Last one for a little while

Here's my sweet Caytie--a big three year old now. She requested donuts for breakfast (we may have found a new birthday tradition--thanks one more time, Ben, for making it happen!) and tacos for dinner (which we had the next day, since I had a busy Cub Scout night on her birthday), and, as you see, a Christmas tree cake. Funny girl. (Yes, I did a cupcake cake, and Jen would be so disappointed, but it was so much easier than cutting the shape out!)

Here is her interview:

Me--How old are you?

Caytie--Two...Fwee!

m--How old will you be when you're a grown-up?

C--Fwee.

m--Are you all grown up now?

C--Uh huh!

m--What is your favorite age?

C--Hmm...hmmm...two. And Fwee.

m--Why?

C--'Cause I want to.

m--What was your favorite thing to do this year?

C--Hmmm...

(Gracie said,"Jump on the trampoline?")

C--Jump on trampoline.

m--What's your favorite food?

C--Hmm...yogut.

m--What's your favorite TV show?

C--Hmm...Sponge Bob. And Mickey Mouse!

m--What's your favorite song?

C--Hmm...Run Away.

m--Run Away? "Where is Thumbkin?"

C--Umm hmm!

m--What's your favorite movie?

C--Hmm...already picked one!

m--A movie?

C--Mickey Mouse and Sponge Bob!

m--What's your favorite book?

C--I'll go show ya. (She left and got a peekaboo animal book.)

m--What's that?

C--A tiger. (She showed all the pages in the book.)

m--Who is your favorite friend?

C--Tessa and Gracie. And you! And Emma and Daddy. Not Scott and Abe.

m--Why not Scott?

C--'Cause I don't want to.

m--Can Scott be your friend?

C--Abe is not my friend.

m--I know Abe is not your friend, but Scott can be.

C--Um hmm!

m--What is your favorite color?

C--Purple and pink.

m--What do you like about our family?

C--Hmm...you and Gracie and you!

m--Who are some people that you love?

C--I love yoooou and Tessa and Gracieeeee!

m--Everyone in this room, huh?

C--Yep a dep a dee!

m--Can you tell me a joke?

C--Knock, knock.

m--Who's there?

C--Orange.

m--Orange who?

C--You love this joke!

m--I love this joke. Thank you. Can you share your testimony?

C--Yes.

m--OK--tell me about Jesus.

C--Jesus!

m--What about him?

C--Jesus ...(mumbles something I couldn't understand)

m--Does Jesus love you?

C--Um hmm.

(After I finished taping, Caytie said, "Knock, knock." I said, "Who's there?" She said, "Orange." I said, "Orange who?" and she said, "Don't cry--it's just a joke!" I think we need to get some more jokes in our repertoire.)

(And a note about Sponge Bob...for those keeping score, that's four for four on the "favorite TV show" question. We really don't watch it THAT often--usually on Friday afternoons as I teach piano lessons to a couple boys, and maybe Saturday mornings. But I guess they all really like it!)

Caytie is a fun little girl to have around. She loves, loves, loves her daddy, but when he's not there, she is often right by me, and she likes to help me with whatever I'm doing. She also loves Tessa, and plays with her all the time, whether Tessa likes it or not. If she gets in trouble, she is generally in need of a tight hug more than a time out. She draws the most detailed little people I've ever seen one of my newly three year olds draw--with eyelashes, clothes, fingers, and shoes. She was really looking forward to her birthday this year, and it was a fun day for us all.

Happy birthday, my Caytie Lady!

And now for Scott

About a week and a half after Emma's birthday was Scott's big day. My baby is nine--that's half way to 18. (Deep breath...OK.) His requests for the day were pancakes for breakfast (THANKS, Ben, for getting up so early to make them before school!), and steak for dinner (which we had to postpone until the next day due to a baseball game and a dad who had to work late unexpectedly and a mom who is strangely afraid of the grill and ended up serving cold cereal for dinner). He didn't have a request for the cake, so I said I'd make one that my brothers liked--a race car cake. The M&Ms made it look more juvenile than I wanted, but it tasted really good--and there was no pink in sight.

