Sergeant Oliver

Oh, he is growing up so fast. This Saturday he will be 5 months old. I could start him on solids any time I want and he is beginning to sit up and also push himself across the living room in a primitive army crawl. He does this to reach the toys he now has great interest in! Boy, oh boy.

4 months & 2 years!

This week I had to take both Oliver and William for their well child check-ups. Pippa also came along because she loves to go to the doctors, plus she's too young to stay home alone. They are both looking healthy and happy, with William weighing in at a modest 29lbs and height at 34.5 inches (2' 10.5") and Oliver at 18lb 8oz and 25.6 inches. William only needed 1 shot and took it like a man with barely a cry. Oliver had 4. He also only cried for about 10 seconds. How quickly they forget! While we were there, Pippa and Will got their flu mist (inhaled flu shot!). We're now good until the end of October when Oliver needs his 6 month check.

This weekend was also Nick's birthday! We went to the Humane Society to look at the animals and then to the playground. I also made a cake and then we went over to the Johnson's house for dinner (coincidentally, not because it was Nick's birthday!). Pippa and William had so much fun playing with Ginger and Wyatt for 3 hours! They got so tired out.

Today we went to Paulina Creek to see the waterfalls, but mostly ended up playing in the shallow water. Pippa and William both love that; Pippa for the splashing and Will for the rock throwing opportunities. We saw horses, a few other people and a dog all playing in and drinking the water.

Roll on next weekend! There are so many adventures to be had in Oregon. I love this state!

Daddy's birthday carrot cake. Thanks to Martha S for the recipe!

Down stream from where we paddled

William throwing a rock!

He likes to find the biggest rock he can pick up to throw in the water.

Or log. Whatever!

Pippa and Daddy splashing each other

The horses drinking the water

Will

Labor Day weekend

Lately, William has been talking a lot. He has also become besotted with Thomas the Tank Engine. Last week he started bringing the remote to me and saying in the sweetest voice imaginable "Thomas?". I have 3 recorded on the DVR so I now know each by heart. Thank goodness for Netflix Watch Instantly. There are a few DVDs on there too! Only today he does the same thing but says "Lets watch Thomas, watch Thomas?". Next week he'll be saying "No, I don't want to watch Dora right now. I'd like to watch Thomas, please. Here's the remote for you to change the channel."

Have I ever mentioned how much William likes to jump and throw himself around? Pippa taught him how to jump when he was about 16 months old, and he's been taking every opportunity to jump ever since. Now he has begun to expand his gymnastic ambitions to include headstands. That's right, headstands. He like to put his head down and flip his legs in the air. I have also shown them how to do it up against a wall.

Bedtime gymnastics session, trying to tire them out!

William. He wasn't leaning up against the wall here.

Pippa loving her baby brother.

We also moved Pippa and William into the same room a few weeks ago. It's been going fine and they are falling asleep quicker than they were at first now the novelty has worn off a bit. However, for the past week every time we have looked in on them they have been curled up next to each other on Pippa's bed. It's very sweet and Pippa LOVES having William there to play with!

Pippa and William sleeping in the same bed. This was 10 pm in the dark.
It's the flash that makes it look like day!

So far we've been enjoying our Labor Day weekend. We visited Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery yesterday in the rain, and today was so windy so we went to a local school and flew a kite. Pippa was really good at it and William...well, he loves the idea! Now I have to go and enjoy my evening! We are finally at the point where Oliver goes down at the same time (or before) Pippa and William, and the nights are getting darker sooner so we can get away with earlier bedtimes. It feels so good to have 3-4 hours without children around.

So much fun!

We've been having lots of fun this Summer. We've had Grandma Tutu here for a lot of it, and Nana and Grandad Eden visited for a couple of weeks. In between visits and vacations and car buying, we've been trying to relax at home.

It was William's 2nd birthday on August 22nd (HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE GUY!), and Oliver is practically crawling! I can't believe he's only 4 months old. He's rolling and pushing right up on his arms. He's kicking his legs and looks like he will start army crawling any time.


Oliver rolling. Okay, so he's been doing it for a few weeks now and he's getting really good!

