This year I'm going to be a consistent blogger right? Bahahaha
The most exciting news of January has to be Adaline starting ballet lessons. She had been asking to take ballet for almost 3 years. Thankfully, it has not disappointed. She loves her teacher, loves being fancy, and will sometimes even show us what she's learned when she comes home. Somehow I don't have any pictures of her before or after dance class, so this one of her dressing up will have to do.
We had had a couple unnecessarily stressful days, so I decided before I went to bed that the next day was going to be fun and I was going to say yes to things and not worry about the chores or tasks that I wanted to accomplish. It was such a fun day! First, went the library, thinking there would be story time, we found out it was cancelled that day so we went to the park. As soon as we got there, the kids asked if we could go home and get lunch to eat at the park. We ran back home, I quickly packed a lunch and then we flew kites and played at the park. Matthew got his kite stuck in a tree, and just as I was about to shimmy up and save it, a nice man came over and rescued it. I was so grateful to him! After the park, we went back to the library for the Lindsay Wildlife animal show. We got to see a snake and a falcon.
This year we are trying to have more family fun and for Andrew and I to go on more dates. To start, we went to the Oakland Temple (closed for renovations) on the way to the Oakland Zoo for zoo lights. We had fun walking around and exploring the visitors' center, then we ate our packed dinner on the way to the zoo. It was fun to walk around, ride the gondala, and see the reptile house. We were super adventurous and made hot chocolate for the kids to drink while we worked on getting everyone into their pjs and in the car.
Alex is 9 months old! It took me by surprise and is so fun and so sad (how quickly he's growing) at the same time. We all ADORE him. There is something so much fun about having a baby in the family. Adaline and Matthew love to get him out of bed in the morning and after naps. Michael loves to make him laugh by being silly.
Alex is so busy. He is a fast crawler and likes to walk by holding onto a chair and pushing it around the room. At his 9 month check up, he weighed 16.5 pounds and is just barely hanging onto the growth curve. Luckily, the doctor didn't give me a hard time about it for once, I think she's starting to realize that it's just how he is. He is such a sweet, happy baby. He babbles and smiles at us all day long and has been so patient about being woken up all the time to go one place or another. He got his two bottom teeth this month (shortly after Adaline lost her two bottom, front teeth). He is a great eater and is, thankfully, happy to pick through whatever I put on his tray and feed himself. He sleeps so well-12 hours every night plus great naps. I'm so lucky! Everyone says it, but I really cannot imagine our family without him. We are obsessed.
Matching pj's picture initiated by Adaline, I think.
In November, Adaline finally started riding the bike she got for Christmas last year-but only in "the parking lot at Aiden's school." She was completely convinced that she couldn't ride it anywhere else. So it became a family activity to drive over there and all practice bike riding.
Andrew and I have been doing well on our goal to have more dates-largely thanks to our good friends here. We went shopping one night, went to another escape room (super fun, but I also felt like it was easier, maybe that's why we solved it in 30 minutes), and even got to go on a hike by ourselves! One of the nicest people I know just texted out of the blue asking if she could watch our kids/feed them lunch on a Saturday while Andrew and I went on a date. If you have kids, maybe you understand how rare a day date is. We were going to go indoor rock climbing, because it has been forever and I miss it, but the gym was packed with a youth competition. Luckily, just before we left, I suggested that we grab our hiking shoes as a back-up plan. So we checked out a new, to us, hiking place place in Concord. We hiked/ran (trying to get back in time) 5.5 zig-zagging back and forth across a stream. There were gorgeous views, we could talk uninterrupted, and it was so much fun. When we got home, our amazing friend served us lunch and told us about the fun she and the kids had. It was amazing.
I got to help in Adaline's class at school twice this month (I go in on Andrew's Fridays off). I love getting to see her with her friends and to be back in a classroom. The kids in her class are sweet and I enjoy chatting with her teacher during recess. The second time I went this month was bittersweet because it was Adaline's last day at school. We decided to try out homeschool for the rest of the school year. It just so happened that our first week of homeschool lined up with Andrew's first time ever traveling for work. He left for Indiana Sunday morning, we started homeschool the next day, and he came home around midnight on Friday. It was a crazy week, but I think I can call it a success too. We are still waiting on most of her curriculum, so I mostly made up games or lessons for things that I know she was working on in school. The best parts of the week were regaining our flexibility/freedom and having more time for going to the park. I think we went to the park 3 of the days, went to library story time, played in the backyard for HOURS, and had tons of reading time. To me, independent play, being read to, and spending time outside are some of the most important things for a 5 year old. I'm glad that this is working for us right now so that I can give Adaline more time to be a kid and to spend her time exploring and learning on her own terms.
