My food!

Mmmm sweet potatoes!  Homemade at that.  These little nifty containers that gerber has come out with are awesome.  I've been saving them and making food for Gauge when I have a chance.  He really likes the sweet potatoes.  The texture homemade is pretty awesome.  Gauge decided that he was going to feed himself.  He kept grabbing the spoon out of my hand, turning his head at the last second and grabbing the container.  I decided he was welcome to feed himself if he really wanted to.  He did get some in his mouth and he got a nice bath afterwards.

Big Helper Jade

Jade has been watching closely as I feed Gauge.  She sits turned around in her chair that is next to his and will watch as I scoop the food then looks at Gauge to see his reaction.  She looks back at me as I make funny faces.  Looks back at Gauge as I spoon the food off of his face.  Anyway all this studying she has done paid off.  She wanted to feed the baby so I handed her the spoon and went for the camera.  She did a really good job.  Gauge looked a bit concerned at first but he didn't mind.  You are a big helper Jade!

You lookin' at me?!

Dance Recital 2010

Woohoo Teagan!  Teagan did awesome at the recital.  He missed rehearsals because he was sick.  I was a crazy day.  We got all ready to go early.  Dropped off Gauge and Jade at Ian's parents and realized we forgot the diaper bag.  No diaper bag means no food for Gauge.  So we went to the fair grounds so Ian could drop us off and go back himself for the bag.  When we got to the parking lot I started reading the papers that came with the tickets.  Oh crap we are supposed to cover up his costume.  Well that is okay because half of Blythe was already there and standing in line.  We weren't getting in anytime soon anyway. 

We went with Ian to get the bag and get some clothes to cover his costume.  By the time we got to the fairgrounds we were right on time.  When we got inside there were tons of seats but all were saved by cups, programs and purses.  Seriously you people have six people coming still?  Six?  We finally found some seats to the left side of the stage.  They were actually pretty good seats.  Teagan sitting on my lap could see really well.  We waited for Footloose to come on and that was our cue to go backstage. 

Teagan didn't seem nervous at all.  I sure was.  Once he was back stage there were about four more songs until he was on.  His class did their acrobatics routine to the Hokey Pokey.  It was really cute and the best part was he looked like he was having a really good time on stage.  After it was over we left.  We were all starving so we treated Teagan to a Happy Meal before picking up Jade and Gauge.

The next night I took Teagan by myself.  I'm glad there is two night because the first night I did a video and the second I took pictures.  The second night Teagan wanted to stay to see all the routines.  He was surprised how many of his friends were in the same dance school.  It's not something they really  talk about on the playground.  I recorded a dance that had about six kids from his class in it because he was back stage when they were on.  Teagan did an awesome job!  Everyone did.  I think I've decided to sign Jade up for the combo class next year.  Those girls were stinkin cute.

Teagan is in the center doing a back bend.

Doing the hokey pokey.

Teagan is the blur in the center.

Teagan and James.

The whole class getting ready to do a front roll.

Multicultural Day

Yes that is what they are calling it now.  I know I know.  For those that don't speak politically correct what is really was is Cinco De Mayo.  I'm all up for some good mexican food and some kids dancing around with flowers in their hair.  Who are we kidding calling it Multicultural Day?  Regardless the kids were cute and it was fun.  Ask me how much I love that Teagan's teacher was the only teacher that did a regular song.  Her class did "I'm Bringing Home A Baby Bumblebee".  So thank you Mrs. Rymer for representing our culture at Multicultural Day.  If we are going to call it that we might as well all be represented right?  Check out the cute hats.

Hey Baby!

It's about time for an update on Gauge.  Maybe one before he heads off to college.  He is scooting all around.  He looked like he was going to crawl there for a bit but then he found scooting was much easier.  He is very fast too.  Ian calls him our baby seal and make lovely and realistic seal noises when he says it.  Gauge is getting teeth faster than we can notice.  These pictures are from early this month so he has more since.  He now has a totally of seven teeth.  Four on top and three on bottom.  He still smiles sweetly all the time.  He isn't much of a laugher which I didn't think anything of until I was playing with Ruthanne's baby.  If you make faces at him he will go into a fit of giggles.  Gauge has a hoarse haha sort of laugh which can only be brought out with tickling or some major funny faces from brother.

