Bailey Family

Seth LOVED it!       The girls…I could have saved $3 a piece on the wristbands since they just wanted the playground. Kaitlyn considering it for the last 15 minutes…    The girls FINALLY try out the smallest sprayer! CAROLYN       (The odd shape in Carolyn’s swimsuit is her little toys – she carries toys everywhere and puts toys in her shirt/dress/swimsuit – whatever! for outfits without pockets.) Carolyn looks so much older than 4 here. Mom and I convinced Carolyn to move the little toy iguana to the back so it looked less weird! Maybe I’ll add a pocket to her other swimdress. KAITLYN---Kaitlyn putting her butt in.       NATALIE---Natalie putting her feet in. Twins: where did the water go? Last time we went 2 years ago…the twins were 5 months old (Seth 4, Carolyn 2). Seth loved it then, Carolyn mostly played on the playground…nothing changed really. Oh, except Kaitlyn tripped at th...

I wanted a picture of all 4 kids, so I went to portrait innovations (and took my mom for help- thank goodness too!) The main one (for the package deal): Another 2 poses – just the girls & just Seth:       Just the older two:  (the twins would not pose for one…mostly Natalie would not and Kaitlyn lost patience standing there waiting on Natalie to join her and unglue herself from us) And another one I got “free” for ordering 3 poses – I just thought they all looked so like themselves here. And I would have liked one with this background b/c it seemed to fit the dress so well, but they were tired by this point. Natalie was being forced into every picture, Seth and Carolyn were having trouble focusing, and Kaitlyn just wanted to put her feet up! I think taking them counted as our workout for the day! Thank goodness we chose to do the pictures on Tuesday and wait til Wednesday to go to Saluda Splash…b/c Kaitlyn tripped and skint her nose at...

We all went to the beach Saturday morning Natalie tried mud for the first time…Jacob pointed out that it might not be so tasty! Seth busied himself searching for fish…he did catch a crab thing. Yea for extra hands! They are exhausting to keep up with (and that’s when we’re not at the beach.) Will not only flew his kite all over the beach, but in the ocean too! The kids were fascinated by it. Dad didn’t join us for the evening swim, but Rob did. (Just our family and mom went after supper.) After Natalie’s first jump off the pool stairs into (and under) 3 feet of water, we realized her fearlessness…and allowed her to be a daredevil – with a float and undivided attention! (I was so stuffed in that swimsuit! Guess I’m a little ‘more pregnant’ than I thought.) I’m pretty sure Dad and Rob enjoyed the weekend. We wore Dad out at the beach! (Should have taken a picture of Rob reading…that’s what he did most of the weekend for his relaxing time....

I'll be posting more pictures later, but just one quick one to show (the attempt at) a family picture today after church. Thanks to jacob for taking several pictures and to him and Mom both for trying to get our grumpy tired girls to cooperate! (My sister in law Kristen made the girls' hairbows...she should sell them she's so good at it.) I'll post more pictures from our quick father's day trip this weekend...just thought of something - I wanted pictures of my immediate family and totally forgot to get some! Rats!

Mom, Can we go swimming…please?? OK, but the pool is small… I do have plans to buy another pool to replace last year’s cracked pool…but the thought of having to keep yet another thing perfect-looking until the house sells stresses me a little (more than I already am). Seth and Carolyn give up on the pool to “play” with a worm (and chase a lizard- a real one, not the plastic lizard in the picture)…the twins are happy for the space they leave them! Natalie thinks the worm is cute too. (Note Kaitlyn still in the pool – she’s afraid the ‘snake’ might get her if she doesn’t stay in the pool.) And today, we made an impromptu trip to see some real snakes (the zoo)…and I survived with all four kids! (I thought it was hard with 4 before…having two more that actually care now and want to get out of the stroller so they can see the animals – yeah, now it is hard. It wasn’t hard before; I was just disillusioned!) They had fun though…Carolyn rode in the stroller more than any...

