Ah, Summer...

First

It was our first day of homeschool today.

Deacon is a third grader, Roman in first.

Lincoln is a Kindergartner,

And Berean must do it all.

I had to work last night, so my mom managed most of school this morning.

I don't have any pictures of my kids on their first day.

No little signs with their ages, no chalkwork stating their new grades.

But I did make them put shirts on before we started,

that is something, right?

Camping in Pictures, Days 2 and 3

Day 2 didn't have many pictures, so it was combined with Day 3.

Tettegouche State Park

Baptism River, Tettegouche State Park

Ever is quite please with the PBJ she managed to steal from Roman!

Deacon, those look heavy, what in them?

Bricks I think!

Undisclosed location

Siblings

I really enjoyed growing up with sisters.  We had a lot of the same friends, shared clothes and had a lot of fun playing together.  I always thought it would be fun to have a brother, though, too.

Noah grew up with two sisters.  He loves his sisters, but always kind of wished that he had a brother as well.

We are so happy to have brothers and sisters for all of our children.  One of my greatest joys as a mother is watching the relationships between my children.  There is very little that makes me happier then to watch them have positive interactions with one another.

I love it when Deke and Roman have their arms around each other as they are wandering around the yard.  I like to see the spontaneous hand holding and hugging over accomplishments.  I love it when D reaches out a hand to Linc when he is having trouble, or when he puts Everyn on his shoulders.

I love it when they help each other open freezies, and counsel the younger siblings over the loss of teeth and broken toys.

Yes, they fight, but there is also a lot of conversation; a lot of shared dreams, plans and play.  If they are apart, when they get back together there is a gathering, a sharing of experiences that one or the others missed out on.

Yesterday we were at a waterpark with just the boys.  A pregnant woman was there (very close to her due date) and Roman commented to me, "Mom, remember when we could put our hands on your stomach and feel Everyn kick?"  He paused and walked over to me and put his ear by my belly.  "I wonder if there is a new baby in there?"

Can we be done having babies?

Maybe, maybe not.

But I am so glad that we have been able to give our children so many people to love them, cheer for them and support them.  I am glad that we have given them a lesson in the preciousness of babies.  I am glad that they are having a hands on lesson in child development.  I hope that these friendships, forged in childhood, last forever.

Camping, Day 1, in Pictures

Tettegouche State Park

Sugarloaf Cove

Beaver Bay

 

Everyn

Everyn is nearly 8 months old.

She is the happiest baby we have had.

She is also the most unmotivated.

I cannot believe that Roman was walking just after he turned 9 months.

This girl barely rolls over.

Now, before people get concerned, I really don't think there is anything wrong with her.  She can roll over, she does it occasionally.  She chortles, she laughs.

Her favorite transportation method is on someone's shoulders.  

She doesn't like it when I leave the room, and she gets panicked if I come into a room and don't come get her.  She likes to eat, and I think food may be the key to get her moving.

She loves diaper changes and baths.  Mostly she likes to be naked.  

She smiles often.  As Deacon says, "anyone can get Ever to smile.  You just have to smile at her.  Well, maybe if there was someone REALLY creepy, maybe Ever wouldn't smile at them, but she does smile at everyone else."

I am so excited to watch her grow and change and develop her little personality!

This Is A Big Event

I still remember it like it was yesterday.  

Sunday afternoon, Vikings game on.

Noah and I lounging on the couch, half napping, half watching.

We heard a chortle.  It was too close.

Yes, Deacon had climbed out of his crib and come downstairs.

He was only about 20 months old.

After that, there was no stopping that boy.  Naps were done.

Trying to keep him in bed was too hard.

He is 8 now and still needs minimal sleep.

Then came Roman.

He also was climbing out of his crib long before he was 2.

Then Lincoln was over that edge.

None of the boys could talk, but boy could they climb.

But Berean passed 2 without making any attempts to get out of her crib.

We knew the day was coming when she would realize that she could do it.

Afterall,

she climbs up stairs, slides and rock walls.  She has been known to climb on counters and chairs.

That crib is within her skill set.

And yet she never did it.

Until Saturday night.  On Saturday night we had a babysitter.  The boys got popsicles after Bre went to bed. Only thing is, she apparently wasn't asleep yet and overheard the popsicle consumption.

Boy was she angry.

She was so angry that she managed to heave her 25 lb self over the side of the crib and masterfully reach the ground.  

And then she went to get her popsicle.

And now she shows up in our room when she needs to pee, when she gets a bloody nose or when morning has come.

It is bittersweet.

This morning she came into our room and she looked so happy.  She rambled on about a story  that I didn't understand.  At the end she said, "I happy".  

I asked her if she was happy that she could get out of her bed.  She said, "yes".

P.S. Berean calls marshmallows "arsh mo mos".  Her cousins Alethea and Lydia are "Hi-ya" and "Hi-ya".