Otterpups

So here's the kid update for the grandmas...

Emma will turn 5 months old on Monday!  She discovered her toes this month.  Best. Toy. Ever.  Too bad it's still a little chilly for her to go without socks & shoes constantly because she would love that!  She also learned how to blow raspberries, roll over and use the johnny jump up.  She's my only baby who has learned to roll from her back to her tummy first, not the reverse.  She is really consistent at rolling over onto her tummy quickly but gets so angry on her tummy and can't get herself out of it.  I'm sure she'll get it one of these days, but it cracks me up.

Jared getting Emma to laugh

Emma's first time in the johnny jump up tired her out completely :)

Emma in her exersaucer

Jared with the girls at Home Depot Kids craft

 Jonas loves superheroes and swords right now.  We found some avengers action figures for him at the dollar store and he LOVES them.  He barely lets them out of his sight.  EVER.  He has been saying "No fair!"  a lot recently when someone gets something and he doesn't, really accentuating the "a" in fair. I don't like hearing him say it, but the way he says does make me smile.  He is such a boy, but so sweet at the same time that he has a special place in my heart and Jared totally eats up the "boy" stuff.

The boys playing angry birds

Jonas with his avengers

4 kids in a car!

We stopped one day at a nearby field because these were blooming all over town!  So fun and spring-y

 Lillian has been teasing non-stop lately and I feel like I've tried the whole spectrum with her again to no avail.  Ignoring to time outs to bribes to flat out begging.  I finally asked her why she's teasing so much and she responded: "Mom, it's just so fun!"  Granted, her brother and sister give her great reactions and are fairly easy targets, but it's about driving me crazy!  She also got her first bee sting the other day when they were playing outside.  She came in frantic and crying and told me: "I just saw a lady bug flying around and wanted to catch it, so I did, and it stung me!  Because it wasn't a ladybug...It was a bumblebee!"  She recovered fairly quickly but was sure she couldn't go outside the next day "because that bee knew me and wanted to sting me again" so I explained how that bee would never be able to sting anyone, ever again...

Lillian in her bed with the changing pad ready!

She is also wetting the bed frequently.  She did so great at the beginning of the year but now it's hopeless.  We limit drinks and then take her potty before bed.  By 9:30 or 10:00 when Jared or I take her on our way to bed she's often already wet the bed (and she goes down about 8!), and then I'll take her again when I get up to feed the baby and she is so dead asleep she has no idea that she's even peed all over.  She'll even tell me (after I've sometimes even bathed her and changed sheets): "Mom! I stayed dry all night! My sheets are dry" because she desperately wants to succeed.  How could a girl sleep through the whole bath and sheet changing experience after wetting herself?  I don't know... She adores Emma and wants to spend as much time with her as possible.  Here she is trying to help Emma be happy on tummy time

Lillian & Emma on Tummy time

Jocelyn reading

 Jocelyn is finally reading!  She was fighting it big time this whole school year. I felt like she had all the tools and skills necessary and she wouldn't use them, just try to guess at words all the time.  She still tries that a little bit, but has finally moved on to really reading. I'm so excited for her and for the world that will open to her.  In one month my little sister Kelsey will return home from her mission!  The kids are sooooo excited (as am I).  Jocelyn remembered that Kelsey likes word search puzzles so she's been brushing up on her skills so that they can do word searches together when Kelsey returns (Jocelyn's idea).  Lillian is also wearing a hair band around her wrist regularly because she thinks that is what aunt Kelsey does and is telling everyone "I am wearing this for a bracelet like my aunt Kelsey."  Jonas has no idea what's happening because he was not even a year old when she left on her mission, but I'm sure he and Emma will love aunt Kelsey too :)
Jocelyn was asked to read a scripture in front of all the other kids at church, and bear her testimony on two separate occasions.  She went up so confidently and did a fabulous job.  I still can't get over how much progress she has made since the last time she was asked to do this about 7 months ago...she was flailing on the ground and Jared had to pick her up and physically place her in front of the podium and coax her into giving her talk. I'm so glad she is comfortable with public speaking now!

Working on Word searches

 Last weekend the city had their annual Easter egg hunt.  We took the kids and they had a fun time seeing the Easter bunny, collecting eggs, getting to see the fire truck and receive fireman hats, and winning prizes at the stations.  My mom made the girls these cute matching skirts.  She also made Jonas a spiderman cape and matching pjs which I keep forgetting to get a picture of, but he wore the cape grocery shopping the other day and everything.  Thanks mom!

