Kidlette Update

I know the blog is way overdue for an update on the kids, and what better way to post one than with some recent photos taken by my favorite photographer?

I can't tell you how many times recently Brandon and I have commented on how lucky we are to have each and every one of them. Yes, it's crazy, yes, it's tiring.....but we get oh so much more in return. The love is exponential. I honestly feel that I love Parker more, because I also love Andrew, Paige and Claire. I love them more for their differences and special little quirks. For their strengths. For the unique things that they bring to our family.

And they absolutely love each other as well. I am so grateful for them that they have each other. What a great support they will be for each other as they grow. They really are the best little friends. It's so fun to watch Parker take Paige by the hand and lead her around the backyard while they dig up treasure or to hear the little jokes they all tell each other....or watch them have a random group hug while watching a movie together. Those moments are priceless. Yes, we also have plenty of moments where Parker insists that he won't sit next to Andrew at breakfast, or Paige steals Andrew's underwear while he's in the bathroom and then makes him chase her naked around the living for them......(can you tell he's the one that always rises to the occasion?) or Claire gets an unwarranted bonk on the head, but hey....no one's happy all the time, right?

My little big man......oh he gives me growing pains. You know, that little motherly ache you get when you're caught between being so dang proud and happy for them....but sad for how fast it's all going by. Sometimes I say that I think when the time comes it will be harder to watch Andrew leave the house than Parker.....only because I feel Parker has been preparing me for it since day 1. Andrew is content to be my baby. :) Parker is constantly pushing the limits, reaching for more.

He is absolutely excelling with his school work. He can tell you what a compound word is and how many syllables it has. He can even read the word syllable. His comprehension is through the roof. He's learning so much and loving it. He gets excited for school time, and is learning to feel lucky that he gets to stay home with mom for that. ;) Hopefully he'll continue to appreciate what we're doing for him on that front.

He's also playing t-ball now which is a fun new stage of our family adventure together. Of course, Dad is the coach. And the rest of us make for quite the cheering section.

He still loves to mow the lawn, pull weeds and do any work that anyone else is involved in. In fact he gets angry if you try to do something without him. And when he's having a great time helping out, he'll say things like, "Mom, I just can't stop working. I'm having so much fun. And I just can't stop loving you!" He's also getting more capable in the work department which is nice. It was crazy to see though, that where last year, he had to reach as high as he could to hold on to the lower bar of the mower with Dad while they pushed, this year his head is a good six inches above it.

He loves primary, and soaks up scripture stories. He also loves being able to play with friends and talks often about his cousins, whom he idolizes, but doesn't get to see as much as he'd like.

A fun side note.....Parker's been telling us lately that he wants to learn to play the guitar, (like Daddy of course) and the flute. I'm hoping he'll settle for a recorder in the short term. ;)

This little guy has become a whole new boy over the last year. He's really come out of his shell and let us into his world by talking like crazy all of a sudden; usually grabbing my face to make sure he's got my attention. What an imagination he has! It's one of my favorite things about him. He can drive one little car around forever, and boy oh boy...the things he'll say. That car isn't going for just any old ride. He also has an incredible amount of perseverance. He is not one to give up if something doesn't come easily. Andrew will stick to a task with concentration I have yet to see any of our other kids display. The flip side of this is that he can also be very stubborn. ;)

Andrew is also enjoying school time, (although what we do with him is much less formal at this stage) and comes running when he sees me pull out the pattern cubes for math, or food coloring for a science project. He also loves to help cook. He's still in the three year old stage of only wanting to eat whatever sounds good......which is always spaghetti. He even asks for it at breakfast sometimes......oh, and he'll also ask for "Pizza or cookies or ice cream please." He's not loving our new dietary changes.

Andrew is still a snuggle bug, and is our most tenderhearted kid. As such he's great with the babies.....he's always wanting to help feed Claire, or get her a blanket or give her a kiss. He also still believes in the magic of the mama kiss and will not settle for less when he has an ouch, (although he's learning to "shake it off" as well.....literally and it's hilarious). Seriously, if I kiss just inches away from the right spot....no good. Try again mom.

