Sunday, September 11, 2011

Are You Ready for Some Football?

Last weekend was the kick-off to the college football season.  This weekend the big and little sooners gathered for a living room picnic to watch and cheer the sooners on in their second game of the season against Florida State.

Handsome football fan

The football is bigger than her!

No one wanted to take this picture except for mommy!

Ella loving the action in the living room!

Football is a big deal in our house, especially OU football.  It is very cute to watch how the boys are really picking up on the game.  Jake sounds exactly like John when he's watching a game now - he gets really into it and actually follows the game pretty well.  The funny thing with Jake is (unless it is an OU game) he always decides to root for the team that is winning.  He likes to win!

Jake is also playing 4 year old flag football this season.  He asked to play it and initially I said no.  I tried very hard to convince him to play soccer again this year (like last year), but he just kept insisting that he wanted to play football.  So, we gave in and enrolled him.  It was no mistake, he is actually a natural at the game.  He is very fast and really focused on the game (a stark contrast with his soccer performance last year where he lost interest about 5 minutes into the game!)  It's pretty cool to see him like something so much and be successful at it.  I am glad I listened to him.

Jake and his football buddies

Getting ready for a play

John and I also got to go to the Bronco's season opener.  We got out of the house early and went with some friends to dinner before the game.  During the game, it rained and the Broncos played like poop, but we still had a great time getting out of the house and socializing for a change!

The ladies enjoying an adult beverage before the game!



Monday, August 29, 2011

All About Jake - Age 4.5

Jake's first Jr. Kindergarden project - called "all about me".  A little brown bag came home and we were to return it with things that Jake could show his teacher and his classmates to describe himself.  Below are pictures of what he put in his bag (with a little help from mom and dad of course).  He was very cute as he practiced describing all of the items with us the night before.


Jake the Cutie

Favorite sport: Football (favorite team: OU!)

Favorite food: Meatballs

His pet: Sadie

BLANKIE! (can't be without it)

The Family

Favorite book

Favorite toy: Trains

Favorite color: Green


Favorite movie: Cars 2

Monday, August 22, 2011

Ella is 9 Months!

Ella is nine months old now.  It's hard to believe that she is already so big.  We visited the doctor on Monday, and here were her stats:

Weight: 14 lbs. 13.5 ozs (less than 3%)
Height: 27 1/4 inches (45%)
Head: 43 1/2 cm (25%)

Here are some things Ella is doing now:
  • Started rolling all the way over and over again (traveling quickly by rolling)
  • Can sit up from laying down (pulls on things or rolls to her side to get up)
  • Trying to get on her knees and pull up to her knees on some toys
  • Sleeps on her tummy
  • Says "ma ma" and "na na"
  • Says "nai nai" when tired (for night night)
  • "Sings" very loudly (in church or when someone else is singing)
  • Makes the "milk" sign for something to drink and (a form of) "all done" (slaps her hand on the tray)
  • Turns the pages of her books as we read
  • Still no teeth!!
  • Has crazy hair that looks like a baby bird - in a mohawk pattern on the top of her head!
  • Eating all veggies and fruit with cereal (rice and oatmeal) and just started Yogurt.  Still very sensitive to texture (can't stand any chunks yet!)
  • Very interested in moving around all the time, but other than rolling a lot, she can't get anywhere just yet.  This usually results in a lot of squirming (when in my arms), or screaming (when on the floor)!
  • Still getting up at least one time during the night

    little talker
  • active on her tummy
    eating yogurt! yummy!
    hi mom!
    loving the swing at the park

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

What I Would do if My Baby Slept Through the Night...

  • Read more than one paragraph of a book without falling asleep
  • Get up early and exercise in the mornings
  • Give up caffeine again
  • Be able to recall simple things like people's names and my own phone numbers
  • Make it through a whole movie without falling asleep
  • Fix the perpetual kink in my neck
  • Stop snickering when asked by strangers if she's a "good" sleeper
  • Look 5 years younger
  • ... miss her cuddles and company in the moonlight


    Sleep Baby, Sleep

Sunday, August 7, 2011

I Know What You Did This Summer...

