September

Drew is super interested in basketball right now. We got some playground balls for Kate's birthday party favors (so obviously we had to have some for ourselves as well) and he is dribbling and bouncing them all over the house! He has really enjoyed playing P-I-G and H-O-R-S-E with Daddy on his Nerf goal in the house and tries to dunk it all the time. Reminds me of playing on our Nerf goal growing up in our hallway...one of us, probably Kevin, ended up breaking the door handle off of the door it hung on...man we played with it alot - we went through alot of them too!

Both boys started soccer this season in the fall. Drew has played several seasons before of course, but this is Noah's first time. He really wanted to play and wanted Daddy to be his coach, just like Drew. He played with Soccer Shots last year at his preschool and moderately seemed to enjoy it, so we went for it. Well, he's apparently not all that excited about it. He essentially sits out the entire practice and just drinks from his big water jug. He might help out or play for a few minutes, but then his "legs hurt", or he's "too hot from the sun"! As Matthew has said, Noah has perfected the 35 minute water break! So for the first game we were hoping the atmosphere, etc. would change his tune. Well, he played for the first 5-7 minutes (which Kate and I missed of course b/c she was home taking a nap) and he did great. Was really going after the ball and even passed on the chance to take a water break. Then a few minutes later, he's off the field and hugging that water jug when I show up. We proceed to cycle through all sorts of issues of being hot, legs tired, being hungry, begging to be held, etc. with no desire to play any more. Don't forget, I've got 2 other children with me...Drew is vacillating between wanting to take Noah's spot on the team and go play, but resorts to climbing on the soccer goals, and terrorizing Kate with her stroller. Kate lasts in the stroller for MAYBE 10 minutes before throwing a fit to get out, at which point she's happy as all get out, but it's because she's walking all over the place, which means I've got to have eyes like a hawk that she doesn't get stepped on, fall over, try to climb bleachers, or walk onto any of the 3 fields that are within 10 feet of our spot. So again, a happy 1 year old walking all over the place, a 4 year old crumbled to the ground instead of playing soccer, and a ridiculous 6 year old making trouble for either his sister or mother. And I'm taking pictures of the tantrum for proof and to keep my sanity and thinking to myself...I could be home dealing with this, in private, without the public arena and judgment. Oh well! The rest of the month went a little better...we let Noah skip a few practices and games and then started bribing him with Pokemon cards and now he's having a great time! Super parenting to the rescue! So, our Saturday mornings are spent out at the fields...Yea Soccer Mom!!!

The boys had their yearly wellness check up this month. They did great, our pediatrician is fantastic and all was well. The Dr. was great and funny with the boys and even asked Noah about his sister Kate and if he liked her. Noah nodded vigorously yes. Then the Dr. asked if he could have Kate if he gave Noah a new toy - a shaking head No...then the offer went up to a new toy and a piece of candy, to which Noah responds, "No, just the toy"...I guess he changed his mind and that offer started to sound pretty good to him! Then I remembered that at the 4 year check up they get 4 shots, and that they generally hurt. So I'm holding Noah down essentially and he gets the first shot and cries out like I've never heard before - high pitched, short and super surprised. He leans up to see what is going on and then is not happy. The last one apparently burns, and that's when the tears really start. Poor little guy! Too bad I'm holding back laughter from that first scream he let out...Mom of the Year once again. So, we make it out with a bundle of treats and a lollipop. Drew even gets one offered from the Doctor and he hesitated, as if he was wondering if there was a catch to it that if he took one he'd have to get one of those horrible shots too. We convinced him there was no catch and he happily chose one. Once in the car, after a few minutes of silence, Noah says "Awww, those shots took my powers away" in a very sad voice. ADORABLE! I convinced him they would actually make him stronger. Which Drew of course took offense to and made sure to point out that he would still be stronger than Noah...thanks for your help kid! Sheesh! I reminded him the world didn't revolve around him and he stated that yes, in fact, everything IS about him...sigh!