Here is the transcript of his interview:

Me--How old are you?
Scott--Nine.
m--How old will you be when you are a grown up?
S--18.
m--What is your favorite age, and why?
S--I have to say 18, cause that's when I'm going to get my car maybe.
m--What was your favorite thing to do this year?
S--I don't know. Maybe...go to the State Fair. I liked the World on Strings--the puppet show.
m--What is your favorite food?
S--Pizza.
m--Favorite TV show?
S--Sponge Bob.
m--Song?
S--That Kung Fu thing I was talking about (from Band Hero).
m--Movie?
S--Kung Fu Panda.
m--Book?
S--The Hobbit. That was awesome.
m--Favorite friend?
S--Ramsey.
m--Color?
S--Blue and red. And white.
m--What do you like about our family?
S--Well, I like that we have the musical talents--we can play instruments and stuff. Let's see if there's anything else...We're really nice and stuff.
m--Who are some people you love?
S--My mom and dad.
m--Anyone else?
S--My sisters. I don't have any brothers, so I can't say "brothers and sisters."
m--Can you tell me a joke?
S--Knock, knock.
m--Who's there?
S--Interrupting cheese.
m--Interrup--
S--Cheese!
m--Can you share your testimony?
S--I don't really...well, I do believe in Christ. And I know that He is real, and He's done all the miracles that the scriptures have told us about. I know that He can do miracles and heal people.

That boy has one proud momma. In the day to day grind of living, sometimes I forget how good he really is, and how much I rely on him to get his work done and help out with the girls. He has so many interests and talents and ambitions, and I think he can accomplish just about anything that he wants to.

Happy birthday, little man. (I think he's outgrowing his "Scotterpop" nickname.)

Deja Birthday

About a week after Gracie's birthday was Emma's birthday! These girls are such good friends...usually... Emma's requests for the day were donuts for breakfast (THANKS, Ben, for getting them AGAIN at 6 am!), macaroni with cheese and hot dogs for dinner, and a pink cake with pink frosting and pink marshmallow flowers and pink ice cream. Hmmm--I think we did this recently... (Yes, that is a different cake from the one in Gracie's picture. I made two layers on Gracie's birthday, and froze one for Emma for later. I didn't realize that she'd want it decrorated exactly the same way--with seven flowers instead of five, though, of course.)

Here is Emma's interview transcript:

Me--How old are you?

Emma--Seven.

m--How old will you be when you're a grown-up?

E--18.

m--What is your favorite age?

E--19.

m--Why?

E--Because I like it.

m--What was your favorite thing to do this year?

E--My birthday.

m--What's your favorite food?

E--Macaroni and cheese with hot dogs.

m--Favorite TV show?

E--Sponge Bob

m--Favorite song?

E--Nephi.

m--"Nephi's Courage?"

E--Uh huh.

m--Favorite movie?

E--Fan Boy and Chum Chum.

m--That's not a movie.

E--Care Bears!

m--Book?

E--Pippi.

m--Pippi Longstocking?

E--Yeah.

m--Favorite friend?

E--Can I choose all of mine?

m--Yes.

E--Hayley, Ciarra, Jennifer, and Cierra. But not Cierra; she's being mean to me. She stole my pencil once.

m--Any friends in our family?

E--Gracie, Caytie, and Tess.

m--Favorite color?

E--Pink and purple. All the colors in the whole wide world--even the rainbow.

m--What do you like about our family?

E--They're so kind.

m--Who are some people that you love?

E--The whole family.

m--Can you name them?

E--Mommy, Daddy, Scott, Gracie, Caytie, Tess.

m--Can you tell me a joke?

E--Knock knock.

m--Who's there?

E--Boo.

m--Boo who?

E--Don't cry--it's just me!

m--Can you share your testimony?

E--Mm, mmm. (shaking head)

(At this point, the tape ran out, and she went back to eating some rather metly ice cream.)

Emma is a little warrior. From a very young age, she has not wanted anyone to do anything for her (unless, of course, she does). She's good about remembering to wear her glasses every day, and reminding us to read the scriptures at breakfast and to make sure that Abe is out of her bedroom at night. Sometimes she has too much energy bursting through her little body, but she has made so much progress this year at school at staying on task. I look forward to watching her conquer the world.

Happy birthday, my Emmanem!

It's birthday season 'round these parts

My Texas Timekeeper (as she was born a month after we moved here) turned five a few weeks ago. Cannot believe it. Gracie's requests for the day included donuts for breakfast (THANK YOU Ben for getting them at 6 am!), macaroni and cheese with hot dogs for dinner, and a pink heart cake with pink frosting and pink marshmallow flowers and pink ice cream. Check, check, and check.

