three kiddos sitting

I have lots of pictures to put up and lots of things to talk about...if I ever take the time. For now, though, here's a taste of things to come.

a few updates

Sara
- started moving forward the day she turned 6 months (September 14th)
- is now moving from room to room
- her "crawling" does not involve getting her belly off the ground
- for her 6 month doctor visit, she was:
    - 18 pounds, 4 ounces (90%)
    - 27 inches (90%)
    - head at 97% up from 75% (she has to have a special visit to check her head size)
- is the wiggliest child you ever did see
- gets vocal when she gets tired
- can sit but doesn't do it much

Caroline
- has been dressing herself for quite a while, these days she needs no help from picking out her clothes to putting everything on
- knows parts of lots of songs including many hymns
- talks with the vocabulary of an adult
- has no fear, does not know strangers most of the time
- is rather independent but is Nathan's "monkey do"
- loves to give hugs
- mixes up opposites (ie dark/bright, skip/repeat, any/none, etc.)

Nathan
- remembers things easily when he wants to
- can hear everything unless you want him to listen
- is a most wonderful big brother
- has a very active imagination
- is writing pretty well holding his pencil correctly
- acknowledges that he's more respectful and obedient when not at home
- LOVES to read

pictures from today

Sara is almost ready to start sitting. Here's a picture from today. She was able to sit long enough for me to get two or three pictures before falling over. I don't think she has realized yet that she can sit up.





And here are the girls in black...I got dressed this morning and when Caroline dressed herself, she was also in a black shirt. So...when Sara needed to change clothes, we put her in black as well.

Caroline-isms

twobana - that yellow long skinny fruit

see ya later after crocodile - the phrase to use when leaving somebody

August pictures - part 6 (togetherness)

One night, Daddy took Nathan and Caroline for a bike ride while I got Sara to bed. They all had a great time!



Here's Caroline's frog pool that she got for her birthday (in January) and we finally got out (in August).


Nathan wanted to try holding Sara. He did pretty well. It makes him seem like such a big boy!


Caroline has fun playing with Sara. And Sara thinks that she is very interesting.

August pictures - part 5 (kiddos)

I was taking some pictures of Sara one day and Caroline wanted in on the action. Nathan was close by, so I made an attempt at getting a picture of all three of them.


This is not an easy task...especially not alone!


But at least I got one full of personality! (and with William...the fourth child)


Then, I decided to try and get individual pictures. I was able to take ones of Nathan and Caroline outside, but the one of Sara was inside by the same kind of brick.

August pictures - part 4 (Sara)

Sara is getting so big. She has been moving all over the place. She isn't going backward or forward yet, but she does very well going in circles. We're starting to have to watch what's around her better because she can get to lots of things. She is following well in her brother and sister's footsteps - she found the tags on her play mat!


She's a very sweet baby. She really doesn't cry at all unless she's sleepy or it's time to eat. And she loves to jabber. She seems to do it more when she's tired. She also loves to laugh...mostly at her brother.


We finally got out the exersaucer. She's really enjoying it. I think she must have been taking lessons from Nathan and Caroline on silly face making!


But she also has a beautiful smile! I just love how her eyes light up. This day, Caroline was playing with the couch cushions and it created the perfect hole for Sara to sit in.

August pictures - part 3 (Caroline)

We have enjoyed watching Caroline as she develops her personality more. At times she's very independent. She is also Nathan's shadow and copycat. She LOVES her big brother. Hearing her directly repeat somebody is always fun. She's talking very well, but still has lots of fun mispronunciations and incorrect usages of words. I took this picture because I thought it showed some typical Caroline - in a skirt (girly) and tennis shoes (not) with nothing to keep her hair back.


She's a silly willy. Yet another reason why it's hard to get a good picture of all three kiddos.


I can occasionally get something sorta like a good smile, though. She really has a beautiful smile when it's real!


One day, I was sitting at the computer and heard Caroline calmly calling "Mommy, I need some help. I can't get out." I wondered what I was about to find. And this was it. I laughed out loud and got the camera before freeing her. :)

August pictures - part 2 (Nathan)

Nathan has started soccer again this year. He's having a good time and is getting in there better than he did last year. But honestly, I don't think he's really into soccer all that much. Mostly, he just wants to be on Daddy's team. And that's great, too!




