Back to the Birthday

I realize I have a lot of catching up to do post wise. Particularly because I have a lot of photos. I was going to post about our trip to the zoo today but realized that I never posted Gideon's birthday pictures. I was getting his pics and videos ready and then my mom passed and I never got back to them. So without any further delay I present to you the photos from Gideon's birthday:



One of these days I will learn how to get the videos off my camcorder and post those too. I had already captioned these pictures prior to my mom's passing and only needed to write the post to put the slideshow on the blog. It was interest to go back and read some of the captions because Gideon has changed so much already. I point out that he's nearly crawling and now he's nearly walking. I point out that he's drinking soy milk with his cake and shortly after that we discover that soy makes him very sick and now he's on rice milk. I also got the pit for the balls so now the kids can all fit into a nice big ball pit in the living room (when I choose to set it up).

I also want to mention that Gideon has ten teeth. Yep. TEN! All eight of his fronts and two molars and one more molar just about to bust through. He's a silent teether for the most part, doesn't fuss about them (or I'm very unobservant which is equally possible). I never even knew he had molars until I was tickling him mercilessly one night and could see into wide open mouth.

He's also got a few words under his belt. I'm most excited about him saying "Hi Dada!" which we've been practising for a while. I went to show a friend the other day how he can say it and when I said "Say 'Hi Dada'" Gideon not only said it but put his hand to the side of his head when he did it as if he was holding a phone. I am very much looking forward to the near future when he will be able to say "Hi" to his daddy without having to do it over the phone. I've also noticed the last few days that when I tell the kids it's time to say grace before meals that he clasps his hands together too. Awwwww, so cute. Yesterday at bedtime he told Zion "nigh' nigh'" with his little fist opening and closing. One of Gideon's favorite things to say is "uh oh". Oh, and don't forget "kitty" which was one of his first words. He also signs "more" and I'll introduce "please" and "milk" next.

Just Put One Foot In Front Of The Other

..and soon you'll be walking out the doo--oo-or! (Little Christmas special flashback for ya there, do you know which one?)

I can't believe that I forgot to write about this yesterday (or maybe I DID write about it and I forgot that I did - either way my memory is terrible). Gideon took his first steps last night! We were playing in Zion's room and I stood him up to help him practice his balance and the next thing I know he took three (very quick) steps to me and fell in my arms. I don't know who was surprised more, me or him. The look on his face said "Good Lord, what am I doing?" as if it was the riskiest thing he'd ever tried to do. If only he knew how risky it was to try to eat the cat's puke he found on the floor earlier that day. Ew.

Adding that Gideon is nearly 14 months old. And just for the curious, Gabe took his first steps also at 13 months old and Zion took her very first step on her first birthday.

What Could We Have Been Up To...

...for me to not have blogged in so long? Well, let me answer that. In no particular order:

For starters, knitting has pretty much taken over all my spare time. And some of the time when I should be taking care of chores. Ah well, the laundry will still be there tomorrow. And the day after that... I knit the above towel and washcloth for myself! I've done a few before but gave them all away. I did knit a burpcloth for a friend and it was too small in my opinion so I kept it for a dishcloth. Now I'm in love with handknitted dishclothes. Oh my goodness! I want to keep knitting them to replace all of my storeboughts and then more for washclothes for bathtime too.

I think I showed this scarf once before and talked about how it was wider and shorter than I wanted it to be (one of those one-skein patterns so I couldn't add length, only had the one skein) so I frogged it (ripped it out). The whole thing. I knit it narrower and thus it came out wider. This pictures shows how it is all knit solid (and knit entirely of twisted stitches) and then every fourth stitch is dropped to make those cool gaps.

Here's the scarf after all the rows have been dropped and pulled. It's still a smidge short for my taste but at least now it's actually wearable as a scarf. And I really love the colors. This picture doesn't give it justice.

We also went to a sprinkler park with Jamie and had a blast.

Gideon really loved the water.

Zion really loved the water.

Gabe really loved the water.

Absolutely LOVE scrunchy nose smiles!

At first he thought it a bit cold. (Don't blame him, I did too!)

Afterward we all enjoyed some Popsicles which we bought at the ice cream truck that appeared to permanently park right there in the park. Smart ice cream man!

We have also had some fun play dates right at our house. Sarah and Gideon are only a few months apart and are pretty equal as far as milestones. They frequently use each other to pull up and stand. Now we're just waiting to see who will walk first.

Gabe is passing on his love for trains. Whether he likes it or not. Gideon sometimes forces the matter and Gabe has to put up with his derailing the trains.

"You're not supposed to EAT them, Gideon!"

We've had some wicked cool storms lately. Here's one blowing in. The thunder has been tremendous. I love it! The one we had a few days ago had thunder SO loud and it seemed to be positioned right over our house that I jumped out of my skin every time it BOOMED! Zion and Gideon slept through it as it was nap time. Gabe says "It doesn't scare me."

Gideon is done with his "no wheat" trial and got to enjoy one of his very favorite meals, pasta with marinara. Look at that satisfied smile. After reintroducing wheat Gideon has experienced some eczema and bowel issues but so far no vomiting. The thing will be to see if we can get him back on a full wheat diet without vomiting. So far so good though I'm working him up slowly.

And yes, that's a perfect handprint in marinara sauce on the side of his head. Now if I TRIED to make a handprint on purpose like that you KNOW he'd never cooperate. Well, at least I have the picture. :)

Turns out we are raising another lover of books. At first he just loved to clear off the bookshelf. Then one day he actually opened one and now I often catch him sitting and "reading" to himself. It warms my heart. We have also been enjoying a lot of stories at bedtime while we also have "bunny time". At the end of each day we all go up to Zion's room and let Allie out of her cage. She gets to hop and jump around while we do pjs, play, pray, and have a story. It has become one of my absolute favorite times of day.

