Birthday Videos and More

Just trying to get caught up on posting some videos...

Noah, a little excited about his present on his birthday.

Grace starting her fingerpainting with her cake icing on her birthday. (I had a better video I tried numerous times to upload but blogger was being difficult so I gave up.)

Grace loved her birthday balloons.

Noah playing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.

Noah playing Hush Little Baby.

Noah's Field Trip to the Aquarium

Noah's 2nd grade class went on a field trip to the aquarium the other day. I got me and the girls up and ready early so we could join them for the day. It was alot of fun. Noah and all the kids enjoyed the aquarium, and Anna and Grace loved looking at all the fish and tagging along with Noah too. Everyone had a great time. After the aquarium we all had a picnic lunch at the park, and then the kids played on the playground. Anna joined right in with the big kids doing everything they were doing. Something she's never done before. She had no fear this time.

Noah and Anna at the beginning of the field trip.

Anna in front of the big fish tank.

Noah going through the tunnel.

The big shark swimming above our heads in the tunnel.

The turtle above our heads in the tunnel.

Had to get a picture in of Grace to prove she was there too.

Noah looking at all the fish.

The octopus.

Noah and Anna looking at the Nemo and Dorie fish.

Anna and the jellyfish.

Anna and the stingray.

The hammerhead shark swimming by Anna.

Noah and Anna reaching in the tank to pet the stingrays.

Noah waiting to touch the horseshoe crabs.

Anna in the big fishes eyeball.

Anna sliding out of the fishes mouth. She loved this new slide they added.

Noah in the big fishes mouth.

Noah and his class outside the aquarium.

Grace's 1 year check up

Grace went for her 1 year check up the other day. She got 2 shots and got her poor little finger pricked too. She hated that more than the shots and didn't like the bandaid on her finger either, but she got over it quickly just like she always does. Since she's always been so tiny and way down low on the growth percentile chart I was really hoping that she would've gained a little extra weight this time and moved up the chart a little, but thanks to her double ear infection that didn't happen. I know she lost some weight in the last two weeks because she wasn't eating or drinking much of anything. We went to the doctor 3 times in the last couple weeks, and each time she weighed a few ounces less. She was only 15 lbs 11 ozs. this time, not much more than her 9 month check up, and she was 27.5 inches long. I know she would've been over 16 lbs maybe even 17 lbs. if she hadn't been sick and had been able to keep eating good. Oh well, hopefully now that she's doing better and eating great she'll be able to start putting on some weight. She's started eating a lot more of the foods we eat lately. At first she wasn't very interested in it. She only had two teeth, so she didn't quite know what to do with anything that wasn't pureed baby food, but now she loves eating big girl food. Speaking of teeth, one of her top front teeth came through and the other one is about to, and it looks like one of the teeth next to her top front teeth is starting to come through too. She has also started drinking regular milk now too. I was afraid she might not like it when I just switched her to a bottle of that, but she drank it all right down. Now we've got to work on switching to a sippy cup. So far she wants nothing to do with them and won't even try drinking from them, but maybe watching her big sister will make her want to try soon.

Gracie wearing Anna's princess tiara.

Spring has Sprung Finally

We have been having some really nice weather lately. It's been so beautiful outside so we've been getting outside and enjoying it before it gets too hot to stand being out there very long. Noah finally was able to start riding his new bike. Just before Christmas when he got it he had that surgery on his knee, so for awhile it hurt him too much to bend his knee that much to pedal. This is the first time he's really been able to ride a bike. In the past with the big difference in length between his legs and that big lift on his shoe he always had such a hard time trying to learn how to ride a bike, but since he had that limb lenthening surgery last year it's now not so hard for him. He's so excited to be able to really ride a bike for a change. He still has training wheels right now since this is the first he's actually rode a bike, but he doesn't care. He's just happy to be riding. Anna has gotten really good at riding around on her tricycle as well. She just hates when Noah passes her on his bike. She always wants to be first.

