An Update







Well, it has definitely been a busy Fall.  I think I am finally adjusted to having three kids, only took 11 months. ;)  I have had more days where things seem doable than when they don't.  One thing is for sure, we have a lot of at our house with three little ones run around.

 

 

Eli is getting so big.  He started preschool in September and he just loves it.  He is really enjoying the gymnastics part and also the chance to do his own thing.  He loves all the projects and the chances to play and be with his friends.

 

 

Emma is 11 months old now and crawling all over.  In October she broke her leg and had to have a cast for 3 weeks.  It didn't slow her down much.  Not long after she got it she figured out how to crawl again and even go up the stairs again.  She is a happy girl and loves her brothers and getting in to mischief already.

 

The kids just love their Daddy and they get super excited when he gets home.

 

Eli turned 4 in September and he got breakfast in bed.  His best friend came over for pizza and cake and he loved the special day!  He got a bike with training wheels that he absolutely loves.  Sadly it has a flat tire now and he can't ride it for now. 

 

John Ellis is almost 2 1/2 now and he is definitely two!  He loves to say no and doesn't listen well.  But he is still a sweet little snuggle bug most of the time.

 

 

Love this smiley girl!  Can't believe how big she is getting already!

 

My boys will play outside in any weather and they love it and need it.  One day we played in the rain and puddles and got soaked. 

 

 

In early October we went apple picking.  All the kids enjoyed that!  It was a sunny day and Emma and John Ellis loved it!

 

The boys enjoyed the corn maze that they have set up there.

 



 

As I said before, we play outside in all weather.  One day we raked a ton of leaves and played in them.  The only hard thing was keeping Emma from eating the leaves. =) 

 

 

Emma in her leggings that I got for her.  She is a sweet little baby and I am glad she's mine.



7 months

Emma is 7 months old now.  Where did the time go?  She is really beginning to get around and loving to eat her solid food. 

 

Sitting up!  She is really stable now and loves to sit and play with her toys.

 

She loves to eat.  She is really enjoying eating food and always want some when she sees us eating.

Eli absolutely adores her and whenever he comes over to her she just smiles and watches him.

She is a smiley girl and everyone is always saying how happy and smiley she is.  Sure makes all the hard things better when I see her smile!

 

 

She has started trying to crawl and gets on her hands and knees now.   She is good at getting around by doing the inch worm too.

 

 

She can also so "Hi" and "dada."  She says hi in this video.

May and June



It sure has been a busy couple of months.  We moved at the beginning of May and it has been busy ever since.  My three little ones keep me on my toes and super busy!  The highlights of the last while are in the following pictures.

 



 

Can't help enjoying all the smiles she gives us now!

 

On Mother's Day we blessed Emma.  This is the first family picture we have had in awhile.  We took a similar one in front of the same tree when John Ellis was blessed.  Emma cried through most of the blessing, but it was a sweet day.  Glad Michael was able to bless our little girl!

 

This is Eli and Michael at the Father Son Campout.  They had a great time!  Eli was REALLY excited to go and spend time with his Daddy!  He also loved it that his best friend was there too.

I just love this dress (and the baby in it)!  I love all of the lace and ribbons on little girl clothes.  So cute!

 

My boys are always together these days.  They are best buds and love to play together.  I think this was one cold morning.  Daddy wrapped them up in the blanket so they would stay warm.

 

Yeah!  Books!  My boys love books.  I read to them before naps and bed and usually at least another time each day.  They will just bring me a book whenever and ask me to read it.  I love how much they get into reading and going to the library.

 

The highlight of June for me was the Allen family reunion in Wisconsin Dells, WI.  We had a great time!  It was the first time we had all been together in a really long time.  This is my Dad with Emma and Julia her cousin.  They are two months apart but pretty much the same size. 

 

We went to an Indoor Water Park.  This is Eli ready to go swimming.  I wish I could say he had a great time in the water but he didn't.  He was pretty nervous and didn't want to get in much.  Michael finally convinced him to do a few things but after that first day he didn't want to go back at all.  John Ellis on the other hand LOVED the water!

 

John Ellis in one of those cars at the nearby mall.  We didn't pay to turn it on but he is loving just sitting there next to Lowly.

 

Grandpa and the grandkids.  They are a cute bunch!

