My Big Seven Year Old

Jeez Jack! Slow down - you are growing much too quickly. I know that I always say that but sometimes I turn around and I can't believe how big and mature and helpful and smart you are. It's amazing. There's so much to say about you as a seven year old and so much that I want to remember about this year, but I'm going to give myself permission to forget some of it. If I don't, I'll never write this and then I'll forget a whole lot more.

Yesterday you lost your top front tooth. It's been loose forever and you've been working on it and working on it. You went to bed sometime around 9 (we're on vacation) and you came out every half hour to show us your progress. Finally at 10:30 you had success! And now you have a big toothless grin making it so hard to talk and chew without spitting. Of course the tooth fairy visited and you were beyond excited this morning. 

Right now, you love Ninjago, Star Wars, legos of all sorts and exploring. You are playing soccer and still taking swimming lessons. You have so much fun setting up your toys for battles, building forts with your sisters and telling stories. But mostly you have fun. You're always ready for a good time, you love to play just about anything and everything.

You totally idolize your daddy and I love to hear you repeat his sayings and wonder what he would do at a particular moment. Sometimes you're pretty sure that I'm wrong about something and you decide to check with him on it. I can't tell you, but that even makes me happy. I love that you trust him and see how much he knows and how wonderful he is and want to be just like him.  But the other day, when you repeated one of his sayings (that he says sarcastically and in the most loving manner) and you, my son, asked me "what's for dinner, woman?"  Well, I just had to put you back in your place and that place was time out and it was a looonnngg one. Thank you for reminding us that you're listening and that you don't quite get why things are appropriate for some people and not others. But my favorite part of the whole story is that when your and daddy were alone, you called him out on it. "Thanks dad, you totally got me in trouble." You're too funny Jack and you'll start to understand it all pretty soon.

Over the summer, we watched some kids and it was so interesting to see you interact with them. I love the way that you crave someone to talk to, but you also crave time to be alone. You were so great about dividing your time, explaining it to them when you were going to have your alone time. I also think it's funny when you aren't sure that you want guests because it's a lot of work to clean up after them. Hopefully someday, you'll enjoy the company more than you'll worry about cleaning up.

This summer we have spent a lot of time at the beach and grama and grampa got you a boogie board. You love it. I love how much success you've experienced on it. I love how brave you are on it and how much fun you have in the water. You started out the summer playing in the crashing waves, moved up to diving into the two to three foot surf and now you're boogie boarding like a pro. You've gotten so strong and you are a good judge of the water. You would go out way too far if I let you and though I think you could manage, I don't think I'm ready for that yet.

This year while you were six, we went to Grama's time share, we went to the reunion, you started and finished kindergarten, you mastered the monkey bars, you helped me tons and tons with your sisters and you've grown so much. I can't wait to see what the next year holds, but don't grow too quickly. ;)

13 months & a week

Oh Maggie!
You're totally the reason I haven't written. Good grief! Could you please sit still? You've been walking forever, but now you run and climb and twirl and dance... You love to twirl and make yourself dizzy - you're so funny, we could laugh at you for hours. Anytime music's on, you start dancing immediately.

You can nod and shake your head for yes and no and you're really quite accurate. You scream for a "dink" and run to your high chair saying "eeeeet."  If you want something you yell "eeeee," meaning me. You love to cuddle, but it's all on your terms and you have no problem pushing Michael and Amanda's faces away when you're not in the mood. When you do want a kiss, you walk around the house making kissing noises and shoving your face into other people's.

The cats are your obsession, you follow them and call them with your kisses and your relationships with dogs are becoming more love than hate, you seem to be braver and braver every time.

This past week, you have not been at your best. You're getting your second molar and let's just be clear, you do not handle pain well. You whine and you're cranky and clingy and your sleep is all messed up, I'll just say that you're making mommy and daddy long for a vacation - without kids.

When you're not wreaking havoc, you're as smart as a button. You make animal noises, and say up and down as you squat down and pop up. This month you've really begun to enjoy coloring and looking at and listening to books. Your favorite books have pictures of animals and babies. You love babies, especially pictures on the computer and phone. And every time you get a phone it goes straight to your ear and you say "hhhhiiii." It's so adorable.

