Fall Break

School is much different then when I went many moons ago.  I never heard of Fall Break until we moved to CO but I can't complain.  It's a nice break for the kids and it's nice not to be on a rigid schedule.

The first part of Fall Break, I got to take a little break and visit Robyn in N. Carolina.  I think this was the first time I had flown by myself (no kids, and no Troy) since before kids.  Wow!  It was nice just to sit back and relax and enjoy my book during the flight.

The weather was GORGEOUS while I was out there.  It was a little early for the leaves to start changing colors but everything was soooo green.  One of the days, Robyn, the girls and I headed to Duke University and walked around their gardens.  It was so pretty.

 We also walked a little bit on campus and came across their chapel.  

The architecture was incredible.  Not just on campus but all around N. Carolina.  It was really cool to see some of the historic stuff.

We also hit up the park one day and cute London had some crazy hair!  It was a quick visit but it was soo good to see Robyn and catch up.

Towards the end of Fall Break, Grandma and Uncle Taylor came out.  The kids love it when family comes.

We hit up the zoo.  I think Connor just wanted to ride the train and I did find out that he's free since he's under 42 inches.  I guess that's a benefit for being a little on the short side.  :)

Brooke didn't care for the train and opted to do the carousel instead.  With a little twisting of the arm, she convinced Uncle Taylor to join her. 

The 2 weeks of Fall Break went quick and now here we are at the end of October.  Can't believe Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner. 

Photo Dump

Here is my attempt to get all caught up...

Dylan is officially 6 months, 2 weeks, and 5 days old.  Life has gone by in a flash but I'm trying to take in each moment with him.  Stats are in and it's official...he's our biggest baby:
Weight: 18 lbs. (54%) - Brooke (14 lbs. 10 oz)  Connor (16 lbs.  11 oz.)
Height: 28" (89%) - Brooke (26 3/4")  Connor (26 1/2")
Head: 17 3/4" (80%) - Brooke (16 7/8")  Connor (17 1/2")

I held off until 4 1/2 months before I started feeding him solids.  He loved it from the very beginning.  We started him with rice cereal and veggies for the first month.  He was happy but once we introduced him to fruits he was in another world.

As of late he's been blowing raspberries...it's great fun while he's being fed.  I've resorted to wearing a mask and an apron to keep myself protected.

He's scooting everywhere...backwards that is.  Besides moving backwards he's getting really good at pivoting on his tummy which makes him able to get to places.  It's kind of fun to see where he ends up.

Dylan is such a great baby which is being good for being the third.  Poor kid rarely catches a break when it comes to napping.  More than half the time, I need to wake him up to pick up the older 2 from school (at separate times)

Connor played soccer for the first time this fall. 3 year-olds playing soccer is always an adventure, but Connor did great and got lots of playing time, since he was always willing to be on the field (not crying, rolling around, etc.). We will work on his assertiveness, but he enjoys kicking the ball, and even scored a goal (on the right goal) in his last game of the season.

 Connor is also warming up to the idea of being a big brother. He is more helpful and playful with Dylan. We look forward to when Dylan is older and they can really play together.

Though it may not always be peaceful...

Birthday weekend with Ed and Joanna

Ed and Joanna came out in late September to celebrate some birthdays and spend some time with the kids. First was Ed's birthday, when we had lemon poppy seed for breakfast. We like to celebrate our birthdays promptly on the hour.

If you look close enough, you'll see the remnants of a tear in Connor's right eye. This is candle blowout #2, after Connor was slow to the blow on #1 and was none to happy about it.

 We went to the Denver Botanical Gardens that was also doing a Chihuly exhibit.

It was beautiful to walk around and see all the plants and the blown glass.

 It inspired Brooke to strike some poses as well.

A gorgeous day.

Tracie's parents left, and then I had to head out of town on business, on the afternoon of Tracie's birthday. We at least were able to eat a nice breakfast together before I headed to the airport.

The Cowan's were nice enough to have Tracie and the kids over for dinner, They even spoiled her with a coconut lime cheesecake.

Brooke lost one of her front teeth a few weeks ago. We've been enjoying the gap in her teeth, but she wasn't content there.

