Daily Reads

5.27.2015

The boys (and an Evie!)



Life has changed a bit since my last post about the boys. Michael turned four, Sam made some invisible leap from toddler to little boy, and we welcomed our pup Evie into the family. Things got really chaotic really fast, but we are so happy to have this little critter! Samuel is unfazed - he is neither afraid of Evie, nor excited about her. He likes her, but he pretty much acts like she has always been here. Michael, on the other hand loves Evie and wants to play with her and hold her and run with her all the time. And the feeling is mutual. Evie is thrilled to chase, lick, be held by, bark at, roll over for, and follow the boys all the time. She is so good-natured and so playful, I sometimes can't believe how well she has fit in with our family. I feel like God hand-picked this girl just for us. There have been messes and chewed up toys (and a disgusting mouse murder just a few feet away from Samuel), but mostly she is pure sweetness in a furry little Muppet-dog body. We call her Evie Girl, and we couldn't love her more.


Michael - 4 years and 1 month

Latest skills: drawing his favorite characters, writing simple words without help, zipping up his jacket, helping me wrangle Evie and sometimes Sam, buckling his own car seat

Loves: playing chase with Evie, wrestling with Dad, playing with friends, playing outside, playing Baymax, pretending, building forts, reading, writing books (with help), having undivided attention, learning about science, movies

Best way to make him laugh: get Evie to chase him, watching Evie run around really fast, trip over something and fall

Doesn't love: 4 year old shots, being bugged by Sam, unwanted attention

Habits we're trying to break: being bossy when playing with other kids, venting frustration by yelling, taking forever to eat 

Words: "You look beautiful, Mom!" 
"My body is made up of cells. That's where my energy comes from."
Tim told him a riddle (What falls down and never gets back up?), Michael answered correctly (rain), then thought about it for a minute, and said it wasn't right because rain does go back up when it evaportates.

His spirit: passionate, a dreamer, has strong opinions about almost everything, very sure of himself, persistent, adventurous, thoughtful

Aspirations: currently doing chores and saving up to buy a Baymax action figure, begs often to return to the Shedd aquarium in Chicago so he can play in the life-sized submarine again, wants to dig up dinosaur bones in Montana this summer


Samuel - 1 year and 9 months

Latest skills: singing ABCs, counting to 13, jumping off of furniture and his truck, feeding Evie, dragging the little red chair around the kitchen to access whatever he pleases on the counters

Loves: doing things himself, being tickled, sitting in our laps to read, playing with Mikey, cantaloupe (cannamope), most foods, playing in the yard, Gigi and Papa, hugs, toys with wheels, going to Bible class

Best way to make him laugh: tickle him

Doesn't love: the vacuum cleaner, the lawn mower, sitting still in church, sitting still for movies or TV shows

Habits we're trying to break: still throwing food and drinks on the floor, disobeying Mom and Dad

Words: "I do it!" (wants to do everything himself)
"My turn!"
"Ready? One, two, fee, four, five, six!" (preparing to jump off of something)
"Look, Mom, look!" 
"Thank God Daddy and Mikey and Daddy." (saying what he's thankful for before prayers)

His spirit: thankful and appreciative (almost always says thank you, often thanks us for doing things for Michael too), concerned about others (always says "bless you" when someone sneezes, asks if we're okay when we cough, etc.), friendly, strong-willed

Aspirations: to do everything Mikey does, to do everything himself

5.10.2015

Michael turned four

Somehow, my baby turned four (almost a month ago!!). I didn't get weepy or long for the baby days or any of that. 
I was able to just enjoy this awesome stage that is four-year-old Mikey. Everything is exciting. Everything is an adventure. It's pretty great.
 Balloons are a good way to start the day :)
Enjoying his breakfast and decorating his own cupcakes. (He requested that I let him do the cupcakes.)

In true form he dreamed up an elaborate Wall-E themed pizza party with his friends, so the weekend before his birthday we did our best to make it happen. We played some robot games, ate outside in the sun, enjoyed cake and ice cream, and opened presents (Michael was just barely able to wait for that part. Barely.). It turned out cute and really fun, and Mikey loved it.
 Happy birthday, Michael! It's a joy and blessing to watch you grow. We love you!!!

(Michael at three (party), two (birthday week), onejust born, and birth story. Ok, now I'm a little weepy.)

5.06.2015

Evie joins the pack

This is Evie. She has puppy breath and furry little paws that make the boys (and me) turn to mush. She hops around in the grass and does that adorable thing where she bats at the air with her paws. 

Of course, yesterday she pooped in the playroom and killed a small disgusting rodent of some kind in the yard, but these sweet pictures were taken on day two in our home when she was still all sweetness and submission. One week later and she is 100% rascal. It's okay. We love her anyway.

mud, ball caps, and flowers

Our spring looked like this.