KiDs

I put the kids in the bath together...Emry hated it, HATED it! 

but she was sure cute and happy when I got her out.

A rare Sunday afternoon "nap".  Isaac would pretend to start snoring and the boys would erupt in giggles because, apparently, that is the funniest thing ever.

KASON

We went in for his 5 yr checkup (he's almost 5 1/2).

Weight:43 lbs (60%) and height: 44 in (60%)

He is reading short books now with short a and short e sounds and doing so well with it!

He is an artist!  This boy goes through paper like you wouldn't believe.  He thinks that getting a picture is the best thing anyone could ever want.  He draws for everything and we constantly find his masterpieces taped to the walls and doors.  He usually draws one for Isaac during the day and tapes it to the front door.  Here are some recent ones:

Me changing Emry's diaper

Isaac driving him and Asher somewhere

 

There were some boys who wouldn't stop walking through our garden after we planted the seeds.  Kason's solution, after we saw them walking through it again, was to draw this picture of the seeds coming up and them crossed out.  He went and taped it to a plant in the garden.  (Asher's solution was to stomp out there and yell at the boys...seriously.)

ASHER

3 year check up, weight: 36 lbs (90%), height: 37 in (50%). stocky boy.

Favorite recent Asher moments:

We are in the store and Asher goes up to an older man and practically yells, "I am Asher. Asher Gage Swensen. I am three."

I looked back in the car and gave Asher a thumbs up, he gives me a thumbs up back, only it's with his pointer finger.  It's how he always gives thumbs up. 

He has been super sweet to Emry lately, singing to her and getting her toys.

He seems to get into some interesting wardrobe choices:

EMRY

She's 6 months old!

Haven't gotten her stats yet. 

She is so smiley and really a pretty easy baby.

She has quite the stare.  She will just stare at us, waiting for us to look at her and smile and talk to her, as soon as we do she is all smiles.

She's starting to sit up on her own.  The boys pile the pillows around her.

She also likes to suck on her socks and toes.

We've had some rough nights lately and she is far from sleeping through the night regularly...

Prospectus

Right now Isaac is defending his prospectus.

  It's a big deal. 

Not as big a deal as when he'll defend his dissertation, but this is some of his dissertation, so it's a big deal. 

It's been a little busy and stressful the last little while.  

So, I'm blogging as I wait to hear how it went.

Love this picture

Only in Oregon can you run in a race called the Hippie Chick.  I signed up in the earlier stages of pregnancy, but as it got closer was worried I wouldn't be as ready as I wanted to be.  I was slow, but it was so fun and I absolutely loved it.  I got to run with a bunch of wonderful friends.  

Me, Marci, Randi, Audrey, Laurie, Michelle, Heather

 Mother's Day

Kason said to Isaac: "Make sure you don't go to school today, because if you do Mommy will start working and cleaning and I can't stop her".

We have had some seriously nice weather here lately and I. love. it.  The evening after a hot day is my favorite time.  You can still smell the heat and feel it, but it's also cooling off.  Here Kason is wearing Isaac's shoes and shirt and wearing a mask he cut out and taped to himself (and his hair) with masking tape...yeah he loved getting that off.

post haircut

A favorite place to sit with toys piled high in front of her.

And now Asher is sick.  He came in from playing and just zonked out.  

And that's been our week!

Three

  Asher turned 3 years old!  He had been pretty excited for the big day, his "tiny Lightning McQueen birthday".  He adds a "tiny" to the beginning of Lightning McQueen because he has a big car and a little car.  He slept until 8:30 the day of his birthday, which was amazing.

 Just waking up and seeing his cake and the decorations.  This hair do is what happens when you go to bed with wet hair

Home from church

The cake

He got a sword...what were we thinking...at least it is nerf.

Singing happy birthday. We had some friends over for cake and I think he was pretty pleased with everyone singing to him.

I was trying to get a good shot of  him, but had to work to get it.  I love these pictures though, I think they show his personality. 

Finally.  We love our Asher.

A little bit about Asher right now:

-I love the age he is right now, he says the funniest things.  He is always making us laugh.

-He is the sweetest boy ever, yet at the same time the most stubborn.  I don't know how they happen at the same time, but he pulls it off wonderfully.  

-He loves Lightning McQueen, Buzz, dinosaurs, matchbox cars, swords, and anything Kason is doing.

