Learn a Little Each Day

I once had a teacher--the one that focused on Kindergarten instruction--who said that his motto was to "learn a little each day." Well, that's what I've been doing with Talan, and it's going really well!

Talan has been able to write his name on his own since around the time he had his 3rd birthday. Not because I sat down and "taught" him, but because I would always write his name for him as something to do, and show him what it looked like, and such...and then he would do his version next to it. For never having been really instructed on how to form the letters and such, he did awesome. His "T" was always a lowercase T, and both of his a's were always backwards (the sticks were on the wrong sides), and sometimes he would leave out the l. I joked that he would always write "tlolon" as his name. But still, pretty impressive I thought. Especially the first time that I saw him do it.

Well, now that we are buckling down and getting ready for Kindergarten, I have been working with him on making his name correct. So the biggest thing has been writing his name correctly. I have been focusing on getting those a's right on paper. He's getting it--but it has taken some practice because he has written his a's the other way for so long. I really should have taken care of that a long time ago! So all in all, these are most of the things we have been doing....

1. Practice writing name correctly. (With a focus on the a's. Will work on capital T's once the a's have been mastered)
2. Working on the sounds /t/ and short /a/. He is doing fantastic!
3. Practicing writing the numbers 1, 2, and 3 and putting the correct amount of items on each number.
4. Meanings of "same size," "same," "bigger," "smaller," and "different." Doing great on these, but "same size" for some reason is tricky...I think it's because all the rest in the row are about the same size too.
5. Things that "belong together" like a racquet with a ball.
6. Coloring neatly.
7. Holding a pencil correctly (Hard right now!).
8. I've introduced AB patterns, but just once.

On the worksheets out of the book, we do them together for a few days to practice the skill before I let him actually write in the book and circle the answer.

Talan really loves it so far. After I'm done, he likes to do it to me...so he can boss me around, I think! He'll be like, "Okay, now write your name right here." "Trace this." And even, "Draw 2 circles right there. Good job, Mommy!" So, as you can see, we are definitely "learning a little each day." I think Talan's fave part is just having my undivided attention. I like it, too :)

We have a neighborhood friend that is Spencer's age. He is such a sweet boy, and since school has not started back for him yet, he has come over to play with Talan outside almost each day. He has went on bike rides with us, and also came over to jump on the trampoline. Talan is over the moon when this boy comes over. He is so kind to Talan, and really is quite innocent compared to other 4th graders I know. He is a little different in several ways. It makes Talan so happy to have another child to play with! It's too bad he'll be back in school soon! Too bad there isn't another preschooler that could come over a few hours a few days a week. Talan would enjoy that. If you know anyone who needs a part-time babysitter for a while for a 4 or 5-year-old, let me know!


Talan with the neighborhood friend


Ansley on another stroller ride. Isn't she lovely?


I love her expression in this one!

Baseball Beginnings

Look carefully and you can see Talan in the outfield (playing in the dirt/grass), and Riley practicing on short.

Baseball is going okay so far. Riley is not hitting as well as he usually does, and well...we need to practice. Talan, on the other hand, hit better than we expected him to. He'll turn 4 in a couple of weeks, and we haven't really practiced at home using a real bat (we use plastic usually), but he's pretty stout and he hit like a little champ. Now, Talan's in the outfield, which means he is always in the dirt, but still...I thought he did really well overall.

Now, let me clarify...Riley is doing well too, just not as great as I thought he would be. He had strike after strike tonight off of Kevin's pitches, but when Kevin moved behind him and let someone else pitch so that he could watch Riley's swing better, Riley started hitting. The other man was pitching overhanded, and Riley was hitting alright. Not as good as I've seen him hit before, but alright. We have expectations for Riley because we know what he is capable of. It appears he is starting out in a slump. I truly do believe that performance is hugely impacted by confidence and good mentality, so I am hoping strongly that he pulls out of it quickly, before it begins to really affect him. I know, I know, it sounds as if I'm taking this way too seriously. I am. I know. But if you have a child that loves baseball as much as he does...it would just tear you up to see him struggle and get down on himself.

