Catch Up Time Part 2

Back to catching up.

At the end of September, Jillian turned 5 months old.

By this time, she was rolling all over the place, and started to put on some chub. It was about this time that she finally started to let other people, besides mom and dad and occasionally the grandparents, hold her.

Also at the end of September, Trenton got braces.  2 - 2 1/2 years of braces, and he will have perfect, straight teeth. :)

October:

The kids got to go to an open house at the fire house with their grandma and grandpa and had a pancake breakfast.

Jilly got to have another go at a lollypop.  Oh boy did she love it!

Just before fall break, Buds had a Halloween party at preschool.  He dressed up as a gorilla.  The kids sang a few Halloween songs for the parents, then they got to eat the sugar cookies they had decorated earlier that day in class.

 When she was almost 6 months old, I finally moved Jilly from her cradle to a crib.  We would have done it sooner, but I had gotten ambitious a few months prior, and decided to refinish her crib.  The problem was that I wasn't nearly as ambitious as I should have been because the crib sat out in our garage, half done, for about 3 months.  It wasn't until Jillian sat up in her cradle on her own and almost fell out that I finally realized I HAD to get that crib done!  Her sitting up was a total fluke by-the-way.  She really didn't start sitting up on her own until about 2 weeks ago.  She was just pushing me to get her crib done. ;)

Jillian turned 6 months old towards the end of October.  It was right about this time she started doing the funniest thing.  This baby can roll her r's!  When she's happy, she does it in a soft, high sound, and when she's mad, it sounds more low and growly.  It is the funniest thing to hear!  I told Trent he needs to start speaking Spanish to her.

 Just before Fall Break, Preston went to a friend's birthday party at Skate City.  This was his first time on roller skates.  It took about 10 minutes to talk him into going out on the skate floor, which was very surprising to me.  He usually has no fear with these kind of things.  Once his friend Henley came and took him by the hand, he was all over it.  It was so cute to watch a ton of 4/5 year old kiddos hobble around on their skates.

During the first week of Fall Break, we took a little trip over to the pumpkin patch.

 We took a hay ride while we were there.

 There was a haunted house at the end of the ride, which was a little spooky for Preston.  A guy with a scary mask and a chainsaw (not a real one) followed us through the haunted house part.  Preston wasn't a fan, but the big boys and Viv loved it.

We also went to the Butterfly Pavilion over Fall Break.  It had been years since I had taken the kids there.  I think Vivi was only about a year the last time we went.

 Colson and Vivi were both brave and held Rosie the tarantula.  Trenton and Preston wouldn't go near her with a ten foot pole.  I am more of the same mindset as Trenton and Preston.  Standing from a distance and zooming in with the camera lens was close enough for me.

 What cute boys.

 Jilly was quite content during our outing.

 Preston didn't last long in the butterfly area.  He was scared of the butterflies!  He didn't like the way they were fluttering all around him.  Silly boy.

 This picture was taken at our ward trunk-or-treat.  Colson was a snow blower this year.  When someone would ask him what he was, he would blow on the snowflake dangling from his hat.  We went cheap on the costumes this year and made our own.  Vivi was someone you can "count on".  We taped big numbers all over her clothes.  It was a totally fitting costume for her since we always know we can count on our Viv. ;)  Preston was a snow blower, just like Colson.  We pinned a ton of Smarties candies onto Trenton's pants and he was a Smarty Pants.  For Jilly, we printed off a big letter "E" and she was a cute E.  I think it cost me less than $2 for all five costumes!  Loved it.  This is the only picture I ended up with though.  Darn it!

At Jillian's 6 month appointment, the Dr. said to go ahead and start her on fruits and veggies.  When Trenton and Colson were babies, I always made their baby food, and I was determined to do it again with Jilly.  We started out with squash because I had just bought some the day before.

As you can see, she was not a fan.  She kept looking at me like, "I can't believe your making me eat this!"  After about 6 bites I gave up.  The next time we tried sweet potatoes, with the same results.  A few days later, I gave in and bought a few jars of baby food.  The little stinker, she ate it and loved it!  Even the sweet potatoes and squash.  What can I say?  I tried.

We had tons of fun the Saturday before Halloween carving up our pumpkins.  Every year, Trenton likes to carve his into a puking pumpkin.

That's all for now.

Catch Up Time

Oh heavens... It has been forever since I have done an update!  And there have been so many things I haven't blogged about!  So this is going to be one heck-of-a catch up post.  There are things I need to get recorded before the year is over!

First of all, way back in August, the kids started school.

 Colson (with his best bud Jared) is in 5th grade this year.  I can't believe he only has 1 more year until middle school!

 Vivi (with her bff Ashlynne) is in 1st grade.

Preston is in his second year of preschool with Miss Jen.  He's off to Kindergarten next year!  Good thing we had another baby so I don't have to be home alone during the day quite yet.

And the totally space cadet mother that I am lately, I didn't even get a picture of Trenton this year.  Hopefully my brain will be in better shape for next year.  He started 7th grade.

Back in September we celebrated Vivi's and my mom's birthdays.  Vivi turned 7 this year!

 I just love and adore this girl.  I would be totally lost without her.  (Love, love, love Trenton's face in this picture.)

It was a good birthday. :)

And of course, the beloved balloon launch.  This picture makes me miss my green grass and trees.

