A few weeks ago a friend of mine took our family pictures. Ok, so they're just pics of the kids- but that's what people want to see anyways. :) My friend is starting up a photography business and needed some practice and the last time I had hired anyone to do family pics was when Autumn turned 2 and Weston was 6 months old. Well now Bailey is 6 months old, Weston's 2 and Autumn is 4. It was about time to have a go at it again.
These are just a few of my favorites:
Some things I love about them, is how smiley Bailey is, and how easy it was for them to get good pics of her. (another one of her from the shoot is in the previous post as well) It was over 100 degrees that day and we went and did pictures at 5:30 and at a really fun park. The kids were hot, not very cooperative, and just wanted to play. Stop and take pics? What? Hence the one with all 3 of them, the reason Baileys smiling and the other kids aren't, she doesn't realize how fun a park can be.
Last week I took Autumn and Bailey to the dr. for their well visits. I always love seeing how much they weigh and how tall they've gotten.
Weight: 15.1 lbs. (25th %)
Height: 26 1/2 in. (75th %)
Head: 43 cm (50th %)
Bailey at 6 months is so smiley, happy, and easy going. My easiest baby by far. The only thing remotely difficult about her is her lack of interest in baby food. She doesn't mind cereal or oatmeal- it's all the other untexturized food- green beans, bananas, peas, apples, etc... My favorite thing about her- whether she has napped for 3 hours and just gotten up or if she slept 15 min and got woken up by a sibling screaming, or if she is dog tired and fighting sleep- she is as happy as a clam. She is babbling, rolling in all directions and watching her try to figure out why she can't go forwards and only crawls backwards and in circles cracks me up. I hope she stays this easy.
Autumn at 4 years old has lived true to the claim that once kids are 4, they're over that terrible 2's and 3's stage. I originally hoped that at midnight on her birthday a magic switch would turn old behaviors off and she'd be over all that 2 and 3 year old mess. It didn't happen. It took about a month and now Autumn and I are getting along in ways I worried we never would. She isn't as big of a handful as she used to be and I rarely find myself reprimanding her. I am loving age 4 for so far! My favorite thing about her- seeing her light up with positive praise and when I get on to her brother about something she's quick to tell me that she's not doing that and she's being good. :) She's a big help with Bailey (and Weston) and she is doing amazing with learning to read. She amazes me and surprises me everyday.
I knew with summer coming I would need something to keep Autumn busy. That girl has a knack for learning and just eats it up. With preschool being out and looking at all she accomplished last year in preschool I knew the only thing left was teaching Autumn to read. I was hesitant at first, she is barely 4. But she needed something new and different.
I taught her her letters at 18 months old, and she could recognize all her letters, a few colors, a few shapes, recognized numbers up to 10, and count to 20 by age 2. By 2 1/2 she knew all the letter sounds. I loved being the one responsible for teaching her. I took such pride when we would be at friends or a family members house and she would start spouting off letters she saw on a blanket, shirt, wall, etc... and she wasn't even 3 yet. It made me light up.
It's no secret Autumn is difficult, but she is on her best behavior when her and I sit one on one and do something educational. There's no denying how smart this girl is and I for one do not want to hold her back. I have had a book that teaches how to read for over a year and have gone over it so that I had it perfect when the opportunity presented itself to teach Autumn. Summer is here, and this was my moment. We are only into day 11 of the lessons, and she can read the simple 2 and 3 letter words in the lesson. I don't know what to expect when the lessons get harder and instead of just e and a sounds there is ea, ou sounds how she will do. But so far this has been right on her level.
I took a video because during the lesson she just shocked me, occasionally I have to redirect her attention to where I am pointing and have her say it slow and sound out the words. But she was doing it perfectly. I then tell her I am going to video and you can see minor distractions but she kept wanting to see the screen and the video itself. I am so proud of her.
I want Autumn to keep up this love for learning and be excited about it. So far that's all I have ever seen from her when it comes to learning and I want to help keep that up.
