Monday, April 15, 2013

Life!

Just realized I started this post back in May and never published it...oops! :)

I just wanted to document what the kids are up to recently...

Isaac just started t-ball and is really enjoying it. I'm sure it helps that Josh and Jake are his coaches. He LOVES being outside and is always in a much better mood when he can get some fresh air in the afternoons. Kindergarten is almost over for him and he often tells us that he's almost in 1st grade. He doesn't love school, but he's doing well anyways. He often tells me he hates school, but that's usually in the mornings when he just doesn't want to get out of bed. He's always happy to jump out of the van when we finally get there. I met with his teacher a couple weeks ago for conferences and she was shocked when I told her about his grumpiness-thankfully, he saves it all for home and is quiet, attentive and obedient at school! He is still working with a speech therapist, but has improved tremendously. Unfortunately, his speech issues make reading and writing harder, which is hard for me, though he's never expressed much frustration or discouragement about it. He just does his best and that's all we can ask for! More than any of the others he's definitely caught a major case of Spring fever-especially since he knows we're getting our swingset soon and the neighbors right behind us are getting a half-court basketball court put in soon. I don't think he'll be inside much at all this summer. Though I am too am looking forward to that because I worry that he watches too much TV and spends too much time on the computer. He does like to read and look at books though most of his time is spent playing basketball in the house (he got a small hoop that hangs over the door for Easter). I am still waiting for his eating habits to improve-there are only a handful of things he'll willingly eat: taco meat and cheese (which he takes for lunch 99% of the time), hot dogs, corn dogs, chicken nuggets, spaghetti meat, and occasionally a peanut butter or grilled cheese sandwich. I know those are all normal kids foods, but that's all he'll eat-no fruits, no veggies, and no milk or yogurt. It's amazing to me he's as healthy as he is! He is certainly become a daddy's boy in the last year and would rather be outside working or playing with Jake any day. He tried riding his bike without training wheels on Saturday and was pretty close-I think he'll get it this summer. He can be a bit of a chicken, which I think is why he didn't get it last year. He is also looking forward to swimming lessons again this summer-hopefully at our new aquatics center in Adel. He LOVES to be in the water! I can't say he's the always-happy boy he used to be, but he's a good kid and is a great big brother!
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Leah is a girly-girl through and through. She is signed up to start tumbling in June and is super excited. She will also do a month of cheerleading in Grimes.She loves to sing and dance-we like to say that she lives life in broadway mode. She certainly tries to be just like mommy-from the way she does her hair to trying to take care of Jared to the things she says. She enjoys preschool, but I think she actually gets a little bored because she is a smarty pants! She loves to learn and just soaks it all in and remembers everything! One of the Primary presidency members told me this on Facebook a while ago: "I think Leah is one of the smartest sunbeams I have ever seen. She sits so quietly and intently listens to every word and responds correctly. She's one smart cookie!!!!" I often wonder what she'll be like as she becomes a teenager because she can be quite sassy at times. Honestly, Jake and I have our fingers crossed that she'll grow out of it and her attitude will be minimal! She loves to help me in the kitchen, too, and often "cooks" in her room at her little play kitchen. She got a baby boy doll for Christmas and will take it anywhere if I let her-especially with a blanket, burb rag, and in the doll carseat. Again, she wants to be just like mommy so she needs her baby too! She is definitely our best eater and will try about anything and eats 90% of what I cook. Last night, for example, she asked for more broccoli-twice! She loves fruit and is looking forward to summer when watermelon and cantaloupe are regular residents in our fridge. Despite being one of only a few girls in the neighborhood, she shows no signs of becoming a tom-boy. If they boys are all out playing soccer, she'll come in and find her pom-pom and be their cheerleader. She's about as fearless as they come and I wouldn't be surprised if she, too, learns to ride without training wheels this summer. She'll take swimming lessons, too, and likes to swim and play in the water like the others. 

Adam is just a crack-up these days. He has his moments of being two and can throw a tantrum as well as any 2 year-old. He speaks very well for his age and says some funny things! For example, he counts just 2, 3 (not sure what happened to 1?!) and will tell Isaac or Leah to go to time out. If he can't find something he'll walk around yelling for it and says "are you?". If there is a button to be pushed, he believes it is his job and only his job so watch out-whether it's the microwave, an elevator, or the automatic doors at the mall, he will be on a dead sprint yelling "button...push it!" if there's competition. Within the last couple of months he goes into nursery tear-free. He loves it! He loves animals, especially dogs (goggies)-just not right next to him. Cats also really freak him out in real life. He's a decent eater-he eats all those foods Isaac does for dinner or lunch, but loves milk and will eat most fruits and a handful of veggies. Maybe it's because he's our only dark-haired child and so he sticks out a little, but there are a few people who just loves Adam (maybe a little more than the others even?). He is a cutie and I can't blame anyone for being in love with him! 

