Lana is 7

 

Lana Mae is 7! She has to be the most patient one for her big day it seems like, because starting in December we have a steady stream of birthday and hers ends that streak until (almost) winter. 

Lana is ALL IN into whatever she's doing. She played her first year of basketball this year and loved it. She started to realize her own strength and speed and gained a lot of confidence over the season. She also finished up softball this summer and really enjoyed that. Lana also plays piano and although practicing isn't her favorite, she has really improved a lot in the last year and is really good at site reading when she trusts herself. She struggles with being a bit of a perfectionist, but has really learned in the last couple months that it's okay to try and not be the best right away. We also learned this summer that Lana is an excellent swimmer. Her swimming lesson teacher said her strokes are text book. She likes having that distinction from her siblings. :) 

Lana is gearing up for second grade. She finished her first grade academically strong. The other aspects of school were a struggle this year with differing little dramas, but I think we've had enough school detox that she's excited to give it another go. I'm confident she will have a good year. In JAM last year she learned she is good at memorizing Bible verses. She also is really good at remembering to pray for people we know that need prayer. Lana is incredibly observant and has an excellent memory which is sometimes very helpful, and sometimes very challenging because her mom doesn't always remember what I was supposed to be doing. :) 

Lana enjoys playing Barbies, house, and cheer leading (especially with her cousin Remy). She likes to play outside with someone (not alone) and likes to jump on the trampoline and ride her bike. As she grows up, it's fun to see her become more accomodating for her younger siblings and just realizing how to get them to play with her. She's good with them. 

We look forward to seeing what 2nd grade has for Lana and what she has for it! She is such a little spunky light and we love her to pieces. <3

Knox is 5

Sara McMillian Photography- I mean, come on! <3

 

Whew what a ride! Knox is FIVE! 

Knox is a ball of curios energy and confident "I can do this without asking" energy. I feel like he is always in a process of creating something or devising a scheme. I don't how to further describe that, but if you know him I think you know exactly what I'm talking about. 

He is also incredibly sweet. He notices things about his family and comments them as if they're no big deal. Awhile back I was wearing a dress he hadn't seen and he said "you're so beautiful" with no schmooze to it at all. He said it like a statement and it was so kind. Also, at church whenever I am playing piano, he delivers me little notes on the half wall in front of the piano. He sometimes delivers them in a hymnal. 

Knox is currently gearing up for Kindergarten and we are all so excited for him. I think he is excited also, but he's very stoic about it, maybe even a little nervous. We enjoyed this last year of being at home. He enjoyed the power of turning on PBS kids whenever the kids went to school and he really was sweet to Greta. I've said it before and I'll say it until I'm gone, I love this year of friendship 2-3 year old with older sibling 4-5. I love it so much that I get a photo session of it. Thanks to our friend Sara who has captured each of my kids at this stage. 

Knox absolutely is the life of the party or he's really quiet. Both/either are cause for some follow up, but we are absolutely confident that God made him just right for His purpose and we can't wait to see how Kindergarten plays a role in getting him there. His teacher is the best and speaks "Wichert" very proficiently as this will be Wichert #5 for her. 

Here are a few quotes from Knox from the last year. 

• (Hating getting his haircut) "If you keep cutting my hair, I'm going to look like an old grandpa with no hair. 
• (At Pizza Ranch eating his dessert and out of the blue) "6 is next to 7!"
• (Driving by the hospital in Salina) Mom" Greta and Knox, that is where you were born. That's where you were brand new babies!" Knox "Is it called brand new baby place?"
• At Walmart trying to move around a lady's cart in the middle of the isle. I said "excuse us" and Knox said "excuse her too!"
• (At the dentist after she sucked out the water with the straw.) "I like the pipe!"
• (Driving to Hutch in icy conditions) "Stay calm and steady."
• "Eli, I got a job for you. You need to find Luna's collar."
• (Leaving club car wash after Brent locked himself out of the truck and after a long day.) Mom "It feels like everyone is thinking- mom is really on edge maybe we can do something to really make her lose it!" Knox "Let's go to a hot dog stand!!!"
• At the Garcia's house, Knox licked Rory while on the trampoline and then said "If you can't beat 'em, lick 'em!"
• We lost Knox after JAM one night. After Brent found him he said he thought Eli and Micah could see his trail. "oh wait (slaps hand to head), my trail is invisible."
• "Mom, how is your leg?" Mom "it's doing ok, thanks for asking" Knox "My pleasure."
• (big sigh) "It's a great day for bird watching."
• Knox walks into my room and sees a pile of clothes and shoes to donate. "Mom, when I get big, my girlfriend might want those."
• Riding in the car out of the blue "I didn't know dad was alive in the 1980's!"

