3 more to make a soccer team!

So....our great friends Paul and Tracy had another boy today. This is their fourth boy as well. I can't believe that we have 8 boys between us. He was born around 3:10pm. weighs 7.3 lbs, his name is Isaiah Jacob Vander Heide. Isn't he so cute? And so small compared to what Isaac was and is....Congrats to our bestest friends. We are looking forward to many exciting times with all of our boys!

Isaac- 3 months

Happy 3 months Isaac!

- weighs 18 lbs and 13 oz. and is 25.5 inches long.

- wears Size 4 diapers

- has been sleeping through the night for 3 weeks now (8:30pm - 6:30am)

- nurses 6 times a day, 3 hrs. apart

- has started sitting in the exersaucer, propped up by a blanket

- loves going for walks and being outside

- has had a few baths in the big tub with Luke

- loves getting cuddles and attention whenever he can

- smiles instantly when you talk to him no matter who it is

- loves watching his brothers and smiling at them

- is wearing 9 mth. sleepers and 12 month t-shirts and shorts/pants

- has actually giggled once when I was tickling his neck but I have not been able to get him to do it since.

Park Lake

Saturday afternoon we headed out to Park Lake to a not so busy park to play. The lake water actually wasn't that cold so the kids stripped down to their gaunch ( I think this is either a dutch word or Red neck word for underwear). I started by rolling up their shorts, then I decided to take their shorts off, then their tank tops were getting wet so I proceeded to taking off their shirts and then they got their underwear soaked. Luckily I had spare underwear in the diaper bag which they wore home. We planned on having a wiener roast with the kids but ended up changing are plans to go to Aunty Ang and Uncle Pete's for a BBQ with family. Good times!

Spoiled Rotten!

I can't believe how much fun we've been having already this Spring. In the last week alone the boys and I have been swimming, playing at three different parks in Lethbridge, had Noah, Simone, Adam, and Kaylee over for playdates and played LEGO for hours in between.

I don't know who's more spoiled, me for getting to stay home with the kids and do all of these exciting things or the kids who get to have so much fun with their mom.
We are loving the sunshine and enjoying every moment we can outside and inside.

"It's going to be so exciting!"

These two boys have been especially excited to go to church the last few weeks since they are sporting new shirts and ties. It's too bad Ken isn't as excited to wear a tie as they are! Andrew had been asking me for a few months now for a tie to wear to church so I picked up a few on my shopping trip in Calgary. Don't they look so handsome?

Sensitive but Competitive!

So I am now a soccer mom! Andrew has started playing soccer this year for the Dolphins. I'm not sure who was more nervous and excited...him or me? It was so much fun taking him to his first game. I haven't laughed and cheered so hard in a while. Andrew was very nervous and shy when the coach talked to him. Thankfully his buddy Karl who's our neighbor was there for support. They didn't leave each other's sides the whole game.

This is the conversation after the game....

Andrew: Daddy, did we win?

Ken: no Andrew the other team got three goals.

Andrew: How many did we get?

Ken: none

Andrew: oh

10 minutes later when we entered the house Andrew burst into tears. When we asked him what was wrong....

Andrew: I wanted to win.

Me: Did you have fun?

Andrew: yes, but I wanted to win.

Me: Andrew, it was your first game, you are just learning, maybe you will win next time.

Andrew: I get to play again?

Me: yes, next week.

Andrew: how many days is it?

Me: not that many.

Andrew: that's way too far away....crying some more.

This went on for at least an hour.

Next morning....

(outside it was snowing)

Andrew: but I wanted to practice soccer today.

Me: we can practice again when it gets nice Andrew.

Andrew: But the other guys were just too fast, right?

Me: you are pretty fast too Andrew.

Andrew: but not as fast as the Sharks, they were mean.

Since then soccer has been cancelled again due to snow but Andrew is anxiously waiting for the next game. Hopefully he won't be as hard on himself next time. Maybe he has a little of his Mommy and Daddy's competitiveness in him??

Happy Birthday Aunt Carolyn.

Aunt Caroyln and her son Ryan a few weeks ago at his wedding

This lady is a very special lady not only to me but to many others as well. She is such a ray of sunshine everywhere that she goes with her smiley face and encouraging words. Today is her 51st birthday and I can't be there to celebrate it with her but I will be thinking of her all day.
For those of you who don't know Carolyn I intend to share with you a few things about her. First of all she is my aunt, my mother's sister and the one that reminds me the most of my mom.

• she is very talented in the craft department with her sewing, crosstitching, making jewelery and anything else she decides to tackle. Everything she makes is perfect because she will settle for nothing less than perfect with her work. This is a talent that runs in my mother's family that has been passed down from Grammie.
• she always makes time for her family and friends and always makes everyone feel so welcome in her home.
• she is an excellent listener and has allowed me to cry on her shoulder a few times as well as many others I'm sure. She will cry right along with you as well. She will always share your emotions whether your happy, angry or sad.
• she has not had an easy life but ALWAYS pulls through with a huge smile on her face. She
  became pregnant while a teenager, married young and had to grow up quickly, she has lost her mother at 65 and her sister (best friend) at 45. She also lost a job that she worked at for years that she loved when the company got taken over.
• she sets a great example of how a mother and wife should be by always sticking by her family and her husband through thick and thin.
• she is very organized and loves planning things (weddings, birthday parties, family gatherings etc.)
• she loves all of her family and wants everyone to stay close. She is the glue that holds the Jackson family together always staying in touch with everyone.
• she was a huge support to me after my mom died and continues to be with her phone calls and cards and visits when I am in Nova Scotia.
• she used to often meet me for lunch when I was in University and she was working and we would have some great talks about family and life.
• some of my favorite childhood memories were spending time with her and her family.
• she puts her heart into everything she does and shares her heart with everyone she meets.
• she is a terrific grandma always having her grandkids over for sleepovers, taking them shopping, making them curtains for their rooms and clothing for special occasions. She is always sharing stories about them. They light up her life!
• she loves to decorate and change things around in her home.
• she loves to spend time at the cottage in the valley with her family every year, crafting, going for walks, taking pictures and spending time chatting
• she spoils her dog rotten, she has even made clothes for this animal as well as little booties.

This list could go on forever but these are a few of the highlights about my special aunt. I hope you have a wonderful day Aunt Carolyn and that you are spoiled by family and friends and your husband. We all love you so much!!