Brooke and Connor were having a 'sleepover' and apparently one of their peaceful quiet games got a bit rough. Next thing we knew, we had a hockey player!

Summer is Over

Where did the summer go?  I blink and we're now at the end of August with 2 full weeks of school behind us.  The summer was busy and full of fun.  Here's what the kids were up to:

Connor and Brooke had swim lessons.  Brooke was a fish.  Connor was hesitant.  He'd get in the water but wouldn't put his head in the water or blow bubbles.  Brooke passed her class...Connor has to repeat.  What a stinker!

We celebrated Brooke's birthday by going to the Butterfly Pavilion.  Our library has a great thing called the Adventure Pass and we can get free admission to various places in the Denver area. 

They loved see on the creepy, crawling things.  Connor was even brave enough to hold Rosie, the tarantula.

I tried to show Brooke that I, too, was brave enough to do it.  Severe anxiety set in and all I wanted to do was clench my hand into a fist.  Good thing the lady was there to keep my hand open.  Can cross that off my bucket list!

We also hit up a Skyfox game with the Cowans.  This was 3 years in a row that we've gone to a baseball game for her birthday.  I think we'll make this a tradition.

The start of school was mostly a great success.  The day before school we found out that Brooke made it into the 1/2 combo.  During last school year, her teacher mentioned that Brooke would do well in the 1/2 combo.  When it came time for testing, Brooke was borderline making the class so we were told that she was in regular 1st grade.  Come to find out less than 24 hours before school is to start a kid had moved and there was a spot for Brooke.

She was really excited to go back to school and see her friends but for some reason she thought that the regular 1st graders went to school for 1/2 day and came home wishing that school was 1/2 day every day.  Boy, is she in for a nice surprise for the next 12 years!

Connor started preschool the following week.  He LOVES it and is so excited that he gets to go to school the same time as Brooke.  He walked right in and never looked back.

Connor also started soccer.  He's a little bit more aware of the ball but is still timid to kick it when there's a big group of kids around the ball.

Brooke doesn't mind hanging out during practices and games.  She still has a fascination with the rubber pellets from the turf.

Troy got Brooke to ride her bike with no training wheels. Hooray!!!! She was a little nervous at first but took to it like a champ.

I even went out with her yesterday to ride around in our cul-de-sac and she did great.  She does forget that she can brake and ends up crashing on the grass to stop.

Since the older kids have been in school, Dylan and I have enjoyed our time together.  He's such a great baby and doesn't mind getting shuttled around.  It's amazing how much faster we can get through Costco with the older two.

I'm a month late but Dylan's 4 month stats were:
Weight:  14 lbs. 10 oz. (34%)
Height:  25 3/4 inches (69%)
Head: 16 3/4 inches (49%)

I can't believe how fast he's growing.  He's already fitting into 6-9 month sleepers and has been for the last couple weeks. 

Two weeks ago he started rolling from his back to his tummy.  It's rare that he'll stay on his back for more than a few minutes before he rolls over.  The downside...he forgets that he can roll back onto his back. 

 

I was planning on waiting until around 5 months to start him on rice cereal but he was looking like he was not satisfied with his bottles.  He loves his rice cereal and is pretty decent at eating it.  Now, if only we could keep his hands out of his mouth it would make feeding much cleaner.

Along with rolling he is also pivoting and scootching.  There have been many times that I've put him down facing one way and I come back and he's either scooted away from his original spot or has rotated himself.

It's actually kind of funny to see when we put him down at night and to see where he's traveled in his crib.  Many a times he's opposite from where he started.

 

As of late, Dylan has decided that he wants to grow up even faster and has started thinking about crawling.  I'm so not ready for this.  Any bets on whether he'll be crawling sooner than Connor did right at 7 months???

Bye Bye School! Hello Summer! (Beware: Pic Overload)

With the end of May we finished up Brooke's spring soccer season and kindergarten.  I can't believe we have a 1st grader in the midst.  Brooke did fabulous this year.  She loves school and everything about it.  She really excelled in reading and math.  Maybe we have another actuary on our hands.  Wouldn't Troy be proud!  Spring soccer went better than the Fall but I don't think we've got a soccer player in our family...yet.  She did manage to score her first and only goal.  I'm so sad that I missed it too!  I was teaching piano.  Troy promised her a dime for every time her foot touched the ball.  I think she walked away with $2.

