First Year Portraits

So much has happened this summer....we are a busy bunch. I have tried to pack so much fun into this summer.

This summer has been exceptionally hot, so it's a good thing we joined Villa Sport. The excellent childcare (2 hours free a day!), is like summer camp and Rosalie usually naps while she is there.. It's fantastic. We have used the pool a ton too and the kids are becoming good swimmers. Leo loves the obstacle course and water slide and Somerset loves making friends and swim class with Mommy. Rosalie is a tan little water baby too....she loves the water as much as the big kids.

Rosalie still has no teeth!!!! What is up? It seems like she has teething forever!!!! She does grow and develop in other ways though. She says, "I love you," and "I love you Aria." She yelled "Aria" the other day when the front door opened. I think that she thinks all visiting company should include Aria.

She also stands from a squatted position and has been caught standing for up to 10 seconds....wow!

She loves waving to people and saying "hi," especially at the farmer's market. She attracts quite a few customers to my soap booth.

Today, Joe heard her yell, "no way" when he tried to change her diaper and outfit. I was laughing so hard at the thought of this.

Somerset is my little mermaid. She is a really natural at swimming and she learned how to swim within a few lessons. We may have found a new talent of hers. She has really enjoyed swimming at Villa Sport this summer. She also has been taking swim lessons twice a week at Harman. She loves  her teacher Miss Maggie so much and is the star of her class.

Leo has been very busy with Swimming lessons, Mathnasium  and Karate. Leo wants to go to Mathnasium everyday. He really shines there and has found "his people," Leo also loves the basketball hoops at Villa. He is so good  at making baskets for his height and age.

Joe has become a bit of a carpenter these days, making all sorts of work benches for the garage for his brew station and for my soaping area. He also continues to brew, brew, brew and has loved watching the bats at night and tending to his gardening.

I continue to make soap daily, growing my business and having fun keeping the kids busy. This summer has been one to remember.

Rosalie is One!

Mommy and Rosalie on her 1st birthday

Last day of preschool for Somerset

Somerset's favorite shoes

Watching Maya and Somerset

Leo's lasy day of school. Calculator Watch!

Miss M and Miss J

Maya, Somerset and Ellie after their tap dance recital. BFFs.

Mismatch day at VBS

Our sweet cruiser of a girl is one!!! That went fast. She is amazing! She sings, she speaks a few words, she flirts and cuddles and is an all around great girl (except for night time sleeping).

 She cries often at bed time and then we end up taking her in our bed at some point in the night so Somerset can sleep. She also does not like to sleep in her crib for naps, so she naps in the car or in the carrier....not ideal.

She weighed nearly 18 lbs at her 1 year appointment. She is 20% for weight and 35 for height. 

Facts about Rosalie:

• She loves her brother and sister. Somerset always can make her laugh by jumping around
• she loves to eat strawberries, eggs, cheese, bread, cheerios and is generally a great eater. 
• she wakes up happy
• she still has no teeth!
• she loves to cuddle into a shoulder when she is sleepy.
• she loves mama's milk and will smile and sign for it when she wants it.
• she loves bath time
• she has the most beautiful face!
• she likes the Daniel Tiger Theme Song
• she loves watching children preform at recitals.
• she will clap and yell, "Leo" for her brother
• She loves cake!
• She is often called petite

Her first birthday was low key. We had Grandma Laurel, Grandma Cassandra, Uncle Martin, Autin Tiff, Baby Aria and our family came over for quiche, chicken alfredo pasta, coleslaw and of course....cake. The food was great and Rosalie loved it all! She did not disappoint with the cake eating. At one point, she used both hands to shoe fists full of cake in. She also loved all her gifts includig a new walker, a picnic set and vibrating and singing dog from Somerset, a ball from Leo, Books from Aria, A xylophone from Grandma Naomi, Clothes and toys from Granmdma Cassandra and a dress from Grandma Laurel. It was a great day!

11 Months Old!

Our sweet Rosalie is 11 months old! She is crawling like mad, pulling herself up and cruising. She has also been teething like crazy, but still no teeth! She has not been her easy going self as of late. She has been fussing quite a bit when she wants more food, does not like the food she has been given, has a toy taken away from her etc.

Somerset had her last day pf preschool. We love Miss Tonia and Miss Angie and are so sad the year is over. Somerset is thrilled to be in Jr. Academy next year though! She is great days when she is super awesome and helpful, and horrible days when she has tantrums and can't get control over her emotions. 

Proof!!!

Rosalie has had a busy week. She just started crawling and now she pulls herself up to her knees. She also said Water (3rd word) and Leo (4th word) on the same day. She says Leo with the same inflection as when Joe yells, "Lee-o!" Hilarious! She's also teething like crazy, so we are expecting teeth very soon. 

Crawling and Clapping!

So much is happening with our sweet baby. She started clapping 2 weeks ago (9 and a half months). She loves to clap often and especially enjoys clapping when she can join in with others who are cheering.

She also Crawled! I haven's seen it completely, but everyone else in the family has and I trust I will see this soon. She also is trying to pull herself up from the seated position. She is very strong. She gets herself into the seated position from lying flat on her back all the time.

She is exceptionally beautiful. Her beauty seems to grow with each passing day. Still no teeth, but her hair is thickening and her eyes twinkle. She really is the perfect baby.

Somerset has been very good and very difficult. She has pretty extreme mood shifts and can be completely unreasonable. Meal time is atrocious most nights. She refuses to eat almost everything and runs to her room in crying fits during many dinners.

However, she can be extremely cute and fun. She loves one on one time with us. She did lots of gardening with daddy this weekend and got dressed into her "scrubby-dubbies," a term she invented.

She loves Mommy's I-Pad more than anything, so I schedule many play dates to keep her active and creative.

Leo is in baseball again and his team is the As. He has improved dramatically. He always hits the coach pitched balls and he is way less intense about what is happening. It has been an amazing season so far!

Leo still loves geography, Mike Thaler's Black Lagoon series (he visited the school) and Star Wars Lego Dictionaries.

Leo Turns 7!

Our first born had a fun time bowling with 4 friends: Lucas, Sean, Ace and Forest. Somerset was in on the action too and was as cute as can be. The boys had a glorious time and were a it rambunctious, but I suppose that is what happens when you get 5 boys together.

On his actual birthday. Joe took the day off from work and we went for donuts in the morning. Leo and I went to Brick and Mini-igs (a Lego shop) and then we went to the mall to buy baseball gear, followed by Costco to pick up his gigantic chocolate basketball cake. Dinner was spent at KFC, followed by cake and gifts. Leo had a wonderful 7th birthday.

Rosalie fell off of Somerset's bed for the first time this morning. The kids all cried and were so worried about her, as was I. She was fine, but what a scare. We all love her so much! She is also nearly crawling and she now eats small finger foods. She still has an amazing appetite. She has started making Muppet like noises and is affectionately called "Rolls-Silly).

Somerset is now in Choir at St. Matt's and tap dance class. She loves both and has such a good time with Maya and Ellie. Keeping her busy, is such a huge challenge. She really loves watching shows on the I Pad in her room. I try to prevent this by providing her with lots of play dates. She also loves to sing in an operatic voice which drives Joe CRAZY!

Life is crazy with the kids, but we are managing to keep it together....barely. :-)