Tyler 3 years old

Tyler is 3 years old and is such a big girl. We cannot believe how big she is and grown up she acts...time needs to slow down. She is going to Sunday School and stays by herself now, makes me proud of her, but sad too because that shows just how big she has gotten. We signed her up for Preschool and she is so excited. She would go now if we'd let her. She will go two half days starting in August. Tyler's favorite things are her baby Charlie, who she loves to take care of, dress, feed, change her diaper, take her on walks, shopping, and put her to sleep. She loves animals, Nonna's dog Max, and cats in our neighborhood..one in particular she calls Lady (yellow cat). She loves when they come to play. She has a great imagination! She loves playing downstairs and playing dress up...she says she gets ready to go to work or a wedding. She loves to swing, loves to go for walks/runs. She will walk a long way..impressive...in her words..."she's gotta exercise!" She is a little sponge these days. She tells us she has to go to work to make money, to pay bills, and buy toys for Charlie. She'll tell us she works in Twenton." She tells us she goes to to "nastics, tumbling, dance class, sometimes basketball practice all on Wednesdays. She is full of life that is for sure! She loves playing with others and wants to go to Finley's house all the time. She would go to Ethan and Alex's too if we lived closer! She says her friend Ethan and her friend Alex. Lately, she has been telling me that we should move the the beach forever and not come back to Nashville IL on Moore St. Oh my! She is a personable little girl and she has her own personality for sure! She gets in a routine and likes to stick with her routine. She likes to pick out her own clothes and decide what she is going to do. She is quite the negotiator too. She likes to watch Modern Family before bed and lately eat an orange before bed. She loves to play dress up, but yet likes to wear sporty clothes too. This girl never gives us a dull moment! She is quite the night owl...and likes to sleep in and take her time in the mornings...oh fun mornings ahead when school starts. She can spell her name, make a few letters and shapes and count to about 20. She loves to watch videos of babies and weddings. She always is a good girl when we take her places...it is so easy taking her with us when we go shopping etc. She loves riding the escalator and getting gumballs from the candy machine. Little things excite her too...like when we bring her a treat from the grocery store, even if it's oranges, yogurt, or fruit. I know I am going to have one of the best summers with her! We are getting excited about her first airplane ride and vacation to the Dominican.

Bennett 9-12 months

Bennett started taking steps right around 9 months (Christmas). He was fully walking at the New Year. Now at 11 months, he is almost running! He can keep up with his sister and does not stop! He has loved getting to explore outside now that we have been having some nicer days. Bennett loves the song Wheels on the bus. He loves going to the library weekly with Tyler. He sits like all of the other kids and listens to the story and likes when they get to sing and play instruments...shaker eggs are his fav. Bennett loves Tyler...he wants to be whereever she is..especially in her room. His favorite spot is playing on her bed or sitting in her chair looking at books. Bennett weighs about 25 lbs. He is a big boy and is in 12-18 and some 18-24 mo. clothes! We just bought him size 5 shoes!!! Bennett loves to eat and meat is prob. his fav. He really wants whatever we are eating. Swinging is a favorite and going on wagon rides. Tyler loves pulling him in the wagon and sometimes riding with him. We are really trying to get Bennett to talk. He will jabber and loves music, but I think Tyler does most of his talking for him. He is very good natured and content most of the time. He has about 7 teeth at 11 mos. Still not sleeping great...hopefully soon!!! Bennett has started blowing kisses when you tell him we are going bye bye and sometimes will add in a wave.

