Katelyn's first day of preschool

Well, it's official- Katelyn is now a BIG girl!  She started preschool today!  

 Here she is outside her school.  

 When we got to her class she literally started to walk in without a wave, hug, goodbye...nothin'.  We of course were more sentimental and had to give her hugs and kisses.  She then went in, put her bag away and headed straight to the art table to create her first of many crafts!  Praying this is a wonderful year for her!

Back to school interview:

1. What is your favorite food? Pizza
2. What is your favorite sport? Gymnastics
3. What is your favorite TV show? Dinosaur Train
4. Who is the coolest person on Earth? Jesus
5. What are you most excited about school? Learn more about Jesus
6. What is the thing you do the best? Go on trips without mommy and daddy
7. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? I would go see SaSa and see how she preaches to people all about Jesus
8. If you could change your name, what would it be? Beautiful Rylie
9. What is your favorite color? Pink
10. What is your favorite toy? rings and bunny
11. What is your favorite movie? Princess and the Frog & Sleeping Beauty
12. What is your favorite book? Brave
13. What is your favorite song? Jesus loves me verse 3
14. When I was little I used to... spit up, crawled, and eated
15. What is your favorite snack? dried up banana and fruit
16. What food do you not like? pepperoni
17. Who is your best friend? Emily, Savanah, Heidi and Lylah
18. If you could have one wish, what would it be? To swim all day and night
19. What is your best memory? Playing chutes and ladders with Daddy
20. What is your favorite holiday? Birthday and Christmas
21. What do you want to be when you grow up? Christian and Astronaut
22. What is your favorite cereal? Frosted Mini Wheats
23. What is your favorite game? Hide-n-Hoot

Katelyn's Baptism

Katelyn asked Jesus into her heart in March.  Since, at the time, she didn't come with us to big church, she had never seen anyone get baptized or even heard of it really.  Thanks to her cousin Micah, that all changed in July.  He was recently baptized and wasn't afraid to share with Katelyn all about it.  She came home from Washington asking lots of questions about it, and not too many weeks later she said she wanted to show everyone that she asked Jesus into her heart by being baptized.  (On a side note, Micah was also sharing with Caleb about how he also needs to accept Jesus into his heart and get baptized.  Caleb made that decision a few weeks ago and was baptized last week.  I am just so thankful that Micah is so willing to share Jesus with those around him.  He has already made an impact in 2 lives and he is hardly 6.  How many more lives will he touch? Preacher in training perhaps? Or maybe just living the way we all should by sharing his love for Jesus?!?!  All of that to say, I'm proud of Micah and Caleb too!)  

She was very excited to tell her friends and Ms. Marlys (her Sunday School teacher from last year) that today she was getting baptized.  We were so thankful that Brian Brunson, our young married minister, would be baptizing Katelyn.  She knows him from small groups, so she was comfortable with him. 

Here is a good picture of her professing who her Lord and Savior is, "Jesusssss Christ"!

Buried with Christ in baptism....

Raised to walk in newness of life! 

While we were getting Katelyn dressed afterward she said, "Mommy, I'm glad I got baptized today.  I don't want to hide that I asked Jesus into my heart."

After her baptism Chad Hampton (Youth Minister) preached.  He preached about not using words necessarily, but painting a picture of Jesus in our lives every day.  Our prayer is that as Katelyn grows in the Lord that she will paint a beautiful picture of Jesus' love and others will be drawn to Jesus because of her faithfulness.  

Colson- 6 Months Old

Half a year old- I can't believe it!  Colson is such a happy little guy, especially when he is in the jumper!

He loves to sit in the jumper, play with all the toys on it, watch his big sisters running around, and jumping (of course).  He also likes to have time to just roam around on the floor.  And yes, I do mean roam.  He rolls, army crawls, or wiggles all over the place!  He is quite obsessed with the door stopper that is in the living room.  He makes a bee-line for it anytime I lay him down.  I try to keep him on a blanket on the floor so he doesn't spit up on the carpet, but he gets off it in about 2 seconds!  

  

He had his first sink bath at Bubba and JoJo's this month.  He loves splashing and kicking.  When I give him a bath, I also get a bath because of the amount of splashing!

He has been eating baby food (banana, rice cereal and applesauce) the last week or so.  He isn't too impressed, but I'm sure that will change soon.  He isn't the greatest sleeper, and this momma is getting tired!  He would still eat every 3 hrs if I let him, which I don't, but he still wakes and cries several times each night.  While he is awake he is very independent and generally very happy.  If he gets fussy all you have to do is  pick him up, give him a new toy or even just smile and talk to him and viola- happy boy!  He is great in the car and he loves Katelyn.  She can get him to laugh like no one else!  His excema still flares up on his face every week or so.  The spot above his eye (Doctor thinks it's a dermoid cyst) has started to grow.  We were planning on waiting until he is a year to MRI and remove it, but since it is growing, we may have to bump that up.  His well check is next week, so I'm thinking of asking for a referral to a specialist to get it checked out.  

