trick or treating

 We had 2 ladybugs and a firefighter this year!  What cutie pies!!  I decided to take these pics of them in their costumes a couple days before Halloween because it was supposed to rain...however, the rain held off and it was actually kinda warm trick or treating!!  :)  The kids had fun running from house to house getting candy - but Ben eventually got tired and had Daddy carry him!

SISTERS!

Ben had to hold his little sister for a picture...he loves her SO much!

 Ben's pumpkin & Jaelyn's pumpkin

 Our little peanut!

We always hit our neighbors house first!!  BIG candy bars and a toy!!  This year it was Halloween themed rubber duckies!  The Pinney's always spoil us!!

 The crew out trick or treating!

 Check out all of my candy!!

 One happy firefighter!

I wrote my letter!

For awhile now whenever Benjamin sees a B, E, or N written on something, he'll shout out..."that's my letter, Mommy!"  Well, today he is was super excited to finally write a B...all by himself!  I was in the kitchen making lunch when I heard his excitement.  To be honest I was quite surprised that it actually looked like a real B because we haven't practiced it!  He's very proud of his work, can't you tell?!

Ben's Halloween Party

 Ben's been looking forward to his very OWN Halloween party for a while!  Mommy was in charge of it this year and got to plan the craft, game and lunch.  The kids seemed to have a fun time...that's all that matters!

 Ben putting together his pumpkin sun catcher

I love his enthusiasm!

Proud that he's singing!!

 Jaelyn was able to attend his party because of early release day!  She was such a big helper for mommy...making sure Brooke was occupied, cleaning up after the craft, and helping set up all the food.  One of the mommies asked if she could take her home because she was such a great helper

 Brooke sportin' her lady bug costume!

 Ben the fireman enjoying his lunch (hot dog mummies, yellow/orange veggies, cheetos/doritos, fruit, & brownie cupcakes)

Brooke chillin' on the circle time rug!

swimming update

I haven't posted about swimming lessons for Jaelyn & Benjamin in a while...so here are a few video clips!  Ben has been on 2 floats for a couple weeks and Jaelyn continues to get better and LOVE swimming!!

our little peanut

Oh sweet little Brooke.  You are stressing this Momma out right now!  You haven't gained an ounce since your 4 month check up!  Are you just gonna be a petite little girl?  Or is something else going on....is it me or you?  This past week of trying to supplement with formula after I've nursed you has gone horrible and it has turned into a battle...ending with both of us in tears!  Before your check up you were eating like a champ from the highchair (rice cereal/oatmeal/winter squash).  Now, that has become a battle too and you don't want to have anything to do with it.  I think forcing you to eat is the opposite of what we should do...that's what my gut is saying (however we go in for a weight check in a couple days!)  So, tomorrow it's just you and me kid...no bottle and no solid food...hoping to take the stress out of eating so you get back on track!  And for now, I'm back to eating ice cream and putting my selfish wants (getting this extra baby weight off) on the back burner.  Hoping and praying for a good check up on Thursday at Dr. Dave's office.

 Can you be any cuter?!

daddy & ben's pumpkin carvin' night

Ben has been eagerly looking forward to this night where he gets to go with Daddy to preschool to carve his pumpkin.  He's watched Jaelyn go the past couple years and now it's finally his turn!!

 Ben and Daddy heading out the door for some fun!

Ben & Daddy decided what they were going to carve (Daddy did the work while Ben played with his buddy Lincoln!)

We know this song by heart at our house! 

more soccer!

 Jaelyn going towards goal!

Yep, it wouldn't be the Pacific Northwest if it didn't rain at least one time during our season!  Actually we were super lucky and had gorgeous weather every time we had our practice/game night except for this last one!  It's still fun to play in the rain, though!

 Ryder & Jaelyn are good friends - they were at the same preschool for 2 years together. 

Lindsay, Jaelyn, Heidi

Friends Jaelyn made on her soccer team

Jaelyn had a fun season - and was thankful Daddy was the coach!  She seems to be a natural athlete and pretty aggressive with the soccer ball (I don't know where she got that from...ha!) - - we'll see if she wants to do spring soccer.  She already informed us that she didn't want to do indoor (with her buddies Ethan and Ryder) because Daddy wasn't the coach.  I'm not sure how we are going to get past the fear/anxiety of other male coaches!!  All in time, I guess! 

in love....

...with his little sister!

Ben, I pray that this continues through your whole lifetime!  The way you look after Brooke and make sure that she is taken care of (getting her toys to play with, getting her a blankie or even sharing your special blankie with her, asking to hold her, telling mommy if she has a dirty diaper, or even jumping in the bath tub while she is taking a bath to play with her, oh and you can't forget about the many/many kisses and hugs through out the day...it's just oh so sweet!  May you protect & love her your whole life!

school picture!

