Backyard Buddies

We've been enjoying some balmy weather lately (love it!).  With that, we've been outside every possible waking moment.  Tavin and I do love staying close to home though, so other than walks that leaves lots of time for backyard play.  Tavin has been getting pretty down and dirty with his diggers during these playtimes.  He's a little too busy to smile too.

Penn likes to watch Tavin at work from his perch on a big baby blanket.  I have to put him smack dab in the middle or else he can reach the grass and he likes to eat it!  I give him toys to try and distract him from the prickly snack beneath him. =)  He cooperated with some curious (he was trying to grab the camera wrist cord!) smiles today.

 

Nothing super "exciting" going on here.  Just living life day by day, meal by meal, nap by nap, that's how it goes for this mama lately and I love it.  

Catching Up

Just been doing our normal stuff here.  I've caught a few pictures and videos along the way.  

In the past few days I've tried to capture Penn's double-jointed finger on his right hand when he waves.  I've been unsuccessful in really getting it in an obvious form.  But this video attempt was too cute not to share.  Such a happy little guy!

I also stumbled on a new favorite way to get Penn to laugh this week.  I had a tape measure out (contemplating a house project) and let him play with it going in and out.  He was laughing his head off.  I staged it to try and capture the laughter on video and got a pretty good example.  A child's laughter is seriously good for the soul.

Friday morning Doug had some time with Tavin and Penn while I had a meeting at Koen's school and was also on pickup duty.  Pretty cute little bros!

On Saturday morning, Doug spent some time with all 3 boys hanging out upstairs.  Everybody still in pajamas, just snuggling and playing.  Pretty cute (again).

Koen was doing a photo shoot of his Lego creations this morning and he caught Penn and I having some loves.  

Tonight I was reading with Koen and I just was overwhelmed with how much I was enjoying my oldest that very moment.  I looked at him and asked a little favor, "can you go grab my camera?"  He said OK.  When he got back with it, we had a fun little photo shoot.  My picture of us...

Koen wanted a turn to hold the camera.  Here's his best shot...

Doug was in the kitchen and overheard us having way too much fun just loving on each other and had to get in on it.  This is the quick shot he took.  I love how Koen looks like Daddy totally barged in (seriously, being the woman these boys fight over is fun sometimes).

Well, as you can see, nothing out of the ordinary going on here, just so blessed living this life with my boys (and a little exhausted from all the fresh air in this good weather, Daddy preaching weekend and lots of fun).

Koen's 6th Birthday!

Our firstborn is six years old!!!  My, how time flies!  Here's a quick review of Koen Douglas over the last 6 years...

Koen Douglas Melder born April 10th, 2007.  What a sweetie!

Standing up in his crib on his first birthday morning, April 1oth, 2008!

Look at how much hair came in during year 2, here he is with his Daddy at the birthday party we had on his 2nd birthday, April 10th, 2009.

Baking his own cake with me on his third birthday on April 10th, 2010.

Days after Koen's 4th birthday, he, Tav and I visited Gramma and Grampa in NH.  Here we are at one of our favorite beaches.

And then last Easter (April 8th, just two days before his birthday, just like the year he was born) with his little sidekick.

So, of course, I have a few pictures from this year.  Birthday number 6.  Amazing Koen.  I can't believe you are such a big boy already!  Ok, so we had a nice family breakfast.  Pumpkin chocolate chip bread and cheese omelette.  Yum!  Then we let Koen open a few presents.  Here's he is unwrapping the surprise gift from sweet Miss Kylie.

And the happy birthday boy...Legos!  He can't even look at the camera he's so interested in the kit!

Then we had him open his gift from "Tavin" (in quotations because it's really from Doug and I of course on behalf of Tav).

Pretty excited that it's more Legos!

After that it was off to school.  Koen's teacher likes celebrating birthdays and invites a parent to bring in a special snack on their child's birthday.  Koen had requested pumpkin or banana chocolate chip muffins (hence our breakfast bread flavor).  I brought pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and at the right time Koen helped me distribute them to his friends.  He was all business and so serious, but also obviously pleased to have me there.  It was a really special moment to get to see him in his scholastic element.  Here he is with his classmates singing "Happy Birthday" to him. 

