Pool Party

Sunday morning, we met our friends for the Memorial Day pool party in their neighborhood. It was a brisk 58 degrees when we got there (nice, but not really pool weather for Colorado). The girls didn't seem to mind and were in the pool just as fast as they could get in. They splashed around and had a great time, however, when they got out, they were REALLY cold. While they were thawing out, we ate lunch and they got their faces painted. Later in the day my girls "entered" the hula-hoop competition and we watched some other games. Gracyn got ahold of a can of Pepsi that they had used for a contest, Ryan and Sarah tried to get a picture of her with it (a big no-no in our Coke household), but Tommy covered it up just in time. We had a great time....it was fun spending a day poolside and playing in the water, even if it wasn't the 100 degree temps we are used to on Memorial Day.

Sweet Reagan Kitty-Cat.

Addison, Reagan and Sammy watching the Cannon-Ball Contest.

Gracyn with the forbidden Pepsi.

Addison, Julie, Sammy and Reagan braving the cold temps. Can you tell Sarah and I shop at the same place?

Pre-K Graduation

My baby girl had her Pre-K graduation today. You can probably tell from the pictures, she did not feel well. She had been running a fever in the days before and she was still curled up in my bed at 10am this morning, but I couldn't stand to have her miss it. We pumped her full of Motrin and she made it, though half-way through her cake, she told me she was ready to go home and when we arrived she slept 3 hours.

We are so thankful that we have gotten to be a part of the Cherry Hills Preschool Program. It has been such a blessing for Addison and we look forward to Reagan going next year. They did such a nice job, dressing the kids in caps and gowns, having them file in to Pomp and Circumstance, performing the pledge and several songs and then passing out diplomas. After the ceremony we went back to her classroom to celebrate with cake and say good-bye to her teachers and friends.

As I watched the graduation ceremony through tears, I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that 5 years ago, Tommy was back to work and the Grandparents had headed home. It was just me and my 3 week old baby girl spending our days at home. I watched her on stage and wondered how in the world my baby could be old enough to be up there, and wondering how the years had gone so fast. I pray that I will enjoy each and every day and live in the moment, as I know future graduations will come just as quickly. I am thankful to God that I get to be the Mommy of such a beautiful, special girl! We are so proud of her.

Mini-Golf

Sunday afternoon, we took the girls to play mini-golf with thier friends Sammy and Julie. It was quite an experience. Just imagine on one course 3 parents trying to play, one Mommy just chasing Gracyn, 4 kids 5 and under with clubs, and Gracyn with her own ball.

Sammy and Addison were pretty serious about the game and stayed about one hole in front of us. They were especially fond of a particular water hole, which was an almost guaranteed hole-in-one. Reagan's game looked a little something like hockey, and Julie gave up after about the 4th hold and just wondered around in the landscaping. Gracyn toddled around the course throwing her ball and wobbling after it.....she provided an additional obstacle for the players to work around.

Not exactly a serious round of golf. There weren't even score cards. But is was lots of fun outdoors experiencing something new with the girls!

Logic

I was chauffeuring my kids around Target this morning.....Gracyn on my hip, Reagan in the child seat of the shopping cart, and Addison sitting in the back of the cart. Addison started to tease Reagan and told her that she was a baby if she sat up there. Reagan turned around and told her, "Well, if I'm a baby, then you are a grocery!".

Score one for Reagan....it was a good come-back and I didn't have to intervene, Addison never said another word.

Good-Bye

Reagan had a very big day today. We took her beloved pacis to Build-A-Bear, kissed them good-bye, and stitched them up into the little gray kitty she chose. Now she can still sleep snuggled up with her pacis inside the kitty, but we won't have the dental consequences of her sucking on them.

I am so thankful to my neighbor for suggesting this idea. Reagan was thrilled when we asked her if she wanted to do it. Once she agreed, I took her right away, before she had a chance to change her mind. Over the last few weeks, as we have talked to her about giving up her pacis she had been telling us, "I don't want to talk about that". Then, when we told her about this, her little eyes lit up and she was ready to go. The lady at Build-A-Bear wasn't at all surprised, apparently they do this all the time with all sorts of things....blankets, lovies, pacis, etc.

I am so proud of Reagan. She really LOVES her pacis. She had one within about 5 minutes of being born and was hooked from the start. We have gotten pretty good within the last 9 months about having it be in bed only, but it was time to let it go. She is such a big girl!!!

I am keeping her up from nap today, so she will be super tired for bed tonight. I am praying all goes well, and she continues to love her "Kitty-Kitty". Hopefully we won't wake in the morning to find the stitching ripped out of the poor thing!

Elusive

So, although Addison talks NON-STOP, about anything and everything you could possibly imagine, she tells us NOTHING about school. She has been this way since she started last year. I will pick her up, ask her what she did today and she will tell me, "Nothing" or "I don't remember". I can usually get a few things out of her, that I know to ask specifically about, but even then, she talks very little about anything they do. Anything I know comes from her teacher's newsletter.

