Hudsonville Fair

Saturday night we went to the Hudsonville Fair figuring the kids would love it.  We were right.  Many of the animals were gone already since it was the last night of the fair, but the kids didn't mind.  We ate at the Beaverdam boothe and then got enough tickets so that the kids could ride three rides and then played a couple of games.

 Layla thought the stamp she got on her hand when we entered was pretty cool:)...

 Greta didn't wear her helmet since it was so hot (and since she can have it for about an hour each day)...

 Gibs loved the tractors...

 She was a happy girl despite the heat (and the smells:D)...

 Gibs' face was so funny when the cars started up--I don't think he really knew what was coming, but he loved it!  I was surprised that he choice to get into a different car than Layla was in, but I really shouldn't be surprised since is definitely Mr. Independent!

 

 They looked like they liked the little rollercoaster when they were on it, but after it was done Layla said it was a little too fast:).  They would have gone on more rides if they could have!  (although many they aren't tall enough for--Gibs was JUST tall enough--36"--for the roller coaster and the cars)  I'm guessing that they will LOVE Disney World next year!

 The guy at the dart game got Layla to play and she actually did really well.  She cried first when the guy was trying to convince her to play, but then did and liked it.  And she was able to win an animal pretty easily thanks to that guy.

 Gibs got an animal playing the ducky game only because the girl working at it showed me where she set down an "L" (large prize) ducky. 

 I love how she sits with her feet up on her tray:)...

9 Months

Greta is 9 months old already!  I can't believe it's time for pictures again!! I have been a bit delayed with getting all of her pics done, so we'll see when I get around to her 9 month:). Feels like she just had her 6 month pics done!  She is still so lovable and sweet.  I am curious to see if she continues this same disposition throughout life--super sweet yet super interested in figuring everything out.  She is a curious little girl and very determined so at this age, that can mean getting into trouble!  She wants to open every cupboard and every drawer and wants to explore every unknown.  She is a complete mamma's girl which I admit, sometimes I like:).  She cries when certain people look at her, but with most people is fine (just seems like a select few she finds quite frightening for some reason).  She does fine being dropped off at nursery, so that is nice. 
She is wearing 9  month clothing mainly--she can still fit in some 6 month yet also fits in some 12 month.  She wears size 3 diapers and I would guess will for quite awhile.  She is getting some formula but mainly frozen breast milk yet.  And I still have quite the supply left:).  I quit pumping I believe around 6 months and have purchased 3 cans of formula since then plus a sample can, so not too bad:).  She has dropped her evening nap recently so she normally just has a morning and afternoon nap. She gets 3 naps on days still when she either naps really short for her first two naps (like only an hour each) or if she misses one.  She eats about anything we give her and loves to eat.  She drinks her bottles good on her own--I often put her in her carseat (strapped or she'll escape)--otherwise if you feed her a bottle she gets SO distracted by everything around her that she is very hard to feed.  She LOVES standing and can take steps a little bit holding on to things.  I would guess that she'd be walking by a year. 
We have a helmet appointment tomorrow so we'll see how her head is growing.  So far they keep saying that her head is growing slow:(.  But it's really not bad having it on, she doesn't mind at all, and to us, her head now looks great!  I was "that" mom and brought her to the doctor on Saturday because I was afraid she had an ear infection (she had had an eye infection and cold and then woke in the night Friday night which they had said to look out for), but she didn't.  But at least we got her weight and height on her 9 month birthday:).  She was 18 lbs even and I think 28"?  I could be wrong on the height though and actually, maybe she was 17 lbs even, hmm, at least we'll get it in a couple of weeks at her 9 month appointment:). 

We love having her as a part of our family and most of the time her big brother and sis love her too--sometimes a little TOO much and Gibs has some issues being a little over affectionate:).  Happy 9 months sweet baby girl!!

