The pressure begins

We have decided that my dad and stepmom need to move here.  My stepmom is in complete agreement, so now we have to convince my dad.  Here is my first attempt.  This is the kind of love he will be walking into.

And can you really say no to this face?

The 1st and the 4th

No picture to go with the post.  I have video, but not techie enough to download it from the camcorder to the computer. I was too afraid to run back in and grab the camera, for fear of missing the experience.  Anders was napping, worn out from his Texas trip, and Myann had gone to a friend's house to play.  So only Shane and Laila were up and I was on the computer tagging home remodel ideas (don't ask) and Brian was searching for the next flight with a kid (it is never ending).  Shane asked if he could get Laila dressed to play ball outside with him.  Yes, my almost 8 year old wanted to go play outside with his almost 20 month old sister.  Heart melt.  So of course we said yes.  Shane then took Laila upstairs to pick out her clothes and dress her.  He did a pretty good job. Then he put shoes on her and a coat and out they went.  The ball playing only lasted a minute, so he began walking her around our driveway.  Then he asked if he could walk her to the mail box and back.  That is when Brian called me to the window to watch the perfect scene, older brother holding little sister's hand as they walked on the sidewalk in front of our house. Heart melt.  I ran for the video camera because I wanted to capture her tiny foot steps trying to keep up with his bigger steps.  It was perfect, sweet, heart warming, and every other wonderful adjective you could imagine.   He loves her, that is nothing new, but walking her so patiently, so kindly just made this mommy's heart swell.

Laila's Well Check

Laila's 19 month appointment

Weight: 20 lbs 1 oz (23%)
Height: 30 1/2 inches (25%)
Head circ: 18 1/2 inches (75%)

Laila is growing up too fast for my baby.  She is hitting all her milestones, except she is not talking very much in a language we understand.  She has A LOT to say, but it is all mumbling.  She does have about 10 words.  I told the doctor I was a bit concerned and he said not to worry until her 2 year appointment.  Well Laila did not appreciate me talking smack about her, so she decided to say 2 new words when we got home.  She showed me.

Myann and Shane stats

Shane stats 7 1/2 years old
Weight 58 lbs (75%)
Height 50 1/2 inches (75%)
BMI 16 (50%)

Shane is our amazing kid and biggest helper.  He is a tad bit obsessed with his "screens" but we work with it. He loves his books and reads through series faster than I can keep up. He is partially through the Percy Jackson series and picks up the random other series here and there.

Myann stats 6 years old
Weight 46 lbs (50%)
Height 46 inches (50%)
BMI 15.4 (50%)

Myann is our best hope so far for a cleaner and organizer in the family. She loves to clean once she gets going. She is the only child who regularly cleans her room without being asked and makes her bed everyday without being asked. She is quickly learning to read and enjoying the new world that reading opens up to her.

Some kids see figures in clouds...

Some kids see clouds shaped liked horses or puppies, well Anders sees poop shaped liked families.  I am so thankful the kid finally potty trained, but I am slightly fearful every time he poops, I have to get a description of who or what his poop looks like.  Quit reading now if you are already disgusted.  But this is too funny to not save for posterity.  I fully intend to embarrass him one day as he rereads this in his teenage years. So today his poop was a family, a mommy, daddy, and baby.  2 larger turds and one small one.  Last night he had a baby Laila poop, a single small poop.  Yesterday morning it was a giant whale poop - I will leave that to your imagination. Honestly I can not remember the first poop he described, but it started about 2 weeks ago, and since then I am forced to look at his poop and listen to what he thinks they look like before he flushes.  The have been puppies, green bushes, superheroes.... (thankfully I have blocked out most of them). Tomorrow I am worried after he ate an entire can of black olives this afternoon.  I do not recall reading this in the "mom" job description.  So every time my stomach slightly lurches when I am forced to look at his poop, I remind myself that I could be changing his enormous diaper, so I am thankful.    

Anders' 4 year stats

Anders and Laila had a combined well check up.
Anders is still our big boy.  He has really thinned out, but he is rock solid. Still sweet as can be.  He is learning to write his name, but may sign like daddy, since he seems to only care about the first and last letters. 

Weight:  44 lbs.  (90%)
Height:  42 1/4 inches (90%)
BMI: 17.25 (85%)

He is still a charmer and continues his, "You are the best (insert title here) ever!" 

Laila's 15 month stats

Laila started walking about 2 weeks ago.  It was pretty exciting and she has been quite proud of herself. 

Her doctor appointment today went well. She is still our little bean.
Weight: 18 lbs. 3 oz. (25%)
Height: 29 1/2 inches (25%)
Head circ: 18 1/2 (80%)

She still has a big head. I guess she needs a big head for those big eyes.

She thinks she is such a big girl and can do anything the big kids can do now.