I'm not sure how this will work or how long it will last, but I am TIRED of fixing 5 different meals for breakfast and lunch! Then, the twins want what everyone else has, so they end up with about 3 lunches, and eat none of it! We will have a menu ALL day - not just for dinner. (The idea came from when I was a teenager, Mom had a 'menu' for what we ate for breakfast each day of the week.) BREAKFAST LUNCH Sunday is a question b/c I can't decide what I can serve that Natalie can't turn into confetti 20 minutes before we leave for church! (I'm a picky eater, so I don't really 'make' my kids eat anything. They have to try it, but if they don't like it, they can get something else...by themselves or I'll get it when I finish my meal.) So the alternate lunch option is whatever leftovers they can find in the fridge. Everyone likes all the breakfast options. Mmm...making these cute little non-reader friendly menus has made me h...

I finally finished the girls' swimdresses - Carolyn has matching shorts, the twins have swim diapers...my back gave out before I could start on mine today. Kaitlyn admires her pink flowers. Natalie is forced into the picture by the enforcer. Carolyn, who never misses an opportunity to be part of a photo shoot, puts on her swimsuit and joins in! My overall opinion of the swimsuits/swimdresses: The twins' I had to alter the pattern to make one small enough - probably won't ever do that again! (Too hard - I can't alter clothing or patterns.) I'm surprised they turned out wearable! Carolyn's - cute, and I would do it again for her (or the twins at that age)...she loves to priss around in it ( we have to make her take it off to put on 'real' clothes) Mine - Haven't gotten to...B/c I had to take down the sewing table for the house on the market phase, I sewed Natalie's at the kitchen table yesterday and Kaitlyn's on the floor of our bedroom (ouch.....

While I was at an appt and shopping, Rob helped Seth set up an email and a blog. I'm not sure how much the email will get checked or how much his blog will be posted to, but I'll leave that for Seth to decide. If you want an invite, email me.

1. A grandparent asked if Seth had a kindergarten graduation last week. Yes...but in his mother's rush to get out the door with 3 girls (dressed with 'fixed hair') and leave the house immaculate (just in case someone came to look while we were gone), THE CAMERA WAS FORGOTTEN! Here is a sort of 'retake'. (I am going to get a copy of a friend's recording/pictures from the "kindergarten step up") but for now, here's the 'farewell' song they sang for us. (I can't believe he remembered it all!) 2. It's snowing! (j/k ...) Mom said I should take a picture of the messes they make that I've been complaining about recently. (I love my kids, but I love them best before 18 months and after 2 years! I think Carolyn and Seth's age is my favorite so far, although 6-9 months is pretty cute too.) Here's today's disaster (It was supposed to be naptime, and I didn't run back at the first noise...wish I would have looking back!): ...

With Seth having 1/2 days the past two (and now done completely), we can play games more - b/c he's actually home during the twins' naptime. (Yes, try playing a game when they're awake...we barely make it through games I was able to play with Seth at age 2...) While playing Candyland today, I was commenting that I remember Lolly being Princess Lolly and Princess Frostine being Queen Frostine. (I also remember Queen Frostine being prettier, but I didn't say that.) So, afterwards, we looked it up, and found the game was made in 1949 (interesting history) and has had a 'new' version of the board, etc about every decade. Check out the boards: slideshow of candyland The kids had fun looking at what the older games were 'missing' or what they had that we don't.

Really!...At posting, he has an hour left of Kindergarten and then it's over. First Day of Kindergarten Last Day of Kindergarten

Seth said randomly the other day, "I'm glad I'm not a girl." (Rob agreed.) There are many reasons I could think of that he might have had in mind, so I asked, "Why not?" "Because I don't want to go to the hospital." (Rob pointed out boys go to the hospital too.) He clarified, "But I wouldn't like to go to the hospital to have a baby. I think that would hurt."  (I told him he was right! And Rob said, so you don't want to have a baby when you grow up?) Seth, again clarifying, said he did want to have a baby when he grew up but he wanted to get married and let his wife have the baby. haha...such wisdom. :) And speaking of babies...Carolyn told me in the car, "If I had a boy baby, I would name it Peter Pan." (she will not be naming any siblings!) Can you imagine the jokes!?