what Lainey is up to...

Lainey is learning how to roll over...back to stomach. If I help her to her side she does the rest. So now we're working on the back to side. It will be nice when she can do this so when she decides to roll over in bed, she won't have to cry for us to flip her back over. :o)

other 1st day of school

Today was Jude's first day of school as a Kindergartner....head buff and all. It was mostly introductory stuff but it was fun having some one-on-one time with him.

1st day of school

Ethan had his first day of "real" school...as he likes to call it...as a 3rd grader. I must say I was misty eyed and really missed him being around all day. But he loves his new teacher and seems to be adjusting just fine. I got to hear all about his first day in detail. Needless to say he's loving it.

highlights:

He has a Hawaiian teacher that likes to go barefoot in class

He gets to have swim class once a week for PE

Jason enjoys taking Ethan to school on his way to work

He has to wear uniforms so getting dressed every day is pretty easy

His teacher is really organized...which is perfect for a boy who loves order

He promptly does his homework when he gets home

He has met a few buddies but can't remember their names...huh?

He's adjusting to wearing tennis shoes all day...which is unusual for any kid in Hawaii...to wear shoes all day

nicknames

I love when the kids have their own special names for their siblings...especially when they're learning to say their names. Jude used to call Ethan "nay-nay" when he was learning to talk (which is also the name of the Hawaii state bird). Ansley used to call Ethan "ee-ee". And now Ansley has started calling Jude "jude-y". It's not so cute if we all called him that because it is a girls name (Judy) but when it's coming from his 2 year old sister it's pretty darn cute.

the big 8

I can't believe Ethan is 8 years old. I can't believe I am a mom of an 8 year old. Where does the time go? It definitely goes way too fast sometimes. Here is a run down of the days events. Ethan wanted to go putt-putt for his birthday so we had a bit of a golf theme.

We started off with our traditional breakfast where our breakfast food is in the shape of the number they are turning. Usually this would entail homemade pancakes. But with a newborn in the house we tend to do what's easiest and fastest. So our Eggo waffles were cut into the number 8.The birthday cake was a golf course...of course.Ethan opening his camera. He had been hoping to get one so he can take his own pictures. And my favorite part of the whole evening...putt-putt. I haven't laughed this hard in a long time. Our kids acted like we were at Disney Land. Glad they're so easy to please. Each hole was pretty much this chaotic...I kept telling them to take turns and then I just gave up.Jude looks like he's playing baseball instead of golf...especially the way the boys would hit their golf ball. I think they were trying to hit a home-run rather than a hole-in-one.And then I realized why I don't take pictures of myself within 6 months after having a baby...no makeup, no hairstyle, pasty skin and frumpy formless nursing shirts. Lovely.Lainey was as content as could be...as long as she could get her hands into her mouth.I think Ansley thought this was the best playground ever.

And a little video of Ansley who would shout out after every hole she made "I won!"

What a fun day we had celebrating Ethan's life. We love this kid and are so thankful for him.

3 months old

Lainey is 3 months old today! Wow, we made it through another month. There are days where I felt like we weren't going to. :o) Having 4 kiddo's has been quite the challenge. But our little Lainey is growing like crazy and brings so much joy to our family. We love her so much!Here is one of those cute smiles she gives us. She wasn't very smiley for her other 3 month old photos next to the bear...although she was very interested in putting everything in her mouth...

...a bear leg...

...a shirt...

...and her hands. She learned that this past month.

She has also learned to sleep through the night (11 hours). Yeah! She can now flip over in her bed...not so great. She giggles when we tickle her. She tries to "talk" to us when we talk to her. And as you can see below she has loads of energy....kind of spazzy actually.

Oh Lainey-bug we are so thankful for you and are looking forward to the months ahead. I think you're itching to keep up with your brothers and sister.

finger paint

Grandma sent us some fun finger paint the other day...or as my boys use it, hand paint. It was quite entertaining....and a bit messy. As you can see below, Ansley gets the concept of finger paint better than the boys do.

painted toes

This is what I imagined when we found out we were having our first girl...doing girly stuff together. So Ansley and I painted our toenails...pink of course. She loved having her toenails painted (especially in pink which seems to be her favorite color). She asks every day if we can paint them again.

So now I look forward to baking together for the holidays (right now she's more interested in putting her fingers in to test everything we bake together...although the boys are fun to bake with too), going out to tea, watching Anne of Green Gables, going shopping, sewing...you know all of those fun girl things to do.

Ansley is my girly-girl, more so than I ever was. It's funny that she is just that way. She also has more of that strong-willed/bratty side that has humbled us beyond anything else we have ever faced. We've been overwhelmed and astonished at her disobedience, tantrums, mean spirited behavior at times and the sin that she doesn't try to hide (especially in public). At times it helps show us the sin in our own hearts. She's learning and growing and we just pray that we will rely on the Lord to show us wisdom as we try to raise her and mold her heart to love the Lord, love his Truth and true repentance.

It will be fun to see how God uses her spunky/fiesty personality...beyond our sanctification in trying to raise her. :o)