Eli is 5

On Eli's actual birthday at our house

Birthday party with the Wicherts

Party with the Wertenbergers

The boy who made me a mamma turned 5 yesterday and I have all the feels. I was caught thinking that he may be spending his birthday mostly in his kindergarten classroom next year and I almost started crying. I know he will be ready, but it is bittersweet. 

Lions are his favorite animal. This was taken at the Rolling Hills zoo a few weeks ago.

Eli is such a bright little guy. He asks questions that I don't even think to ask. I often say, ask your daddy when he gets home. Ha! On the way home from Wednesday night church last week, he and Brent had quite the theology discussion about how big God is. Brent told Eli that God was bigger than everything. So Eli said, "is God the biggest thing in Heaven?" To which Brent replied, "He's bigger than Heaven." Eli said "He can't be bigger than Heaven if He's in Heaven". I don't think Brent had a valid response to that except that we can't fully understand God and his qualities. We have conversations like this often. 

Playing Legos in the light of the Christmas tree.

Eli loves to build with Legos more than probably anything. He does pretty complicated builds completely by himself. He also enjoys putting puzzles together. Just recently he has started enjoying coloring and is quite the perfectionist. He always includes blue, his favorite color, green, Micah's favorite color, pink, Grace's favorite color, and red, Hayden's favorite color. He really is quite thoughtful to those that he knows well. He isn't the most outgoing to make new friends. He's completely content with the people he already knows. 

Jesus healed the 10 lepers, but only one returned to thank Him.

Eli loves laughing and silly things like America's Funniest Home Videos, but is very literal so he doesn't understand jokes very well, which is pretty funny. 

He likes to be prepped before doing new things. He negotiated singing 2/3 songs at the Christmas program. He knew the other song too. I forgot to tell him that they were also going to be singing on Sunday morning (in addition to the Sunday evening program). That didn't go so well and he ended up crying a lot before the performance and daddy had to go up with him. Preparation is key. Hopefully he'll get to be a little more comfortable as he prepares to go to kindergarten.

At Union Station for his birthday trip to KC. We went there to go to Lego Land.

He's a detailed story-teller. He will tell anyone who will listen very detailed facts of animals that he has been read to about, or from Wild Kratts. Or recount an event from his life. 

Santa in a box.

Stats:

Height- 3ft 7 1/4in

Weight- 42.6lb 

He was around the 60-65th percentile in both.

Lego Land

Eli loves to ride his bike and run fast. He is very happy when he is doing these two things. He always wears his helmet when he is riding his bike. He is very safety conscience and a rule-follower. This is when he and his brother tend to get in to arguments when Micah isn't "following the rules" according to Eli. 

Sibling love

We love our 5 year old and the joy he brings to our family. 

Brothers and best friends

Haddie- 11 months

Our Haddie girl is 11 months old! She is a sweetie! She hasn't had too many traditional firsts this month. She has started pulling up some and continues to work on her crawling technique. She's been sick for what seems like quite a bit in this last month and even had a "shuttering" episode that she has mostly gotten over. She seems to be working on her top teeth, but nothing to show for it yet. She still isn't eating food. When I looked at the boys 11 month post, I noticed they were starting to be weaned or were completely weaned. Ugh, she's not even close. But that's okay. I guess she goes by her own timeline. :) 

 Eli and Micah at 11 months. 

Haddie went to her first state football game (Buhler Crusaders) and had her first Thanksgiving in Sabetha. She loves- baths, her lovie, mom, playing with her brothers, playing peek-a-boo, shaking her head "no", saying dada, sleeping, and sitting in her high chair.

Haddie- 10 months

Haddie continues to be such a sweetie. There isn't much to add to her firsts this month. She continues to try to get the crawling thing figured out. She more does a belly-flop/inch worm kind of thing. Her bottom two teeth are in plain view now. She likes to pull her socks off and chew on them. She continues to be a great sleeper. Still detests food. She loves her brothers and has started waving hi to people. She is starting to pull up a little. She loves her little blankie so much that the nursery ladies ask what it has on it. :) She loves to give smiles to her daddy. She is a true joy!  

First Halloween- Super Girl! (And daddy Batman)

Hi!

Eli and Micah at 10 months. 

Micah - 2 1/2

This post is going to have a lot of pictures because this boy can not be summed up with words alone. He is so much. So much fun, work, sweet, independent, dependent, ornery, shy, loud, naughty, sweet, loving, caring, naughty, thoughtful, life of the party (if he decides he wants to be), fun, fun, fun. 

This outfit was my brothers when they were little. Micah loved modeling it. :)

This boy. He has my heart. He is so naughty sometimes. And so independent "no I not need you, I do it myself". And in the next breath, he wants me to hold me and carry him like a baby. He always thinks of others- if he gets a snack he wants one for her brother and for Grace (his best girl friend). He plays well with others and he and Eli love to play pretend things (puppies, house, hotel, etc). 

If I had to name a mantra for Micah it would be "don't ask for permission, ask for forgiveness". Eli is almost the exact opposite. It's really quite comical. Eli "Mom, Micah brought me a piece of gum, is it okay if I chew it? Did you say we could have some?" 

