B-I-B-I-B

Laekin still yells bye-bo, but she says B-I-B-I-B also when singing the BIBLE.  So cute!! 

Laekin also started calling Brandt "Bubbey."  I think she is trying to say Buddy, which is what we call him a lot, but I think I like Bubbey better. 

Lucy finished school for the year, and we are now enjoying summer vacation.  I can't believe I have a 2nd grader.  So thankful she loves school, but we are also so thankful for a break.  Now if these storms would stop so we could actually enjoy the pool...

Boo-Boo

The other night we were outside riding bikes and scooters.  Lucy headed down the hill on her scooter and somehow it wiped out on her and she ended up with a cut on her knee.  We went inside to clean it up.  Lucy sat on the kitchen floor while I worked on cleaning it up, and Laekin kept walking over to Sissy, wrapping her arms around her and saying "boo-boo."  I think she gave her about 5 hugs, and then all of a sudden she had this look like I've got it.  She popped her binky out of her mouth and said "bop" as she stuck it in Lucy's mouth.  It was so funny.  You know she was thinking, this always works for me when I get hurt.  It was very sweet and tender-hearted.  Mama's like to see that!  Lucy started laughing so hard that she stopped crying... so it did work!!

More Words

Laekin has been saying Bible for a while, but now it is quite clear...she says "Bye-Bo"  and it is precious!!  We ask her to say it a lot.  She also yells bye-bye very loud when someone is leaving.  She gets so excited when Mike gets home from work, and then will smack her lips at him for a kiss.  She loves phones.  So in the morning, as soon as she sees Daddy's phone she yells "bo" for phone and wants to go and give it to him.  Laekin will sign thank you and please most of the time, but sometimes she says "sha shu" for thank you and "ye peas" for yes, please.  Such sweet sounds to fill our home with!!

Laekin loves her mommy and she won't be interested in sitting on my lap, but if Lucy or Brandt is, she comes marching over and puts up her arms for me to pick her up too.  I was holding Lucy on my lap, I pulled up Laekin and set her next to me on the couch and she took her little hand and started pushing on Lucy saying "moo" for move.  She had her eyebrows furrowed and she meant business.  Mike sat their laughing with his face in his shirt, and I somehow kept it together to tell her to say sorry to sissy and to not push. 

Lucy's 7

Lucy had her 7th birthday.  It's hard to believe that she can be 7.  She was so excited for her birthday.  Daddy took the day off...had a big breakfast, played, went out for lunch and got ready for the big party.  We had 30 people over, and Lucy's 3 best friends spent the night.  Lucy requested Grandma's lasagna, my stuffed shells, salad and homemade rolls.  She also wanted a key lime pie, an apple pie, a cherry pie, ice cream and cupcakes.  Thankfully, Grammy and Grandma helped out and each made a pie.  The cupcakes we decorated to look like an ice cream cone.  Lucy and Brandt helped decorate them to look like ice cream they liked.  It turned out really cute.  We had a pinata, which you could say is not a good idea when there are so many kids of different ages.  It got a little wild!  Her 3 friends spent the night, so we made beds in the living room, they watched Mary Poppins, and fell asleep pretty fast.  The next morning we had a tea party in the dining room with my china.  I made cinnamon rolls, fruit salad and blueberry tea.  The girls dressed up, well some of them, and had fun drinking tea out of fancy cups.  We then painted toenails and then it was time for their mama's to get them.  Lucy had a great time!  It was fun to watch her open presents because she was so grateful for each one.  It's amazing to see how each year she becomes more of a lady.  I am so thankful for another year with our beautiful princess.  I am so grateful to be her teacher and have her home as my helper.  She helps fold clothes, make beds, take care of Laekin and Brandt, and even helps in the kitchen sometimes.  Lucy you are a joy and your smile truly reflects the love of Jesus in it!  Love you sweet girl.

Sympathy or maybe not...

Brandt got in trouble the other day and had to stand in the corner.  He was crying so hard while standing in the corner.  Laekin walked up next to him, put her head against the wall like she was in the corner and started to fake cry.  Brandt thought she was being sympathetic, but I'm not too sure.  It was funny!

Brandt

Brandt has a workbook that we do for school everyday.  He has learned how to write the whole alphabet and all their sounds.  We read a book the other day and he was able to sound out 2 letter words.  It's very exciting that he is beginning to see how letters go together to form words.  We are now working on writing out numbers.  He does very well and sticks to his work until he is finished, which is about 4 pages.  He will get distracted and start drawing at the top of his page or something, but he always finishes his work before getting up.  He loves to play with Daddy's remote control "hallacopter."  He loves to eat "tummus" and I am finding there aren't too many more words that he can't say correctly, which is sad.  He's growing up!  Brandt also LOVEs short-sleeve shirts.  I think everyday he asks if it will be warm enough to wear short-sleeve.  He tells me he likes to be cold.  He can be rough and tough and he can be very tenderhearted and cry easily.  He's a sweet boy who has a lot of love to give!  I love you, Buddy!

Laekin

Laekin is changing so much and getting so big.  She is saying more words, like Bible, book, Lucy, Buddy (comes out Bubba), and yup.  When we rock before sleep she will look at me and nod her head up and down, which means, sing the B-I-B-L-E.  She will look at the camera and say "cheese" but you better catch it because she will move on to something else.  She loves to rub her dirty hands through her hair after she finishes eating.  She loves to throw things away.  She will blow in and out of her nose, which means I need to blow my nose.  So she will blow and then go throw the tissue away.  If she sees little pieces of paper on the floor, we will hear her throwing them away.  She loves to color, and has finally stopped eating crayons and just colors with them.  She will take a piece of paper and crayon and lay on her tummy and scribble.  It's cute!  She loves to sit on the kitchen counter while I am chopping vegetables or fruit.  She says "ahhh" with her mouth wide open whenever she wants a bite of anything.  When I tell the kids to go get their shoes on, she will go get hers and bring them to me, and her coat too.  She follows commands so well, and is at such a fun age.

The other day, she was throwing a fit, so Mike said "do you need to go stand in the corner?"  She nodded her head yes and walked over and stood in the corner.  It was so funny!  She has had to spend some time in the corner for biting or hitting, but she does a great job of waiting there until I say she is done.  Then she will give hugs to whomever she hurt.

Laekin will also hold her hands up in the air with her eyes big and her mouth open, like I don't know, when you ask her where something is.  Then she will go and look for them.  Yesterday, she was playing in Brandt's room, then came down and her socks were off.  I asked her where they were.  She put those chubby little hands up in the air and looked at me like where did they go.  She left the room and a little while later she came running to me with her socks and was so proud of herself that she found them.  I was pretty amazed because most times when she goes to look for something, mid-way up the stairs she forgets and heads back down.  She is such a joy!!  I love you, Laekin!!