A Birthday With Great Grandpa and Grandma

This is the cake that Aunt "D" made for Tuffer's birthday. It has a Teddy Graham for Tuffer and each of the cousins. It turned out super cute!
Great Grandpa and Grandma were here for a visit. We were sure glad to see and spend time with them! Annalyn just loved them both.

We had a nice evening and it was fun to see all the kids playing together. As always, they make me laugh. Tuffer and the kids really loved the cake it was a big hit.

Tuffer Turn's Eight

Has it been 8 years already. I can believe how fast it goes. It seems like just yesterday I was going to bed with a "stomach ache" and then at 10:30 p.m. having contractions every five minutes. Gramie had Pop Pop come stay with Shermie while Dad and I went to the hospital. I remember Dad and Dr. Howell sitting against the wall in the delivery room talking like they were watching a football game. Every time I had a contraction they would stop talking, lean forward and yell, "Push, push, push, push" and then go back to talking. They didn't do this to long because you came quickly. You where born at 1:44 am weighting 8 lbs 3.9oz and where 20 inches long. Just look at all that dark hair! Where did it go? Now it's blond.

You were a super baby. Everyone told us how cute you were. When you were about four or five months old there was a baby beauty pageant in town so we entered you in it and you won first place!!

You are a great kid, so laid back and loving. You have a heart of gold. Your smile always lights my day. You love your brothers and are such a good big brother to your sister. They all look up to you.

We all love you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TUFF-MAN!!

The Pool Party!!

Tuffer had his party at the pool this year and it was a huge hit! We had a lifeguard host and she was with them the whole time.

The got to go on the slide as many times as they wanted. They loved it but the water was cold so when they got to the bottom they stood up quickly.

They diving board was very entertaining too.

They all had a great time and it was fun for Sherman and I too, not having anything to do but watch. Happy Birthday Tuffer!

(double click on the pictures to see them bigger)

Losing the Training Wheels

This weekend Sherman took Matthew's training wheels off for him.

Sherman held him up so he could get on. Then he let go as Matthew began to pedal. He started to ride but didn't make it very far and crashed. After a couple more attempts and not to much success, this was their conversation:

Sherman- Matthew your thinking about it to much. You need to think about something else.
Matthew- Like aliens?
Sherman, Laughing- Yeah, like aliens.
Matthew-O.K.
Matthew, yelling while riding down the street- THE ALIENS ARE COMING! ALIENS ARE COMING! THE ALIENS ARE COMING!

It was a good tactic and he made it all the way down the street. With the next attempt:

Matthew-This time I'm going to think of Terrible Titans (some kind of toy car)
Sherman-O.K. Try that.
Matthew gets going and promptly falls. Then he says to his dad,"Well, that didn't work. I guess I'll go back to Aliens".

Well... whatever works. Right?

Nicholas' Friend

Nicholas got to go to lunch at McDonald's with his "Friend" from church. He just loves Sister Varley. He was so excited when he heard her on our answering machine and was trying to talk to her through it. When I called her back he said to me,"You Talked to my FRIEND"!!! What a nice thing to do. Nic had a great time and was in seventh heaven.

Cousins

We had Marcus and Ava today and got these pictures. Annalyn and Ava playing on the floor mat.

Marcus giving Nic a hug.

Super Nic

Nicholas was all Super Heroed up today...

...with his cape, Transformer shirt, spiderman shoes, Bob the Builder goggles and Deigo sticker. Got to love advertising. At least the cape is Aunt Kimi made. It is one of his favorite things. When he wears it, it is every where for days until it conveniently needs to be washed. Though she did make four of them so he just uses his brothers' capes as back up.

With fly action!
Here are some funny things he has said that I wanted to get down.

While on the phone with Aunt Nana:
Nic- Are you coming home this weekend?
Nana- No, I'm never coming home.
Nic- Well, now you're just being sarcastic!

While in the car:
Nic- Mom. Grandpa makes everyone dressers and Pop pop makes cars and Jesus makes everything else except for houses, builders make those.
(For the record Grandpa does not make dressers and I have no idea where he came up with that. I think it was because grandpa was building shelves last time he was there.)

The primary program is coming up. Nicholas' part- I will obey may parents. How well do they know him???? After he told Gramie what his part was she asked him if he knew what "obey" meant.
Nic- No
Gramie- It means you do what they say.
Nic- Oh, No! I not that!

I Did This Myself

Annalyn learned to roll over today.

I did this myself...

...now I don't know what to do about it.

Peas Please!

Annalyn gets peas! She loved them. She couldn't eat them fast enough, it was too funny.

The Green Slim Monster

Shoes, Shots and Suckers

Today we got these fancy new shoes on and headed to the doctor for Annalyn's four month check-up and shot. She weighs 13lbs 4oz and is 24 inches long. On average she is in the 25th percentile. Doctor Moore said, "Babies don't get healthier then she is". Then he excused himself so he wasn't the bad guy giving the shots.
She had two shots which they gave separately (If there is more help available I highly recommend having them given simultaneously). The first one she didn't even flinch, but when they did the second one she was absolutely mad! She calmed down quickly and it didn't hurt that we let her have her first sucker. (supervised of course) I think it was strawberry short cake flavored. Since when did sucker flavors get so complicated.

"You better give me a dang sucker after letting them do that to me!"

Annalyn Gets Her First Real Food

OK, I don't know about you but I do not consider rice cereal as real food. I use that term loosely. She seemed to like it at first but then she did the shake off. You know the one you do when you taste something exceptionally fowl.

I feel kind of guilt continuing to feed it to her but then I think, she won't remember anyway so that's what she's getting for now.

Have a Peachy Day!

A customer at work brought us a large box of the BIGGEST, most DELICIOUS peaches last week. They were the size of softballs and beautiful! The boys love fruit and so they were literally a huge hit. We took these pictures as part of a thank you card.
Just look at the juice running down their arms and faces. Poor Annalyn got to hold one but that was it. Matthew was being such a poser! He tried to get in every shot. Don't these pictures making you hungry! Wish I had a peach.