My girls are 4!

It is hard to imagine that my baby girls are no longer babies.  They are 4 years old - so confident, so beautiful, so funny, so different and just wonderful little people.  I really do find it hard to remember back to the days when they were babies or even toddlers.  Sadly, everything is such a blur - that's why I enjoy keeping the blog - it helps me remember the little things... and the big ones!

We had a few parties to celebrate their big day.  A family party, playgroup party and friend/classmate party!  Each was very different - simple family, bounce house and gymboree - but each was also just wonderful.  The magical thing is that the girls enjoyed our family party that had no outstanding bouncie or magician or anything crazy just as much as they did the party at gymboree or with a bouce house.  They just love to have fun - and don't compare things to a standard of what fun should be.

We are blessed to have these little girls in our lives and it does make me nervous knowing all the different things I need to teach them and expose them to so they can grow up to be productive, moral, successful, women.  But, I already know that each of them is both special and beautiful inside and out.  I can't wait to see what lies ahead in the next 4 years - heck, in the next 4 months!

Happy Birthday Girls

Four years have come and gone. What wonderful years they have been! We have come up with some pretty strange nick names for you in this time. So far we have cycled through

Evelyn = Ev, Evie, Peanut, Pippie
Erin = Pumpkin, Air-bear, Pedro

Erin, you are very responsible and take care of your dog, Buddy, every morning. Most mornings you will go into the garage, get a cup of food and pour it into his bowl. After a few minutes you let him out into the back yard too. Ev, you have come to accept Buddy T. Dog and might I dare say even like him a little bit. You help feed Buddy in the morning when Erin decides to be on the lazy side.

In just the past few weeks you have both really taken to your "big girl" bikes and love your training wheels. We go around the block either walking or riding almost every night after dinner and you ALWAYS wear your helmets. In just the last day or so you are now comfortable riding this new tandem contraption I can add to my bike. Now all three of us can ride together on one bike without any training wheels. Erin, you were pretty freaked out by this for several days but then suddenly almost like it was a mental decision you said, "I think I am used to it now. Can we try it again" and it was like you were riding it for years. I think it had something to do with the fact that you saw Ev and Kate Hamilton ride it without crying the other day.

Let's see, what else? You two are adorable with Cooper. You love him so much and treat him so gently and kindly. Never a word of jealousy or meanness towards him, even though he sometimes takes a lot of our parental attention. You always run and get diapers and wipes for us. Pretty soon you may even be able to feed him all by yourself.

Both of you started summer camp this week. Erin and Ev, you two have been split up and are going to two different schools. Erin gets dropped off and picked up by Mom, and Ev gets to take a shuttle-bus. Ev has remembered some of her friends from last summer like Isiah, and Erin has already made a new friend and set up a play-date with someone called Winnie. How that's going to happen we're not sure since neither set of parents know each others address yet, but I guess we'll have to figure that out.

We are both so proud of you. You both are smart, kind, considerate, funny and most importantly happy children. It's been a pleasure so far being your parents. Hope your birthday was the best one yet, and may your next birthdays be even better!

Love,
Dad

Cooper is Seven Months Old!!

Hard to believe that little Cooper is already 7 months old.  He is still the best little guy ever!!  Our girls just love him to pieces and he is so good natured.  He is right about 19 pounds - and super long!  Not the chunkiest kid ever, but he has a good double chin.

His newest skills are:

• Rolling - he can no longer be left on a bed.  He'll roll off so quickly you might not catch him!  Thankfully, he has yet to hit the ground.
• Sitting - he is a good sitter.  Of course, he does fall on his face occasionally - and he does not like that one bit!  But, he has come a long way!
• Sitting in a high chair and grocery cart!!  That's right, my little guy sits in a restaurant style high chair and the grocery cart!  I try very hard to make sure he is not sucking all the nasty germs off the chair/cart.  

Coop loves to eat!!  We just started puffs, but he mainly eats our homemade baby food - and enjoys it!!

He will be having surgery on Monday June 28th to remove a nevus sebaceous from the back of his head.  Basically this is a birth mark - or collection of oil glands.  As he matures and hits puberty there is a good chance it would become cancerous.  Therefore, it needs to be removed.  Due to its large size the surgeon wants it gone immediately - while he has ample skin on his head and would be bothered least by surgery and stitches.  Say a prayer for him!!

Nothing else to report. We just love him to pieces!

Cooper is 6 Months Old!!

It is so hard to imagine Cooper is 6 months old!  Seems like he has been here forever - and yet also such a short time.  Time is a funny thing.

Well, my little man is just amazing!  He is a great sleeper - sometimes waking for a 5am bottle, but that is happening less and less.  He loves his solid food - except peas...  But, he does enjoy rice, oatmeal, bananas, apples, pears, carrots, mangoes, sweet potatoes.  And, he just loves his sisters.  He laughs and laughs at them - and they love putting on a show for the little guy.

