Elmores, had their baby boy this week and it has helped the reality sink in for us that we will have a new little, tiny one around here. It makes the other 3 seem so big. They are growing up so fast and it is fun to be a part of it.