Caden turns 6!

Layne and Caden came up with the idea to have a dart gun birthday party and we found great ideas on pinterest!  Here is the invites Layne made for the birthday boy!

We had kind of a crazy birthday week as Caden came home with a fever 2 days before his bithday--I knew something was wrong when he bundled up in his heavy coat and fell asleep on my classroom floor after school that day--so he spent a couple days home with Grandma and got a lot of rest but we had to celebrate his birthday at school on a different day---when he got well he got to bring yummy peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies to kindergarten and he sat on Patty the horse while his friends sang Happy Birthday to him!

Caden got a special package in the mail from Aunt Nell and Uncle Jake with some cool new shirts.

A remote control helicopter from Mom and Dad

More presents and a cool new CARS bike helmet

Family birthday lunch with cousins Conner and Greyson--we had Brynn's birthday in the morning, a family lunch, and Caden's party in the afternoon--it was quite a day, but great to spend the day with family and friends!

Caden wanted a chocolate cake with darts--so here is Layne's masterpiece!

We rented a barn and had about 12 boys come shoot different targets--Layne had about 3 stations--shooting pop cans was a favorite!

They could also shoot and get a score!

Then we put up tables and gave everyone safety glasses and let them shoot each other--it was enjoyed!

Happy 6th Birthday to my favorite boy! 

 He didn't feel the best, but we managed to still have the party and it went well and the boys had fun!  Big thank you to all who came out to the barn to help reload many dart guns and help with kid management--it was really appreciated!

Lakyn got a lot of love and also took a little nap during the party!

Present time--Caden had a lot of help unwrapping!

After the party--Avery and Lakyn had some bonding cousin time!

Hugs and Kisses--what a great way to end the day!

Lakyn is 5 months!

 5 months does not seem possible but here we are!

What a month it has been--some ups and downs but we still have a lot of smiles!

Lakyn came down with a bad cough this month that lasted for about 2 weeks--Dr. thought she had allergies or a little cold but hard to listen to your little one cough for so long!

Shortly after the cough left--Lakyn was grumpy and not herself--no real signs of anything, but something did not seem right---so back to the DR. we went again and we found out she had bumps/sores by her throat which is a virus--along with those bumps usually comes a high fever (she had a low grade fever for 2 days) and also some aches and pains--which is probably why she was grumpy--so we should be on the mend, but needless to say she has not been sleeping well at night!

No official weight or height check this month--she is growing but a lot of people still tell me how little she looks--she sure looks big to me, but she is wearing some 3 month clothes still or 3-6  month clothes!  We did graduate to size 2 diapers.

Lakyn has rolled over a couple times and LOVES her feet as you can tell from all the feet pictures below.  We also have started to introduce rice cereal--she loved sitting in the high chair and watching us eat so we thought we would go ahead and give her cereal since she was so interested and she has really done well with it.  Lakyn is still nursing about every 3 hours--and most of the time this includes the night too---grrr--one of this days--she will remember how to sleep all night because she has done it a couple times!  When she is up and fed--she is full of smiles and sounds, but when she is hungry or tired that girl can scream and fuss--I think she has a little bit of a temper!

Miss Lakyn loves, loves, loves her bath--and her feet!

 

Trying out the high chair!

Big brother Caden took this picture---rice cereal time!

I can even play the piano with my feet!

 

Here are my feet again--I do this in the stroller as well!

 

She is still my snuggle bug but this momma is ready to sleep a bit more at night---I have to remind myself that this phase will too pass!

Her smiles makes it all worth it!

Brynn's 4th Birthday

Love, Love, Love the joy and imagination of this age!  

Brynn wanted a Cinderella Party for her birthday--she wanted people to come over and watch the movie Cinderella and eat cake--and that is exactly what we did!

Layne did the super cute invites!

Mommy and Daddy got Brynn a princess bike--with a basket in front for all her treasures!

Brynn finally decided to take ice cream and chocolate syrup to Val's for special birthday treats but it was a big decision between Popsicles, teddy grams, or ice cream!

Here is the birthday girl on her birthday!

We had Brynn's party the morning of the 27th--the princess was all smiles and Layne did an amazing job on her castle cake!

Present time--she greeted everyone at the door with--"Where's my present!"  

So proud of her manners!

Pink baseball bag for tball!

Perfect present for party day--Cinderella Barbie!

Our wonderful neighbor Sue even wore her crown over and got Brynn Tinker Bell!

Beautiful dress!