I did a video interview with each child on their birthday this year. Here's the transcript of Gracie's:

Me--How old are you?
Gracie--Five.
m--How old will you be when you're a grown up?
G--I don't know. Seven.
m--What is your favorite age?
G--Five, because I like being five, and, um, I don't know what's next.
m--What was your favorite thing to do this year?
G--Jumping on the trampoline.
m--What is your favorite food?
G--Macaroni and cheese and hotdogs
m--Favorite TV show?
G--Sponge Bob
m--Song?
G--I don't know. No, no, no--I like the one when I was little and at the old house. It was a funny one, and I said this, "Jumping like a frog."
m--Favorite movie?
G--I already told you--Sponge Bob.
m--That's not a movie.
G--Dora!
m--Favorite book?
G--Dora
m--Friend?
G--Emma!
m--Do you have any friends at preschool?
G--Olivia
m--At church?
G--Tyler.
m--Favorite color?
G--Pink.
m--What do you like about our family?
G--Playing with Tess.
m--Who are some people you love?
G--Emma.
m--Anyone else?
G--Tess.
m--Is that all?
G--Caytie.
m--Can you tell me a joke?
G--Knock, knock.
m--Who's there?
G--Boo.
m--Boo, who?
G--Don't cry. It's just a joke!
m--Can you share your testimony?
G--I don't know.
m--Do you know what that means?
G--What?
m--That you tell me about Jesus and Heavenly Father.
G--Yes, I can do that. I believe.
m--Do they love you?
G--Yes. (She then sang "The Church of Jesus Christ")

Gracie is mellowing in her old age. She still has the most extreme mood swings, but with the lows are the the highs. She is generally a peace maker, and it is very, very nice to have one of those around. I will miss her when she's in kindergarten next year. She amazes me every day with the detailed drawings and thoughtful notes she makes for her family.

I love you, Gracie the Great!

Same...Different

(Hmm--now that I see this photo larger, I see that it is blurry...)

This is my Tessalicious. She is the sweetness at the bottom of my pie. I don't know why all my pictures of her lately are in the high chair. I guess she is usually pretty happy there.

It's fun to have five kids, to see where little patterns of looks/development/behavior emerge. Here are some things that are different and the same about Tessa and my other four.

SAME: She is still not crawling at 10 months. (OK, Caytie beat everyone at this one, crawling at 8 months, but the others were like Tess.) In order to get around, she rolls, or leans over as far as she can while sitting to reach things. She has started to get on her hands and knees, but we have a way to go still. And since I have watched all my others take this long, I'm not worried a bit.

She still has no teeth. Again Caytie beat the others at this, getting her first tooth at 11 1/2 months. Scott didn't get any until he was 15 months old--so I'm not looking for any for her yet.

She is small. All of my kids stay in the 5-25th percentiles in height and weight. (Emma has always been under 1 percent.) But, since they take so long to get mobile, I don't mind them being so little!

She has become attached to her blanket, and has started trying to keep it with her when I get her out of her bed. I'm trying to discourage this, with all my girls being "blanket carriers," but she really, really likes to hold and snuggle with it--so I seem to be losing the battle.

She will not go to sleep unless she is in her bed. Naps at church or in the car (unless it's a really long ride) are done. Sigh.

Her hair is starting to curl around her face. Each child has had curly hair as it grows in. Then it gets straight after we cut it for the first time--so we postpone it as long as we can!

DIFFERENT: She weaned herself from her pacifier, and is my first finger sucker! She only sucks them when she's tired or going to sleep, and my, oh, my, it is so cute. She prefers her first two fingers on her right hand, though sometimes the left will do. She does NOT need me to help her in the middle of the night to find a lost binkie! It is heaven!

She has never liked rice cereal. It was a staple for my other kids for several months, helping me with easy breakfasts or mixing with other foods to extend them. She tolerates oatmeal, but would rather be feeding herself big girl food.

She loves, loves, loves the shower. She does finally enjoy taking a bath, but starts jumping with excitement whenever she hears the shower going. She never cries when she gets her face wet, either.

She is a snuggler. She preferred me to hold her facing in toward me instead of out for a long, long time. When I get her up from a nap, she buries her head into my shoulder for a good snuggle before looking out at the world.

QUESTIONABLE: Whenever we go out with all the kids, I get two reactions--"Wow, they all look the same!" and "Wow--they all look so different!" And each side of the family thinks our kids look exactly like the people on the other side of the family. So, that is all subjective. Think what you want. I think they're cute.

The end.