These new moments of mobility... exhausting!

(Video shows a little of both their early crawling styles. Braden in blue)
Nelson and Braden have both been crawling for about a month. It was very interesting to watch the progression. They always looked like little body builders as they worked up to a good crawling position and then eventually started moving forward. I loved to see them each pick a different crawling technique and start moving forward at about the same time. Nelson began crawling with his belly off the floor and his hands and knees sharing the load. Braden picked an army crawl, with his belly on the ground. He would use his entire arm to pull his body forward.

Nelson doing some body building exercises

It has been fun, and I thought being mobile would help them be even more content if they were able to get where they wanted, but I was quite wrong.  They get themselves into little predicaments all the time.  They might be stuck in between two chairs, or stranded halfway up the stairs.  While I was blow drying my hair, I caught Brayden hanging 3/4 of the way into the bathtub.  I laugh at loud when I think how funny he looked, suspended like he was.

First appeal when a baby in our family learns to crawl is the stairs.  Second appeal is the bathroom.  We have not yet had any toilet splashing, but that is only a matter of time, I'm sure.  It is awfully cute to see four little hands knocking on the shower door, since I know I left them both in their room with toys.

One day when I was holding a very newborn baby, I have a very distinct "future" memory of the boys learning to crawl and appearing around this corner.  It made me realize how fast babies grow.  (This may have been about the time I told Mike this couldn't be the last time I held one of our newborn babes in my arms.  He documented that comment for future reference I guess).

It was pretty sentimental when I saw Braden rounding the corner for the first time.

Braden (L) and Nelson eating peas.  Some of them were from Mom.  Others were from the kids' plates.  Sometimes they even crawl under the dinner table and start to beg like puppy dogs.

Getting into stickers.  It looks like one baby even gave himself a gold star.

Awfully cute all around.

I waited too long to blog about crawling... they're standing!
And I love their little scrunchy smiles!  Braden's giving a good one here.

My Husband: the Man.

Some things that make him the man.

#1 Putting his mind to something, and totally following through. Example: he finished another year with a sugar contract. How many times has he done this? Like a billion. This past episode lasted one year with 1 sugar serving a week. Doesn't sound hard to you? Try it. No syrup on your pancakes or jelly on your sandwich. Saying no at nearly every social scene and missing out on family night treats. No late night runs to the treat shop. Yeah, I tried it for a few months, and then quit so I could give enough calories to the babies in my tummy.

The pineapple-upside down cake he whipped up around midnight to celebrate the completion of another sugar contract

 #2 He's great at fixing everything in our house. Everything! My washer has broken a couple of times and he whips out the tools, pulls it apart, and puts it back together. I am always thrilled to turn in back on and hear it working, and only a little disappointed that I don't get to go shopping for new appliances. He cleans out my dishwasher when it stops working, usually finding out I am the one who jammed it up with a toothpick or something. He is currently fixing up some big holes in the wall.

hole in the wall... no more

this was back in 09 when he fixed it for the first time

 #3 He is an artist. He has turned nearly every part of this house into a home with his projects. His most recent is the table set that we were gifted. It was in great condition already, so a little paint and a refinish made it ours. The rocking chair he made for Adelyn 6 years ago is still beautiful. The kids bedroom walls look professionally done. Sometimes, I'll admit, I am jealous of his talent.

Mike with his most-useful-in-my-opinion gun

Our new to us table

#4 He makes it a habit do do super nice things for me. The most recent sacrifice, was when he got pulled over while making a quick trip to the gas station to get me a frozen yogurt. And when he runs, he uses my sensor so that my team can win Nike+ challenges. Just kidding about the running thing, I hope I infuriated someone for a second there. I know he would do anything for me, even that if I asked.

I'm in love with this man.

Go Pink Cheetahs!

I don't know anything about soccer, so it has been fun to learn right along with Adelyn this year.  Her personality on the soccer field is just as kind and sweet as it is anywhere else.  She doesn't try and get in anyone's face, but will get a great kick in if there is no one else around.  She loves being the teams defender (someone who guards the goal without hands, since they aren't allowed goalies in this league).  She likes the practices just as much as the games, and really enjoys her coaches (Anderson).  It will be fun to see if she decides that she wants to do soccer again next year.  I am so happy she was willing to try something new this year.

Bee Yourself

Apparently, the bee thought we needed another way to tell the two apart.  We chastised Michael when we saw him flick Braden in the face, but come to find out, he was just trying to get the bee off his face before it stung him.  Sadly, he was too late and the bee won that war.

Michael's Official First Day of School

After waiting for a couple weeks after Adelyn started school, Michael finally got to start school himself.  He was VERY excited.  He got up early, even though school doesn't start until noon, and got his hair combed all by himself.  He got a new school shirt, and new school shoes, which he had picked out to wear two weeks earlier.  He loves new clothes, so it just added to the thrill of the day.

Michael at the drop-off

Adelyn, picking up Michael from his classroom

The whole pick-up crew for Michael's first day

Some fun things about this year for Michael.

There are only 2 other boys in his class, and 14 girls.  Turns out his favorite subject is recess.  He is a great reader, and after being tested, they started him on chapter books, but we sent them back because all the words made his eyes too fuzzy.  Every day is the best day for him.  It is so fun!  From all I've heard his class motto is: Kindergartners use Germ-X!  He repeats it to me all the time.  They are trying to be extra careful for their classmate being treated for Leukemia.