Once school ended we headed up to Breckenridge to spend some time with Troy's parents, Taylor, Shane and Heather and their family.  Right before we left Brooke managed to sprain her ankle during dance.  Too much slipping and sliding in her tap shoes.  Luckily it didn't put too much of a damper on our weekend.  She kept the splint on for a few days and by Saturday she was as good as new.

 

The weekend was spent walking downtown, playing in the park, and hanging out at the condo.  The weather was perfect.  We even got a dusting of snow Sunday.  Snow in June!! 

  

(Fun flashback to Oct. 2010.  How much these girls have grown!)

  

Connor could spend all day swinging...as long as there is someone to push him.  Any takers?

 

The guys even had some good tetherball matches.

 

Taylor teaching the kids the true way of playing Go Fish.

  

We even had a visitor every night.  There were 2 foxes that hung around the condo.  They showed no fear at all.  Our neighbor says that they like to eat eggs.I think that's telling.

  

Dylan took his first sink bath.  He didn't mind it too much but I definitely had to keep a good grip on him.

  

We celebrated Easton's 3rd birthday complete with minions and mustaches.

 

 We are going to miss this family when they take off for Japan.  Luckily a trip to Japan is in the works for Winter 2015.

The week we got back from Breckenridge was crazy busy.  I was still teaching piano preparing for my recital at the end of the week and Brooke had her first dance recital.  Thankfully her ankle healed just fine.  Both Troy and I weren't sure how she would do performing in front of a crowd but she did awesome!

 

She also loved getting all dolled up and sat perfectly still while getting her make up and hair done.

Once the piano and dance recitals were done it was on to CA for a family vacation with my family.  We spent a few days at my parents' house.

We were able to meet up with a couple of my cousins for lunch.  Brooke and Connor were so excited to see Coco.

We hit up a place called Underwood Farms.  The kids loved it.  They fed the four legged animals, drove tractors, rode ponies, and picked strawberries to their hearts' content.

Connor even got to ride on the cow train all by himself.  He's the little orange dot in the middle of the train.

After spending a couple of days at my parents' house we all headed down to San Diego to meet up with Will and his family.  

First things first was to hit up the beach.  We found a great spot along the marina.  No waves but plenty of sand and water to dig in.  The kids loved it!  I loved it even more because I didn't need to stress about waves toppling the kids.

Thursday and Friday were spent at Legoland and Legoland Waterpark.

Once again, Brooke showed her need for speed.  She loved all the roller coasters.

Connor, on the other hand, loved the slow and steady rides.  We forced him to go on a mini roller coaster and did not like it at all.

 Dylan spent majority of the time either in his stroller or hanging out in the Bjorn.  He was such a trooper and rarely fussed.

Now we're back home...for 2 weeks before we head out again.  The kids just started swimming lessons and are doing great.  The rest of the time, the days are spent playing and horsing around with each other.

Other news...Dylan just turned 3 months!!!  I can't believe it.  3 months?!?!?!?!  I meant to blog about his 2 month appointment but time got away.  Here's the quick update:
Weight: 12 lbs. 3 oz.(50%)
Height: 23 1/2 inches (58%)
Head: 15 3/4 inches (40%)
I must admit that it's kind of fun to compare Dylan and Connor.  Connor definitely had the more compact look whereas Dylan is longer and a little leaner.

At 3 months Dylan is sleeping through the night.  Hallelujah!!  I finished up nursing about a couple weeks ago due to Raynaud's Phenomenon.  It was awful and very stressful not knowing when I would experience pain.

Dylan is still working on his hairline.  This was taken around his 2 month mark.  Thankfully his hair is starting to fill in and he doesn't look too much like an old man!  Now he has more hair than Connor did at a year old.  He smiles and coos all the time.  His demeanor is similar to Connor - chill and relaxed.  I suppose that must come with being the third child!  Brooke and Connor are great older siblings.  They love to talk and play with him which comes in handy when we're out and about in the car. 

I think that about covers everything until now.  Here's hoping that I can be on top of things and post more often!