Happy 1/2 Birthday sweet little guy.  You are a blessing to our family!

Adelyn

"Cheeeeeeeese" is what she is saying!

But that is not what I'm here to tell you.  I just had to tell you that today Adelyn said, "Mommy, can we stop playing now- I want to go night-night."  Yup, that's my girl!

Washington July 2012

A few weeks ago we loaded up and headed to Washington for a week of cousins, fun, sun, water, Nanny/PawPaw, fishing (for the big boys-another post to come), and more fun!  Nanny had the pool filled and ready and Sunday after church the big 5 wasted no time!

Adelyn is one happy camper playing with all her big cousins!  

Here is just about the only picture I have of Jared, Stanley and James before they left for Alaska for their halibut fishing trip.

Katelyn had a great time playing with her cousins too.  She looks tired in this picture, probably because she was!

Speaking of tired, Adelyn crashed on the beanbag while watching a movie.  She was exhausted much of the time just being off her schedule/missing naps, but she was a trooper!

I think I'll title this photo, "Don't start something with Nanny that you can't finish!"  Caleb and Micah were trying to get her wet, and well- she got em'!  Katelyn, Ellie and Adelyn stayed off to the side and watched, they aren't as brave as the big boys.  I have to say, Stormi and I got a good laugh out of watching Nanny get them.  Nanny is always looking for ways to connect with the grandkids.  For the boys it is squirting them with water, for the girls it is doing a scrapbook or painting finger nails.  We are blessed by Nanny, that is for sure!

And we were blessed to get to spend such quality time with these sweet kids.  Caleb, Micah and Ellie are so fun, sweet, adorable... I could go on.  Bottom line- we are sad we only get to see them a few times a year, so we make the most out of the time we do have!

Stormi is one of those ladies that you want to be around.  She just makes you happy and I am blessed that she is my sister-in-law!

Colson had a good time too.  He got lots of Nanny, Stormi and Ellie cuddles.  He got to watch the big kids play and I am already thinking that the next time we get to see them, he will be in the middle of the action! 

Love these 6!

When we were telling them good-bye Adelyn hugged Micah and looked him square in the eye as she said, "I am going to miss you."  I, of course, teared up.  Loved every minute with nanny, PawPaw, Stormi, James, Caleb, Micah and Ellie!

Colson- 5 Months

Colson turned 5 months old on the 20th.  This month he had his first airplane ride.  He did great and we couldn't have asked for him to do any better.  He fussed a few minutes here and there, but was easily cheered up.  He is getting stronger and stronger.  He can roll anywhere he wants to go and wiggles himself all across the floor.

Colson had his first experience in the jumperoo this month.  He loves it, but still can't reach the floor.  Once his feet hit the floor, he is going to be jumping none stop!  Right now he loves to pedal his feet constantly.  I think when he starts walking/crawling, he will never stop!

Colson also got to meet all his cousins in Washington this month.  Ellie was very much like Katelyn- lots of questions and wanted to help with Colson a lot!  

In case you can't tell, the picture below is Colson asleep under a burp cloth.  We found out on the plane that when he is sleepy if you put a burp cloth over his face, he will go to sleep...  Weird, but whatever works!

Speaking of sleeping, this is his favorite position- face down into the mattress, and even better if he is snuggled up in the corner of the crib.

Apples!  Colson got his first taste of food 2 nights ago.  He isn't too thrilled with it, and he hasn't been sleeping well (woke up 5 times last night) so I'm wondering if his tummy isn't ready for it yet.  I'm going to take a break for a few more weeks and see if he is ready then. 

Colson is still a happy, sweet little guy.  Still wears mostly 9 month clothes.  He has found his voice and likes to be heard.  He likes to have a toy to chew on or his fingers will do!  His excema has been flaring up pretty frequently.  As soon as it clears up it seems to come right back in a different spot.  He is still sleeping the same as he was at 4 months.  I tried dropping the 4am feeding, but he just wasn't having it!  He will still go happily to others and the nursery.  Happy 5th month birthday sweet boy!

Katelyn

Katelyn is hilarious.  She is into telling jokes  

and making silly faces.  She is so grown up yet has her silly 4 year old humor.  She loves to entertain anyone and everyone.  While in Amarillo for Memolly's funeral she went into the kitchen and told everyone to come outside for a fashion show.  She then proceeded to grab the water hose (microphone) and sing song after song- most of which made up on the spot.  

A few days ago I got up around 6:30 and hear her in the bathroom.  I went and peeked my head around the corner.  She was filling a cup with water and she tells me, "I need a drink, my breathe is dry."