Going to the park so many times this week was awesome for Adaline's and Matthew's confidence on their bikes. They are both riding two-wheelers without training wheels, can start on their own, and will go all the way around the "big loop." It has been so fun to watch them slowly get better and more confident. They've both worked really hard and had to keep trying after some tough falls. Like the time Adaline was riding down a short hill, couldn't stop, and ran straight into the van.
During Adaline's last week of school, her teacher passed out a cape for the kids to decorate and bring back on the 100th day of school. Adaline was devastated when she realized she wasn't going to be there during the festivities. She cried so hard that afternoon. Then, on Adaline's last day of school, her teacher gathered up most of the crafts/activities/snacks the class was going to have and sent them home with us. It was so sweet and Adaline loved getting to participate from home. Her teacher even gave me her phone number in case I had any questions, etc while we were getting started and so I sent her a pic of Adaline working on her activities.
The most exciting news of January has to be Adaline starting ballet lessons. She had been asking to take ballet for almost 3 years. Thankfully, it has not disappointed. She loves her teacher, loves being fancy, and will sometimes even show us what she's learned when she comes home. Somehow I don't have any pictures of her before or after dance class, so this one of her dressing up will have to do.
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| Adaline got a science experiment book for Christmas, and one of the activities was building marshmallow towers. We tried to see if it could hold spiderman (it did, for one second) |
We had had a couple unnecessarily stressful days, so I decided before I went to bed that the next day was going to be fun and I was going to say yes to things and not worry about the chores or tasks that I wanted to accomplish. It was such a fun day! First, went the library, thinking there would be story time, we found out it was cancelled that day so we went to the park. As soon as we got there, the kids asked if we could go home and get lunch to eat at the park. We ran back home, I quickly packed a lunch and then we flew kites and played at the park. Matthew got his kite stuck in a tree, and just as I was about to shimmy up and save it, a nice man came over and rescued it. I was so grateful to him! After the park, we went back to the library for the Lindsay Wildlife animal show. We got to see a snake and a falcon.
This year we are trying to have more family fun and for Andrew and I to go on more dates. To start, we went to the Oakland Temple (closed for renovations) on the way to the Oakland Zoo for zoo lights. We had fun walking around and exploring the visitors' center, then we ate our packed dinner on the way to the zoo. It was fun to walk around, ride the gondala, and see the reptile house. We were super adventurous and made hot chocolate for the kids to drink while we worked on getting everyone into their pjs and in the car.
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| Thank you, Busy Toddler! |
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| Another week, another visit to the library |
Alex is 9 months old! It took me by surprise and is so fun and so sad (how quickly he's growing) at the same time. We all ADORE him. There is something so much fun about having a baby in the family. Adaline and Matthew love to get him out of bed in the morning and after naps. Michael loves to make him laugh by being silly.
Alex is so busy. He is a fast crawler and likes to walk by holding onto a chair and pushing it around the room. At his 9 month check up, he weighed 16.5 pounds and is just barely hanging onto the growth curve. Luckily, the doctor didn't give me a hard time about it for once, I think she's starting to realize that it's just how he is. He is such a sweet, happy baby. He babbles and smiles at us all day long and has been so patient about being woken up all the time to go one place or another. He got his two bottom teeth this month (shortly after Adaline lost her two bottom, front teeth). He is a great eater and is, thankfully, happy to pick through whatever I put on his tray and feed himself. He sleeps so well-12 hours every night plus great naps. I'm so lucky! Everyone says it, but I really cannot imagine our family without him. We are obsessed.
Matching pj's picture initiated by Adaline, I think.
In November, Adaline finally started riding the bike she got for Christmas last year-but only in "the parking lot at Aiden's school." She was completely convinced that she couldn't ride it anywhere else. So it became a family activity to drive over there and all practice bike riding.
