Tumbling

Leila just got done with her tumbling class and had so much fun doing it.  This is the third time she has taken this class but she never gets sick of it.  Her little body is just built for gymnastics and her teacher commented each week on how strong she is.  She learned durning this session how to do a backwards roll and a round off all by herself.

Coughs

Since Greydon got RSV back in November his has had a cough on and off since then.  I kept taking him into the doctor to be checked out and they always told me the same thing, it's just a virus and his lungs sound fine and he is not struggling to breath so he should be ok and then they would send us on our way.  Well about two months ago he got another cough that sounded pretty nasty but he wasn't struglling to breath and was still as happy as ever so I didn't bother to take him in figuring they would just tell be the same thing as they had in the past.  Well one morning he woke up with a rash over his entire back and he had had a fever on and off so I took him in but of course by the time we got in the rash was pretty much gone, well the doctor checked him out anyway and said his lungs didn't sound good and that  he needed breathing treatments.  Well I felt aweful I wasn't even bringing him in for the cough and he ends up needing treatments.  We did treatments for a week, night time was the best because he would just sleep through it but durning the day he hated it.  We stopped doing the treatments because he sounded much better but several days later Leila caught something and passed it onto Greydon and the coughing started right back up so we continued with treatments for about another two weeks.  He is finally cough free, yay!

Our happy guy, nice and healthy!

3 years and 6 months

My friend Marci took pictures of the kids last week and she did such a good job I just love how they turned out! Here are a few..

Great Weekend

We had such a fun weekend, well more I had such a fun weekend but some of the fun included the entire family.  On Friday we went to our friend's Cinco de Mayo party.  They made a delicious taco bar and then we all brought side dishes and dessert.  They also had a pinata for the kids, once it was broken Leila jumped right in and started gathering candy but instead of picking it up she crouched down and started shoveling it under her dress.  I think she enjoyed this pinata the most because for once she was one of the older kids and wasn't being pushed out of the way by older kids. It was a great night with friends and nice to be with Paul before all the crazy test studying started. 

On Saturday I took Leila to her dance class and she met a new friend named Jocey.  When then headed over to the Dekker's for Brig's 3rd birthday party.  We missed the beginning because of the dance class but still made it in time for some of the activities.  Casie did such a good job planning the Cars party and had so many fun games and activities. I think my favorite part was when they handed out little Driver's Licenses for all the kids. 

(I had to bribe Leila with cake and ice cream to be in the picture)

(playing red light green light with their cars)

Showing off her driver's license

That night I got to go out with some of my girlfriends to celebrate Rylee and Kristine's birthdays and to say goodbye to Melissa.  It seriously was so much fun and couldn't believe we didn't get home until around 11:30.  We went to dinner at Pei Wei and then headed down to the Strip to have dessert at Serendipity.  I got their famous frozen hot chocolate, which was so delicious! We talked and talked and had tons of laughs.

Me, Rylee and Katie

All the girls at Serendipity

I seriously love all these girls, they have made me feel so welcome and have made living away from family such a wonderful experience.  I don't know what I would do without them!

Then of course Sunday was great because it was Mother's Day!  I got to sleep in, have a delicious breakfast in bed, recieved a new Flip video camera, my house was cleaned (by Paul), a super yummy dinner was made by Paul, we all took a 2 1/2 hour nap, I recieved a lemon bundt cake (young women were having a fundraiser and Paul ordered one for me) which was sooo good, I didn't have to do the dishes once durning the day and then I got a relaxing massage and to curl up and watch a movie before bed.  I was seriously spoiled I have such a wonderful husband and kids!

my ymmy bundt cake, and the only picture I took on Mother's Day

So that pretty much sums up my wonderful weekend, I just wish all weekends could be this great!

6 months

Oh man my little guy is 6 months old and the time has just flown by!  Greydon is just a pure joy in our family.  He is so happy  we just love him so much.  I am so thankful that he is such a calm, easy going baby because I don't think I would have been able to handle a fussy baby and a very stubborn 3 year old at the same time.

We took Greydon in for his 6 month check today and he did great.  The doctor gave him and A+ and said he was doing wonderfully.  He also said Greydon's eye color is probably set and wouldn't change much I kind of laughed and said really ok then what color are his eyes because I sure can't tell what color they are, he looked at them and said kind of hazel, well a bluish brown.  His eyes are definitely interesting in color but I think they still are changing a bit and will probably end up brown. 

He weighed 18lbs 10 oz, was 27 inches tall and his head was 44 3/4 cm, all are about the 75th percentile!

(today at the doctor's office)

He did great getting his 3 shots today, he cried while they were giving him them but once I picked him up he stopped crying, what a tough little guy!

