See - we really DO have four kids!

I *finally* have pictures of all four kids together now! I had a big mental block somehow thinking that it was too hard...but yesterday I just told them all what to get dressed in and we ran outside and did it. They're not perfect, but at least I have something! :)

This was at the end of their 3.5 minute attention span!! "Huh?! What camera?"

Random Katrina videos

Not anything specific...just a couple quick videos of her in the swing today. I think she's 'found' her voice - she's been much more talkative the last day or two!

Kindergarten girl

Abby started kindergarten last week...and loves it, of course! We adored the teacher Gavin had for kindergarten, so we decided to send Abby just for this year since the teacher is still there. She goes two days a week (Monday/Wednesday), and occasionally on Fridays as well.

She was very confident right from the first day - the night before she said to me "mom, you're just going to drop me there, right? Like not stay?" :) I did end up staying for a few minutes, but she was quite happy to play with her little friends and didn't even notice me leaving. It's great to see her so confident.

More monthly pictures of Katrina

5 months (I missed four months, apparently) - 11lbs 12oz

6 months - 12lbs 8oz

7 months - 13lbs 3oz

Katrina rolling over

Brotherly love

Gavin and Abby often have days where they fight like cats and dogs, so it's so nice to have moments like today where we can see how much they do love each other.

We had been at a friend's house visiting this morning, and on the way home Abby started wailing that she didn't know where her straw cup was. I asked her if she had put it back in the diaper bag when she was finished, but she couldn't remember and was way too upset to try and think where it could be. (It was definitely time for a nap...) I assured Abby that our friends would bring it to church on Sunday, but she was heartbroken that she wouldn't have her favorite cup to drink out of at quiet time.

When we arrived back at home, Gavin took Abby with him downstairs, and every few minutes one of them would appear upstairs rummaging for various supplies. I try to give them pretty free reign when they've come up with a project, as long as I don't see anything dangerous heading to their rooms with them. ;) A little while later they came back upstairs with this:

Gavin had taken a pink plastic cup, cut out a cardboard circle from a cereal box, made a hole in the lid and then taped it onto the cup so Abby could have a pink straw cup for her quiet time.

Those are the moments when I think they really will turn out okay. :)

She's growing!

Those of you on Facebook have already seen these pictures, but I wanted to give our blog readers a little comparison of how Katrina's been growing. I'm hoping to keep taking a similar picture each month for her first year, at least!

Three weeks - 5lbs 7oz

Two months - about 7 1/2lbs

Three months - getting close to 9lbs

Sometimes that boy really impresses me...

We're currently reading Understood Betsy for school (probably my favorite book so far!). In the chapter we read today, an older aunt is explaining how a sundial works to a little girl who had never heard of such a thing. The aunt comments that "sometimes it seems to me that every time a new piece of machinery comes into the door some of our wits fly out at the window!" I stopped and asked Gavin what he thought that might mean (not really thinking he would have caught the intended meaning)...

"I think it means that every time someone invents a new machine that can do things all by itself, instead of a person doing it, we lose some of our skills and ability to do that thing." He went on to give me the example of the dishwasher and how people used to have to take their dishes down to the creek to scrub them. :)

I'm pretty proud of that boy! :)

Baby faces

A picture's worth a thousand words, but sometimes a video is worth even more?? This is for those of you who don't get to see and snuggle Katrina in her 'newborn' stage. :)

(Sorry about the background music, I was watching the Olympic opening ceremonies on the computer...)