When I say he loves baseball, I mean he loves baseball. This child has such an imagination, and he does pretend games in the house and outside when he plays. He makes up players, makes up numbers for them, and makes up their ability level--meaning sometimes he's good, sometimes he's not when he's pretending to be them. He'll know who's on 2nd, on 3rd...and so on in his pretend game. He keeps track of everything. Shoot, sometimes he's even a left-handed batter, and swings with his left hand. He loves to watch baseball on TV. He and Spencer have fought on many, many occasions about what channel to watch when they go to sleep. (Yes, I know, bad habit.) I always put it on 32 ESPN when they go to sleep, but on the weekends and many nights over the summer I'll let them watch Nick at Nite or Disney. Well, guess who pitches a fit, wanting to watch baseball? Oh, and yes, he does it for football too. Not so much for basketball though. Not yet, at least.

What about Spencer's team? Well, we're still waiting to hear if there will even be a team for his age group. It's looking like not enough signed up, so we're waiting to hear more information. Spencer doesn't seem heartbroken right now, though. I think he's glad to have some unstructured free time without his brothers. He played his DS and walked around a while. Then headed back to the van with me. Then, he asked Kevin if he could bat, and he also ran the bases with the team. I thought that was pretty cute.

Out and About

Mommy with Ansley. Look--Ansley is saying, "Hi!"

Daddy with Ansley. He just loves his baby girl!


Well, other than when I had my eye appointment on the 18th, this past Thursday was the first time Ansley has been out in public. I took her out to eat with me at Los Primos. Melody and Kendra met me there, and they had a few gifts for Ansley with them. We had a fantastic time reminiscing about old times. Specifically, old college times. Oh how I love talking about the good 'ol days! Of course, I absolutely love my life right now, but talking about the times where we had so few responsibilities and lived for excitement and made decisions based on our own selfish desires...well, of course we enjoyed it!!! I wonder where some of those people are now....

Back to the subject...Ansley did wonderfully! She slept the entire time--until it was time to go. Then, of course, she let her needs be known and I jetted to the van to feed her as quick as I could. So of course, dinner was perfect!

The next night, my sister came down...Yay!!! My mom and Jeff took us out to eat at Ruby's, and again Ansley slept the whole time! Dinner was great! Steph has 2 years left of pharmacy school, and we are all so excited when she comes down to visit. The boys just love their Aunt Stephanie. And because Ansley didn't wake during dinner, Steph came over later that night to spend time with her new niece. And of course nephews.


On Sunday, Dad, Marty, Grandma, and Grandpa came over, along with Steph, for a while after church (Ansley and I haven't been yet. But all of the males went. We will go back next week). Talan was so funny, dying for Steph's attention. He was ready for everyone else to go home--and telling them bye--so he could have Steph all to himself!





On Sunday night we ate at El Cantarito with my mom and Jeff. I know, a lot of Mexican lately! Ansley had her first huge diaper blowout. It was so disgusting! It was all over her clothes, carrier, blanket, shoes...I had to take her out to the car to get her all changed and cleaned up. That same night, she had another blowout right after I put her little sleeper on. Poor thing! Uh, and poor me, too! FYI, blowout number 3 happened today (Monday) while picking up the boys from school. Yuck!

Oh, I forgot to mention that Jeff's son Drew came down, and they brought their new son Siler to our house. Here are some pics of that as well!



Ansley "playing possum."




For anyone wondering, I did get Ansley out to finish her pictures, but she politely said, "No, not today." So I guess we're done with those.

So Far, So Good

Talan & Ansley after a bike ride/stroller ride



Talan doing his most favorite thing right now--water balloons!




We have been busy here around the Moore household! I have been able to set up somewhat of a routine the past few days, and it goes a little something like this:

Wake up, iron clothes for all the boys
Make Riley's lunch, sometimes Spencer's
Feed Ansley
Spencer & Riley leave for school
Get Talan dressed
While Ansley is sleeping, take a shower
Laundry
Play school with Talan
Get ready--hair, makeup, clothes
Play with Talan if Ansley is still asleep
Ansley gets up. Feed her.
Feed Talan lunch
Go outside (bike/stroller or back yard)
Come in, cool off
Laundry/pick up
Nap
Go pick up Spencer and Riley

There are a few things I need to change about this schedule. It's not my ideal routine yet. I'd like to add some outdoor time earlier in the morning when it's less hot, for one. Another thing is that I could get up earlier and [ideally] shower and get ready before Talan wakes up. Before I iron clothes for the boys. But then, of course that would mean less sleep. So I'm gonna put that off for now. Also, getting up early would mean risking Ansley waking up and crying and waking the others up while I am in the shower. That's a pretty good excuse, isn't it??? So I'm going to keep on sleeping until almost 7 for now. It's nice sleeping so late!! Perhaps I'll alternate early wake-up days...who knows.