The summer heat is on it's way and before I know it we will be enjoying (maybe enduring is a better word) the hot Arizona heat. I remember last summer getting our electric bill and Drew & I were just shocked and realized we had to change some things. We turned the thermostat up 2 more degrees, I only ran the dishwasher right when we went to bed at night, and I only used the washer/dryer early in the morning or really late at night. We also "tried" ( I use it loosely because I could've tried harder) to cut back on using the oven, stove, crock pot...anything that would heat up my kitchen/home. This summer I am determined to cut back on it even more.
I am prepared to make burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, steak, etc...out on the grill and a friend yesterday suggested putting my crockpot in the garage or on the back patio if I use it. But I don't want to get too bored with grilling or eating the same things every week. The 120 degree weather is hard to bear and I won't necessarily want to be outside grilling in that heat anyways. I am looking for new "cool" summer food ideas.
So my question is, what do you cook or prepare in the summer to keep your homes cool?
Last Wed. (5/18) evening Autumn's school held a preschool graduation. It was really sweet to see all the 3, 4, & 5 year olds from the two afternoon classes up on the stage singing songs they had learned through the year and then have them walk across the stage and receive their "diploma." I am so glad that even the kids who aren't graduating and will be back next year (like Autumn) got to participate and be apart of the ceremony. It was so much fun. I can't believe this time next year I will be talking about Autumn going to Kindergarten. Yikes! I really love this preschool program and all that Autumn has learned from her wonderful teacher and speech therapist.
While at the school, I had the video camera and videoed the performance while Drew watched Weston and Bailey. When Autumn was about to walk across the stage I asked Drew to take a picture with my camera because I only really cared for one picture during the whole thing, Autumn going across the stage. And this is what I got.
Drew's only saving grace is that we get to do this again next year, and I will be taking the pictures. :) He can have the video camera.
So when we got home we took more to make up for it.
I am hoping that this time next year I can qualify Weston for this program. It would be awesome to have Autumn do 2 years at this preschool and then have Weston do it also. That's just how much I love the structure and curriculum of this program.
I can remember this day vividly 4 years ago. I woke up at 4:30 a.m. with insane contractions. I timed them out on our couch for 2 hours, and then called my brother because they were a min. apart (they were living in TN and 2 hours ahead of us so I knew someone was awake to talk to me) and he told me to call his wife. I talk to my sister in law for 5 min, which I am crying the whole time because I am realizing this is the day. She tells me to get to the hospital. So I call my dad who wakes up my mom and she says she will be over soon. I wake up Drew and tell him to get ready, then I shower. We are at the hospital at 9 a.m. I am admitted because I dialated from a 3 to a 4 in the first 30 min I was there. My dad came, then my 2 sisters. I got the epidural, they broke my water, they got everyone out of the room, I pushed for 15 min. and at 4:15 my little girl was born. The first thing I said, "That felt so weird." In reference to feeling Autumn depart my body and enter this world a breathing, screaming person. It was amazing. It was perfect. The dr. and my mom all agreed it was a textbook birth, couldn't have gone any better and congratulated me. I felt so incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful experience with my first!
Now if only she could be as easy as the pregnancy and labor was with her. :)
Here are some quick shots I got of her today before heading to preschool to celebrate with her friends and teachers. I love that this little girl who doesn't sit long for much, will always sit and let me do her hair.
Their birthday is the one day they don't have to be in uniform at preschool, I love it. Happy Birthday Autumn!
5 years ago today I married Drew. I look back over the last 5 years and it seems to have gone by so fast. I can’t believe all we have done and all that’s happened to us over these 5 short years.
Our anniversary is always a day of reflection for me. I remember the nerves, the anxiety, the peace, the overwhelming-ness, and the happiness. The flood of emotions I felt that day were unreal, but I was completely comforted in knowing that I was marrying the right person. He was perfect for me, and still is.
5 years later we have 3 beautiful kids, a lovely home, and many wonderful memories. It’s exciting to think about all the future memories we will make and have.
These are a few of my favorite pics from that awesome day.
I am married to my best friend. We have 2 beautiful daughters and handsome son. I have a B.A. in Food and Nutrition, but my passion is crafts and decorating my home with them. Let me know if you see something you like!
