Kquack Kquack for Lincoln!!

This is a face of one HAPPY BOY who went poo poo in the Potty for the 1st time today!!!

This is Lincoln (my 20 month year old almost 21) sitting on his "Kquack
"Kquack" going potty and eating M&M's.

So Lincoln has just recently started showing interest in sitting on the potty and tells us when he wants to go. I have never asked him until he asks me. I am a firm believer that he has to listen to his body and not to his mommy or can revert back when he is older because he never learned properly (I have heard many cases of this). And because he is so young it isn't a use stress point where he has to learn right now, but is learning because he wants to. The older the kid gets (3 to 4) is when they need some extra mommy encouragement. At first he would ask us to go and then get nervous about sitting on the potty, because I would have to hold him up there. So last week we went to the store and got him his "Kquack Kquack" seat (that is what he calls it). And he asks to sit on it but usually is too late and tells me he needs while he is going in his diaper. Or sits on it and is "all done". This morning though it was different!! He says, "potty" then says, "Kquack Kquack" as he runs to the bathroom. We get every thing settled and then next thing we know he is GOING!!! Of course him being so young wants to touch to wee wee and his bum thus the cup of M&M's while on the potty. The girls always got their reward after they were done but they were older and understood no touch much better.

So am I going to go out and buy him big boy underwear or pull ups?? Nope. I will listen to him and wait until he his closer to being really ready. Right now we are just excited and what to continue encouraging him on his little success moments and slowly have the BIG everyday moments.

Way to Go Lincoln!! We are so proud of you and you are completely breaking the sterotype of a boy! You can both talk extremely well and can go potty!! If I would have known you were going to be this easy, I would have had you first. lol :-)

It's a...

Yep, that's right! It is a BOY! The girls got what they wanted, Cameron's dream came true (literally he had a dream) and Lincoln has a buddy just for him. It is almost too perfect to be true! How did I ever get this Lucky. I don't think I could have planned it better if I tried!

This is me 5 months pregnant (taken yesterday by a 4 year old). And only 5 pounds heavier! Wouldn't it be great if I only gain a pound each month?? Doubtful, but a girl can dream!

This is my cute little active boy! They found his "manhood" with in the first 2 minutes! Streams of tears came out of my eyes as I said, "I am so happy!" Then I got 30 plus minutes of pure baby viewing! They had a student in the room who got to practice and who she talked to about every detail. It was fun to see my bladder full then empty (they let me go potty after they took all their measurements). To see the baby's mouth open and shut. I saw his ears, and eyes, and nose. I saw his kidneys, brain, heart, and his cord! He was very active and his heart rate was at 140 still. There is lots of fluid in there, which is great for the baby and the tech was in LOVE with his spine! Keep on staying, "look at that perfect spine". He is perfect! Perfect health and Perfect for our family!

Proof #1

Proof #2

Proof #3

and yes he is still a BOY!!!

On the top you can see where she labeled it toes and you see his foot then knee bent! I like this picture because this is what is going to get to know me really well in the next 4 months, his foot in my side!

I love Him already!!

Brooklyn's Back to School as a 1st Grader

Brookyn is back into School! I know... Already?? She got out of school on June 2nd and started again on August 10th! Her first day of school went well (she was nervous), until she came home and realized summer was over. No more daily movies. No more walks for "fun". No more visits to the neighbors. And early to bed. Poor girl had an emotional break down after dinner (which she didn't like, thus didn't eat and was starving). After talking to her great grandma who was a school teacher and told her she needs to eat lots of food and needs to get lots of rest, life was better. That and I made her some ramen noodles, slice of bread with butter and honey. Also she didn't eat the loving lunch I made for her!! I even pre-opened her chips and cookies and put them into another easier to open baggie. She ate the school food!!! She just followed all the other kids and said she forgot about her lunch. Then the next day she "stole" some milk and only ate her sandwich!! Her teacher called and I asked about the food she has been eating to find out the price to pay back the school and all is well. But she was so confused. At home things don't cost money and "every one" else was doing it without giving them money (that she could see). So today (thursday) we are going over there at 11:10 to eat lunch with her. To A) make sure she doesn't borrow their food any more and B) to make sure she is eating enough!