A couple of things going on around the house lately....Yesterday, after I got home from picking up the boys, Ansley was still asleep in her carseat. As I was picking up around the kitchen, she began to fuss and wake up. Riley came to tell me. So I asked Riley to go talk to her or sing to her for just a minute. He said, "What? Okay, let me get my microphone!" LOL he's so funny! He sang "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" to her until I got to her. Then he followed us to my bedroom with his microphone and continued to take requests as he put on a show on my bed. Riley is hilarious!

Talan can now stand up as he pedals on his bike! It's true! Yesterday was Ansley's first stroller ride (she went on 2 yesterday), and so Talan rode his bike with us. My little 3-year-old was standing up on his pedals, riding like a little pro! Cutest sight to see--he's still so little to be doing that! He still has his training wheels on, but still--so cute!

Spencer will be starting kid-pitch baseball this fall. I am very nervous about it. Baseball is his favorite sport, but to be honest, we are pretty competitive with it. He has always been really good at baseball (it's his best sport), and I really hope he continues to both enjoy it and do well at it. This new advancement makes me pretty nervous! I've heard of kids doing well all up until this stage!

Riley and Talan will both be playing in a fall league as well. Kevin will be coaching, and I'm pretty excited about it. This is Talan's first time playing an organized sport, and I am curious to see how he does with it. Riley is great at baseball. He has a natural ability to understand the sport and was batting I guess since he was one. Of course, he grew up seeing Spencer play, so that has a lot to do with it. But Riley really is great at it. He bats wondefully. Fielding is harder, and part of it is because he has trigger thumb in his left hand. He initially had them on both hands (they weren't bad, but they did hinder some abilities). He had surgery around Christmas last year on both thumbs, and at first it seemed successful, but then it came back on his left hand. That's his catching hand, and with him already being so little...it makes it even harder to open his glove wide enough to catch the ball. I didn't want to redo the surgery over summer because I knew we'd be doing a lot of swimming, but I need to plan it again. I'll probably try for November/December. He did do great at the Thunder Baseball Camp that we sent him to, though, over the summer. He was still able to catch a lot of grounders--but I know it has to make it harder on him. But oh, how he loves baseball.

When Kevin or I play baseball with them in the yard or sometimes in the playroom, Talan will sometimes play too. Not always, but sometimes. Well, Talan is (was!) the baby. So he is used to getting his way. If he hits it fair, he'd cry foul anyway just so he'd get another turn at bat. And many many times he would refuse to run to first. And then he would sometimes get bored and simply be finished once he got to 1st or 2nd base. He'd do his own thing (like bubbles or riding his bike) until he wanted to hit again. And that child is very stubborn. He will pitch a fit if he doesn't get his way...oh my we might be in for a show come baseball season! I can see him being one of those kids with a lot of talent, zero discipline. But I can't wait, nonetheless! Being the obsessive coach that he is, Kevin has called their first practice for tomorrow because he just can't wait until next week, when they are actually scheduled to have the field. I am set to go out to eat with a couple of friends, so I won't be able to see his first practice now (um, thanks, Dear). I can't wait to hear about it, though!

Our First [Work]Week With Ansley

Last week was our first full week with our baby girl. The boys have really enjoyed her, and we have been very blessed with lots and lots of visitors who came bearing some delicious food! On Monday, Misty Magill came to meet Ansley, and left us with lasagna, Texas Toast, and brownies!

On Tuesday, our Couples Sunday School Class came with salad, baked spaghetti, bread, and banana pudding. Yum again! They stayed for a while, and it was good to talk and share labor and delivery and newborn stories.

On Wednesday...(I'm beginning to feel like the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar--which is one of my absolute faves, although I think if I remember correctly, someone told me that it's supposed to be a chrysalis instead of a coccoon. But I do LOVE that book!) Anyway, on Wednesday, Elaine and Leslie came over with roast (my favorite meat entree!!!), mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, and some delicious blackberry cake. I am going to get a recipe for the roast and cake! (I still have yet to ever cook roast, and I love it!)

