Busy Body

Erik is 11 months now and is a very busy body indeed! Besides throwing out every pot and pan, snack bag and Tupperware containers, he also storms through the dvds and anything else that is inside a cupboard. We've done well distracting him from the toilet or keeping the doors closed. He somehow manages to eat some cat food every few days, despite our efforts the keep that away from him. On the subject of eating: he's doing better still. He currently loves the veggies straws from Costco, he also liked the time I gave him some sips of my fruit smoothie from Costco and wouldn't let go of the cup! He really likes pumpkin bars or pumpkin bread. I broke my tradition and started him on whole milk the other day. He isn't into it yet, which is why I thought I would just start a month early. I figured he wouldn't actual consume much for a while yet anyhow.

He said his first word last week. Grandma was reading a Halloween book and there was the word "boo" many times and everyone was repeating it. We could see him forming his lips to match ours, then he let out a big "boo!" It was so cute and he loved our reaction, so he did it again! He also gets a big reaction out of us when he lifts both of his hands in the air, or one hand. We all end up doing it and saying "So big!"

He is definitely rougher than Austin was at this time. He likes to bite my shoulder (I have the bruises to prove it) and is not phased when I yell out "ouch!" He also likes to crawl up to any kid and use him/her as a prop to help himself stand up. Some of the kids are pretty small and he'll almost knock them down! He likes to tackle his 18 month-old friend Noah at church. He crawls on him and tries to grab his face before I get to him. He'll do it a few more times before we have to leave the room!

Lastly, he loves to walk with Grandma. She'll hold his hands and he'll walk all around. I saw Daddy do it with him at church too, but he doesn't walk for me. He just like to be held so he can bite my shoulder!

I love my little monster!

 My attempt to get a leaf picture with all my kiddos.

 He's getting ready to go down the slide, which he loves to do!

He loves to touch the eyes of the baby dolls.

Banister

Since we moved here, 6 years ago, we've had this old, and slightly dangerous for kids, banister. As you can see from the pictures, we had baby gates at the top, so no one would fall straight down from the hallway above.

 You can also see that one of the rods was completely removed by Austin last year. It was a secret passageway for the kids. Erik discovered it the day before we had it taken out- phew!

 It was our plan the entire summer to paint all the ceilings, including the high one above the stairs, and then have the banister replaced. We finally finished the ceilings at the very end of the summer. It turned out that we got the banister replaced the week before my mom and her very hard-working husband, Jim, arrived. Here it is in Victoria's birthday party picture, unfinished.

 Jim came to the rescue to make a very long project for me, happen in just three short days for him. I helped the first day with the staining, as it did need two people.

 He did the next two days with a coat of polish on each day.

 Thanks Grandpa! Now Erik won't fall through the banister and it looks great!

8 is Great!

 The celebration of Victoria's 8th birthday started last Saturday when I took her to get her ears pierced. It was just the two of us- no babies, so it was a nice get-away for me and a happy event for her. She's been talking about getting them done for a few years and the day finally arrived. She did great and was more brave than she thought she would be.

Before

After

(Notice her new glasses-they were part of her gift after her other ones finally broke, though they are still not the real thing.)

The biggest gift of all this week was the arrival of Grandma Pat (her BFF) and Grandpa Jim. They came the day before her birthday and will be here for her baptism on November 3 and a week after that, so we'll get to make up for lost time while they were on their mission.

 Don't know what's up with her expression here, but she was excited and happy.

She got her own set of scriptures in preparation for her baptism.

Saturday was the party. It was a spa/makeover party. I had a great time and I think the girls did too. We started off by painting their nails, followed by a special yoga class by Grandma.

 Then we did oatmeal scrub with cucumbers on the eyes. The girls enjoyed this, even though they thought it was kind of gooey. Next, we did some eye shadow and lip gloss (they got to take home the lip gloss and nail polish in their goodie bags).

 Finally, a fashion show with some of Victoria's many dresses. Let me tell you, some of those girls can really strut their stuff! They were cute with their poses and dancing.

 After they changed they made their own little pizzas, Victoria opened presents, and we had cupcakes. It was a great party and she has wonderful friends.

Victoria is a joy to be around. She likes to joke and have fun, but she's very serious at playing the good student. She's into the latest "fashions" and likes to be tough, but girlie. She still loves to write and be creative.

I can't believe she's 8!

A Sad Apple Tale

As is customary around here this time of year, Austin's preschool went to the Apple Orchard for a field trip. We've gone every year the 7 years we've lived here. We saw the animals, rode on the tractor-pulled wagon, learned how the bees help pollinate the apple trees, and ate doughnuts and cider. The only thing different this year is that there are no apples on the trees! As we rode through the orchard on the wagon, the trees were fruitless. The apple each kid got to take home was from an orchard in northern Michigan, as well as the cider we drank. The reason? Since we had a huge warm spell over the witner, everything bloomed, then died when it froze again. I don't think the kids really noticed too much, but I thought it was kind of sad.

 Enjoying the wagon ride

 Erik crawled way over to the middle, which made me very nervous.

Owen and Austin

 Yummy apple, from a different orchard...

 Got to have the bumble bee picture



Tough tractor driver

Erik sucked on some apple too

The preschool group and siblings