Soccer Season.....

Miles did Spring Soccer this year.

I was kind of nervous to sign him up, he had just turned 4.

He said he wanted to do it, so we signed him up and it was quite the experience for EVERYONE!

 I will start off by saying that Miles cried the entire first soccer practice.

In his defense, it was 40 degrees out.

The kids on his team ranged from  ages 4-6 and he was thee youngest by far. 

But OUI, it was rough.

But he was all smiles on the way to his first game.

So we were excited for him. 

The smiles turned to tears as soon as we got out of the car and he clung to our legs on the side line.

But some how we got him to go on the field and asked that he just try and kick the ball once!

He did the kick off and that was a small victory--he kicked the ball.

The second game, there were no tears but just pouting...
But hey, he was ON the field-not clinging to our legs.

The third game he warmed up with his team and was participating.

But decided to sit IN the goal with his friend Tyson during the game. 

Then we finally told him if he would play in the game and NOT cry, and TRY, and KICK the ball we would go to Yougurtland....

Well guess what?

He didn't cry, he tried, and he kicked that ball.

He got in the mix and tried!

He'd run over to us super happy, and we give him high fives and he'd get "energy" (water) and run back out to play.

We would cheer for him and Andie was completely entertained with Miles soccer ball.

Am I above bribery?
Nah.
It's an incentive.
He got his treat...
every week he got his treat!

On his last game he got a medal,

 and he was so excited about it.

When we were driving to Yogurtland to celebrate he said

"I'm lucky at myself"

I asked "lucky at what?"

he said "Im lucky at myself for my medal"

2 seconds later I realized what he meant

So I said "are you proud of yourself for you medal?"

and he said "yes, I'm proud of myself"

We are too.

This was really hard for him to branch out of his comfort zone and not give up.

I asked him if we signed him up too early and asked if we should have waited til he was older and he    said YES!

So were taking a break from soccer.

A long break.

But he still wants to wear his cleets in the front yard and kick the ball with his daddy.

I'm 100% okay with that! 

We love you Miles and are proud of you.

An 8 Month old Andie

This fun baby is 8 months old.

Her eyes are so blue and her smile is so big!

Andie is so fun.

I swear with each month her personality comes out a little more.

And every month I say "she's so fun!" ...

well....She IS!!!

She is on the move...constantly.

She crawls faster and faster every day.

She has found Magnus and squeals when she sees him.

She uses his collar/skin to hold on so she doesn't fall. 

She is starting to pull herself up on big or small things.

I do not want an early walker.

NO BABY!   

 

 She is starting to make messes.

 I have to close the wipes or she'll pull each one out individually.

 She finds every paper and eats it.

She loves drinking from her sippy!

She drinks and drinks and when she stops it all falls out of her mouth and she takes a huge breath of air.

It's hilarious.

She is getting ROLLS on her thighs.

This brings me so much joy.

She loves the bath!

I'm not sure how I even captured this, usually she has a washcloth in a death grip in her mouth sucking in the filthy water.

I know, it's gross.

But she screams if you take it away.

Silly girl.

She is saying gagagagagaga

She does make the BUH and DUH sound but follows it with gagagagaga.

She loves cottage cheese, sweet potatoes, and avocados. 

She doesn't like baby food-so we mash up soft foods and she goes for it.

She can use her pincer grasp but she prefers handfulls

She doesnt like being put in her carseat-but is easily distracted. 

She is so hard to get dressed.

She is a mover and shaker.

She thinks Miles is hilarious.

She is starting to give open mouth kisses.

Starting to follow the command "come here.'

Holds her arms up when she wants UP.

Happy 8 months baby girl.

....now if we can sleep through the night....

 

Indian Canyons

We have had quite a bit of rain here in Southern California.

We're still in a drought BUT we have been getting some rain.

And with lots of consecutive rainy days there isn't much we can do OUTSIDE.

So one day we decided to chase some sunshine and head to Palm Springs!

We went with some friends to the Indian Canyons and did a little hike around an oasis.

This was Miles first hike with his own camel pack.

He called it a "water back pack"

He seriously loved that thing!

And so did we....it was the first hike he walked thee entire time without complaining or asking to be held!

