Madelyn is 8

Madelyn turned 8 last week.  I really, really, really can't believe it.  It seems like yesterday that we were bringing her home from the hospital; it's amazing to see who she has become/is becoming and how our family has changed.  Madelyn is very bright, loves to read, is doing very well with piano, enjoys gymnastics, and is inquisitive about so many things.  She also enjoys sewing; I wish I could help her with it, but I am truly clueless.  She loves her baby sister; she and Pierce get along pretty well, and her patience is tried with Isabel.  (But so is most everyone's-that kid redefines "Terrible Threes")  She can still be strong-willed and temperamental, but it's been fun and an answer to prayer to see her mature over the last few months.  These are pictures from Madelyn's birthday.  She had an American Girl birthday party that I will post pictures of later. 

 

 A friend came over to help celebrate:

The kids have recently started wanting to watch Wheel of Fortune, so I got her the game for her 3DS:

We love you, Madelyn!

Julia at 7 Months

Julia turned 7 months old on Monday.  What is she up to?  She's sitting up very well, eats three meals a day, still loves her jumper and exersaucer, still only has two teeth, likes to do the Superman, still smiles easily, makes lots of noises with an occasional ba or tha, occasionally gets up on all fours and rocks, and she can't wear 3-6 month clothes anymore. Her sleeping, well, it's gone from bad to a bit better.  After her 6 month check up, we decided to do some tough love, so on nights when she would wake up before 5:00, JD would go in and rock her quickly and sing a song and put her back in bed.  The first two nights were pretty rough, but then we had a solid streak of several nights where she would sleep from 7:30-5:00 or 6:00.  I would feed her then and she would sleep until 7:30.  Unfortunately, she started slipping back to crying around 2:15, so two nights ago, we had a pretty rough night.  Last night, JD went in there once to briefly rock her, and she seemed to settle easily enough, but we heard her again at 3:15.  That time, JD just went in rolled her over, patted her, and sang a song.  She did settle after that, and I didn't hear her again until 7:00.  I wish I knew why she continues to wake up and why she has trouble settling/not putting herself back to sleep.  I know she CAN do it because there have been a few times when she's been awake at 4:30 but gone back to sleep on her own. 

Here are a few pictures taken on Monday:

 

Upward Basketball

 Pierce has been playing basketball since December through a program called Upward.  Thanks to our friends and carpool buddies transporting Pierce to practice, Pierce has been practicing once a week and playing one game per week.  It's really funny to watch 5 year olds run around a court trying to figure out what is going on.  I knew things were going to be interesting when Pierce asked me just before his first game, "Mom, what's offense and defense?"  I'm not sure how much he's learned, but I know he's had a great time.

Here are pictures of the team:

Here's Pierce getting introduced before a game:

God With Us

The kids sang with the choir last Sunday at church:

Post bath/pre-nap

Sweet dreams, sweet girl!