Here is Jaelyn's kindergarten picture - pretty good one, if I don't say so myself!  Jaelyn is flourishing in Kindergarten and loves going to school each and every day.  It's amazing to watch how her reading is taking off!  We got her DIEBELS assessment results back (these are done in September, January, & May) and she knocked it out of the park.  In September their goal for first sound fluency is 10 correct letter sounds per minute....well, she scored 30 (which is the end of the year goal!).  The Letter Naming Fluency goal is 8 correct letter names per minute and she did 74 (which far succeeds the May goal of 40 per minute).  At this point her favorite part of Kindergarten is "doing math"!  And her favorite friends are Lindsay & Eliana (but this changes daily!).  It's so neat to hear her talk about different friends she plays with at recess.  I do pray that she finds wonderful friends this year!

ben & lil kickers

Benjamin & Daddy have been doing lil kickers together on Saturday mornings.  It's a fun program & it gives Ben special daddy/son bonding time as well as a chance to knock the ball around.  He is super cute when he comes home and tries to explain all the fun little games they get to play.  And you can't forget about stamps at the end...a stamp on each hand plus one on his belly!

 Pretty excited to be at his own soccer practice...and not having to watch his older sister!

Coach Brian and the kids in Ben's class

 Nothing but determination.  This kid can dribble the ball quite well!

 A natural leftie!

 Don't ya love the outfit he picked out?  Yep, his favorite color is red!!

Having a blast running around the soccer field!

finally....rice cereal!

Brooke has been showing signs of wanting to eat for awhile now, but this Momma just couldn't get it together and kept putting it off until tonight!  I'm not a fan of this phase of feeding because it takes a lot longer than nursing and is way more messy...not to mention trying to figure out how to squeeze it in with all the other daily activities we do...but this baby girl is ready to eat so we did it!

Here are the faces of getting her first bite of rice cereal!!

 She is so happy to be a big girl and starting to eat in a highchair!

 Gotta love the tongue sticking straight out!

 Mom, what is this stuff?

 Maybe just a bit got in her mouth this time?!  Ha!

 Daddy showing her how it's done!  (sorry, babe!)

 She's starting to figure out how it's done!!  Yay!

 A full belly!  Life is good!

 

6 months!

 Brooke is 6 months old today!!  

Here is what she is up to these days:

• I started her on rice cereal...yep I waited until she was 6 months old because this stage of feeding takes SO long and it's definitely not my favorite!  I feel like we are eating all day long - nursing and eating baby food!
• she must be teething or something...she is a bit more crabby lately, is waking up in the night (boo hoo), chewing on anything in sight and drooling a ton.  However, I know that those little teeth of hers could still take awhile to break through the gum or they could come soon!
• enjoys the jumperoo
• rolls over immediately when you lay her on the floor and props herself up with her arms.  she can roll back to her back, but she doesn't always do that and cries out for help
• typically goes to bed between 7 and 7:30pm
• doesn't mind getting her fingernails cut!  (praise the Lord!)
• loves eating her big toe!
• still spits up - some days she doesn't spit up at all and then there are days where she spits up after every feeding....can't figure it out!  oh well, hope she'll out grow it soon!
• Weight:  13 lbs 15.5 oz (15%)...oh little Ms. Brooke...you didn't gain anything since your last check up at 4 months.  You are our little peanut, however Dr. Dave is having us supplement with formula.  So far I'm 0-4 with you even getting a drop in your mouth....you close your mouth tightly or you let it dribble out the sides.  Hopefully Momma will win this battle. :) 
• Height:  25.5 inches (40%)

 Always quick to give a full body smile or giggle!

Ben's first field trip!

 Ben's preschool class went to Oxbow farm.  What an awesome place for a field trip!!  It was a gorgeous day too...so it was a wonderful morning spent with my little guy!  The kids went around the 23 acre farm with Farmer Dana and got a chance to eat an apple, carrot, purple cauliflower, bean, grapes, tomatoes & rhubarb (although I'm sure I'm missing other veggies) - straight off the garden!  What a fantastic way to teach them about how food grows!!   

 The kids going to dig out their carrot!

  Ben pulled out 3 carrots!

 Look at this gigantic carrot!  He was in heaven...he almost ate the entire thing!

 Inside the "creepy tepee" - made from bean stalks!  They got a little lesson about the importance of worms...and then got to hold them!  What fun!

 Of course, we couldn't leave the farm without sitting on the tractor!

 Brooke came along for the ride...she did pretty well seeing that she completely missed her morning nap.  She just rolls with the punches.  We love her for that!!