On Thursday, I got to see my coworkers! It was soooo good to see them and I miss them dearly when I'm at home! I miss having lunch with them, chatting at recess, and just being around them in general! They brought over some good 'ol KFC with all the fixins :) and also some chocolate chip cookies and brownies. Kimo and Susan also came over that night, and brought Ethan, Macy, and Callie with them. The boys were so glad to have some playmates over!

On Friday Mona and Lucille from our Disiciple Training class came over with lots of pizza, cheese sticks, and chocolate dipper sticks. It was so good! They also left us with a Cracker Barrell gift card from the class.

My mom and stepdad also came over nearly every night to come and see Ansley. They were fully prepared to bring food, but there was always too much already here! So they brought us dinner on the weekends. It's so good to know how much Ansley is loved! Riley's teacher Mrs. Cates even had the entire class make cards to welcome Ansley. And 1st grade drawings and handwriting are just adorable!

So needless to say, we have now been spoiled. Tomorrow will begin our 2nd workweek with her, and time to really begin getting into a routine. Ansley is beginning to have some spurts of being awake and alert now, which is just wonderful. She likes the mobile in her crib, loves her brothers, and is really a peaceful and happy baby! She is beginning to let me lie her down some while she sleeps, and I am resisting the temptation (sometimes) to just hold her anyway. I do have 3 sons, and it's really not best to just act like a mattress, I don't guess....But I do love to hold my baby girl. It is right now my favorite thing to do. Besides talking to her and kissing her. Oh she smells so very good!

Yesterday is the first time I have broken down into tears about returning to work. I did twice. The thought of leaving her is already stressing me out! I realized that I've never left a baby all day long before. Spencer only had a babysitter for 3 hours/day his first year of life, and I simply stayed at home with the other 2. So the idea of leaving my baby girl all day long is killing me. I realized, she won't even be able to sit up when it's time for me to go back. How sad is that? She will still be so little. It tears me up. But I'm going to try not to dwell on that.

Today's news: Ansley's cord came off! 9 days old and she has an outtie for now--but I believe it will be an innie later, like the rest of them.

Here are some pictures of my favorite people in the world--hanging out around the house.









I took some newborn pictures of Talan in this very same basket, and have a picture of it framed in his room. I loved how they turned out, so I decided to do the same with Ansley. Then I added some baby girl flair with a tutu skirt and of course a headband. I like the way the color brightens up the picture. I didn't get a good face shot of her with the skirt and headband, so I've been trying to get back out there to do it again...but she was fussy twice, then on another day there were too many bugs, and then the last two nights it has been way too chilly. But hopefully one day very soon I'll get her back out there and finish up the pics!

Happy Birthdays!!!!

Although this is old news, I'd still like to post something on the boys' birthdays. For those of you who didn't know, we now have 3 birthdays in August and one birthday in September.

Since their party dates are rarely ever their actual birthday dates, I always bake a simple cake just for us on their actual birthdays. This year the each got 2 "home" cakes--a bundt cake and a small square or round cake--because my cake pans are still at the church LOL. I just can't remember to get them! I have made very cute party cakes for them in the past, but not this year. I did last year and Spencer's cake was just hilarious. I did the Autobot and Decepticon symbols and did 2 cakes. Well, the food coloring never allowed me to get the vanilla icing "red enough." So one of them looked fuschia. The other one was purply gray. So you can imagine how Spencer felt about one pink and one purple cake last year. But he's so sweet. He still told me I did a really good job. But this year, when discussing cakes, he initially wanted the same cakes as last year, and to do Transformers all over again...but added, "But could you make the cake a little more red this time? I mean, you did a really good job, though." hahaha :) Then one year Spencer wanted "The Thing" from Fantastc Four. Well, there was no attainable flesh tone. Pink that year, too.

So anyway, let me write about how picking out this year's birthday stuff went. It's lengthy, but I want to have it in our book later (the chaos makes me laugh when it's all over), so.... The 3 boys and I were at Wal-Mart one day in June. I decided to stroll down the party aisle to let them look at invitations. It was still early and there was plenty of time, so I thought we would just get some ideas to think over. Spencer went ahead end picked Transformers, and Riley refused to leave until he had some invites in his hand as well. Finally he decided on some cute little "ticket" invitations that say "Admit One" on them, saying he wanted a baseball party. Invitations done!