Then, I get pictures like this from her teacher!!! If you child had a giant hawk come and visit them in their classroom, would they tell you about it? She never mentioned it, and I just laugh when I open the email, because I am used to it now. Next year she leaves the little Christian preschool bubble and heads into a VERY large kindergarten class at our neighborhood elementary. Any tips on how to get her talking before then?

FIVE

At five years old, Addison seems so grown up and mature to me! She is such a sweet caring girl. She is honest, hard-working and helpful. She is a leader in most any group that she is in, and always the diplomat. When the neighborhood girls are playing, we can often hear her trying to resolve any issues that come up. She is especially good at trying to help the younger kids when they are struggling with something. She LOVES babies and is great at helping me take care of Gracyn. She was a born nurturer....I could definitely see her as a Mommy or teacher when she grows up.

Addison loves school, dance, her baby-dolls arts projects, and reading. We have read most any book you can imagine. Franklin, Arthur, The Berenstein Bears, Curious George, Angelina Ballerina....the list goes on and on. We have read them all. About a year ago, she became more interested in chapter books and since we have read her the entire series of Junie B. Jones, The Tiara Club Princesses, Pony-Crazed Princess, Rainbow Magic Fairies and many more. We are currently working through the Little House on the Prairie books. She will sit and listen for as long as I have time to read.

My big girl has a busy summer ahead with family visits, a trip to Texas, VBS, swimming, dance, gymnastics and theatre camp. Then, if the fall, off to the big world of kindergarten!!!

Field Day 2010

Addison's class had their field day last week. Reagan, Gracyn and I stayed for a few hours to play and cheer her on. Addison was excited to have us and was sweet to include Reagan in everything she could. The weather was not that cooperative and must have changed 10 times during the course of field day. The sun and wind would come and go making it bounce back and forth from warm to freezing.

Gracyn played on the playground while we waited for Addison's class to come outside.

Their first activity was to use the sidewalk chalk to draw something from God's creation.

Reagan loved hanging with the big kids.

I learned on this day that Addison is an asset on a tug-of-war team. She is STRONG and she doesn't give up easy!!!

The Little Sister cheering squad.

Addison running in a relay...tongue out in full concentration.

Mother's Day at the Zoo

Mother's Day was on the same day as Tommy's birthday this year, so we had a busy day celebrating. We were up early and made it out the door to church by 8:30. We stopped on the way to get me a Mother's Day donut!!! Church was a great service, given by our pastor's wife, a mother of 5.

After service, we took advantage of the one warm day we had over the course of a few weeks and headed to the zoo. We had a picnic lunch, which we ate at the park outside the zoo and then headed in to see the animals. We met friends there and just enjoyed the sunshine and being together.

Late in the afternoon, we loaded up to head to our favorite Mexican food restaurant. All 3 girls crashed in the car on the way there. We had a nice dinner and then I went to get a pedicure. It was a perfect day!!!

In a Week

Catching up on lots of blogging and leaving my future self a reminder of the kinds of things that went on in a house full of small people. Here are some highlights from one week.

Baby Chick practiced her walking skills!!!

I took Addison and Reagan to see a Christian Youth Theatre production of Annie. They loved it!!! We have since gotten the soundtrack and they sing and dance to it everyday. The girl who played Annie was 12 years old and AMAZING!!!

Ready for our girls night out.

Gracyn stayed with a babysitter for a few hours on Friday morning while I took the big girls to dance. She did her first finger-painting with the babysitter and loved it....though she didn't much care for posing for her picture with it.

I spent every spare second I had all week, scrubbing blue crayon out of an entire load of my children's Gymboree clothing. One of my little darlings has been warned NEVER, NEVER to carry crayons in her pocket, EVER again.

Reagan, Gracyn and I went to Addison's school to read books to her class.

2 of the 3 Brimberry girls came for a few hours one morning, while their Mommy took the 3rd sister to the doctor. It was a fun-filled couple of hours with 5 girls!!!

Our neighborhood kids have 12 birthdays in about a 6 week period. We had 3 parties this week. Ava had an afternoon garden party. They released several thousand ladybugs in their backyard and the kids had a blast hunting for them.

We had 2 more snow days. I thought they would be our last, but alas, we have 8-18 inches in the forecast for tomorrow. So much for all the flowers we planted last weekend.

Clara had a Chuck-E-Cheese birthday party.

Another neighbor wasn't feeling good during the party, so we took her oldest two girls with us to the party (Yes, everyone I know has 3 girls!!!!). The girls had a blast....Tommy and I were TIRED after keeping up with 5 girls in a busy, crowded Chuck-E-Cheese. Do you see in this picture how tall Addison is???

Presley had her first birthday at the gazebo near our house. Thank goodness, we had a break in the snow on her party day.

We went out to eat several times with our crew. It starts out looking something like this.

And by the end, it looks more like this!!!

It's a busy life but a good life!!! Want to come visit and join in the fun?