hen house update...

Let's start with youngest to oldest.
Check out the drool. And the blue eyes.
Our first fall cold day. Look at food on her face. And the blue eyes.

Phoebe is crying as I type this. Yesterday was her 6 month checkup and she is a mess. She got 3 shots, including the flu shot. On top of it all she has a cold. She is running a fever because of the shots and is just a blubbering mess. She weighed 16.2 pounds. 50-75 percentile for height and weight. I don't remember the height. According to her charts she has a small head. I disagree. They say 10-25 percentile. I say they are full of crap.

Here is what she is doing...

Sitting unassisted, pushing up to crawl position for a few minutes but not crawling, standing holding on to furniture including crib, she can say dada and baba (she doesn't "know" the words, she just says them), she plays with toys and puts everything in her mouth, she is checking out her world, she wants to touch and grab everything, she sleeps ok (not great), she goes to bed around 7:30 and wakes up at 2 ish, she eats very well, she likes green beans best, she eats some table foods including beans and avocado, she watches everything her big sister does. She is a joy to be around. Her blue eyes get a lot of attention. Still not sure if she is going to have red or blonde hair. She sits in the shopping cart at the grocery store and can use the restaurant high chairs. I can already tell that she is going to be different from her sister. She is the sweet loving one and Lillie is... well... Lillie.

On to the BIG sister.

We took this picture at the fair. She loves cheerleaders and cheerleading. Her favorite cheer is "Gooooo.... Cheerleaders!" She cheers for herself. So Lillie. She is modeling in this picture. She likes to pose and take pictures. She thinks she is beautiful. And she is.

Lillie toasting Nanna at Grandparents Day at her school.

Lillie is enjoying preschool. I asked her if she was the smartest kid in the class and she informed me that she "teaches the class." Of course. She has lots of friends and is still fearless. She wanted to ride every ride at the fair. She could only ride the kid rides, but she loved it and she got to do it without mom and dad. We cramp her style. She doesn't pretend to like everyone and she will tell you. Everything is on her terms. She is not the sweetest kid, but she knows what she wants and how to get it. She knows how to spell her name. She gets all the letters in there, just not always in the right order. She loves to draw people, grass, clouds, rainbows and the sun. She is a daddy's girl. She has a crazy imagination. She has many invisible friends and it is always someones birthday. She still has respiratory problems and now officially has asthma. She doesn't eat well but sleeps like a champ. Her favorite food is Old McDonalds. She is a genius. No, seriously. This kid is too smart. I don't mean like "knows her ABC's" kinda smart. I mean smart. Let me give an example. I got on to her for not sharing her toys with Phoebe and she replied "Well, you should ask me permission before giving her my toys." This girls might be an attorney just like her daddy. Even though she is a genius, she still says cute things like "gumbritto" (burrito) or "gumbrella" (umbrella). Not sure why. But it is cute. She likes playing with her 16 year old brother more than with her Lil' Sis because she is a baby.

Now on to big brother.

Another great photo from the fair.
Draven was very disappointed we could find Pizza on a stick this year. But we ate many other high calorie fair foods.

Draven is doing well in school. He is getting a little more private but I he still shares most things with me. There is a girl, but they are not dating yet. They have been friends for a year +. I am encouraging them to date and so are his teachers. It would be good for his self esteem. He still isn't in to driving. He needs a lot of practice, but it makes him nervous. He is finally less in to video games, but thanks to our new cable tv and Netflix, he watches more tv. Now if only I could get him in to some classics instead of South Park reruns. I really want him to spend more time with his art or music. He needs an outlet. For years he has told us he wanted to be a video game designer when he grows up. I'm sure that sounds like an awesome plan to a teenage boy, but to his parents, not so much. We know what his calling is. He just had to figure it out for himself. Then the lightbulb went off (thanks to a very inspirational teacher). He came home from school one day and said "I know what I want to do, teach." Of course. Draven is so good with kids. I always said that he needed to work with children. But teaching, that is perfect. I think that his favorite teacher has really made an impact on his life. I don't think he ever would of come up with this plan without him. We really owe this guy a lot for being such a positive role model for Draven. We have two college tours scheduled for this year. What? College? For my son? Good Lord! How did that happen? We want him to find a small somewhat close (in state or a border state) college. After a year or two he can transfer to wherever he wants. Chris and I have discussed it and we agree he needs small town, away from mom and dad, less than 5 hours away, live on campus, one on one attention from teachers. Too much to ask? Nah.

Now on to me.

What have I been doing.

Drinking. In a bar. Without my kids. Or husband. What? We must be in Bizzaro World. Nope, just Austin.
More Bizzaro World. It's me, working.
Usually this is the smallest paragraph in my update blog. My life is pretty boring. Absuletely perfect and I wouldn't change a thing (maybe a few things, money, travel, but you know what I mean). I joined a softball team. Team America, "F" yeah! I missed last weeks game due to a business trip. I know, what kinda trip? I'm a stay at home mom. My old boss called me in to fill in for a trade show in Austin. It had been a few years, but it was just like riding a bike. It was a little weird switching roles with Chris. He took care of the kids all week and I worked. The big difference was I didn't come home each night. It was a little lonely but the food was good so that helped. I've been trying to get more organized in my life. I am working on throwing away stuff I don't need. Right now I have been working on clothes. I already have three large trash bags full. I buy too much crap. I am trying to take better care of myself. I have been wearing t-shirts and running shorts everyday. I need to dress up more. And by dressing up I don't mean dresses, just look a little more put together. I have spent a lot more time with my mom recently. My step dad had a stroke and so she has been in the city staying with him in a rehab facility. She helped out when I was in Austin and we have gotten together more times in the past month than we did all last year. It has been nice. It has been good to have her back in my life.

Now on to Dad.

Another fair photo.
You can't pick your parents, but you can pick their nose! This might have to be Chris' new Facebook profile pic.

Poor guy. He is one stressed out fella. He is working harder than ever and getting paid less. He is wanting to get back in to Worker's Comp but no such luck. He did, however, win a comp case last month that will bring in a little cash for us. I'm encouraging him to take a men's trip to Canada next month. He doesn't know if he can take off, but he needs it. We all need to get away every once in a while. Even better, Chris and I need to get away from our kids! Now that sounds like a good idea. We are due a date night. He is such a wonderful dad and the best husband. Even when he is stressed out I just love to be with him. He is funny. So funny. He posted on Facebook that he needed a "stand-in" while I was out of town. Some of his jokes might come across as tacky, but I think he is hilarious. There is no other person I would rather be with.

Well, I guess that is it folks. We are headed to the lake in a couple of days. Don't get me started. God I love that place. It is 900 square feet of heaven. I will make sure and take lots of pictures. Who doesn't love (another) lake house post?