Hmmm Genes are Funny Things

I ran across these pictures of the three kiddos all in somewhat of the same position...so fun to compare them! Grayson looks ginormous!!!

--Miss McKenna--

--Zachey--

--Baby Gray ;) --

Aww my sweet kiddos!

Princess and the Pea

Kenna started by building a fort, but ended up making the bed from princess and the pea. In the book the mother of the groom keeps putting more and more matresses on the bed because she feels as if a true princess could feel a tiny pea under all of them. Well, Kenna didn't have a pea but she did enjoy stacking all of the pillows and blankets in the living room in a giant pile to create a "super dooper comfy bed."

Frisbee Golf and Block Party

Last night daddy came home...yay! We sure missed him. I got to sit and enjoy a meal last night at the block party without holding someone, rushing, or also trying to feed someone besides myself...it was wonderful :)

We all headed down the street around 5. I loaded Grayson in the stroller with the brownies we made and drinks for everyone. Then I got Zachey and all our chairs in the wagon while Kenna rode her bike. We set up our chairs and played for a while before daddy got home and joined us. This year they got an acoustic band that came to play cover hits, and they were really good! Also, after a few hours a police car, fire truck and ambulance came. The kids got to meet the officers, climb in the vehicles, get handcuffed and finally got sprayed by the firetruck hose. The screams were hilarious! We got to meet some more of our neighbors and catch up with those that we don't see as often - lots of fun!

Today we wanted to get outside and do something. Daddy suggested that we go play frisbee golf. I wasn't sure how the boys would do, but we thought...why not? So off we went to Big Creek State Park and played on the course there. There was no one there, so we didn't look too silly pushing a stroller through the frisbee golf course :) Kenna did a great job and had some really good throws! Zachey was more interested in spider webs, sticks and leaves...but he did get a kick out of throwing the frisbee a bit and being outside :)

Tonight we are going to Andersen's for dinner to hang out with Leticia and Jason while they are in town and this ends my maternity leave. I am excited to do my internship this fall, but I am also bummed that my snuggle time with Grayson is over. Going to take advantage of every minute of downtime that I can, because he's growing up so fast!!

--loving his hat, and this giant stick--

--grayson was loving just being outside--

--blowing on a dandy lion--

 

--kenna was upset that we didn't bring the snacks she wanted--

UGH

So after a few very successful trips to the grocery store with three kids who all want to ride in the cart, today we had a major turn of events. We have a block party tonight and I had to get like 3 things to make some amazing marshmallow peanut butter brownies. Well we started off well, scoring a cart that would hold all of them, but about halfway through the store Grayson started crying, at first whimpers then full on ugly cry...he was tired apparently. Then Zachey started pushing Kenna in the little car attached to the cart, and Kenna started pushing Zachey, then they both started screaming "stop it" louder and louder. No amount of scolding stopped the endless pushing and yelling. Finally I just grabbed what I needed and headed to checkout where the bagger went slower than I have ever seen...I got some sympathetic looks as well as some irritated ones. Apparently my pep talk about being good in the store fell on deaf ears with my older two.

I grabbed Grayson's car seat, Zachey's hand and the nice man followed me out to the car and loaded my groceries (they do that at this grocery store.) Of course I see some people I know and they are like "out on your own with all of them today eh?"

I can really handle all three, they are normally very good and listen well...they must know that daddy is coming home today and wanted to finish the week strong....Ugh.

Water Party

We had our annual August barbecue and water party again this year. We usually make burgers, hot dogs, corn and watermelon and supply drinks. Then everyone else brings a dish to share!

It seems each year we have to up the stakes, and this year was no different! Josh put out his killer slip and slide. Some of the parents tried it out, and most of the older kids did!

--katie enjoying some watermelon--

--kanon splashing--

--kevin is getting so big!--

--I hardly recognized Abhi--

--megan on the 100ft slide--

--it was chilly in the shade...at one point Zachey's lips turned blue!--

--ladies corner ;)--

I feel like I haven't seen some of these kiddos since our party last year! Its amazing how much they are growing up and how quickly time flies!!!

Thanks to all that made it!

Zachey-isms

Two funny things that Zachey says that make me laugh every time:

"mommy, dats de-wish-us" everything from popsicles to salmon....the boy eats everything in large amounts

and

"mommy, dat dan-ge-wus!" I am not certain he knows what it means, because he says it at the funniest times. Sometimes when jumping off of couches (this makes sense) but sometimes when looking at a bug...hmmm its still adorable!

Single Parenthood

Josh was debating on when to go to a weeklong training for work. His options were right before Grayson was born (as in days before his due date) this past week and a week in September. None of them were really good options, but this was probably the best week for him to be gone. I was still on maternity leave, and hadn't started school yet. We have been having a surprisingly uneventful week. It usually involved me getting up early and packing Kenna's lunch for school. Then I would get her cereal and banana, juice and vitamin ready leaving the milk in a cup next to her bowl. Kenna would get up with her alarm clock, get dressed and eat her breakfast while I was feeding Grayson and getting him ready. While Kenna was brushing her teeth and hair I would get Zachey up, fed with teeth and hair brushed. Then we all got in the car and off to Eski's we went.

