Little man is growing, almost 5 months old. World's easiest baby, I'm pretty sure. He is such a delight to us all - we cannot get enough of his sweet cheeks with tiny dimples. He gets kissed a lot around here.
He sleeps through the night and takes nice long naps for momma, and the rest of the time he is generally a happy participant along for the ride that is our crazy life. Oh, but we love our crazy life.
Clare is beginning to potty train {although I am reluctant...why do I dread this so much? Probably my least favorite milestone}. She is our little chatterbox, and is naturally joyful and talkative most of the time. I am never lonely. :)
We realized the other day that she has been learning the boys' Sunday School verses with them. Isaiah 9:6,7 is really long, but she can pretty much do the whole thing without help. Pretty cute to hear a 2 year old with a lisp recite, "The government shall be upon His shoulder..."
The other day I heard her singing to her babies, "Hosana, Hosana, Hosana in the forest..." :)
{new hat from Grandma Renes}
I don't have any pictures of the older two. They don't stay still long enough for me to catch them, and when they're all home I usually don't have time to pick up the camera anyway. We're in the midst of an overlap of sports sessions - indoor soccer and basketball - and they both play both.
Today they both had soccer games at noon, on side by side fields. :)
Simon is playing with the boys he played fall soccer with - 3 of them go to CPLS with him, and they practice every day at recess. He has improved so much since the fall. I've been encouraged to see him growing up a bit, pushing himself harder even when he's tired, learning to think as a team instead of just as an individual. Simon is just so competitive - team sports help with that, I think. It's an outlet for healthy competition, but there is a chance to learn to share the spotlight and to work with others. Kinda like being a part of a big family. That helps too. :)
The indoor soccer games are out south of town, and we've been having lunch afterwards at different mom and pop cafes out there. Today the sweet waitress complimented our kids on their good behavior right before we left, and afterward Simon leaned over to Dave and said, "Yes! Do we get a trophy because we were so good??"
Nice. Not all of life is a sport, little boy.
Ethan played really well today, more aggressive than I've probably ever seen him play. He came out of the game red faced and sweating like a pig - made me laugh. He is a natural at soccer, especially indoor. Since there are no out of bounds, the play hardly ever stops. And constant running has never been a problem for that boy. ;)
It's been a wonderful Saturday, slow and fun. We're just so thankful for time to spend together today and with God's people tomorrow too.