A couple of weeks later we go to Party City to get all the plates and cups and stuff to go with the themes they chose. Yep, me (big and pregnant) and the wild 3. I am a glutton for punishment. They were beside themselves. Riley was trying on hat after hat, begging for one, saying he "never ever gets to get a hat." There was just no way I was spending $12.99 on a fuzzy baseball hat. Plus, then they would all want to pick something out. But there was no stopping Riley's fit. Riley ended up in time out. On the ground in Party City. Talan of course wanted out of the buggy the whole time, especially since the others were getting to "touch" stuff, so to pacify him I had to keep wheeling him over to the stuff he wanted to touch. And then I would have to try to figure out what he wanted when he couldn't reach it from the buggy. "That. No Mom, not that. That! No that!" And then Spencer kept trying to walk off and look at his own things. I'm pretty sure my 9 year old may have ended up in time out too. Not positive, but pretty sure. Well, anyway, after what seemed like an eternity, I finally got them focused long enough to put actual items that we came for into the cart. They both decided to do sort of an "All Sports" party, with football, baseball, and basketball themed stuff. So this meant Riley's invations were okay, but Spencer's Transformers ones needed to be returned. He chose some new baseball ones. But, mission accomplished. Except for getting party favors to go in the treat bags. I could come back for that.

A few weeks later, we all go to order the cakes at Krogers. I tell them we need to get a "sport cake" to go with the theme, and turn the tab of the binder to "Sports." Well, don't you know it...racing is a sport. Not one of the sports that goes with our party, but it's a sport. So Spencer asks to have a Dale Jr. cake. I explained how that wouldn't really fit all the stuff I already bought for this party. Being the good sport that he is, he agrees to pick out another cake and says he understands. But looks disappointed. So I think, "Oh, who cares! Let him have the cake he wants. They're only little once--and they don't care about matching." So he picks out his Dale Jr. cake. They don't have the Dale Jr. stuff to go on it. So then he picks out a Jeff Gordon cake. (Obviously not that devoted a fan. Kevin acts like he's dying, though.) No Jeff Gordon cake toppers left. "OK, Tony Stewart." Ha! They have that one. So we order that one. Since we're already messing up the theme, I ask Riley if he wants a Tennessee cake. "Oh yeah!!" Riley says :) Riley is a HUGE Tennessee fan. If it's Vol orange, it's a hit! Before leaving, we decide we'll find Spencer a Dale Jr. car on our own to sit on the cake, and have Krogers make a cake without the topper stuff. So, in the end, not only is there not one single baseball, football, or basketball on either of the cakes, but also the color scheme went from red, blue, & orange party plates, cups, and napkins to adding Mtn. Dew green, yellow, and Volunteer orange to the mix. But really, who cares, right? They were thrilled and that was all that matters. But now Kevin and I had to hunt down a Dale Jr. car and something UT that could fit nicely on a cake. We eventually did, so in the end it was all good.

I am going to spare the details (and drama) of shopping for birthday presents while [sometimes] with the boys. It's hard for me to shop because I can't commit. I change my mind unless I really do think it's just perfect. This means multiple trips to ToysRUs. Trip 1:look forever, get ideas. Trip 2: buy. Trip 3:return, buy something else. I get on my own nerves when looking for presents!

We decided to have Spencer's and Riley's party together this year--to save money and effort as Ansley's birth was just around the corner. We had it at the Kingston pool rather than my mom's house so that there would be plenty of room and less stress. Well, there wasn't "less stress," but the kids had a lot of fun nonetheless. They really enjoyed the slide and diving board, and Riley got to show off how he no longer needed a vest! The lifeguards kept a good watch over everyone, and that was nice as well. The 2 hour time constraint, however, was painful. They had to swim, eat, do cake and ice cream, and open gifts all in that time! One more hour would have been perfect. But still, it was fun! And it was done! All in 2 hours! Since I had already started back at work and we did it on a weeknight, it worked out fine. They each invited a few friends and had cousins and family come as well. School hadn't started yet for the boys, so we didn't have a way to give out invitations to all their friends this year...and I wasn't willing to wait until school started, since we never knew when Ansley might decide to arrive :)

Talan's birthday is September 18th, so it's already time to start planning for that one! We've already got his present, so at least that's one thing out of the way. Here are some pics from the party and actual birthday pics...

Spencer's cake on his birthday, August 2nd, at home


Riley's birthday cake at home on August 11th

Riley told us his wish--that Talan would ne nicer!

Party Pictures


Talan got a new Webkin, too!














Talan enjoying the chocolate out of his treat bag. What a mess!