A few weeks worth of happenings

Miles got to meet Baby Jacob too and was BEYOND excited!!  Today when Jacob came over Miles climbed up the side of their stroller to see him and say Hi.  

 

Daddy actually got last Friday off and we got to have our weekend breakfast... puff balls.  It was delicious.  Also, notice Miles moved up to a booster seat and now sits at the table with us.  He loves it and feels like a big boy!

A few weeks ago I started doing Insanity, a Beach Body workout, and was LOVING it, lost about 7 lbs and dropped a pant size and was finally getting back into my post baby clothes from Miles pregnancy and then this happened.... a sprained ankle with fluid build up surrounding my achilles tendon.  NOT FUN at all.  I walked around in this for two weeks and had to stop working out all together.  Bummer.

Our friends, The Acords got to come over for a play date and we had a blast. The kids played non stop, goofed off, dressed up, laughed and giggled and had a ball!

Miled learned how to stick out his tongue.  Huge accomplishment there!

He also learned how to hit his head and say ouchie.  Again, another accomplishment.  Gavin taught him both of these things.

look whOOOO turned one

Some of our closest friends here in Saudi had their daughters first birthday party and it was so much fun.  The party was an Owl theme and PRECIOUS!!  All the little kids got to play together, help open presents, and eat some cake.  

I asked Laura if she would let me make Savannah's birthday cake and she agreed.   I was so excited to do this for them and for Savy and enjoyed making a girly cake!   The cake was made to match the shirt  Savannah was wearing and her invitations.

Jacob made his first appearance and everyone was in love with the little man.

Savannah kept eyeing the cake sitting on the table and acted so excited!  The moment it got in front of her, she wasn't that impressed.  It took her a few minutes and some persuasion from her parents to dig in, but she still wasn't THAT interested.  She poked at it once or twice and took a few bites her mom gave her, but that was it.  TOO CUTE none the less!

 

Happy Birthday Savannah!

Last Day

Gavin is growing up and Monday was a big reminder to me of just how fast time is flying. He finished his first year of school and I decided to document the whole day.

He got himself dressed all by himself-- something he started doing back in January, willingly.  

He can brush his teeth on his own-- he FINALLY started spitting so we gave up the fluoride free toothpaste just months ago.

He waits patiently at the door for his driver.

We have had Khaleq from the beginning of the year and consider him part of our family!

I went and picked Gavin up from school and found him and some friends playing musical chairs and were having a ball!

Telling his good friend Conner (far right) goodbye-- his family is moving to Dubai this weekend! Devin (in the middle) big brother is on the Saudi Arabia baseball team (filled with expat kids) and they made it into a tournament.. thus bleaching their hair and all siblings hair!

Buckling up in the car one last time... next year these boys get to ride the bus with the big kids!!

A few extras

I left out some of the most exciting events of B's 4th month of life and can't believe it.  They were too good not to post.

Brooklyn met the man of her dreams the other night and she was not dressed for the occasion-- missing her bow and shoes... she wasn't even wearing a cute bib.  Sorry Jacob, we'll catch ya next time dressed appropriately!   

I think it was love at first sight for both of them!!

Proof that she's just days away from sleeping unswaddled.

Gavin found one of B's bows on the stairs and put it on her... it doesn't match and she was in her pajama's.  Oh well.  She looks cute in bows regardless!

Brooklyn had her 4 month ultrasound and I was able to sneak a picture in before the technician came in her room.  She was very content and happy to be laying down on the table.  She always has to eat right before they scan her kidneys to ensure exact measurement with a full or potentially full bladder.  We met with her urologist earlier this week and got the results back from her scan and there had been no change in the dilation of her right kidney.  For the first time in months there was no change!  I want to believe this is a good sign and I'm very hopeful that she's finally falling into a category where she's on the upside, however, I feel like we're in limbo.  I was so prepared to find out her kidney had dilated to a larger size and that surgery was imminent, yet, that wasn't the case.  We are sticking to our plan and will be having a consultation at Texas Childrens Hospital at the end of July and will move forward with their findings and results.

Four Months, Time is Flying

Once again, I'm behind on posting about our little B's monthly update, but I was wanting to get pictures that of her while she was 4 months before posting and here, she's just days away from turning 5 months old.  Where has the time gone?  

Let's start this months update with a FUN new thing.... Brooklyn wore her first pair of shoes to our Weekly Meeting earlier this month and she was styling!!  SOOO CUTE.. I was so giddy and excited when I realized they fit her and were actually going to stay on her feet.  She didn't mind wearing them at all and loved showing them off!  

