Graduation! Gradutation! Graduation!

I've been meaning to post some pictures of our graduates, but life has been kinda crazy around here. Plus, R received a fancy-smancy new camera as a graduation preasant that I don't know how to work, and it took R a while to convert the pictures. (He's been a little busy letting his belly button heal.) So, without much further ado.....

Babcock Famly at Dad's Graduation

R's graduation. I know I already posted about the "after party," but the graduation itself was great. We are so proud of R and his hard work in finishing his MBA! Especially while working full-time and having a full-time family with a new addition to that family. We stayed in SLC for a few nights so that we could be there on the spot. R's mom, step-dad, sister, brother, and his brother's family all came up to support him. Thank you everyone! It really meant a lot for you to be there. And it was great seeing you all. We had the school's cerimony in the morning, we all went out for lunch, back to the hotel room for naps (parents included), then back for his Business School's cerimony. The kids all did so good. It helped that they had Mimi, Papa, Auntie J, Aunt Kelsi, Uncle Ryan, and cousins to keep them entertained, not to mention Mimi's and Auntie J's activity books.

Our next graduate.......

C's Kindergarten Graduation

C graduated from Kindergarten! I know--I can't believe it myself. The kindergartners put on a fun little program with songs they've learned this year. Then they all received their diplomas. C has loved school and has made a lot of new friends. He's learned to read, to do math, and a lot more. C loves to help and work.

Last, but not least.....

S participating in the Preschool Graduation

S had his preschool graduation. (Sorry about the quality of the photo--this is what happens when I use the new fancy-smancy new camera.) He still has another year of preschool, but participated in his classes graduation. It was a fun program with lots of songs. This picture is of the song he got to sing. He never actually opened his mouth to sing, but did all the actions. It was cute. S has loved preschool. He wasn't too sure about it in the begining, but has loved it. He has grown up so much since the first of the school year. After the program, each kid was given a personal yearbook and DVD. I love his preschool--they run such a great program with so many activities. He has learned so much. It's especially fun to watch him write his own name by himself.

Hernia--not to be confused with hyena

When I was a kid, I didn't understand the difference between 'Hernia' and 'Hyena.' I thought both referred to snickering doglike animals that made fun of Mufasa and Simba. Unfortunately, we've had to deal with a hernia this weekend, not to be confused with a hyena.

While in SLC enjoying graduation festivities, R notice a small lump on his belly above his belly button.....which turned more painful and larger as the weekend progressed. (Happy Graduation to R, right?) I took him to the doctor yesterday morning, who sent us to a specialist, who sent us to radiology, who scheduled a procedure for this morning. R had his belly button removed and put back as part of the procedure to repair the hernia--the boys thought that sounded cool. (My mom's dad always told us our legs and arms would fall off if that happened. I forgot to ask the surgeon if he had to sew those back on at the same time.)

R is now home and resting. MK came along with me to the hospital and won over many of the staff who loved her chubby cheeks. S played with a preschool friend all day and collapsed on the floor from exhaustion. C played at a kindergarten buddy's house. Yesterday, they played at a friend's house all day, too, who not only watched the boys but also made us dinner. I'm so grateful for good neighbors and friends who've let me call them at a moments notice and happily helped out.

***UPDATE***
I've now had the same conversation with R concerning his surgery multiple times. Each time he seems lucid and so I explain in detail about how I talked to the surgeon, the PA, the nurses about different things. But it must be an act because he doesn't seem to remember it a few hours later when the painkillers wear off. Last night I just had to laugh when he asked me for the 6th time, "Did Scott come talk to you?"

Carpet--Take 2

So, we FINALLY got the carpet replaced downstairs from out little plumbing snafu back in January. When the installers were finished, they asked if I would come down and look at it to make sure it was alright. S came charging down the stairs with me and squealed "Carpet!" He then started to run in circles in the room. I looked up at the installer and said, "yeah, I think he likes it."

The kids are all still crammed into MK's room upstairs. C has been sleeping in a sleeping bag on a pad. S has R's camping pad and sleeps with his special blanket and cow. With the boys upstairs with MK, we don't have room for the crib. MK sleeps in the pack-n-play.

One day....

