Highlights of the season so far....

So far so good....

Decking the halls. Not sure what we'll do when the girls are too big to lift up to put the angel on....

So if you tell your kids to stand next to each other and act like they like each other because you want to take a picture they might do this....YIKES!!! :)

Visions of sugar plum fairies....They have been sleeping in these hats since the day we unpacked them.

Dancing with Dad to jammin' Christmas music...have you ever seen a happier or luckier girl?

The first time ever to make gingerbread men...(they exploded to dough boy size in the oven). The girls got a huge kick out of cutting them out and decorating them. We read Christmas stories while they cooked.

Teaching an old mom new tricks....

Maybe the 4 year gap is big enough that I have just forgotten the busyness of a toddler....Maybe my other kids weren't so busy...Maybe I get more sleep this time around and I am alert to more of her mischief....Maybe.....In reality Jocelyn is busy and we are having to learn how to protect her and ourselves at an alarming rate....

Walking...her latest trick is loading the ornaments off the Christmas tree into her shopping cart and bolting across the house.

Apparently when you tell a 5 year old to put away the stamps you need to specifically include putting the stamp pad away in the drawer too. If you don't they might leave it on the table which is apparently now not a safe place.

Staying so busy requires a lot of sleep but sometimes babies are sure they don't need it at appropriate nap times....only during meal times....

Oh look-she now can maneuver into the tub and not just onto the step next to the tub...yes fully clothed....so relaxing showers are a thing of the past.....so are open bathroom doors...

This has to be her FAVORITE trick to try 3 million times a day. Climb on the stool, unload all the hair control devices into the sink, around the bathroom, and into her mouth. At least she hasn't flushed anything down the potty yet but I am not holding my breath....

And despite all these new tricks and mischief we are so so so in love with this fun girl. She is the center of our universe.

Tip toes

What is better than watching 300 little girls in tutus for a 2 hour recital? Watching 20 girls for a thirty minute class.

We took the girls out of their last dance studio because Cami really wanted to give gymnastics a try. Taryn missed dancing and luckily I was able to still get her into this class (two of her cousins are in it so it was perfect). She is really graceful and fun to watch. On her first day dancing here she came home crying. When I talked to her she was crying because she wanted to get her tippy toe shoes and they didn't hand them out. When I explained that I didn't think girls got toe shoes for several years she was further crushed. Somehow she has managed to get over the disappointment but seriously she dances on her tippy toes ALL the time.

0 for 2

o for 2 in finding the tooth after it falls out game...oh well...at least she could write the tooth fairy a letter instead...

All she wants for christmas is her two front teeth!

Thumbs up

The other night at dinner I was turned away from Taryn feeding Jocelyn.

Taryn said mom and I said what and she said I have something to tell you...

and I said what and she said mom

and I said I'm listening....

She said no mom look! I have something to tell you in sign language...

I turned to look at her and she pointed at her dinner, gave me a thumbs up, and a nod/wink thing...I guess she was trying to say she liked dinner......

Soccer Season

Despite have two totally fabulous soccer seasons we missed out on pictures for some reason (like I totally lost my camera until today)...in the past we have taken great ones at every game...this year we got a few at one game. Anyway, the girls really enjoyed playing and I really missed coaching (I volunteered but wasn't asked to). Luckily both girls did get good encouraging coaches. Cami's team won most if not all of their games. Taryn's team totally enjoyed the daydreaming and watching the clouds go by...It is amazing the difference in ability a couple of years make. So here are our shining soccer moments for fall 2010.

Jocelyn enjoying the games....

Taryn played on "pink dynamite" and it was really fun because she was on her cousin Lauren's team. Her jersey totally drown her in a very cute way.

Taryn getting her kung foo out before kick off (#3). Really intimidating to the green team I bet.

Taryn dribbling almost in bounds....

Cami strategizing in the sunshine. Her team was the color of a highlighter...I think they called themselves "pinkalicous" for the first few games then switched to "pink panthers."

Cami's break away. She has a taste for scoring and winning now. I don't think there will be any stopping her.

Cami doing a penalty kick-I call it her super soccer kick. I love it!

My first pedi...

When Cami was little she HATED having her toe nails cut. Like REALLY HATED it...I just happen to feel very strongly about personal hygiene....trimmed toe nails, clean ears, hair combed, etc...So when she was about 2 and I was sick of the screaming and wrestling I discovered the power of toe nail polish. If I told her I was giving her a pedicure she would let me trim her toe nails. Of course I had to include a foot massage with peppermint lotion and polish.... It has now long been a tradition that when I notice claw toes I whip out the pedi stuff and we massage, trim, and polish away the nasties....The other night I was doing Cami's and Taryn's toes and Jocelyn would NOT be left out. So in keeping with the tradition of hygiene here is the play by play of Jocelyn's first pedi...