Brooklyn getting ready to head out the door.
Walking to school with Me, Avy, Link, Papa, and Granme

The Big 1st grader in front of her new school

Brooklyn and her very nice teacher

Walking to class from the reading room (with their duck tails and puffy cheeks)

Hooray!! She survived the 1st day of 1st grade!!

Working in the Garden

May dad has a nice green bean garden (along with some other random plants) that the kids like to help out with.

(Sorry photos are out of order and I couldn't get them to switch)

Here above and below is Lincoln "snapping" the green beans. He did surprisingly well. He would take off the ends and then snap the rest. A very good helper and listener.

I love this picture because we almost loose Link in the leaves of the green beans.


All 3 of them helping find the green beans

Link holding the bowl

Brooklyn with a green bean mustache

And Link bringing me a green bean!

Photos 101

I am learning the more kids you add to the picture the longer it takes and the harder it is to get a "good" one. I think we got a few, even though I think they are way cuter in real life! These at least stay clean longer and now I feel like I have capture a part of them in time.

I do like the good deal I get on these pictures at least... at Super Target! Only $3.99 for a sheet and a free 8 X 10. So I got 37 pictures in 11 different poses for $47.14!!! And my Christmas shopping is already half way done!

Splash Park

This Wednesday was Brooklyn's last playgroup with our old ward. She starts school next week and Avy and Link will still go, but Brooklyn will be hitting the books once again. She told me she wanted to be the first one there and the last one to leave (we usually leave before everyone else). I agreed. However, she told me she was ready to go...mostly because she had gotten cold. She was also the one that got the most wet. Avy played in it the most because she was wise about getting wet and just did a little at a time. Lincoln had me play with him at first but then was happy to be one of the BIG kids and not play with his mommy *sniff sniff*. It was cute though, he would come back to check up on my every so often to make sure I was ok. He would strut over, put his palm in the air and say, "back". That is his way of asking if he can go and play. Besides playing with great friends and talking with super moms it is all FREE! How amazing is that?

Brooklyn all wet within the first 2 minutes

Lincoln saying something cute like "Ooo"
This kid will never get sunburn because of his over protective mom. He is almost covered from head to toe in his swim wear. And I spray and lotion him up. He is a strawberry blonde...I have to be careful or else his hair will look the same as his skin.
Avy is spraying away
Avy trying to figure out the best way to have fun.

Brooklyn getting cold

Brooklyn helping Lincoln be brave. I love the water in this picture! Link barely got wet and just did a lot of splashing with his feet.

After snacks everyone was sitting out to try and warm up. Lincoln brought me his towel and wanted to join everyone! He is growing up so fast!

*Side note: Link has had a runny diaper for over a week now and so I took him into his Doctor yesterday (after calling at 6 am to make a same day appointment). But he has had no other sick signs. He doctor said not to worry and it should be gone by his well check by the 19th and if not I will demand a referral or some blood work to be done. He likes to put rocks in his mouth and I hope it isn't something more serious. In the meanwhile I am stocking up on wipes and diapers !!!!

When Great Grandparents Come to Town...

...we go to a wedding, a baptism, a baby blessing, and to an Amusement park!! Geesh, I was tired! Here are some fun photos that were capture at these events!

The Wedding
After cleaning my old home from 7-1:30, I rushed home to get ready for a wedding of my 2nd cousin (whom I've never met) but my grandparents knew and that was good enough for me. I almost felt like a wedding crasher at the lovely dinner when people would ask me how I knew the lovely couple...uh uh, I don't. :-)

Here is Lincoln with my dad.
Here is my Aunt Darla (so a Great Aunt to my kids and truly she is)! Now scroll back up... don't my dad and his sister look a lot a like!