Bennett months 6-8

Bennett has changed so much since I last posted! He is mobile and is everywhere! He is 8 months now and is stading on his own and has taken a few steps already! This is exactly like Tyler at this age. He loves Tyler so much and sometimes the only thing that will make him happy is Tyler. He cracks me up because if she is napping in her room, he will crawl in there and will get so mad if I make him get out. He also loves playing downstairs...he gets so happy the minute we open the basement door. Even more so, he loves to swing downstairs. Devin hung two swings for the kids in the laundry room and they LOVE it! Bennett starts laughing and kicking his feet when we walk in the laundry room! By 7 months, Bennett got his two top and two bottom teeth in within two weeks of eachother. He is constantly chewing on things...more on the way I think. He loves to eat and will eat almost anything..green beans have to be mixed in with something. Lately, he wants whatever is on our plate. At 8 months he weighs 22 lbs and is off the charts for length. He is a big boy! He jabbers all the time and it usually sounds like dada. Bennett is still not a great sleeper, we get an all the way through the night every once in a while, but most nights you wake up and still want to eat...spoiled! :-) You are a cuddler in the mornings! I wish I had more time with you in the morning. You have started standing on your own and I think you will be walking soon. You ride in a rear facing car seat and Tyler got a new one. She did not like that at first, but has adjusted. You want to be wherever Tyler is...sometimes she does not like that so much! She is good with you and likes to play with you. Lately, she wants to pick you up...but you are much too big for her!

Tyler 2 1/2

Tyler is 2 1/2 and she loves to tell you she is 2 1/2. She is so much fun and quite the talker. She can entertain us!  She loves her baby brother she loves playing with her baby dolls and she loves playing with other kids. She has been really into matching everything has to match she also loves to wear the same outfit that we are wearing. She loves princess pajama dresses or any kind of pajama dress and she loves getting new underwear. She is too funny. She loves to say when she gets three and gets bigger she gets to sit in the backseat and buckle up Just like Bella and Emma. I keep telling her she has to be really big before she can be out of her car seat she loves to pretend and sit in the car. She also can't wait to go to school. She says when I get three and get bigger I get to go to school and Sunday school!

Bennett five months

Bennett was five months on August 21. He is almost 18 pounds. He is loving eating solid food.  So far he has had cereal bananas apples and sweet potatoes and squash. We are making his food just like we did for Tyler it is fun to see him try new things. He is such a happy guy. Smiling all the time. He loves to be outside and swing. He is doing better on going for walks. The other night we buckled him in the wagon and Tyler pulled him around it was fun. He loves Tyler so much she is so great with him she can make him laugh full bellylaughs it is hilarious just melts my heart. He is moving everywhere. He gets up on all fours but doesn't army crawling and can make it all over the floor very fast.  He was sitting on his own and just this last week he started sitting up on his own from a laying position. He still wants to eat through the night but he is such a big boy he is hungry. I am back in school and it is the hardest thing leaning that sweet smile every morning. I race home to get to them every day. Devon tells me next year I can stay home I can't wait. 

Lake Michigan vacation

We went the last week in July to Lake Michigan for a few days up in long beach Michigan city Indiana. This was our first big trip with Bennett and his first official vacation. He doesn't love the car so it was kind of a long drive. However we only had to stop a couple times. We made it and it was beautiful there. We stayed in a house with the Polczinski's and nonna and Papa Carly Braden and Chelsea. Tyler was at Bellas side every minute she could. Those girls played and played. Tyler wanted to do everything Bella did to wearing her clothes her pajamas in following her everywhere. We spent some time at the beach the water looks like the ocean with waves and everything.  We would go for morning walks and look at the beautiful beach homes. We also would go swimming at the pool in our resort area. We spent one afternoon playing at their awesome playground. We stayed at the beach walk resort which was very nice. We came home late Tuesday evening. The next day Wednesday was my 28th birthday. It was a great day waking up at home with my sweet family. We just played at home and spend time together it was wonderful. Devon and I were leaving Friday morning before the current river at Jack's fork to go on our float trip with my family. I miss my kids like crazy when we leave that I can't wait till they can go along. 

Bennett four months

Bennett was four months on July 21. He is Weighing about 16 pounds. He is a big boy. He had his next round of shots at the doctor he hated them but we all survived. He is eating constantly so the doctor told us we could start trying to spoonfeed him some cereal. He isn't really caring to show interest in the spoon so we are going to wait a few weeks to try it.  The doctor said he is the length of a nine month old about 27 inches and the weight of a seven month old. He is moving onto 6 to 12 month clothing. It has been so wonderful adding this sweet boy to our family!