8 Months

Greta turned 8 months on July 25.  Let's see if I can remember what she was doing then:).  That was also the day we had to be out of our house.  Wow, that means we've been living at my dad and Joyce's for a month already--time sure flies!  Greta started pulling up on things a little before she turned 7 months and can now stand up as long as she has a little something to help her (like a wall or piece of furniture or whatever).  She likes to eat anything we give her and does really well with chewing whatever we give her (obviously with the exception of really hard foods) even though she doesn't have any teeth yet. I really might as well be doing her 9 month post because honestly, I can't remember how different she was a month ago from what she's like right now.  She was sweet a month ago and still is, that I know:).  She was also very curious a month and still is and is into everything she can get her hands on!  And we love her now just like we did a month ago--or probably even more now! :)

Here's her 8 month pic... 

 Checking things out in her kitchen...

Moving On Out!

I am SOOOO far behind on blogging and here's why...

We're moving!!  And with 3 little kids, getting your house all packed up is not that easy!  We listed our house (for sale by owner) the end of May and afer a week went by with no interest, I was a bit down thinking we'd never sell.  But after that first week, we soon had some showings (which I am so glad to be done with! Again, not that easy with three little kids!) and then two offers.  It took a bit for the whole process to unfold after we accepted one of the offers (one was contigent on them selling their house, so we accepted the one without contingencies), but finally this week we closed on our house.  We now have 2 weeks to be out (from this past Wednesday).  When we first moved here, we never expected to stay more than 5 year.  But here we are, 1 dog, 3 babies, many memories, and 8 years later.  I realize the picture above is hard to see the 2004 pic, but it's the best I have.  Can't believe I didn't have a digital camera then!  And the original pic is, well, in some box.  Somewhere.  I thought that when we moved someday that would be a great opportunity to really organize all our stuff and sort through things, but really whenever we're packing things, it feels so rushed--quick pack Greta's room while she's awake, quick pack up the breakables downstairs while she's sleeping--that I'm quite sure when we move, things are actually going to be less organized.  I have it in my head now that when I unpack into our new house that I'll have lots of time to organize and go through things.  But realistically, I'm sure that I'll be in such a hurry to unpack things, that my expectations are probably too high.  Here's hoping. 

So in less than two weeks we will be moving temporarily in with my dad and stepmom until we find somewhere to move to.  We are really praying we get that sorted out soon!  Stay tuned:).

4 Year Stats

At Layla's 4 year appointment, she was...
Weight: 31 lbs (10-25th %)
Height: 39.75" (50th %)

Swimming fun!

The kids have gotten to go swimming a couple of times recently and have really loved it!  With how hot it's been, it's been nice to cool off in any water we can!  I wasn't sure how Gibs would do with a big pool since last year he didn't like it and in little pools this year he just walks through them (doesn't want his head wet), but he LOVED it!  He loved floating around in a tube and even loved the water slide!

We went with Gigi (and Auntie Em, Harper and Gavin) to the marina's pool last week...

 Greta and Harper...

 

Gibs loving it:)...

 And yesterday we went to Joe's aunt and uncle's pool with his family...

 Greta was so comfy lounging by Grandma that she fell asleep:)...

 After this idea of having one person start him going down the slide and another one catch him, Steve and Joe thought it'd be a fun idea to go down with Gibs on their lap.  Gibs went completely under and loved it!  Layla had no interest in going down the slide.  Gibs is such a typical boy (no fear) and Layla is definitely all girl!  And nothing to do with swimming, but I keep meaning to mark down that Gibs is completely pipey free!  He's been only having it while sleeping (naps and bedtime) for a very  long time (no idea how long--maybe last summer??) and I kept putting off having him give it up completely.  Then one day one of his beloved pipey's got a hole in it (from him chewing on it) so I threw it away.  He was then down to 1 left in the drawer (not that there aren't others around in other places in our house, he just doesn't know that).  The next day he choked on a mint (it was a little scary) and then a little while later he was going to go down for his nap and I noticed teeth marks in his other pipey too. I pointed it out and told him that was sad that that one was broken too but that we'd have to throw that one away too.  He didn't want to, so mentioned how he could choke on it if it broke more and since choking on the mint (and hurting his throat) was so fresh in his mind, he agreed to throwing that one out too.  He then cried a little before falling asleep and asked for it a few other times after that, but always went to bed after crying a few minutes and now never asks for it.  Greta only likes her thumb, not a pacifier, so it's a little weird that we're all done having kids give up their pipeys now!