Mommy and the boys were treated to our first Rangers game (well, the boys' first, though I have maybe been to 1 or 2) by a family member we connected with in Iowa at the Glienke reunion. Their son is working for the Rangers this season, so when they came to visit, they invited us to a game and we had a great time! Such fun, the boys did great, and loved every minute! Huge shout out to the McVey family! Loved seeing them!

I love the progression of pics here...from end of game to end of drive home! HAHA!

Kate is on the move more and more and is picking up speed! I almost never see her crawl any more, and she's frequently on my tail, just tagging along for whatever may be going on...cute, but also tiring at times! But she's good about playing in the same room as long as she's feeling ok. We are done with pool season this year, but were in a few more times at the beginning of the month and Kate was walking all over the tanning ledge, just having the grandest of times! She's slip and fall and get right back up...oh what fun! She likes being chased around, by her brothers especially. She's also learned how to crawl into Noah's bed (toddler bed) and boy she loves that. She whines when it's time to get down and she needs help, but she's even starting to figure out how to do that on her own too.

Kate is really starting to figure more and more things out. It's hard to describe all of the ways I see it, but I do see it. She is funny about her hair sometimes...if her clip or ponytail is starting to fall or not where it should be, she starts to pull on it or put where it's suppose to go...she knows something is up and really wants to do something about it. She will put her brush to her hair and try to brush it...so funny! Sometimes when she's eating and we've given her a spoon, she'll touch the food to the spoon and then put the food in her mouth, but she knows she's suppose to use that spoon somehow. :) She banged on the pantry door one day and then toward one of the drawers with some of her snack foods in them...she was telling me she was hungry...that impressed me! She has figured out some routines and will follow me to her room at bedtime and go straight to the rocking chair...and then looks back at me waiting for our snuggles and books! :) She will follow me to her changing pad when I tell her it's time to change her diaper...that one seems impressive to me...that's a complicated phrase to understand! She is pointing to things all the time now, with lots of "eh...eh...eh" sounds...whatever those mean! She is making lots of sounds and 'talking' more...one more kid just talking away all the time...it is NEVER quiet when they are awake!

I swear she's going to have a door complex...she's on the move so much now, and the boys are starting to figure out she can really get into their things...poor girl, she has so many doors shut on her to keep her out! I'm sure it's a vicious cycle for her brain...getting shut out to be kept out, so anytime we go out to the garage to take something to recycling and come right back (or anything like that), she thinks she's going to be kept out again...sigh.

A few changes this month...we are starting the weaning process. The mid-afternoon one she did to herself...started refusing to take the bottle, so we were done with that. However, when she's with Mommy, she would love to have that 'snack', so that's presenting some challenges. By the end of the month, we decided it was time to start dropping another one, so the lunch one is out, meaning Mommy doesn't have to pump at work anymore, hooray! She's doing ok with it, but it's a long afternoon stretch until she nurses again around dinner, which can make it rough. We also decided to stop trying to keep the AM nap when she's at home. She doesn't get it offered at school (3 days), then on the weekends, we are either at soccer or church. So there were only 2 days it was even option, so it's out! It makes for long mornings, but she does pretty good - we stay very active and go outside and change scenery alot, and she is doing quite well!

She is loving being outside more and more, and we are enjoying some cooler evening to be able to enjoy them as well. We've taken a few of her push toys outside and she just LOVES that...she's so happy! She's gotten quite a few scrapes on her knees and hands with all this venturing around, but she's a pretty good little trooper...ready to get back to the fun! She's even attempted to push around and get on Noah's scooter...she may figure it out before he really does! (He still just wants to push things around and run...doesn't want to wait to learn because it's too slow and he can't keep up with Drew I think).

This month is been fun to play more 'games' with Kate. She will put her own hands to her face to play Peek A Boo, and it's adorable...the way she tries to cover her face...so cute! She also loves to play a version of Peek A Boo or Hide and Seek where she will get behind us if we are sitting on the ground and then waits for us to turn around to see her...oh she just giggles! With Drew playing more basketball, Kate has really paid attention and she'll pick up a ball and walk toward the goal and then grunt/whine for us to come pick her up to drop the ball through the hoop...over and over again! :)