Once we got out of the hot dessert sun and reached the oasis, Miles rolled up his pant legs and started tromping through the water. 

Miles and Tyson are great friends and they stayed so busy running around, and throwing rocks.

Andie slept in the back pack the first half of the hike.

We love the Tangs and love this picture of everyone....

except Andie who is still sleeping.

The boys kept playing

And were so happy to be out and getting dirty.

While the kids played and ran up and down big rocks we sat and visited.

Andie woke up and was kind of miserable.

Her eyes were watering, her nose was runny, and the palm springs wind was in full swing.

BUT everyone really did have a great day!

And we can't wait to go on our next hike!

In fact...Miles keeps using his water back pack everyday!

( I just love my little family)

A 7 month old Andie Girl

This baby girl is 7 months and the days keep going faster and faster.

Andie is a happy baby.

I can't stop saying that.

Yes, we have moments, but over all she is a ham.

 

She is sitting and crawling ...

sometimes she crawls correctly and sometimes she drags her legs behind allowing her arms to do all the work.

She is trying to get into the sitting position from crawling but gets stuck laying on her side.

She is starting to hold her own bottle.

Puffs and yogurt melts have been introduced!

She loves them!!!!

She uses her whole hand and somehow grabs those tiny things and gets them into her mouth.

And since were doing good with puffs, we started crackers.

OH MY...SHE'S IN LOVE! 

(time to stock up on crackers again)

 

She is starting to make little messes

she is leaving the nest to go explore

She had her first Goofy experience and loved every second of it.

She laughed and laughed.

 

She loves peas, sweet potatoes, and bananas.

She is really good at drinking from straws. 

When we clap she is beginning to slap her hands up and down on her lap.

She still kicks those legs N O N  S T O P (its my favorite)

She has a great laugh.

She yells AHHHH and GAAAAAA.

Her raspberries are on a whole new level of intensity.

She is starting to respond to her name a little.

She puts everything in her mouth.

She still isn't sleeping through the night--But she just eats and goes back to sleep...but still were tired around here. 

She has survived her first ear infection 

and

HAIR IS COMING IN! 

Andie you have made the last 7 months fun.

We love you so.

Texas Ya'll part I

Having a brother live in Texas is no fun.

Having your best friends move to Texas is no fun either.

BUT at least we can fly and kill two birds with one stone.

And that is what we did.

Both kids did so good.

They both took naps.

They both were entertained with books, snacks and toys.

(the ipad was never needed. I do love that it's not NEEDED to survive)

Miles and the Stubbs kids picked up right where they left off.

Their whole family treat Miles as if he were theirs and fits right in.

They immediately got in grubby clothes and went to the creek to fish.

We have some pretty special friends.

When the kids got back they wanted to go swimming.

The water was f r e e z i n g but they still got in anyway.

Miles only put his feet in....

He's no fool.

We went to dinner and enjoyed a Texas BBQ.

We headed to Dallas for the late afternoon 

The kids played around the park for a little and pretended to be cowboys...

except for Kade....

He doesn't need to pretend...

He's a cowboy now. 

 

After the park we ran into the Dallas Art Museum to just quickly use the bathrooms.

And then we saw GEORGE W. BUSH!

He saw him go into an exhibit so we just sat outside the exit and waited for him to come out.

I knew I wanted to shake his hand and tell him thank you for keeping us safe but I totally froze and was so star struck.

Instead, I hugged his wife and told her she was beautiful and told him "thank you for approving the adoption act"

he smiled at me and said "it was an act of love"

Andie was ready for a bottle but someday she'll love this story.

After meeting our friends George and Laura we left the museum pretty pumped up and found the food trucks.

While we waited for our AWESOME grilled cheese sandwiches Cowboy Kade was teaching Miles all the cowboy ways.

They got in one more fishing day

I love that my boys had so much fun together doing "boy stuff."

While the boys fished Amy and I stayed home with the babies.

Andie and Blake were happy to be reunited too.

 It is shameful the amount of gross goodness we partook of at night while playing games.

 

But that is how we do games.

 Always have, always will.

We love the Stubbs and miss them so much.

(off to my brothers house next...)