One year!

Today, Andrea has her first birthday. It seems fitting to share a little of her life thus far.

Andrea:

Has grown into her very own unique personality. Sweet, gentle, caring and horribly lovable. She is cute and she knows it! (She is already flashing her twinkling eyes and quick smile like lights on the Vegas strip!)

Has been walking for over three months and running for three.

Has been climbing anything she can find. (We have found her flat, chest down, on a clear plastic box. Her arm and legs straight out like a Mission Impossible scene with drool in place of sweat.)

Will climb down things with her butt first... thank God!

She can nurse upside down. (Often causing mom to roll her eyes and reminds me how glad I am to be a dad :D)

Handles being sick well. (During her last puking session she would walk around without any visible sign of illness. There would be a sputter.. sputter...and then boom! (Very much like the Fire Swamp's fire bursts in "Princes Bride")

She is petite. She is not even close to the cute baby rolls that our other girls had. This is likely due to the combination of activity, daddy's metabolism, and how early she was walking. (We figure she still has some time to pack on a roll or two).

Is tough... Seriously tough. (I am sure this is in direct relation to how rough and tumble her two older sisters are. I am not sure I would want to know what 3 boys would look like! Yikes!)

Loves her sisters dearly... and they love her. (She is a third, somewhat slower, wheel but she will try so very hard to keep up. She will allow Annaka to grab, carry, drag, push, scare, and play with her. All with a cute little smile... how is that possible!!? I feel beat up just watching for a few minutes!)

Will always go to sleep for dad, and wake up for mom. (When snuggling her to sleep, rocking slowly back and forth, I slowly pat her back. Andrea has noticed! She recently has decided to gently pat my arm as she burrows into my shoulder. *sigh .. I cherish these moments with all my heart)

I hope to add more (Perhaps Naomi will add some as well)... should I/we find some time.

Happy Birthday Andrea, we love you!

A Busy Fall

School has started up and we are busy keeping up. I am now teaching an extra period each day. The high school needed someone to teach choir and I am the closest thing we have to a choir teacher. It's been a huge learning experience for me and the students. The truth is, I'm really excited about how this year is going.

Caleb is working on his iPad app and release is in the near future. Between that and the swimming pool, he is always busy. I am very proud of the work he has completed and look forward to viewing documents on my iPad next to a pool next summer!

Here are some photos to share!



Annaka is working on her skills in portrait drawing.




Adelyn enjoys a little dress up.




We made pizzas with April and Keith last week. Annaka put on her chef hat while we were having a nice discussion at the dinner table and produced a very fine raspberry pizza. Caleb baked it anyway. We did taste it but the chickens feasted on it.




This picture deserves a caption better than I could ever come up with. Clara's first photo bomb?




Jindol photo bomb.




Andrea has a hard time making it through lunch some days.




Just for fun.

Organization

Annaka appears to have a hidden desire to organize. We asked her to clean her room and the creative juices started flowing. Caleb walked in to see this.





Annaka then explained that the left was where she would put the dresses and the right for shirts and pants.

Oh, you can't argue with that...

A Fear of Falling

Caleb, Annaka and I were able to go to Silverwood today and play. Annaka, it seems, has issues with the feeling of falling. Those butterflies just get to her! Her arms grab anything in reach and latch on with a strength that could bend steel, while her nails could scratch porcelain. Honestly, I didn't foresee this active little tyke disliking roller coasters or rides. I also didn't know her eyes could get this big.




We wanted to take her on the log flume and were only able to get her on because she had no idea there was a drop at the end. I, being the mean Mommy that I am, caught this picture of the incident. Yes, we were incredibly misleading when we convinced her to ride the "lazy little river ride that doesn't go real fast." And yea, we felt pretty proud of ourselves because we fooled a four year old. Don't worry though, she thought the ride was actually fun overall and would go on it again. Success! Next year we are going to ease her into the rides instead of taking her on the big wooden roller coasters first (bad Mommy and Daddy). Here are a few nice photos of the end of the day on her favorite ride, Tilt-a-whirl which she called the "Apples Ride". I guess they do look like big apples from the back!




Here's a video of her on the ride with us. Watch her eyes!

It was such a hot day we couldn't resist going on Thunder Canyon as well. Annaka tolerated the ride and we all walked around soaking wet for a few hours after. I think Ca is telling me that I'm gonna get it next here (which I did).







Everyone looking out for their rear ends.



Waiting in line for Tremors. Annaka got in the seat but ended up getting out and waiting for us on the side with a very nice ride attendant with a big green umbrella. She said she really enjoyed standing there with the nice guy.



Matt and Tyler snuggling up for the ride. It appears they don't make these things for two tall, broad-shouldered guys.



We ended the day with a chill carousel ride.

Riding the Bike

Last year, Annaka ended the season with a fear of her bike after a few spills and one episode of a runaway Annaka down a hill. This summer, she decided she would give it another shot and we have success! She can now ride around in circles without falling (very much).

Here is a video of the first day!

We Like To Move It

Boy, things have gotten busy around the house now that we officially have three kids moving! Andrea is now crawling everywhere! She loves to follow her sisters around and find delicious little snacks on the floor or in the dog bowl.

Here are a few videos to show how Andrea progressed through the crawling.







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Summer

Summer has finally started, well, at least by the calendar. The weather has been cool and rainy and my work has extended a little longer than expected due to a nasty case of strep throat. Thankfully, I believe we may have made it now!

The kids have been busy playing and growing.



Here is Adelyn and Wyn on the swings in Almira, WA. Adelyn is not a fan of swings. We have to take it pretty slow!




It was a busy day at the park with all those kids!




She does, however, like the horse.




Andrea has learned how to crawl and now often finds snacks on the floor. This one was part of a fiber one bar left by Adelyn.




Adelyn is always joking around.




Annaka has learned how to ride her bike! Spills and scars must come with that territory!

I have video to post on that later.

The Home Stretch

I only have two more days with students, then a few days of training and finally I present at a regional conference at the ESD about technology in the classroom. I'm so ready for summer and ready to take a much needed break from the pressure of meeting standards and passing state tests.

Here is a little recap on what we've been up to for the last month or so.




Caleb built some lovely benches out by our brick oven/BBQ outside. Nice gloves honey!










We went to Portland to watch April graduate. Good job, Sissy!




We they to get out on walks down to g and g's when we have time.




We watched a tee-ball season come and go. Nice job kiddo! Annaka says she doesn't like standing in the grassy area. She only likes to swing the bat and get snacks.



We have been gardening. These are our cabbages and broccolis.




We make bread. We eat bread.




This is Adelyn at the Town And Country Days Parade.




Annaka at the parade.




The girls wanted to water the poppy plant. I think they nearly drowned the seedlings next to it!

Baby Andrea cut her first tooth and learned how to crawl last week. She's 7 and a half months old and things are getting interesting around here now. Today, I found Andrea today with half a snap pea in her mouth. Tomorrow's diaper could be interesting!

Pictures of the trip

The traveling


Seattle aquarium








The Crab Pot. A terrible, yet funny picture!


The Woodland Park Zoo. An animal indeed.


Adelyn and Zane sharing a car at the Pacific Science Center.


Adelyn and Wyn


Adelyn doing Wyn's hair!!!





Annaka in the butterfly room.


Adelyn is not too sure about the butterflies.


Pacific Science Center


Space Needle