And though this picture is on here last (only because that's how blogger added them on) Jamae is definitely NOT least. Isn't she beautiful?! *sigh* I got to go up to attend Jamae's high school graduation on the 9th. I know it wasn't as hard for me as it was my sister but all I could think about was how I'd been in the room when she was born. How did 18 years pass so quickly? As they say, the days are long but the years are short (my mantra on certain days). I love you, Jamae!

I also got to take Zion on a special "date" to see both Jamae and Jessa dance at their studio's end of the year recital. Zion and I got all dolled up, her more than I, and I got a sitter for the boys (thanks, Erika!) and we went just us girls. Well, and Uncle Bob and Grandpa Jim but still. She wasn't sure to think at first. She kept saying it was "scay-weee" but I think it was just the "bigness" of the theater and all of the people.

There is much more that we've been up to, like a trip to the zoo, but this post is getting a little photo heavy and I'd like to get some knitting done before bed (told you it's taking over). More to come.

Princesses Don't Get Sick

Gabe threw me for a loop the other day. We're hanging out at Jamie's the day of Jamae's graduation (woohoo, Jamae!) and all of the sudden Gabe comes to me and says "Zion's been sick right?" Picture me confused. I said "Yeah. So have you and Gideon and me and pretty much everybody." He looks equally confused and says "But Zion's a princess." Suddenly it comes to me. There's this commercial running these days that has all these little kids talking about germs. The point being that kids know nothing about germs. One of the shots has a dressed up little girl saying "Princesses don't get sick." Gabe is so literal. He couldn't reconcile the fact that the TV was saying princesses don't get sick, the TV is always right, right, and that his sister is a princess ('cause I call her Princess all the time). How sweet is that?! I mean, about the part that he really does think his little sister is a princess. Awwww.

He must not be taking into account our bedtime prayers tonight which Zion interrupted so she could shout at Gabe "Smell my stinky feet!" Do princesses have stinky feet?

Presto Chango

Another room transformed before our eyes. This time I let the kids help. Well, to an extent. I started last week by turning Zion's old was-used-when-we-got-it changing table pictured here (though not in its usual spot):

Into a cute shelf for her critters and her books:

Then the kids and I (mostly I) applied zoo animal decals to Zion's walls. Mr. Zebra will make sure that you turn the light off when you leave the room.

And a silly monkey hangs from one of her shelves.

There is also a lion and, of course, an elephant, Zion's favorite.

I finally got Allie's new house put together. It is, ahem, a little larger than I pictured it in my head and in fact kind of makes Zion's bed look teeny. Oh well, she's a spoiled bunny. Zion likes me to drop down the door in the front so that she can stick her head inside. She'll stay like that for ... hm, I actually don't know I always have to make her come to dinner or go to bed or something before she'll stop on her own.

I also found her a cute coin bank - also an elephant! It's the little yellow thing right there that you can barely see 'cause it's not a very good picture.

Allie started to get free time in Zion's room last night and she really seems to like it. The kids love it. They get a little exuberant and I find myself sounding like a broken record "slow/settle/calm down, down, down for cryin' out loud/Pete's sake/or we won't be able to play with the bunny ... arg!" But it is too much fun, once Allie feels relaxed and playful she starts to run around and jump and kick in the air. Too cute. Oh - and Gideon! Gideon! I nearly forgot. Last night he was just crawling as fast as he could after that bunny, making his "I'm crawling as fast as I can" noises and as soon as he caught up to her he'd try to tuck her under his arm like his little stuffed animal and put his cheek on her back. My goodness it was so cute.

I have been searching for zoo themed bedding and I found some of the CUTEST! Yeah. It was only in twin. :( Sad, sad, sad me. So now I'm just searching for any brightly colored toddler bedding that isn't themed. Harder than one would think. Apparently somewhere there is a law that says girl toddlers must, absolutely MUST have a Dora or Disney Princess room and therefore that is all the stores will carry. I will not be thwarted, I will find it and it WILL be cute, darn it!

Allie must really like her new home 'cause she's just all sorts of relaxed. So much she doesn't even bother getting either all the way in or all the way out of her nest before flopping over. Silly girl. Zion was very concerned when we gave her a handful of baby carrots tonight. She picked up the largest of the bunch and turned to me worried, demanding "Too big! Cut it!" I had to assure her that it was fine and "See, watch Allie eat the carrot. She just takes tiny bites and she does just fine." She came back at me, eyes stern "Cut it!" a couple of times before giving in and conceding that Allie did seem to be doing fine with the other carrots (by that time she'd eaten half of one of the others). So our little bun has a feeder with pellets, a rack with Timothy hay, fresh water, a litter box, a nest, a rug so she doesn't have to stand on the wires if she doesn't want to, a salt block, mineral chew, pinecones to chew on, a berry treat block, a shaky carrot toy that she loves to pick up and throw and fresh veggies once or twice a day. Nah, not spoiled, not one bit.


Oh, and a bunch of super kids that just love her bunches including Gideon who had just been put to bed before pictures were taken.

This Week

We have had a busy week. The sun has been nothing short of gorgeous so we have been enjoying the out of doors in abundance. The kids in the wading pool, me on the patio swing, all of us sipping lemonade (I make some pretty darn good lemonade) and we got in a day at the park with lots of friends and a day at the zoo with more friends. Pictures will come soon but tonight I felt compeled to start a new knitting project which is, of course, a gift so I've got to get on it. I've got three things on the needles right now, one project that's due to be frogged (ripped out) and reknit and another gift needing to be knit. Well, to be accurate, a number of things are on my to-knit list but these are the immediates. Anyway, the needles call but I'll be back soon.