Swim

My 3 little men finished their swim lessons today.  Ryan got hit with a fever yesterday so John stayed home with him. I almost think Ryan did it on purpose since he has not taken to swimming so much....

The boys will both stay in their respective classes they are in now.  They have mastered some skills but need to work on others.

Ryan the dumper

When you leave a toddler alone for a few moments (well with siblings/friends) and he gets ahold of a gallon sized ziploc bag full of foam stickers.....this is what can happen:

Cuddle time

Tonight Ryan kept yelling 'ma' after I put him to bed.  Usually he stops, but he kept at it with a few sad screams, so I went in there.  He snuggled right next to me & we cuddled for 5 minutes & he fell asleep. So sweet.  I held him a few extra minutes.  I love my sweet baby.

Logan

Mom: Logan, can you please let Buddy in?

Logan (sweetly ): sorry, I'm playing with playdoh right now.

Aiyiyi....

Ryan says Dad!

On Saturday the 19th as we drive up to WI, Ryan finally said Dad!!!!!  John was so happy ( he's been on Ryan's case for months now) & he kept testing Ryan on it.  When we got home, Ryan yelled Dad all around the house & waited for him to answer. Very cute!

Logan makes his own bed!

And he did a great job!  He did it the other day too but learned the importance of straightening the sheet first. :)

Prince Charming

We went to McDonalds play land today with my Mom.  Logan. & Carter were playing with other kids; especially this 4.5 year old girl. He had to pee; my mom took him.  While in the bathroom my mom wanted him to wash his hands.  He said "hurry grandma I have to get back to that cute girl.  I think she likes me." My mom said something about him being handsome like Prince Charming.  He says 'yeah, I am & she is sleeping beauty.'

So cute! 

Ryan's late night shower

I hopped in the shower tonight & Ryan was still up.  The kid loves water & especially the shower (cuz he likes to use the wand), so he walked right in....clothes on.  After his socks were wet & a lil on his clothes, I figured....why not.  Afterwards I stripped him down & cuddled him in his new puppy hooded towel. :)

So serious....  :)

Drinking Straw Competition

Basketball

Logan started basketball yesterday.  For whatever reason, this was the sport he chose.  We probably should've practiced a bit before it started, but this way, he's bound to get Most Improved Player. :)

He did great & tried to dribble really hard...the coach was great.  Most of the other kids could dribble fairly well or at least didn't chase their ball as much as Logan, but he would stop to help him & was super encouraging. :)

John took Logan to Target last night after work & they got a youth-sized basketball so he can practice at home. Per his Daddy's suggestion, he slept with his basketball....so cute.

We have 6 more weeks....so here's to hoping he continues to love it every week!

Their stretches...Logan is in the orange shorts near the front. :)

Stingray

Carter: (after having pooped, he called me in to wipe his butt.  I 'm not allowed to stand there cuz he needs his "privaseat".). "Mom, if you don't wipe my butt I might get a stingray".

Me: you mean a skid mark?

Carter: no a stingray.

Me: what is a stingray?

Carter: some poop in your underwear

Me: yeah, it's called a skid mark.

He just cracks me up!!!

Mmmmm....pancakes

Weight issue for this lil guy?  I think not.  This is his 5th pancake!

Because we love them so much (John is the only one that doesn't 'love' them), I've experimented with ways to make them healthier and the boys continue to shovel them down & ask for more! I may have to start making a recipe & a half....

I use ground up oat flour that I did in my magic bullet instead of enriched white, pumpkin or sweet potato purée (magic bullet again), coconut oil instead of canola & we always do blueberry or strawberry pancakes.  Oh and today I used half vanilla almond milk/half 2% regular.  I need to perfect a berry syrup recipe, but for now they only use a little of light syrup anywho...

Zoo Day

Yesterday we headed to the zoo with my good friend, Jen & her 3 boys.  It was gorgeous weather & all the boys had a great time!  Ryan was a lil under the weather & also enjoyed standing in the wagon....but eventually that cutie laid back & took a rest. :)

3 in a wagon...here we go!

Checking out the fish & sharks

Boys will always find an obstacle course...

A highlight for Ryan & Ash - being set free on the playground!

A highlight for the older boys: war hung the coins spin around.  Another highlight I didn't catch on camera....a Bison peeing while another bison came up behind him & drank it like it was a waterfall....GROSS!!

Sweetie Vann was shading a sleeping Ryan while we walked in a sunny area. :)

St. Louis

We decided we wanted to start showing the boys more vacations than just beaches & Disney (though those are great). :). St. Louis is in driving distance & had some fun things. 

We saw the Museum of Transportation - a bunch of trains that the boys got to climb on & ring the bell.  They loved it!

It closed at 4, so we went to the next suggestion ... Granny's Farm.  It was closed already, so we headed next door as we saw an information center & a pretty green house behind it.  Lo & behold it was President Grants house!  So we toured it real quick before it closed....  

The boys checked out the ol' chicken coup...

And we saw their refrigerator house!

We also checked out the museum; I read old letters they sent back & forth; Logan & carter tried on old clothes & Ryan took a break...

We then headed to the hotel.  The boys had a blast playing on the motorcycle video games.  Best part - they don't care about playing them....just sitting on them.  Free games!!

I love that when another kid wanted a real turn, they shared!!

This hotel had milk & cookie hour - so yummy!!!!  Then the boys played upstairs & we headed to bed.  What a fun day!

Fatten this boy up!

Ryan had his 15-month appt today.  Since it was at 6pm, John not only offered to come home early so all the boys would have to go but he took Ryan.  This was Johns first time taking a kid to the doctor.  It went well & he even witnessed Ryan get 2 shots.

Though....I am going to call the office tomorrow as I have a discrepancy on his height & a question about the weight.  This whole 'adjusted scale preemie' business is what is confusing.  He is: 30" tall & 18 lbs 15 oz.  What is funny is that Logan was 1" shorter & 1 oz. heavier at 6 months old!!!

I did obsess over Ryan's percentages (5% for weight & 12% for height)...I am pretty sure those are not his adjusted age.  Regardless, I busted out the yardstick & think they mis-measured him by a good half inch.  I know it is not exact, it is just hard for me to believe that he only grew an inch in 3 months.

Perhaps I'm just crazy cuz I didn't take him.  It was the weirdest feeling watching John pull away with my baby.  Even Carter watched then pull away & came back up to me crying cuz he was worried about baby Ry guy.  So cute.

Anyway....regardless of things....I think I need to fatten this boy up!!!  So right before bed, I gave this kid a cookie.  And this is how he ate it...  Strange & he took

Forever, but he got it down & chugged some milk.  Hopefully project beef up the baby works. :). Though to me he is truly perfect.  

What is not to love about this kid...