Koen came home from school in a great mood and we had a nice afternoon together.  It was an odd and eerie afternoon with thunderstorms passing through.  It was 80 degrees and humid, sticky and hot here.  I wasn't ready for the summer weather out of nowhere and it just put me ill at ease, but thankfully I had the happy go lucky birthday boy by my side and then the sun came out again after a thunderstorm and things were looking up.  After naptimes/resttime and feeding Penn his dinner our dear friends, Alex, Hilary, Delia and Huck joined us for Koen's birthday dinner/celebration.  Koen chose order-out pizza for his birthday dinner.  I have to say that I didn't mind this choice since it meant I was off the hook for cooking the meal. =)  The kids played until about 6pm and then we ate together, then the kids played again until 6:30pm when Koen got to open his other presents.  Here's a quick tour of the opening process.  We started with Gramma & Grampa's gift. 

 Pretty excited about...yep, more Legos (he figured it out by shaking it of course)!

The little brothers watching Koen were pretty adorable, so I had to snap a shot.  Tav was being his hammy self and Penn was just being cute as usual.  Here it looks like he's saying, "should I do what Tav's doing?"

Next Koen opened his gift from his godparents.  They always give books and I'm super excited about this year's book...easy science experiments.  Hello summer afternoon activities with Koen!!  Then he opened his gift from Delia and her family.  More Legos!  (This might be the best birthday yet.  This kid loves Legos!).

And then we gave Koen his gift from "Mommy and Daddy."  Yep, more Legos, but this was the big deal present.  This Lego City Police truck.  He's had his eye on it since Christmas.  We were super excited to get it for him.  He had quite the reaction.

Thankfully we had chocolate ice cream on hand for his birthday treat, otherwise I'm not sure we could've pried him away from his new Lego sets for quite some time.  We originally brought out his teacup of IC with one candle on it.  He had a mini-meltdown saying that he was supposed to have six, so Doug gave in and went and put on 6 candles.  His ice cream pretty much became a milkshake under the heat of the "bonfire."  Oh, Koen!

After the ice cream and "Happy Birthday" song our buddies had to leave and our boys had to get to bed.  Koen had done so well all day, but the birthday attention, over-tiredness and excitement about his gifts were pretty much doing him in, so it was time to get him to bed.  It was a great day and so exciting to celebrate this special life that we appreciate, love and are blessed by so much.  We love you, Koen.  Happy 6th Birthday!

Spring Has Finally Sprung

We've been LOVING the warm weather the past few days.  The little guys and I have been out on foot for long walks every day soaking up the beautiful weather as much as possible.  Today I strollered them over to Osceola Parklet to feed them lunch.  

The big boys have enjoyed lots of playtime in the backyard in the evenings.  Here's their latest project.  Their excavating the garden beds.  Pretty hard work!

Ok, so this activity isn't outside, but it's a new one for Penn.  Playing in the plastic stuff drawer.  Always a winner.

Well, that's our last few days in a teeny, tiny nutshell.  Doug's been working a lot and so it's been me and the boys and it's been a great couple days.  Koen has led the pack with a fantastic attitude and demeanor lately and it's been an amazing blessing.  Tav has been a little under the weather with an odd cold and Penn has been his sweet self.  We really have just been all soaking in this sprout of Spring weather!

Penn's 9 Month Poses

With the gorgeous weather we've been enjoying, I couldn't resist some special time in the backyard, just me and Penn (Tav was already laid down for his nap and Koen was not yet home from school).  And it was warm enough to take the little guy down to his diaper and snap some photos.  This is one of those posts where I just can't pick my favorites, so you'll just have to scroll through a lot of super cute pictures of my Penn.  

First I started with him on his tummy (he's become more happy in this position since his naptime/bedtime practice)...

The open mouth shots are because he was chatting up a "da da da" storm!

Love to find a new angle that I don't usually capture on this sweet face!

"Hmmm, what's this scratchy stuff, Mom?"

"Maybe it tastes good?" (Check out the drool!)

 

 

The pensive profile shot.  Love it!

Next I moved him to his sitting position.  He was really into pulling the blanket up over his face, so I only got a few shots sitting up.

"Look, I'm a monkey!  Whoo, whoo, ha, ha!"  Actually this captures one of Penn's little antics. Anytime he doesn't have a shirt on he scratches and pulls at his belly.  It can actually be quite frustrating, but he doesn't seem to mind it!

Finally, I tried a few shots on his back.  These I think might just be the best.  But, you know me, I can't really decide.  That's why you've had to scroll through more than a dozen pics!

So that is my adorable Penn Rye at 9 months, hope you enjoyed the pictures!