Grady is more into sports than ever. He plays all day everyday and watches anything on TV. He understands the games he watches and knows players' names, positions, stats, records and rankings. He played flag football this fall and is doing a little indoor baseball league this winter before basketball starts after Christmas. He is taking a drawing class after school one day and enjoys that too. He spends a lot of time drawing at the kitchen table still. First grade is going well. He is a reader now. At night, he sits in a chair and reads to us like a teacher. He shows us pictures like a real teacher and reads with expression just like his teacher taught him. He is in a challenge math group with a few other kids in his class and he likes that it is hard for him. He can come home and tell us about the problems that he solves in the group. He has a good memory. He still has a sharp tongue and a smart mouth. He has comebacks at much of what we say, and get in trouble for it often. He still only eats PB and J, waffles with peanut butter and banana, and rotisserie chicken most days. He likes having sleepovers and Grandma and Grandpa's and would choose to be there, over at the condo where we are living now. He told me the other night, Grandma's house is cozy, I want to go there. He is right:)
Lainey is still easy going and happy all the time. She loves to play pet vet, Wild Kratts and doctor. Her favorite thing to look up on the internet is the size of baby number four in comparison to a fruit. She has names for the baby. For girls she likes Bella and Lucy. She told me the other night she was thinking about Hugh and Al for a boy. Lainey is starting to get interested into letters and sounds. She tries to read small words and listens well to everything her teacher teaches her at school. She loves her Jesus music and sings her little heart out to a few songs she sings at school, church and Grandma's. Her report card at school said she is a kind friend to all and she needs to work on doing what she wants to do and not following others. She enjoys baking, we even had to email her teacher for a pumpkin cookie recipe they made in class and she baked them pretty much the next day with just a little assistance from me. I was worried about the dough's gooeyness and she assured me that it would be just fine, they'd turn out great. And they did. She is a positive little thing with a heart of gold.
Let's just start with saying, Kris just said today, "I'm pretty sure the others were never like her." Ha. Ava is a combination of a 3rd child/strong willed/spunky/bossy/terrible two year old. She's tons of fun;) She's a hoot. Every single day she says something that surprises me. Such as, "You can count on me, mom." "You can say that again." "How's that baby doing, Mom? It's crying. Shhshhhshhh." And so many more that I need to write down. She still takes all of her big sister's things and claims them as her own. Since we sold our house 4 months ago, she hasn't really slept through the night. She screams her head off a little too often. Just two nights ago Kris put her in the car at 11:15 and drove her around like a newborn to get her to fall asleep. Like I mentioned, strong willed. She is currently into wearing her swimsuit at all times. With underwear on top of it. She is not potty trained. Well, she is on her terms. And her terms only. She sings songs and carries her guitar around. She demands we sing her lullabyes. She still loves Mickey and Paw Patrol. Ava is full of joy and smiles, giggles and laughs all the time. She is an awesome little handful.