-One time a guy at church jokingly told Asher his dad was leaving him.  Isaac was just going to get the car because it was pouring rain.  Asher didn't see me sitting right there though and believed the guy.  He went screaming down the hallway, out into the rain, around the church and was almost to the road before Isaac caught up to him.  Now whenever we go somewhere Asher screams, "Don't leave me!!".   It was traumatic, but I think now it's more of a habit/game to him.

-He is slightly mischievous.  

-He loves to give me hugs...have I mentioned he is super sweet?

-He has really started to help with Emry and I often find him right in her face singing to her.

-His run is very entertaining...he seems to twist his upper body while he runs.

-He has been dry at night the last couple weeks...except for last night.

-His blue eyes will always have me.

And, on the same day, this sweet girl turned 5 months old.

4 Month Pictures

We got this little lady's 4 month pictures taken.  And now that she is almost 5 months I thought I'd better get them up (they are a little blurry/dirty from the scanner).  This last week she decided to not sleep at night and I thought I was going to go insane, but last night was better.  Hopefully that trend continues.  AND she sucks her thumb!  I did NOT want her to do it, but it's nearly impossible to keep it out of her mouth.  I still remember the chart I had to stop sucking my thumb and getting my prize of "The Little Mermaid" movie when I had quit for a month.  Hopefully she'll stop before we get to that point.  Her eyes are kind of a hazel color and I would love it if they stayed that way.  She is a happy little girl and full of smiles.  She also still has the popular nickname of Whippy.   Here are her stats from her 4 month checkup: 

Head : 16.1" - 38%

Height: 25.5" - 75%

Weight: 15 lbs 15.4 oz (can we just say 16lbs?!) - 75%

Bonus Picture:  I hear a determined "Mommy I am going to go ride my bike" and find this.  Shoes on the wrong feet, no pants, pajama shirt, and in the cold weather.  At least he had underwear and a helmet.  Just another Asher day.

Living in the Rain

There are certain things that come with living in Oregon. One of them is rain, lots and lots of it. And, while this winter certainly has been one of the easier (and by easier I mean less rain) ones since we have lived here there have still been bouts of heavy rain for a few days straight. One day I walked into the boys room to find this - it's the paint ballooning out, full of water. We called maintenance and very very looong story short...

...this is how that room looks now:

Actually it has drywall back on it today. Throughout that day that I found the balloon and that weekend, the walls got wet, the carpet became quite wet, and the smell was awful It has been over two weeks since we have been able to go in that room. We've had to go through the rounds with the housing department and UO environmental health. Turns out there was a leak (I'm still not sure if they know if it's from the roof or the siding) upstairs and our neighbor up there was flooded as well. They had to check for mold in the walls and everything and Isaac had to force them to get going on all this. So, the boys have been sleeping next to each other on the floor in the little middle room and people have been coming in and out practically everyday. Most of our stuff from that room is in our little hallway. I didn't think our apartment could get smaller, but it has. I guess this should teach me to not complain about what I have! At least when we get to move back in there our apartment will suddenly seem bigger and we'll have a full hallway to walk down and the boys will have somewhere to play other than the living room and a bed to sleep in - it will be so nice. I really hope it's soon.

Despite that damper we've had some fun. We managed to dye Easter eggs:

Taking a break from the Easter egg dying. No pants on - a normal sight. And look at all those fingerprints on that door...

We had an impromptu hunt around here. The guys filled the eggs.

Easter morning was pretty simple, but it was a good day to remember what is important!

In the chaotic scramble that always happens before church we got this picture.

Emry is quite smiley. I love it.

Just a day of getting out of the bath and wearing just underwear and a way-too-small dragon costume all day doing puzzles and reading books.

The weather was great on Saturday and, sadly, the bike Kason has been using that belongs to no one - we call it the community bike that we use- disappeared for good. Amazingly, we found a decent one for cheap on craigslist. Bikes aren't the easiest thing to come by in this town. So, Kason got one without training wheels and Asher got one thrown in as well.

Kason has...a ways to go in the no training wheels area. I just about died laughing at Isaac trying to keep him upright as they were going along the sidewalk. It is alot harder than I thought it would be!

Asher caught on to pedaling within the day. Actually he knew he could get away with pulling it in to the house and figuring out how to pedal in the living room while I was feeding Emry.