The kids at the Easter Egg Hunt

4 kids and a honey by the bunny

Horrible sickness to Happy St. Patrick's Day

So we've had quite an exciting month. Right after all the travels in February we returned back home and schedules only to be slammed by an onslaught of sicknesses.  Just to give you an idea of how life was going, I posted this on Facebook one night:

I am sooo ready for this week to be over. In the last 7 days I had the flu, my 6 yr. Old had the flu, my newborn and 2 year old got bronchiolitis and are alternating on the nebulizer every few hours and are on 5 prescriptions between the two of them, my house is a wreck, my daughter unintentionally started a small fire at my friend's house, I burned the carrots I was cooking for dinner, I didn't get nearly enough sleep, my husband had to work longer hours because of pending deadlines, and I didn't get anything on my "to-do" list done...thank goodness for my amazing wonderful friends and family who have helped me come through sane. You know who you are and I love you!
 

Emma asleep in swing when she was sick

That pretty much sums up the horribleness(is that a word?) of that week.  I didn't get a picture of poor Emma on the nebulizer because it was too much to balance holding her and the nebulizer and the camera, so here's Jonas at least...

Jonas on Nebulizer

 However, we did have a lot of good things follow that horrible week...My friend Sarita (that I grew up with) happened to be in the country for a little while and we were so glad that she came for an overnight visit with her adorable family.  She came again for another day trip later that week so we could let all the kids run around wild while my mom, Sarita and I had a fabulous time catching up!  We only wish they lived closer.  They spoiled us with gifts and good food and it was such fun to see the two little stinkers run around together and the two babies side by side.

Emma & Miles

Watching Saturday Morning Cartoons

The two little stinkers thought it was hilarious to turn on the "automatic hand dryer" in the bathroom

Library Story time

 We have been on the lookout on Craigslist for a swing set to put up in our backyard.  We did end up getting one that Jared says is "nothing to write home about" and we have to keep reminding the kids when they tell people "We got a new swing set!!"  that it is NEW to US, but not necessarily new.  Jared is hoping to paint it with some stain and fix it up a bit, but the price was right and with such great weather we need more of an incentive for the kids to go play out back.  So, it has certainly served that purpose.  As I mentioned, nothing too notable, but the kids and their friends have had a lot of fun with it.

My friend Tami and I also started teaching a dance class for the girls and some of their friends each week.  I made Jocelyn a deal back in the fall (at her request) that if she played soccer, then I would sign her up for a dance class in the spring.  After looking around again at costs and schedules for dance classes, I realized that in order to find an affordable option that would work in our schedule, I would just need to provide one.  I took years of ballet growing up and my friend Tami took years of Tap and other types of dance so we have been alternating every week teaching the girls a dance class at the church.
With the friends that have agreed to come, we have about 8 girls which ends up being a little bit of crowd control (especially since they range in age from 2 1/2 to 6 1/2), mixed with a little bit of fun and dance.  I've really enjoyed teaching it even though I'm not fabulous at it, but it seems to serve everyone well in terms of price and convenience!  My friend agreed to watch Jonas during that time so I drop Jonas off for a play date with his friend Liam and pick up his older sister to go to dance with us.  Jonas was so proud the first week telling the girls in the car: "No Jocelyn, No Lilly, just play date for Jonas!" and didn't think it lasted long enough!  Of course there are several willing moms to hold Emma while we have class so it's all worked out pretty well.

The girls before dance one day

We had a fun St. Patrick's day and the girls made sure we "accessorized!"  We came across some green nail polish while grocery shopping one day, so they talked me into buying it and we all painted our nails green, but they didn't want to leave Emma out...So we painted her toes :)

We had a few families over for a traditional "corned beef & cabbage" dinner and had everyone bring some green side dishes. It was fun to visit with everyone and then Jared put on some Celtic music at my request and the kids had a "dance off" after we showed them some clips of "Lord of the Dance." Good times.

I also hosted book club at our house later that week and had should have taken pictures of the food (thanks to Tami for the chocolate dipped strawberries :) or the friends or something.  I have really enjoyed being part of this book club for the past couple years and really enjoy stretching myself to read things I normally wouldn't.