Neighborhood Walk

Here is the kids and I already for a walk around the neighborhood. There is a nice park maybe 10 houses down from us called Allen park and a little further an elementary school. It is wonderful to go walking around the neighborhood when the sun is shinning. Hardest part is getting Myles back into the stroller. Camellia sleeps great in a front carrier. Myles loves to find the airplanes when he hears them. Rhett had no interest in learning how to ride his bike with no training wheels because he has his motorcycle. (He did try it for a bit with Grandma Brenda in the old backyard and did well.)

On the way to a trail, a neighbor warned me about a bobcat. We have heard about the bobcat from a couple of neighbors now. Caramel was very interested in locating the animal and wanted to have a picnic on the trail later with daddy.

Surviving the Siblings

This is the only time Myles has held Camellia. It won't be happening again anytime soon, don't want him to get any ideas. Little cute Myles with big cheeks, long eye lashes, and endless whinnying. Now 6 weeks after Camellia's arrival, Myles has learned how to be soft. Before he would give her a snot kiss then a love bite and maybe a smack on the head and run away immediately taking her pacifier with him smiling all the way. It is when I would say "no, no, no," with frustration that he would end with the hit and run. Now when he gets near her, we both stay calm and he will give her a kiss on the head and usually point out her nose. So glad his runny nose is currently gone.

Rhett was all about holding Camellia at the hospital and when she first came home. Now he doesn't hold her too much. If he does I stay right next to him to help put her back in her seat or wherever she is going. He is a great helper when it comes to rocking her chair when she starts to cry. Rhett is a super sweet boy and will say how cute Camellia looks.

At the hospital Caramel was too interested in the doctor and the whole process of how this baby magically appeared to sit and actually hold her new sister.

 

Later at home I showed Caramel pictures of herself wearing the same clothes Camellia was wearing. Caramel enjoys Camellia and is looking forward to sharing a room with her (which is the current plan but things always change). When Caramel had spring break off school, it was wonderful having her around to hold Camellia. Caramel does claim that Camellia's nickname is Sally. Caramel even wrote Sally on the driveway in chalk when listing members of the family.

 

Outside when I was trying to do some yard work, Caramel picked a flower. I asked her what kind of flower she thought it was. "A rose." No, it was a camellia. Later when I came inside the camellia flower was next to Camellia's head in her rocking chair. So cute.

Easter Fun!..sort of

 

Anthony took the kids to Great Grandma Wanda's for the community egg hunt and breakfast. Last year Caramel found a special gift egg and this year Rhett found one. He came home with a big green Avenges egg with lots of candy. Myles didn't like the Easter bunny. He was super afraid of him, crying with both hands in his mouth. Finally, he calmed down and thought it was amusing when the Easter bunny moved his feet up and down fast.

For the ward Easter activity, it looked it the weather would be okay but when it came time it poured rain. So 2,000 eggs had to be gathered in the pouring rain. Myles enjoyed the idea of collecting the eggs and wasn't happy about giving the eggs back to get a treat bag. The kids were fine with the rain. To bad the weather wasn't better to enjoy more of the activities planned.

Caramel, the 7 year old

Caramel's birthday landed pretty close to Easter this year. She thought it was a good idea to have an egg themed birthday party with family friends. We invited 6 other families to join in the celebration.

 

First we decorated egg sugar cookies, it was rather ridiculous how the kids just poured on the sprinkles. All of the cookies just had a mountain of sprinkles on them. I wrote each kids name on their plate but they frosted and sprinkled their name too. Then the kids decorated bags for the piñata candy. After that we went into the front room and did some egg games. Each kid got a boiled egg to play with. We did a race with spoon in mouth, egg on spoon. Another one was rolling your egg to the finish line with your nose or face, no hands. Last one was rolling your egg from the line towards an object with out hitting the object, closest egg wins. Last activity, we had an egg hunt to find the piñata. The kids went back and forth in a herd throughout the house from egg to egg with each clue. I have never had the desire to be responsible for a piñata, so Anthony was in charge of that portion. It had to be in the garage because of the rain.

 

For dinner it was hot dogs, apples, oranges, and grapes. Chocolate cupcakes after singing to the birthday girl.  

 

 Caramel asked for a skateboard for her birthday. It was an out of the blue gift. I had never heard her ask or talk about wanting one. Anthony bought her a longboard. I wanted to get her new bedding, so I got this cute pinkish quilt from Target with animals on it including a hedgehog and owl and a purple soft blanket. (One just like the one she steals from our bed because it is so snuggly.)

 

Can't believe Caramel is 7. She is a great help with Camellia and her other siblings. She is still in the 80% area for height and weight. In her room, Caramel enjoys organizing all her crafts and papers. She loves to have a notebook with paper in it to work on whatever. Lately it has been to make charts on what characters people like from Frozen.

     

Farewell to Grandma Brenda

Grandma Brenda stayed with us for 90 days, as Caramel would put it. It was completely wonderful having her here. She was Myles's playmate and Caramel and Rhett's dessert chef. Lots of cupcakes, cakes, and cookies were made. Lots of sleepover up in Grandma Brenda's room too. Finally Camellia arrived and Grandma Brenda got to help with the new baby. A stressful time with all the remodelling, being pregnant, and moving. Next visit better be much more boring so more fun adventures can happen.