Jared is just growing and growing! He's been smiling at us for about 3 weeks now and we love it! He has the best little smile. He has a dimple in each cheek, which combined with those big blue eyes make him too adorable to resist kissing all day! He is the apple of everyone's eye around here, that's for sure. He is currently sleeping anywhere from 6-9 hours straight at night. He usually sleeps another 2-3 hours in the morning after we take Isaac to school. He's recently started playing under his playmat and is quite fascinated by it-at least for 10 minutes at a time and then he's done. He often prefers to go to sleep on his own instead of being rocked or nursed to sleep. He nurses about every 2 hours, though I honestly don't keep track. At his two month appointment last week he was 13 pounds, 11 inches and in the 79the percentile. I don't think he's going hungry. :) He is wearing 3-6 month clothes, though he's going to outgrow his 3 months clothes rather soon I think. He's definitely our chubbiest baby yet, but we love every little inch of chunkiness. Jake often calls him Mr. Chubbers. Other nicknames include snuggle-berry, punkin-face, and Mr. Handsome. All very fitting.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Daily Gems

Every day I am given a few little gems. Usually they come in the form of something one of my kids says or does that just makes me smile and say a silent prayer of thanks that they are mine and that I get to be their Mom. I'm not always great at noticing those little gems and I'm even worse at recording them. So I wanted to get them recorded today as something to remember on those days when the gems are lost in the mud and dust of the every day chaos of life. 

1. Today while I was getting Adam dressed I got out a new shirt my parents got him for Easter. Knowing his love of dogs, they chose one with a dog driving a race car. He was quite excited when he saw it and said, "Goggie...Love it!" Then when I finally had it on he said, "Better....Shirt." All while smiling with that one little  dimple of his-in the perfect spot on his left cheek.

2. Leah "wrote" a book today about Humpty Dumpty:

Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty fell down and was all broken in pieces.
Humpty Dumpty tried to put himself back together. 
But it just didn't work. 
So he asked Jesus to fix him. 
And He did. 
And he was very grateful. 

Out of the mouth of babes-sometimes when we're broken we can't fix ourselves and must rely on our Savior to put the pieces back together. 

3. I was finishing bathing the kids for the evening. Jared was first so I laid him in on the floor next to Isaac who was playing with one of his HotWheels tracks. By the time I was almost done with Leah and Adam, Jared was done being on the floor and was getting fussy. Then he was quiet and I noticed Isaac's track was off. When I had a minute to go check on them I found this:
 
Isaac was just reading a book to Jared to keep him happy. What a great big brother! 

Nothing here to extraordinary, but these are the things that I love most about my life! 


Monday, March 18, 2013

Bouncing Leah

The last week or so Leah has been bouncing off the walls-well, the floor anyways. Isaac got this for Christmas over a year ago and it's been getting lots and lots of use lately.

St. Patrick's Day

Even though it's not really necessary to celebrate it, St. Patrick's Day can be fun with the kids. I bought them some green snacks and treats and was sure to dress them in green for church. We didn't talk about the whole pinching thing and I don't think they have any idea what the deal is with all the green and rainbows, but they had a fun day anyways.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Jared William

On Thursday, February 7, 2013 at 12:16pm Jared William Chapman joined our family. He was 7 pounds, 2 ounces and 20 inches long. He has lots of blonde hair and big blue eyes. I was induced at 7:30 that morning after weeks of expecting to go into labor on my own. Dr. Mintzer just broke my water, hoping to avoid pitocin. It took a while, but a little after 10:00 my contractions finally started really kicking in. Shortly after noon I was ready to push and after a single push Jared was here! Labor was not my easiest or quickest, but I was able to do it without any pain medication. And it was certainly quicker than most girls go through so I really can't complain. Jake was a great help and support-I can't imagine going through labor without him! Due to enhanced visitor policy at the hospital because of the flu outbreak, the kids weren't able to come see him in my room. We kind of broke the rules a little and Jake brought Adam and Leah on Friday morning to see us in the waiting room. I went home that afternoon and I was ready to be back in a comfortable bed and rocking chair! Jared has been a content, mellow baby so far. He loves to be held chest to chest and is a great little snuggler. Nights have gone well-he's up around 3 times a night, and I really wouldn't want it any different. I am tired, but not exhausted. I feel so blessed to have this little guy in our family and can't wait to see who he grows up to be (well, I can wait-I love these short newborn months!). A few pictures of our little Jared.....