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 -- August 2017

The end of the summer is coming and I cannot believe that this kiddo is going to be starting Kindergarten! He is so excited and so ready for this. We tried to soak up as much of the time as we could, so we did the zoo, donuts, parks and of course the pool! What a great summer we have had but here is the start of a new season! What a great kiddo!

• Had fun playing with kittens at the vet after park time with cousin and of course donuts from spinkles
• I had a headache so he came in to say "sorry that you are not feeling mommy" and kissed my head
• We had a great time going out to pick out school things, especially a pokemon lunch box!
• His reading skills have been wonderful while reading "The Gingerbread Man lost in the Zoo"
• Every time we go to the pool, he loves to make his little cousins laugh
• We went blueberry picking and Ky loved to pick his own, a whole 4.3 lbs!
• Growing up so much, he has start doing his seat belt!
• The time in the kitchen with me has been awesome, he has been prepping green beans and cracking eggs!
• For a fun daddy day, it was off to IHOP and trying all the syrup flavors
• Explored the Grandville Christian playground "working on upper-body"
• Of course the whole month was not perfect, we had to bout of stomach flu and had to cancel a play date
• To keep challenging Kyler, we worked on playing some more adult games like Blockus
• This kid was willing to get up really early to make sure to cheer me on and then run with me into the end of my Triathlon!
• Going out to breakfast at Anna's House, he kept asking "who is Anna?"
• My little boy is a great book lover and had so much fun requesting things form the library
• We had a fun time going to the park and it was so much fun to see him splashing and exploring a creek like I did as a child
• His swimming is getting better and better, swimming easily to the bottom of the pool
• Explored Binder Park Zoo and it was great to have fun seeing the Kangaroos and how close the peacocks would come!
• The Eclipse was a lot of fun and he loved checking it out
• The Hudsonville fair is always a high of the summer and this year the boys were able to get me on the Ferris wheel, even though I was the adult, Kyler was calming me down!
• Now that he is older, we are trying to only do rest times but sometimes he still needs a nap.
• It was a lot of fun to take him to see his class and figure out the bus route too!
• When it was his first day of school, he of course talked to everyone and didn't look back as he got on the bus. 

Focused climber

These two monkeys!

Donuts are so yummy!

yep, he likes donuts

Picking our fill of blueberries again!

Making some fun playdough food

Zoo adventures...the Tortoise

Always climbing this one

Hanging out on an ant

Feeding some giraffes! So tall!

Awe he loves to pet animlas

Our type of camel rides

Look I can pick it's nose!

Little guy =)

Trying to shave already? 

Made a ball mom!

My best cheerleader!

He is not afraid of the Ferris wheel like his mom

Fun at the fair

Driving a tractor!

That is one way to keep your brother safe

How is he going to kindergarten already??

Cannot believe this!

This kid...and his faces!

All decked out to go to a game with Daddy

Working hard in class

Still some of his best buddies!

Devin -- July 2017

More than half of summer is over and we had a great time this July with a wedding in Princeton, camping at the conference grounds and just hanging out as a family. It is always great to see where Devin is growing and learning. He is making great strides, maybe not as much as someone who is typical but he still is gaining and for that we are always thankful. Here are a few highlights of this past month!

• Devin loved being in Princeton but did not want to sit for a wedding so we took a long walk on the golf course
• He loved getting to sit on the golf cart and it was great to see how happy that made him
• While at the pool, he has started to kick more on his own and let go of adults too
• He loves to eat strawberries, often choosing them over many other things
• Devin still loves books and will take out a book with letters, trace them and say the sounds that they make
• Pouring water on his head for baths has always been a problem, but with brother letting him pour water on him first, Devin has started to giggle and seems to like hair washing 
• Whenever we give Dev the choice of jammies, he always seems to pick out the footie ones
• Our family loves to go to the park but Devin never wants to go to the playground, just to hike 
• We are trying to make sure that Devin knows how to do yard work, starting out with my first job, collecting the hasta flower stems
• Has been saying "Khhh" for Kyler when he wants him
• Our first night at the CRCG and he loved the pizza from Fricano's
• Unlike last year, Devin actually liked the beach and the sand. He really loved the waves
• On Monday morning there is always a fun run at the Conference Grounds, and Devin loved getting pushed in the Burley but the hills were killer with him along!
• With many people from church camping with us, it was great to have others there to pull Devin in his wagon, his favorite activity
• At the camps pool, Devin is so used to being able to play with everything that we had to make sure he didn't just help himself to other's items
• A very nice lifeguard gave him a basketball to hold
• After a long day on the beach, it was great to see him snuggled up with one of Kyler's friend playing tablet
• Having to force Devin into a shower to wash him up and clean his hair was not a great time, nor did many people in the public shower area appreciate his screaming
• Devin usually does not like ice cream but he ate it and wore a lot of it too!
• There were many different textures to walk over at the camp grounds, but he loved walking on the cobblestones the most
• Poor kiddo became sick on Friday of camping and had to go home early. Poor kid couldn't keep food down and had a fever...and our air conditioning was broken at home
• Started to really like Curious George for a short time
• Getting to be such a big boy, he now sits in a regular chair at dinner and not in the Svan chair
• Devin must have needed a little extra love because while I was responding to emails, he climbed up into my lap. 
• One of his favorite books has letters and arrows to show how to trace them. He will trace and make the letter sounds!
• Had to get a haircut but while he was facing me on my lap seemed to make a big difference!
• Rain boots are his favorite footwear and on all the time if he can help it
• He is also becoming very good at undressing himself too!
• Books are still a favorite, especially the Gingerman books by Susan Murray
• At the end of the month he was VERY excited to go to summer school and see Miss M!

Picnic at Grammy's

The door keeper

Dressed and at wedding, playing table

Our family picture

Someone liked the cake!

My sweet boys!

Snacks at the pool, always a fun time

What great shopping helpers I have 

Trumpet player? 

Cool Dude...

...and loves his Momma

Always wanting to see what Kyler is up to

Snuggling with a book 

Throwing things into the pool for Mommy to get

We love eating at Grandpa and Grandma's pool

Lovey and thumbs...so sweet

Eating my apple...all of it!

Up and down the stairs at the pool 

Helping with yard work

So snuggly

Camping at the beach!

He loves the waves

Eating my blueberries in the trailer!

Cruising around in the wagon

Pulling his wagon all over...

...then walking with mommy at the beach!

Checking out the waves

Playing in the waves too!

This kid loves the water

Hanging out with church friends

Frosting first, then cookie

Ice cream....

...and clean up!

More walking around...

...to the kiddie pool

We love water

Walking with mommy!

Woke up tired and not feeling well

Watching brother at swim lessons

Helping me with emails

Child in the corn? 

On his way to summer school

We love to sort our crayons