Learning to Use a Spoon

 Cade has been starting to use a spoon.  This has been a very messy, messy process.  I don't remember Sophie being completely covered in food, or getting food in her hair.  I could have blocked it out- but I think it is the difference between boys and girls. When Cade uses a spoon he gets food EVERYWHERE.  In his hair, nose, ears, pretty much everywhere except his mouth.  I have been letting him try to use a spoon at dinner, so that we can do a bath soon after.  He has certainly enjoyed this learning process!

 Using a spoon is a big deal, and he feels like a big boy!

 Hmmm, spoon on the forehead. Whoops!

Leaving the spoon in his mouth, and just using his hands to get the yogurt.  Good thinking!

I love to Dance!!

 Sophie started dance class last month and loves it!  She looks forward to it every week, and is very excited to wear the "costume".  The class is a combination of ballet, tap, jazz, and tumbling. The teacher is very strict, and keeps the kids moving constantly. What Sophie lacks in technique she makes up in raw enthusiasm.  She always has a smile on her face and is eager to try everything- except for ballet, this she finds boring.  I have noticed that she probably won't be earning any scholarships to Julliard, as the teacher helper is always positioned right behind Sophie.  The poor child was blessed with Carl's flexibility, which is to say she can barely touch her toes. But she loves to go, and I love taking her!

Practicing tap

Practing stretching for ballet- notice the bored, zoned out look.

Making sure we are watching!

 The best part of dance class might be wearing the outfit...

Go Karts!

 We took Sophie on her first Go Kart ride, and she loved it!  She literally squealed with delight around every corner.  She had such a good time that we started thinking Disneyland thoughts... Cade is not ready yet, but maybe fall '14.

 Sophie just wanted to go faster!

Someone really wanted to go too! Sorry Cade, the Go Karts have a height restriction.  I have a feeling it's going to be a looong wait for this little guy!

Bee Sting

Our poor little Cade got stung by a bee, and swelled way up.  He seems to have inherited my bee allergy.  Poor baby.  He got stung right above the lip, and his lip swelled way up, as well as his cheek- all the way up to his eye.  After mixing up some concoction made out of baking powder and giving him a Benadryl, the swelling started to go down.  Mean bees!

Summer School

Sophie started begging me to go to preschool as soon as we got back from Hawaii.  She would literally ask me every single day if she could go.  I finally relented and started her in summer school in the beginning of August.  She goes twice a week, for half days.  She loves it!  Her new preschool is super close to our house and has a great summer program.  So far she has walked to multiple parks and had picnic lunches, walked to the library for story time, had theme days- including pirates, and superheros, had water day where everyone comes in their swimsuits for outside play, and bike day where everyone brings their bikes and bike around the neighborhood. I was particularly nervous about her eating lunch there, but she eats everything in sight. I nearly fainted when I saw her eating a pulled pork sandwich one day.  Her new teacher said that Sophie came in the first day like she had been there forever, and hasn't looked back.  I am so glad that she loves her new school!

If only summer could last forever!

 We have had a wonderful summer at the lake.  Summer has absolutely flown by- I cant believe it's nearly over!  We have gotten into our routine of driving out to the cabin on Fridays, and then coming back Sunday evenings. The weekends always fly by with lots of company, and we feel very fortunate that all of the cousins play so well together. Sophie will be very sad to not see them every weekend.

 Sophie and Elly became quite the team this summer and watched a movie (usually Barbie) every night while we got dinner ready.  They were very good about taking turns picking out the movie, and would even remember from week to week whose turn it was.

 Sophie and Elly played a lot with rocks.  Rocks at the lake have never been so clean.

 Sophie became quite brave in the water this summer.  She had no fear, and couldn't care less about how cold it was. She would simply jump in, and stay in, for several hours at a time.  I usually had to drag her out of the lake for juice and snack breaks.

Sophie also was quite the tuber this summer.  She now likes to tube several times a day.  We have tried hard to get her interested in skiing on the trainers, but she keeps telling us that she,"will ski when it snows," or "When I am five."  We'll see if this happens.  

  Cade loves the lake as well.  He is our little water baby.   Unlike Sophie, who didn't put a toe into the water till she was three, Cade jumps in without any worry.  The cold seems to have no effect on him, and I usually take him out when his little lips turn blue.

  

Some of Cade's favorite lake activites- splashing in the water (and eating rocks).

Cade likes to swim in the lake as well, he kicks his little legs in a frog kick and will doggy paddle his little arms.  He loves to be in the water- he's a natural.  I cant wait to see what next summer at the lake brings!

Hawaii

 We had a wonderful time in Hawaii!  Once we got there, we began to forget about the horrors of the plane ride with Cade, and were instantly able to relax.  (It wasn't that Cade was outright naughty, but he would not sleep in my lap, got overtired from missing 2 naps, and is loud to begin with.) The kids did shockingly well with the 4 hour time change, and everyone slept great a nights!  Sophie was so excited to be in the warm weather and by a pool that she wanted to swim all day everyday.  We usually persuaded her to wait to get in the water till after breakfast.

 Sophie got braver each time she got in the water, until she was doing running leaps into the pool.

 In Maui, we took a ride on the Sugar Cane Train.

 Sophie Loves Thomas the Train, so she was excited! The first half was a lot of fun!  She watched from her window the entire time and was thrilled to be on a real train.  The second half was hot, the kids were hungry and tired- so not so fun. We were excited to get off.

 Sophie had been to the Oregon coast before, but never in a warm ocean.  She loved it!

Cade loved the water too!  He didnt however like the salt water and would spit it out.  He also loved putting sand and rocks in his mouth, which is why he had to have his passie in at all times.

Aunt Jen helps Cade swim!  We loved having extra hands around!

 Sophie learned the time honored tradition of jumping waves.

 It was hard to tell who enjoyed making sand castles more- Carl or Sophie?

 All of us together again!  When everyone lives in different states it is rare that we all get together.

 Sophie loved swimming with Bekah.  Swimming with Bekah helped Sophie learn to use her goggles and dive underwater.

 We took a glass bottom boat ride in Kona.  This was a great way for the kids to get a "snorkling" experience.

 Sophie followed Bekah everywhere and did everything she did.  We are at the open air market in Kona where we got the best produce I have ever tasted!  It was amazing!!

Nana and all her grandkids. Even though it was hard for all of us to get to Hawaii, I am grateful that we did it and now have the great memories!  We would love to go back, but maybe when the kids are a little older and can experience all that Hawaii has to offer.