Selah is 4!

Selah's big day landed on a day when we were all at a cabin way way up in the mountains with friends. She has never been home on her birthday!  But we celebrated with a big party just one week later. My camera was totally useless so I don't have much to show for the party. But that's okay. We had fun. Selah and all her friends had a blast.

Things I love about Selah the 4 year old:

*She's totally spunky.
*She's the most gracious receiver of gifts. She opened gifts at her party in front of all the kids and parents and always gushed over how it was "her favorite EVER!" and she "LOVED it!"
*She's a smart little cookie. She's well on her way to being an early reader, just out of her own efforts and desire. She's constantly writing letters and sounds out words. I totally didn't see that coming.
*She CANNOT stop her body from moving and shaking when she hears any music, even in her carseat. And she shakes her hips like a hula dancer very well. I did NOT teach her that. But it is really cute. .
*She's always game. She'll try anything new, play with anyone. She's just a good-timer.
*She's a cuddler. I love it when she crawls into bed with us.
*She's my artist. She and Granny Peg like to explore that together.
*The little "hand-full" I had a year ago is less rebellious now, but still passionate about things.
*She went to most of Finn's Sunday school classes since Nate taught it, and was the first kid to memorize and recite the Lord's Prayer. She always surprises me!
*She's an awesome sister, always looking out for Serin, and always wanting to play with Finn.
*She's super stoked for another year of preschool with Ms. Anita! 

I'm excited for a another year with Selah at home with me before she's a big old kindergartener!
We love you Selah-bob!

Just a typical day with the cousins

My little graduate!

 Well, that went fast. Only a few posts ago, I was preparing Finn for his first day of kindergarten. Now, he's done. I am so happy with our choice to have Finn go to Daddy's school. His teacher was amazing. They did do a lot of work (a little too much homework if you ask me) but they had a ton of fun too. The kinder teachers used songs or rhymes or hand motions with every lesson. With their good class behavior they earned points for dance parties or hot cocoa parties. He loved it! And Finn has come a LONG way! He could hardly hold a pencil correctly on the first day and could only write his name really....(this is his writing after the first couple weeks).

And this is his writing at the end of the year.....

 And now he is reading at the middle of first grade level! But more importantly, he loves school and he loves to learn. And the love of learning is our goal, right? We are so proud of Finn.

Finn and his beloved teacher, Ms. Duong. We are so excited about the two year loop that the teachers do at CHA. He'll have Ms. Duong again next year! Yay!

Finn and Principal Monley!

This is Finn and one of his best buddies Alex. They like to act like zombies together. I love this girl. I wish I had more pics of Finn with his friends on grad day, but it was so incredibly hot that day and we had to jet out and do this to celebrate....

We are so so so proud of you Finnegan Jack and all of your hard work! Now........let the summer fun begin!

Happy Mother's Day

I have the best job in the world.

Happy 1st Birthday Serin!

This is our little Seriny-boo. She's already one and I can't believe it. She still seems very much like a baby to me, more so than Finn and Selah did at this age. (it's so hard not to compare them) But part of that is that she is still so mellow, that she just goes along for the ride and observes everything. She's just now starting to come out of her shell a bit more. She's a really content kid and a total snuggle-bug.

We celebrated her big day with a joint birthday party with cousin Muria who was visiting. It was a small gathering with the grandparents, and of course I forgot my camera!

Serin at age one:
*Loves her Mama. Loves her Dada. Loves her Selahbob. And goes berzerk with excitement every morning when she sees her Finn.
*Has taken a first step or two! But is still trying to master walking. She wants to practice with holding my one finger all the time. But still crawling everywhere or cruising along furniture.
*Loves food. Sweet potatoes and oatmeal pancakes are her favs, and all fruit. Duh.
*Says Dada if I ask her to say Mama. It always cracks the kids up on the way to school.
*Is long and lean. She's still my wee-one comparatively and she tips the scales at 19 lbs.
*She traded all that dark hair for another Monley toe head!
*She can be so serious sometimes.
*Still falls asleep a lot in the car, regardless of the nap schedule.
*Is the wiggliest baby in the world during a diaper change.
*Loves music.

Rockin out with Daddy

One swing. Two babies.

So close!

Sneaky face

We love you so much, sweet sweet Serin. We can't wait to see how you grow up this next year.

Poor poor Serin.  If she keeps it up I suspect she'll always get her way with this look.

Spring Break 2012!

 Spring Break 2012!  We used the first half of the week to speed down I5 and spend some time with Tia Lina and Uncle Mark in Orange County. We got some awesome quality time with cousin Muira. She and Serin are only 6 days apart. Practically twinsies.

Caught red-handed eating Cheerios from Muira's car seat.

We made a quick stop through Santa Ana to see my great Aunt.

And the most epic part of our trip was...the Happiest Place on Earth!

 

Finn and Selah were Disneyland rookies! And they were sooooo excited! 

Holding their tickets. They're energy was almost electric as we waited in line!

Finn looked like this most of the day - glued to the map.  He was a great guide.

That super high pony tail on top of Selah's head was by design. We weren't sure if she was tall enough to go on some of the same rides as Finn. We needed to give her a little edge. ;-)  It worked! We are so sneaky.

We met Ariel pretty early on. The kids were sort of awe-struck They sort of didn't know what to do with themselves. They just stood there staring.  It was funny.

We almost didn't venture over to the...I don't remember what it was called. There was a big stage and lots of flowers and greenery...looked like Sherwood Forest or something. Anyway, we almost didn't go in, but on our way out of the park I suggested that we check it out because we hadn't done very many princessy things for Selah's sake. As we entered the arena there were only a few kids and parents there and lots of space to run and dance around. Then I saw this purple princess-type character (I still don't recognize her from anything.....Gosh I hope she actually worked for Disney!)  just standing in the corner alone watching the kids. She caught Selah's eye. Selah started to tiptoe dancing her way over...a little unsure. Then the princess opened her arms up for a big hug invitation. It was the cutest little interaction. Then, determined to be more congenial with THIS princess, Selah ran over, stopped half way, and demonstrated a little full turn dance move for the purple lady. Trying to show the princess a thing or two I guess. Maybe she was auditioning to be a cast member. They chatted, compared sparkles and did a twinsie photo. It totally made Selah's day.

Speaking of princesses, at the end of the day we scooped up this little one who greeted us with this cute smile. She was with Tia Lina all day - the longest I had ever left her! (THANK YOU LINA!!). Disneyland would have been a whole different experience with a baby in tow.

This is Selah 3 minutes after getting in the car. Not kidding.

After our goodbyes to Mark and Lina we hopped right on the I5 for a long drive home, straight from Disneyland. We don't mind the night drives, we even look forward to it. Our secret is the always weird and pretty entertaining AM radio show Coast to Coast with George Nory. If you like hearing about crop circles, vampires and conspiracy theories, (or at least like to laugh at the crazy callers who talk about them) then tune in from 9pm-2am. It gets us through all those long drives to SB.

I'll end this post with a little clip of Selahbob enjoying some drumming entertainment at DL. Keep watching and you'll see her in all her dancing glory.