 

Okay so check out the rolls that have developed under her legs..... love em and love squeezing them!  

B is 4 months and her personality is coming out.  She is THE HAPPIEST BABY EVER.  I'm pretty sure I might have said that about Gavin and Miles too, but geez, she's easy and happy, ALL THE TIME.  She sticks to her normal routine.  She wakes up between 6-7am, eats 5 oz every 3 to 4 hours and plays for an hour and a half before taking a nap.  We've been playing around with various formulas trying to help fix her spitting up, bathroom issues, stuffy noses, etc and just keep switching.  She has had major issues with several formulas causing drastic spitting up to serious popping issues.  She's started taking about 1tbs of rice cereal in her formula and that has fixed her spitting up.... it's also caused B to fill out a little bit.  She now weighs 13 lbs 6 oz and has gained 1 lb and 1/2 in just two weeks.  She's 24 1/2 inches long!!!

Her birth mark is still growing, but it's not near the size we thought it would have been at this point in her life.  We love it on her though.

Brooklyns learning to sleep with one arm unswaddled and just this morning when I went to get her out of her crib her whole body was unswaddled.  It's just a matter of time before she'll be sleeping on her own with out being swaddled.  I've tried a few times putting her down for her naps unswaddled but she just can't fall asleep as easy.  Oh well, no rush, I'm willing to let her do it on her own.
 

Brooklyn loves playing around her brothers and gets lots of love and attention all the time!

She is SOOOOO close to rolling over from her back to her tummy but just hangs out on her side.  She kinda contorts her body to where her neck can be turned all the way backwards looking behind her while the bottom part of her body is still laying on the ground.  It's a strange sight, but she doesn't seem to be bothered by it.

B started sitting in the bumbo this month and appreciates being upright and seeing all of us.  Her favorite time sitting is while I'm cooking or at the dinner table where she can watch us!

I'm sure I've mentioned that Brooklyn loves being around her brothers and enjoys the attention!  Their faces crack me up in this picture!

Like I said earlier, she's a HAPPY baby!!  This is her pretty much all the time.

Happy 4 months B!  We love you so much!

Pre Reception Graduation

I can NOT believe Gavin's first school year is coming to a close.  He finished pre-reception (our preschool) and he LOVED it.  He enjoyed school, being with friends, his teachers, and doing fun projects.  For some reason all the pictures in this post are out of order so just go with it.  =)

On Wednesday, his class held a certificate ceremony and all the parents were invited to attend and watch a performance the kids had been practicing.  Guess who walked in first?  Gavin.  He was an elephant.  

At the end of the program the classroom aides brought around these huge books and were handing them out to the parents.  There were two huge booklets filled with Gavin's work from the school year.  It was AMAZING to see it all.  What's funny is I kept all of his work from the year just so I could see how much he learned and progressed.  I just went through the stack last week and thought to myself how it all seemed like coloring sheets and worksheets and nothing that was project style or using tangible materials... boy-- was I wrong.  One book was the alphabet theme and had objects and projects the kids made that started with each letter, then there was a book filled with activities from each theme throughout the year.  Again, this book was AMAZING and something that has his work compiled together that we will be able to keep from for years to come.

After the ceremony, the dads had to go back to work so two other moms and I took our boys to Applebees to celebrate and enjoy some time together!  The boys loved hanging out and us moms got to catch up.

Gavin with his French girl- friends, Flavie and Margone.

Finally, a good picture of mommy and Gavin!  Who knew it could happen?!?

We were so proud of our little man!

Best Buddies!!

Here's Gavin getting his certificate from the principal.

Brooks had to explain to Gavin what he just got and what it was for and what it meant.  

Okay, so back to the program the kids put on..... all the kid came out in animal masks and sang songs about being in the jungle and going on a safari and showing off all the various sounds animals make.  Too cute!

 

The kids were doing a great job and the program was moving along so nicely.  And then it happened... do you remember his last parent program at the beginning of the year?  

  

Yep-- he did it again.  In the middle of the kids songs and complete silence... Gavin started crying, no wailing!  His teachers tried calming him down, I tried calming him down, Brooks tried calming him down, I tried again.  Finally I thought to give him a piece of gum and told him he needed to go finish singing and dancing with his friends and he did.  After that, he was fine.  At first he gave me a few pathetic looks and like, mom, do I really have to be doing this?  and then he was over it.  He played his music instrument and went along like nothing was wrong!  

Regardless of his little show during the performance, he did great!

We're so proud of our little man and can not believe he's going to pre-K next year!  WOW!