Sport is 3!!

The countdown to Sport's birthday really begins after Colt's birthday, but we built up a lot of anticipation in those five days.  

The morning of his birthday, I heard Sport calling to me from his bed so I went in and reminded him that it was his birthday.  He shot out of bed, pushed me out of the way, kicked the balloons we had placed outside his door, and raced into the living room where he screeched to a halt and asked, "Where's me burfday present?"

We planned to attend a Halloween party in the evening of Sport's birthday, so instead of choosing a birthday dinner, I let him pick out breakfast and lunch instead.  

And that's how I ended up making Mac & Cheese at 8 am.

Because we had a birthday cake to finish and party treats to make, we had lots of sweets kicking around the house.  Sport made a point of enjoying them all and reminding us that he could because it was his "happy burfday day".

Sport sampled the black frosting we used for Dora's hair.

He also got to lick the brownie batter off all the cooking utensils.

Birthday bliss.

After a lunch of apples, broccoli, and cheese and crackers (all Sport's request), we brought out the Dora birthday brownies.  Sport was completely adamant that he have a "Dora burthday".  You gotta give the people what they want...a Dora cake and a Diego toy.
He was thrilled.  He even made up a little song that went something like this..."Me gotta Dora cake, and its awesome, and I'm three and me gotta Dora cake. Yah! Yah! Yah!"

Sport's Dora cake.

 After treats, we finished off the afternoon jumping on the trampoline and throwing balls around.  Then we all dressed up and headed to our Halloween party where Sport enjoyed more treats and a horrifying spook alley.
It was a great day!

Colt is 5!

Colt has been super excited to turn five.  He had a great birthday.  The only downfall...he knows he starts school when he is five, so he really thought he would be able to go to Kindergarten the day after his birthday.  It's going to be a long 10 months.

The Thursday before his birthday, Colt got to invite some friends over for a "party", aka a play date with cupcake snacks.  He invited over all 3 Linford girls and played house.  He really is a good sport.

Batman cupcakes.  Also, Colt did his hair completely by himself.  He used two brushes and squished his hair into a Mohawk.

His actual birthday.

A Batman cake.  See his shirt?  A new Batman button-up from Grandma C.  Notice a pattern here?  

We opted out of an official pinata and filled balloons with candy instead.  Then we let the boys throw push pins and sharp pencils at the them.  Yep, we did that.

Late...Sissy's Nine Months Stats

Breeze at 9 months
Weight - 18 lbs 12 oz (10th percentile)
Height - 28 inches (25th percentile)
Head - 50th percentile

Breeze started taking steps on her own at 10 months!!
(Disclaimer-she can take 10+ steps at one time, but she prefers to crawl) 

Silly Stories

Dash's 1st grade teacher gives paper money as part of a reward system.  The kids earn money throughout the week and then on Friday they get to "buy" things from her class store.  Within the first couple days of school, Dash had collected quite a little pile of money so he made himself a wallet out of construction paper and tape.  He was so proud of his creation that he decided to offer his services to his classmates...at a price.  He began telling his friends in class that he would make them a paper wallet for one Caught Being Good buck.  After the first day of business, he announced on our walk home that he had already made a sell!  He was elated with his success.  "First day and I already got a customer!"  As often happens, business slowed a bit after his Grand Opening, but he soon found a way to take advantage of some free advertising.  One day during Show-and-Tell he displayed his wallets to his classmates and detailed his prices.  Bingo! Two more orders!

A couple of weeks ago the boys were playing with their train set in their bedroom.  When it was time to pick up I was helping them box the pieces into the three separate containers.  Dash preferred to stack certain items together, but they just weren't fitting and so I repeatedly suggested we try it a different way.  Finally, Dash tossed the pieces into the other box and sarcastically said, "There. Are ya happy?"  A couple of raised eyebrows and a stern "Excuse me?!" from me immediately shamed him and he was all regret and apology.  Colt, on the other hand, completely missed my signals.  Instead, Colt repeated, rather loudly and slowly, "Dash said, 'There. Are.You. Happy?'"

Last month Sport came down with a mystery illness that had him feverish and miserable for several days in a row.  I could never pin down what was making him sick, so one night while he was soaking in a bath I tried again to diagnosis him by asking him about his symptoms.
"Does your throat hurt?"
"No."
Does your belly hurt?"
"No."
"Honey, what's wrong?"
(In tears and wailing.) "I think my hearts missing and I really neeeed it!"

There is no way around it, Sissy is a trouble maker.  She is always throwing dirt out of the potted plants, shredding tissues, or climbing into the dishwasher.  But don't worry, she knows right from wrong.  Whenever we catch her in the act, she frantically shakes her head No...and continues on with her business.  In addition to this, she is learning about sharing.  She knows perfectly well that she hates it.  If Sport is on my lap she will shove at him and scream and if I am reading her a story, she doesn't want anyone else around.  And she defends her territory by whacking intruders on the head with her sweet little fists.

Soccer!!

September = Soccer!  Dash and Colt both played soccer this fall and so most weeks we spent at least four days on the soccer sidelines.  In fact, I even coached Colt's team of five 4 year old boys.  Both boys did so well and even ended up some of the best players on their teams.  And I drastically increased my vocal endurance (1 full hour of "Turn around, our goal is this way!"  "Oops, don't pick up the ball."  "Snacks are for after the game!"  "No pushing!"  "Lets play Ninja Turtles later, okay?"  "Goal!")

Colt making his move.  Colt was a key player on my team.  I dreaded the periods he had to take his turn sitting out because when he was playing I knew we stood a chance.  He probably scored 85% of our teams' goals!

My pep talks.

Dash making his move.  Dash was for sure a key player on his team as well.  He learned scored and passed and was a great defender.  His coach repeatedly told us he was named well.

Dash throwing in the ball.

During one of Dash's games, Brandan and I noticed a group of boys gathered around Sis.  She had them wrapped around her finger and then we noticed her main form of entertainment was pulling her shirt over her head.  Brandan nearly passed out.

Brandan's Birthday!

As happens every year, the boys were much more excited for Brandan's birthday than he is even capable of being.  We stuffed balloons with candy and hid his present, so well in fact, that it took a week for us to find it again.  Brandan had a football jamboree the day of his birthday and the boys both had soccer games.  Grandma and Grandpa Madsen came over for the weekend to attend it all and help us celebrate.  I think it was as good a day as the boys all hoped it would be.

Blowing the candle out on the birthday cinnamon roll.  Brandan spent the day at football games and his face paid for it.  And how cute is Sissy peeking around Daddy's shoulder?

First Day of School