1st Easter Egg Hunt

Easter is almost here! Every year my work hosts an Easter Egg Hunt for the employee's kids. We've gone every year since C was a baby, and yesterday was MK's first time. It's always lots of fun. They do a great job in breaking up the age groups and making sure there are plenty of eggs for all. The boys found lots of eggs. Here is MK getting prepped for her big debut.

MK's first Easter

S let her borrow his bunny ears for the picture. And here are the kids after the hunt.

C, MK, S

I had to show this one because they are so funny. There's C making sure everyone is doing what they are supposed to (see him glancing sideways at the others.) Then there's MK looking at her brothers who are much more exciting than mom and dad telling her to say 'cheese.' Then there's S--what can I say? He's such a hoot!

The weather has been so crazy lately! They had to bundle up in jackets or sweaters. One day it's sunny, and it almost looks like Spring. The next, it snows! Yesterday (and today), it rained in the valley and snowed in the mountains. I wasn't sure if they'd have to cancel the hunt--but the rain held while the kids ran around hunting for eggs. Just after the hunt when I had the kids sit together for this picture, it started to rain again. We usually hang around for a while and feed the ducks there, but this year we had to just run back to the car and head home.

MK's Train

C & S made a train for MK to ride in. They took a box I came home with from Costco, colored some wheels on the box (see the tiny red dots on the bottom corners?), put a blanket inside, and asked me to let MK ride her train. She is having fun with it.

MK's Train

C pushed MK around the living room and bedrooms while S ran behind yelling "choo choo!" MK did fall a few times when C was a little aggresive in his turns, but she never seemed to mind--she never cried nor fussed--and would smile when we put her back upright and was pushed around again.

Kids are hilarious.

Oh Deer!

Just about every day this past week, I've seen deer outside our house. We live at the edge of town with our yard backing up to the mountain and a LARGE field. I was able to get some great photos of the deer. You can see this deer hanging out in our backyard.

 

And here's a whole herd of deer in the field just next to our house.

 

This picture reminds me of when we first moved here; Seeing deer was a novelty then. We moved here in August, and R came home one night in November all excited to have C come out and see the deer in our yard. C was only 2 and still in diapers--he had on his diaper, a t-shirt, and socks. S was only a couple months old and just in a onesie. I told R I needed to pants on C, but R said he was just going to have him come out and see the deer real quickly and then come right back inside. I went out with them, carrying S. I didn't know that the door was going to lock behind us. Next thing we know, we are locked out of the house on a snowy November evening. I'm in a long-sleeved shirt, holding a baby in a onesie in one hand and my other hand is holding hands with a 2 year-old without pants. This is one of my stellar mothering moments.

***UPDATE***
Yeah, I should have mentioned that we were only locked out for about a half an hour. Long enough for R to run across the street and ask our neighbor for help. Our neighbor loaned us a credit card that R used to jimmy open the side door to the garage. We replaced all our locks after that experience seeing how easy it was to break into our own house.

Balloons

Last week, we went to the grocery store as a family. The boys spotted some balloons at a sample table and started to ask for balloons. The guy giving out the samples quickly gave the boys each a balloon claiming that the balloons were in his way. C and S were so excited! S let me tie his balloon to his hand, but C insisted on holding his. Not even a minute later, he lets go of his balloon, which floats up, up, and away amid his screams and tears. R was doing his best to console C, and C was starting to get a hold of himself when another employee came by and offered to go get him a new one. C ended up getting 2 new balloons, one of which he shared with his little sister. The kids were SO entertained by these balloons, it was hilarious. R got some pictures of them playing with the balloons when when got home.

MK would hold on to her string and watch with wide eyes as the balloon went up and down.

 

 

C just loved hitting others with his balloon.

 

S was very careful to not let go of his balloon (he had lost one at a store before--he had it tied to one wrist and held on with the other hand. There was no way he was letting go of that balloon!)

 

Dinner

So, dinner time is usually an interesting event. R took these photos of the kids during dinner the other night--they were being particularly silly that night. Here is C--he's into making faces for the camera.

C

S loves to smile for the camera

S

And MK sits in the bouncy seat while we eat. Don't you just love those big blue eyes?

MK