After I dropped the boys off I would take Kenna to school and we would practice where to get out of the car, where to go when she went into school and how to get everything in her locker. Then I would go to Kosama and have spent the rest of the day preparing for school, laundry, making dinners, running errands, etc. Eski would let me know when the boys got up and I would either get them first, or pick up McKenna from school, depending on the time. This week was also a week for Grayson to get used to Eski's in small doses, eating from a bottle, etc. He has done great!

The days have flown by. Bathing and getting 3 kids ready for bed is probably the hardest part of the day, but I have great kids who do a pretty good job of helping eachother and mommy! Kenna has really stepped up and done everything from get Zachey's shoes on to helping him go potty to grabbing diapers for me. Such a big helper!

We are sure excited to see daddy...phone calls everyday aren't nearly enough! This weekend we have a block party and dinner at the Andersen's with some of Josh's friends from high school!

--this picture is a little blurry, but love this outfit from Andersens! --

--such a great big sister!!--

Grayson's 2 Month Stats

I know I shouldn't compare them..but its almost impossible not to!

Zachary's 2 month Stats:
Height 23" (50th percentile)
Weight 13.5 lbs (75th percentile)
Head 16" (50th percentile)

Grayson's 2 month Stats:
Height 24" (78th percentile)
Weight 13.7lbs (79th percentile)
Head 16 and 5/8" (98th percentile)

Grayson was a little overdue being a week late, but they are eerily similar!

PIZZA!!!

Some photos from our celebratory dinner for Chelsey finishing her MCAT. The BIGGEST kid's meal pizza I have ever seen and a walk around the lake at Jordan Creek....yes his shoes are on the wrong feet...he did it himself :)

First Day of School

McKenna has been SOOOO excited for school. We went to meet her teacher on Thursday night. She was definitely a little intimidated by the 650+ kid school. April, Kenna, Kanon and I walked over and we met Daddy there. We met Mrs. Stevenson and learned that she is awesome. She has 33 years of experience teaching kindergarten and just loves loves loves it. She gave Kenna a list of things she had to do before she left that evening. We put all of her supplies away, located the bathroom, gym, music room, guidance room, library and got to know the school.

She enjoyed her last weekend as a pre elementary student. Daddy had to leave on Sunday for a training in Chicago. He was sad that he wouldn't get to see his girl's first day of school, but he had a surprise in store! While Kenna and I were getting our nails done on Sunday he had set up an elaborate treasure hunt! We didn't know until bedtime. Kenna laid down on her pillow and heard a krinkling sound. He had hidden a paper in her pillow with her first "clue." It told her that she had to wait until Monday morning to finish the hunt.

I thought that it was such a sweet and cute idea. As I was laying down in my bed, I was surprised that I had one too! He made me wait as well because the first clue led me to Grayon's room and of course he was asleep...darn!

The next morning I got up early to get the boys ready as well as McKenna. She woke up with her alarm at 6:30 and immediately went in search of where the clues led her. After much searching we ended up in the garage and found a repunzel doll that Kenna thought she had picked out for one of daddy's friend's daughters (very sneaky daddy!) I followed my clues and it led me to a pair of very dangly, very girly earrings. I can't wait to wear them :) Daddy is so creative! It really made Kenna's day!

I successfully got the boys to daycare by 7:30 so I could spend time taking Kenna to her classroom and her locker and making sure she was comfortable.

--my sweet kiddos!--

The parking lot was a madhouse! Imagine the parents of 600 kids all trying to drop them off....oh my!

 --here she is by her locker--

--she gave me a sort of nervous goodbye, but walked right in!--

I don't think I could be any more proud of my little girl. McKenna you are a beautiful, kind, energetic, happy, wonderful young lady and most importantly so excited to learn. I hope that you always have this energy, I am so very proud of you!

The Zoo

On Friday we braved the zoo with 5 kids. I thought it was a great idea until I tried to load 5 kids, a double stroller and single stroller in the acadia...but we did it!

--tight fit, but we barely made it!--

The girls were very good and patient as we fed and changed babies, and tried to keep Zachey occupied with multiple treat stops. The weather was amazing around 75 degrees and hardly any humidity!! The girls got to go inside the parakeet exhibit and feed them with nectar sticks. Some of the birds climbed on them and their arms and shirts. The giggles were priceless :)

After divvying out some snacks we went to see the dinosaurs and spotted some monkeys along the way.

 

 We moved on to see the giraffe (Zachey's favorite) and I sprung to have the kids feed them some lettuce. Their tongues are sooo long!

Then we saw the new Australian exhibit where they have many animals just wandering around near the trail that the kids walk on. It was pretty cool!

We also saw the big cats and Zachey LOVED this little jeep they could "drive."

 Fun day at the zoo! Kenna and Megan did a good job of helping. We were definitely ready for lunch and nap when we got home though! Not sure how parents of this many kids handle it!!