He is starting to sit up on his own - falls over after a little while.  He is rolling very well from his back to belly and finding the other way a little more challenging.  And, he talks up a storm - squealing with delight!

His official stats...  18 pounds, 1 ounce (60%) and 28.25 inches long (95%).

I pledge of allegiance...

When was the last time you said the "Pledge of Allegiance"? 

Seriously, do you know all the words. 

Well, I had not said it in about 20 years until recently.  A few weeks ago I heard Erin mumbling something, but she would not share - words sounded like the pledge.  Well, they have both stepped forward and are fully able to recite the pledge!  When does one say the pledge??  Well, just about all the time - before meals, bedtime, in the car, while riding bikes. 

I need to buy some flags to make things more official.  But, it melts my heart to hear the say our pledge...

Update on Ev's Ears.....

Well, after 6 months of trying to figure out what's up with Ev's ears we have a plan of action in place.  She has cronic fluid in her ears and it is affecting her hearing. Therefore, she'll be getting tubes in her ears in a few weeks.  This should allow the fluid drain and help her hear better.

She'll also be having her adenoids removed.  The ENT stuck a camera up her nose (ouch!) to determine they are enlarged and likely affecting her speech.  So, she'll have them removed at the same time she has her tubes in place. 

Getting tubes only takes a minute per ear and the adenoid removal is about 5 minutes, so the surgery should be quick - and the recovery is also supposed to be very quick.

I am just glad to have a plan in place - we've been going through options and waiting for cold season to be over for a long time so we could get a good look at the situation and I hope this is a good plan for her.  Hopefully it does not curtail swimming this summer.

Determination............

Last week we went to a birthday party for little Paul.  It was a beautiful day and we got to play on their huge driveway!  The kids loved riding big wheels, running around and acting like maniacs.  Ev proved once again to be a determined little girl.  She spent about 90 minutes learning to ride a bike.  She was kind and let others take a turn when they asked, but the second their bottom got off the bike, she was back on it.  She completely on her own figured out how to ride - start to finish.  And, she is great at it!

Erin has also learned how to ride on her bike (with training wheels).  The first time out we could not find helmets and that kept Erin at a snails pace.  But, once we found our helmets she sped up and is doing quite well.

However, Evie is the speed racer in the family.  She goes super quick and then gently presses the brake to slow down and see what is taking everyone else so long.  She even "hot dogs" it with some tricks.  It is really fun to see her excel athletically - and to see her just love riding her bike.

Rub a Dub Dub...

Three kids in the tub...

After a nice Saturday of going to the tree house in Norhtbrook Court, lunch at Potbelly's, quiet time and lots of family time we thought the kids could use a bath.  Cooper was not seeming to be in the mood - he's not too fond of the tub.  After a little milk, his mood improved and in he went!  All 3 kids in the tub together - same way it usually happens.  But, tonight was different..........

For a while now, the girls select one dissolvable color tablet for the tub.  They each pick either a red, blue or yellow tab to put in the water and we talk about color mixing as their bath fills up.  Well, today Erin picked red, Ev choose blue and Cooper added yellow. But wait....

See what I mean is that while Cooper was getting washed, I guess the warm water must have worked its magic because he aimed right over in his little bath seat and started peeing on Ev.  At first Ev just looked at what was going on stunned and wordless.  Nancy didn't notice this, but I did.  Ev looked at her belly, looked at the stream, looked at her belly, and then looked at Cooper trying to figure out exactly what was going it.  It stopped .. but about a second later Cooper reloaded for another dousing.  This time Nancy saw it just about the same time Ev was able to put it all together.  Nancy and I were SO good at not bursting out laughing when Ev started getting this really disgusted look on her face.

Nancy broke the silence by asking "Ev, what just happened?"
"Cooper peed on me!" she said.
"Well, that's not using his manners is it?" Nancy said between giggles tryinig not to make a big deal out it this.
At this point Erin who didn't really see anything started laughing as she learned what had just happened.
Ev was a good sport at which point we all pretty much broke down laughing.

Last week, Erin fell into the toilet ... which is another story (I mean completely fell in the toilet complete with a wet bottom and all!), but in short order both Erin and Evelyn have good bathroom stories to tell.

Cooper is 5 Months!!

 Little Coopie is already 5 months old!  My how time flies by.  Here are a few pics of him recently...  Pretty soon he'll be eating solids - which I am sure he'll love.  He's a big guy - so loooong!!  And, he is just the best baby ever!  Dave and I have had a chance to enjoy him as a little guy more than we could the girls - things are just easier with one - less hectic and stressful.  We enjoy every minute with him!

Looking Good!

One of the girls favorite places is Kohls Childrens' Museum.  They just love it!  The love working at Potbelly's and the grocery store.  They love taking care of the babies and animals at the veterinary clinic.  And, they LOVE making over their little mugs at the face painting area...  Take a look......