Gauge is by far my chubbiest baby yet.  I know I know you can see his ribs in the pictures but seriously he is way squishier than my other kids.  He seems to be a different body type.  I love variety so it's fun for me and interesting to see what he will be like compared to the other kids.  He is so much fun to hug and hold.  He is loved.  Jade goes between loving him to death to not wanting him to look and her to fiercly protecting him.  Right now part of that protection means taking everything away from him.  This could be things he might choke on to toys that he had first.  He is learning to scream loudly when he snatches something from him and then she will drop it and run from the room.  He triumphantly scoots over to retrieve the toy.  I'm thinking this isn't going to be a good thing for me in the future.

While Gauge is scooting he is finding fun things on the floor.  So far his most interesting finds have been licorice (the sour kind) and a mini marshmellow.  Niether a real problem but still things we didn't want him to have.  When I found him sucky loudly on the 2 inch piece of blue licorice I took it away from him and I had never seen him so mad.  He turned red and screamed so loud Jade covered her ears.  Poor guy cried real tears.  Ian took away the marshmellow and although upset he wasn't upset to blue sour licorice standards.  Gauge love munching on cherrios.  Ian started giving him kix which scared me at first but he seems to be fine with them.  He loves to eat!

While scooting around Gauge is finding he enjoys pulling himself up on things.  He loves to pull himself up on Jade's potty.  Jade thinks this is a bad idea and so do mom and dad but for different reasons.  Jade doesn't want her potty touched and mommy and daddy don't want the contents of her potty dumped.  It seems to be the most interesting object in the room most of the time.  There is a step up to Teagan's room and when Gauge gets to that he sits up at it an looks like such a big boy.  It's too cute.  I love checking on him at night.  Gauge has taken to sleeping on his side where you can see his little chubby elbow or sleeping on his stomach with his little but in the air and his tiny feet tucked in.

He is still so small but getting so big.  Gauge is a good boy.  He really doesn't fuss anymore than necessary.  Which is why teething has been so easy.  We will just notice he is a little off and bam there is another tooth.  We love you sweet boy!

I'm really 33?! Oh man I'm 33!

I have this thing about my age.  I don't really bother with it.  I don't think about it.  I don't keep track.  If I need to know how old I am I won't even do the math.  I just ask Ian.  Once he tells me I pass it on to the person that asked or write it on the form I'm filling out and put it out of my mind.  So much so that the next time I need to know I've forgotten how old I actually am. 

Now I'm not insane.  I know within about two years how old I am.  How did this happen?  Well I turned 18 and was supposed to be a big bad adult.  Well turned out I couldn't rent a car.  I couldn't sign certain papers.  I couldn't get financial aid for school because I wasn't technically an adult until my parents said so yet I was on my own.  So fine.  Now 21 was the new adult age.  I wait for that day to come and it does and it's very uneventful. 

After that I decide I'm not caring about my age anymore.  I decided this whole waiting for a number to come up before you are somebody is dumb and I'm not going to play the game anymore.  So that is how we've arrived here.  Because I do this myself I never think about how old other people are either.  Sometimes that leaves me confused about their behavior until I figure out their age and realize I did the same thing when I was that age. Other times I find out how old or how young my friends are and I'm shocked. 

Why am I babbling on about this?  Well I lost a year.  That kinda sucks.  I was really surprised to find I was going to be 33.  Maybe it's time to start keeping track.  I swear the same thing happened last year.  As I get older what if I lose more than one year at a time?  What if I turn 80 and still think I'm 75?  Ah who cares.  It is very hard to believe I'm 33 though.  I would swear I'm still in my 20's.

I had an awesome birthday though.  I got to sleep in.  I layed in bed while I listened to Ian and the kids make breakfast for me.  I really didn't have to lift a finger all day.  The one thing I really wanted for my birthday was seafood.  There is really no where to eat seafood here in town so we made our own.  It was perfect.  I went a little crazy with the crab boil stuff and Ian and I giggled in the kitchen as our poor children were choking in the livingroom.  No one complained because they didn't know why it was happening but we all coughed and coughed until the crab was done.