The wedding was at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. It was very nice, but very hard to see the couple and it was hot. They are not members of my church (which is fine) but fun to see all the different styles of a wedding. The bride walked down the isle to "Some Where Over the Rainbow". I wish I would have taken a picture of the bride and groom, oops.

(Above left to right; My dad, my mom, Link, Brooklyn, My grandpa Mann, and Avy. My grandma was in the bath room and that is why Brooklyn is holding the purse)

This is Brooklyn at the wedding she was so excited for! It shows doesn't it?

All in all it was a fun event that we were quickly swept off to because we had a baptism at 7:00 to attend (again someone I didn't know, but out of support we left). I wish I would have taken pictures there. It was sweet the little girl getting baptised was suppose to sing "I am a Child of God" but was too emotional or scared and started to cry. So everyone that was there joined in with her, it was very touching to see the help she got and felt the spirit it brought into the room.

Baby Blessing

So on Sunday we drove up to Castle Rock for a Baby Blessing for Sweet Matthew. He is my Cousin Abe's son. This picture doesn't give him justice on what a sweet little guy he was. But this is the only one I took! I know, I am slacking in the photo taking and promise to step it up a bit. I didn't even get one of his parents, (double oops).

Baby Matthew Born July 7th blessed August 1st

Lakeside Amusement Park

Originally we were planning on going to the Royal Gorge on Monday the 2nd, but switched it up a bit and went to Denver to the Amusement Park that has been there since 1908! It was great because I only cost $2.50 and my kids only cost $8.50 each for unlimited kiddie rides! Even better it was my dad's treat! It did however start to rain a lot while we were there, but not enough to stop us. They rode from 6:00-9:00pm and had some cotton candy and large popcorn (only $4)! It was truly a fun time for the kids!

My little family minus 1. The girls reminded that I am not as fun as their dad... hey give me some credit, I can't go on the rides. No worries...I agree, their dad is more fun (why do you think I have him around for?)!

Yes, that is a gun in my son's hand. As he would fly by he would make the matching sounds, "choo, choo" <---not like a train, all you mothers of son's know the sound I am trying to say

Here is Lincoln driving the car! It was the first real ride he went on and you should have seen his eyes! After the first jolt that surprised him he was all smiles! He went on this ride twice!

These are my Grandparents! Grandma and Grandpa Mann and it is always such a joy to be around them. I got a chance to talk to them all about health issues that run in the family...things they never tell you for bed time stories. My Grandpa got tested to see if he has the gene for colon cancer (he finds out soon, he has already had colon cancer, but is checking to see if it is in his genes) and if so then my dad has to get tested and if so then I will get test, and if so my kids tested!! Crazy stuff I know, but good to know none the less. I can imagine it now... Hey kids you got mom's ears and her colon cancer gene! But at an early age we can start now to get tested (oh joy) and eat things to help prevent it.

Oh Aunt Darla, how they will miss you!

She loves kids, mostly because she is still a kid at heart and loves to play (and is very patient).

Avy was Darla's buddy and started whispering to her on day one of meeting her! Ask any of her teachers or friends, that is a BIG deal! We all love Aunt Darla and am so glad my kids got to meet her!

These are just some of the GREAT people in our lives! Thanks




More Rides

Those are screams of Joy!

Avy on the Motorcycle ride

Brooklyn was such a good helper with Lincoln and would seat with him on all the "scary" rides, but he looks like he knows what he is doing on this one.

The Tumble Bug

Of course, I a boat ride

Ring the bell ride (you can kind of see Avy in the back)

Ready, Set, Go!

Only 14 1/2 more years buddy

Beep Beep!

A Kiddie Ferris Wheel pure Genius!

A GREAT place to go with little kids (Hey Link is only 20 months old and did great)!