 

The original Allen clan

 

Me and my brothers

 

 

The whole family!  This year celebrates 40 years since my Mom and Dad were married.  They had 4 kids and now they have 11 grandkids.  It was so fun to see everyone.  I am so grateful for my family!!

One, Two, Three, Four, Five...

What a whirlwind few months it has been!  We went from four to five in our family and boy does it suddenly seem like I have a big family!  It has been a challenge, a joy, and very tiring adjusting to a new little one.  Let me just update you on what each of us has been up to.

Michael is in his last semester of classes.  After this semester, he will only have a handful of credits left.  Yeah!  He will be doing an internship next fall.  Thankfully, the baby came before he went back to school and he was able to help me for the first week and a half or so.  He is teaching an Ed Psych class this semester and really getting his feet wet with teaching.  He seems to really like it.  He is also the supervisor for one new Master's level clinician at the Clinic. 

I am busy with three rugrats.  It is tough!  I love these three little ones and I enjoy seeing them learn and grow each day.  I can't help but laugh at the silly things that they say sometimes!  What a joy and a trial it is to be a parent!  Since Emma was born, I can't say that I have really done anything but chase after them and try to sleep whenever I get the chance.

Eli is as rambunctious as ever.  He is 3 1/2 now and keeps me on my toes.  He got glasses in December and is actually very good with them.  We have had to have them fixed a couple times, but now that he realizes how much they help he keeps them on.  He loves to play outside, ride his tricycle, and get into mischief (much to my dismay!!).  I have had to learn to laugh his antics off to keep from crying sometimes.  Oh, and he LOVES his brother John Ellis.  They have great fun together.

 

 



 



 John Ellis is a sweet little guy.  He is 20 months old.  He goes to Nursery now and is starting to like it now.  He had some trouble at first.  He is fairly snuggly and loves to give hugs!  He says No about 100 times a day even when he means yes.  He is starting to talk so much.  His favorite things are books and cars.  It is still hard for me to think of him as a little boy and not a baby because he is such a little squirt.

 

Emma was born on January 3rd weighing 6 lb 8 oz and 18 1/2 inches long.  She is a sweet girl and we love her tons.  She is smiling now and cooing!  She is a bit feisty and fussy at times though.  I have to convince her to sleep some times. =)  The boys love their sister and have been surprisingly good with her.  I do have to keep an eye on them or they give her too much love and Eli is convinced he is able to pick her up sometimes.  But, all in all, they are good big brothers.

Fun and Photos





At my house, busy boys are happy and kept out of mischief boys.  As a result, I spend a lot of time thinking of what we can do.  The last while since Michael went back to school, we have done lots to keep us busy.  We go to Story time at the library weekly and playgroup.  When we are at home, these are some of the things we do:

 

 

 We do a lot of music playing with pots and pans

One of Eli's favorite things to do with Mommy is cook.  He loves to help me add ingredients and spend time in the kitchen helping.

Tupperware fun!  I never thought we'd have a picture like this of John Ellis because out Tupperware cabinet is not very tall.  We have one just like this of Eli at our old house.  I guess John Ellis had to be like his brother.

Playing with Daddy.  I have never seen my boys happier than when Daddy comes home.  I think Eli's favorite song is "I'm so Glad When Daddy Comes Home!"

John Ellis loves to snuggle with a blankie when he is tired.  Sometimes they both join in the fun.

 

Hiking in the fall leaves for playgroup

John Ellis dressed up for Halloween

 

Eli the firefighter for Halloween

Eli turns 3!

Well, it happened a month and a half ago but Eli had his third birthday.  We celebrated it on the Saturday before since his birthday was on Sunday. 

 

 

We started the day with breakfast in bed (a tradition in Michael's family).  He is finally old enough to do it.  He thought it was great and still asks sometimes for breakfast in bed.

 

 

Then it was time for presents.  He loved his new garbage truck.

 

 

His favorite thing was his new tricycle.  He birthday falls at a great time for after the summer clearance.  Everyday he asks to go outside and ride his trike!

 

Blowing out the candles on his tractor cake.  We invited our good friends the Bensons over to eat pizza and cake.  Eli and Hugh are best buds and their birthdays are only a couple weeks apart.

 The tractor cake I made.  I was pretty proud of it since I am not a cake baker.  It was actually pretty tasty too.