Devin -- August 2017

Another summer has flown by and with both Devin and Kyler in full days this fall I am not sure how I am going to be spending my time, but my guess is that I will fill it with not problems. We spent the end of the summer together enjoying time at the pool, outside and just being together. Devin had summer school, which of course he LOVED and LOVES his teachers. I am so grateful for all those wonderful people who love on my kiddos while I am not with them. Here are just a few highlights from this month.

• Whatever is offered for a snack, Devin will almost ALWAYS pick apples first
• After almost a year in Miss M's class, it is great to hear how he is being such a good leader
• Picking blueberries meant lots of walking and eating
• He loves to take the yoga mat to me and have me roll him up in it
• "Da" has become so much clearer!
• Will sometimes wake up so upset and just cannot calm himself down. 
• Giggles at certain phrases in books like "tip-top" in Mr Seahorse
• He loves to wake up early and takes all the decals off the walls in his room. 
• During church he will often open and close doors but also try to escape so the times of nursery are at an end
• Had a great time with water day at school
• After getting bored with taking the decals off his walls, he started to unzip his bed rail!
• We explored Rush Creek park and he loved to walk around in the creek
• Most kids like playdoh but Devin just likes to stack the containers
• We visited Binder Park zoo and loved going on the train, he even pet a goat
• Has learned to take his shirt off over and over again
• At the pool he knows just what to do and he will often go over and get his swimmie himself!
• He loved the Hudsonville Fair again, and this time he wanted to ride on the ferris wheel as well as giggled with his brother when doing the cars that wipe around
• Continues to push or ride his tricycle but does not seem interested in doing the balance bike or the big wheel
• He helped me to decorate cupcakes and later it was fun to snuggle UNDER the blankets
• Dev loves to bring things onto the deck with him, like blankets and remotes
• School started and I had to bring your brother to his bus stop which meant you stayed home in your room, making Duncan very upset
• We visited your classroom and it was great to see you go and hug all your teachers right away. 
• Your second year of school started and this year you ride the bus with Mr Greg who is such a sweet man! We just have to learn to wait for the bus now
• 
  

Blueberry Picking 

Snuggling with Daddy

Playing in the water at summer school!

We love a slinky

This kiddo, melts my heart

Hiking always

He loves to be near his brother

Keeping mommy safe on the Ferris Wheel

His favorite ride with his favorite brother

They all love pokemon...

...and each other!

Just hanging out like a gentleman

Does not want a picture of the first day back at school

Popping bubbles waiting for the bus

So ready to get going to school!

Kyler -- May 2017

This kid always makes life so much fun and busy. I cannot believe that he is going to be in kindergarten next year! Time really does fly. We are all excited to get outside more and enjoy the sunshine. Kyler has loved getting to ride his bike more and more, maybe soon we will get rid of his training wheels too! Here are some of the fun adventures we had this month! 

• Excited to ride in a Booster Seat in the car now!
• Loves to do Color by Numbers!
• Grandma took Kyler to the park so that I could take care of his sick brother
• He loves to be in the tub for "relaxing"
• Library time and picked out Pokemon chapter books!
• Had fun surprising Daddy at Calvin for his Professor of the Year award. He wanted to sit in class with the students but that might have been distracting
• While I run on the treadmill, he cheers me on!
• At Wendy's he loves to drink the mango iced tea
• During reading time he was being quiet and told me that "I am reading in my mind mommy"
• Took a long bike ride all the way to Grandpa and Grandmas house! 
• Had the stomach flu and had to take a bucket in the car to drop brother off at school
• When feeling better, told me that he was proud of Jesus because after praying He had healed him
• Due to being sick, Kyler had to miss out on soccer and a field trip
• Had a great time reading outside for a picnic.
• Talked with teachers about what would be best for schooling next year, skip kindergarten? 5 day or 4 day? We decided to do 4 day kindergarten
• Had a great time at the playground with Daddy and did the monkey bars all by himself
• When Devin received a big boy bed, it was cute to see Kyler wanting to read to him in there
• I came home from a long run and told Kyler that I was stubborn and did not want to give up to which he said "Don't say that about yourself mommy, your perfect!"
• Tried wearing my Fitbit and had so much fun running around with it to gain 10.000 steps!
• Made apple pizza snacks
• Had fun exploring a park and jumping right into the creek with lots of splashing!
• While stretching I often employ Kyler to walk on my back...feels so good!
• Helped me to pick out plants and put them in the soil
• Last day of Preschool and we all headed out to play on the big kids playground!
• Went to Wedgewood Park and had fun feeding the ducks, but the geese were a bit scary
• Preschool graduation was super cute and later he picked out a stuffed Pokemon called Flareon and then went to watch Boss Baby the movie!
• Kyler could live on popcorn and slushies
• Ryan and Ky are really competitive when playing Mario Kart
• Memorial Day parade fun and even shared with other little kids that did not get much
• He is growing up so much by helping with trimming bushes and later roasting his own hot dog over the fire!
• He was super kind to Duncan in the bath and kept telling him that he was his favorite dog of all time
• Had a great time breaking a large ice cube to "excavate" toys

A bit messy eating? 