... but you don't know what we did because I haven't blogged all summer!  Here is a photo montage to help catch up.  School starts on Monday (can you believe that?) so hopefully I will get in a better routine again and start keeping up with this all again!

We were very busy with lots of fun stuff this summer.  Starting off with a trip back to OK for Memorial weekend (which I already blogged about here).  And a lot of baseball (which I also already blogged about here).

In June, Jake spent some time in OK with his grandparents for 9 days (it almost killed me for him to be gone that long!).  He had a fantastic time playing with his cousins and taking a trip to Dallas to Lego Land.  Every time we asked him if he missed us, he said "nope!".   While Jake was in OK, we had Trent's brother Gavin visiting.  The two boys had so much fun together playing wii and riding bikes.  We went to the Denver zoo and went on a hike at Devil's Head with the boys and Ella.  It was her first hike.  She loved it and so did the boys.


Hiking Devil's Head

Brothers Hiking

Ella loved the trees

The boys meet the forest ranger (Bill)

Lots of stairs to climb after a long hike!


Ella loved resting in the forest

The boys played A LOT of wii


Jake and Ella (the day after Jake got home)


Three boys eating watermelon

Happy 10th Anniversary

Father's Day 2011
At the end of June, my sister Jen came with her family for a visit.  We visited the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and went to Pirate's Cove.  We also made 'smores and had a great time playing (the kids) and hanging out (the adults).  The house was crazy with 6 little boys ages 7 - 1 1/2, but it was also very fun.  Trent went back to OK for the week with them and had a great time spending the 4th of July there with his Brother and cousins.  He even got to play on Gavin and Drew's baseball team for their tournament and is said to have hit the "game winning hit" in one of the games (a big highlight for him!)

Crazy boys at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Ella, meet Wallabee

Ella fed the giraffe!


Drew with his dad Brian

oops! blow it out!


I think we need a bigger picnic blanket!


back yard s'mores!

5 boy cousins

Cousins!

We spent the 4th of July as a foursome here in Denver. The weather was great for a change and we enjoyed the Highlands Ranch parade, a cook out with some great friends, and Jake and I watched fireworks that night with some friends. It was a great day!

Happy 4th!

Little cutie

Self pic at the fireworks show

Brother and Sister!

We saw several of these with all the rain we got this summer!
Finally, at the end of July, we met the Pham Damly :) in Dauphin Island AL for the week. We rented an amazing beach house and had the best time playing and laughing together. John's sisters and their families as well as his parents all bunked together in a fantastic 5 bedroom rental. All 15 of us! If you are looking for a quiet, remote beach island, Dauphin Island is the place for you. The Island was hit hard by Katrina so most of the houses (including the one we stayed in are newly remodeled or brand new buildings all together). It was Ella's first time at the beach (and Trent's that he remembers). Ella was unsure of the sand and waves but tolerated it all for many picture sessions. Trent couldn't get enough of the ocean. He played in it and the sand for hours. Jake also loved the beach and really liked the little pool that the house had on its deck. It was a small 4 foot deep pool that was perfect for the kids. They spent about 75% of their time in either the ocean or the pool. Talk about tired kids each night. There were definitely no issues with them going to sleep every night! We loved the place so much that we plan to return - someday soon hopefully!

En Route

Beautiful Dauphin Island Alabama

Fun in the sun!

Lovin the beach!

Yea! Beach!

Trent in the waves

7 grandchildren

Ella and her Ba Noi

Ella and Mommy

Picture perfect

Cute Boy!

A walk on the beach

Cousins

Crazy boys

have saucer will travel

peace!

missing one boy

on a treasure hunt!

Jake flying a kite

pretty girl

sand in her toes

we love the beach!

loving the sun and surf

sisters and brother

i'm going to get you!

helping Ella stand for a picture

cute kids!

wish you were here

we wish we lived at the beach

The only family picture we took! :)

Phew! That's a brief recap of the summer. It was filled with lots of swimming, sunning, laughing, and playing. I am so sad to see it go, but am looking forward to school starting and getting back in the good old routine (once we get over the initial shock of the daily routine that is!)