6 Miles

 Marcus weighed in at 17 lb. at the Doctor this week for his Well-Baby Check-Up. He’s starting to sit up more and more. He has rolled from belly to back and then back to belly (but not all at once yet)

He’s started eating solid foods twice a day now–and is Quite Hungry if I don’t think to feed him around lunch or supper time. He’ll let you know by licking his lips or starting to lunge towards the food. Once you start feeding him, he’ll try to help by lunging his open mouth towards the spoon. He still spits some of the food out at times, and isn’t that happy if you wipe it off his chin and put it back in his mouth. So we bring the spoon back to the bowl and he doesn’t know any better.

He is putting more and more towards his mouth and chewing, chewing, chewing on his hands or anything he can get in it. He’s often sucking on his bottom lip (like in the picture below). I am expecting to see some teeth starting to pop out soon! 

He continues to be a mellow, laid back child who puts up with so many changes in schedules or routines, getting dragged along to lots of places and  rough love from his brothers and he just goes with the flow and is usually a really happy guy. He’s a great blessing and very much loved!

Well, we’re mid-way through June, and about 1/4 of the way through our summer (Will starts school Aug. 10, so I’m feeling like our summer is only June & July)…which is quite depressing and I don’t want to dwell on it too much, yet I want to be aware so I can use our time wisely!  The first two weeks of June have been Quite Busy.  I signed the boys up for swim lessons early for them to get skills we’ll try to work on with them the rest of summer. So the last two  weeks they’ve had swim lessons M/T/W.  Plus, we’ve had soccer (as you saw below) on Fridays.

Two weekends ago we took the boys to a Colts Fan Open House at Lucas Oil Stadium.  You can see all the pictures here if you’re interested (that takes you to where I posted them all on Facebook).  We all had a great time seeing the stadium and starting to get ready for football!

This week our church is having VBS, or Kids Camp as they’re now calling it. They are having it in the evenings, and so each night is busy as we all go to that. If you’re interested in the pictures I put on Facebook from that, you can see here.  We’ve been going back in time to Egypt and “meeting” Joseph.  I’ve stuck with the area I’ve discovered I really enjoy–crafts, and have been having a great time.  Each day the kids go to a different “Marketplace”, or craft tent. Our tent is making Mummies! (Mummys?)  They have plastic skeletons they wrap in strips of plaster of paris. It’s a mess, but fun, craft. I love helping the kids do something they’d never get to do at home.

I’m trying to strike a balance between having down time and doing. I don’t want to look back and think “What did we with do with the summer? I had so many ideas!” but also don’t want to over schedule it. (But that quote would be what I said about LAST summer, so I do want to enjoy doing things with the boys.) Today we had time to just take a walk and enjoy some time outside (the pictures you see here), then the boys played with Legos most of the afternoon.  I like letting them have time to just hang out together & be creative together.  Next week we’re looking forward to vising Grandma & Grandpa and Taylor Lake, a playdate with friends and a bit more down time, where we’ll visit a spray park or another park with a shallow creek to wade in. It’s been quite hot and muggy most of the days, so I figure either of those will be a nice way to cool off!

The boys have started up taking soccer again, this summer we go on Fridays.  We’re at a different, but closer, park then last year.

I originally signed Alex up for a class for 4 & 5 year olds at 10:30 that is games that teach skills, but one step up from what he did last year.

I signed Will up for a smaller class for 6 & 7 year olds at 11:30 that includes a scrimmage.  The last two weeks we’ve been there for two hours while one plays and the other watches or plays on the playground.  Last week was hard because it was HOT and MUGGY.  The two classes at 11:30 were both smaller and they combined them.  Alex was sad that Will got “to play REAL soccer” and he didn’t. When I talked to the coaches about letting Alex move to Will’s class (since there were now kids his age and with his skill level in it), they said that’d be fine.  I LOVE that we won’t be there for two hours during the heat of the day and during Marcus’ nap time! 

Marcus hasn’t had much to say about it, but he was enjoying the swings.