Greydon's hair is turning blond and starting to get much thicker.  He has his two bottom teeth, luckily they came in pretty quickly and the pain and drooling only lasted a couple of days.  He is in 9 month size clothes and some 12 month size.  He wears size 3 diapers but will probably move to size 4 when we use up all the 3's.  He gets pretty constipated ever since we started him on solids but he doesn't get to cranky about it.  He had another cough recently and had to go on breathing treatments to help clear it up. 

Greydon's favorite food: Oatmeal with mixed fruit, sweet potatoes, mangos, pears and mama's milk

He has tried most baby foods and likes most of them except green beans and bananas

Greydon nurses about every 3 hours and has solids for breakfast, lunch and before bed

Greydon takes 3 naps a day, usually from 8:30-10:30, 12:30-2, and then 4-6

He goes to bed around 8 but still is not sleeping through the night, I usually have to get up and give him his binky several times and then feed him around 4:30, he then is awake between 6 and 7

He still likes to be wrapped up before being layed down but usually has his hands out in just a few minutes and of course he has to have his binky

Greydon loves his sister from a distance, he will laugh and giggle when she dances or jumps around him but if she gets too close he starts crying (she tends to be a little rough when she gets too close)

Poor kid is the victim of Leila playing dress ups, the sad thing is this probably won't be the last time he is put in a skirt by his sister

Greydon can sit up on his own, roll from tummy to back and back to tummy,  and he scoots around a little bit on his tummy (mostly in circles, unless there is a toy he is trying to get to)

He found his toes a couple of weeks ago and loves to suck on them.  His hands are super busy and quick, if I have a cup or food anywhere near him his hands are immediately grabbing it.  He loves to babble and talk to us and loves to say da da da, I know he doesn't know what it means but he sure likes to say it a lot

He is much more content being in his car seat for car rides, he loves going to the park and is so good for several hours there, he loves to go grocery shopping and loves to sit in the front of the cart, he likes playing in his exersaucer and sitting on the ground playing with toys all around him, and he still likes being in the snugli and will kick his feet almost the entire time he is in it.  He is a pretty social guy and smiles at anyone that will give him attention, and he gets called handsome all the time.

Greydon loves the bath and takes one every night, he also loves the shower and will take one with me several times a week

We love watching you grow and learn new things every day. We love our happy, chubby baby!

Splash pad

We go to the park most days but it has started to get quite warm but now they have the water fountains on so its tolerable to go to the park and not melt in the heat.  Leila loved the fountains last year but it took her quite a while to warm up to the fountains this year but once she did she had a blast.

Greydon and me enjoying the water

The sun and water wore him out, I laid him down and started feeding him a bottle and he was crashed in just a few minutes

Moms

I am so lucky and blessed to have two wonderful moms in my life, my mom and my mother-in-law!  My mom is seriously such an amazing women who knows how to do pretty much anything and not afraid to try to learn something new.  Growing up she could pretty much fix anything or remodel anything, I wish I had just the the tiniest bit of that talent, sometimes I am just too afraid to try but she never is.  But lucky for me everytime she comes to visit us she ends up helping me with all the things I need fixed around my home and teaching me so I can do it the next time.  She is also so selfless and willing to help others.  I think everytime I talk to her she is busy taking someone to a doctor's appointment or taking someone dinner or going to visit someone that is sick, she spends so much time taking care of others.  She is such a good example to me and I hope to develop many of her wonderful qualities.  I love you Mom! 

I am also lucky to have the best mother-in-law, and don't have one complaint about her.  I love spending time with her and our chats on the phone.  She is so willing to help and will do whatever I ask of her but never steps on my toes.  She is fun and never afraid to get down and play with the kids.  She is such a hard worker, full of energy and a great example to me.  We love you Connie! 

And lastly I am incredilbly blessed to be the mom of two wonderful children.  I never could have imagined having so much love for two little people.  I love that Leila and Greydon were sent to me and that I get to be their mom.  I am so happy I am able to be at home with them and would not trade it for any other job in the world.  I love you babies!

Sleepy

The other day we were out shopping and I had Greydon in the front of the cart.  He was being really good and not fussy at all so it surprised me when I looked down and he was asleep.  At first he was sleeping sitting up and holding on to the cart but pretty soon his head sank and he rested it on the front of the cart.

Summer is coming

We went swimming for the first time this year last week.  The water was freezing but the kids still loved it.  Leila floated around in Greydon's floatie and played on the step.  At one point she accidently slipped off the step and it took me a couple of seconds before I could get to her.  Luckily it didn't scare her too bad and she wanted to keep playing in the water but with a little bit more safety as you can see from the picture below

Floatie and life jacket!

Greydon and Grace playing
At one point Greydon tipped over but it didn't upset him too bad he only cried for a couple of seconds.  I am really glad he likes the water since we will be spending a lot of time in it this summer

I love how he is just reclining while floating around