Micah is 11

Micah loves to chat and discuss and ask questions. He's probably our most social kid, at least at this point, and he loves talking to anyone. He reminds us both of his Grandpa Gary in this way. He wants to know about you and he's happy to share about himself also. He's also really funny and his most funny target is his dad.

Micah wrapped up his grade school career in May. It's crazy to think he'll be headed to middle school. In our town, he goes from 40ish in his grade to 150ish in his grade. Given what I've already shared about him, I think he'll deal with the increase just fine. Paying attention and not talking too much are Micah's biggest school challenges. :) He's excited to join his brother and they even get to have a class together.

Micah played soccer, basketball and baseball this past school year. He found some success in each with his favorite being basketball. He will soon venture out to tackle football and he's really excited about that and as of today, he's earned $100 he needed to come up with himself. 

He and Eli still love to collect sports cards- their most favorite ones being NFL. The last few weeks he's been drawing football and basketball players. He really enjoys art. Oh, and he redesigns his shoe boxes of Curry shoes. They look pretty sweet. 

Micah has become more of a reader in the last 6 months or so and finished Harry Potter this summer. He's working on a book about the Mannings right now. He also plays piano and does a really good job. Practicing isn't his favorite part of the day, but he's the most consistent in practicing. He generally comes home from school and practices piano first thing. 

Greta is 3

Sara McMillian Photography

Baby girl is 3! And she's "not a baby". She is independent and very very funny. She makes us laugh every day. She's pretty independent, but when we're in public she is a little more reserved. Whenever people are around she usually runs up to Brent or I and says something like "you're the best mama/dada ever". It always gets a sweet reaction, and although i knew she loves us, I do think it's a phrase she has in her back pocket when she doesn't know what else to say. Grandma Bonnie said it best awhile ago, "she's sweet, but she's a bit of a schmooze". 

Greta still takes a nap- though she is close to not needing one. She and Knox still share a room and it's the sweetest thing. They definitely look out for each other at night. She moms him something fierce and he lets her. We'll get in the car and she'll say "Knox, you need to get buckled" and he doesn't get mad at her. It's the best. 

I think she most likes to play with her siblings- usually pretending to play house or some similar game is the one she likes the most. She does like to play Barbies, but usually doesn't want to play exactly like the big girls do. She is happy to be treated like the baby and usually wants her way. She especially loud and verbal, which explains why she's so funny sometimes. 

Here are some quotes from Greta from the last year. 

• "Micah Scott you stop. You're being a jerk" Mom- Greta we don't talk like that. Don't call your brother that. "Oh, only your sisters?"
• Me pretending to put on Greta's jammies... "it doesn't fit you, but you can get a huge one for your birthday"
• At a stop light in Hutch... "gracious! That's a lot of trucks!"
• "My tummy has a headache."
• While reading the Elisha story of the lady who doesn't run out of oil. The first question at the end was 'why was the lady sad at the beginning of the story' to which Greta said "because she just got dunked on". 
• At the pool one day, Greta told me she needed to go to the bathroom. We went into the building and I sat her on the potty and she started going and then said "seeeeeee, I told ya". 
• Greta went out the garage door to play outside for a little. Brent was in the kitchen when she wanted to come back in. Brent didn't come right away and when he did, she yelled at him "Dad, I'm a little KID!" 

We love Greta Jo and love seeing what she continues to become as she grows. What a treat to be right there for the milestones. 