William talks quite a lot. He seems to be saying more phrases, occasionally putting 2 or 3 words together. Everyday it's a little more, just like how Pippa was.

Pippa, well, she's Pippa! She's such a good girl and only wants to make everyone around her happy. She has her moments, but they are few and far between.

I have so many photos from the past few months. I'll post just some for ya!

In the yard

Mmmm, mint-filled brownie cupcakes

Oliver. Smiliest baby ever. Seriously, I have so many pictures of him smiling, I couldn't decide which to post!

I love my kids. They are the absolute best!

Holy Busy Summer!

We haven't really stopped this Summer. We've been busy with visits from Pappy, from Tutu, from Claudia and Brian and in a week or so from Nana and Grandad Eden. Everyday we've been visiting either the library, the High Desert Museum, the Childrens Museum, the bouncy place, the playground or Costco. It's hot and there is so much fun to be had! This past weekend we visited Portland and the coast and had 4 jam-packed days of fun. The kids had a blast.

Oliver is now just over 3 months old, but feels older to me! He lifts his head, smiles, holds his weight on his chubby legs and tonight weighed about 17lbs! He is wearing mostly 9 month clothes, and sometimes 12 month! I need to get some more recent photos of him when I'm not wearing him in the Ergo carrier. Poor kid. That's what you get for being the 3rd.

William is saying hundreds of words. He points to everything and tells you what it is. Everything. I'm pretty sure he said a sentence the other day...'there's a bus on the water'. He also enjoys screaming when he gets excited and whining when he doesn't get what he wants. He's in his terrible 2's full swing.

Pippa is a fully functioning child. Now completely out of diapers she is a big girl! She is super sweet to her brothers and keeps saying she loves Oliver and that we should keep him. Erm, yes!

All-in-all, I have some pretty cute kids. I'm trying to keep them that way.

At Seaside, OR

At the Children's Museum

Oliver a couple of weeks ago. 3 months old.

Oliver discovers his thumb!

Ah, Oliver is a doll. He is one of the sweetest, happiest and calmest 3 babies I have ever known. He usually sleeps for a 4-5 hour block at night (which means I do!), and doesn't really cry but rather makes these little noises that let you know when he's hungry or uncomfortable. As long as he's fed and dry he is a happy boy. He's beginning to smile now too, although it's not that frequent yet and I haven't been able to get any photographic evidence of it. What I do have photographic evidence of is Oliver sucking his thumb. Over the last couple of days he has been doing it a lot, so I'm thinking he may be another Pippa. Here it is:


I also have a video of the thumb-sucking. It's basically a minute of him sucking his thumb, kind of like one of those paintings in Hogwarts where the portraits move and blink and twitch and talk, but essentially it's just like a picture. Whatever. I enjoy watching it!



Also, just for the record, I have lots I want to blog about and even more photos. I also have 3 very small and demanding children who, with the light evenings and excitement of pooping on the potty, won't go to sleep at a reasonable hour. Once I do get some peace I use it to sleep.

Just for a real quick update, we have been busy trying to get out and do some things. I can walk again, I have more energy than I had for the whole of the pregnancy, and the weather is getting good. We have been to playgrounds, out for short hikes, Nick got a bike trailer and has been taking Pippa and William out 'bike trailering', we've been back to the High Desert Museum a couple of times, to Bouncing off the Walls, to the library storytime and of course to Costco and Safeway. Martha Stewart's new Cupcakes book came out at the beginning of June, so we have been testing out some of those recipes (they rock!). Plus, all the kids nap at the same time right after lunch everyday, so I've been getting a LOT of naps. I know that this will not last too much longer though :( I will post photos from the last 7 weeks soon. Hopefully it won't be 7 weeks from now, although I do have a new sewing machine I want to put through its paces...

Welcome New Baby Oliver!

On April 26th, at 10.55pm, little Oliver David Reese was born after a fairly quick and manageable labor. He is perfect and weighed 8lb, 9oz. We are now all home settling in with baby Oliver.

Here are some photos for you...

Mummy just about to go to the hospital

Daddy meeting baby Oliver

Reese family shot!

Reese kids