Friday after the last day of preschool I took the boys up to Mom and Dad’s. James joined us when he got off work (he ended up staying an hour late and then drove up so he got in at 5 am). I figured I’d rather hang out with the family then just sit around at home.  Heidi had come up Thursday and we were all looking forward to seeing everyone. Sadly, Will started to get sick Thursday. Friday he woke up with a pink, watery eye and a slight fever…by mid-afternoon it spiked up to 103 and I wasn’t sure if we should go or not. Mom, Dad and Heidi all aid they didn’t mind if we came up, they figured he could be sick at home or there, and might as well enjoy some company while sick.  So, we headed up.  We ended up getting there just in time for supper. After that we walked around and looked at all the flowers and trees and Dad pointed out the birds nest with three baby birds.

What I found interesting is they were pretty quite, they just sat there with mouths wide open, waiting for momma bird. We tried to stay away so she wouldn’t get spooked.

Saturday we had the traditional Memorial Day cookout, and later cake and ice cream to celebrate Dad’s birthday! (Like his Hebrew Colts shirt?)

Alex, smiling nicely for a second, but really wanting cake and ice cream.

He really did like this, even though it doesn’t quite look like it!

Saturday afternoon was when Will felt his worst…he was sick enough he didn’t want chips at lunch!  We found some cold medicine that helped him feel a little better, but you can see here how red the area around his eye was from him wiping the tears away.

Later we were outside, playing outdoor games and while he joined us, he still didn’t feel well.

The kids went to bed fairly early and Mom, Heidi and I enjoyed a walk. Then we all enjoyed playing a game.

Sunday he and James stayed home from church, but by the time we got back he was feeling well enough to go out to lunch for Dad’s birthday meal. We went to Texas Roadhouse. Marcus started to let us know he was rather hungry, so James asked for an extra bowl of apple sauce. He ate the entire bowl! He was in his car seat, with no bib, no baby spoon (just the adult one they had) and he ate it so well, without making a mess. I’ve not been able to replicate that success at home, he still spits out more then he eats for me. Maybe I need to get James to feed him instead!    That afternoon Will still felt well enough to join us in a game of Carcassonne.

Monday we packed up and then went to Ivanhoes to celebrate Mom’s retirement.   Here is proof that Will was feeling much better:

We’re hoping noone else gets what he had! I guess you could sum up our weekend with: ice cream, games, outside time, and relaxing…so it was a great weekend!

The boys are going to have a hard time getting used to “sharing” their toys with Marcus.

Last Monday, Alex’s school had their End of the Year Celebration …for the older kids it was called Preschool Graduation, but since he’ll be going back, it was more just a chance to have some cake and see pictures of the school year. 

Alex and two of his friends.  I will say Alex sat nicely with me during the actual slide show.

Yea! Cake!

Yes, they are some characters! Do you feel a bit sorry for his teachers? Out of a class of 14, they had 3 girls!!!

Wednesday afternoon we went to Will’s school for the Kindy 500. All the kindergarten classes made cars out of egg cartons. They had a parade through the school. We got there just as the parade was starting and saw Will leading!  I didn’t get my camera out in time. By the time we got to the gym, he had already gone by.  Then we sat in the bleachers with all the other parents. We sang the National Anthem and “Back Home Again, In Indiana” (sung at the beginning of every Indy 500…that was more a solo for the music teacher!).   

Alex, in the Snuggie Baby carrier, while we were waiting for the races to start.

Alex wearing the visor he’d made in preschool that morning.

Each class had one representative come out with his or her car. Then they’d race from one end of the gym to the other and back.  

There were five classes this year so usually there were 5 kids racing each other. The kids then got to sit and watch their classmates race.  Will was in one of the last heats, and rather sad he didn’t get to cheer on more friends.  But he had great fun racing.

I thought he won but he said the boy in the car next to him JUST got past him at the end.

Then each class got their “medal” (it was a large washer with Kindy 500 written on it, hanging on a red ribbon). 

After that we headed back to his classroom for one last time, got his things and headed home, and he was done for the year! I tried to get a picture of him with his teacher but he wasn’t that interested, so I didn’t push it. It was crazy in the room with all the kids and parents there. But now I’m sad we didn’t. She did a great job with him and his class, he really enjoyed his first year of school and we’re quite proud with how well he did.