snow week 2015

 Thankfully, our back deck has been a "snow box" for the big kids & provided hours of entertainment, along with neighbor friends (hooray for independent play!).

Suma- baby!

 And remembering that last year this guy was in my belly.
It has been so so great to have proper snow clothes this year, a bigger, warmer house, & more independent kids!

I think I need a new hat.

 We've gotten out and around our neighborhood a fair amount!

(But still, the cabin fever is setting in.)  

Isn't the area behind our house pretty in the snow?!

 Their imagination takes them through the day. They are carrying around the wooden spoons from the deck play as their Wild Kratts "creature power" sticks. 

This guy is so precious.

 There is some "mmmm" babbling coming out of this mouth.

 Here they are sledding in our front yard (not an overly exciting slope but its worked).

Ben: 8 months

This boy is so sweet, squishy & huggable!  It's been a big month!  He is almost 9 months old (say it isn't so!).  His little brain is in overdrive figuring things out in the last month.  Biggest milestone... he began crawling at 8 1/2 months!  Not that this mama is counting (its my PTSD coming out- parenting will do that to you).  

The other big news is that he's learned to eat.  At 6 & 7 months, he wasn't really interested.

 He's gotten 3 little teeth- can you see them?

 He's started lots more babbling.  It had been mostly 'g' sounds- guh, goo.  We went to visit Maw & Paw & he started mimicking the sound of the dogs barking- a wah, wah.  And overnight, 'b' & 'd' sounds & an occasional 'ma ma'.  We'll watch Daddy & the big kids leave for school/work and he'll say "go bye, bye, dada".  Its often a sweet little whisper of a voice, as he is processing out loud.  I can tell his little mind is thinking & figuring it all out.

 He loves sitting and playing with all of his toys.  I can see his mind spinning to investigate and think about everything as he plays.  He loves spinning some wheels, like his big bro. :)  When I build towers with his blocks, he has to knock them over asap.  :)

He is such a sweet little joy of a man.  We love him so much!

"Neighbor" Friends!

Altho no longer our neighbors, we continue to love our Friday pizza nights with this crew.  It really is amazing how well our kids get along. And I am loving the history that we now have.  In keeping with the even boy:girl ratio, we've added an extra girl and and extra boy in the last year & a half.  

Here is the littlest girl's fan club!

She is at that CUTE parrot stage of repeating words that the big girls asked her to say and then all of them giggling!  And they enjoyed teaching & hearing her say their names. :)  
So sweet! 

 And gazing at her- that motherly instinct.  I love boy-girl differences. :)

Here are the boys, immersed in the Legos.  One of these boys shares Peter's love of "big cats" too.

 So nice to all sit and chat and play after dinner.  It made me happy to have them all here!

A Little about Each

Ben is days away from crawling.  Go man!  

I am sure we are the rare set of parents who are excited to have our "baby" move through motor skills. 

 She is our fashion designer.  She and some friends from class make paper jewelry & accessories for each other.  She came home with this.  It was quite cute.  She is pretty pumped that her favorite holiday is coming up.

 She also exhausts me lately.  I am not even sure how to pinpoint the reason except that she is just more of her own person and we Dennis-blooded women have strong wills & opinions & lots of determination.  And just sin too (call it what it is, speaking for myself) that we war with to not just think of ourself & want our own way.

 On the snow ice day last week, we made a heart banner (once again, getting ready for Valentines Day).  (We can love the idea of love, without really being able to do it well- speaking for myself again.)  She had mentioned wanting to sew, so this what our first step in developing that skill. :)

It was really, really fun to create together, even something so simple.  We also made one to hang over the kitchen sink and it makes me happy.

 Here it is in her room, along with the flags that were already up from her 4th birthday. 

I think it may be fun to add to over time. 

 With the extra days off recently, there has been lots of pretending, which does my heart good.  For the record, their recent favorite ones are "baby love you more than anything", "animal school", & "the marry" (wedding- "We have to get ready for the marry!  Jip and Cherry are going to marry!")

She got a Doc McStuffins kit for Christmas and she LOVES it.

