Last Day of School

I can't believe that we now officially have 4th graders!  This year has flown by-most likely due to Leah's arrival, but still-it went way too fast. Both boys were pretty bummed about the end of the year. I heard many "I can't believe this is the last week of school" comments. I think this was their best year yet-they had a great teachers and really loved going every day. They have also really grown up-I don't see little boy in them at all anymore. They are looking and acting older every day.

First day of 3rd grade

Ryan has really become such a great help with Leah. He is so good at playing with her and talking to her about what is going on around us.

Leah is a strong baby and has had great head control from almost the very beginning. She loves to stand up and look around. I thought she'd enjoy the jumparoo, but she has several inches to grow before her feet with touch the ground.

I tried the doorway jumper - she's so little in it, but at least her feet can hit the floor.

Tummy Time!

Greg picked out a musical card for Mother's Day from Leah. She likes to watch the doggy spin around and play music.

Happy Girl!

Summer is Coming

Leah and I are enjoying our last week of school together. I can now understand the non-school working parent view of summer vacation - this year I'm not looking too forward to it. I've loved my time home with Leah and hanging out with just her. It's also been great to take Ryan and Luke to school each day and then have a few hours at home without them. Ryan and Luke are great kids-but they are also loud, overly silly, and fight with each other often. I'm hoping to keep them busy this summer with swim team and some activities at home. We will have to work around Leah and her naps-but she is already a chill baby who can go with the flow.

I asked the boys to take a picture with me for Mother's Day.Luke put on his suit jacket and tie and Ryan fully cooperated with the picture (as in no silly faces) - that was their love language.I am so blessed to have 3 wonderful children. I am lucky to be their mom.

Most handsome boy!

3rd Grade Field Day took place last week. Leah and I made it for the picnic and the class tug-of-war and slip and slide. The boys had a great time. I remember Field Day being the best day of the whole year-I think they feel the same.

Luke and his class.

Ryan and his class.

Video of the two classes competing with each other. Many of the parents were just as in to it as the kids.

 Despite the not too warm temperatures, the kids had a blast on the slip and slide.

Luke was pretty cautious and only slid on his knees.

Ryan was willing to go full belly.

Sweet Ryan and his sister. He was so proud to show her off and asked many of his friends to come over and see her.

 Various Leah photos:

Leah and her Lamby and Pogo (the name the boys have created her for little stuffie).

Luke took this picture of Leah in her carseat. She looks totally surprised by something.

Hanging out at Ryan's last soccer game. She is such a good sport to sit through anything.

 Smiley Girl

Video of Greg and Leah - she loves to talk to him-and she also gave him a little present.

Ryan is so good at entertaining Leah. She really gets a kick out of him.

Luke is great at keeping Leah happy and content. Whenever I need her occupied while I'm working on something, I can always count of him to give it his best effort.

Sweet Little Bean

The First Three Months

I can't believe that we have had Leah in our lives for 3 months - in many ways I have a hard time remembering our family before her. She has moved into our lives easily and wonderfully. She is a joy to be around and is almost always fine with whatever craziness is going on around her.

Ryan and Luke are still completely taken with her. I hear many "Leah is the cutest baby" phrases from both of them.

Nana and Grandad visited again a couple of weeks ago. Leah loves to talk to Grandad.

She has the most expressive eyes.

Leah is great at enduring countless pictures and props.

"I'm so tall and strong"

Davis is always tolerant of anything that goes on around him.

The boys had a 3rd Grade Invention Convention last month. One of Luke's ideas was to create a Paci Stand in order to keep a pacifier in a baby's mouth. Leah is love her paci and she also loves to launch it out of her mouth and onto the floor-especially when she is being held over your shoulder. Luke decided on a different project for school, but he still wanted to make the paci stand/holder for home. This was all his creation.  I think it's pretty brilliant.

Leah is totally ok with it. Obviously, we don't leave her alone with it - but it totally cracks us up.

Videos from the past month:

Leah loves to stretch. I could even feel her stretch when she was in my tummy. She usually takes one really long nap in her bed each day. When she wakes up she has to stretch for several minutes before she actually starts to open her eyes and smile. It took 10 minutes for her to really wake up in the video-but here's a short clip of her stretch routine.

Leah can stay happy and content for long periods of time as long as she is around the action. She spends quite a bit of time in her high chair in the kitchen so she can watch me make dinner. Luke entertained her with his rendition of the Itsy Bitsy Spider.

She loves to talk to Grandad. It helps that he is willing to make funny faces and noises.

There's no cuter girl in our world.