Little active boys

For Christmas this year, my dad gave us money that we used to enroll each boy in a class or activity - it was a perfect way to break up the winter a bit! The boys loved knowing that Grandpa had helped them be able to participate in something fun that they otherwise wouldn't have been able to do.

Jack did gymnastics at the Rec Center and after an initial hesitancy, LOVED it:

He adorably waved to us/shot us a thumbs up every so often, just to make sure we were watching. He was so excited each week to go back and hang out with his teacher Dee and run around. Jack really thrives on personal attention, so this was perfect.

 Will got to take a little hip hop dance class and it was possibly the cutest thing ever. His instructor was so fun and patient with the kids and Will had a great time:

 The pictures were definitely taken through glass; some parents sat inside but the combination of loud music and my crazy younger children added up to us watching from the bleachers outside ;).

Clyde did basketball and ended up on a team with some friends from school and an awesome coach who really taught the boys a lot of skills and teamwork.

They did a 'parents vs. kids' practice and Chuck and Clyde had a great time playing against each other. This season was such a great experience for Clyde, and I'm so glad.

And of course, here are the obligatory pictures of how F-U-N it was to keep the other siblings happy on the sidelines for all of these classes and practices and games:

Aye carumba! Carma was a superstar, she was dragged to allll of it and did really well, considering. Clyde was the luckiest, he had bball practice during Will's dance class and school during Jack's gymnastics class, so he got out of spectating completely. 

Thanks again, Dad! We're really grateful for the chance to have the boys explore some interests and get out and about - they each had a great time!!

Carma is ONE!

Carma turned one over the weekend, which is obviously insanity - where did my baby go? Oh, here she is, probably wondering why we're rubber-banding her ear into an odd elfin shape:

We partied pretty hard on the big day, starting off with Jack AND Carma invading my bed and snuggling together. This was at like 5am, meaning Chuck was already gone to work for the day - couldn't they have rolled on over to his empty half? Maybe they wanted to ensure my night's sleep was as uncomfortable as last year, when I was huge and pregnant ;). After breakfast she had a bath and we took a picture to recreate our first meeting a year ago - her all slippery and swaddled and me with crazy hair. Next on the agenda was a fun birthday party for our friend Ashlynn, and then a trip to Costco, aka my happy place - even on a Saturday afternoon with four kids!

Then we came home and spent the afternoon in the front yard, aka Carma's happy place:

ESPECIALLY when she can sweet talk an older brother into pushing her around in the cozy coupe:

 This girl is just hilarious, this is her patented karate chop/victory fist move. She does it with random intensity every so often and we all laugh and laugh.

Carma is still pretty into the crawling thing, although over the last few days she's started taking a couple steps here and there. The boys love watching and cheering for her :).

 Carma inherited my love of Costco hot dogs and also apparently her random bangs are hereditary...

 Chuck worked on Saturday (and I may have sneaked out to see a movie with friends right when he got home...) and Sunday (and had church meetings right when he got home...) but we finally got around to celebrating with cake last night as part of Family Home Evening. After a spirited brainstorming session, the boys and I decided on a sunshine cake because A) Carma loooves being outside. Open the door a sliver and she crawls quick as lightning to get there before it's closed! and B) she's such a fun ray of sunshine in our family.

We went around the table and all talked about why we love Carma and it was so sweet to hear what the boys had to say - how much they love snuggling with her and swinging her around and playing with her. Carma is a sweetheart and darling and fiesty (her new thing is screeching, so sincerest apologies to everyone at church, yikes) and if she'd start sleeping better at night and shake the rest of her lingering stranger anxiety, she would be absolutely perfect! We love you Carma June!!

a new Rorschach test with alarming results...

Sat down at the computer to find a few old pictures for my sister-in-law aaaand two hours later, I'm still here - stuck in a wave of nostalgia and the like (and with a sore back from holding a sleeping Carma for that long...).

In the midst of scrolling through Picasa, I found pictures of Carma clearing out the kitchen towel drawer a few months ago and remembered a collage I'd made of the boys all doing the same. I pulled up the collage to add her and as I did so, I had an epiphany:

... each of these pictures reflects the child's personality to a startlingly accurate and terrifying degree.

Clyde, on the very left: pretty impressed and a little surprised by his own capabilities, confident in his sneakiness, overachiever - opting for the second drawer up instead of the bottom one, etc.

Will, second from left: going with the flow, albeit somewhat reluctantly - he seems to understand the expectation that at this developmental stage he should pull out the drawer and empty it, but is still hesitant to break the rules.

Jack, second from the right: gleefully making a mess. Knows he's caught, laughs in the face of possible consequences/discipline. Relies on his adorableness to save his hide.

And this is where it gets scary: Carma, on the very right? LOOKS JUST LIKE JACK. Her little scrunched up face of joy and happiness, even when she knows she's busted. Another picture shows her merrily waving a towel as she drops it to the ground. 

Heaven help us all; I don't know if I'm ready for two of them. Remember the old Captain Planet line about 'let our powers combine'?? I feel like Jack + Carma will eventually equal the demise of my sanity...