6 Months old

I can't believe this little guy is 6 months old!!! He has turned into such a little goof ball! He doesn't like bananas or applesauce and instead prefers savory dishes like lentils, sweet potatoes, black eyed peas etc. He also prefers his to jump in his jumparoo barefoot--it makes him smile when he gets the extra traction to jump. Quinn makes the funniest noises, especially in the morning. He has discovered how to sleep on his tummy with his face pressed into the cosleeper and head arched back. His big brothers make him laugh the hardest, especially Kannon. He has a pretty firm 7-8ish bedtime and will sleep until 7:30, waking up at 4 to nurse and cuddle under the covers.  Quinn has also discovered he can do things with his hands--like take your glasses off or pull your lip down when you are trying to sleep! He is 100% goofy and totally loveable!

My winter break has flown by too fast. I've been home over 2 glorious weeks and tomorrow marks our first day back. We had a wonderful break. We went to my grandma's house in Burnet, TX where we had a mini reunion with my aunts and cousin.  The boys had so much fun fishing, playing marbles, and hunting for pecans. Santa brought the kids new bikes and we were overwhelmed with all the awesome presents from family. We spent new years eve with my partner teacher and her husband, reveling in the new year with a good game of cards against humanity.

After months (I mean months of me going back and forth) of researching  cell phones and plans, Dale and I traded in our burner, contract free, dinosaur phones for new Samsung s6 actives through At&t.  They were running a buy one get one promotion that combined with a teacher discount and port line credit made it affordable for us to join the smart phone world.  I love that I can do everything from my phone. Being as I still spend 2 hours of my day nursing, it's nice to read the news, check Facebook etc, all from my fingertips.  The camera sealed the deal for me as it is practically comparable to my dslr with easy one touch uploads.

Our Christmas cards were late this year and in lieu of gifts we sent out handwritten letters.  We are again so grateful to have family in our life, good health, and children to love. We wish you all a happy and prosperous new year!

5 months old

We had so much family here for Thanksgiving and celebrated Quinn's 5 month old milestone. We didn't intend on starting solids until he was 6 months old but after he started reaching for a spoon it was unavoidable.

We had a lot of fun with our families. We went hiking, went to Zoolights, the aquarium and even saw a snake talk at Brazos Bend State Park. Quinn couldn't get enough extra love! He loved having all the extra arms to hold him!

4 months old

Quinn is a whopping 15+ lbs.  We celebrated so many birthdays this month! Clark is now 5, Kannon is 6, Dale is not telling how old he is, and we celebrated 7 years of marriage.  And I chopped 10+ inches off my hair.  Whew!!!

3 Months Old

This is a little late but I am trying to catch up on all our milestones.  At 3 months old Quinn is smiling and jabbering away.  He is still the HAPPIEST baby we know!  School is going great, but keeping us busy with all the afterschool activities and events.  The boys still love their new school!

12 Weeks Old!

I can't believe Quinn is 3 months old! He is growing like crazy and starting to feel more and more like a baby and less like a newborn. Quinn loves his big brothers who are constantly asking to hold him.  He also loves to stand and smiles and coos every time he gets the chance.  Dale and I had to go to a training in Fort Worth this weekend and Quinn delighted us by sleeping through the night! You can see a cute video of Kannon singing to Quinn here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLZ-qKQjvg0

School is going great.  Again, I love teaching only reading and writing. I feel so much more focused and give my students the instruction they need to be successful.  My partner teacher is wonderful and we have so much fun collaborating on projects together.

Kannon had his first violin lesson.  Because our school is a fine arts magnet school, the kids get a weekly group lesson and weekly private lessons.  Kannon is excited to play because the strings remind him of snakes......yes, his love of snakes is extreme right now.

Clark is loving school and making lots of friends.  Clark used to cry every day when we went to school.  Not any more! Now, he's usually the first one up and doesn't even say goodbye when we drop him off!

Dale was recently hired as the assistant manager of Tomfoolery Toys and Books, a local toy and book store.  We are all so thrilled as it's only 2 miles from the house, offers daytime hours, and is totally stress-free and fun! The boys love that Dale is working in a toy store and have already started making a wish list :)

This Month's Big Milestones:

• Quinn rolled over
• Quinn slept through the night
• Quinn loves to stand
• We took our first trip to Ft. Worth
• Kannon had his first violin lesson
• Clark made his first best friend!
• Dale started his new job
• We've been on 6 hikes so far this month!

2 months old!

So school started and my weekly updates were thrown out the window.  Being a teacher and a mom to three kiddos is crazy!  Fortunately, I have help! We wouldn't have survived last week if it wasn't for Dale cooking, packing lunches, cleaning the house, and watching Quinn!  Dale is headed to Spokane next week for his sisters wedding which will leave me single parenting for 4 days. I am sure we will survive but we will miss him!

Kannon started Kindergarten and Clark is in PreK.  Both of them LOOOOVE their new school.  Even though they are busy each night with homework and projects, they love their new teachers and friends.  Kannon has introduced himself to everyone as "Cobra" because his love of snakes his extreme.  Clark is melting the hearts of all with his expansive vocabulary and dramatic attitude.

Quinn is 2 months old.  He is still the perfect baby! He wakes up once a night to eat and sleeps extremely well by our bedside in a rocker.  He smiles, coos, grabs things, and loves his big brothers.  He is cloth diapered like his big brothers and is already growing out of his  3 month clothes.  This boy weighs in at 12.5 lbs and 23 inches long.  He is in the 55th percentile for weight and length and 91 percentile for his head (big brain, I'm sure!).  After spending hours on the phone with insurance this week to resolve a glitch that left him uninsured, we were finally able to take him to the doctor.  The nurses and pedi all swooned over his chunky little rolls.  Quinn only cried a few minutes after his shots (he got 4) and continued to smile away!

School is going well.  I LOVE my 2nd graders.  I teach two groups in reading and writing.  I love being able to focus on just reading and writing. It makes my job much more enjoyable and my students benefit from targeted instruction.  My kiddos are a dream, although I sometimes miss the grit my old students had.  My partner teacher is amazing and I am so lucky to have been paired with her because we practically share the same brain.

Overall, life with the kids is amazing! I love these little buggers....all 47 of them (2nd graders + my boys!)

Milestones:

• Kannon started Kindergarten.
• Clark started PreK
• Quinn got 2 month shots and is cooing
• Took a trip to Brazos Bend State Park (first official Texas hike)
• Made zucchini noodles....delicious!

 Yep, that's a wild alligator!

 First official hike, Brazos Bend State Park

 First day of Kindergarten

 First day of PreK

 My 2nd grade class

My first day of school!