Also to celebrate the birthdays, us girls all went out to lunch and shopping on a Saturday.  Vivi had gotten some Charming Charlie gift cards for her birthday.  That girl loves to shop!  She must have gotten than gene from Trent's mom and sister; she surely didn't get it from me.  Look at the gorgeous flowers!  Sigh, I miss my flower garden.

In September, we also participated in a family scavenger hunt that some super fun ladies put together.

We had to get a picture of all of us on a slide together.  (Preston hadn't quite gotten into the spirit of things yet and wouldn't join in the picture.)

For bonus points, the boys all climbed the big rock.

Next up, we had to spell the word "love" as a family.  Again, Preston not shown.  He gets a little camera shy sometimes.  The boys look a little more like an "a" than an "o",  but we did our best.  And what is up with my back?  I look like a hunchback!  I better work on my posture.

 The next challenge was to use our hands and feet to write our family name in chalk.  This was Preston's favorite and he was finally ready to participate in all the fun.

Next up, a picture with a buffalo.  And yes, Jilly is hanging by the horn in her car seat.  Trenton wasn't entirely comfortable with this situation though, so he dubbed himself the spotter.

 Luckily we had our stroller in the back of the car for this one.  We had to hike into the reservoir to get a fish-lip picture with the fish.

The final challenge: stop by Chick-Fil-A to get ice cream for everyone and a picture with the cow.  I think this was the favorite.  Not necessarily because of the ice cream, but because of the cow.  As I have mentioned before on this blog, my kids love the Chick-Fil-A cow.  Being the cow is Colson's dream job. :)  This was one of the funnest Family Home Evenings we have ever had.

Also in September, Jilly had her first taste of a lollypop.

She LOVED it!  Shocker, I know.

She also had cereal for the first time, which she loved.  Just a word of advice, never come between this girl and her food.

The words on her bib... totally true. This girl LOVES her daddy.

That's all for now.  I have to download more pictures, then there will be more to come. ;)

4 Months

I can't believe it!  Our little Jilly bean is already 4 months old.  She is growing way too fast for me.  This little girl is so much fun to have around.  I love watching the other kids with her.  They all just adore her, and she adores them.  I'm sure she doesn't know what to think since the kids have all gone back to school.  She is used to being constantly entertained and hasn't had so much of that since the kids haven't been around 24-7.  I hold her lots and play with her, but sometimes I've got to get some things done!  And she doesn't like that one bit.  

For the most part, she is a very happy and content baby, but when she gets mad, she gets MAD.  We're talking 0-60 in two seconds flat.  There is no in-between with this girl.  But like I said, for the most part she is very content.  She likes to be able to see you at all times and know where you are.  She is a total mom and dad's girl.  She's not very into strangers. At. All.  So if you hold her, and she doesn't start crying right away, chances are, she likes you.  She has about a handful of people she will let hold her regularly, besides mom and dad.  Oh, and she absolutely LOVES her daddy.  When he is in the room, her eyes are on him at all times.

She loves her Binky.  She's my first and only child that would ever take one.  But even more, she loves her fists.  Usually both of them in her mouth at the same time.

 

She is a very strong little girl.  She has been able to hold her head up like a pro since she was just tiny.  Just like her sis.  She's been rolling from her stomach to her back for a while now, and this last week she started trying to get from her back to her stomach.  She is SO CLOSE!  Her arm gets in the way though, and that makes her mad.  Really mad.  I've never heard a baby shriek the way she can.  That's when we know she's really ticked about something.  Thanks heavens it doesn't take much to calm her down.  All I have to do is pick her up and she's happy again.  Instantly.  She has me trained, what can I say?

I have a feeling we're going to have another chatty girl on our hands.  Already this girl loves to talk.  If you say one word to her, she spits her Binky out lickety split so she can talk to you.  Although she is starting to get pretty good at babbling with it in her mouth. I love it!  She has got one amazing smile that just melts my heart.  I can't believe some of the things we all find ourselves doing to get her to laugh and smile.  Honestly though, it doesn't take much.  She's a pretty smiley gal.

I just love this girl and am so grateful to have her!

What a Doll

My girl Viv... There's nothing else to say other than she is just the sweetheart of all sweethearts.  Honestly, I don't know how I'd get along without her.  Whenever we head out to run errands, I know she will have a purse that is packed with snacks, bandaids, books, crayons, and paper.  Anything someone might need, she is sure to have.  It's like she has a Mary Poppins bag.  And the funny part is that her purses are not all that big.  How does she fit all that stuff in there?!  I don't even remember when she started doing this, but it has been some time ago.  I'm sure she started doing it because I never seem to be quite prepared enough.  "What, you need a tissue?  You're going to either have to use your sleeve, or let it hang on your face until we get somewhere that has one.  Oh, wait. Vivi's got you covered."  And she doesn't pack her purse full of things with herself in mind.  She packs bandaids because she knows how often Preston needs them.  She packs snacks because she knows her brothers are ALWAYS HUNGRY.  She even packs treats to use as bribery when we go places.  I can't tell you how often I've heard, "Buds, lets make a deal.  If you be really good in the store for mom, I have a special treat here in my bag for you."  Like I said before, I don't know how I would do it without her.  She is such a thoughtful, wonderful little girl, and I hope she never changes.