Tanner's 5th Birthday Party

We like to keep parties simple. This year we did dirt cake, you know the pudding-ish stuff with Oreos and gummy worms? And we went to Ross Aquatic Center to play in the water for a couple hours. It was a really great time. Nate and I had just as much fun as Tanner did socializing with his friends' parents. Although two of the pools had some "contamination" (vomit) that they had to clean out for about 45 minutes, which was gross.

Ashlyn is a water baby. She loves to crawl in up to her chin and stick her face right in it. Her brothers didn't do that til recently, and Dallin still doesn't.

This is Mason, Dallin and Tanner's buddy. Ok, Dallin looks like he was putting his face under the water, but he wasn't, he never got up the courage.

 Lazy river

 Ashlyn and Nate.

Ashyln jabbering & the boys' goofiness

I haven't taken many videos of Ashlyn, but the other day she was jabbering. She is one of those that looks right at you and says what she is thinking, and looks at you for validation. Or she just talks to herself. I wonder if she will be chatty.

 I also got this funny one of Tanner singing "Mean" by Taylor Swift with vampire teeth in his mouth. 

 

All this goofiness reminds me, today Tanner spent some of his birthday money at the dollar store. He chose silly blue glasses with a mystery nose attached; he thinks it is a dragon nose. He has barely taken them off today. Tonight we went for a walk, and he rode his bike along side us, and of course he wore his glasses while he rode. We probably could have caused an accident with all the looks he got. He didn't even notice. I SO wish I had my camera. I may have to stage a reenactment. He makes me laugh how he will wear vampire teeth or weird glasses or a cape out in public (I usually let him, I see no harm in it) and it won't even phase him that it is a little strange.

Here is Tanner in the glasses and handcuffs he spent his birthday money on. Funny what things little boys will chose to buy. Glad he is so easy to please. Hope he stays that way.

 And a picture of Dallin after he ate a blue Otter Pop. I can't even begin to tell you about Dallin's goofy quirks, so I will save that for another day. He, by far, makes us laugh the most.

And a little Ashlyn Girl

For some reason "Ashlyn Girl" has stuck. I call her that all the time.

I already had my backdrop up from taking pictures of Dustin, so I had to take a couple of Ashlyn. She just got this pair of sunglasses today.

 Look at this adorable hair! I love that she has hair. It is annoying with headbands these days, so you won't see her in them much. I think we could attempt a pony tail.

Dustin

My friend Sharla let me practice taking pictures of her newborn, Dustin. I have such a hard time with newborns! Why?!? They are naturally adorable, and they don't move, you don't have to necessarily wait for smiles, but they are so hard for me. I need more practice. If you  have a newborn, or will soon, let me take your baby's pictures please! 

Dustin didn't want to let me take pictures of him. : ( Oh well, I stole these few, and like them just fine.

I'd say go to my photography blog but I posted all the pictures of the session here.

Everyday life

I got my camera out just for fun when the kids were playing with blocks. It is kind of fun to capture ordinary life on camera.

Tanner is a tease, and kept jumping in front of the camera. He loves to hear people squealing, even me, maybe especially me. He will walk by and slap my butt. I told Nate he learned it from him, and he needs to stop before Tanner goes around slapping anyone's because it is normal occurrence at our house. lol.

 Ashlyn likes playing with the boys, and knows how to push Dallin's buttons. She had him screaming because she was taking "his" blocks. She has a mischievous side to her.

 

And she is very playful. Always raising her hands up in the air and screaming happily.

See Mickie, my kids are only half dressed too, and this is kind of a normal thing for us. :) Ashlyn's onsie isn't even snapped closed.

Dallin is very possessive and particular. It is his way or no way!

 Ashlyn adores this blanket that her Aunt Michaela made for her. She always snuggles her face in it.

Eskimo kisses

 

I love motherhood.

Did I mention?

• Ashlyn is crawling now. Right around 10 months old like the boys were.
• Tanner has pink eye; probably from all the swimming we did in Texas. You can see a video of Tanner swimming underwater on Melissa's blog. 
• Tanner threw up on the plane, and in my hands (darn little bags on the plane are not wide enough).
• It is Tanner's 5th birthday today. We will celebrate on Monday.
• Nate starts his last semester of classes on Monday! Then 2 clinical affiliations after. Exciting!

Bouncy place

Melissa found a deal on Facebook for this bouncy house place where it has all these blow up toys for kids to jump around on. It was tons of fun.

There was a section for babies too. Ashlyn just kept sinking in the ball pit.

 This one was the favorite, by far. It moved from side to side as the weight shifted.

I love Madeline's face in this one as they were about to get dumped.

There were also these little areas for them to pretend they worked in an restaurant, garage, grocery store and some others. Dallin is in to that.

 We weren't home for naps most days, so we got a lot of this. 

And look who we bumped into. My brother Jesse. He is serving in San Antonio. The zoo was in his area.

Pools

I am trying to get all my Texas posts out of the way in my free time, that is why I am popping them out so quickly. I hate feeling behind on blogging. Plus life is going to get a little crazy in the next couple weeks with school starting and all. 

We hung out by water a lot of the time that we were here. Steve and Melissa have a pool in their neighborhood and we went there a couple times. 

Then we went to a water park in Round Rock, where Nate's dad lives. It was super fun.

Tanner is quite confident in the water now, which is great because he has always been so scared. We always left the pool with a red-eyed Tanner cuz he spent so much time under the water.

Nate was the only one who went down the slide because kids had to be "nipple height". Thought that was funny. 

Ashlyn was getting really crabby. She fell asleep for half the time we were there. It was a bummer because someone always had to be sitting out with her while she napped.

 Nate and Dallin enjoyed the lazy river. Nate would spin around and when they were going under some water Dallin somehow got knocked off and freaked out. He doesn't like his face under the water.

Austin Capital Building

We stopped by the capital building on our way to Barton Springs Pool. I didn't take my camera to the pool; too scared of it getting stolen or wet. Really neat place though. It's a natural spring, so it is cool water and has little fishes and slimy bottom. Tanner was a bit grossed out by it, but loved trying to catch fish with a bucket. 

We went with Nate's dad and cousins, Steve & Melissa and their kids. My boys are just loving having other kids constantly around.

The kids couldn't resist rolling down the hills by the capital building.

 James and Madeline on a canon outside the capital.

 From the outside.

 My favorite part of the building was probably the staircases.

 Longhorn fans.

San Antonio Zoo

It was sort of a bad day to go to the zoo since it was about 105 degrees, but we did it anyway. There were a couple air conditioned buildings we cooled down in. 

 Ashlyn looked the most miserable, so I wet down her hat to keep her head cool.

Grandpa Spence has come with us almost everywhere. It has been nice. He is so patient with us.

 He has been trying to corrupt my kids though, and give them goodies. . .like cotton candy. That is what grandparents are for though right?

 This is Dallin's I-don't-want-to-obey-but-I-will face. It is usually accompanied by a big frustrated sigh.

 There was also a train ride to go on around a nearby park. They loved that.

 Nate navigating through the zoo.

 

Last of Waco

We visited Nate's mom, Holly. That was neat. I never knew her, but I feel close to her. I know I would have loved her.

Dallin adored these baby kitties at Uncle Larry's house.

Larry and his son Dustin are musicians and Tanner enjoyed playing their drums. He seems like a natural.