You can climb up on the couches and onto chairs too, which means you can get up on just about anything in the house.

You know how they say that parents should worry when their kids are silent? This wasn't too much of a problem before you came along. Jack and Grace can play or read silently for a long time, but when you're silent I will inevitably find an empty drawer, bookcase or cupboard, an empty roll of toilet paper, coloring on something or your mouth filled with something forbidden. There is never anything good going on when you're quiet. You've figured out where the dangerous things are and you know how to circumvent the child proofing that's been effective for two children ahead of you.

I'm convinced that your trouble making comes from your intelligence - you must be a genius. And it's a good thing that you're not ALL trouble. You're also an adorable little cuddle bug doling out hugs to ladies wherever you go, asking strangers to pick you up and hugging nearly every child you meet.

Happy 13 month birthday.
Love,
mmmmammmmmma! (that's how you scream it)

Free? Don't Mind if I Do.

It's not much of a secret that I love free things. With 3 kids (and two extra for the summer), the price of going places and feeding them all sure adds up. So I just thought I'd share some of our free excursions.

Last week, we hit up Chic-fil-A for cow appreciation day. The kids dressed like cows and got free food! I just paid for my lunch and we were all set. I love Chic-fil-a, the food is yummy and there are always fun deals going.  I don't even feel bad when we pay full price because it really is worth it and there's so many times when we don't.

The same day, we turned in our summer reading packets to the library. The kids got to choose their prizes - yay free toys! And we turned in our summer reading packets to Barnes and Nobel, they give the kids a book. Yay free book!

I love days like this because the kids feel like they're getting all kinds of new things and it keeps them from asking for even more things. 

Then, this past Monday, we decided to check out Ikea. What a blast! I think we're going every Monday! There is free breakfast for everyone - no purchase necessary. The kids loved it.

And there's a club, if you join you get a free cup of coffee. But, hold your horses, it gets better than that. There's free babysitting! The kids LOVE to play in Small Land. They all played, while Maggie and I had coffee, she took a nap and I did some shopping. Seriously my new favorite place! They've been begging to go back ever since.

Well cheers to free things!

It's always fun at Grama and Grampa's house

Last Sunday, we went to Grama and Grampa's house. We washed the car (daddy's favorite pastime), went swimming and ate yummy, yummy food!

Grace loves baking with Grama (unlike mommy) she actually lets her do things. 

 And even Maggie gets in on the fun.

 She's pretty good at sharing.

 Jack and Grace are becoming quite the little fishies. Jack and I had a kicking race and he had no problem keeping up. He swims all over and doesn't have trouble swimming for a long time. Grace is putting her face in the water, going under and swimming small distances. I am loving this stage! I can't wait until Grace can keep up with Jack.

 And Maggie is such a good helper!

Cinco De Mayo

For Cinco de Mayo, we got to go to the Angel game. It is a friend of ours' birthday and she treated 30 of her closest friends to a super yummy tailgate party and an Angel game. It was such a fun idea! The kids had a blast and it was rally monkey night, so everyone got to take home a rally monkey and of course, the Angels won (they always win when Jack is there).

For some reason, these kids equate a baseball game with cotton candy. Eww! Cotton candy, to me, is the grossest candy in the world. It's really hard to eat without making a mess. And my kids can make a mess out of just about any food. So, not only do I dislike cotton candy for myself - I hate it for my kids. But, it's become sort of a game with them and daddy, so they got to have it. ;) And they enjoyed every little bit. 

 

 Maggie and I stayed as far away from the cotton candy as possible!

 One of the best parts was that they got to hang with Reese! We were at the very end of a section, so they got to play on the stairs for quite a while.

Go Angels!

Beach, Concert, Farm, Concert

Well, the whole point was to post more often, and I am, but it sure isn't everyday. We've had a crazy busy week doing all kinds of fun things. On Wednesday, we went to the beach. This our third trip so far this summer. Prior to this time she hasn't really been a big fan. She clings to me and does not like to be set down near the water. It was so nice. Usually, Maggie is a wanderer. She'll go anywhere if you set her down. The beach was the only place that she stayed put.