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| Don't you just want to bite his toes? He is just SO cute!! |
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| Since Adaline is riding her new bike, everyone got to move up a level. Now Michael is figuring out the balance bike, and doing a great job! |
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| He fell asleep just sitting and watching because he is the sweetest baby ever. |
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| New train tracks from Nama and Papa means epic play time |
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| "Toothbrush in a Slipper" why Michael, why? |
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| This started with "Mom, can I have some bread?" "Mom, can I use those circle cutters to cut the bread?" "Mom, do we have any frosting?" I feel like eating a piece of wheat bread with frosting and sprinkles on it is the very definition of true love. |
Andrew and I have been doing well on our goal to have more dates-largely thanks to our good friends here. We went shopping one night, went to another escape room (super fun, but I also felt like it was easier, maybe that's why we solved it in 30 minutes), and even got to go on a hike by ourselves! One of the nicest people I know just texted out of the blue asking if she could watch our kids/feed them lunch on a Saturday while Andrew and I went on a date. If you have kids, maybe you understand how rare a day date is. We were going to go indoor rock climbing, because it has been forever and I miss it, but the gym was packed with a youth competition. Luckily, just before we left, I suggested that we grab our hiking shoes as a back-up plan. So we checked out a new, to us, hiking place place in Concord. We hiked/ran (trying to get back in time) 5.5 zig-zagging back and forth across a stream. There were gorgeous views, we could talk uninterrupted, and it was so much fun. When we got home, our amazing friend served us lunch and told us about the fun she and the kids had. It was amazing.
I got to help in Adaline's class at school twice this month (I go in on Andrew's Fridays off). I love getting to see her with her friends and to be back in a classroom. The kids in her class are sweet and I enjoy chatting with her teacher during recess. The second time I went this month was bittersweet because it was Adaline's last day at school. We decided to try out homeschool for the rest of the school year. It just so happened that our first week of homeschool lined up with Andrew's first time ever traveling for work. He left for Indiana Sunday morning, we started homeschool the next day, and he came home around midnight on Friday. It was a crazy week, but I think I can call it a success too. We are still waiting on most of her curriculum, so I mostly made up games or lessons for things that I know she was working on in school. The best parts of the week were regaining our flexibility/freedom and having more time for going to the park. I think we went to the park 3 of the days, went to library story time, played in the backyard for HOURS, and had tons of reading time. To me, independent play, being read to, and spending time outside are some of the most important things for a 5 year old. I'm glad that this is working for us right now so that I can give Adaline more time to be a kid and to spend her time exploring and learning on her own terms.
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| On the Sunday Andrew left, Adaline said she wanted help with a surprise for her brothers. It turned out to be making sugar cookies, and we all had fun decorating them-plus then we had treats for most of the week. |
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| Alex went on a swing for the first time and LOVED it. I don't remember any of the other kids being as excited about the swing. It was hilarious and adorable. |
Going to the park so many times this week was awesome for Adaline's and Matthew's confidence on their bikes. They are both riding two-wheelers without training wheels, can start on their own, and will go all the way around the "big loop." It has been so fun to watch them slowly get better and more confident. They've both worked really hard and had to keep trying after some tough falls. Like the time Adaline was riding down a short hill, couldn't stop, and ran straight into the van.
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| Here's post-dance class picture! On dance night's we have to hurry home and eat dinner right away, plus I wanted dinner times to be tasty and easy while Andrew was away. So for this dance night, we had a cheese and crackers picnic in the playroom. |
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| Someone got annoyed with Alex and put him in the ottoman. Where's the laughing tears emoji when I need it?? |
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| Family meeting in the bathroom...this week definitely had some tough parts. |
During Adaline's last week of school, her teacher passed out a cape for the kids to decorate and bring back on the 100th day of school. Adaline was devastated when she realized she wasn't going to be there during the festivities. She cried so hard that afternoon. Then, on Adaline's last day of school, her teacher gathered up most of the crafts/activities/snacks the class was going to have and sent them home with us. It was so sweet and Adaline loved getting to participate from home. Her teacher even gave me her phone number in case I had any questions, etc while we were getting started and so I sent her a pic of Adaline working on her activities.
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| Park day with friends. 4 kids on 2 weeks! Some were a little more squished than the others. |
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| Another great thing about homschool is being able to take naps as needed. I was reading/napping on the couch while the little boys were napping. Soon after, I hear these two come in and make little beds. Next thing I knew, Alex was babbling and all 5 of us and taken naps at the same time. Heavenly. |
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| Am I the only person under the age of 30 that has some of these casette binders? With casette tapes in them?? |
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