Kids’ Summer Photos

We took the kids to the Riverwalk about a month ago to get Russell’s 5-year/Paige’s 1-year/all 3 kids’ updated photos. We got some cute ones (if I do say so myself).

 

(I am ready for Meredith to move away from the “cheese face” phase! :))

Paige at One Year Old

(My computer has issues – it is super slow. That’s why I’m so behind on this blog!)

Paigey – 12 months old! One whole year!

At Paige’s 12-month appointment, she weighed 20 lbs 11 oz (38th percentile) and was 29.5 inches tall (46th percentile). She’s now drinking whole milk and taking 1 or 2 naps per day, depending on how she slept the night before and what we have planned in the morning! She is taking as many as 4-5 steps at a time, but much prefers to crawl.

Paige is saying some words: dog, shoe (“soo”), puzzle (“uzzoo”), and Tweetsie (“Eesie,” the name of her blankey/lovey) are the most consistent. She also repeats a lot of what we say.

Paige still loves to climb up stairs and is working hard trying to come down. She’s figured out how to play Peek-A-Boo herself and will often put an object over just one eye  (occasionally both eyes) with a mischievous smile until I say “where’s Paige?” She loves bubbles and tries to take the wand from me to figure out how they work. She also watches Russell and Meredith put Legos together and tries to do the same with her Duplos.

Newly introduced foods that Paige likes include Craisins, salmon, and french fries.

Paige, your first year has been a joy! Can’t wait to see what comes next!

Russell’s Five-Year Update

5 years old. Russell, you are at a funny, fun age. You are proud to get your own snacks and pour drinks for yourself and Meredith. You are sure you’re going to marry your friend Caroline W. when you grow up, because she likes cars too and that’s obviously a top priority. You make up jokes that are not funny, but they make you laugh, and that makes us all laugh. You never have any qualms about being yourself; you are not reserved, nor do you worry what others think in the least, and I hope that’s always true for you.

At your 5-year appointment (today – a bit late), you weighed 44 lbs (70th percentile) and were 43 in tall (50th percentile). We’ve always said you’re “solid.” You also got 4 shots today, and the anticipation made you upset, but you calmed right down after the first one when you realized how little it actually hurt.

Your favorite:

Movie: Planes

Food: mac and cheese (gluten free), anything sweet

Toys: planes, cars, Legos

Thing to pretend play: army/navy

Books: anything by Richard Scarry; Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel

Sports teams: the Wolfpack; the Chicago Blackhawks

Game: Paw Patrol (a game based on a cartoon)

Russell, we love your zest for life. You are perfectly formed and made by the Creator of all things, and we love seeing you grow into the person He’s made you to be.

Attention, Troops!

Russell and Paige had a joint birthday party this year. Russell wanted an army theme, and since Paige didn’t object ;) that’s what we had. The party was supposed to be at the tank park, but there was an 80% chance of thunderstorms all day, so we moved it to our house.

The troops (minus one birthday girl, who was too busy crawling around)!

The drill sergeant had them decorate their dog tags – because every dog tag has stickers, right?

Paige in her patriotic gear:

Next was a paratrooper game – everyone was supposed to drop their soldiers from the airplane (their nose) onto the landing field (their containers). {All the games were made up the day before, since we had planned on just letting the kids run around at the park – thank goodness for Pinterest!}

Next, they built gumdrop lookout towers for their soldiers to stand on:

 

(Meanwhile, our neighbor read a book to Paige):

When the gumdrop towers were built and the soldiers stood on top, it was time to get our some marshmallow shooters to shoot at the troops! (And Paige loved eating all the shot marshmallows ;))

Paige was picking up too many marshmallows, so we went inside for a snack:

To the Mess Hall for cookie decorating! (This party involved a LOT of sugar!) Paige had a cookie too, it’s just not in the pic.

And then it was time for cake and singing! Both kids loved the singing – you can’t tell here because by the time I could get a picture, Paige was already digging in to the cake!

I did get Paige a pink cupcake – I figured with an army party for her birthday, she ought to at least have something girlie!

She did what she was supposed to do: ate it all and made a huge mess!

Presents:

I wanted to get a good picture of all the kids. L to R: Meredith, Faith (a friend from church), Keaton and Eden (neighbors across the street), Olivia (neighbor down the street), Russell, Paige.

Family photo:

And one of me and Jason, just because we never get those!

The party ended up being wonderful, even though it didn’t go as planned originally. Everyone had a great time and Russell and Paige had happy birthdays! :)

Paige’s First Steps!

Paige took her first steps on Saturday (July 12) – the day of her first birthday party and 6 days before she turns one! She has been standing by herself for a few weeks, and is very proud of herself whenever she takes a step. (I’m sure all the praise from Mom, Dad, brother, and sister doesn’t hurt!)

I have no pictures of this – usually she’s walking to me – but I do have a couple of other cute pictures to share:

A pile of kids!:

Paigey’s sweetheart smile:

Russell is 5!

Russell’s fifth birthday came a few days after we got back home. He chose to spent it at the Field Museum with Sue the T-Rex.

(Please excuse the white space around the pictures – having technical difficulties.)

 

We did the “underground adventure” at the museum, which all the kids really enjoyed. In this picture they’re sitting in some kind of pretend bug casing.

As we walked back to our parking space, we got the kids some Italian ice for a treat. Even Paige tried some!

Russell chose mac and cheese, peas, and chicken for dinner. We ate it out on the screened porch. The weather has been so beautiful here lately!

Five!

Russell opened presents from us and from Pops and Mimi on his birthday. He received a dinosaur DVD, a “fossil dig” kit, Planes duplos, and clothes.

Paige was very curious about the bags and paper!

We had a wonderful family birthday-day. So sweet to celebrate our big guy!