SPRING!!!

Hooray for spring weather! We are LOVING it! In true spring form, we started out the month with snow (made snow ice cream and 2 snowmen in our yard) and ended the month with dinners on the patio and the boys playing in the (albeit very cold) pool.

Drew started his soccer season this month with Daddy as one of the coaches! Being coach was not something we were planning on, but was needed and meant to be...the team name given to us was Jedi Masters! And the jerseys are orange...it's like we picked it out ourselves! So Drew and Daddy have certainly enjoyed that. We even got a jersey for Noah too! So there's at least 3 soccer 'events' per week between Daddy and Drew, so that keeps us busy and the laundry smelly! Drew has done an awesome job at the games and at practice. He's been a great encourager of his teammates, and even the other team they play against! He's helped people up that have fallen down and really had a great attitude! We are so proud! He has scored a few goals, but seems to enjoy playing defense and blocking goals - maybe he'll be just like his Daddy!

Drew has picked up two types of play/toys from his friends at school that have older brothers... Pokemon and Ninjago legos. The talk about these two things have seemingly been non-stop. We certainly didn't know anything about either of them, but now are being educated on all sorts of details we didn't know we needed to know! :)

Another random Drew focus: one night he decided he needed to really work at exercising. Again, this came out of nowhere as far as we could tell. He ran around the house doing like 15 sec intervals of push ups, lifting hand weights, riding our stationary bicycle and whatever else he could think of. It was awesome and hilarious! At the end of the night, he decided he wanted to exercise for 5 min every morning and 20 min in the evening...that did have some carry over for a few days, but then dropped again. We would actually love to do the same if we could figure out how to do it with the kids around and awake...hmm!

Drew had his first Spring Break this year, which meant we did too! It was a long week with all 3 kids, but we had some good fun too! It started with BOTH boys sleeping over at Luke and Jacob's house! What a treat! The older and younger boys ended up playing separately most of the time, and turns out that worked pretty well. The older boys played with legos and the younger boys played with cars and trains and balls and whatever else wasn't legos! Everyone was pretty tired needless to say, but had such a great time! Awesome thanks to Aunt Katrina and Uncle Joel for being willing to have all 4! We realize the precedent has now been set and we'll have to have all 4 from now on...I'm tired already! :) Thankfully the weather was nice and we were able to play outside quite a bit, including some dinners outside on our patio - which we all enjoy!

Drew showed his creativity more this month, with two 'projects' specifically. While in Houston, Grandpa had made a toy from a hula hoop and a ball tied to it. Drew wanted to build a sling shot from it in order to sling the ball forward. He was again very focused on this task - it was neat to see him put his energy into it! Later on in the month, he and Daddy and Noah wrote their own story books, which was great! Daddy loves to tell stories, and it was neat to see what the boys came up with and the pictures they drew to go along with it! We need to do more of that!

We had quite a few special events this month, lots of birthday parties of friends. But the best was Daddy's surprise 40th birthday party! So many friends and family showed up, it was just great! We had it at Fuddrucker's (it's free, and a place we frequent, so easy to get Matthew to agree to go there) and we didn't have to do any prep or clean up! Hooray! It was wonderful to see some friends we hadn't seen in awhile, and always good to see good friends in general. Mommy did make lots of Oreo desserts a few days earlier and family brought it to the party. When people asked if he had any idea, he said he didn't have a clue and thought going to Fuddrucker's that night was actually his idea! PERFECT! That's a good surprise party!

We also went to Houston for 4 days to cheer on our cousin Michelle in the Division III Swimming Championships. Matthew wasn't able to come, so Mommy drove with all 3 kids to Houston...it was going ok until we got to Houston and hit traffic, then there was LOTS of crying! Oh well, we survived. We were so happy to spend time with Nana, Grandpa, Aunt Stella and Great Grandpa and Grandma Thompson from Iowa! We were able to see Aunt Sally and Uncle John too and Uncle Kevin and Andrea came too! It was quite the crowd! Michelle did great! She made finals for 2/3 events and was a great team captain to the Championship team! An incredible swimming career for sure! The meet itself was quite the challenge for Mommy and kids, but we did well, and had learned a few things from 2 years ago, so that helped. It also helped that Sally and John had a hotel room close by we could use for the afternoon - Kate was able to take a nap and the boys had a blast playing in the pool! We had fun and Nana and Grandpa's house too with water toys and such as well. Kate handled it all pretty well, but was certainly tired and out of sorts from it all. It was totally worth it, but the trip back was pretty horrible. Kate took two 30 min naps, and cried almost the rest of the time. She was just done! She didn't want to be in the car at all anymore. She stopped fussing anytime I stopped to get her out, check her diaper and feed her, but then as soon as the car door closed again, she started to cry. Poor girl! The boys did ok with their headphones and movies, though they kept asking when we were going to get home too. They didn't get out of the car once...I kept them strapped in and entertained with movies so the stops were as quick as possible to get home ASAP. It was a long drive, man were we ever happy to be back home!