But now that's ruined too. She got over her fear this time and had no problem wandering up to the water, giggling at it and even running to and from the waves. She loved it.

At least it didn't stop her from taking a nice long nap on the beach.

 

And we got to see our super fun cousins again. 

 

It's so fun to see her finding enjoyment in things that she didn't like before and trying new things. But I sure could use a break. This girl is crazy. And she's one of "those" kids (the ones whose parents I used to judge)  - the kids that when you call them or come after them, they run - in the opposite direction. It's really inconvenient. 

After the beach that day, we met up with some of Jack's kindergarten friends for a concert and a movie in the park. It was really fun to see the kids and parents from schools and to give the kids time to play. 

Then Thursday, we checked out the animals at the Chino fairgrounds. The 4H kids had them on display and Jack and Grace really enjoyed seeing them (not smelling). It seems like such a fun program. All of the students were well spoken, friendly and kind. And they all seemed to really love their animals. But now, Jack is convinced that he wants a dog (the latest obsession) AND a cow. Hmmm... not sure about that one.

And we followed that up with another concert in the park with the Gonzales family. The kids had a blast, even with the random rain. 

Two late nights should equal an early one for us tonight! Maggie's already down and the big kids should go shortly. :) Good night all!

Future BFF's

We've had a few playdates with Lauren and the girls. It's so exciting to me to see them all playing together. Gracie actually likes to play with Reese and I don't think she has any clue that they're more than two years apart. Usually, she likes to play with older kids and does her best to avoid younger ones. But Reese is the exception. I can't wait until Tatum gets to join in!

St. Patrick's Day (catching up)

We all know I'm way behind, so let's begin catching up. Way back in March it was St. Patrick's day. The kids got totally into it. Early on in the month, Grace made a mask...

 The night before, we decided to build a trap for the leprochauns. Jack was very serious about it. 

 We put Grace's rainbow above to entice them even more. And we put baby powder everywhere so we would be able to see their foot print.

  We'll sure enough they tripped the trap, but we only caught a jacket. That silly leprachaun left foot prints and hand prints all over the table.

 And they must have escaped under the refrigerator.

 He spilled some coins and here's a close up of the jacket.

 But before they left, they played all kinds of crazy tricks. They messed up the pictures.

And took out all of the baskets and stacked them up.

Of course they turned the milk green and the toilet water (that's Jack's favorite part). St. Patrick's day was on a weekend this year. It was so much fun being tricky with Jeremey home, he really stepped up the game!

Father's Day

I don't know if it's this way for everyone, but I find mother's day and father's day to be kind of complicated. There are so many of each in our lives and they all deserve to be celebrated, but how do we have time to do it? Well, lucky for us, Kristi had a great idea this year. We all went to Irvine Park. Jeremey's parents, my parents, Kristi's parents and even Katie's. Everyone got time with their grand kids, yummy food and a good time. I think it worked out really well!

Here are some pictures from our day.
I cropped this out of one of the group shots. She was the only one smiling, but I hate to waste it. 
This was the best of the group shots, Grandpa is barely in it, but the kids are almost all looking.

 These are the only ones from before we went to the zoo. We hung out, and bbq'd and had a great time even though it was scorching hot. After a while we decided to hit the zoo.

 They have a cute little zoo in Irvine Park, the kids had a lot of fun feeding the goats.

 Jeremey and his brother Danny and Bryce and Maggie...

Maggie was dying to get down and pet the goats, but when we put her down, this is what she did. It was too funny, she does the same thing with dogs.

 Then once they were a little ways away, she'd be smiling again.

 Jeremey took the kids on a little bike ride back to our spot. Boy did they love that!

After the zoo we packed up, I don't think any of us could take much more of the heat. We dropped off my parents and decided to put our feet in the pool. Grace wanted to go swimming, so we let her go in her undies. She was so funny, yelling to Jack, "JAAACCK! We can swim in our undies!!! JAAAAKCCK! Come on! We can swim in our undies!!!" She thought it was the coolest thing and it was hilarious.

But any way, happy Father's day to three of the best dads in the world!