Choosing her polish

Toe nails and toes painted...

Clean happy little feet

Happy Halloween!

Happy Happy Halloween!

A summary with pictures.....

Taryn wanted to be a bride from the first moment she saw this costume...mostly I think because it had the puffiest skirt...girly girl that one....and yes she is wearing my real wedding shoes...I decided they might as well be put to good use since I am never going to wear them again.

Cowgirl Cami strutting her cowgirl stuff...ever since the rodeo she has been into cowgirls...And she looked so happy in her school parade. I love it when my kid feels confident and excited and it shows....

Jocelyn after trick or treating...no we didn't collect candy for her but she did ride along in the stroller to check out the scene...she didn't discover the candy until she was home...and no I didn't let her eat this....

She was supposed to be a candy corn...mostly she was just really cute!

The Weight kiddos...I couldn't ask for better...

The Weights and Fergusons now have an annual tradition of trick or treating together and wow do they have fun! When Cami got home she showed me her bag and said "Mom I spanked it! Look at all this candy!!!"

BIRTHDAY BABY!!!

Guess who is 1!!!!! I just can't even believe how fast this year has gone. Jocelyn has been a really enjoyable baby. She is happy and smiles like 98% of the time.. She is patient with all of our excessive loving. She has got to be the most smooched/hugged/cuddled baby of all time. She is a great sister and her sisters are better sisters for having her. We all really feel that she is a blessing in our lives.

She learns and moves so quickly. Despite her eating everything and her unloading/trashing the house I really love how curious she is. I can just see the wheels in her happy little brain turning. She loves reading/eating books and cooking in the play kitchen. She really likes rearranging the real kitchen and the whole time her brain is just taking it all in.

She cruises along furniture and lifts her hands up when she forgets she is "supposed" to be hanging on. She gives great boy hug pats too when she hugs-it is so funny to be giving her a love and feel her patting me on the back. She is still pretty bald and really blonde but the top hair is growing a little bit. I love how she holds her hands out and says "All done" when she is done eating and screeches when she wants water. I love how good of a sport she is when she is stuck in her car seat and we drive Cami and Taryn all over to all their activities all week. Basically I just really love this sweet little girl and I really love all the happiness she brings to our family. She is a rock star!!!

We spent her birthday playing with friends in the morning, swinging at the park after nap time, and had a family party for dinner. She finally got to eat pizza for the first time (she has been begging for this for a long time) and she loved every minute of it. She also devoured birthday cake although she wasn't sure about how cold the ice cream was. I think she had a great day and I hope she has 365 more days of happiness til we celebrate her again.

In the front yard by the flowers on her big day.

The first birthday cake/ice cream exploration....With every kid I think I am going to remember to take the shirt off BEFORE the cake...Instead we invest in spray n wash and a bath...

Opening her presents...Yes it is chalk-the big size so she has plenty to eat AND color with...

Preschool party!

Miss Megan is such the awesome teacher. Last Wednesday all the kids at Taryn's school dressed up. Taryn is really into bride stuff lately...I think mostly because bridal gowns are the poofiest of all gowns...Miss Megan reviewed trick or treating safety/etiquette then arranged for a trunk or treat for the kids to practice. They had so much fun and Taryn keeps talking about her fun day.

Jack

Last Monday night we decided to carve our jack-o-latern. Because it is still pretty warm here you can't carve pumpkins too far in advance. Cami helped me choose out the "perfect" pumpkin. After dinner we had the girls choose the shapes for the eyes, nose, and mouth and Brent did the honor of carving. Scooping out the goo was not Cami's favorite but Taryn was sort of into it. Jocelyn just liked ripping the paper off the table. And ta-da. Here is our friend Jack who incidentally is still in one piece on our porch. I am surprised it hasn't been smashed in the road yet...

Seriously?

SERIOUSLY?!? I keep finding myself saying that a million times a day lately. I just can't seriously believe all the crap that #1 Jocelyn finds on the floor/ground/lower areas and #2 that she so willingly and quickly devours it all....For example Brent's earphone buds...He got to fish them out of her diaper the next morning but he still hasn't brought himself to using them again....Another example from last night is pine cones...They appear really tasty dirt and all...And her current favorite is chalk. Yes actual chalk from Taryn's art easel. She eats probably at least three pieces a day (not completely-I do fish them out as quick as I see them go in) and would love to eat more if she were faster. BUT SERIOUSLY I don't remember Cami or Taryn being this orally fixated for this long and to this extent. Enough with eating crap Jocelyn-I am going crazy!!!