Fun Little Princesses!

Time to blow out the candle--love this picture!

So involved in the movie--and holding Cinderella!

A few of her girl friends came and wore princess dresses!

The day after the party she wore this new shirt from the Ohlde's and Brynn was being a "model!"

Oh boy--as always--she makes me smile and laugh everyday!

Big thank you to all who came and celebrated with us--Brynn loved her birthday and got a lot of phone calls, presents, and birthday hugs!

We appreciate your kindness and love for our wonderful 4 year old!

Confetti Eggs

Aunt Kristi found a good deal on confetti eggs--so she brought them up Easter weekend for some cracking good time--crack, burst, and a beautiful mess--thankfully it was all outside!

Always a good time with Aunt Kristi!

Lakyn 4 months

Here is 1/3 of the reason I get to celebrate Mother's Day!

Lakyn must have really wanted to celebrate because she was up about every 2 hours last night---grrrr--not sure what that was about--hopefully it goes away really fast!

So thankful for naps on Mother's Day!

Dr. Appointment this month!

Lakyn is 24 and 3/4 inches long which is the 50th percentile.

She is 12 lbs and 1 ounce--25th percentile!

She is growing and full of joy and smiles--we get so many compliments from family and friends about how her smile just lights up her face and she is pretty good about giving those smiles to everyone!

Lakyn is still doing well at daycare--taking good naps and enjoys watching the kids.

She is drinking about 4 oz. of milk at a time and is eating about every 3 hours and goes usually 4-5 hours at night--still not quite sleeping through the night--is usually up once; sometimes twice--had a little growth spurt this month where she was up twice for about a whole week, then went back to getting up only once again--between getting all the end of the year assessments done at school, starting tball and baseball with Caden and Brynn, having a 4 and 6 year old birthday party, and trying to help Layne keep up with our house--it has been a bit of an overwhelming month.

School is out on the 22nd and that will be a big help!

I am still nursing Lakyn--which is a great reason for me to have some quiet time with her and lets me put my feet up for a bit! She is drooling like crazy and is putting everything in her mouth--guessing teeth could be in our future, but not sure!

Layne took some 3 month pictures of Caden and Brynn--so I told him he had to be fair and do a few of Lakyn too--did not  get exactly what we wanted--but she is so darn cute--we had a hard time finding a good time to get her dressed up and happy--but enjoy!

Big Eyes!

This bottom one is just a bragging note--not sure why it loaded vertical, but the computer flipped it on me--this is one of Lakyn's newborn pictures and our photographer hung it up in the hospital at the birthing center--Caden and I went up to see it and I had to take a picture--excited to have it hanging up!

Happy Mother's Day to our wonderful moms who help with our kids and who love us unconditionally!  We are so blessed to have our family close by to celebrate with and to help us enjoy our children!  We love you mom and Terri and thanks for all you do!

Easter Sunday

Happy Easter--He has Risen; He has Risen Indeed--Alleluia!

Easter baskets are ready to go--cute clothes for Lakyn, new swim suites for Brynn and Caden, plus their favorite candy bar and the movie The Jungle Book!

We went to church in Ellsworth with my parents and the church has an Easter Egg hunt for the kids after the service--Brynn and Caden on the hunt--and they both found quite a pile of goodies!

Love this picture of two of my favorite people all dressed up!

The Family on Easter Sunday 2013

The kiddos on Easter

Miss B looking adorable in her orange and pink!

Lakyn full of smiles beside her princess basket.

Loving our hands--a lot--we keep putting the pacifier in her mouth as well, but we might have a hand/thumb sucker....

The Easter Bunny in Ellsworth gave Caden some new helicopters and road equipment.

Brynn got a little mini tea set!

At the farm near Lincoln--the older cousins were so nice and gave Caden and Brynn their own Easter Egg hunt--money, candy, cars, rings, sticky frogs = kid heaven!

Lakyn meeting more cousins and getting lots of love and attention.

Enjoying all the sunshine, watching all the action, and getting Aunt Lindsey snuggle time!

Time for an inside break--our cheek may have gotten a little too much sun--but we still had lots of smiles!

Not everyone can wear a tutu and play in the sand pile!  

Happy Easter Everyone!

Two more quick pictures from Saturday--Grandma on the farm tried out dying deviled eggs with Caden and Brynn--pretty cool colors!

Nice Beard Uncle David--but I guess I will let you hold me!

Layne told me that David looks ALOT like their Dad did here in this picture!