Sweet, Snuggly Sierra

Teaching Time

Chocolate chips and marshmallows make school work much more fun!

From My Kitchen

Homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream in the new scoop/spoon things that my mom bought

Spiced carrot bread for church

Corn dog muffins, raw veggies, strawberry banana smoothie

Fun With Five

Our regular babysitter was unavailable on Tuesday, so Molly and Audrey came to spend the day with my girls.  Apparently, they had fun with princess clothes.

After I got home from work, Molly went home to help Nick put new flooring in their house, and Audrey stayed with us.  I'm not sure I got any pictures of the kids sitting still, and there are no pictures of Caleb.  He must have been hiding the whole time. 

Wednesday was busy homeschooling and taking care of five kids.  But we had a fun time!  And the girls looked cute in their coordinating outfits.

Molly came after naps on Wednesday to get Audrey and stayed for dinner before they headed home.

Teaching Time

We are FINALLY getting back into the swing of things with school after Christmas break and then being sick.  Here are the big kids working on word search puzzles, and Jordanna "doing her school.:

Thirteen Months

Here's what Sierra is up to at 13 months (which was last Saturday.  Oops!) - 

-Weighs just over 18 pounds and is about 30 inches long.  We're following her weight closely right now, working on getting her to eat.

-Still loves oatmeal for breakfast.  Is eating much better at lunch and dinner.  Some likes from the past month - ham, muffins, soup, and baby food fruit pouches.

 -Wears 12-18 month clothes.

-Still wears a size 3 disposable diaper.  Um, still not using cloth. 

-Doesn't have to wear a drool bib anymore!
-Has 14 teeth.
 -Still nurses a lot.  Her GI doctor does not want me to wean her for at least 6-8 weeks to give her time to gain weight back from being sick.
-Naps twice a day around 9:30 and 1:00.  Goes to bed around 7:30.  Has slept through the night several times lately.
-Wriggles and dances and bops her head when we sing at family devotions or at church.

-Tries to pull up more and more often, but can still only get to her knees.

-Crawls on hands and knees.  Can now get far enough to get in trouble.  She has found the power button on Dave's computer and many other things she should not have.

-Hates the church nursery.  She has a complete meltdown and practically hyperventilates almost every Sunday.

-Has added a new doctor to her list - a neurologist for a possible seizure/ probably breath holding spell.

-Waves hi.  Gives kisses.

-Has the cutest grin ever!

Catching Up

So, I had every intention of doing a 2012 year-in-review post and then resuming regular blogging when we resumed our regular school schedule this week.  But instead we decided (against our will) to get the stomach flu.  Interestingly enough, we got the same thing on this week 2 years ago, except today it is 60 something degrees and rainy and then it was snowy that lasted for a week.

Anyway, here are the pictures that I have taken since Christmas.  All 5 of them.  I really have to get better at taking pictures if I am going to blog more.

The girls having tea parties

Sierra eating in the booster seat like a big girl.  I put the high chair away in the garage to sell at the next consignment sale.

A giraffe that Alexa made for school (on the one day that we really did school this week)

Christmas Part #3

Here it is - January 3rd, and I'm going to finally finish blogging about Christmas. I've been too busy sleeping in and napping and going to the doctor and on a date and having fun to blog.

Dave holding a sick baby on Christmas Eve morning

The kids opening their Christmas Eve jammies

The also got Muppets Christmas Carol to watch that night

With their second cousins at my aunt and uncle's house.  Poor Caleb is the only boy.

Sierra eating her new baby doll

Caleb with his presents

Ready for bed on Christmas Eve

Well, except for Sierra who decided she'd stay up to preview the presents.

Table all set for Christmas brunch using the new-to-me Christmas plates from my mom

Sierra's presents

Jordanna's (and mine on the side)

Caleb's pile

And Alexa's (with Dave's on the left)

And more presents under the tree!

Sleepy, goofy children coming down on Christmas morning.  Well, except for Sierra who slept through half of the fun since she stayed up so late the night before.

Jordanna trying out her new scooter

Alexa roller skating in the kitchen

Gramps arrived (with his Shrek hat), and we put him to work putting together presents.

Cardboard play house to color.  We have gotten our money's worth out of this present!

Caleb concentrating on his new DS game

Sierra Shrek

Caleb in his new Ironman helmet

Jordanna wearing her new tutu

And the crazy, messy living room