HK's First T-ball Game

Tonight was HK's first t-ball game.  

All I can say is...wow!  We have definitely entered a new phase of parenthood.  The ball field was definitely the "hoppin" place to be tonight!  T-ball is just great entertainment!  That's the easiest way to put it.  A great learning experience for the kids and a great show for everyone else.  

 Here HK is crouched down ready for the ball to come her way.  I love the stance.  However, we are going to have to work on what to do once you get the ball!  Two times she got the ball and then just stood there.  It was rather humorous.  We are going to have to work on..."run to home plate".  Again...too funny.  I can't imagine or remember what it's like for everyone to be yelling at you at once telling you what to do. Well I guess I can slightly imagine it when HK and Nolan are trying to tell me something at the same time.  It must be similar to that...just slightly amplified.  

 Nolan was not happy that he could not go out on the field.  He stood by the fence a good portion of the game.  I did lure him to his seat with some goldfish.  Although I will have to say this picture looks like he is filling his pants...but he wasn't!

There she is...#7! 

 She did pretty good for her first night on the field.  She did bat first. I was afraid that would make her nervous, but I think she was excited.  She just kept turning around to her cheering section (literally...Mom, Dad, Roy, Cathe, Janet, Karen, Jessica, Me, Nolan, Greatie, Chloe Ann, and Tom) and giving us a thumbs up.  I am going to have to work on my insides not getting nervous when my children do things.  I was that way at the recital and tonight when she was up to bat.  Does that feeling ever go away?

Well, time to embrace this new season of parenthood.  Any pointers from you seasoned parents are welcome!

Hot! Hot! Hot!

The past 5-7 days have been a whirlwind.  I feel like Nate and I have been just been keeping the boat afloat. So with Monday being Memorial Day, a holiday, we opted to stay home, get a few things done, and just chill.  

Nate got his tomato garden planted.  He helped HK plant her flower garden.  The kids played in the water as much as we would let them!  It has been a HOT few days.  

 Here they were just floating and relaxing.  Thought it was pretty funny!

Despite the fact that this is quite the kiddie pool, these two had a blast.  They would run across the yard and jump in.

 HK would take flying leaps in...

Nolan would run, stop when he got to the edge, and then sort of jump/fall in.  It was hysterical!

Yes...flying leaps! 

We got the slip n' slide out too!  Nolan actually wanted Nate to launch him down it this year!

 He is not quite coordinated enough yet to do it on his own.  He does his own cute little version, but it's not quite as much fun as Daddy doing it fast!

 They had quite a fight over who got the orange raft and who got the flowered one.  Nolan is pretty much telling HK off here.  He is getting pretty good at standing up for himself!

 Of course HK is the slip n' slide pro!

 So much fun to be had in the hot sun and cold water!

As HK said..."This was a great day!  What are we doing tomorrow?"

HK's Debut

HK has been working towards her recital since last August.  It's hard to believe that she started dance last August with a broken arm.  I was honestly a little nervous about the recital.  I didn't know if she would get out there and dance like she has practiced or freeze up/get shy as sometimes she will do.  I am not sure why I was worried!  She definitely had a blast.  She did all that she could remember and loved every second of being on the stage.  You could see it in the sparkle on her face!  As my Mom said, I hope you can see the sparkle on her face in the dvd.  

 Afterwards we celebrated at Dairy Barn because "she did her best"!  However, it doesn't take much to find a reason to go to Dairy Barn!

 She just kept saying that she didn't know Mrs. Melonie was going to say her name at the end and that Daddy and Nolan were going to bring flowers to her.  I think that might have been the part she liked the best.  

 With her buddies Jack and Lilli (Jack slept through the whole first half).

 The Dancing Divas

 Here HK was telling Jack about her flowers...I'm telling you she was pumped about the flowers!

 This was on our ride out to the college while we were sitting at a red light.

 I know this pictures is super blurry because it was taken with my phone from quite a distance away.  HK is the third one from the left.  All of the dancers did a finale at the end.  It was Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody".  Then at some point they went out in small groups to do a few seconds of freestyle. I will have to say I was pretty impressed.  She tried her best to imitate the older girls.

Thank you so much to Cousin Rachel for the beautiful hair-do!!!!  Needless to say that cut a great deal of stress out of Mommy's day.  Also, HK LOVES to have her hair curled!  I guess I am going to have to start practicing because I don't think Rachel is going to want us over at her house that much!  HK didn't want to lay her head on her pillow that night because she didn't want her curls to get messed up (and she was exhausted)!

HK, I am so proud of you!  Your face lit up the stage when you were performing.  I look forward to seeing you grow in grace and of course modesty as a dancer!  We love you baby girl!