7 Months

Greta is 7 months old already!!  She is still such a sweet girl.  She is, however, getting into more trouble as she started crawling last week.  She's been able to get around by rolling for awhile and then started rocking on all fours maybe a couple of months ago, but it took her until last week to actually figure out the whole crawling thing.  She since then has really started picking up the pace and seems to really enjoy her new ability to travel to wherever she wants to go.  She is very curious about everything and has always been.  Ever since she started rolling, she has rolled over to Harper and just wants to be on her and touch Harper's face and now that she can crawl, she can to her brother and sister easier and loves to try to attack them as well.  Not sure what that shows about her determined personality:).  She loves baby dolls.  Yesterday I thought it was cute that she went over to our shelves under out tv and reached way in the back to get a doll out.  She must think they look like little friends:).  She still doesn't really sit straight up, I think she could probably do it if she practiced, she just doesn't want to.  She'd rather move around on her belly.  She has been able to get herself to a sitting position for awhile now, she just doesn't stay sitting for long (she sits then leaning forward, not all the way up).

Typical...I was trying to get a pic of Greta laying on her back and she didn't want to stay on her back and Gibs wanted to lay right next to her...

 7 Months!  (typical too that Layla's feet are in the  pic--she loves being by her little sis!)

 She now loves baby food and baby cereal and also really loves anything I cut in little pieces for her.  Here she is enjoying blueberry pancakes for breakfast.

 She is quite uncoordinated getting food in her mouth herself, but normally manages to get a few in:).

 Layla and Gibs love eating outside.  Joe and I normally opt to eat inside:).  It makes for a quiet meal for Joe, Greta and me (and often just Joe and me since Greta's evening nap is around dinner time depneding on what time we eat).

 Layla and Gibs love feeding Greta and it's actually very helpful!  Layla does great at feeding her baby food/cereal.  I wouldn't trust that Gibs would feed her neatly so thankfully he doesn't even ask to help, he'd rather do his own thing.

Greta enjoys playing with the big kids' toys, so now that she's on the move more, we need to be a lot more careful with what she can get to!

 This is how Gibs kisses:)...

Greta is still doing well with her helmet. She went in last week and her head had grown 3 mm.  The lady said that was average growth so hopefully she grows a lot this coming month.  She still is not bothered at all by her helmet and now we are so used to seeing her in it that when she doesn't wear it, she looks really different:).  Funny how you get used to things.  She is in size 2 diapers and 6-12/9 month clothing. 

She loves her new ability to get herself where she wants to go and loves to visit the slider to see out:).

Her schedule is about the same as it has been for the past couple of months. She wakes up around 8:30 (sometimes 9, every once in awhile 10 if she's behind on sleep), has a bottle and some cereal, naps from around 10-11 or just gets a cat nap if we're out, has a lunch bottle and some food around 11:30/12 and then naps in the afternoon around 1/1:30 (same time as Gibs (except I don't like him napping more than 1 1/2 hours or he's up earlier int he morning) and Layla then has rest time in her room).  She naps anywhere from 2-4 hours.  She then has a late afternoon bottle and then naps for about an hour around 6.  She then has her supper bottle (and food somewheres in there depending on the day) and then goes to bed around 8.  Gibs has always been my early riser, but thankfully lately has been better at sleeping in.  A time or two a week he is still up at 7:30ish, but most days lately he sleept until around 8:30 which is nice and Layla sleeps until around 9.  All 3 kids normally go to bed at the same time.  Seeing that the girls especially like to sleep, I think it'll be an adjustment having to get out of the house on time for preschool next year!  We normally now don't get out of the house until 9:30/10.  Good thing they ease kids into school and next year is only 2 mornings that Layla will have to wake up early. 

We love our little Gretsygoo and can't wait to see her little personality keep developing!