These two are best brothers (not buds or friends because they are brothers). 

When he's unsure of himself or proud of himself he puts his tongue on the inside of his lip and moves it around. I wish I could capture it for you, but just trust me, it's the cutest. 

He likes an audience. At church he showed a table of ladies his "cool tricks". He puts two chairs back-to-back and stands on the bottom bars. They clapped for him and he was SO proud of himself. 

He cares so much for his little sister. He just adores her. Hugs and kisses and hi-fives for days.

He has become quite the talker the last few months. He knows all his colors. He likes to count "fifteen, seven, eight, fourteen". He likes to cut and color too. He's starting to recognize a few letters. It's fun to see him learn. 

Someone found the selfie button and was pretty proud of himself.

At night, Micah sleeps with 3 blankets and 2 stuffed animals and a random assortment of other things. He loves to have his bottom patted as he tries to go to sleep. He will come to the top of the stairs after "goodnights" have been given and say "mommy, you pat me and you scratch Eli please mom you pat me and you scratch Eli please mom". I rarely get out of that one, because it's just so darn sweet. When their clock turns green in the morning, that means they can get out of bed. I'm pretty sure the neighbors can hear him announce to the world that "ours clock is GREEEEEEEN". 

Messy messy messy

He makes us laugh all the time. He's just hilarious. When he's in trouble, it's really tough to keep my "mom face" on. He usually does something to make me want to laugh. 

I kiss this face all day. He's just so cute.

 His "favorites" are green and giraffes. "My fav green. My fav giraffs. Yai-yai fav blue and Yai-yai fav lion". 

He has no idea he's only 2. This was at the state fair. He was listening to the cotton demonstration. He thinks he's 5 at least.

Waiting for his daddy.

At Dad's office.

After they watched an episode of AFV, they thought they were so funny.

Whenever Haddie gets up from her nap or bed, Micah goes right up to her face and says "Haddie Joy, you have a good rest?" And then gives her a hug. For the longest time he called his sister "HadJoy" but has added the second syllable. 

Crusaders Crusaders, BHS!

At the Sedgwick Co Zoo with Aunt Estey- his favorite is the giraffe.

He's big and tough until he has to walk home from church. Daddy always has to carry him.

He loves the "hooball CHIEFS".

Buhler Frolic parade- I love this one. :)

His best friends- Grace and Eli.

Caught frosting-handed.

Cousins Kyson and Tynlee on a beautiful October day in Sabetha.

Reading books with Grandma Wertenberger.

Haddie- 9 months

 This little sweet heart is 9 months old! She is such a delight and is really made some gains this month. She is now sporting 2 bottom teeth and she has started to crawl. She likes to babble and likes to be with mama. You wouldn't be able to tell by her healthy rolls, but she will not eat food. Micah went through this too, but ended up eating table food pretty well. Not miss Haddie. She gags when she sees the spoon coming towards her. If I cut up food she will play with it but if she gets it in her mouth, she spits it out. If she accidentally swallows it, she'll throw it up. She just knows what she wants, I guess. :)

 Haddie has been to several football games - Buhler Crusaders, Remington Broncos, and Sabetha Bluejays. (We start them young). :)

This smile cracks me up.

Girlfriend is a HOMEBODY! She doesn't seem to mind being elsewhere, but as soon as we get home from being away she is so happy. She'll just roll around on the carpet and be the most content baby you've ever seen. 

Haddie continues to be a great sleeper. She sleeps with her little "lovie" I made her. She sleeps from 8-7, takes a little morning nap, and a long afternoon nap (1-4). If she has her lovie she does pretty well in the nursery now (thank goodness)! 

Stats

Height- 26.5" (15th percentile)

Weight- 17# (27th percentile)

Eli and Micah at 9 months.

Love this little sweetie!

Haddie- 8 months

Haddie turned 8 months on Friday, and it's Tuesday, so I guess you can say I'm a little behind. Haddie is starting to get on her hands and knees some to rock. She rolls wherever she wants to. 

She is still soft and squishy and she gets lots of hugs and kisses from her mom and really everyone that holds her. 

She detests baby food. We've tried several vegetables and she gags when she sees the spoon coming. She's working on some teeth, so maybe once those come through she can just go to table food. 

She takes a great afternoon nap and sleeps through the night most of the time. She is still a mama's girl, but is starting to branch out a bit. She loves her little "night-night" as the boys call it (blankie). 

She went to her first high school football game on her 8-month birthday. We cheered on the Sabetha Bluejays to victory. Her first football game was dad's alumni game in June. 

She makes funny noises with her mouth and she loves when you blow in her hair. Haddie likes to be held and sung to. 

She is a sweet sweet baby girl and we love her so! Her brother absolutely adore her. 

Her protector.

At church a few weeks ago.

Here's big brothers Eli and Micah at 8 months.

Haddie loves Great Grandma Wichert and I think the feeling is quite mutual. It is so sweet to see these two interact and smile at each other.