I look forward to sharing the dvd with you all soon!

Movin'

Angela & Kenny are getting ready to move to Chesnee, South Carolina in about 10 days.

Last week Mom, HK, and I went to help them pack.

You can always count on HK for some good entertainment.

Not sure if she wanted to go or if she wanted us to sell her?

We will be very sad to see them go, but we are very excited for them.  It is an exciting step in their life together.  Hopefully we will get to go visit them soon!

Our Storm Shelter

Aunt Chloe Ann and Uncle Tom's home has become our storm shelter!  If there is one thing that terrifies me it is a tornado or even the threat of one.  Maybe the lack of control on my part has a lot to do with it.  There is absolutely not a thing I can do...except be aware and prepare.

 So prepare we do.  Thankfully Aunt Chloe Ann and Uncle Tom have a basement and are so gracious to let us join them...anytime of the day or night.  It's not always convenient to pack stuff up for everyone and feel like you are intruding on someone else.  However, my motto is "better safe than sorry".

 So we pack up and we go to their house to ride out the potential storm.  The funny thing is that my kids LOVE it!  They love going to Aunt Chloe Ann and Uncle Tom's house.  They love going to the basement to play.  They want to go to the basement as soon as we get there.  Then of course, they want to stay all night even if the storm has passed.  What can I say...in the eyes of my children life is one big party!

This last time, they all three played and passed some time in the pack n play.  I'm not sure Liam liked his "safe spot" being intruded upon by these two crazies!

Thankfully, thus far, we have missed the hundreds of tornadoes that have hit this spring.  However, tomorrow is just the first day of June.  So we will continue to be "safe, rather than sorry".  The kids will LOVE visiting our storm shelter.

Eight Months for Lil' Bro

Eight Months For Lil' Bro...

 You smiley little thing!  Mommy just wants to say thank you for these last 8 months!  You are an amazingly sweet and adorable little boy.  I know I might be just a smidge partial, but my opinion is what counts...right!?!?!

 You just love life...but really what's not to love at this stage in the game for you!  

 You eat, sleep, poop, smile, laugh...sit in the floor and play or watch your brother and sister play.  For as high maintenance as your sister is...you are the extreme opposite.  You are a low maintenance little guy...for now that is.  So I am enjoying it.  This time next month I might be typing that you are crawling everywhere and into everything making me crazy.  So I will enjoy you sitting up with your great little 8 month old posture.

 Look at those long, chunky legs.  Long like Nolan's...but you actually have some meat on those bones.

 You LOVE to stand up!  You want to hold onto someone's fingers and then pull yourself up!  You will do it over and over and over!

 You bounce up and down on your bootie and sometimes move while doing it, but that's about as close to getting around as you have gotten.  You will lunge forward like you are going to go somewhere...but then you ease right back up into your sitting position.

 Yes little man I am talking about you!

 There you go...even trying to stand up in the chair!

 I guess you don't seem as fragile to HK now.  She seems to like to move you around.

 You don't seem to mind so much!

 Although I think you prefer sitting on her lap then in the chair.

 Hmmm...now it's starting to look a little precarious!

 Wow...not sure where Mommy was on this move!

 Nana has been teaching  you to roll and catch a ball.

 Even though it has Belle on it and it is pink...you still LOVE it!

 "Hi Momma!"  We are working on waving and clapping...but we aren't quite there.

This is your lunge position.  Someday I think you're just gonna go all the way down and take off.

You have had a busy month my little man!  You are becoming a little "go-baby" and traveler like your brother and sister.

You also have two bottom teeth that have broken through the skin.  In hindsight, I could see the signs of them working their way in.

You sleep about 8pm-7am with a 2 hr morning nap and a 2-3 hr afternoon nap.  It depends on the day.  On library days you want to stay up so you don't miss anything at story hour.  You are my only one that has been a great napper in the nursery at church.  You also are a true side sleeper.  I think it's adorable how you kick your leg over the other one.  I scatter several pacis in your bed and you always find them.  You do like your giraffe, but I think it's the giraffe/paci combo that will be your security blanket.  

You eat three meals a day with a bottle and then a bedtime bottle.  I have tried the sippy cup, but you choke on it because you get it coming out so fast.  So we are going to have to work on that.  You have had puffs a few times and don't quite have the hang of those yet either.

Little Liam (or Li-Li as HK likes to call you, which by the way...drives me nuts)...I LOVE watching you grow and change.  I wish I could bottle your happiness and contentment.   If I could...you would make your Momma a rich lady!  Happy 8 Months baby boy!!!  We all love you!