Andrew is on the brink of big-boyhood. He gets himself dressed, always with a "duh, ta da duh da da duh!" and a flourish at the end to show me what a good job he's done. He also is always aware when there's something serious and manly going on and isn't going to be left out anymore! He's dying to play t-ball......a bit disappointed that he's not on the team, but grateful when coach lets him join for a few minutes of hitting practice after a game. And by the way, the boy's got skills. I think he's going to be great when he's really old enough to play with the big boys, probably largely due to his great concentration. He's not interested in playing with the other little kids at the ballpark. No sir, he's intent on the game the whole time.

This girl is still the family firecracker. Ho-ly cow. She has this crazy talent of knowing just what exactly will endear her to anyone. She can weasel her way into the most hard-hearted of hearts. I've said it before, but she constantly proves that big things come in small packages. Maybe part of her charm is that you just don't expect such big things from such a tiny person. She HAS to keep up with whatever her brothers are doing. She cries if Daddy takes them anywhere without her. She loves them. She bosses them around and teases with them, but she also copies everything they do. She's learned to count, (among other things) just by listening to her brothers. She also refuses to be carried anywhere anymore. She won't even ride in the shopping cart. And heaven forbid you try to hold her hand and guide her. Unless of course you're another kid. Then she loves it.

She's an excellent big sister, and is always so happy to see her "Cwaire Bear", (misspelled on purpose to show she doesn't quite have the L sound down yet). She gets a bit bossy when she's helping to feed a bottle or get a toy, but she's just happy to be showing somebody the ropes.

Paige LOVES to sing. She's usually at least humming something as she flounces around the house. She knows an incredible amount of primary songs, and is not too big yet to dance with Mama, even in public.

She is also going to be an excellent mama someday. Besides loving her siblings, she's a great helper for mom, always wanting to do whatever it is I'm doing. Emptying the dishwasher, folding clothes, (or unfolding as the case may be). She also can't stand a mess. This she gets from her Dad. Recently she gave me the business for giving Claire a cracker on the carpet in a stressful moment when I just needed some peace. Paige followed me around saying, "Mama....it's messy!" until it was over and cleaned up. I've also been told she once bossed the nursery kids around at church trying to get them to clean up their toys before playtime was over.

Our Claire Bear. Most often referred to as Bear Bear or some variation often involving rhyming words like "derriere". Seriously the sweetest baby. Ever. Really; I mean she never ever cries, unless she has a really good reason....like she's been whacked, or her bow has been pulled down over her eyes, or mom forgot to feed her on time, or she's sitting in poop, or she has a tooth coming in. Really, never fussy though. She cries to let you know she needs something; once it's taken care of she's all smiles again. She does however save the best smiles for Dad. And even though we know she can make the sounds for both "mama" and "dada"....she only ever gives the "dada". She also saves her biggest laughs for big brother Parker. Her other favorite noise to make is kind of a trill...it used to come from the back of her throat, but now is made with the tongue and sounds just like a dolphin. So we also call her "Flipper".

She loves to watch the action that is constantly going on around her, and now that she's quite mobile, she's got to be getting in on it as well. Wherever the kids are playing, she wants to be. She stands and walks up and down the couch.....never letting go yet. She's a bit shy of having anything near her face, and has ONLY bestowed kisses purposefully on her Daddy. Even a spoonful of food, (she eats SO well) is taken as she turns her face away. We're thinking that's a protective mechanism developed from taking a little rough love from the older kids.

I know I don't update enough and they're growing and changing so fast. I'm just hanging on trying to soak up every moment and enjoy the ride. Because I know someday.......all too soon, I'm going to miss this crazy, busy, messy, wonderful life that we have all together.

Stay tuned for more soon....hopefully! I've got some fun pictures to show what we've been up to lately.....also, I know I usually use the code-names for my kids on the blog....but really, I know that my blog audience is very small....and it felt so impersonal to update with the code names this time. I may give it up.......we'll see.