Month of May

Having our ultrasound at the beginning of May and finding out about Andros baby girl #4, our May was bright and sunny to follow.  Just knowing the gender of this baby really brought her to life for all of us, especially the kids.

May really did have lots of bright sunny days.  With some new summer clothes and new sun glasses in "their" colors, the little girls were ready to beat the heat.

We spent many days at the park to enjoy every last drop of sunshine.

Chloe wrapped up her softball season at the end of May.  She was supposed to have her final game the first Saturday in June, but it was canceled due to her team not having enough players.  Her whole season was a fight to get enough girls there to play a decent game.  It was really frustrating.  And although I've heard great things about this league, I was not impressed with their organization skills.  Both with Chloe and Mitch's teams, we would get a half hour's notice that the location of a game or practice had been changed.  And every month, practice location, day and time could be changed.  Again, it was always at a minute's notice. 

I was also not super impressed with Chloe's coach.  I should first say that I very much appreciated the time and effort that it takes to be a coach and that I know her coach, who appeared to be a single, working mom, sacrificed much to be a coach and not very many people sign up to be coach's.  But in every game we played, we were out-coached each and every time.  Her coach taught the team the very basic of skills and never built on anything- it was the same small things taught.  Being a softball/baseball lover and former player, this drove me crazy.  The girls didn't even know that they could run past first base!  Maybe that isn't a rule you teach on the first day, but surely 8 year olds should know that by the second or third practice. 

The practices were basically just playing catch and a very casual batting practice.  They were never really taught proper batting form or anything.

Ben took it upon himself to be her personal coach.  He would take her to parks and in our own yard and show her proper form on everything.  Despite a lack of good coaching, Chloe made great improvements by the end of the season.  She was hitting the ball almost every at bat and was much more alert and knowledgeable playing defense in the field.

With her last game being canceled an hour before game time, her season ended very abruptly.  No final game, no end of the year party, nothing.  It was a big let down.  But I think she had fun and did learn something.  We're hoping for better coaching next year.

Look at that great batting stance!

The beginning of May brought illness to our house.  Chloe complained of a sore throat one evening, and by the next day was running a very high fever.  By the time we got to the doctor's office, her temperature was 105.  I felt like the worst mother ever.  She was even more miserable than this picture depicts.  

A quick throat swab and lab test told us she had strep throat.  She was feeling 90 times better the next morning after just 2 doses of antibiotics.

The next day, Leah woke up with some weird spots all over her face.  She was acting totally fine, but had been running a low fever a few days before Chloe got sick.  To err on the side of caution, I took her into the doctor as well. And by the time we got to the doctor, Lexi was running a fever and acting really lethargic.  Leah's positive strep test was all they needed to decide to treat both twins.  The spots on her face were impetigo, a rash form of strep.  So she had strep first, but her body fought off the symptoms and was feeling fine, even though she hadn't recovered.

It was a hot day and 2 trips to the doctor's office in 2 days was wearing on all of us.  I told the kids we would get ice cream on the way home.  3 sick little girls tried their best to look happy!

Within minutes, the twins were out!

My kids respond to antibiotics really well and were feeling great within just a day.

That weekend, desperately wanting to enjoy the nice weather, we took the kids fishing at a great little pond about a mile away from our house.

Ben's dream is coming true- all his kids love to fish!

While they all love the fish, lately they have all become wimps at touching the fish after they catch them.  This day, everyone was being particularly squeamish and whiney about touching the fish.  Lexi decided to get brave and not only touched the fish, but held it.  She was so proud of herself.  She kept asking me all day, "Mommy, was I a good holder fishy?" (Translation: "Was I a good fish holder?")

Mitch finally held one too, but was not super brave about it.

May 17th and 18th was our stake's Father Son campout.  Mitch has been looking forward to this for weeks (Ben too, really).  He very excitedly and happily helped Ben pack for the overnighter that Friday evening.

They got to ride on a boat on the lake with some ward friends (check out all that dirt on his face!)

And Mitch's favorite part of camping- being near the fire!

The boys had such a great time, while we girls stayed home and had a cookie and movie night.  Ben is determined that if we are only going to have one son, that he will give him every exposure to man time with his dad doing manly things as often as he can.  Go MEN!

Memorial Day weekend we had Ben's sister Meredith and her family come up for a visit.

On Saturday, we went to Northwest Trek to enjoy our first uses of our new dual season pass to that park and to Point Defiance Zoo.  The kids were very, very excited!  It was cool and over cast, but did not rain the entire time we were there.

The kids' favorite habitat was the coyotes.  The kids started howling and it got the 3 coyotes to start howling like crazy.  The adults were laughing so hard.  It was hilarious.  Awhile after leaving the coyote den, we heard them howling again, so it must have worked for someone else too.  We went back and visited the coyotes 2 more times before leaving for the day.

The unique part about Northwest Trek is getting to ride their tram tour through 435 acres of free-range wildlife and seeing all the animals out roaming around.

My niece Victoria was the sweetest thing on that tram.  Isn't she a doll?

Chloe, Leah and William

Ben, John and Mitch

Henry, Dave, Lex and me

We found a bald eagle habitat.  Mitch is obsessed with bald eagles and I made him pose for a picture with them.

With 7 little walkers, a baby and a pregnant woman, we needed a few breaks!

When baby Victoria wasn't riding in her stroller, the two sets of twins would take turns riding in it.  They got creative and made it a double stroller when more than one kid wanted a ride.

At home that weekend, the kids had a blast having dance parties to music and music videos.

Chloe loves babies and was quite smitten with Victoria.  Loving on her all weekend sure got us even more anxious for our own baby girl to snuggle on soon.

The next week, the twins took up wrestling with each other.  It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

They are quite the wrestling duo.

Mitchell received notice the middle of May that he was one of the top Reading At Home winners for the month of April.  (His name is half way down on the right column). 

For that achievement, he was awarded free lunch with the principal at the end of May.  Here is Mitch with all the other winners and with his principal, Mr. Anderson.  They got a free Subway kids meal.

The girls got to eat right next to Mitch.

Families were invited and even Ben was able to make it.  It was fun to celebrate with Mitch.  We really did work hard on his reading in April.

A quick shot with the winners.

He had to quickly finish his cookie before it was time to go to recess.  Way to go Mitch!

Later that evening after Chloe's softball game, Ben took Mitch out on a Man Date.  (Mitch loves calling it that).

They went to Walmart and had fun.  Mitch has been wanting a watch for quite awhile and we told him that when he can tell time (digitally), we'd buy him one. 

After finding the perfect watch, they ended their Man Date with ice cream at McDonald's.  I call that a perfect date too- shopping and ice cream!

That wrapped up the Month of May at our house.  June has been even busier, but lots of fun.