Surprise!

I am still here, just busy busy as usual. I am determined to get better at keeping my blog up to date this year, but it is so daunting as I feel I need to go back and add pictures from the time that has lapsed since my other pictures. I do take lots of pictures still, and I guess that is the knowledge I console myself with when I feel guilty about letting the blog slide. Life has just gotten so busy, however, I do not want Ali to look back at this one day and think that she (or the extra time, effort she requires) is the reason I quit blogging. I think it has more to do with how much easier it is to upload pictures to facebook and the fact that most everyone I know is on there or has access to a family member who is on there so they can see pictures I post. Spring break is a few weeks away and I am almost halfway through my last semester of course work, so after May I should have a little bit more flexibility and free time. Also, Ali turned two yesterday and so she is getting more independent to where I have a little bit more free lap/computer time. We shall see how it goes. My goal is to get the blog caught up by the end of March!

Outdoors in October!

The kids love playing outside. Swinging seems to be the group favorite! Below, Jake is being a sweet big brother and pushing Ali in her swing. Jake and Ali have a very special relationship. They seem to get along the best, at this stage anyway. Not that Mari does not have a good relationship with them. They really all three play well together and get along well. At this age, Mari prefers to play with me more than her siblings though. They grow and change so fast, so I am enjoying that while it lasts as tomorrow it might be a completely different dynamic!

The yard and house in October.

Rub a dub dub...

...three babies in the tub. We don't normally bathe them all together, but on this occasion they were being rinsed off from eating something or other (can't remember now) and they all love bath time. Normally we put Ali in first, then add Mari and let them play together before bathing her, then we get Ali out and let Mari play while I get Ali ready for bed (James actually bathes them, wonderful father that he is:) and then Jake goes in by himself and bathes himself (heavily supervised as he likes to forget he has to wash his hair). Jake is perfectly capable of bathing, drying himself off and dressing himself for bed. Mari can do everything but bathe herself, but she is close. They both can brush their teeth (although I do it after they are done, to make sure it is done correctly). It is amazing how fast they grow up! Now if I can teach them to do housework...

Ali at 7 months!

Here is Ali modeling her hat from Mrs. McNearny and some shirts Uncle Robert, Anne-Marie, Marianne and Shona sent her. Such a happy baby!

Wow!

Well, I realize it has been almost 5 months since I posted. It seems like life just keeps speeding up. The kids and I are officially on Spring Break now, so one of my goals over the next week is to get caught up on here. I realize probably no one checks this anymore. I am grateful that my mom updates hers so frequently so that those family that don't see the kids every week, can stay current with what they are doing and how big they are growing. It is so much easier to upload pictures to Facebook, although the blog has a sense of more permanence and is organized better. I really don't do the blog for other people though. Well, that is misleading, I do it to make a record--that is what logs were intended for--of life as it happens. It started out being about my Teacher Corps experience and when the kids came along it seemed like a good idea to do for them. Once I am through with school and they are a little older and I have more free time, I hope to print this all off and make a scrapbook out of it. So for now, I don't do it for others, but I hope that one day it is something I can pass on to my children and if I am lucky enough, grandchildren. Jake and Mari (hopefully Ali will follow) enjoy seeing pictures of when James and I were there age, so hopefully this will be something for their children to enjoy!

7 months old!

Today marks 7 months since Ali's birth! I can't believe how fast it is going by. She is growing up so fast. The pictures I am posting were taken this morning (after breakfast that is why she is between outfits she got food all over the first one). I have been trying to catch a certain face she makes when she is laughing for over a week now and I finally got it here. Of course, she would have to not be wearing clothes when I finally catch it, but it is one of those things I never want to forget about her time as a baby, so here it is for the sake of posterity.

Here she is playing with a teething rattle that was mine as baby (Mari also played with it). Still no teeth, if she is like her siblings her first one will appear a day or two before she turns 8 months old. Her eyes are still blue with some yellow in them like mine and Mari's and her hair is the same color Mari's is at the roots.

Sleeping arrangements

Mari still comes and gets in bed with us every morning sometime between 1-4 a.m. Ali sleeps in her crib from about 10-10:30 until between 1-3 a.m. I took this picture a few nights ago, because it is just too funny some of the things Mari brings to our bed with her. Once or twice James has sent her back to her room to get a different toy because the one she brought was too noisy or too big. Jake still occasionally shows up for cuddles shortly before 6, but most mornings he would prefer to sleep in.

Soccer

Jake started 4-year-old soccer this last week. In these first group of pictures their uniforms weren't in yet. I thought the first picture is funny, because neither one of them were excited about having their picture taken. I can't believe they are at that stage already.

These two pictures are from his second game. He is wearing his uniform in them.

Helping James study.

James is studying around the clock 7 days a week for his engineering licensing exam at the end of October. He studies at the breakfast table before leaving for work, at lunch on his lunch break, after dinner upon arriving home and then again once the kids are in bed. Here is Mari studying her math like her Daddy one morning,

She also commandeered one of his scratch sheets of paper, decorated and displayed it on the fridge.

If you look closely at the picture below, you can see where she got into his notebook and "helped" him work a problem with orange crayon.

She helps him most mornings, but sometimes Ali gets to help him too (like when I have to go to the restroom).Here is Ali helping her Daddy study.

Four years ago, Jake was the one helping his Daddy study for his Fundamentals of Engineering exam (the FE is the first test in a two test series, the one he is taking now--the Principles of Engineering or PE, must be taken after working under a licensed engineer for 4 years and passing the FE, which he did). Hopefully, he will pass the first time (like last time) despite all the help the kids and I manage to give him.

Up, up and away!

Ali has been crawling for a while now, but I have been in sort of denial about it. However, on the 14th of September (exactly 6.5 months old) she pulled up to standing all by herself. Ever since, she has been all over the place!

We have had to start using the baby gates again to try and keep Ali safe (and me sane). She loves trying to climb them already.

Ali doesn't spend much time in the crib, but I took these picture of her pulling herself up in it before we lowered it.

Above, Ali is blowing rasberries on her arm while admiring herself in the mirror on her toy jumper.

She is such a happy girl! I love her big gummy smile.