As a late birthday present for Noah, Arron took him to Toys R Us and got them both some big Nerf guns to have Nerf wars with. They had a blast playing with them later on in the evening after Grace's birthday. Anna even had fun running around trying to get away from all the flying darts, and then gathering all their darts for them when they were done shooting them. Next they're going to get some big water guns to play with this summer. That should be fun!

Arron's big gun...Noah tried it out, and it was too big and heavy for him.

Noah trying to get Daddy.

Running for cover.

What Anna did with the darts when she collected them.

Happy 1st Birthday Gracie!

Another day of celebrating. It was Gracie's 1st birthday. I can't believe she's already 1. It went by so fast. I blinked, and her first year is over. Thankfully the second antibiotic worked, and she started feeling better in time to enjoy her first birthday. It was a beautiful day too. I made cupcakes this time since I made a cake for Noah's birthday the day before, and I also thought it would be better for Grace to have her own little cake to smash all up. Then we all went outside to enjoy the nice weather. The kids rode bikes, blew bubbles, colored on the driveway with sidewalk chalk, sprayed waterguns, and Grace rode around in the wagon up and down the street. She loved it and didn't want to stop riding around. She would start crying anytime we'd take a break, and the wagon would stop. Then for her little party I made a dinner fit for a one year old, grilled cheese sandwiches and broccoli and cheese soup. She loves that soup and so does Anna, and so did everyone else actually. After dinner we gathered around her on the floor and Noah and Anna helped her open her presents. Grace just sat back and watched as the two of them tore into the birthday presents. She didn't have a chance to even try to open them, but I don't think she minded this year. Next year will probably be another story. After presents we all had some princess cupcakes, and Grace enjoyed sticking her fingers in the icing and smearing it all around. Daddy had to help her get a bite or two, and that's about all she ate of her cake. She was happier finger painting with the icing all over her tray. I think she really enjoyed her first birthday.

Sitting in Mommy's lap enjoying the beautiful day.

Riding with Anna in the wagon.

Loving her wagon ride.

Grace's Princess party decorations.

Ready for her birthday dinner.

Anna and Noah helping her open her presents.

Grace got mostly clothes for her birthday. We have enough baby toys after 3 kids so we didn't need anymore, and I don't think she really minded at this age.

Reading her birthday cards.

Raise your hand if you want cake!

Grace's birthday cupcake

Blowing out the candle with Daddy's help.

Trying to figure out what to do with that cupcake.

The icing makes good finger paint.

A little help from Daddy.

Noah being goofy.

Anna being messy.

Grace digging into her cupcake, literally.

This is fun!

Grace's cupcake masterpiece.

Another princess crown.

Our three babies on Grace's birthday.

Noah's 8th Birthday!

Well we started our weekend of birthdays today. Noah turned 8 years old already. He was so excited to celebrate his birthday and so was Anna. We couldn't wait for him to get home from school. We decided not to do a big birthday party with a bunch of kids this year. His spring break is only in another week, so I think we will just get together with some of his friends then and maybe have some cupcakes. We had some pizza for dinner, and then he got busy opening his presents. He was so happy. He got everything he asked for. Then later on when we were having cake we got a call on Skype from his cousin Emma who he loves talking to on Skype. Everyone was over at his great grandmother's house up in Virginia because it was her birthday too, so we not only got to talk to her on her birthday, we got to see her too. She sang Happy Birthday to Noah and played his favorite song on the piano. I'm so glad for modern technology, even though we were far apart celebrating birthdays on the same day we still got to be together with family and celebrate together.

Noah and Anna with his Disney Bolt decorations he picked out.

His cake.

Eating birthday pizza.

He got the G-Force game and movie.

This was the New Super Mario Brothers game for Wii. He's been begging for that one for weeks.

A new Transformers case for his DS.

Anna loves opening presents too. They were practically in a tug of war over them.

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, another one he's been begging for.

I love this picture of Grace. Her expression is so silly.

Ready for cake.

Anna helped him blow out his candles.

Talking to Great Grandmother.

Yum! Cake!

Doing a handprint for Mommy.