Peter... I don't have many good pics to add of him.  But he has been surprisingly, shockingly, a fairly easy child lately.  He has been home more than he has been at school the last two weeks.  He had a fever the first week back.  Last week, there were snow days and a very short lived fever.  He has been surprisingly so pleasant and even mature at times.  And not be missed, after 6 years of waking up in the 5's, he can now sleep in til 7 or later.  Now that he has to go to school.  But no complaints.  It still benefits us on the weekends.  Having him home has given me the chance to read more books with him and see the strides he's making in reading.  I felt a little concerned at the start of the year, but feel like things are clicking more over the last few weeks. 

I think this pic is "baby love you more than anything".  But I guess that's obvious.

And we didn't really hit the window to have three in the bath at the same time (that's OK, God is good all the time), but we did it one night last week just to say we had.  They all thought it was a hoot.

 Storytime with Daddy.  Everyone (& cat) had to be there.

 I love everyone's intent faces. 

 And I had to zoom out a little to get all of Peter's books in the pic, that are often scattered in his room (a good problem).

And if there was an update, a critique of me, like all of the kids, it would be that laundry and housework & maintaining everything exhausts me, & I am sure that shows to them.  I am so glad I get to do it, but it is no less exhausting.  I am hoping that this little creative outlet will somehow make it feel more charming, and less humdrum.  And dare I say it except that it reminds me that we will never be satisfied this side of heaven, I love my little man to death and he is as good as a little man can be, but this caring for a baby, family life, parenting, dwelling-maintaining gig is no joke. Whew. 
And the bickering after school.  Kills me.

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:32

Blacksburg or Bust

We had a slow- maybe too slow- few days early in the second week of break, and some fun dinners with friends.  The kids stayed a night with Goo & Pop.  :)
Then we all headed to Blacksburg.  In 2010 & 2011, we went to hotels with pools over break for a little family getaway.  In 2012, we did a trial membership at the JCC pool.  This year, we realized we needed to reinstate that get away.  It happened that our niece in Blacksburg was turning one and we realized we could combine the two into one!  Woohoo!  

We headed out on Thursday and stopped at Natural Bridge.  

The baby-wearing I mentioned earlier.

 My handsome, compassionate, & silly firstborn.

 My pretty, sweet, & thoughtful secondborn.

 We enjoyed getting to see John & Jessica & their girls at the hotel. 

Boots, tights, & swimsuits- yes, please!

 Family Foto

 Group Foto (minus Jess, the photographer)

It was nice to be away together and to get time with family, still around Christmas.

Christmas & After

Waiting at the top of the stairs for the "go".  There is a definite 7am or later rule here.

 real camera "selfie" with Daddy

(I never thought Peter & Lily look especially alike.  

But this baby looks like both of them- especially Lily through the eyes.)

 P&L ran right past their piles to look under the tree but nothing- haha.

 I think we are all OK with this guy stealing the show.

Its still surprising to me how much Peter (esp) & Lily adore him.

We enjoyed a nice family walk and then all napped that afternoon. 

Our kind neighbors gave Peter & Lily a cookie decorating kit.  So Mike got to it with them.

I am not a cookie making mama.  Its too much, I can't handle it (& we've never had an overly great set up for it).  So this kit was so perfect!!

Benny is now over the moon for his Daddy.  Over Thanksgiving break, Mike ended up taking the three kids over to his parents house while I finished up getting ready.  Ben definately has some separation anxiety and looooves his mama. Because Mike was the most familiar person there (his siblings families), he only wanted Mike and has loved him ever since.  He has a definite groan (ugh) that he does when Mike is nearby to signal (ugh, why aren't you holding me?!) & reaches his arms out.  He is quite taken to be this close to Mike in the backpack (& babywearing pics to come-first time for Mike!).  I think Mike equally enjoyed the extended time over break to hang out with Ben & cuddle our last/bonus baby. :)

 Does that look amazing or what?! Its Winter Break. Eat your heart out!

 They each decorated one for themselves then it was on to more of a production line.

 My parents came and stayed with us on Christmas night.  It was fun to have extras in the house.

The next day Mom and I went shopping (just for fun) and the men took the older kids to the science museum.  Loved these pics Mike took.  I think this is a social media thing. :) 

 That weekend, the baby and I were both a little under the weather with a fever, so Mike and the older kids ended up with a day at the Farm House.  I think they had fun!  :)