Daddy's Birthday

So levi was SUPER excited about daddy's birthday today, and it ended up being a really fun day because daddy got off of school for "hazardous weather and flooding" which meant a day off for no apparent reason! (I guess there were some road closures somewhere in the county!) Levi thought that he would probably want to ride the carousel or go bowling (2 things he really likes to do himself) but he had to settle for a special ice cream cake we picked out for him and helping him open his present. (To levi it was really fun to have a secret that Daddy didn't know about with the cake and present.) I guess any reason for a party is a fun day for a 4 year old!

Snow!

Levi was REALLY looking forward to the chance of snow we had for saturday. He couldn't wait to make snow balls and a snowman. And we really did get a little snow so he was super excited. We had to go out right away in the morning so that it wouldn't melt before he got to have his fun! I know it must look quite pathetic to all you Michiganders who get to play in tons of snow and still have snow on the ground once you make a snow ball, but levi was just excited to see any snow at all!

This bath picture is just an example of how Ck likes to copy EVERYTHING right now. She likes to mimic words but also whatever her brother does! He is washing his hair himself, so she wants to try washing hers herself too. Quite funny.

Ck on her feet...

Slowly Ck is taking to her feet. She just decided to get up and walk behind her stroller when we got home from thanksgiving. She is quite proud of herself as you can see and she has already gotten steadier and better at turning.

Thanksgiving

Hanging lights with Papa... Hating to say goodbye to the cousins who are so fun! :(

(in the hotel)

Gs 60th Anniversary party....

So here are a few pictures from our quick trip to Michigan. Levi asked why he has so many cousins that live in Michigan, 13 actually, and we wonder the same thing when it is SO cold! :) He enjoyed seeing them all though and looks forward to christmas time.

New Tricks

So Ck is learning new tricks all the time. She has loved going up the stairs for a while now and finally figured out how to safely go down herself one day last week. Quite an accomplishment! She is LOVING her newfound freedom on the stairs!

The frog and baseball player

So these halloween pictures are really hard to see since they are on my phone and i can't seem to upload them onto the computer so this is all, but I didn't want to forget that they did go trick or treating this year at the mall as a frog and a baseball player. Levi loved seeing all the other kids in costumes.

The cut...

Well, we finally did it! We got a big boy haircut for levi. He was a little nervous and still says he doesn't like it, but he looks much older. He has been really funny coming and looking in the mirror at the new cut and then asking if it would really grow back! I'm sure he'll get used to it though and realize how much easier it is for sports! :) Clara Kate is also sporting a new look with pig tails since her hair is getting longer. The last picture is just them playing blocks the other night. Levi was really excited because he got 21 blocks stacked without them falling down or clara kate knocking them down! Clara kate tried herself and got 6. Quite funny as she tries to do whatever levi does!

In the box again...

Well, for quite some time we have been putting Clara Kate in boxes...during the renovation, while we were playing outside, etc. It seems like she is too old to go in them now since she pulls herself up and could actually crawl out. BUT, for the most part, it still works! I think her days in boxes are numbered, but for now, levi and I can still get some baseball in while she stays safe in her box! :) But as you can see, even though she still will sit in a box entertaining herself with toys, she acts more like a toddler everyday riding in the car, on the bike, making funny noises, getting herself around-like up the stairs! Oh and the last picture is just levi helping cook, I believe he is sorting vegetables.

Fall Break Fun...

So Craig had off this week for Fall Break, so we went to a special Nemo exhibit with crafts and a scavenger hunt at the aquarium, played at the mall, did some house projects, and just enjoyed having him home this week! Levi also went to fall break camp at our church a couple mornings and he and Clara Kate also played with Grandma a day too while his mom and dad got to go out without kids! Too bad every week can't be Fall Break!

TEETH!

So, last sunday we were pretty pitiful here. Levi had another stomach bug AGAIN and CK had her first two teeth breaking through! It was quite exciting to see them break through but VERY sad to see her so sad! :( So far, it is the bottom two teeth but who knows how long we'll wait for more!

Last Soccer Game...

This is last saturday, his last soccer game. He scored the only 2 goals for his team (in the RIGHT goal!) and got to play goalie for a while so it was definitely a successful last game. It was fun to see improvement from the first games to the last, from not sure he wanted play because he was scared of the whistle to scoring in the wrong goal a few games to scoring two in the right goal! He had a blast though and really thinks his medal is cool! :)

Birthday Fun...

Levi had quite the birthday celebrations. They started with Nana, Papa and Aunt Mary's visit with the CiCis party, presents and duck duck goose game!

Then he had two parties on his birthday day, one with simon, lucy, daniel and clara Kate in the morning where they went to story time at Barnes and Noble and then out to lunch at, yes again, CiCis. (there seems to be a trend when levi picks!:)) Then he had more fun with Henry and Simon and Grandma in the afternoon when henry got out of school where they went to the aquarium and had cupcake snacks and played baseball in the park....

Then he had a shared party with baby daniel on saturday at Grandma and Grandpa's house that was supposed to be a family game of baseball that all the boys had been looking forward to, but instead had to be a Wii game since it was raining but still lots of fun!

(yes Ck got to enjoy his birthday too!:))

So, now he is officially 4 now and for the most part enjoying it! However, being 4 means no more sucking his thumb. :( It is still a BIG struggle for him. We had been telling him for months that when he is 4, he will quit sucking his thumb just like when he was 3, he stopped having his pacifier. He does say, "I wish I was still 3 so I could suck my thumb" when he's tired and rubbing his belly "doesn't feel right" anymore without his thumb in his mouth. (we had told him he could rub his belly till he was 5 if he needed to but that won't be an issue since it doesn't feel right anymore!:)) Kind of sad not to see his thumb in his mouth anymore, but he's 4 now! Instead he tells Clara Kate that she can suck her thumb now if she wants but only till she's 4!

Visit...

Levi and Clara Kate had quite the exciting weekend last weekend when their Nana, Papa and Auny Mary came to visit. They got to ride the Tennessee Valley Railroad train, go to Chickamauga battlefield, go to Coolidge Park, watch Levi play in his soccer game, have a birthday celebration for Levi at CiCis, and just have a lot of fun!