Big man turns 4 & Baby girl, 3 mos.

My babies are growing. They each reached a milestone these last few days. Garyn turned 4 on Sunday and Ansley is now 3 months as of Monday. I am in awe of how they have changed right before my eyes lately.

Garyn is so boyish now........he wants to box with everyone; he plays pretend constantly; he reads and wants to write new words all the time; and unfortunately like most boys he is addicted to his Wii video games.

(Yes, that is one change I do NOT like! We are working on scaling back his playtime!)

When deciding what type of party he wanted, he not surprisingly chose a Mario party. Cars 2 and Mickey Mouse were in the race, as well, but Mario won as usual.

We had to get a little creative since there is a limited amount of Mario party supplies. Tyler made fun of me while I spent hours drawing, coloring and cutting out Mario characters. I may have stressed a little much over it...ok a lot...but I was pleased in the end.

This is the best plant for me....the one in the pot before this died from the lack of my green thumb...

Of course, Wii games had to be played at the Mario party.....

I was proud of Garyn for not getting upset about having to share and stop playing when it was time to do cake and presents

I drew the Bowser mean guy there on top of the shelf and had "fire" balls for them to throw at him just like Mario does in the game. 

Ansley played well, too....

Cake time!

(Funny story- that night we went to eat with my brother and his family. Lorna, my niece, told the waiter it was Garyn's birthday and he brought out dessert and sang to him..... btw Garyn had not had a nap.....Garyn precedes to yell out crying saying it wasn't his birthday anymore and he didn't want to do it again....we couldn't help but laugh which only made it worse)

Garyn got a bike! I foresee many scrapes and bruises....like the one on his knee in this picture...he hasn't quite got the hang of pedaling yet, but is excited to learn.

Ansley is now 3 months old and much more interactive. She is definitely entering a new baby phase constantly moving and she smiles a lot.....

We just can't get enough of that smile. She also is starting to babble and laugh....

She moves so much in her bed at night. I'll go in the dark to give her her paci or to feed her and in my sleepy stupor, I'll have the hardest time finding her mouth or arms to pick her up. She is rolling over, too. The first time was at the beach but then she didn't do it again until last week. Now any time shes laying she'll roll to her stomach. Here is a video of her babbling, moving and a roll at the end...

(Sorry that video was a little long)

I love my babies and hope I can cherish these moments amongst the craziness of life.

Little Miss

I wanted to quickly update on Miss Ansley.....

Its amazing still to me that a small being can be growing in your belly, come out and change your world all at the same time! It is also amazing that I will learn more and more about her over the years to come as I have about her big brother. Its like a flower blooming before your eyes, slowly but showing you a new color or detail each change it makes.

If you have children of your own, you know how quickly you communicate with your baby. Although, I don't know all her likes and dislikes or characteristics as a person, I do know a handful of those preferences!
I thought you might like to know them, too!

Ansley likes:

• to stand up on your lap
• face outward when being held so she can look around
• her pacifier!
• sometimes she likes her fingers/thumb but still likes the paci more :)
• loves to hear her parents and brother talk while she smiles happily (others as well but we feel she likes us more, :)
• the swing/bouncy seat but only for 20 mins tops (unless she falls asleep, which isn't a given!)
• to watch the fan and thinks it is hilarious at times
• to kick and swing her arms when laying on her back
• seems to go to sleep better when laid down (as long as you are willing to give her the paci occasionally :)
• if you are getting her to sleep, you must rock, bounce, pat or something, there's no sitting down on the job
• her mobile
• water sounds
• the bath tub especially with brother

She doesn't like:

• to be laid back in your arms (cradled hold) unless she is sleepy and you are bouncing her
• to have her arms wrapped when swaddled
• and she only likes to be swaddled when she is very sleepy
• to stop eating long enough to burp but needs to burp frequently!
• her car seat unless she just ate or is sleepy!
• to stay in one spot too long

The best part is she is vocal about letting you know what she wants or doesn't want! She will go into a back arching crying fit if you are doing something she doesn't like, so you better do what she wants! This is very unlike Garyn. He cried, of course, but he worked up to a hard cry and didn't get as picky about how he was held or where he was. Ansley goes from zero to sixty and back to zero as soon as you do what she wants!
It is quite funny really...you can sit down with her and she'll immediately start fussing and crying, then you stand up and she dries up those tears fast! Now, she will let you sit down some but she can't be sitting most of the time.

At times, it is trying to get things done when you can't sit her down for very long... however she will sleep well in the swing or the bed. Either way, she is already getting what she wants from us!

I feel she is going to be bossing us around a lot one day! I can definitely force the mother/daughter arguments between us since we are both strong willed. But you never know....they are constantly changing!

Speaking of changes, she still favors Garyn a lot and her daddy. Every so often, she looks like some of my baby pictures. I know it will keep changing, just as Garyn has and is. She is growing well, but not as fast as Garyn did. That's ok though, she is a girl. :)

Her eyes seem to be staying blue, I had blue eyes until they slowly turned green in my elementary years.

Her hair remains dark, even what has grown back in her bald spots.

Her toes are long like mine, and the Pilcher side.

Her eyelashes are long and curled.

She looks a lot like Garyn when asleep.

AND she melts our heart with her smile all day, every day!