Learning to use a spoon...

Mmmm! Dirt from the roller coaster track!

This is purple chalk that she snagged and then booked it out the door to hide and finish it...

Pumpkin Patch Beauties

Last Saturday we rounded up the girls and cousins and headed for the pumpkin patch and corn maze. Fall just wouldn't be fall without pumpkin patches and outdoor fun. First we played on the tractor swings, redneck trampoline, and irrigation pipe slide thing. Next we tackled the pumpkin patch. I will admit it is a different feeling walking through a pumpkin patch when it is in the high 80s and you are getting sunburned. I do miss MI fall times and cider mills and sweater weather BUT it is really nice to not have to buckle kids in car seats with ginormous coats on. At the pumpkin patch there was a cool little pond/dock area. Taryn was really into it, especially when she noticed pumpkins that had found their way into the water. After the pumpkin patch we hopped the wagon over to the corn maze (but we did need to stop for water and popcorn on the way). The girls enjoyed it-we opted for the normal maze vs the haunted one. Taryn was even a little concerned at the normal one. She noticed some scary stroller missing a wheel that was turned over in the path. SO we are all glad for a tamer version and no nightmares. Here are some pictures.

Cami making sure Taryn didn't fall in the pond and Taryn getting as close as she could without getting "in trouble"

The cousins on the pumpkin wagon.

I just thought this was a cool picture. My mom walked with Cami and Taryn around the pond while we tried to get a picture of Jocelyn. I looked up and said hey take a picture of that while they are reflecting in the pond. Cool.

Cami and Taryn agreed that this was the best pumpkin.

Jocelyn and her favorite pumpkin.

Taryn's Top 5

Happy Birthday to Taryn! Happy Birthday to Taryn! Happy Birthday Dear Taryn! Happy Birthday to you!!! Taryn turned 5 a week ago and I can't believe it! She is such a fun energetic kiddo. She has been planning her 5 year old birthday party for about two years now-making lists and checking them more than twice...She wanted an Aerial bride birthday cake. She wanted a big girl (two wheeler) scooter... Every time we go to Target and she sees something she likes she says "OH! Can we get that for my birthday?" Needless to say expectations were REALLY HIGH! So we had a birthday party with her preschool on Saturday. She of course wanted to plan all the games-face painting, mummy wrapping, a scavenger hunt, a pinata....We got so busy we forgot to play pin the tail on Aerial. Luckily we all cooperated and played that at the family party (cake and ice cream).

Anyway, here are 5 of my top favorites about Taryn:

1. I love her voice and the way she says things. I love how hard she works at speech class but I will be sad when her cute little high pitched Chinese goes away...

2. I love her smile. If you know her you know she is either smiling or screaming...I love the smiling part. It seriously sparkles.

3. I love her coordination skills. Watching her in ballet is really like watching art (she stays on her tip toes the whole time). She busts out in "salsa dancing" all the time and she can really shake it for a 5 year old. She is so graceful. I love watching her turn the pages on books-I have since she was like 2. The way she moves her fingers is really pretty. Her coloring is amazing. I love how she can control her movement-I know that sounds weird but its true.

4. I love how she hums when she eats if she likes what she is eating. She totally subconsciously hums whatever is running through her head-usually Taylor swift or some variation of a primary song. I love that she is not a picky eater and will try anything.

5. I love how she teases and how she is so fun loving. She is just a happy girl most of the time and it is really fun to have a happy kid around. She makes our family way more lively and fun.

I could go on and on about the good little spirit she has and the funny things she does. She is a truly endearing child.

Taryn blowing out the candles on Aerial's wedding dress cake...yes she is my child only girly to the core...

Taryn riding her new scooter in her new zebra rain boots. She is in heaven here. She hasn't taken the boots off for hardly a minute since opening them...yes she is wearing tights and a tutu too...

Taryn and the pinata...Luckily no one lost an eye or any other vital body part...

FINALLY!!!!

Finally the moment Cami has been living for, dreaming of, working towards...Her first tooth popped out today at school. We have been watching it dangle for a few weeks and wiggling it for several more than that. Cami was so excited to surprise me when I picked her up.

I must admit I was sort of dreading the awkward losing teeth/regrowing teeth/braces THEN looking normal again phase BUT I really love the look. Mostly I just really love the girl!