I guess we are just messy???

Poor kiddo was so sick and had to still ride to drop his brother off at school

Feeling better and enjoying some Pokemon cards!

Snuggling on the deck, not as happy as Dev

Having fun jumping on the mattresses

Having fun making apple pizzas

What a creative kiddo

Someone likes to play in the water

My Biggby buddy! 

The Legos begin here!

He kept working on them! 

Playground fun with old neighbor =) 

Playing in the river...

...and getting wet

Helping me in the garden! 

Feeding the ducks, lots of fun

Look at this kiddo and his soccer form

Ice cream bigger than him! 

His graduation gift...Flareon to the movies!

Reading to watch a movie

Graduation Goofiness

What a cute...

...preschool graduate!

Hiking...

and explroing

Playing in the water to experiment 

Excited for the Memorial Day Parade

My silly boy with his first Lunchable

Silly kiddos, love to be next to each other

first soccer season done!

Excavating ice cubes

Kyler -- May 2015

Kyler has official become a 3 and a HALF year old. He has been such a helpful and fun kiddo. One thing that has become very apparent this month is that he is a very encouraging kiddo. He rode Sandy at Meijer and actually told her, "you are doing great!" and when we saw a caterpillar in the parking lot he was telling it, "keep going little guy." The best encouragement was around Memorial day when he was playing catch with Great Grandma Van Dyke and she mentioned that she couldn't do it so he said "just keep trying Grandma, you can do it." Even with all the encouragement though, he does have times when he is really difficult and can be very stubborn. He does not always listen and when he is asked to do things he can be very stubborn and will refuse, shout and run to "calm down."
Here are a few other highlights from the month:

• Loves to build towers with his brother and it is so cute to see them sharing
• Went to a Calvin softball game and enjoyed an ice cream time with Daddy afterwards. 
• At church the little kids were singing and before they finished, Kyler stepped forward and said into the microphone "How about we sing Deep and Wide?"
• Had a fun time with students here and when he came up from his nap, he kept asking where the students were.
• Helped me to plant the flowers we grew from seeds back in February and has loved helping me water them and pointing out the colorful flowers that bloom
• Loves to make letters out of his noodles from his soup
• When he walked home without me and he knew he was not supposed to go that far from me, he hid in the CR-V because he knew he was making a bad choice
• When he came home from running errands with Daddy, he got really upset and started crying because he could not find me in the house
• Had a great time with family visiting and had so much fun with the book from Grammy and Papa (The Book with No Pictures).
• We had a great time heading out and getting fresh donuts before visiting goats and even a horse at the Post Family Farm
• Still loves to wash his cars in the sink
• His appetite is often high and low, eating not much and then 3 bowls of cereal for breakfast
• Has loved going on walks and actually walking Duncan when we are on the sidewalk. He does a really good job and it is so fun to watch him and Duncan jogging down the sidewalk together
• He has discovered how much fun to blow/pick off dandelion seeds. 
• We had a lot of fun discovering animals like a toad which peed on me so he did not want to touch it and a chipmunk that we fed peanuts by our slider.
• We took the kiddie pool out and he loved to splash and use the slide even though it was cold. 
• After having a total melt down outside and turning around after a walk, he went to calm down in his room and when I went to talk to him, found him already asleep at 11:30.
• Has loved to paint lately and has been working on writing/painting all of his letters!
• Enjoyed riding his balance bike with his Daddy and checking out all of the drains
• Went with Ryan out to Calvin to watch a Chemistry demonstration and later going to Yesterdog for the first time
• Ryan buried dinosaurs in his sandbox and he had a great time "digging" them up
• Had a great time playing in a sprinkler in the front yard
• We had so much fun at the Memorial day parade and often shouted "please give me candy."
• After filling out paperwork, we went to deliver it to his new school and he was just so excited!
• We tried out the splash pad for the first time and he had so much fun running around and enjoying the water
• Went to his first birthday party for a friend
• Helped me to plant our vegetables in the garden after picking them out
• Had a great time playing hide and seek in a huge diaper box, always the best toys!

Little Cardinals fan

Hanging out with big bear!

Loves his Daddy

Still loves his letters

Hanging out with his buddy Cohen at the Calvin Baseball Game!

Hanging out with the cheese

Someone loves his ice cream

Cute Whale Skeleton Jammies

Aunt Britani and Uncle Charlie!

Riding Sandy after getting groceries

Painting fun!

Someone is starting to get into writing letters

Na, Na, Na, Na, Na,Na, Na,...Batman!

Playing with Play-doh

First time at Yesterdog with Daddy

Ate the Whole Hotdog!

Waiting for the parade to start

"Please can you give me some candy?"

Playground fun!

Who doesn't love a big box?