Noah had a bit of an adventure in Houston. He was pretty bad overall about running off without us whenever he could regardless of the environment - in the swimming auditorium, in the parking lot, at the restaurant, wherever really. He's always been a bit of a runner, with Drew following after him, telling him to stop running away as he runs away from me too! Oh the irony! But Drew always knew/knows to come back. Noah doesn't always do that. In fact earlier this month, I lost Noah for a few minutes in our own neighborhood. We had been over to see Earnie and Diane and had to get back to get cookies out of the oven. Noah got mad halfway back that he wasn't winning the race back to the door and plopped down on the sidewalk. So I ran inside to get the cookies and came right back out, and couldn't see Noah anywhere! I went back to D and E's house thinking he just went back there, but no! He wasn't there. We all ran out searching in different directions, I was screaming out his name. Then I happened to turn and see him sitting quietly on the porch of our neighbor's porch just grinning. He got on his feet and ran toward our house, saying "I'm going to win the race!" Ugh! He just sat there quietly while I screamed out his name, and even watched me walk past him to get to D and E's house! Thankfully while in Houston we had lots of people to help, but even still, he got away lots of times and really scared me a few times in the parking lot. But the worst was one afternoon it was Mommy and Nana home with the 3 kids before everyone else made it back. Mommy was with Kate changing her diaper and Nana was helping Drew with something. When I was done changing Kate I went to find Noah and couldn't find him in the house. We double checked the house and the backyard, and my heart was starting to panic. I went out the front door and the rest of the family was just then pulling up. I asked if they had seen Noah as they were driving in, and no one had. Andrea was the first to spot him - he was about 3 block down the sidewalk! I was so relieved and so upset! Kevin ran after him and brought him back and then he had his punishment with Mommy when he got back. Oh, God was truly looking after him! He stayed on the side of the street of Nana's house and went the direction that the block was the longest without any intersections or crossing of streets. It could have been a very different ending! Thankfully it ended with everyone home safe, and Mommy bought a 'tether' to carry in her purse at all times from now on!

Noah has still had a rough month not wanting to go to school, with the crying being pretty horrible some days. Oh, it's so sad! He is needing more reassurance at bedtime at home as well - lots more time with Mommy at the bedside and special prayers to "keep the bad dreams and crying away"! So sad and still not even sure that's what it is all about or if that's just what it's turned into!

Noah gets to go to Soccer Shots at his school once a week, which he enjoys most of the time. He talks about when he gets old like Drew, Daddy will be his soccer coach too - so cute! Hopefully by the fall he'll be ready - and by that I mean truly potty trained. He's doing better, but still has plenty of accidents at home, while it's been months since he's had them at school - he likes to save that for us I guess! He loves to be outside - dumping out buckets of balls, swinging, playing hide and seek, and begs to have dinners outside. He's loved getting the pool when the temp has allowed, though he doesn't tolerate it as well as Drew and gets out with purple lips and shaking all over! He desperately wants to swim without his floaties! I'm anxious to see how he will progress with swimming lessons this year!

I can't remember if I've said this yet, but Noah is such a different kid when Drew is not around. Or maybe it's not that he's different, but that MY day is so different. There's no fighting or arguing and he usually just happily plays by himself most of the time. He can be quite focused and content - already showing his strengths as a middle child. I think at birth he knew he was going to be a middle child - he just knew! He will line up all his figures that he's playing with for the day, or his cars, play trains, TNMT, superheroes, legos, whatever...and just happy to play! My days home with Noah and Kate can be rather calm all things considered. Then the minute Drew gets home, everything goes loud and crazy! They do love to play together - best of buds - so I won't complain, well, maybe just a little! :) But they are very good siblings, these 3! They love each other and that is very clear!

Kate just loves watching and being around her brothers! And the love to play with her! In the morning or after school, Drew runs for Kate with big hugs and kisses! When he is feeling sad, he asks to hug or play with Kate because "she helps me feel better"! Adorable! Noah is always in her face and making noises trying to get her to smile and laugh. When she knows either of them are around, it's hard for her to focus on anything else!

We had a rough month of sleeping this month - both at night and during the day. She had been doing pretty well with naps, and then it was almost overnight, she stopped and started taking really short naps and waking up not so happy. With that, she also started waking up earlier at night as well. She only woke up the one time a night, but instead of 5-6am, it was 2-4am - that makes a big difference for Mommy! The only thing I could figure out was maybe her food just wasn't settling well with her tummy and she just wasn't as comfortable. So I back pedaled with food and took it real slow. Over a few weeks, it seemed to help - we had to get just the right balance apparently! She still isn't back to waking up at 5-6am every day, but it's getting better.

Some fun things she has been doing this month are making lots of spit bubbles. We've turned it into a game and will do it back to her and then she does it again, and it's so fun! The boys of course love it - a game with her sister that involves funny noises and spit - awesome! She has found her thumb this month and enjoys sucking on it every now and then. I don't think she'll be a thumb sucker though, just in those rare moments more likely, kind of like the pacifier is for her. She's on her tummy lots these days and I've seen her do a baby plank - up on hands and toes! We've also started working on sitting some with her, though she still tends to throw herself back quite a bit, but she seems to really like it. Her talking and sounds are turning into more babbling versus baby coos and sounds. She also has more giggles and laughs - so fun!

She still loves to be outside! She also has enjoyed dinners outside and has even been in the swing on our playground. She really likes it, but I think the boys like it even more - they want to help push her which of course quite frightening! So we are close to watch it doesn't get carried away into their boy energy! And she still loves her baths - just loves to splash and splash. She gets her whole body into it, flapping her arms and legs. Which is actually the same way she greets me in the morning because she's so excited to see me and get up for the day - love it!

A big transition for Kate this month was she moved to being at daycare. Our days with our neighbors are over, except for the ocassional visits and babysitting, and she now goes to school at the same place, and same days, as Noah. She took her time in learning to trust the teachers, but she's getting there. She eats well for them, but her naps are very short. It took 3 days for her to even smile, which is alot for the girl that was born smiling! But we will make it, and I trust the teachers alot! They are both moms of older children and so it's very comforting that they've been through it all already, and both seem to have the patience of angels and very calm, taking everything in stride.

Kate and I have enjoyed having some neighbors that became new Mommies in the last few months and being able to connect with them more. We've enjoyed having some other people to hang out with, share Mommy life with, and just connect with some other people in general. We are trying to get together about once a week and that's been awesome! Another great blessing of God placing us, and our great neighbors on our street where we live!