He still likes to play with his cars, trucks, and trains. He plays with them with Caroline and sometimes at his down time. He also spends a good bit of his down time reading and listening to music. He LOVES music. His favorites are hymns and usually the older ones. He says he wants to be a choir director when he grows up.


He still likes to be silly. I've had a hard time getting him to cooperate for pictures lately. And that makes getting pictures of all three kiddos together a bit difficult.


In this picture, Nathan wanted his picture made because I was taking one of Caroline. I'm not really sure what's up with the "roar" pose, but we'll go with it. :)



This morning Nathan told me "I love everyone in the family more than 5,000 universes stuck together with bubble gum."

August pictures - part 1 (swimming)

This last month, we have taken the kids to swim several times. They have really done well. Caroline is a little fish. She is everywhere in her swimmies. No fear. Unfortunately, no fear isn't always good. The last time we went, Caroline decided that she could swim by herself (while no adult was beside her). Grandma had to get in the pool with her clothes to get her. Afterwards, Caroline's recollection of the event is that she got in the pool and was jumping (and it was fun).



Nathan has improved SO much since last summer. He swims pretty well with swimmies and will even jump in the deep end and swim. He will also jump in the shallow end with no swimmies (since he can stand up). He has started working on swimming without the swimmies. Right now he can't keep himself above the water so he's working on swimming under water.



What's better for an after swim snack than some popsicles?


Oh...maybe fresh blackberries!


And then it's off to work. Nathan jumped in to help granddad mix concrete. Caroline looked but couldn't see any way to help. She tells me that there wasn't anything she could do.


So she headed off to the back to do who knows what by herself.

watch out

It's dangerous around here!




PS: There are more pictures and videos from the last couple weeks. Maybe I'll get some up here soon. It just takes a little time to decide what to include.

quick notes

Sara was 5 months last Friday and is wearing 6-9 mo. clothes and some 12 mo.

Caroline was overhead last night saying "Here'm I are" to Sara.

Nathan thinks that 5 1/2 is too old for taking baths anymore.

rice cereal

Sara has seemed to be extra hungry lately and I don't seem to be keeping up the supply. Maybe this is because I've been trying to eat a little better so I can lose some weight. Maybe not. Either way, we decided to go ahead and start Sara on some additional food. Monday night, we gave her some rice cereal. She also had some last night. I don't know that we'll jump into additional food with both feet quite yet, but we also don't want her to be hungry. So...bring on the stinky poop! (Yes, I did have to go there.)

a family portrait

A couple weeks ago (sometime in July), Caroline created a family portrait while we were sitting at Sonny's. I thought I would share it here. I have labeled it so that you'll know which figure is which person. Since it's not entirely clear, I'll identify a few parts. The scribbles toward the center top of each figure is the hair. Anything coming out the bottom is a leg and/or foot. The most central scribble is the body. :) Sara does not have any hair. I do not believe Daddy has any legs. It's not much to look at, but it's fun to see her start to identify what she's drawing rather than just scribbling.

how do we compare?

Kindergarten here we come

Yesterday, Nathan started Kindergarten. He is going back to the same school where he went last year. He will still only go half days, but he will be there five days a week instead of three. Nathan was all good to go until we actually walked through the door of the school. Then, he grabbed onto my hand and held on tight. He never said anything, but he wasn't ready to let go. Once we got to his room and I got him settled at his seat, he said "Bye, Mommy" and off I went (right after taking a few pictures). As best I can tell, Kindergarten will be much more structured and "school-like" than his pre-K was last year. Two of his friends from his class last year are in his class again and one friend from church is also in his class. I think he's going to like it.


Caroline wanted to get in on the picture taking as well. No being left out for her!


Here is Nathan and his new teacher, Mrs. Jackson.


And here is his class before all the parents left (including me, of course).


I took his picture by the school sign again this year, so I thought it would be fun to see how he's changed in a year. The funny thing is that he is wearing the same shorts in both pictures. He's grown up but not out apparently. Every time I compare pictures from the year before, I have to admit to myself that my baby is growing up.