5 months

Kyleigh is five months today. She still isn't rolling over a lot and only once has gone from her back to her stomach. She is sitting better on her own everyday. She just gets so excited when she's sitting that she falls over. She is speaking with more sounds. We've gone through a bit of a rough patch with her, she hasn't slept well or been her happy self since we've been home from Christmas. The last couple of days she has been acting more like her old self.

Kyra has gotten to where she likes to dress herself in the morning. Last week we went to town with her in her pajamas. On Friday we went to IN with her shirt and pant on backwards and her shoes on the wrong feet.

This past weekend we were in Newburgh, IN to visit Rick, Cindy, Derrick, Lori, Ethan, Tyler, and Brandon. We had a great visit as always. It was nice to meet Ethan who is 9 months. Kyleigh was instantly intrigued by him but he didn't think much of her, then when he did get interested in her she didn't want anything to do with him. I was going to take a picture of the two of them together and it never happened, but he's not much bigger than she is.

Valynn and Mason had fun playing Rock Band 2 while we were there. They got better all the time with hitting the right notes. I even took a turn and didn't do too bad my first time out.

On the way home we stopped in Vincennes to visit one of my high school classmates and her family. We had a great visit.

1,2,3,.....,11?

Here are some pictures from Saturday night. 8 kids are on the top bunk and miraculously no one fell off. All eleven kids got along great, except for Kyleigh. She was trying to pick a fight with Annika. When the babysitter stopped by to pick up the Johnson's we asked her if she just wanted to stay and watch all 11, she promptly turned us down.

I Spy

Why you have trouble playing I spy with a 2 year old

Kyra: Mom let's play I spy.
Mom: OK
K: I spy something orange.
M: Is it the needles on the dashboard?
K: Yeah, I think so, your turn.
M: I spy something green.
K: I spy something black.
M: Is it the road?
K: Yeah, I think so, your turn.
M: I spy something green.
K: I spy something white.

I never did get my turn.

Baby it's cold outside!

Nothing too exciting has been happening around here. The kids were home from school Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday because it was too cold (those of you from MN and ND can stop laughing now). It was -30 with wind chill so they canceled school. Now the kids have four days of school to make up at the end of the year. The first day the kids were home was due to snow so we made snow ice cream, they thought that was fun and delicious. The kids have also been having sleep overs in each others rooms, something reserved for when they don't have school the next day. Mark and the kids have also been spending time playing Super Mario Galaxy on the Wii. It's a very interesting dynamic to listen to. Mason wants Mark to play because Mason doesn't have the coordination needed to achieve some of the levels but he tells Mark exactly what needs to be done to win the level. Mark gets frustrated because he can't always understand Valynn and Mason's directions or descriptions of what needs to be done. I have been slowly getting the house in shape. I've had a run of bad luck (or you could consider it good luck since I couldn't clean) when it comes to appliances. The vacuum cleaner, steam carpet cleaner, and coffee pot broke in the last two weeks. So we've been helping out the economy by buying new appliances. Thursday night Mark and I attended a presentation by John and Kendra Smiley, they were wonderful. It was nice to get out of the house without the kids. Unfortunately Kyleigh through a fit for the sitter and she had to call her grandma to come help. Today Valynn started basketball practice. Her games start in two weeks, they should be fun to watch. Tonight Brad and Chantel and family are coming over for supper and I'm also watching the three Johnson kids for an hour. That means there will be 11 kids here, bring the ear plugs. Can you tell who is under the pillows? That is how Kyra fell asleep one day. Take care and stay warm. Day four of a six day weekend.

4 month stats

Weight 13 lbs 4 oz. (34%)
Length 25 in. (71%)

Everything looked good. Kyleigh has rolled from her stomach to her back twice now. She's still as smiley as ever and is starting to laugh. She can sit supporting herself with her hands for about 10 seconds. Kyleigh has really started to reach and grab for things. I think her favorite is my hair. She still has everyone wrapped around her finger.

2650 miles

Give or take a few. We made it back safely last Saturday. We had a nice trip but were glad to be home. We left early Thursday the 18th to beat the ice storm, I heard we got .60 inch of ice. The kids had fun in Minnesota playing the Wii with their cousins, milking cows, and snowmobiling. It snowed every two days so there was plenty of fresh snow to go sledding down the hill in the yard. The kids were impatient for Christmas to come. The kids made out like bandits on toys. We left on the 26th for North Dakota. North Dakota had a pile of snow for the kids to play in, we built caves and a tunnel to play in. We got to visit with family and neighbors. I even got to see my high school classmate from Indiana (that's right, we travel to ND to visit). On the way home we stopped at Brady and Jodi's to see them, and Paige, Adam, and Ty to visit with them.

Valynn went back to school today and Mason goes back tomorrow. I've been busy trying to get caught up and reorganized.