What do you get when you mix....

Finger painting with getting snacks? A MESS!

Finger painting with cleaning the garage? Mess monsters!

And what do you get when you mix finger painting with potty training? Cuteness!

First attempts

I forget to post this picture. The first day Alina started to push off the ground and stand I took this picture of her. She was so pleased with herself, she giggled until she fell over. It all happens so fast.

Ali the busy girl!

What makes you think that even if you are this cute you can trash my pantry?
Stop getting into the beans and rice! Rotten baby!

Oh, the baby Alina! I don't know where the first year of your life went. You are the sweetest, easiest baby I've had, which will probable make you sibling mad when they are older and reading this. You're very content to sit and watch, or be in the mix of things. Curious about whatever your siblings are up too. Somehow you figure out how to open everything from the dishwasher, to a little jar full of money. We have started to call you "Spoon Thief" because one of you favorite pass times is pulling spoon off the table, then running ways giggling until someone chases you. You're quick to surrender your treasures with a smile!

Garrett's 7th Birthday!

We decided to keep things simple for Garrett's Birthday this year since we just got back from 6 weeks in Az., and next year will be a big party year. Garrett decided that he wanted to shoot off his rocket with Dad. I don't know what's more fun watching the rocket go off, or chasing three across the yard into the neighbors yard to try and catch it before it lands.

This year Garrett wanted a strawberry pie for his Birthday. He's a boy after his Uncle Randall's heart. He also wanted to pick his own present at Toys R Us. Of course, he picked the biggest Nerf gun or missile launcher available. This summer at the Bollwinkle's he played Nerf guns with the cousins and fell in love. Nothing too exciting but he had a great day. He's already talking about next year when he gets baptized and gets a dog. We love you, Big Guy!

Cousin Elizabeth

We love Elizabeth! These two cousins are two peas in a pod! They were born one week apart, but seems and look like twins. They have the same happy easy going personality. They love to play together.

I try to take pictures of them every year. This time I could really see how much they've grown up. I hope they are always buddies.

Garrett Birthday

Give it 6 months

Right after I had Taryn, a good friend of mine and wiser mother of 6, told me, "Give it 6 months." The whole dynamic of a family and each person's ability and life experience changes every 6 months. How TRUE!
Six months ago, when I found out or admitted that I was pregnant with number 5, Alina was seven months old, barely crawling and sitting up, being spoon feed, and crying was her only means of communication. Taryn, was 2 1/2, and not potty trained. Kendall just turned 4, and spent the whole year not really enjoying preschool or any other activity that took her away from me. Garrett was 6, independent and self sufficient for himself, but not really capable of constructively assisting the girls. We were doing okay, but I wondered how I'd have the capability to care for one more.
Now six months later, Alina is walking-running all around this house. She feeds herself, and is starting to communication and have opinions about what she likes and does not like.
Taryn is potty trained! Yippy! Her and Kendall are great friends which really helps to entertain them. Taryn has even started to play with Alina and likes to help out. The cutest thing about, Taryn that she is SO excited about the "baby monkey boy" in my belly.
Kendall LOVES preschool, and she loves to go to friends houses.
Garrett has turned into my life saver! Just this morning, I thought, I don't know what I'd do without him. Keith is out of town, and I was up with sick baby Alina all night. I finally got her to sleep about 5:30, so I was crashed this morning. Garrett brought the other two girls downstairs, made toast, and cereal for them, turned on Taryn's Max and Ruby, pulled out a blanket for everyone because it's FREEZING already, got himself ready for school and sat down to play Wii until I woke up. I LOVE that boy! I wouldn't have woke up if, sweet Taryn's movie hadn't ended so she snuck up stairs to snuggle in bed with me. Not two minutes after Taryn crawled in bed with me, I could hear Garrett outside, "Taryn come out here, I told you not to bother Mom, so she could get her rest!" He sound just like his father. Keith is training him well.
I'm not saying we run smoothly but I do think we'll survive. Who knows what the next 6 months will bring?