Haddie is 9

Wow, time is really flying. Haddie continues to be a sweetie pie. She loves school (even though she says she doesn't) and is also quite a little home body. Haddie just finished her third grade year with the best third grade teacher and she had an excellent year. She goes to a lot of ball games because of her big brothers and in the last year or so has really gotten into them. She doesn't really bring things to do, because she watches the games and yells and cheers. She loves watching football on TV and played basketball this year (I coached her team). She also enjoyed her summer of softball. She doesn't like being hot or sweaty outside. I think the liked softball because June was unseasonably cool. :) 

Haddie is a mama. She takes care of the little kids with such ease. If someone is upset while playing, I'll overhear her talking them through and she sounds a lot like me. She has a natural nurturing about her and is mature. She doesn't get involved in girl drama at school as she'd rather be by herself than be a part of that. Everyone loves Haddie and she loves everyone. She has a small pool of friends she does things with because I wonder if she is more introverted than not. I don't know, time will tell. 

Haddie likes to organize and watches home makeover shows. The one she and Lana really like is called Castle Impossible. She also likes Fixer Upper and Hometown. Recently Grandma let her borrow discs of Down Gilead Lane and she has devoured that. She also enjoys reading (I Survived, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and graphic novels) and playing Barbies with Lana. 

Card collecting has also become one of Haddie's hobbies. She has a lot of Patrick Mahomes cards and knows a good bargain. If any of the boy's friends think they can pull a fast one on her, they are mistaken. Girlfriend knows her stuff. She also has been playing piano for a year and a half and it comes really easily to her. She has a great voice also, and I always love to hear her sing. 

We're gearing up for the next school year and I can't believe Haddie will be our biggest kid at BGS. She will do well with that as she's always watching out for her siblings- including her big ones. She also went to her first year of kid's camp and got to have her cousin Shelby as her counselor. That was a God-send and she had the best time. 

We love her so much and can't wait to see her grow this coming school year! 

Eli is 13

Our first teenager. And by the time I'm writing this he's already passed the half point and is rounding the corner to 14. Crazy! 

Eli is a great kid. His middle school has 3 words they put on everything: respectful, responsible, kind- and he is these three things. He doesn't love school, but he doesn't rebel and for that I'm really grateful. 

He loves sports (probably why he tolerates school) and participated in football, basketball and track this past year. In track, his most consistent event was the 1600. Hopefully he'll get a few more reps at discus next year too as he seemed to enjoy that one. In football he mainly played JV as a running back and linebacker. In the last game of the season, he got one rep at running back in the varsity game and had a 12 yard carry. Basketball quickly became a favorite and he was a great defender and mainly played the 3 or 4 position. There was one play in particular that I will hopefully always remember- we had scored and he picked off the in-bounds and went in for a reverse layup and made it. I stood up and what came over me was well, loud and proud. Track season was super fun for him and I think he enjoyed the social aspect of meeting new people. One of his closer friends by the end of the season was a kid he had never seen prior to the season starting. 

His favorite hobby is cards. More specifically sports cards- mainly the NFL and NBA. If he's not buying them, he's watching videos about them, getting together with friends to trade them, or dreaming about the next money he will get in order to buy more cards. His brain is a steel trap, so he can tell you rookie years and cards and all sorts of things. He and Micah both enjoy this together. As far as hobbies go, I think there are worse ones. He also continues to be an avid reader. If you have book suggestions, send them our way! 

We stopped farming this last year, so he's not bucking bales this summer but he is still really helpful. He's willing to put in hard work and doesn't mind sweating through it. He babysits for me, mows our lawn and mows for his grandma. He and Micah went into town this spring after a wind storm and stacked branches for folks- I think he felt really good after that. 

As is typical of a lot of first-borns, Eli would prefer to sit with the adults and soak in all the stories they're telling. He's really enjoyable, so he gets away with it sometimes. We've had several folks from our church that have sought us out to tell us how much they enjoy visiting with him. He really enjoys talking to and listening to people who are older than him. I think that's a great quality. 

We love him and love getting a clearer picture, as he grows, who God has made him to be. We're praying for a good growing year for him (and he hopes that's literal growing too). :)