I'm already planning to do this next year too.  I am also going to do a picture on my birthday.  The one I took was because I was having a particularly good hair day but unfortunately a really bad make up day.  I was almost out and had to use the wrong color makeup.  Oh well when I have wrinkles I'm so not going to care anything about that.  I'm going to do a picture for Ian two.  I think it would be fun to look back on our birthday pictures.  So thank you to my family and friends that made my day so wonderful.  Most especially Ian.

Want to hear about my loot.  I should have taken pictures.  Ian's mom got me a cupcake holder and a cupcake book.  The holder will actually hold my cupcakes.  Most don't leave enough space.  The kids loved going to the book and picking the ones they wanted made.  Kelsey made me a dessert stand.  It is awesome.  It's two plate and a candlestick holder that makes a two tier dessert stand.  I'm just sure that is not what it's called but hopefully you get the idea.  It came with lemon bars and red velvet cookies.  Sister Guthrie brought me cupcakes.  You will see those below.  Plus I got cards from the grandparents and tons of birthday wishes on facebook.

Jade waits patiently for dinner.  We had to feed her some tomatoes to hold her over.

The artichokes didn't make it to the dinner table but it didn't matter because we had tons of food.

Thank you Sister Guthrie.  So wonderful not to have to make your own cake.

We always let the kids blow out candles on our birthdays.  So we had to light and relight so Teagan and Jade could make a wish.

It was a very Happy Birthday!

The Fair 2010

I say it every year but we love the fair.  It's one of the few really fun things to do in town.  We look forward to it and missing it although tempting because it would save us a ton of money it really isn't an option.  This year was a bit more challenging.  Jade wanted to run around.  She had a hard time waiting when brother was on the big rides.  There were just too many people to take the chance of letting an exceptionally little girl run around.  We were so glad we went though.  I'll comment on the pictures.

They had some pretty cool animals when you first walked into the fair this year.  Not to mention the playhouse from heaven.  It had a porch light and electrically outlets inside.  You know for when the kids need to do their vaccuming.  I wish I had gotten a picture of it.

The CWA had their kids area again.  Jade had fun!

This is actually Teagan & Clay through a kaleidoscope.  Nifty picture.

The Reids were kind enough to let us borrow Clay again this year.  It make the fair so much more fun for Teagan.

Teagan is totally sad in this picture.  There wasn't enough room for three so he had to go to another dragan.  I'm thinking he is sad because he didn't get to ride with Clay.  Nope he is sad because he didn't get to ride with is sister.  How sweet is that?

Sister had fun.

Look how cute they are.  I love that my kids love eachother.

Okay a little explaination here.  Clay was actually sitting next to Jade at first.  Teagan was sad again and then I see Teagan talking to Clay and they swap seats.  Now Teagan is totally happy to sit with his sister.  Seriously there is no better big brother and look at Jade's face.  She is thrilled.

My sweet baby.  Gauge is about 6 months old here.

Tired.

They spun and spun.  I was sure someone was going to be sick.  After is was over Teagan kept saying, "I tried to get them to stop spinning.  I was afraid Jade would get scared."  Really at this point you must think I'm making this stuff up.

Daddy and Jade on the carousel.  Teagan didn't want to go on it.  It must be to babyish for him now.  It was a short trip this year.  We talked at the gate with friends longer than we rode on rides it seemed.  Teagan one a goldfish but it didn't survive the night.  We got him another from Broadway Gardens and it didn't survive the night.  I don't know if that had anything to do with Jade putting baby formula in the water.  I'm not going to speculate.  We didn't get Teagan another fish.  It was just getting too depressing.  Jade got a toy.  It a butterfly wand that lights up and plays a Japanese pop song over and over really really loudly.  Ian thanked me for getting her that.  Teagan and Clay got Blue Angel jets.  They were pretty cool.  We looked up the Blue Angels online for Teagan.  He thought they were awesome.  Perhaps I have a future pilot here.  We looked at the 4H animals.  Ian did the auction for his dad this year as well as a few doctors.  He enjoyed doing that.  He was a little nervous.  It's other peoples money he is bidding with and it can add up to quite a bit but he did a really good job.  Can't wait for next year.  :)